A Guy Called Bloke has posed this question as part of the Oh Prompt Me Do!! series.
What talent have you always wanted to have and why?
Tell us about it…. and if you did have this talent how would you use it to your advantage in your world today?
As I was writing to one of my brothers, who is currently incarcerated in a TX prison, telling him of my travails, it came to me what talent I have always wanted to have: mechanical skills. This winter, I have an almost-new snowblower in the garage that won’t start, and a brand new – only used once – generator sitting here that won’t start either. Last spring I had to have my riding lawn mower picked up by the hardware store for repair and maintenance. Because it was spring and everybody was doing the same thing, it took at least 6 weeks to get it back. In the meantime I was forced to go out and buy a small push mower to at least mow the front yard of tall dandelions. It is very frustrating to own machinery that should work but doesn’t. It is frustrating to have to pay someone to do repair and maintenance on the machines. My ex-boyfriend was a mechanical wizard. I never had to worry about any of this when he was here. I have a handyman that helps me out, but the handyman goes to FL for the winter and won’t get back until late spring. If I had mechanical skills all of this would be child’s play.
Included in the mechanical skills would be the ability to use a chainsaw to cut up the gigantic willow limb that is now lying in the front yard, as well as the trees that have fallen out back which are now blocking my walking path.
When my brothers and I were growing up, my stepfather taught them how to fix machines and build houses. I was left to tend to the younger children, clean the house, do the laundry, cook, etc. There is something not right about this setup for girls. It conditions them to feel incompetent in important areas.
Tao Talk 
I am with you on this.
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I have always thought the ability to fix things like that- well as you were writing it helps a lot if at a young age you are taught such things but I have always thought of it as kind of genetic. I can’t fix anything. My dad would be working on a car and have me out with him but my mind was never on it- I never had any interest growing up. My dad wasn’t great at fixing things- he’d get them fixed but….. my two grandfathers- one was a wizard he lived to fix things- my other grandfather was like me. When his brother would come to visit for a few days my grandmother would be so happy because he would fix things that needed fixed. Luckily my wife likes to fix things and is good at it. Maybe its genetic?
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May be. I actually am mechanically inclined, but I’m ignorant of how to do the stuff, and just not motivated to learn it now. You are blessed you have a mechanically adept wife! It saves you a bundle of money.
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My Dad wasn’t practical, and so l grew up with no practical foundation to my core, l am also so incredibly clumsy and have very little patience with fiddly things, l mean l struggle at times to open up a carton of milk, next to very poor eye to hand co-ordination, l am set for a walking disaster at best and have many experiences in line with this – l have had more shocks in my life than most people might ever experience electrically ever! I have a problem, that is recognised as some disorder or the other, although l tend to call it brain lazy – most people walk to a location in a typical a- b – c type of motion – me, well l walk A – C forgetting B. I have been hit and clipped by so many cars and buses it’s quite astonishing how l am still here!
But YES totally can relate to that 🙂
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Oh Rory, it sounds like you’ve lived a death-defying life. So many near disasters. Getting shocked a lot sounds horrible! It’s something you never forget just once but many many times, it would put many on edge. What have you been shocked on? And the getting clipped by vehicles!!!! I remember a car clipped me as a kid but didn’t hurt me, but I remember the car stopping to check on me but I ran away. I was a very wild and roaming child. Rory, I’m glad you are here! God isn’t done torturing you yet 😉
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You know it’s funny you should say that in jest, many years ago, a priest said that to me.
I said Father “can you tell me please if God is so wise, why l was allowed to live, when others around me died so terribly? is there some greater purpose for me?”
He simply answered “God hasn’t finished torturing you yet!” with a smile “Rory, l have no idea why some of the things happen in our lives the way they do, you have to make the best of life, the good, the bad and the downright unfortuneate.”
I wasn’t really a religious person to begin with, but despite his humour, it just made me think – what ever! Have never set foot into a church again for any other purpose but to admire the architecture 🙂
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I am SHOCKED a priest would say something like that! Well…. knowing what some priests do….. not so shocking I guess. If the “holy” people of a religion can’t be looked up to to give comfort, what use are they? Then you have to ask yourself what other use are they being put to, and I think we can guess the answer to that. I don’t do church either. Have you read any Tom Robbins books? He writes one called, “Another Roadside Attraction” that is quite a tale about religion.
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I will have a look into it – l don’t have a great relationship with priests of religion, l have yet to still forgive them for the exorcism that went wrong 🙂
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What!? “exorcism that went wrong”? I’m heading out to GR right now but hoping to hear about this or you link me to info on it.
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It’s a coming 🙂
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Reblogged this on A Guy Called Bloke and K9 Doodlepip! and commented:
Li says in her Oh Prompt Me Do that a skill of mechanical repairs would be the one talent that she could do the most good with and benefit from – how about you?
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I think about these skills that aren’t typically taught to girls. All my life I was relegated to caretaking and domestic roles as well, but I hope I can expand on my skillset. In my area, there is a mechanic shop for women so that they can learn how their car works. I’m pretty excited when I see the home improvement show or craftsmanship with wood. Building things is exciting.
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It is encouraging to hear about the mechanic shop for women ❤ I like to watch the building shows when I have cable TV. I wonder if netflix has any?
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I’m sure there’s a category for it. I think about House Hunters, design on a dime…Not sure if they are still there!
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I used to watch, “This Old House”
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Checking out the website and the projects and tips look cool
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It’s still around? Now I need to check it out 🙂
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