A Dying Art

2

Replies

  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    Well, if we're talking post-apocalyptic skills, that's another matter. I grew up in a small town. I was raised on venison, rabbit, pheasant, squirrel, and whatever hapless critter roamed the woods. I can hunt and fish, but I don't actively do either. Neither is something I enjoy. And like Rabbit, I've rebuilt cars from the ground up. Newer cars, though? Nah. Who needs that headache?
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    Men are useless , they never finish ANYTHING off that they start :devil:

    Choose better men.

    Also, women are worse about that than men.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Well, if we're talking post-apocalyptic skills, that's another matter. I grew up in a small town. I was raised on venison, rabbit, pheasant, squirrel, and whatever hapless critter roamed the woods. I can hunt and fish, but I don't actively do either. Neither is something I enjoy. And like Rabbit, I've rebuilt cars from the ground up. Newer cars, though? Nah. Who needs that headache?

    Agreed. I -have- hunted in the past and know how, but I haven't actively done it. So I'd be better teamed up with people with niche survival skills.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Men are useless , they never finish ANYTHING off that they start :devil:

    Choose better men.

    Also, women are worse about that than men.

    Yup. Everytime I hear a woman complain about men, I always think to myself that they need to choose better men.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I bought an older house five years ago and have slowly been working my way around making changes. Even learned about tiling, plumbing (easy stuff to change sink position and put in a dishwasher) and some wiring (sockets and ceiling fan) when I did my kitchen last year. The roof needs to be done this summer, that is where I am drawing the line. It's not the work so much as the landing when I fall off the roof that I worry about. Also planning on ripping up my deck, recycling to wood into planter boxes, and setting a stone patio instead. It's been a lot of fun. Next year, the bathroom! The women I work with think I'm nuts, but swinging a sledge hammer really calms a person down :bigsmile: I think I should have gone into demolition :laugh:
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Men are useless , they never finish ANYTHING off that they start :devil:

    Choose better men.

    Also, women are worse about that than men.

    I don't know what you're talki
  • sanzza
    sanzza Posts: 60
    Men are useless , they never finish ANYTHING off that they start :devil:

    Choose better men.

    Also, women are worse about that than men.

    Yup. Everytime I hear a woman complain about men, I always think to myself that they need to choose better men.


    You do have a point, I was talking about just the one and he's just been relived of his duties. I do apologise I shouldn't tar you all with the same brush.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I often forget that a lot of (male) people don't like to "get their hands dirty" as such.

    When I went to pick up the (weight lifting) rack I now use while working away he mentioned it was being replaced by a power cage and I explained how I'd built my own out of some spare wood I had lying around. "Great if you've got the skills to do it"... I certainly wouldn't consider screwing a few bits of wood together and adding in a little bracing as needed particularly 'skilful', but kept my mouth shut and it took it as the compliment it was meant to be :).
  • JamesRustler
    JamesRustler Posts: 45 Member
    Since YouTube became popular, I've seen more men to plumbing projects and fix other house maintenance issues. YouTube has tutorials on how to fix just about everything.

    It seems that most men I know are much more "hands on" now then they ever have been.
  • Lilly_the_Hillbilly
    Lilly_the_Hillbilly Posts: 914 Member
    Yes. I grew up doing mechanical, electrical, and carpentry work. I've also begun teaching myself wood working. I garden when I have time and try to teach myself obscure arts like origami, juggling, and soon-to-be lockpicking.

    You and
    I don't know about building a chair from scratch, but I'm ok. I mean, I could build a chair that would be functional, but ugly as sin. I learned the hard way. I purchased a big, two story house that was built in the 1850s a long time ago. I wound up going through and steadily redoing all the wiring, restoring the floors, the spiral staircase etc over the course of three years. I learned a lot. I also bought a lot of tools. Most of which I did not need.

    You- will be very useful in the post apocalyptic world.

    Very. I know how to, in theory, start a fire by 5 different methods too. And I want to learn snaring methods at some point.

    Oh! And blacksmithing. I think that would be an excellent skill to have.

    YES! Who does blacksmithing anymore??
  • Lilly_the_Hillbilly
    Lilly_the_Hillbilly Posts: 914 Member
    Well, if we're talking post-apocalyptic skills, that's another matter. I grew up in a small town. I was raised on venison, rabbit, pheasant, squirrel, and whatever hapless critter roamed the woods. I can hunt and fish, but I don't actively do either. Neither is something I enjoy. And like Rabbit, I've rebuilt cars from the ground up. Newer cars, though? Nah. Who needs that headache?

    I'm keeping you close pal.
  • Lilly_the_Hillbilly
    Lilly_the_Hillbilly Posts: 914 Member
    Men are useless , they never finish ANYTHING off that they start :devil:

    Choose better men.

    Also, women are worse about that than men.

    Excuse me- But I believe, once again, there is a message you have not responded to.
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
    I make my own loaf of bread from scratch each week just because it tastes better, is better for me, is a lot cheaper and is relaxing.

    I knit sweaters and blasnkets, hats, mittens and sdocks for everyone I care about.

