Dear So and So

[VeganBikeChick]

I have no repair talent whatsoever; I can barely put new windshield wipers on my car without help. So I'm envious of all you DIYers.

[Pax]

I have no repair talent whatsoever; I can barely put new windshield wipers on my car without help. So I'm envious of all you DIYers.

Don't feel bad, I can build a chunk of a house by myself but I can't change my wiper blades either.

[ny biker]

I can do simple things, especially now that there always seems to be a youtube video to help. In my car I've replaced bulbs for tail lights, the cabin and engine air filters and the front and back wiper blades. I'm usually good at putting together furniture that requires at-home assembly, and am quite proud of my ability to put together bookcases and bedframes by myself even though you really need four hands to get it right. I once used six packs of Diet Coke to hold up the sides of two new bookcases so I could attach the bottom pieces to them. I was able to replace all the door knobs in my condo except for a couple where the holes were not properly drilled in the doors. I replaced most of the door hinges, too.

I wanted to replace all the electrical outlets and light switches by myself, and even posted here about it (years ago). But I couldn't get past the thought that everything would seem to be working fine but really something would be wrong and then the whole place would burn down. So I hired an electrician. Once I tried to put up new curtain rods, but I couldn't get them straight. Finally I called a friend who's really handy, the son of a plumber, and he put them up for me. He made it look so easy.

I tried to paint my kitchen cabinets when I first moved into my condo but I made a mess and didn't like the way they turned out. Luckily I found a good contractor to renovate the kitchen and bathroom -- with new custom cabinets in both rooms. The painters who did the other rooms and replaced all the door trim and base boards were a disaster -- they did a terrible job and dripped paint on my furniture.

I've enjoyed getting into the details of the kitchen and bathroom work, with the cabinet diagrams and the tile designs. But I didn't inherit a natural ability to actually do the work. I would figure it out eventually, I think, but would have to fix too many mistakes and probably a few disasters along the way. And I don't have the patience for that.

[Crankin]

Blueprints and diagrams look like a jumble of shapes to me. I really cannot read them. Nor, can I follow instructions or diagrams to put together anything. Sometimes I can learn by watching someone, but it would have to be in person. Watching You Tube has the same effect on me as trying to read directions, when it's to do with assembling stuff.
This is why I don't do any of this stuff. It got me into trouble when we remodeled our kitchen and bathrooms, because I was shown plans, and said "fine," and in the end I was stunned when I saw the way the cabinets were in the bathroom. Looking at those plans gave me no clue. I get agitated just having to deal with this stuff.
Not that I don't like nice things!

[Pax]

I think it's all in the way we process information and the way we see the world. My wife can't put air in a bike tire, seriously; she is a highly educated and intelligent woman but no matter how many times I've shown her, she just can't get air in... and manages to let all remaining air out. She can, however, sit and learn a computer program in a very short time. I can stare at the same thing all day and it's like trying to read something written in Cyrillic. We're a good balance.

[ny biker]

Dear hormones:

Enough with the hot flashes and the migraines and the water retention weight gain so I can't fit into any of my jeans anymore. Just go away. I'm so sick of you.

[ny biker]

Blueprints and diagrams look like a jumble of shapes to me. I really cannot read them. Nor, can I follow instructions or diagrams to put together anything. Sometimes I can learn by watching someone, but it would have to be in person. Watching You Tube has the same effect on me as trying to read directions, when it's to do with assembling stuff.
This is why I don't do any of this stuff. It got me into trouble when we remodeled our kitchen and bathrooms, because I was shown plans, and said "fine," and in the end I was stunned when I saw the way the cabinets were in the bathroom. Looking at those plans gave me no clue. I get agitated just having to deal with this stuff.
Not that I don't like nice things!

It took some time for me to figure out the cabinet diagrams for my kitchen, but I was glad I did. The contractors left out a spacer in the corner, and the result was that I couldn't open one of the cabinet doors. I was glad that I was able to figure out the problem and the solution before calling the contractor -- it made the fix much easier and faster.

But of course there are plenty of other things that agitate me! I so wish I had an executive assistant to keep my life organized for me. For starters I would like someone to go online and get all my health insurance EOBs for the year, figure out why the FSA people are accusing me of trying to use my funds illegally again even though I only ever use them for doctors, prescriptions and contacts, and get reimbursed for all the copays that have been building up for months. And call the insurance company or FSA company as needed to resolve any issues. If someone would just take care of that for me, it would be awesome.

[Crankin]

I guess I make up for my lack of visual-spatial and fine motor skills by being very organized and verbal. I don't like doing the stuff you mentioned, and DH always is on those thigs immediately, but I know what to do and how to handle it. I seriously don't know how some of the people I work with survive. They don't do their notes and are months behind in treatment plan reviews. Of course, it's the director's fault that she allows this. We went to electronic medical records last week and now it's going to be a little more in your face if you haven't done stuff. They refuse to do work at home (where I do everything, except my notes, which I do immediately after each person), and now we can do it without getting permission to be on the server or breaking HIPPA laws.
OK, that's my rant.

