marketing of masculinity

I am totally of the opinion that if you can't figure out how to use a level within 5 minutes, you might as well go lie down in traffic.

Just make sure the traffic in on a slope.

yall are carpentry rockists

I'm more into carpentry electronica.

The thing is, in the realm of skills needed to know how to build something, figuring out how to use a level is on about the same difficulty level as figuring out how to play a note on a piano.

Ok look, a level was a bad example, ok?

if u can't change the tire on a jet airliner take a boat, pantywaist

whitey: no, there's nothing inherently wrong with that -- self-reliance is a virtue in many cases. but the "men should know" construction of these lists is really obviously gendered and prescriptive -- the discussion itt about male-targeted advertising and how undercuts the buyer's self-confidence also applies to these lists imo. it calls masculinity into question because men "should" know these things, then offers to sell it back because you can learn how -- just buy the book!

It's true -- where the hell am I going to build a deck anyway? I live in an apartment! An apartment that ALREADY HAS A DECK!

Let's not get into the cultural ghetto-ization of non-homeowners.

elmo your pie crust science has increased my already great esteem for you.

im going to build a deck INSIDE MY APARTMENT

im going to build a pie inside my apartment, then deconstruct the pie in my mouth

"You know what would be great right here? More floor!"

Ha Mr. Que I thought for a moment you were going to make a foodie-style "deconstructed pie" inside of your mouth, which I guess would be some slivers of deep-fried crust next to a few lingonberries.

agreed elmo, i get what you're saying now.

ive changed like a million tires and frankly i fucking hate it

The thrill is gone, the thrill is gone away.

the practical skills i'm most interested in cultivating are generally domestic, homesteading type stuff tbh -- sewing, cooking, baking, weaving, canning, etc

xpost Yeah but the shit job of changing a tire has to be better than like being stuck on the side of the road for god knows how long and then paying out the ass for something you can do yourself, no?

How to change a tire:

1. Curse repeatedly at tire.
2. Call my insurance co's Roadside Assistance.
3. Relax while tow truck dude changes my tire.

can change a tire, can't tie a tie

― everyone stop (dan m), Thursday, December 10, 2009 11:11 AM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Flip that for me. I had to tie a lot of ties in high school b/c I was in lol theatre/choir and had to get dressed up for shit like Cabaret Night or w/e. As for as changing tires go, it probably wouldn't be a bad skill to acquire, but judging by my aptitude for technical stuff like that, I'd probably just as soon call a tow truck.

(haha xpost)

Ha well I suppose if you don't really have to pay for it...xp

i ended up having to change a tire a few times and it was a lot easier than i thought it would be, even though i never had done it before until the first time i had a tire pop

most cars come with instruction manuals that tell you how to change the tire

men can't read

-dockers

IKEA furniture comes with instruction manuals, too. Just saying.

actually changing a tire is easier than putting something from IKEA together IMO

yeah changing a tire really seems like something u dont need to learn - its just obvious

Haha, maybe for you.

IKEA furniture comes with instruction manuals, too. Just saying.

Putting together furniture that comes with instructions may be time-consuming but it isn't that difficult! They tell you what to do, usually with diagrams showing how things fit together!

not trying to be superior manly here just curious what part was giving u trouble jaymc - the jack? the unscrewing the lugnuts?

i tried to change a tire once and the lugnuts were too tight so i had to call a two truck

Changing a tire, something I have only done a few times, is relatively easy; easier in my opinion than putting on most snow chains.

Lugnuts have kicked my ass on more than one occasion.

Personally I have to savor an accomplishment on the level of changing a tire for at least a week. Two, if it was on my wife's car.

I find that it's not always that intuitive, though. I get easily confused about whether something should be upside-down or right-side-up, which way to turn the screw, things like that. I had an IKEA sofa that sat half-assembled in my apartment for over a month because I couldn't figure out how certain parts fit together. It's immensely satisfying when I'm able to get it done, but it can also be pretty frustrating at times.

No one else is noticing that we're going around in circles?

right tighty lefty lucy

not trying to be superior manly here just curious what part was giving u trouble jaymc - the jack? the unscrewing the lugnuts?

I've never done it.

xxpost we'd pull over and ask for directions, but...

^^works for almost all screws/lugnuts

right tighty lefty lucy

Oh, I know. That was a bad example. Although sometimes when screws don't stick I wonder what I'm doing wrong.

if yr lugnuts are too tight you should wear boxers, maybe AYO

don't overtighten your lug nutz fellas

doh elmo beat me : (

I've never done it.

It's toally easy. And you'll feel like Mr. FuckMeNow when you do it successfully, even though it's not really that big of a deal.

Again, though, I feel we have covered all this before.

you think changing a tire is easy and yet using a level eludes you

ha m. bison's directions thing reminded me of my wife's totally maddening habit of not using GPS systems correctly because she is convinced that knowing how to read a map means she can navigate better than the computer; this was a real treat when we were attempting to drive in DC

Sometimes the guy who put the tire on got over-zealous with the air wrench.

This thought strikes me sometimes -- it's the things that are actually NOT all that hard that sometimes seem the most impressive to other people. The things you really struggle and sweat over, nobody else gives a shit.

Discuss.