know-how

So I just read the blog by an older, skinnier, and shorter version of me (read blog here) about the difficulties of working on something you are not particularly qualified to work on.  The attempt to do these things usually always come down to money ("usually always" is one of my favorite phrases).

This sentence begins the third paragraph of this blog.  The second paragraph is the one that used to exist until I realized there are legal ramifications of giving details of working on things you are not particulary qualified to work on (see this blog for more on this topic).

So, I'm just writing to share pretty much nothing about my life, which is that I am the guy that everyone thinks knows how to do everything because I do so many different things.  I tend to question those complimenting me on this, because to me everyone can do most everything if they put their mind to it, and I just tend to try. 

I tend to think of the professionals as those with "know-how".  They know what they are doing.  I'm just the one who reads about things, asks questions whenever possible, or falls asleep at night imaging different scenarios or angles, all in the attempt of solving a problem and fixing something.

But then, in the process of writing this blog, I look up the definition of "know-how", not to know what it means, but to see if it is a hyphenated word or not.  The first definition is what I expected: "The knowledge and skill required to do something correctly."  But below that was an "informal" definition, which was: ingenuity, aptitude, or skill".  I guess I do have "know-how", because what I think what I use to get things done is ingenuity.  I think skill is what I develop in the process of doing it.

With that said, I must say that I'm developing many more skills than I actually desire to have.  Patience is one of them, though patience and procrastination usually go hand in hand.  And as for the blog written by the older, skinnier, and shorter version of me (notice I didn't say "smarter"), all I've got to say is, I've been there and done that many times.  I've dropped all the things you can drop and ran into all the obstacles you can run into.  I have several new tools from my last attempt to fix a car, I once damaged my headlights just trying to change the bulb (I even had to buy a special tool to change the tail lights on one of my vehicles), and occasionally I've had to commit the cardinal sin of taking my vehicle to those with more know-how.

I may have more than you and someone else may have more than us, but this blog is just my attempt to welcome you to the club that many act as if I occupy alone - the club of know-how.

Big Mouth

I'm one of those people who can be extremely quiet in certain circumstances or shy away from people, just wanting to leave as soon as possible.  I'm also one of those people who sometimes get talking and feel like I need an intervention in order to stop.  I once worked at a large grocery and retail chain and an older woman complimented me on being soft spoken.  She said that it was a rare trait.  I took pride in that compliment.  But, there are also those who think of me as a big mouth, who doesn't know when to stop talking.  I guess I'm a little of both, but unfortunately, after a certain recent event, I think those on the 'big mouth' side of things may be vindicated in their belief.

I went to my periodontist to be diagnosed for TMJ because of a hearing problem I've been having, and they're asking me a lot of questions and taking measurements and such, and they asked me to open my mouth as big as I can.  Then they took measurements.  The dentist said "52", and the assistant said "52?", and the dentist repeated, "52!".  Then they both said that is the biggest measurement they had ever taken.  I'm not sure what the units of measurement were, but I'm not sure it matters.  All I know is that it is has just been scientifically proven that I have a very big mouth.  Now I'm just holding out hope that big mouths can be soft spoken too!