Ask Lemmy

I'm not a picky eater. Too many Indians are averse to food from other places.

Abstract thinking. Forget the details, I want the most broad ideas.

Hence I liked trying to understand Hegel or why I liked cubist and other surreal and experimental artworks.

I read comments and someone said "math".

Now I remember that I have a this 9x9 times table in my brain lol

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_multiplication_table#The_Nine-nine_song_text_in_Chinese

Its like the PEMDAS thing, but its an entire multiplication table. I can recall the product of any [1 digit x 1 digit] within like 2 seconds. When I came to the US right after learning the 9x9, I found out my entire class has trouble doing the times table, and they were still learning it when I already had it memorized. They took longer than me to do multiplication. The teacher asked some kid a random [1 digit x 1 digit] and the kid just like sat in silence, I'm like: I KNOW THE ANSWER. I guess it makes sense... the "gaokao" there is a nightmare, overworking kids and rote memorization becomes norm in China. Depression also becomes norm and suicide rates go through the roof. I might've killed myself by now had I still be there.

I've never felt existential dread while contemplating life or death or the scale of the universe so being comfortable with mortality I guess.

Getting places on time

I'm a voracious reader. Took me decades to realize that otherwise intelligent people sometimes can't follow a novel. Also, I can see it in my head, like watching a movie.

Good friend was over yesterday trying to read a username on my screen (which is a huge TV). The name was $SomethingDuo. He couldn't pronounce duo. The man is illiterate and I never had a clue! Maybe he's dyslexic? I would think the Marine Corp would have caught that. Maybe he ate too many crayons?

Never did well in chemistry, but give me a spelling I've never seen and I can nail it after a moment's thought. Reading the Belter's mish-mash of languages in The Expanse made sense, even in languages I don't know. I'm also great at learning languages, spoken or written.

One more thing, I have a strong sense for the weather and seasons. My wife and kids are clueless, can't even dress themselves appropriately. That's probably learned behavior though. I'm a wuss for being uncomfortable outside and I'm outside far more than most people.

One more. I'm not afraid of wild animals, even the big ones like black bears, alligators and panthers. They're not going to mess with you and you'll be lucky to catch a glimpse. Thought that was normal, but even Florida natives are often afraid of gators.

Abstract math.

The formulas lock together, setting themselves easily in complex patterns that represent something. I have preferred formalism because they have different flavors, even while having the same meaning.

basic banking literacy. no, you don't cash a check into your account, you deposit it! cash means cash!