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Hello Everyone!
After catching up on some of the posts I missed last week, I've noticed a bit of a trend. I see a lot of people focusing on the different negative aspects of learning. Whether it's about area's that need improvement (by all means, ask away!!) or just voicing frustration over learning, I think we sometimes just need something a little......different! 
Ya know, just to change things up a bit!
So, my question to everyone is:
What are some of the things you are good at?
It could be a song, hitting a certain note, a technique or even tuning & polishing your violin! Anything goes in relation to your violin experience!
It's time to be proud of what we can do! You never know, by listing your strengths, you may be able to help others who haven't made it that far yet! 
And for those who have been playing for years like Pierre:
What skills/accomplishments are you most proud of and why?
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Cheers! 
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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What are some of the things you are good at? >>
I'm good at picking it up everyday and playing it > be it songs or scales.
I am not very good at most of what this instrument is about, BUTTTTT it keeps getting better and better each time I pick it up. I pick it up for about an hour before I go to work and then again after work and all my home crap is done for another 2 hours. It really is getting better to me that is. I am starting to feel comfortable with it.
So > I am good at picking it up
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I'm good at not be good at the violin. Thats at least something.
I'm good at practicing if I get to motivate me enough to actually pick up the violin. Also, I'm good to not let the violin be full of rosin.
'Armed with theory, practice becomes meaningful. Through practice, theory becomes fulfilled.' - Egon von Neindorff.
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I´m good at crying when I listen to performances of The Lark Ascending or Vivaldi played with violin, viola, or viola d´amore.
Skills / Accomplishments
I can play (in some cases badly) all the exercises in the first 14 pages of Sitt: Bratschenschule.
I can also manage some degree of finger vibrato with only my thumb touching the neck of the viola and without my fingers touching the neck of the viola (especially the index finger which was formerly the main offender).
I cannot yet stop my little finger from a kind of reflex action when it flicks up in sympathy with my third finger whenever I raise the third finger. (i.e. I want more control of my little finger to stop it moving further away from the fingerboard when I do not want it to move.)
I have found that (in my experience) plugging away at finger exercises one by one and attempting different new bowing techniques is a more effective (if potentially boring) way of advancing than taking on new melodies.
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I stay with a tune long enough to satisfy my need to match play along with the recording I'm learning from. Some take a little loonger than others but I know there's not a single tune I choose to play I can't learn by ear. I have 4 rather well learned and I'm quite happy with playing them almost every practice session.
I love my bowing now, it just seems to flow and I can feel the notes better and better each time I play. I'm also quite happy with my timing and how i'm progressing with it. I have also found the new Bakers' Rosin will make me do better in a practice session than any of the other rosins I have, bar none.
I am quite satisfied with my ability to restore a finish with minimal damage to the violin as well, something I find people are amazed that I even take a chance and do.
I have progressed much further in repairing and setting up violins that I had first thought I ever could. Now I can zero in on pesky little issues and in minimal time isolate the cause and remedy a fix. Making a new bridge is a 20 minute job or exercise rather than a major ordeal. Changing strings is a no-brainer and any other setup processes are as well quite easily done.
"If you practice with your hands you must practice all day. Practice with your mind and you can accomplish the same amount in minutes." Nathan Milstein
Honorary tenured advisor
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Donald said
I cannot yet stop my little finger from a kind of reflex action when it flicks up in sympathy with my third finger whenever I raise the third finger. (i.e. I want more control of my little finger to stop it moving further away from the fingerboard when I do not want it to move.)
See the Journal of Hand Surgery, 2013. Godwin, Wheble, and Feig: Assessment of the presence of independent flexor digitorum superficialis function in the small fingers of professional string players: Is this an example of natural selection?
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Thanks for that, I have now read the abstract, for free. I have not paid to read the complete report.
http://jhs.sagepub.com/content.....1.abstract
Abstract
This study estimated the prevalence of independent flexor digitorum superficialis function in the small fingers of 90 violin and viola players. The hypothesis tested was that the independent digital movements required in this population would select out those with absent flexor digitorum superficialis function. Professional string players were tested clinically, using standard and modified tests, for flexor digitorum superficialis function. Two additional physical tests were applied: the gap and stretch tests. These tests assess ring finger movement once the small finger is placed and the instrument is held in the chin-hold position. A statistically significant reduction in the prevalence of absent flexor digitorum superficialis function was confirmed in the musicians compared with a control group and published meta-analysis. This suggests that independent flexor digitorum superficialis function is important for professional musicians playing at an elite level.
At the moment I have yet to ascertain the details of what consitututes "independent flexor digitorum superficialis function".
I would be happy if I could keep my little finger routinely 5 mm above the strings when the little finger is not in use. Pierre does this successfully, from what I recall of watching his hand on videos, his little finger can be stationary just above the string while any and all other fingers rise and fall at speed. I cannot do it at the moment, maybe I never will.
Anecdotally, I think when I was small I could move both eyebrows, and both left and right upper lips independently in ways I can only do now on one side.
Similarly, I once saw a man being interviewed for PBS, some Washington story, I remember it for him having the most versatile facial muscles I have ever seen. I forget the story, that man´s facial expressions were exceptional.
Another ancedote is that famous violinists generally started learning from ages between 3 and 5 years old.
The adage is that if you don´t use it you will lose it. So I suspect the young beginners have a flying start because at any early age they might be able to manipulate muscles that adults normally "learn" not to use as they get older.
Something analagous to this might be taking place with Chinese acrobats who also start young.
Since I am so new, I know these are just baby steps, but I guess you have to start somewhere.
I'm good a practicing every day. I get up early and do 1-2 hours before work, because a lot of evenings I'm not home till Waaaaay too late to practice.
And speaking of fingers, when I first started I swore my hands were just too small! (I'm about the size of an 11 or 12 year old ) I couldn't get that forth finger to reach the notes unless I slid my whole hand down to meet it, but with a lot of practice, and things like making sure my whole arm is holding correctly, I can actually reach the note with no problem.
I'm getting good at recognizing when my notes are off - I don't always hit the note spot-on, but I know they are off, and am adjusting accordingly.
I'm looking forward to being good at a lot more things.
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LOL, I know it's hard to pull away from the negative aspects of our abilities because we can be our own, biggest critics! ……me included! 
But, I do see a TON of good with everyone's posts!
So far, I see dedication, conviction, willingness and awareness! Those are all things to be proud of! And of course, we can't leave out some of your trained ears and proper bow holds and finger placements!
For me, it would have to be:
I'm good at tremelo! I don't know how. It was one of the first things I was able to do when I picked up the violin! ….even with a bad bow hold! LOL
I'm also pretty good at picking up songs without sheet music. Sometimes, I'll go to bed with a basic tune in my head, wake up the next morning and be able to play it!
Plus, I just made it through another challenge with double stops in the song Tamlin! Heading in the right direction now!!
Sometimes it's good to look at all the good things in our playing…..the stuff that is the foundation to our goals and dreams!!
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
Honorary tenured advisor
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EJ-Kisz said
Plus, I just made it through another challenge with double stops in the song Tamlin! Heading in the right direction now!!
Very nice, EJ.
For me, everything seems to be well. Everything proceeds according to schedule and some even ahead. So everything is very positive.
Would love to hear your rendition of Tam Lin. Mine is going ok so far but very plain, no ornamentation though.
And thank you for introducing the other Swedish folk song a while back, I need to work on that sometimes soon.
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Love to hear this guys 
It's great to be positive about your capabilities.
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
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It's amazing how much a little confidence goes a long way! I think we need to be aware of what we're good at and be proud of it! It helps in building even more confidence, making us better players!
“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin
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