[shootingstar]

I guess I make up for my lack of visual-spatial and fine motor skills by being very organized and verbal. I don't like doing the stuff you mentioned, and DH always is on those thigs immediately, but I know what to do and how to handle it. I seriously don't know how some of the people I work with survive. They don't do their notes and are months behind in treatment plan reviews. Of course, it's the director's fault that she allows this. We went to electronic medical records last week and now it's going to be a little more in your face if you haven't done stuff. They refuse to do work at home (where I do everything, except my notes, which I do immediately after each person), and now we can do it without getting permission to be on the server or breaking HIPPA laws.
OK, that's my rant.

I'm not very good at repairing physical things. I hated doing puzzles that involved 1,000 pieces. But I have to remind myself that sewing, viewed as somehow "lesser" because it maybe not as dirty work /involving infrastructure parts, is also quite technical with abit of artistic vision thrown in. For the several decades, I wondered why my mother would choose boring, bland colours to sew garments. Yet, she could draft simple garments without using a pattern OR use a complex sewing pattern without her ability to read English and create a well-fitted garment for other people of different sizes and shapes. Or take an existing garment, rip up nearly half it up and create a completely different style. That too is technical ability. I have strong sewing skills but not like my mother's.

I'm different, I do have natural artistic ease /tendency to compose visuals, layouts from complementary shapes, colours and natural using the Golden Mean for aesthetically pleasing proportion of space. My mother doesn't really have this. But she has natural mathematical skill which will never be fully realized. She would do certain calculations in her head while my father watched, waiting for her to spit out the numbers. Yes, my father was more artistically inclined..again never fully realized. It reflected in his interests also.

Amazing how we just have to see natural abilities/skills in others in a way/totally different light that requires several ....decades of understanding.

Only recently I've come to realize that I honestly think creatively in a non-linear way as well as linear, simultaneously. This skill/style has become accentuated because of my jobs in past few decades... You would not believe it, but some reference librarians have to sharpen simultaneously analytical/logical thinking PLUS creative, non-linear thinking to help clients....within a matter of a few minutes.

The end result is me is spouting off thoughts that sometimes jump off into another direction suddenly.... I love interdisciplinary thinking, cross-fertilization of subject matters for something new/ a solution.

[rebeccaC]

I've enjoyed getting into the details of the kitchen and bathroom work, with the cabinet diagrams and the tile designs. But I didn't inherit a natural ability to actually do the work. I would figure it out eventually, I think, but would have to fix too many mistakes and probably a few disasters along the way. And I don't have the patience for that.

When I was helping the wood worker he wanted me to see the design of what was being built and went through the sequence of steps to the end…..and then he would let me help him on the project. He taught me to think through beginning to end, a few times, before I start….and to expect the unexpected but with a positive attitude. The planning part did help a lot on the remodel we did though.……still mistakes, but hey I just adjusted and learned, well sometimes maybe with a flash of crazy too

[rebeccaC]

Dear Michael….it’ll be interesting to see if your attitude changes because of this…..i doubt it but there is always hope.

I was doing some work in San Onofre this past week. Michael is one of the people I work with each time I come. He’s the ‘and why aren’t you attracted to me’ type with overtones of misogyny…..and why someone would think that’s a good attitude escapes me. He talked a few times about his bicycling prowess after I told him I ride a little bit…..long story short he actually wanted to race me on a 12 mile stretch of a really nice quiet side road along the coast starting at the work site. After a few taunts over the last few times there I finally said sure and this time I brought my bike and we did it. I had enough time at the finish to drink some water and do some stretches before he showed up. I was gracious and kind in thanking him for the challenge.

i'm kinda glad this contract is finished in January

[IBrakeforPastry]

Love it, Rebecca! You brought a smile (gracious, not taunting, I hope) to my face this morning. Okay, I'm actually giggling.

[Pax]

That is flat out funny, good job Rebecca!

[lph]

Awesome story, rebeccaC |-D What was he actually expecting, anyway... to beat you, and you be all impressed and happy about it?

[rebeccaC]

for me it was just about riding a really hard effort on a nice scenic road without much traffic...he was kinda irrelevant....
I see the ‘Michael’s’ as helping me learn more about dealing with the separation of personality and work…..works for me

Dear El Nino

After two days of commuting in cold very windy rain your beginning is noted.
I’ve got a feeling your going to give me some interesting rides this winter. Looking forward to the adventures! After my ride home yesterday though I was thinking I’m going to need lots of chocolate for the hot chocolates that will be needed to get through this. I’ll send you the receipts for reimbursement.

rebecca