Popular Mechanics decided to compile a list of 100 Skills every man should know. Yes, men only, obviously women do not need to know any of these skills according to Popular Mechanics. The pigs.
They have conveniently divided up the tasks into different specialities. Mostly I think this is a pretty stupid list. Unlike my list of tools I can use. But I’ll play along with their lame-o list and bold the skills I have mastered – the ones I can do without consulting a book or having someone looking over my shoulder.
Automotive
1. Handle a blowout – simple, hang on and pucker up. Cuss.
2. Drive in snow – especially handy for Hawaii readers.
3. Check trouble codes – trouble code? trouble code? what the hell is a troub
4. Replace fan belt – well this is just stupid. On today’s cars you have to pull the damn engine (don’t you?)
5. Wax a car
6. Conquer an off-road obstacle – see #1
7. Use a stick welder
8. Hitch up a trailer – if the vehicle has a trailer hitch.
9. Jump start a car
Handling Emergencies
10. Perform the Heimlich
11. Reverse hypothermia
12. Perform hands-only CPR
13. Escape a sinking car – yes, the electric windows will work! No, they really will!
Home
14. Carve a turkey – I can debone a turkey or chicken too.
15. Use a sewing machine – I can run a 75 year old Singer, but not the space-age ones like Nancy has.
16. Put out a fire – whew, tough list.
17. brew beer – nobody knows how to do this unless they have a kit.
18. Remove bloodstains from fabric – blood doesn’t come out of fabric
19. Move heavy stuff – See #1
20. Grow food
21. Read an electric meter – the one on the house? Why do I have to know this? Like I’m going to call up and say they mis-read the meter? Meter readers don’t know how to read the meter, they just write down the numbers. Oh, is that the skill required? Then Yes.
22. Shovel the right way – See #1
23. Solder wire
24. Tape drywall- but I’ll use a ton of compound and have to sand forever to get it paintabe.
25. Split firewood
26. Replace a faucet washer
27. Mix concrete
28. Paint a straight line – I’m 1/4 the way through this list and it’s getting stupider and stupider.
29. Use a French knife – I don’t even know what this is.
30. Prune bushes and small trees
31. Iron a shirt
32. Fix a toilet tank flapper
33. Change a single-pole switch
34. Fell a tree
35. Replace a broken windowpane
36. Set up a ladder, safely
37. Fix a faucet cartridge
38. Sweat copper tubing
39. Change a diaper
40. Grill with charcoal
41. Sew a button on a shirt
42. Fold a flag
Medical Myths
43. Treat frostbite
44. Treat a burn
45. Help a seizure victim
46. Treat a snakebite
47. Remove a tick
Military Know-How
48. Shine shoes
49. Make a drum-tight bed
50. Drop and give the perfect pushup
Outdoors
51. Run rapids in a canoe
52. Hang food in the wild
53. Skipper a boat – skipper a boat? Is this steering a power boat or sailing. Big difference. I can do both.
54. Shoot straight
55. Tackle steep drops on a mountain bike
56. Escape a rip current – done it.
Primitive Skills
57. Build a fire in the wilderness
58. Build a shelter
59. Find potable water
Surviving Extremes
60. Floods
61. Tornados
62. Cold
63. Heat
64. Lightning – yes, I get struck by lightning often and know exactly what to do! Stupid, stupid list.
Teach Your Kids
65. Cast a line
66. Lend a hand
67. Change a tire
68. Throw a spiral
69. Fly a stunt kite
70. Drive a stick shift
71. Parallel park
72. Tie a bowline
73. Tie a necktie
74. Whittle- whew, tough one. Take knife blade, chip off wood. Great skill needed.
75. Ride a bike
Technology
76. Install a graphics card
77. Take the perfect portrait
78. Calibrate HDTV settings
79. Shoot a home movie
80. Ditch your hard drive
Master Key Workshop Tools
81. Drill driver
82. Grease gun
83. Coolant hydrometer
84. Socket wrench
85. Test light – hw to test a light? how to test a light? spit in the socket you dorks.
86. Brick trowel
87. Framing hammer
88. Wood chisel
89. Spade bit
90. Circular saw
91. Sledge hammer
92. Hacksaw
93. Torque wrench
94. Air wrench
95. Infrared thermometer
96. Sand blaster
97. Crosscut saw
98. Hand plane
99. Multimeter
100. Feeler gauges
Congratulations if you read this far.
101. Be able to withstand dumb lists and bloggers who post them.
I think Feeler Gauge is a good band name.
ari_1965´s last blog post..Nasty Alaskan Malamutes at Arlington-Arkwright park
@ari_1965: Oh yeah! Great name – nice catch!
Jeez, they left one off the list:
“Put the toilet seat back down.”
Polly-Vous Francais´s last blog post..Va-Va-Va Vrooom!
@Polly Vous-Francais: Ha. Ha. Ha.
I loved the Vespa covered in decoupage stuff. Better than any paint job. Yes, I probably is more racy.
#18: Blood stains will come out if soaked immediately; however, if it’s blood stains like on CSI, furgedabout it!
#19: Move heavy stuff – yeah right, only if wifey helps and then wifey doesn something on her own and the comment is “don’t tell me your neck hurts.
#26: Replace washer in faucet – yeah right…only after MONTHS of complaining.
#41 You would never consider sewing on a button. (But I hate doing that too.)
#49: How could I expect you to make a bed when I only make it when I change the sheets…clean sheets tonight means….what?
Nancy´s last blog post..Sticky Fly Strips in His Hair….la, la, la, la, la…..
I live in LA. I’m lucky if I can find a guy who pumps his own gas.
.-= Steam Me Up, Kid´s last blog pithI’m too sexy for my penis =-.
Har. Is this an important attribute to you?
I guess it is, yeah.
I don’t know. Maybe there’s something subliminally disconcerting about watching your husband pay another dude to stick a nozzle in his car’s rear.
I like this list, actually. I wish I could complete more of these tasks.
.-= Steam Me Up, Kid´s last blog pithI’m too sexy for my penis =-.