What massively low bars do you aspire to?

[Granny Danger]

31 minutes ago, 'WellDel said:

Re: the driving posts. It's a thing that people either enjoy, or do out of necessity. I had my first lesson on the day of my 17th birthday and passed my test while still at school. Been driving now for over 30 years and making a living from driving various types of vehicles for the past 20. It's something I actually enjoy whereas my wife, although she is a good enough driver, hates it and sees it purely as a function she needs to do.

The increase in the number of drivers and the sheer volume of vehicles on the road over time has obviously seen the number of complete morons rise too, and I can see how folk who are newly qualified, or getting back behind the wheel after a period away might be wary or apprehensive on the roads as they are today. I'd suggest getting out and about in area you will be driving most in the evenings when it's much quieter, to get used to handling the car and maybe having a go at tackling any junctions or interchanges you have concerns over, which will help build your confidence for when you need to navigate them at busier times.

You must be getting tired.

[scottsdad]

DIY stuff is a good shout. The shelf that collapsed in Scott's room last night was put up by me. I am useless at it. 

Last weekend my mum asked me to move an old desk out into her garage. As I lifted it up it fell to pieces. Absolutely fell to bits. "Oh, your dad built that" my mum said by way of explanation. I get my skills from him. 

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, Hedgecutter said:

Be able to change a lightbulb with confidence.

That's quite tragically not even a joke.

 

Eta: I'd be willing to attend basic DIY courses as I feel utterly useless about the house.  I grew up in a single parent household and was never shown how to perform basic DIY such as work a drill.  My complete reliance on GSI is a source of deep shame.

I would also add the driving thing, but deep in my heart it's not something that I personally aspire to do.  More something that I'd do just to get folk off my back.

Do you give camel rides to them at the moment? 

['WellDel]

41 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

You must be getting tired.

Aye, I really should pull over for a bite to eat and a nap.

[Granny Danger]

8 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Do you give camel rides to them at the moment? 

Careful, he’ll end up taking the hump.

[Sergeant Wilson]

People wanting DIY skills are fucking insane. I couldn't hammer a nail into a dumpling. Everybody knows that and don't ask me to do anything.

Get a man in, eg a painter. I could do that but painting is boring and would take me a week. Get a man in and he'll have it done in a day while I pursue my interests elsewhere.

Edited October 17, 2023 by Sergeant Wilson

[sugna]

17 hours ago, throbber said:

I think DA needs a bit of stoic philosophy in his life - all of this self loathing and lamenting past mistakes would have Marcus Aurelius turning in his grave.

I can't be the only one on P&B who's sick to the back teeth with your constant references to post-Socratic ancient philosophy.

[Sergeant Wilson]

Just now, sugna said:

I can't be the only one on P&B who's sick to the back teeth with you.

FTFY

[hk blues]

11 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

People wanting DIY skills are fucking insane. I couldn't hammer a nail into a dumpling. Everybody knows that and don't ask me to do anything.

Get a man in, eg a painter. I could do that but painting is boring and would take me a week. Get a man in and he'll have it done in a day while I pursue my interests elsewhere.

Nah, I actually like doing DIY projects as long as I'm up to the task and don't have a deadline hanging over me.  We moved into a new place and after  a couple of years the beige walls were getting on all of our t**s so we decided to paint the whole place top to bottom.  It took the best part of 6 months but wasn't the chore it could be.   I've also added moulding throughout as well as other bits 'n' pieces.

On the other hand, last week we needed to change a tap in the kitchen sink - a 10-minute job but I hate plumbing work so I got the local handyman to fix it - literally a 5-minute job for him.  And it only cost a fiver as labour is cheap here.

[Hedgecutter]

4 hours ago, hk blues said:

Do you give camel rides to them at the moment? 

I was actually on a camel ride last week.

[TxRover]

6 hours ago, Hedgecutter said:

Be able to change a lightbulb with confidence.

That's quite tragically not even a joke.

 

Eta: I'd be willing to attend basic DIY courses as I feel utterly useless about the house.  I grew up in a single parent household and was never shown how to perform basic DIY such as work a drill.  My complete reliance on GSI is a source of deep shame.

I would also add the driving thing, but deep in my heart it's not something that I personally aspire to do.  More something that I'd do just to get folk off my back.

Much as you can use the net to find locations quite easily, YouTube videos showing basic DIY tasks are common place and handy, but you do need to find a brand/poster you feel confident about for best use. For instance, bought a 2010 Corolla for the kiddo’s school car, and found a Greek gent who has videos on damn near every task I’ve needed on the car. Just quiet music, no talking, shows how to remove the bumper, change the headlight, and reinstall…easy peasy…it’s made working on the car a complete doddle. In much the same way, most stuff around the house can be addressed, and watching the video quickly makes it clear if you should just hire someone because you know your own comfort level.

[54_and_counting]

10 hours ago, Granny Danger said:

You must be getting tired.

His real name is Chris Rea

[scottsdad]

6 hours ago, Hedgecutter said:

I was actually on a camel ride last week.

You can't say that sort of thing nowadays. 

Edited October 17, 2023 by scottsdad

[Derry Alli]

6 minutes ago, 54_and_counting said:

His real name is Chris Rea

Let's pop him in a bath with an egg.

[The Golden God]

Walk to the chippy round the corner instead of getting it delivered. 

