Skip to Content
Opinion

Friday Open Thread: Expert Level

Hey Racket readers, let's talk about what you're good at.

Rita Morais via Unsplash

A fun thing I did this week, if you haven’t already seen it, was talk to three knowledgeable Beyoncé fans about her career and particularly about her latest album, Renaissance. (Before you ask: No, I didn’t make it to the concert last night. After I didn’t get press tix I thought about shelling out for a ticket anyway, but I was feeling a little spent so I stayed home. Before you ask: Yes, I regret it.)

It was the kind of entertaining, enlightening conversation I love being a part of, even if it's mostly as a listener. One reason I became a critic, after all, is that I think it’s valuable for everyone when people who know what they're talking about express why they love the things they love. (And hate the things they hate, and are ambivalent about most of the rest—but that's a topic for another day.)

So, my question for Racket readers today: What do you consider yourself an expert in? What can you either expound upon in detail, or what craft or practice do you excel at? No self-deprecation allowed. The whole point here is for you to gas yourself up.

Or talk about whatever you want. Like I always say, this is your thread, not ours.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More Stories

Rock Is Back! Pilllar Forum, Mpls Reach Fire Code Agreement.

Plus Thomson Reuters hates your freedom, fears keeping local Muslims from making a pilgrimage, and canceled flights in today's Flyover news roundup.

MPLS Piecycle Club Promotes Group Rides With Adorable Antidotes to AI Art

Creating community with a little help from cycling squirrels, dancing bears, and anthropomorphic loaves of bread.

July 17, 2026

Tell Us About Your Unusual Hobby in This Week’s Open Thread

As we do every Friday, we're turning Racket over to you, the readers.

Freeloader Friday: 157 Free Things To Do This Weekend

Park festivals! World cup watch parties! Rock 'n' roll tees!

Love in the Age of Buckthorn: New Dating Group Seeks Romance, Annihilation of Invasive Species

Plus Mille Lacs v. Mille Lacs, Mpls rejects drones, and when not to call 911 in today's Flyover news roundup.

There Are Plenty of Movies to Watch This Week That Aren’t ‘The Odyssey’

Pretty much all the movies you can catch in the Twin Cities this week.

July 16, 2026