How to be a "Man"

[vernond]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I'm in the same boat as the op and I just turned 30. You just learn as you go from whoever you can learn from. A lot of good suggestions have been made. You tube has just about everything. You can wing a lot of things. We just bought a house and I've felt very inadequate a lot lately. I put up 3 celing fans and it probably took about 14 hours all together. Should've only taken a couple to someone who knows what they're doing. Last time i changed a tire it took me 2 hours and the car almost fell on me. You've gotta start somewhere and it will take you longer to do things but you pick up a little here and there.

[p_rushing]

Re: How to be a "Man"

My father knows how to do a bunch of stuff and I was lucky to pick up stuff. I still haven't done a ton of stuff myself, but when I have, youtube is great. I tiled my shower and floor and watched youtube and asked my dad a few questions, but youtube was a big help. Just start small and if you think you might need some help if you break something, try to do it during hours when a store is open so you can get any parts needed.

Also, Home Depot and Lowes have free classes, Tile stores have free classes, etc. For automotive stuff, if you want to repair simple things, more cars have repair books you can buy telling you how to do everything.

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: How to be a "Man"

Oh wow, you don't conform to some archaic society's view of "manhood". Big deal! Be a good husband, a good father, and who cares what some neanderthals might think. If you are 27 and still giving a crap about what others think, the problem lies entirely with you.

I'm a stay-at-home dad, oh my, what would "true man society" say about that?

EDIT: If you truly want some ego boosting, let me tell you that at least on modern cars, the oil filter is a pain in the *** to reach. You have to contort your hand behind the engine block, over the whatever and under the something, and then twist...no tools, just forearm strength.

Yeah, I'm glad I go to the dealer, LOL.

[ScoobySnax]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I wouldn't say I conform to society's "standard", but I do think there are things I should know how to do that I don't.

Oh and there's absolutely nothing wrong with being a stay at home Dad. You're doing what needs to be done. Simple as that.

[superjames1992]

Re: How to be a "Man"

You will be amazed how many men don't know how to tie a tie.

Yes, like me.

Well, I've "tied" a tie several times, but it was definitely not correct.

I do know how to change my tires and change my oil, but I don't know much more than that about my car, unfortunately. BTW, changing your own oil is a major pain in the *** and it is definitely worth paying a few extra dollars for the local oil change place to do it, IMO.

[AUChase]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I couldn't begin to tell you how to tie a tie and neither could my dad.

I've been very fortune to grow up with a dad who is a jack of all trades. It has nothing to do with his dad being great, either. My grandfather, from what I've been told, wasn't around much and he passed away in his 40s..

I think that's done nothing, but inspire my dad. He's been awesome throughout my entire life and is self taught in most everything. He could plumb your house, wire something for you, or even tear down and rebuild any engine. My grandmother has told me stories about how my dad used to get out in the yard and pull motors out of his car over a huge tree trunk... and everything he's learned was from him just putting his mind to it.

I'm not the most handy person in the world, but if you asked me to bring you a specific tool, I could pick it out..

I can change oil, tires, and do some engine work on cars, but I'm nowhere near where my dad is. Generally speaking, people are much more dependant on others these days. Companies are also making it more difficult for individuals to work on their own cars..

My advice is just to put your' mind to it and set out to learn whatever it is you need to learn.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I'm not handy at all, which is crazy since every other guy in my family knows that type of stuff. Oh well.

[SuperBowlNachos]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I don't know jack about cars. I couldn't even begin to guess how to change my oil or a spark plug. A lot easier to pay someone who knows what they are doing $30 to do it every 4-5 months. I could probably change a tire. Luckily the times I have had to do it were in my own driveway. On the road I've always called AAA. The time it takes me to attempt to do it they can drive to me and have it done.

As far as tools I grew up a lot this past summer. I signed on to work at a Lowe's and was told I would be in the home and garden. I show up the first day and I am put in Tool World. I worked there 4 solid months and still am not sure of what some of the stuff does(wth is a drill press for?).

[Marino]

You will be amazed how many men don't know how to tie a tie.

I use to knew how to tie one, then forgot and learned how to again.

And don't feel bad man. I don't know how to do a lot of that ****, but I am learning as well.

[mburke2]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I'm 25 and pretty terrible at all this stuff too, but I have picked up a bunch of knowledge from my grandfather and uncles on my mom's side of the family. They are just plain "do it yourself" type of guys who built their own garages and repair their own houses, cars, etc. I've been fortunate enough to be close with them and occasionally help them out with little projects and have learned a bit along the way. I certainly am not handy enough to do this stuff on my own, but a little bit of experience and learning gives me indications of what to look for and what to do when appliances and things start to break down. But like everyone else said, there's no shame in using YouTube to look up DIY videos to learn how to do things. That's what the internet is here for, to spread information.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I feel ya, I mean i'm only 18 but know very little about this. I have no car at the moment and I only really drove a car my senior year of HS cause I was able to borrow one of my grandpa's cars so I have little experience with that.

Didn't really have a father figure in my life until sometime in elementary school and even then I didn't learn much since he was a serious working man and I too have grown up in a family full of woman(no seriously there are very little guys in my family and all the new kids keep being girls lol)

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: How to be a "Man"

I'm 23 and I don't know half of this stuff either. I think it might be a generational thing the more I think about it. My dad is definitely a jack of all trades, from cars to computers to construction but I never really learned anything but computers, and not because of him. He'd sometimes tell me about how when he was a kid he and his friends/cousins would be taking their cars apart every weekend.

That stuff just never interested me. And I wasn't really shown any of it either before I decided it was uninteresting. I only got good at computers by experimenting and being hands-on. I remember asking him before to teach me about computers and he made no effort at all.

I wish I could take some kind of class or workshop on this stuff, but I feel like these are things I'll have to learn myself. I just really hate the feeling of being helpless.

[Jasong7777]

Re: How to be a "Man"

If you are providing for your family, loving your wife, and doing a good job raising your kids. Your are a man in my book. All that other stuff is secondary.

[nemesis04]

Re: How to be a "Man"

After reading this thread I need to call my dad and thank him for taking the time to teach me a ton of handyman tasks. Growing up I used to be so pissed having to help him work on cars, do electric, woodworking etc. I can see now I have taken this for granted because I do all these tasks like it was natural! As people have mentioned they are not things that define you as a man but they are nice skills to have to help you deal with everyday life situations that come up.

[fistofrage]

Re: How to be a "Man"

Get to know a hill billy. Those guys can pretty much fix anything car related or mechanical, some even delve into things like furnaces and airconditiong. They can teach you how to fish and live off the land too. They are usually pretty loyal friends too.