What Did You....

[Glenn]

The 2012 Summer Olympics are officially under way. That's right, all the archery, handball and equestrian events you can handle are coming your way. Essentially, we will watch a bunch of people infinitely more gifted than us compete for their chance to be immortalized on a box of Wheaties. Personally, I'd rather be immortalized on a box of Cap' N Crunch, but then, I kinda don’t do anything. Thing about Olympic coverage now is that there's some long- winded story behind every athlete and the networks feel the need to share. Basically those stories fall into one of two categories; they were naturally gifted and this is their chance to show the world OR no one thought they'd be able to compete and this is their chance to show the world. So, not unlike most of us, some things come easy, some things required a lot of effort, and that leads to today's question:

WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD FOR AND WHAT CAME NATURALLY?

[SirSnookalot]

Not wanting to jinx myself for the future, I'll refrain from any comments pro or con about fishing. Don't know if I was born or programmed by my father, but I was always a gifted salesman. From the time I was very little I fished with my dad a couple of times week, the topic of discussion seldom was fishing. My dad taught me how to read people, both from what they said and their body language, take crap from no one, and be relentless, always go for the jugular vein, lol.

That doesn't mean it always came easy, sometimes it was, but for the most time and energy were required. Being in business there were so many variables out of ones control, even the best will struggle at times, key advice I got, have holding power life is like a pendulum.

[Bluebasser86]

I think I'm naturally gifted with my fishing, hunting, and shooting abilities, just have always been comfortable doing all of them.

Had to work hard at my people skills. It still takes all I've got to not tell some of them what I think about them

[Sam]

_{No speed for football. Worked at it and was not the fastest but not the slowest. And I could catch the ball.}

_{Wish I never played football or basketball. Knees need to be replaced after years of abuse and hospital visits.}

[Sam]

I think I'm naturally gifted with my fishing, hunting, and shooting abilities, just have always been comfortable doing all of them.

Had to work hard at my people skills. It still takes all I've got to not tell some of them what I think about them

Bluebasser, as you get older you will tell people off. I have started doing it and it is fun. Tired of taking it and smiling and walking away. If you include cuss words it knocks your opponent off their track and you win the discussion!

[Lund Explorer]

Bluebasser, as you get older you will tell people off. I have started doing it and it is fun. Tired of taking it and smiling and walking away. If you include cuss words it knocks your opponent off their track and you win the discussion!

I think that blue suit he wears to work sort of handcuffs (is that a pun?) his ability to do that.

But I enjoy the same thing!

[Root beer]

I could play baseball, soccer, badminton, and maybe beach volleyball. Although I lack height to get good blocks, but I'm sure there some successfully volleyball player at 5'8

[Bassn Blvd]

I was born with the talent to find the ladies, but always had to work hard at keeping'em.

From the fishing aspect, I think I was gifted with sensitive hands/feel. I'm a "hands on" type person. Meaning I learn easier/more from doing and watching then from reading. I can read how to use a DF, but won't grasp anything until I actually go hands on.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Had to work at football. I was large and slow when I started playing. I was also not super aggressive. After my first year I got much better. By my third year I was well on my way. My Sophmore year of high school is when it all came together. My mind set had completely changed. I led the jv team in tackles and sacks. I broke one players arm and two players ribs. Junior year I set the highschool tackle record and sack record for a defensive lineman while playing on the varsity. I broke a quarter backs collar bone, and I shattered my first face mask that year too. By senior year I had been offered a scholarship for football. Not to shabby for someone whose coaches said would never make it as a football player.

Wrestling and shooting both came naturally too me.

Weight lifting came naturally. Yet took me a few years to perfect.

[Bluebasser86]

I think that blue suit he wears to work sort of handcuffs (is that a pun?) his ability to do that.

But I enjoy the same thing!

Exactly, I have no problem doing it, I just have to think more about the possible repercussions of me doing it. It's the holding my thoughts in that I have a problem with.

[slonezp]

What came naturally? Working with my hands. The ability to figure out how stuff works. I used to have alot of game with the ladies but being in a monogamus relationship ruined that.

What have I had to work for? Everything...and for that I thank my father for not being filthy rich and handing me everything on a silver platter.

[Bair]

WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD FOR AND WHAT CAME NATURALLY?

I had to work hard to get my mom to let me go fishing today.And I naturally asked if I could go again tomorrow.

[Fishing Rhino]

Math, sciences (excluding chemistry, and electronics) and mechanical things came very easily to me. English, history, social studies, etc., were a drag. Math and the sciences are very precise, and for the most part predictable. I was always able to figure out how mechanical things worked. Not so with the rest of my classes. They required memorizing dates and events for history. Diagramming sentences, and sentence structure varies from language to language. The sciences are the same, the world around. The single glitch in the sciences are variations in the system of weights and measures. The rest of the world uses the metric system while we still use ounces, pounds, inches and feet. But, those are easily converted back and forth.

Our report cards had a letter and number system. The letters A,B,C,D and F showed the level of proficiency a student had in a given course. The numbers 1, 2, and 3 reflected the effort a student put into their studies. In my freshman year I received an A3 in Algebra I. When I asked the teacher why she gave me a three, she told me it was because I wasn't trying very hard. I was tops in our math class yet I got a 3 for effort. She even admitted that I could not have done any better no matter how much effort I put forth.

Funny thing is, she was one of my favorite teachers, and I was one of her pets. Is there such a thing as a "teacher's pet" today?

[riskkid 2]

I came by my good looks naturally....but at my advanced age am working hard to keep them!!

[jeremyt]

I'm pretty good at drinking beer!