Do guys do "guy stuff" anymore?

Jstas

Seriously? Or does everybody just pay someone else to do it now?

And no, this is not commentary on anyone specific either here or elsewhere. I'm just amazed at how many people are stunned that when I talk about a project I'm doing myself, they are in disbelief that I am doing the work myself. It makes me wonder do guys do guy stuff anymore and if they don't, why? Is it because they don't want to or don't know how to?

decal

Every "guy" I know does "guy stuff",of course all the "guys" I know are working stiffs and can't afford to pay someone else to do things.

concealer404

I do "guy stuff."

TNRabbit

Like stripping down my pressure washer pump to rebuild it? Or rebuilding the engine in my truck? Or playing pool? Or fishing? Or fixing my neighbors lawnmower & string trimmer? Or repairing my leaf blower? Or putting anew chain on my chainsaw & cutting down a tree? Or replacing the alternator in my car? Or changing my own oil? Or building a deck? Or installing a motion-activated light on the side of my house? Those types of things??

shack

Why do you want to do guys?

Jstas

shack wrote: »

Why do you want to do guys?

That's not even funny 'cause it really makes no sense.

I'll give you an E for effort though.

cfrizz

Jstas wrote: »

Seriously? Or does everybody just pay someone else to do it now?

And no, this is not commentary on anyone specific either here or elsewhere. I'm just amazed at how many people are stunned that when I talk about a project I'm doing myself, they are in disbelief that I am doing the work myself. It makes me wonder do guys do guy stuff anymore and if they don't, why? Is it because they don't want to or don't know how to?

If I had to take a guess, I would say that EVERYONE is simply too busy/exhausted to do stuff.

After working all day doing 3 peoples jobs, then having to do things at home that HAVE to get done on the weekends, sometimes it is simply more expedient to pay someone else to take care of other stuff that needs to get done but isn't critical.

billbillw

I'm a total DIY'er. If it is something that doesn't require highly specialized skills (I'm talking something that has to be taught and learned over years) and/or multiple high $$ tools, I will do it myself. If I can read about it and learn how, I will do it.

I know your feeling though. Everyone was amazed when I tore the interior of my brand new car down to bare metal to install sound deadening and an aftermarket audio system. Same thing when I did the axle job on my Passat a couple years ago.

Just thinking about it...I haven't paid anyone to do a brake job on any of my cars, EVER (since I started driving in 1988)!

There was one time a few years ago when I had to hire someone to fix my garage door and I was really pissed that I couldn't do it myself. The cables jumped off the spools and it was hanging wrong.

I know basically how the doors work and I tried to fix it myself, but I just couldn't. Why? Because I didn't have a pair of 2' long steel rods to tension the spring! Both my cars were stuck in the garage, so I couldn't go buy a piece of rod and make them myself. Ended up having to pay some schmuck more than $200 to fix it. He only took about 15 minutes to fix it. The company had a minimum charge, so he felt bad and actually did some additional preventative maintenance, adjusting, lubing, and he taught me exactly how to do it in case I ever have the problem again. You can bet that I went out and bought some steel rod and made a couple of 2' lever bars afterward!

shawn474

I do what I can and am comfortable with given my skills and expertise. Otherwise, I pay someone else to do it. My dad taught me a long time ago, "If it is something you can afford to fu?& up, research and try it and you'll be better for it. If not, pay someone to do it for you and rest well." With owning a home and cars that need maintenance, I do a lot. But, I have 30 year old friends that pay $50 a pop to have their lawn mowed while they sit on the deck and watch. Even if I had the money, I would still do that stuff. It is therapeutic for me.

Jstas

TNRabbit wrote: »

Like stripping down my pressure washer pump to rebuild it? Or rebuilding the engine in my truck? Or playing pool? Or fishing? Or fixing my neighbors lawnmower & string trimmer? Or repairing my leaf blower? Or putting anew chain on my chainsaw & cutting down a tree? Or replacing the alternator in my car? Or changing my own oil? Or building a deck? Or installing a motion-activated light on the side of my house? Those types of things??

I guess you want a cookie now?


And no, I'm not talking about playing games or going fishing/hunting.

