The Question Insights From Response Readers

We Asked You: What’s your hidden superpower?

Here’s what you said:

My superpower came as a pair (one on each side of my face). As a church musician and education major, I learned what to listen for at SPU.

Under the choral direction of Phil Mack, we were told, “Listen to your neighbor!”, the result being a warm and blended sound that would fill the room. As an organ student with Lester Groom, I was instructed while practicing to “look out into the empty sanctuary and imagine how people will hear the music.”

Listen to the old, the new, and musicians other than the familiar box of your own tradition. Listening has helped to grow my skills as well as my ears and my soul.

Sylvia Berg Oines ’75
Seattle

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My daughter’s superpower is seeing art as math, and math as art.

Peggy Montgomery

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My SPU roommate, Lacey Birk Price ’07, and I used to talk about our handy talents, and while hers was knowing all rules to (nearly) all sports, mine was — and still is — perfect parallel parking. All those skinny Seattle streets taught me well!

Holly Harris Wood ’07
Hong Kong

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I do have a bit of the baby whisperer talent (infants) — from my three kiddos in their infant years to nieces and nephews, to friends’ children, to an occasional acquaintance at a church function. I heavily employ the 5 S’s (side-lying, swaddling, sucking, shushing, and swinging), which works for me almost every time, for even the fussiest baby.

My other lesser known skill is that I like to fix our cars. The only times in the last 10 years or so that I’ve taken one of our cars in to the shop has been for new tires/tire repair and one damaged belt. Otherwise all the other repair and maintenance I like to handle myself (oil and transmission fluid changes, brake system repairs, etc.). I just redid the entire brake system on our Mazda (new rear brake calipers, newly turned rotors on all four wheels, new brake pads on all four wheels, and fully tuned e-brake), and I find it really fun to drive the car now with such a smooth and solid brake system.

Bryan Jones ’99
SPU Director of Alumni and Parent Relations

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My skill is being able to help other people realize their special talents.

Sharon Heinz
San Diego, California

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My superpower is arriving home from work on weeknights and making 30-minute dinners. Last night was avgolemono soup — and the 14-year-old even went back for seconds.

Hope McPherson ’92
Bellevue, Washnington

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I’m John, and my hidden talent is knowing exactly when to stop a bag of popcorn in the microwave.

John Jarman
SPU Senior
Seattle, Washington

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My hidden superpower? I could blow some bubbles from my mouth.

Peter Choi
SPU Sophomore
Seattle

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