The Modern DIY Man
Keith_Indy on Sep 14 2007 at 6:10 pm | Filed under: Culture, Keith's Page
After seeing the PM article yesterday (H/T Instapundit) I saw Glenn had linked to Winston Wade over at his blog Game the World.
One other factor that plays into to hesitancy to practice manual skills is that when you make or repair something, you take the responsibility that you have done it right. Responsibility is a dirty word the days. I think that many people find a sort of comfort in the thought that if something goes wrong when someone else does it they can sue. That safety net is gone when you do it yourself. The cynic in me is waiting for the first lawsuit to come from someone botching a home repair after taking one of those classes at Home Depot.
I think both Glenn and Winston hit on the aspects of why people don’t take responsibility for their own stuff. Of course, it’s often a easier thing to have someone else fix that thing. While I know how to do a lot of various things, I also value my free time, and occasionally don’t have the time to do something, like change oil in our cars, or replace 47 switches and outlets in half our new house.
Anyway, I thought the lists interesting enough that I’ve highlighted those things which I’ve done, or have trained to do. Except for plan an invasion, which I’ve done on various strategy games, so not sure if that counts.
These wouldn’t be a bad thing for any person, male or female to know.
1. Patch a radiator hose
2. Protect your computer
3. Rescue a boater who as capsized
4. Frame a wall
5. Retouch digital photos
6. Back up a trailer
7. Build a campfire
8. Fix a dead outlet
9. Navigate with a map and compass
10. Use a torque wrench
11. Sharpen a knife
12. Perform CPR
13. Fillet a fish
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid
15. Get a car unstuck
16. Back up data
17. Paint a room
18. Mix concrete
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle
20. Change oil and filter
21. Hook up an HDTV
22. Bleed brakes
23. Paddle a canoe
24. Fix a bike flat
25. Extend your wireless network
Robert A. Heinlein’s original list:
change a diaper,
plan an invasion,
butcher a hog,
conn a ship,
design a building,
write a sonnet,
balance accounts,
build a wall,
set a bone,
comfort the dying,
take orders,
give orders,
cooperate,
act alone,
solve equations,
analyze a new problem,
pitch manure,
program a computer,
cook a tasty meal,
fight efficiently,
die gallantly.
Among things I’ve done: replaced a transmission with another type (requiring custom fabrication), designed and built a septic system, built an FN-FAL rifle, built a complete bathroom, built cabinets, roofed a house, tracked down a run away horse, and built a toy cannon for my boys.
I’ve actually saved a capsized boater, in fact five times in one day alone. Of course, the boater was me, and the little Laser sailing boat was capsizing in the wind.