I laid tile in my garage last week over 3 days after I got home from work. Some of my co-workers and a couple friends were amazed at that.

I had to repair a concrete slab in the walkway to my front door in early June and I busted it out and poured a new slab. A co-worker was amazed.

I regraded my yard to fix a drainage problem. Again, people were amazed and said they could never do that and they questioned if I wasn't blowing smoke or if I actually did it.

I have a friend who lives around the corner from a place called Joesph Fazzio Inc. Joe sells hardware, raw materials and heavy shop equipment. He's commercial and retail sales. I got a bunch of high grade stainless steel from him for my flexy rack. My friend was stunned that I went there to get stuff. He thought I wasn't allowed. He lives within "line of sight" of the place and drives past it every day. Never once did he think he could go in there in 20 years of living pretty much next door. That amazed me 'cause my money is green just like the next guys, why can't I go buy stuff?

I find myself increasingly baffled by the predominate attitude of "I couldn't do that" when most of the stuff is quite easy. Now, there's certain stuff I won't tackle. Like plumbing. I HATE plumbing. Electrical too but only because I don't want to screw something up 'cause I could burn my house down. But I'll tackle pretty much anything else. People are amazed at that. They think it's hard but really, it' not. It's hard work but it's not difficult work.

I just wonder if anybody does for themselves anymore 'cause it seems to me that people who, like you and me, who do do for ourselves are getting more rare.

thsmith

I do a lot of stuff, stain my deck and fence, service my vechicles including oil changes, mow and fertilze my yard, maintain my pool and so forth.

What I will not do is electrical, plumbing and carpentry. No experience, tools or interest.

I did upgrade my SDA 1C XO, tweeters, spiked them and added Dynamat Extreme.

madmax

I've noticed that even guys who do guy stuff, like rebuilding cars, typically farm everything out... Sure, it turns out better but did you really do anything other than management? Same with home repairs.

bobman1235

A "friend" on Facebook (distant acquaintance really) recently complained that it took AAA 45 mins to get to him when he got a flat.

I asked if he had a spare and why didn't he just change it himself.

He said he'd rather sit in his air-conditioned car and play games on his iPhone for 45 mins than spend 10 minutes doing manual labor. A friend of his chimed in that he agreed, manual labor is for suckers, and "that's why I have a job, so I don't have to do that stuff."

I know I'm not that old or anythign but I feel like there used to be pride in not having ot ask for help for every simple thing. If I ever called someone to change a tire for me, I'd just go ahead and finish with the sex change operation the next day.

Sherardp

Total DIYer here also. If it's in my means to do it, then I'm out there taking care of it.

Jstas

bobman1235 wrote: »

A "friend" on Facebook (distant acquaintance really) recently complained that it took AAA 45 mins to get to him when he got a flat.

I asked if he had a spare and why didn't he just change it himself.

He said he'd rather sit in his air-conditioned car and play games on his iPhone for 45 mins than spend 10 minutes doing manual labor. A friend of his chimed in that he agreed, manual labor is for suckers, and "that's why I have a job, so I don't have to do that stuff."

I know I'm not that old or anythign but I feel like there used to be pride in not having ot ask for help for every simple thing. If I ever called someone to change a tire for me, I'd just go ahead and finish with the sex change operation the next day.

I got a flat on the highway and NJ has motorist assistance trucks patrolling the highways to help people who have issues just like a flat tire. They have air tools and everything. Well I got a flat and the guy was going in the opposite direction so he tooled down to the next exit and came back up to give me a hand. By the time he got there the truck was on the ground and I was throwing the flat tire in the bed. He asked if I needed a hand and I told him I was done. He said that was impressive 'cause it wasn't more than 5 minutes from when he saw me. He told me that most people just sit there with the trunk open and have them pull the spare out and everything. That surprised me and made me sick at the same time.

The dude was like 50 years old too and he said he'll pull up to guys half his age and perfectly capable of doing it but they won't. Those people should have their man card revoked.

mystik610

Guys are in one of two buckets:

No Money and a lot of time = DIY

No Time and a lot (or a good amount) of money = pay someone else.

