Who is the most talented person you know?

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The closest for me would be my brother-in-law, a masterful cook. I have been wowed by everything he's put before me. Always a brilliant matching of textures and flavors, always executed to perfection. But, even though he's head chef where he works, and supposedly is given creative carte blanche, I find his menu a bit staid.

So this thread is inspired by the sad realization that I don't consider anyone I know particularly brilliant in his or her field. Hrm.

CONTRIBUTE. (Let it be someone you know well, not a mere acquaintance)

― Aaron A., Wednesday, 9 June 2004 04:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Is it lame to say a musician?

Or obvious in some way?

I would say Jak3 W1nstrom is the most talented songwriter I've ever known. Younger than me, and he's written what I think are some of the most beautiful melodies evaaaarr. What a prick.

Also, my boyfriend is a truly masterful potter.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 04:25 (twenty-two years ago)

My partner is a very talented artist, both in comic work and in 3d design. He can do really great looking 3d art and games, AND do the coding for it all as well (I'm talking writing his own DirectX based games engines in C++ and shit)! All this and he is *self-taught*, never did any training in it, and dropped out of high school in year 11.

I'm both proud and bloody envious of him. I think you need a certain pigheaded obsessiveness of such things to be that good at it.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 04:41 (twenty-two years ago)

i've met a couple of very talented people in recent times. it's good to know you can still be blown away by people you know.

― the surface noise is generally somewhere between 'in some spots' and 'throu (ele, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 05:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Julian Koster.

― Layna Andersen (Layna Andersen), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 05:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm intentionally not picking someone for musicianship. I can't quantify, in terms of saying "person X is more talented than person Y" but I'm going to pick someone who consistently impresses me.

I'm gonna say my pal Jo's husband, John. He's an unbelievably talented draughtsman, artist and cartoonist. I wish I could draw like he can, both in terms of his amazing ability to capture cariactures, and the beauty and complexity of his psychedelic/art nouveau detailing. He's a real craftsman.

― Possibly Kate Again (kate), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 07:28 (twenty-two years ago)

One of my best friends is truly talented painter. I have a couple of her paitings on my wall.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 08:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Musically, I don't know anyone.

Therefore, me.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 08:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Digitonal.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I AM THE MOST TALENTED PERSON EVER!

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:26 (twenty-two years ago)

My girlfriend writes like a million angels. I also know through work the writer Paul Abbott, who is without a shadow of doubt a drama and comedy genius.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:31 (twenty-two years ago)

my girlfriend, far and away (though she'll blush profusely if she reads this).

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 09:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Mine will too. It's amazing that someone as crushingly mediocre* as me can have such an exceptional soulmate.

*in the best possible way, obv

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 10:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Anne Laplantine. I just made an album with her, and the less I did, the better it got.

― Momus (Momus), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 11:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll rep for musicians 'cuz that's what I know.

Depressingly, these people I know to be immensely talented are either loser junkies or people that just don't care.

― Fr4ncis W4tlingt0n (Francis Watlington), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 11:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Still, J Brooker. And he hasn't done anything in 3 years.

― Ally C (Ally C), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 11:43 (twenty-two years ago)

creatively, i'd say that bloke wot dun 'Intro Inspection' (amongst other things) tho i'm not sure he still qualified as someone i know as have not spoken for a while. i used to work with a few people at noomeeja company years ago who were incredibly adept including the 3D animator Marco (but the good thing about working in 3D is that stuff you make always impressed people who don't have a clue how long it actually took or what was involved, more than many other fields) and 2D designer/animator Yisia who was fresh from Korea via St Martins.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 11:48 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't done anything, in three years, either!!

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 12:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a poet friend who writes rings around me. She's more talented, but I'm lazier.

― bnw (bnw), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 12:55 (twenty-two years ago)

my boring (not boring but smarty) and dull and dippy arch friend just got a first class honours degree. I am two years behind because of laziness and misfortune. he told me about it, today. "i mean i consider you and [mutual friend] much better designers than me". "put some cash on a stick and put the stick on your head??!!" does he deserve it? he did the work. does he deserve it? in a way but only in a way. he will be stupid enough to give me a job, when he has his own firm, anyway. even if I still haven't gained any qualifications, by then.

who is the least talented but most successful person you know?

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

either my brother, who is a neurosurgeon, or my friend Brandon who has a PhD in economics and works at a hedge fund (had dinner at his place last night). Or my girlfriend, who is one of the most talented musicians I've ever known (and I've known a few).

― hstencil (hstencil), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:06 (twenty-two years ago)

What is it with those people who are really talented and creative but also lazy and you have to prod them to create these magnificent things or else they just sit around and watch TV all the time? Is there some correlation between laziness and creativity? Or do they just seem incredible when they do something creative because it's in such extreme contrast to their usual slovenly nature?

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:45 (twenty-two years ago)

probably the last one.

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe it's really insecurity

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Being really talented means never having to work hard. So the most talented people are also quite likely to be the people with the worst work ethic, especially when it comes to using their talents. And the worst thing you can ever do to someone who's talented but humble about it is to sit there and pressure them to use those great talents you know they have, if they feel like there's anything riding on them to do something good they'll just find an excuse to not perform or choose to do something else entirely.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom, you've described me at school to a T (up to the humble bit, obv). Unfortunately, that attitude has stayed with me in real life and I often struggle to get shit done even when there's no reason or excuse not to.

(NB I am not at all clever now, which is such a shame cos I was a fucking genius when I was 9)

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I have to agree with Tombot there to a large extent. I would however say this.

