Weirdly proud of myself...

[kitchen_kink]

...both for defying gender stereotypes and for being randomly handy.

Just now, the toilet wouldn't flush. The handle just flipped up and down. So, instead of just calling the landlord (after midnight) or waking up imlad, I opened the tank. Mind you, I've never fixed a toilet in my life. But that chain with the plug on the end of it looked like it'd do something if I pulled it. Sure enough, that flushed the toilet. Handle still didn't work though. Oh hey, look at that - the handle connects to a lever, and the chain I pulled has a loop on the end. Connect loop to lever. Toilet fixed.

Even if that's just silly and obvious, still: go me.

Comments

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

Go, you!

[madbard.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure the above actually constitutes defying gender stereotypes. :)

[dietrich.livejournal.com]

I respectfully disagree. Great advances in gender equality notwithstanding, and without having done any empirical research, I still feel fairly comfortable hazarding that 1. most plumbers are still male, and 2. where women and men live together, it's the man that usually winds up fixing the toilet (taking out the garbage, mowing the lawn...name another manly household chore) - whether he has any capability in that department or not.

One sees the occasional female construction worker or electrician these days, but they're still the exceptions that prove the rule, and in het households it's easy to stick to old patterns.

[sykotropic.livejournal.com]

I have to laugh at this as I am a second generation "married the wrong man for the job." My best wedding present--a cordless drill, ratchet set and yellow tool chest! My mother--owner of not 1, at least 3 hand saws, a circular saw and a jig saw. My father--the proud user of 1-800-call the plumber.

You are right it is easy to fall into default patterns, just that in our house the default is I fix it. Enjoy your exploration of do-it-yourself-handiness. Its amazing how useful it can be.

[pseydtonne.livejournal.com]

Hey, it's little stuff like that which made me the go-to guy for all sorts of problems. Rawk on!

[thorn-plutonius.livejournal.com]

Go you, indeed!

[dietrich.livejournal.com]

Ya know, it's been bothering me: I know I added you in the welter of adding Feri folks, but which one are you, please? :D

[thorn-plutonius.livejournal.com]

*smile*

Of course. I'm John from Feri camp at the Grove. 52, whitish beard and uncut hair. Glasses.

[dietrich.livejournal.com]

John! Yay, I'm so happy to know that. :)

[inthatoneway.livejournal.com]

You have just entered the world of being "the one who knows how to fix the toilet". This may take you to strange and unexpected places. Good luck!

And, go you!

[dietrich.livejournal.com]

Added you back. ;)

[hahathor.livejournal.com]

Rock on!

I've just recently gotten into doing fix-it stuff around the house - which all fell firmly into the category of "stuff I'm sure I cannot do." I actually replaced the flusher on my toilet about a month ago. What a rush!!

[beowabbit]

Yay! There’s a curious gulf between “This is broken!” and “How can I fix this?” that not everybody seems able to bridge. You, however, win this particular contest.

[fanw.livejournal.com]

:) The neat thing with plumbing is that usually it's pretty straightforwardly mechanical and you can see all the parts. Electric work still scares me, but all you need in plumbing is to know where the water shutoff is and a wrench. You can pretty much fix any plumbing now!

[naiad1.livejournal.com]

Yay! I know the feeling. I'm still inordinately proud of the fact that, when my old VW bug broke down on Thanksgiving day in the middle of nowhere, my college roommate and I not only figured out the problem, but also fixed it with what we had to hand: a paper clip and a rubber band!

[trowa-barton.livejournal.com]

Handiwork through common sense and practicality.
It works.

[unknownrockstar.livejournal.com]

you saved the $80 a plumber would have charged to come fix that, so go you!