[NT!]

Cliffs Notes At Bottom

This was mentioned in another thread and actually caused me to give it some serious thought. If you could gain 5 specialized skills immediately, what would they be and why? These should not be supernatural and preferably not utterly absurd. I think the exercise is most interesting if you answer with real stuff.

My list, which I will almost certainly have to revise - in no particular order:

Virtuouso Piano Playing
I studied music in college, among other things, and play bass guitar very well. I am an above-average guitar player also. But if I were to pick one instrument to be brilliant on, it would be piano. First, because a good pianist is ALWAYS needed. Second, because piano is the most useful instrument for composition, and being able to play things and transcribe them at such a high level would elevate my songwriting abilities. And third, because I really like music for piano - jazz piano, nocturnes, all sorts of stuff.

Interrogation
In some ways I think it would be a curse to be able to easily tell every time you're being lied to. People lie to me constantly at my job, both the kids I work with and the staff I supervise. It's irritating, and I know it's happening, but a lot of times it's better not to call people on it. But being curious, and being extremely competitive, I don't think I could resist this possibility.

Field Medicine
I don't want to be a doctor, but if the sh.it really hits the fan, it would be cool to know a lot about diseases, internal injuries, surgery with rudimentary instruments, etc. I guess you could just say surgical skills, but there's a particular reason for it. I really think the world is going to get ridiculous in my lifetime and I'd like to be capable in hairy situations.

Fluency in Many Languages
Let's just say the ability to pick up languages extremely quickly. This is another cool skill that I see having both practical uses and also just being fun. I'd like to read a lot of classic literature in its original form. Imagine reading the Tao Te Ching or the Old Testament as they were written. Plus picking up chicks in other countries and stuff.

Top Level Poker Play
The more time I spend at 2+2, the more I realize I'm unlikely to move beyond a certain level of poker skill. I won't spend enough time or study hard enough, and I just like to gambool a little too much. I don't see myself being better than a moderately +EV player in, say, your average 5/10 NL B&M. But being a great poker player encompasses so many skills - logic, observation, math, people - that I'd really like to be super-skilled in this area.

Honorable Mention:
Dunking a basketball - Hand to Hand combat - Espionage & Spying - Breakdancing - Marathon Running - Racecar Driving - Bowling

NT

Cliff Notes: What 5 actual real world skills would you choose to have given the opportunity? Mine are virtuouso piano playing, field medicine, interrogation, multilinguistic capabilities and top-level poker play.