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At my last job, there were people who were shocked that I replaced the latches on my cabinets myself and fixed the toilet without calling a plumber. A lot of pe
by ravenstine 7y ago
At my last job, there were people who were shocked that I replaced the latches on my cabinets myself and fixed the toilet without calling a plumber. A lot of people probably wouldn't know where to begin without an expert.
- master-litty 7y agoWell, it's also a renter's problem. I don't possess these skills because I'm not allowed to practice or exercise them. Broken cabinet? Gotta call the landlord; If I tried fixing it myself I'd technically be breaking my lease.
- inflatableDodo 7y agoI think I have technically broken my lease on that score in every single place I have ever rented.
- chmod775 7y agoThis is only an issue if your apartment comes fully furnished. I know americans renting stuff in Germany have been surprised they're supposed to bring everything including their own kitchen. So there's up and downsides to both approaches (fixing your own stuff vs. having to bring it in the first place.). For things you don't own (broken window, toilet, etc.), not fixing them yourself may be important though because your landlord is supposed to foot the bill.
- vangelis 7y agoBringing your own cabinets sounds wild.
- quintushoratius 7y agoUS-based individual checking in: I've never rented a furnished apartment. My father is a landlord and, to my knowledge, has never rented out a furnished apartment. In my experience GP's comment stands: if you start fixing shit that isn't yours, you're in violation of most residential leases.
- ryandrake 7y agoWhen I tell people in the office I fix my own cars, built a shed in my backyard, replaced the pumps in my hot tub, and do all my home remodeling, they look at me as if i have horns growing out of my head. My old man slaughtered his own hogs for food and built his own house, and his father helped build the Empire State Building. How are we losing practical manual labor skills generation by generation? I’ve vowed that my daughter will learn how to use every tool in my garage, effectively and safely.
- zoeysaurusrex 7y agoReally?? Because when my coworkers and I meet someone like this we are all amazed and respectful. No offense, but I have a hard time believing that people become the worst versions of themselves because of your private behavior. Sorry to be so curt, but I’m tired of this sort of circle jerking going on in HN as of late. what you say may be true, but this sort of commentary is rampant lately.
- ryandrake 7y agoNobody turns into “the worst versions of themselves” but a common attitude is: why would you do these things when there are other kinds of people who do it for you as their job? And: you must have a lot more free time than I! No insults or derision, just surprise. It’s definitely different than 20 years ago. Back then everyone I hung out with used to tinker and had a closet full of tools you could borrow. Now it seems nobody’s into it. They even have a special “makers” label for people who like to build things as a hobby.
- ravenstine 7y agoThat's the same reaction I get most of the time, especially when they're closer to my age. Every once in a while they'll respond in appreciation, but the knee jerk reaction for a lot of people is to cock an eyebrow. I guess that's what happens when we code up these apps that allow people to just order whatever they want through their phones and never have to do anything themselves.
- AngryData 7y ago
- vangelis 7y agoI'd love to do the latter, but it's not my house.