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Sunday, August 12, 2007

My Secret Shame

So, there is something about me, actually two things about me, that are actually quite odd. Or, they were quite odd, until last night. Regardless...

I've never been able to whistle or snap my fingers.

OK, on occasion, a whistle has managed to sneak out of my lips, but this is rare and not without a lot of effort on my behalf.

And snap fingers? Forget it.

25 years of not being able to do it. Can you imagine what that's like? I would gawk in awe at people striding at the street whistling and snapping their fingers to some jolly tune. Meanwhile I'm just blowing air and wailing my hands about like an idiot.

I couldn't figure it out but didn't really put much thought into it either. Until I told my boyfriend last night.

"Well, everyone can snap. It would be physically impossible not to."

There's a lot of impossible things about me so I just chalked it up to that. But I still jumped on the net and started searching to see if other freaks like me couldn't snap or whistle either. Meanwhile, the bf was on a mission to discover exactly what it is about snapping your fingers that makes the "snap" sound.

Eventually, I found out that there were some people out there who couldn't do it either, but they too, were labeled freaks of nature. And the Rockstar discovered the possible source of the sound.

He positioned my ring finger so it was resting high on the palm of my hand, near the thumb, confident that the snap was caused by the compressed air of the two other fingers and thumb hitting the third finger (or the palm, whichever).

I raised my hand in the air and...

***SNAP!***

My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. It took me 25 years of calluses and sore fingers and then he just comes along and teaches me in five minutes.

Enamoured and exstatic I started snapping my fingers like crazy (OK, it still only works 10% of the time, but still).

"If only I could learn to whistle now," I cried out, putting my lips into the position. I blew, expecting a pathetic stream of air.

Out came the most perfect whistle you've ever heard (well, to my ears).

So, my secret shame is now defunct. I can snap my fingers AND whistle.

Now I just have to figure out how to curl my tongue, juggle and wiggle my ears...all at the same time. Then I'll REALLY not look like a freak of nature.

20 comments:

Todd said...

Random fawning: You are truly gorgeous.

Regular Comment: I've always wanted to be able to do that high-pitched, two fingers in my mouth, wolf-whistle.

Indiana said...

That photo makes you look like you just sat on something and it hurt :-)

I want to see you do all of them at once too.

almost famous kiwi said...

yaaaaay you can finally snap your fingers...it's a sign from God, Rockstars the one haha! I can't roll my tounge, I have the recessive gene dammit!

minijonb said...

i can't snap my fingers well either, but i can curl my tongue. you should practice that for several hours a day!

Sean said...

i can make a motion with my hands that creates a noise. to me it sounds like snapping. but everyone tells me i'm doing it wrong. congrats though!

Sipwine said...

I can clap with one hand.

I have ogre long fingers and I can relax them completely from the second knuckle up... then it's just a matter of waving one hand in the air....


It's odd, my mom thinks I'm retarded when I do it, but I've always enjoyed my freakiness of being able to do so.

Shawn said...

I could never snap my fingers with my right hand; only my left. After reading your post it occurred to me that I always had my ring finger of my left hand against my palm, but never with my right hand. I tried it and I think it works now!

Most exciting life ever, right here.

Dan said...

OMG... you are just so frickin' gorgeous. How I would love to have taught you how to snap and whistle, the latter involving puckering your lips whilst I steal a few quick kisses!

Tawcan said...

Hey I can't whistle either. Maybe we should have a competition and see who can learn it first.

Scorpy said...

I am sure you have had enough people whistle AT you to balance out your lack of whistling prowess ;)
I secretly want to learn how to do the two fingers in the mouth, one each side, super whistle...my female cousin has been able to do it since she was about nine...the embarrassment has been ongoing :)

Meg said...

I can only whistle by sucking the air INTO my mouth. If I try to do it by blowing out, I usually get nothing and just look like a gomer.

Congratulations on solving the mystery!

M said...

I'm one of those people that has a whistle that sounds like a squeaky wheelchair. I wish I could whistle a tune! The finger snap thing is totally weird of you though! :P

Dahna said...

yay! Way to go! Next you should try whistling with a couple of gum leaves - mmm, you might have to come back to Australia to do it though. ;-)

Unknown said...

Oh, I like Dahna's idea. Way cool, esp in the land of firs. (You can't whistle with needles now, can you Lusty?)

Steph said...

I whistle like a man! It's so friggin loud......very handy for catching cabs though.

Go on wid your whistling, finger snapping self ;)

Captain Smack said...

Rockstar is truly a special man. Most guys would have just up and walked out upon hearing such a dark confession. You are one lucky gal.

The Stormin Mormon said...

Hahahaha...

So of course when I read the first part, I look at my hand, snap my fingers, and realize what makes the sound.

Then read about it a few seconds later.

You shouldn't have felt bad, I can't whistle either. Probably one of the myriad of reasons that I learned to play the saxophone. :-) But I know a few people who also are whistle-challenged. It is a pain when you own a dog.

Cupcake Blonde said...

Did you cut your hair? Because it looks shorter and really cute!

I've wanted to do that finger whistle that is really ear-splitting. My whistle always seems so paltry in comparison to my husband's shrill call.

I can't roll my tongue either. I heard that is genetic though...

H said...

I can snap...but that's about it. Can't whistle, roll/curl my tongue, OR blow bubbles w/ bubble gum. I'm a loser.

Memphis said...

Ah, snapping? I have no problem. Whistling? Forget about it. I can't whistle for anything. But if I could look as hot as you do in that photo then I wouldn't care. then again, since I'm a guy, that would be weird.