As mentioned in the previous post, Cut to the Chase offers two lists of skills to look at: The Popular Mechanics list of “25 Skills Every Man Should Know” and a new list of “20 Practical Skills Every Self-Sufficient Adult Should Have.”
This seems ripe for an Internet “meme” thing, so here’s a the proposed game:
Go through both lists, and determine how many of the listed skills you can claim. Compare the fractions to see if you’re more of a ManlyMan or a Self-Sufficient Adult.
A quick pass at the lists gives me 14/25 from the Popular Mechanics list, and 17/20 from Chase’s list. That makes me 56% Manly, and 85% Self-Sufficient. The full lists, with the usual bold-if-you-claim-it highlighting are below the fold:
The Popular Mechanics list:
1. Patch a radiator hose
2. Protect your computer
3. Rescue a boater who has capsized
4. Frame a wall
5. Retouch digital photos
6. Back up a trailer
7. Build a campfire
8. Fix a dead outlet
9. Navigate with a map and compass
10. Use a torque wrench
11. Sharpen a knife
12. Perform CPR
13. Fillet a fish
14. Maneuver a car out of a skid
15. Get a car unstuck
16. Back up data
17. Paint a room
18. Mix concrete
19. Clean a bolt-action rifle
20. Change oil and filter
21. Hook up an HDTV
22. Bleed brakes
23. Paddle a canoe
24. Fix a bike flat
25. Extend your wireless network
(I’m taking a fairly generous interpretation of “knowing” these skills, to mean something like “I have successfully done this thing at least once in my life.” I figure this balances out– I probably could hook up an HDTV, though I haven’t, but then I shouldn’t be anybody’s first choice to back up a trailer, even though I have done it.)
Chase’s list:
1. Know basic nutritional needs & how to plan balanced meals
2. Hone your sense of direction & navigation so you don’t need step-by-step turns to find a location
3. Understand types of health insurance & terminology such as OOP max & co-insurance percentage
4. Maintenance of a personal computer
5. In-depth knowledge of your employment benefits
6. Change a flat tire
7. Wash & iron clothes
8. Balance a checkbook & manage your finances
9. Patch holes in walls
10. Fix a clogged toilet
11. Jump start a car
12. Use public transportation to get around
13. Write an effective resume cover letter
14. Professional oral & written communication
15. Basic math
16. Stay calm in emergencies
17. Know when to ask for help
18. Personal hygiene
19. Do your own taxes
20. Use internet search engines strategically (if you know how to do good searches, you can find any information you need on the web)
(Same interpretation here– I no longer do my own taxes, but I can and have in the past. I’m giving myself the benefit of the doubt on #7, as I’ve never ironed anything, but then I figure I get half a point for that, and half a point for #17– I know when to ask for help, but I don’t always do it… Also, I can not only plan a meal, I can cook it, which ought to be worth a bonus point.)
So, how about it? Are you Manly or Self-Sufficient?
(Original link via Republic of T.)