Are there any skills you wish you could have acquired?

I wish that I could do shorthand; I was sort of banned from the shorthand and typing classes at school in the late 1960s as I just couldn't grasp shorthand (I'd already been forced to go back to the beginning of Pitman's book at least twice but it still didn't sink in with me. My typing was all right except that I wouldn't touch type but always looked at the letters, so that was me banned.
I also wish I could have learned to speak in different languages.

I would also like to be able to play the piano but I really don't have room for one

I would love to be able to speak another language. Over the years I have tried to learn Spanish and German but I just don't seem to retain it! It was the same with French at school, 4 years learning and I can only say a few words!

All my imaginary children could play the piano as well

I would love to be able to play the piano, sing, swim well and be fluent in a foreign language.

wish i had been encouraged to back into the water when i was at school. had jst learnt to swim when some boys decided to push me under the water , that was it i lost my nerve for swimming and only just manage to paddle now in pool or the sea have tried lessons in my 3o's but still had that fear

Tightrope walking. I have balance issues.

Like many others I would love to be able to play the piano but would also love to be able to swim well. I had lessons many years ago and can do the breast stroke (just about) but that's all and wouldn't dare swim in the sea. Horse riding would be another dream.

I would have liked to have learned to:
Swim - 10 years of school lessons twice a week failed to get over my fear of water and hatred of the cold.

Play the guitar
Crochet
Ski
Ice skate
Win the lottery!

I long to play the squeeze box but my arthritic hands won’t let me so I took up the treble recorder again as it is much more portable. I already sing in folk sessions so will be able to join in the music sessions. I wish I could read music proficiently, at the moment I learn by ear but it means I can’t learn new tunes from sheet music. Also learning Welsh (what a battle). My husband is a fluent Welsh speaker and it comes in useful when you get nuisance phone calls!

Would love to: -

Swim properly, never had a lesson
Play the piano, ditto, and couldn’t afford them
Sing
Play the guitar
Make pottery
Fly, both gliders and “proper” planes
Be more assertive and hide my introversion
Win the lottery (is this allowed?)

HillyP. Me too. Also to tell a good joke.

Welding . MrM knows this and is keeping quiet. He's just bought a new TIG welder (nearly £1000).

Someone mentioned typing. One skill I have is touch typing . Such a useful skill.

Another one for piano here. I am devoid of many arty skills. I have started some minor carpentry though and really enjoy it. Only made garden planters so far. Would like to do a sewing course.

I woud love to be able to do anything with a true skill. Jack of all trades..

1.) I can't swim. I so wish I had learned to swim.
When I was about 4 my mother (who was scared of the sea) wanted me to be scared of it too to keep me safe, so she threw me in the shallows. Of course I was terrified and she succeeded in her plan. In secondary school there were swimming lessons every week, but Mum refused to let me take part. As I got older a few friends and eventually my husband all tried to teach me but I still can't swim. I just can't relax in the water. When we went to the beach with our children I always worried that I couldn't help them if they got into trouble in the water. I feel I have missed out on a lot of fun with our kids and now our grandchildren.

2. I wish I could ride a bike. I never had a bike because I grew up in a first floor flat in London, and my Mum said "I'm not having a blooming great bike stuck in the hall when you can walk everywhere or get on a bus!" I sometimes tried to ride other kids bikes but after a few painful falls I gave up. But it would have been nice to go out on rides with our kids. I'm too old to learn now and I don't want to risk breaking any bones!

I wish I could crochet. I've tried it but just end up with lengths of grubby string! I'm not especially keen on crocheted items, would just like to be able to do it. I can knit though.

To be able to follow a knitting pattern. I can knit, but patterns are too mathetmatical for me and I just can't follow them.

It gladdens my heart that so many wish they were fluent in foreign languages.

I used to teach German, French and Italian and was upset when the government decided that it wasn't necessary to carry on learning a language to age 16. Most European countries teach English from Kindergarten upwards!

I wish I could crochet and play a musical instrument. My gt-gran taught the piano! My daughter learnt the clarinet and my sister learnt the flute, but I'm not naturally musical, although I love to sing and sing in a choir.

I would love to be able to arrange flowers. I have been to demonstrations, had classes, watched online, but to no avail.

Gagajo - there are lots of easy patterns online. Depends on what you want to knit!

I wish I’d learned to do plumbing. From our metalwork class at school, I only remember making a copper bracelet! Plumbing would have been much more useful.
Plastering and tiling. Self taught takes time and there’s no support or advice on the best way to do it.
Photography. I’m doing an online course at the moment on how to take the best pictures and using different lenses.

Speak French and learn a musical instrument. Oh and become a carpenter. Oh gosh...I can see this becoming a long list

Many, many things but in particular swimming and playing a musical instrument!

Speak French and learn a musical instrument. Oh and become a carpenter. Oh gosh...I can see this becoming a long list

Swim. I nearly drowned as a child, my dad and uncle saved me so I was sent for lessons, but had panic attacks every time water passed by waist, so had to give them up. Going on hols and watching everyone in the pool having a great time makes me so jealous. My friends hubby was a life guard and tried to teach me on hols one time and I ended up in tears. I've just given up.