If you could instantly gain one REALISTIC ability?

[Biosophilogical]

For me it would to be fluent in Afrikaans - I have my reasons Second choice would be to have an awesome singing voice.

I actually know someone from South Africa[footnote]He's as white as they come, for anyone curious: blonde hair, blue eyes, slightly tanned white-y[/footnote] who speaks Afrikaans, so that wouldn't be a terrible thing to know.

OT: I'd either go with a prodigious gift for languages (I'd be like pokemon, except with languages and learning instead of pokemon and catching), or a photographic memory as Daystar suggested, and pretty much for the reason Daystar suggested.

Quoted so I'm not talking about you behind your back

OT: Another might be the capacity to have godly-good looks with minimal effort (so basically the greatest humanly-possible ability to put on muscle/lose fat/not get pimples/not lose hair/grow a beard, that only extends insofar as it makes me gorgeously attractive (don't want to be anorexic or have so much muscle I look like an over-filled balloon man)). Let's face it, being excessively attractive would have made all of us normal-people's lives so much easier.

 

[Kekkonen1]

To be as good at football (soccer for the americans) as Alessandro Del Piero would make me incredibly happy... or even half as good.

Kinda interesting observation though, many seem to have money as the main objective for being good at something. Now dont get me wrong, I think that is a perfectly valid reason for wanting to be good at something, I just never thought about it like that. Would just be so much fun to be really supergood at something just for the sake of it. Playing football with my friends and just totally owning them Del Piero-style!

 

[Ninonybox_v1legacy]

Be amazingly good at football.

20 million a year in wages and sponsorship deals? Yes please!

Thinking about it, yes give me this power.

 

[iNsaneMilesy]

Being able speak any language on the planet would be useful.
...
But for pure fun, would have to go with having circus skills.

 

[Podunk]

I was going to wish for awesome Parkour abilities, but I think the ability to focus on a task until it's completion would be way better...

 

[Drizzitdude]

I would want the ability to be the world greatest magician with absolutely no effort at all and also be an expert card thrower. Vigilantism anyone?

 

[Omegalus]

higntened senses, so there on a level to rival like a wolf's sense of smell and a hawks vision.
I have shit eye sight (i'm extremely short sighted) so improving all my sense would hopefully partially fix that, plus i'd be able to hear if anyone was talking about me behind my back whilst i'm in there presence. plus as a boon with hightened sense my reflexs might adapt to be slightly better

 

[The Night Angel]

I'd want to be better at basketball. Not even NBA standard, but good enough to make a European team or something. Or I'd like to be able to play the piano, which I'm already learning, but that's hassle, give me a magic button of instant knowing-ness any day

 

[JochemHippie]

More intelligence, that's quite honestly the only thing I might lack.
[sub]Or somewhat better social skills[/sub]

 

[Waffle_Man]

The focus of a person without ADHD.

 

[York_Beckett]

Just being a better writer, and actually have some self-confidence to keep going.
Of course, this "ability" can be gained; you just gotta work on it. That's what I'm trying to do. I tend to look at other works and think "I'll never be able to write something even close to this", which kind of breaks the spirit. It takes hard work, but it can surely be done.

Aside from that, I wish I was good at playing the fiddle, or maybe have a photographic memory (at least for homework.)

 

[loc978]

Does the ability to be uninjured and whole count? If so, I'll take my health back, thanks. The things I could do with an undamaged back and legs...

 

[pearcinator]

Super Intelligence. Cos I am sick of studying, I want to know everything already so I don't have to study!

Blackjack wouldn't stand a chance.

 

[RobDaBank]

To master lucid dreaming, everytime I begin to realise I'm in a dream and take control, my conciousness forces me to wake up...

 

[ButterflyBlue]

Oh wow.
A One wish thread then.
It's quite hard actually, because I wouldn't want to choose something I can learn, coz that would be a waste of a wish. Grrrr still thinking...

Has to be deep sea diving. I'm not scared of anything else.

 

[brubobaggins]

Unwavering motivation to get things done. i'm not stupid, but booooy am i unfocused and incredibly proficient at procrastination. if i had that kind of motivation, i could do whatever i set my mind to within logical constraints.

This. I wish I could stick to something and work at it without getting distracted a few days in... huh actually you know what. Sitting around wishing I was motivated or wishing I could speak fluent Korean and actually become a proficient singer-songwriter won't get me anywhere. And with that, I think I'll stop ambling through these forums with my thumb up my arse and get back into it.

 

[Carbonyl]

I'd like to be able to run for a mile without stopping, I'm basically useless at running anywhere.

I'd also like to be able to focus long enough to write five pages in a row of good work.

 

[iseko]

Freerunning like Altaïr and Ezio. That's realistic (except for the 300 feet fall into a haystack without a scratch...)

 

[Bassik]

I'd like to be realy good with classical instruments. I always wanted to play the trumpet or violin. As a kid, my parents didn't allow it because they didn't want me to be one of those kids with a full schedule.
I apriciate their thought, but as a kid, I was just sitting in my room playing legoes and listening to music, so it might have been better.

I'd like to be able to run for a mile without stopping, I'm basically useless at running anywhere.

Just start with walking. A lot of walking. Within two months, you can run that mile. Trust me.

 

[ryanxm]

I'd like to have a doctorates in some field of surgery. Oh yes, then I could have the funding to teach myself any other skills I desired.