    I also throw my bown pottery on my own wheel and glaze and fire it myself. All my dishes are made by hand by me.
  • Lilly_the_Hillbilly
    Lilly_the_Hillbilly Posts: 914 Member
    I make my own loaf of bread from scratch each week just because it tastes better, is better for me, is a lot cheaper and is relaxing.

    I knit sweaters and blasnkets, hats, mittens and sdocks for everyone I care about.

    I also throw my bown pottery on my own wheel and glaze and fire it myself. All my dishes are made by hand by me.


    The one and only time I've made chocolate babka it was a delicious disaster.
  • lmhbuss
    lmhbuss Posts: 282 Member
    Both of my parents insisted on self sufficiency. I can make bread from scratch, culture yogurt without a machine, make cheese, can my own fruits and veggies, sew, crochet, knit when forced, raise chickens, milk goats, grow my own food (admittedly not great at this), basic carpentry, can work on my own car (although I second/3rd/4th whatever the complaints about newer models), can fix my own plumbing, etc. The one thing I do NOT do is electrical work. I do know how to make candles though, so I'll get by. :)
  • kk_140
    kk_140 Posts: 518 Member
    Candles are so fun and relaxing to make. Same with soaps and lotions!
  • Schmiznurf
    Schmiznurf Posts: 61
    That depends on whether you want a standard chair or one with upholstery. I'm not particularly handy but given the tools and equipment needed I could make a chair.
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    I can do most repairs around the house, from drywall, minor electrical, replacing windows, fixing/replacing gutters and repairing wood siding. I can also build most things. I've build storage buildings, chicken coops, a car port, installed a variety of different fencing and built numerous pergolas and trellises I credit my father with most of these acquired skills since he is the definition of jack of all trades, master of none (or one in his case). Oddly enough, it's his daughters that are more the handy sort though our oldest brother has gotten into the do it yourself mode over the past few years.

    I've found that most of my friends (men and women) that ask for my help doing one of these things are perfectly capable of doing it themselves after being shown how to once or twice. Most of those tasks are relatively easy and the person just needs some confidence and knowledge.

    "That was easy!" is something I commonly hear.

    I have some repairs around the house . . . I can pay in cookies, kitty gifs and the dreams of small children. If you want money we're all out of luck! Lol!
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
    When you buy a house, its necessary to learn to do things for upkeep. I can do most anything around the house, but I draw the line at cars.
  • _NAUTILUS_
    _NAUTILUS_ Posts: 239 Member
    I'm really good with my hands! Apart from being a master mechanic, I was able to complete a full sentence on here without help.
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    Men are useless , they never finish ANYTHING off that they start :devil:

    Choose better men.

    Also, women are worse about that than men.

    Yup. Everytime I hear a woman complain about men, I always think to myself that they need to choose better men.


    You do have a point, I was talking about just the one and he's just been relived of his duties. I do apologise I shouldn't tar you all with the same brush.

    Oh, well make that two. My addition has given his pink slip as well.
  • Sovi_
    Sovi_ Posts: 575 Member
    We made our babies from scratch.
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    My dad actually required that I know how to put gas in the car, check fluids and change my own oil before I could get my drivers license. I hated it at the time but now I'm grateful. Although I don't service my own car anymore, at least I know a little about what the mechanic is saying. It's saved me a lot of money.
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    I'm pretty handy. I'm pretty good at carpentry, masonry, electric and plumbing work, plus I can make really cool macaroni pictures.
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    I'm pretty handy. I'm pretty good at carpentry, masonry, electric and plumbing work, plus I can make really cool macaroni pictures.

    Oooooooo baby! :love: :heart: :smooched:
  • abneeds2lose65
    abneeds2lose65 Posts: 7
    I love 'to things myself'. I grew up on a farm and that was just the way of life I knew. I knew how to change my own oil before I could legally drive. Right now my fiancé and I are gutting our boat and redoing the interior and painting the topside. It makes everything much more custom and unique. It is sad to see not many people DIY anymore.
  • Lilly_the_Hillbilly
    Lilly_the_Hillbilly Posts: 914 Member
    I'm pretty handy. I'm pretty good at carpentry, masonry, electric and plumbing work, plus I can make really cool macaroni pictures.


    How could I forget about macaroni art?
  • Lilly_the_Hillbilly
    Lilly_the_Hillbilly Posts: 914 Member
    I love 'to things myself'. I grew up on a farm and that was just the way of life I knew. I knew how to change my own oil before I could legally drive. Right now my fiancé and I are gutting our boat and redoing the interior and painting the topside. It makes everything much more custom and unique. It is sad to see not many people DIY anymore.

    I would be scared to do a boat mostly because I have none of those skills.
  • SaintGiff
    SaintGiff Posts: 3,679 Member
    I'm pretty handy. I'm pretty good at carpentry, masonry, electric and plumbing work, plus I can make really cool macaroni pictures.

    Macaroni pictures may be the most useful skill discussed so far....
  • sentaruu
    sentaruu Posts: 2,206 Member
    no doubt.

    chicks dig macaroni pictures.

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