[DA Baracus]

Yikes. Absolute minter for me last week. Big apologies to all for my nonsense.

Been lying low since due to utter embarrassment. Not that some of what I said isn't true, but the mewling way I relayed it was really poor. 

I've done this sort of shit so many times over the years so I can't promise it won't happen again, even though I hope it won't, but I will strive to not have it happen again.

In a way it was good to get out of my system, although it was also one of the worst ways to do it.

 

P.S. I also can't drive. Could never afford to when I was younger and parents couldn't pay for me. Got in to debt quite quick when I went to uni at 17 (silly story) and spent a while paying that off. Back to uni a few years later and so poor. More debt. No qualifications sadly.

Had a wee period of getting involved with pay day loans (think in the end it was 95) so lots of cash went to that. Thankfully not had any in a few years. Not even applied for any in years. Sadly no savings as I'm so bad with money. Credit rating in bits.

I'm rambling again. So I'll pipe down and reiterate my apologies.

Edited October 22, 2023 by DA Baracus

[TxRover]

3 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

Yikes. Absolute minter for me last week. Big apologies to all for my nonsense.

Been lying low since due to utter embarrassment. Not that some of what I said isn't true, but the mewling way I relayed it was really poor. 

I've done this sort of shit so many times over the years so I can't promise it won't happen again, even though I hope it won't, but I will strive to not have it happen again.

In a way it was good to get out of my system, although it was also one of the worst ways to do it.

 

P.S. I also can't drive. Could never afford to when I was younger and parents could pay for me. Got in tk debt quite quick when I went to uni at 17 (silly story) and spent a while paying that off. Back to uni a few years later and so poor. More debt. No qualifications sadly.

Had a wee period of getting involved with pay day loans (think in the end it was 95) so lots of cash went to that. Thankfully not had any in a few years. Not even applied for any in years. Sadly no saving as I'm so bad with money. Credit rating in bits.

I'm rambling again. So I'll pipe down and reiterate my apologies.

Apologies unnecessary, we all have THOSE days, but too many are unwilling to admit it. You actually sparked a mildly productive, and quite entertaining, wee thread.

As for no savings because you’re “bad with money”, it’s never too late to learn a bit. The amount of money I pissed away on stupid things and frivolous wants is depressing to consider, and would have been quite useful now. However, I found that all that experience made it possible for me to organize myself right now so as to made do on a lot less than I would have expected. Everyone talks about “budgeting” and that crap, but I’ve found that simply knowing what I’ve charged or debited on a rolling basis has made me much more deliberate on spending, and significantly reduced my expenses. The old saw about “paying yourself first” by putting a small amount into savings automatically from a check before you start spending is a good one too…it’s never too late to establish a little savings cushion.

Ramble whenever, it’s what the place is built for, it’s not Mumsnet.

[DA Baracus]

I don't even make £30k a year (the £150 a month on student loans was nonsense; no idea where I got that from).

Sadly I owe circa £30k in student loans with absolutely nothing to show for it. I had to subsidise that with overdrafts that I've thankfully paid off.

In my last ever year as a student I took out my first ever payday loan. Thankfully it was my last as a student, but sadly wasn't my last ever.

Talking of university, I used to think I was a fairly bright guy (nothing special, just not bad) but my experiences make me think otherwise. 

I'm shockingly bad at study skills. I struggle massively to take in and recall information. I tried to take notes in lectures but quickly got lost and often got drowsy and fell asleep.

My attempt at revision were the 'brute force' method, meaning I read stuff over and over and tried to remember it. Didn't work.

I was so bad in exams too. Failed a year 1 chemistry exam 6 times (including when I was in year 3 of course). I think I might actually be a bit of an idiot.

[throbber]

I don’t think it’s to do with being clever DA it’s probably just to do with what motivated and interests you - if you have a genuine interest in something it isn’t difficult to learn about it but if you’re forcing yourself into it because it’s part of an exam or part of your job and no other part of it motivates you then “learning” is difficult. I think it’s easier to pick things up when you aren’t putting pressure on yourself and generally not giving a f**k. 

[oneteaminglasgow]

10 hours ago, DA Baracus said:

I don't even make £30k a year (the £150 a month on student loans was nonsense; no idea where I got that from).

Sadly I owe circa £30k in student loans with absolutely nothing to show for it. I had to subsidise that with overdrafts that I've thankfully paid off.

In my last ever year as a student I took out my first ever payday loan. Thankfully it was my last as a student, but sadly wasn't my last ever.

Talking of university, I used to think I was a fairly bright guy (nothing special, just not bad) but my experiences make me think otherwise. 

I'm shockingly bad at study skills. I struggle massively to take in and recall information. I tried to take notes in lectures but quickly got lost and often got drowsy and fell asleep.

My attempt at revision were the 'brute force' method, meaning I read stuff over and over and tried to remember it. Didn't work.

I was so bad in exams too. Failed a year 1 chemistry exam 6 times (including when I was in year 3 of course). I think I might actually be a bit of an idiot.

I also dropped out/was kicked out of uni. I’ve failed a fair few exams as well. I wouldn’t say that that, in itself, would mean that you’re not bright. There’s a lot of different ways to be intelligent, and people’s minds work in lots of ways - some of which simply aren’t suited to that style of learning or examination. 

I’d also say that being accepted for uni, regardless of how it turned out, is an achievement that you should be proud of.