I rotated my tires today. Six tire changes took place. I kept wishing I had just paid the guy to do it when I went in for an oil change.
I enjoy doing these things myself, same as with fixing my lathe. I’m left with a sense of pride when I’m able to make things work, whether that be making something new or making something work again. I still haven’t been able to 3D print a nut and bolt that fit together.
Because of all of these different pursuits, whimsical interests, and general curiosity, I end up with a lot of stuff. All over my apartment, there’s stuff. In the storage unit, there’s stuff. In my parents’ basement, there’s stuff. I often here Hannah saying, “Of course you have it!” I’m sure that I don’t need all of these things, but how I would I manage without them?
What I also end up with is a real appreciation for the work that other people do. I’m regularly amazed at just how clever people are. It’s truly fascinating just what people are capable of accomplishing. Trying just a small fraction of a small selection of all that is being done gives me a tiny but significant insight into what people who pursue a craft have done to produce their art.
I remember attending a session on how to change a tire at the Women’s Resource Centre at the University of Calgary when I was a male ally there. I think it was planned during a knitting party. They felt that knowing how to change a tire was part of their pursuit for gender equality. It’s certainly a handy skill to have when it’s 31°C + humidex if you’re parked on the third level of the parking garage and you were too cheap to pay the guy with the garage to do it for you.
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