Skills.

I happened across an ad for a book recently. I think I'd have loved this book as a boy.

It seems a little sexist, but I've met a lot of different people with a lot of different sexes (yes, there are more than just the two), and as a general rule, it holds that this book would appeal primarily to boys. They left out some of my personal favorite skills, though. Where is the section on picking simple locks? What if you need to be able to juggle some day? And a harmonica will travel extremely well; every boy should have one (especially the ones who, like me, cannot whistle).

As far as juggling goes, though, there is a classic treatise on the subject (by a prolific author), and lockpicking can be picked up at various sites on the internet. Harmonicas are commonly available and require nothing more than curiosity to quickly learn. Go out! Try one today! Annoy your coworkers!

I think the more time we spend in that childlike state of curiosity, the better the world seems. I expect that, if I were to get an engineering team comprised primarily of twelve-year-olds, I would be able to construct some of the finest inventions mankind has ever seen. The next time you see a twelve-year-old, ask him/her what machine would be just awesome to own. I think you'll find they have some compelling ideas.