As long as you're providing and taking care of your ****, you're no less of a man by being in either 'bucket'.

punk-roc

Lots of "guys" raised by single mothers too (myself included), didn't have a father to teach them "guy" stuff when they were younger or make a group project out of it.

The older version of said child may want to take on more DIY-type projects, but without a fundamental knowledge of tool-use or possession of hardly any tools, it is much more difficult... combined with heavy work/family loads, it is much easier to write a check for someone else to do it.

Jason

bobman1235

mystik610 wrote: »

Guys are in one of two buckets:

No Money and a lot of time = DIY

No Time and a lot (or a good amount) of money = pay someone else.

As long as you're providing and taking care of your ****, you're no less of a man by being in either 'bucket'.

That's a load of crap. Most "guys" i know who have a lot of money have nothing but time. And more to the point, doing things themselves would SAVE them time. See my post above about waiting 45 minutes for a tow truck to change a flat rather than spending (at most) 10 minutes doing it yourself.

Pauly

John,

Your are too cool. I wish I was more like you.

Pauly

Amherst

***************** FAZZIO'S *****************




King of the Man Malls.

Jstas

Pauly wrote: »

John,

Your are too cool. I wish I was more like you.

Pauly

Well, you could be but to be like me, you'd have to hate you and you seem too shallow to be able to do that.

fatchowmein

In this day and age with Google and Youtube, you can pretty much learn how to do anything and maybe that's the problem. For example, if I hit up youtube and it looks like a car repair is too much of a pain in the arse and too time consuming, it's going to the shop. Brakes and shocks I'll do myself but the reaction at the office is that I'll eventually grow out of it like they did. The attitude is as follows.

young = diy = dumb
old = pay for service = working smarter


Yes, I'm one of the youngest at the department I'm in at 38.

TNRabbit

Where's my cookie?

vc69

I'm 45. Some things I wouldn't dream of letting someone else do. Some things I would much rather pay someone else to do. By my age I have learned what I have an aptitude for and what I just plain dislike doing. I'm happy to say that these days, I often have a choice in the matter.

Jstas

TNRabbit wrote: »

Where's my cookie?

I'm warming it up for you...in my armpit. It's almost ready!

bobman1235

Doing your own auto repairs may or may not be beyond your skill set, but there are still some basic things that EVERYONE should be able to do without calling for help. Basic around-the-house handyman stuff, change a tire, use a grill. It's just... being a self-sufficient adult.

Pauly

Jstas wrote: »

Well, you could be but to be like me, you'd have to hate you and you seem too shallow to be able to do that.

I hate that I cant be more like you. Does that count?

Pauly

hearingimpared

Jstas wrote: »

Seriously? Or does everybody just pay someone else to do it now?

And no, this is not commentary on anyone specific either here or elsewhere. I'm just amazed at how many people are stunned that when I talk about a project I'm doing myself, they are in disbelief that I am doing the work myself. It makes me wonder do guys do guy stuff anymore and if they don't, why? Is it because they don't want to or don't know how to?

All the way up until I was 52 did I do it all myself especially when it came to working on the house, car and this hobby. For some reason my body betrayed me or I betrayed it by beating it up so much in my youth that I just can't do it anymore. Too much pain.:mad:

TNRabbit

Jstas wrote: »

I'm warming it up for you...in my armpit. It's almost ready!

mmmmmmm! Can hardly wait~

billbillw

punk-roc wrote: »

Lots of "guys" raised by single mothers too (myself included), didn't have a father to teach them "guy" stuff when they were younger or make a group project out of it.

The older version of said child may want to take on more DIY-type projects, but without a fundamental knowledge of tool-use or possession of hardly any tools, it is much more difficult... combined with heavy work/family loads, it is much easier to write a check for someone else to do it.

Jason

That's a lame excuse for lack of motivation.

My Dad was around and I suppose we did work on a few projects together (mostly house painting and interior stuff), but most of what I've learned through the years was from books, the internet, trial/error, and from friends. Lack of tools? Ever heard of Sears?

zombie boy 2000

How do I work this gosh darn remote? Any ideas? There's just too many buttons!