Agnostic.com

36 4

Basic survival skills

How many of us Agnostics have basic daily "survival" skills and common tools in our abodes?
This is kind of a rant. At least half the folks in my cul-de-sac are "handy". Several households have no clue how stuff works, and have no basic handtools.

  • 65 votes
  • 9 votes
  • 16 votes
bigpawbullets 9 May 11
Share

Enjoy being online again!

Welcome to the community of good people who base their values on evidence and appreciate civil discourse - the social network you will enjoy.

Create your free account

36 comments

Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.

1

My dad built his own house in the 1950's in a rural area. Self sufficiency was ingrained. Most girls did not receive this training during that epoch. Now I am finally understanding why urban folks think I am "different". I fix it myself. They call service personnel. However I don't do well with tech as nobody around to teach me. So I teach myself thru hit & miss. Like my touch pad that won't scroll any longer. In the summer I live off the grid to challenge my skills. In the winter not so much but I do shovel my 500 foot drive by hand if the snow blower is down. Nothing like shoveling under the moon & star light, in the QUIET, solitary, only the dogs. Very rewarding work out.

7

I have pots and pans and I can cook for you after you fix my faucet

Here we go with the cooking again, then you wonder why I keep trying to talk you into adopt me !!! You have already said you would in fantasy land, remember?? ???

@IamNobody good one!

6

I'm a farm boy. We can fix most anything... except computers.

6

I know how to write checks to the people who know how to do stuff!

Survival skills at their finest!!!!
😉

6

Been single for a long time. It was out of necessity ?

5

I know enough not to dig the latrine next to the water supply...if that counts? 😛

Yes. That definetly counts.

5

I have many tools, kits, weapons, food and water. I'm not a prepper, but I am a volunteer for a group that does disaster relief. I've seen "unprepared" and have vowed to be as ready as I can.

similar here, have lived in so many remote places prone to floods, fires and cyclones. Am not a member of emergency service, but have involvement in relief co-ordination. I have done search and rescue when younger. Must be a carry over from when I lived in the bush and could be flooded for 6 months along with neighbours, could easily survive here for 3-6 months with the amount of gas, good etc.

5

I grew up on a farm so I learned how to both construct and deconstruct. Farming, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, hunt, fish and process the results. Skills that have come in handy when needed.

5

Do a lot myself. These days for DIY, google and youtube are your friends.

4

I was poor. Repairmen cost money.

4

I usually draw blood when I use tools or work on anything. Is that good?

Actually, yes...
No bloody knuckles means you're not trying hard enough.

It's OK so long as it's not your blood!

@Athos But it is my blood. I'll lay the handsaw down on the bench then later walk by and scrape part of my body on teeth, that saw is sharp. It's always my fault, just little silly accidents.

@MacTavish: wear work gloves.

@Athos I'd need a body glove. I usually cut my leg or abdomen or arm or hand.

4

I've been told I'm a real tool.

godef Level 7 May 11, 2018

😉

4

Go to helper for neighbor, have done plumbing and minor electrical for her. Have tools. ALL KINDS of tools. A bit compulsive. Lots of power stuff but just to be on the safe side, have many manual replacements, saws, drills, planes, miter saw, and all the regular stuff. In case of a massive EMP taking down the entire electrical grid ending in a collapse of society, or a zombie apocalypse, I am ready. 😀

No, I don't really believe a zombie apocalypse is coming.

4

The army has taught me there is always a way to cobble some solution together

4

My ex was a frontiersman who could do anything with his hands, plumber by trade. When my builder went to jail, we fired him and my ex stepped in to help me finish the build but died after he got the rough plumbing in. He wouldn't let me touch the saws/didn't want me hurt/it was a man's job and sticking to our roles is (I speculate) probably what killed him. I picked up his tools and learned how to use them all. I'm not great at it but I know what it takes to build a house. You're right, they're skills. And, often I pay to have things done because I want that finished look. But I understand what I'm paying for, too.
So, I don't judge anyone who doesn't have these skills. They can be learned at any age. But, I def appreciate my ex much more now that I've had to learn what he knew. He was skilled.

4

I took a "survival test" once that asked you different questions about what you'd do in different scenarios. I was rated as someone who could "grow old in the jungle without a single tool."

I took that same test! I was rated as someone who 'should always live in close proximity to Clauddvon'.

4

I yam what I yam!

godef Level 7 May 11, 2018
3

I an mow legally blind and so I find i am not as "handy" as i once was. I call someone more and more often to get things done.

3

My go to tool...duct tape. Duct tape for everything. Half of my car is duct taped.
I an still recovering from rotator cuff surgery. So many home repairs I am unable to accomplish.
Handyman are unreliable at best. Been a real challenge

Duct tape is our friend.
I understand the shoulder stuff. Got one myself.

I use advanced duct tape repair techniques, and incorporate bailing wire on an as-needed basis.

gorilla tape, chicken wire, and my beloved electric screw driver

gorilla tape, chicken wire, and my beloved electric screw driver

@felix5 The surgery is incredibly painful. 6 months later I still have daily pain and limited mobility.

3

I'm a feminist. But I was also raised by a father who was a proper man, which to me means, if something is broke, he will fix it. If he doesn't know how, he'll figure it out. So I have lived this way, and since I've never been interested in marriage, I have always been interested in being good friends with the neighbors so if something is too difficult, I can ask one of them to do it. I can do some basic stuff, but mainly prefer to let the guy do it. Because, sadly, my dad died 3 years ago.

3

I grew up poor, and had to learn to do everything myself. I can afford to hire a lot of the work done now, but I don't trust people to do it right, so I still do it myself.

3

I live in a rural setting on an island. I moved here to be self-sufficient and am. The problem is one must always be able to do maintenance at any time. I am the proverbial Jack of all trades and master of some.

3

you'll never guess my favourite tool ?

Yeah.
I probably can.
😉

Monkey wrench

@Donotbelieve Yikes

@Donotbelieve That's too funny. 😉

3

I know my way around small maintenance/repair/etc tasks, but I don't think I'd trust my clumsy hands and/or shitty eyesight to anything bigger or more delicate.

3

Youtube has all the how to videos

gater Level 7 May 11, 2018

We have used these to change various bulbs on our cars. Usually very handy!

3

Tools, yes.
Survival tools, some.
Ability, yup.

Write Comment
You can include a link to this post in your posts and comments by including the text q:79000
Agnostic does not evaluate or guarantee the accuracy of any content. Read full disclaimer.