How many do-it-yourself tasks can you do?

[BillChin]

1. Patch a radiator hose.
2. Protect your computer [from viruses and spyware].
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.



http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/h ... 21635.html

[emmline]

1. Patch a radiator hose ?
6. Back up a trailer haven't tried
13. Fillet a fish nope. sorry.
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle I know nothing about guns, unless they shoot nails.
22. Bleed brakes sorry, but I could learn.


They don't mention install hardwood flooring, tile a bathroom, rewire telephones, install door hardware, or several other useful skills I've had to acquire. (not to mention "girl" stuff.) I've kind of had to be mom and dad for a while. I'm better at being dad.

[rodfish]

The three I haven't done, (but think I could) are:
1. Patch a radiator hose.
2. Retouch digital photos.
3. Extend your wireless network.

Actually I haven't done CPR either, but I've been trained how to do it and have the card; hope I don't ever have to.



Rod

[Jerry Freeman]

There are only one or two I haven't done, but they're simple enough, I would have no difficulty picking up the know-how. I'm always working on a list of new things I'm learning how to do. Presently, the list includes welding, tool and die design, metalworking machine work, and ...

... in the last several months, I've developed an interest in vintage American made pocket watches (Elgin and Waltham). It turns out, overhauling and cleaning a pocket watch yourself isn't impossible after all. For some reason, I find taking a pocket watch apart strangly calming.

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Dale]

Dale extends the list:

26. Write a sonnet.
27. Recognize a sonnet.
28. Broil asparagus.
29. Make a basic Béchamel (white) sauce
30. Recognize that Lou Dobbs is a pompous blow-hard.
31. Throw the basic Bechamel sauce you made at Lou Dobbs.
32. Name a lemur.
33. Look a man in the eye and apologize for doing him wrong.
34. Keep an open mind.
35. Confront injustice.
36. Speak conversational Swahili.
37. Marry well.
38. Raise a child to have a good heart.
39. Forgive.
40. Apply flea killer to Schrodinger's cat.
41. Write "Daily Affirmations for the Small Appliance Repairman."
42. Sell the movie options for "Daily Affirmations for the Small Appliance Repairman" to Billy Bob Thorton.
43. Open up a chain of Transubstantiation Shoppes.
44. Call your mother (if she's alive.)
45. Call your mother (if she's passed away.)
46. Instead of edging closer to your grave, back away from it.
47. Deny something undeniable. Affirm something unknowable.
48. Identify the source of turpentine.
49. Be nice to a woman who works in a store who the previous customer has been unkind to.
50. Sit and do nothing.

[Dale]

There are only one or two I haven't done, but they're simple enough, I would have no difficulty picking up the know-how. I'm always working on a list of new things I'm learning how to do. Presently, the list includes welding, tool and die design, metalworking machine work, and ...

... in the last several months, I've developed an interest in vintage American made pocket watches (Elgin and Waltham). It turns out, overhauling and cleaning a pocket watch yourself isn't impossible after all. For some reason, I find taking a pocket watch apart strangly calming.

Best wishes,
Jerry

I'd like to earn a good mechanical wrist watch. You know, wind-up. My favorite watch is a Seiko quartz with a really nice looking face. It's more than 20 years old. Never owned a pocket watch, but I sure can understand the appeal.

[WyoBadger]

All but four, and out of those four, there are only two that I remotely care about. Not too bad. My manliness is affirmed.

Tom

[WyoBadger]

And hey, I scored 13 off Dale's list. A couple of them are things I'm quite good at:

Dale extends the list:

37. Marry well. [Not that I can really take credit for my wife being wonderful--T]
44. Call your mother (if she's alive.)
49. Be nice to a woman who works in a store who the previous customer has been unkind to. [Especially if it involves ridiculing the person who was mean to her--T]
50. Sit and do nothing.

Tom

[Jerry Freeman]

I'd like to earn a good mechanical wrist watch. You know, wind-up. My favorite watch is a Seiko quartz with a really nice looking face. It's more than 20 years old. Never owned a pocket watch, but I sure can understand the appeal.

Here's one I picked up on eBay yesterday, not intending to buy a watch at all. However, it was offered "Buy It Now" for $50, which is about half what these usually sell for if they're that nice and running, so what the heck. There was only a day left in the auction and I was astonished no one had grabbed it already ...

12s-Waltham Pocket Watch-Runs Well-New Crystal & Hands

Best wishes,
Jerry

[Jeferson]

49. Be nice to a woman who works in a store who the previous customer has been unkind to. [Especially if it involves ridiculing the person who was mean to her--T]

I'm with you guys on this one. Doesn't it feel good to do this?!

Jef

[anniemcu]

Yes, I can!
Have, but not in a long time.
Probably can but It'd be safer to let someone else do it.,
Distract me with chocolate and let an expert do it because I'd be dangerous!

1. Patch a radiator hose.
2. Protect your computer [from viruses and spyware].
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.

[The Weekenders]

This really makes me laugh. I have DSL connected to my aging G4 Mac using 10.3.9. Fine. Works great. Then, the other Weekender gets a school-sponsored iBook and wants to use wireless.

So we went to store and got an Airport EXTREME! I just opened the instruction manual on how to make it work with her and my computer.

I am done for. I don't know what @#$ they are talking about, except that they want me to assign those precious, hard earned (hours with "Bob" in Bangalore) TCP/IP settings over to the new "base station" then somehow, my old computer is supposed to hook to it, even though its not the newer OS version required by the wireless one.

Help.... I am done for...oh, did I already say that?

Oh yeah, I can do almost all the other stuff, but nobody needs me to do the other stuff. They (meaning the rest of the household who I am supposed to know more about computers n' stuff) expect me to "make it go." I think I am going to lose the use of my Internet. Goodbye Mr. Chiff, farewell Forum, adios to email....

Given my track record, nothing will work in the end.

[Congratulations]

I can do... four? Maybe five?

I feel inadequate.

[chrisoff]

2. Protect your computer [from viruses and spyware].
5. Retouch digital photos.
10. Use a torque wrench.
13. Fillet a fish.
16. Back up data.
21. Hook up an HDTV.
24. Fix a bike flat.
25. Extend your wireless network.

Well, I'm a geek.

Although I think I could probably build a campfire and paint a room if I had to.

[missy]

I may or may not be able to do #3 - I'm not a good swimmer.

I have no idea about #21, but I probably could if necessary.

Can I also add:
*unclog a drain (do PVC piping if necessary)
*shingle a house
*put siding on a house
*hang gutters
*put down Pergo
*build a deck
*landscaping
*concrete finishing
*top blacktop
*refinish furniture
*butcher a deer (or rabbit, or squirrel)
*gardening
*do tile on a wall or floor
*solder a circuit board
*balance color on a old TV
*bleed a house hot water radiator
*bondo and paint a car (ok, pickup truck)
*know what "righty tighty lefty loosy" means
*gap a spark plug
*use a chain saw and pull trees down
*give a dog a pill (and not put it food)
*shoot a recurve bow
*stretch carpet
(growing up with a dad that built our house, and being "poor" most of my life, you learn to do these things or they don't get done)

*play musical instruments!!!!