Posted on 03/14/2011 6:01:29 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
Self-reliance is a vital key to living a healthy, productive life. To be self-reliant one must master a basic set of skills, more or less making them a jack of all trades. Contrary to what you may have learned in school, a jack of all trades is far more equipped to deal with life than a specialized master of only one.
While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.
1. Build a Fire – Fire produces heat and light, two basic necessities for living. At some point in your life this knowledge may be vital.
* How to Build a Fire * Wilderness Survival Firecraft * Build a Fire Without Matches or a Lighter (video)
2. Operate a Computer – Fundamental computer knowledge is essential these days. Please, help those in need.
* How To Help Someone Use a Computer * The BBC’s Guide to Using a Computer * Mac Basics * Windows Basics
3. Use Google Effectively – Google knows everything. If you’re having trouble finding something with Google, it’s you that needs help.
* Google Guide * Google Advanced Search Operators * Google Web Search Features * 20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches
4. Perform CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver – Someday it may be your wife, husband, son or daughter that needs help.
* Learn CPR * How To Perform Adult CPR (video) * How CPR Works * How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver (video)
5. Drive a Manual Transmission Vehicle – There will come a time when you’ll be stuck without this knowledge.
* How To Drive a Stick Shift Instructional Movie (video) * Learn to Drive a Stick Shift * Learn to Drive a Car with Manual Transmission
6. Do Basic Cooking – If you can’t cook your own steak and eggs, you probably aren’t going to make it.
* Cooking Basics and Tips * Cooking and Baking How To Information * Basics of Cooking Series
7. Tell a Story that Captivates People’s Attention – If you can’t captivate their attention, you should probably just save your breath.
* How To Tell a Great Story * How To Give a Great Speech * Presentation Tips for Public Speaking
8. Win or Avoid a Fistfight – Either way, you win.
* How To Actually Win a Fistfight * How To Win a Fistfight (video) * How To Win a Street Fight * How To Avoid Confrontations Like a Samurai Warrior
9. Deliver Bad News – Somebody has got to do it. Unfortunately, someday that person will be you.
* How To Deliver Bad News in Writing * How to Deliver Bad News to a Customer * Good Ways to Deliver Bad News
10. Change a Tire – Because tires have air in them, and things with air in them eventually pop.
* How To Change a Flat Tire (video) * How To Change a Tire (video) * Saturday Mechanic: Changing a Tire
I sure hope this list is not intended as a survival guide. If so, we’re doomed.
How to give driving direction?
How to parallel park a car?
How to select good produce?
How to do a proper sit-up?
How to paint a room?
How to smile for a camera?
How to flirt properly?
How to sew a button?
How to remove a stain?
How to end a date?
No offense, but this could be the lamest list of important things to know how to do ever published.
Well, not all fire is the same.
You can’t cook your neighbour’s golden retriever over a burning automobile, for instance!
Or throw away a part of pants because they don’t want to sew up a hole or their sewing machine doesn’t work right? I did sew up a hole in a pair of pants recently because my sewing machine is not working right. We have better know how to do these things if we don’t have the machine or electricity to do them!
I have heard of people throwing away perfectly good garments because of a sagging hem or a missing button, but I really wanted to believe those were just made up stories Old People like to tell to emphasize how stupid young people are these days, as opposed to how brilliant THEY (the OPs) were at that age. :-( Good grief! Sewing on a button is about the easiest thing in the world, as is stitching up a hem! And I’ve repaired holes in work jeans too, though I like iron on patches best for that (though yeah, you do need electricity and a machine (the iron) for them.
18. Give Driving Directions – Nobody likes driving around in circles. Get this one right the first time.
"Turn right a little ways before you run out of money. If you pass $15 Trillion in debt, you've gone too far. Oh, but you can't stop or turn around there; you just have to keep going until you go over the cliff. Then it won't matter."
Count me among the people that is sorely incompetent. (well, maybe lazy as I probably COULD do many).
Like the fistfight.. now get real.. why do a fist fight when you can take out your gun & not mess up your hair?
LOL
Thanks for posting this Diana
“You can’t cook your neighbour’s golden retriever over a burning automobile, for instance!”
That’s what the cops told me.
You reminded me of an old rancher who lived in the middle of nowhere by himself for many decades. He heated his home and cooked his food by burning tires. He had a disgusting pan on the stove with pinto beans and just added more beans and water every day. It was gross but he lived to be a very old man.
That is a cool website. I enjoyed reading several other things at the site. Thanks for sharing!
I think a stoner once told me that - or something like that.
From "Last of the Dogmen".
One of my favorites, thanks for posting it.
With the caveat that it's unless they shot the retriever?
No electricity needed. Old fashioned flat irons are for sale cheap in every *antique* store.
1) build fire inside stove
2) place flat iron on stove
3) wait
4) while waiting find something to use as a hot pad
5) set up a flat surface to use as an ironing board.
6) cover flat surface with something like a sheet
7) if you still have iron-on patches, remove them from the package. (In a real SHTF emergency, they might not be available at all)
8) test iron for sufficient heat
9) position patch over hole
10) using hot pad, press patch over hole
You know, it is faster and easier to just thread a needle, sit down and sew the rip closed, the sew on a reinforcing patch. Needles, thread and straight pins are important survival tools and the skill is elementary and easy to learn.
Those same antique stores often have usable treadle sewing machines, as well.
Like you, I patch and hem and sew when necessary. I actually hate the chore, but that isn’t the point.
Ping!
“That’s what the cops told me.
With the caveat that it’s unless they shot the retriever?”
No, it was their car. ;-)
There is more than one of those.
LOL
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