In the family, toss up between my aunt Tory and her paintings and my cousin George and his various installations. Both are extremely good artists who I'm glad to know personally! (George and I have already worked out a plan to use some of his art in something should a goal of mine come to pass...)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, I don't know. I think Tom's description applies in some cases, but there are plenty of talented people who also work really hard. I guess there are some people who are innately talented (and therefore lazy) and those that have to work hard to get the most of their talent. However, to me, it seems like it's usually the latter who end up achieving the most.

― NA (Nick A.), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah, totally. Otherwise I'd be fucking rich by now.

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Along with being talented at something, you also have to be interested in/passionate about it otherwise why go the extra step to blow people's minds out the backs of their heads when throwing something together at the last minute has almost the exact same effect?

I was trained out of having a good work ethic when I noticed that papers/projects I slaved over got me worse grades than papers/projects I slapped together at the last minute after asking for several extensions.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

bahahahahaha story of my life, Dan

― TOMBOT, Wednesday, 9 June 2004 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Heh. FWIW, my fiction manuscripts only came together when I initially got some outside discipline in the form of NaNoWriMo -- ie, by creating and setting an artificial deadline out of my control, it became a specific task that needed completion. Now, the next steps I've taken with them -- circulating them, revising them, and now starting to contact agents about them -- I work at a bit in fits and starts, when the mood takes me but with a general plan in mind. No question that the heart of the work, though, probably would not have necessarily happened of its own accord.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 14:52 (twenty-two years ago)

jbr otm. The ole "i'm smart but lazy" excuse is a good way of avoiding rejection whereas if you did put in some effort you might have to confront that your under-appreciated brilliance ain't all that.

― bnw (bnw), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 15:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Jeez, I don't know. Maybe my friend 0l1 who may very soon publish a novel. He is a totally cool, laidback guy but he gets up and writes at 8am every morning no matter what. The bastard. Also, my friend Ryan in NYC who was on my crew for my student film. I shot his film for him and it was way too long and completely nonsensical but also somehow brilliant. I've lost contact with him, but I often wonder what he is doing.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Ouch. This thread hits too close to home. Haha.

― Fr4ncis W4tlingt0n (Francis Watlington), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

My friend Ellison, very talented artist.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Wednesday, 9 June 2004 23:33 (twenty-two years ago)

bahahahahaha story of my life, Dan

Mine, too. It's kinda good and bad at the same time.

― Andrew (enneff), Thursday, 10 June 2004 00:26 (twenty-two years ago)

This is so true it's sad to think about.

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Thursday, 10 June 2004 00:30 (twenty-two years ago)

i know a lot of talented people. It's too close to call. A blessing, I guess.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 10 June 2004 00:32 (twenty-two years ago)

probably my friend matt. a great artist, photographer, pianist (and other instruments), he ditched his double english/spanish degree background to go pre-med. I was honored to have him play piano at my wedding, and he wrote music just for us which was absolutely perfect.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 10 June 2004 01:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, since my current schtick is Romanticism v. Classicism, there are two different schools of thought on genius:

Romantic: Genius is just a whisper away from madness, divine inspiration, the compulsive bidding of the unconscious, etc.

Classical: Genius is 'an infinite capacity for taking pains', 90% perspiration, and God is in the details.

They're both true in their way, and I'd like to talk now about the Bicameral Mind... [continues page 89]

― Momus (Momus), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:23 (twenty-two years ago)

i lean towards the romantic definition more probably but recognise the classical (in more of a 'genius becomes it' way)

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

You know momus, it tied my head in knots when doing research on my latest essay I typed in "Jeff Koons" and "rococo" the first search result returned was your website.

― ipsofacto (ipsofacto), Thursday, 10 June 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

What happens when you add "a go-go"?

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Not to offend/diss anyone, but the willingness of people on this thread to consider themselves "talented" makes me kind of uncomfortable.

― NA (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

do you consider that a talent?

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha!

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

the problem is, very few careers are based solely on ones ability, in fact the really essential ability in life IS organisation and a hard work ethic, actual talent and skill isn't as important as determination and ambition, in general anyway, though it is still valued.

― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I know my post sounds snarky, it wasn't really meant to be. Sorry.

― NA (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I know what you mean.

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I do think that when it comes to talent 'it takes one to know one'; ie you need a modicum of talent to recognise talent in others, just as you need a certain amount of class to know when you're outclassed.

― Momus (Momus), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Momus, you are just like a holiday.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I do like it when people celebrate me.

― Momus (Momus), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

NO CLASS! wokka wokka wokka

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:48 (twenty-two years ago)

(oh no Pac-Man just ate hstencil!)

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:49 (twenty-two years ago)

wokka wokka wokka (eats Dan too).

― Momus (Momus), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah yes, pure class.

― NA (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Shit.

― VengaDan Perry's Disembodied Eyes (Dan Perry), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:55 (twenty-two years ago)

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I tend to test well. I think it's a combo of managing to stay relaxed (or in the case of the SAT, not really understanding how important they were), and um, just how my brain works. I did pretty well on SATs (1400 total) and when I applied for my last job I had to take a variety of aptitude and personality tests and I scored right near the top at everything (they let me see the scores after I was hired).

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Selective copying-and-pasting, classic or dud?

― NA (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Relax, I'm just playing with you.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I ...am... ...a... ...pretty... ...pony...
-- hstencil (hstenci...), June 10th, 2004 10:57 AM. (later)

― NA (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

dude, nice fake.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Kisses!

― NA (Nick A.), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Did he really say 'I am a pretty pony'? CLASSIC!

― Momus (Momus), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)

oh Momus you card.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 10 June 2004 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

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