No, this isn't a commercial for cosmetics or eyelashes, although I do like eyes of the female persuasion. Anyway.....back to the subject. Some of us have the unique ability to fix anything we come across, whether mechanical or structural or cosmetic (really, I'm not thinking about eyes....). Are these lucky few born with a natural knowledge of exactly how things in the universe go together or exactly which screw to turn to make that d*** electrical thing to work? Maybe, but more than likely these were developed skills. "People don't live that long", you might say, I would argue that it's not about life's longevity, but about having a mind that can take a certain skill and apply it to any situation. Take a peanut butter sandwich for instance (no really, hang with me on this one), every kid has made a peanut butter sandwich, right? How can that be applied to repair of a house or completion of a project or even engine building? Well, there is an order of operations, remember that from math class (M-D-A-S), you can't exactly put the peanut butter on your hand then the bread. For the people out there who need complete and accurate instruction, try this, you can't get the butter knife in the jar if it (the jar) isn't open. So, we have order of operation, what's next? Application, one must apply the peanut butter to the spreading apparatus and then on to the edible medium, this could also be called "construction" or "building". This skill can be used in tiling a bathroom or finishing concrete or even gasket making for engines. Thin set must be "spread" onto a floor or wall for tile to adhere. Obviously houses and engines don't have to many edible parts, unless you're a bug or rust, but the concept is the same. To achieve a certain result things, lumber or pistons, must be put in their proper place and in the correct sequence of the of the project. This is where the terms "ground up" or "inside out" come from. Next you would have the Options phase. Some people like jelly or honey or syrup on their peanut butter, even without these things the sandwich is almost complete. Options might include wiring a house for sound or video or putting the high dollar copper gaskets between the heads and the block on an engine. Options are going to vary from project to project, but the same rules apply, they must be done correctly and in the right order. Finally we get to Completion, we might have been there already, but we're making a whole sandwich. After the walls are up and the house wrap is on, what's next? Siding on the outside and drywall on the inside. "But all we have to do for a sandwich is put the other piece of bread on", you might say. Really? I beg to differ. You can put the bread on, but then only the sandwich is complete not the whole project. "How"?, you ask. In order for the sandwich to benefit you, it actually has to make it to your stomach. Believe me, siding is nothing like putting on that other piece of bread, neither is finishing drywall, but the mechanics of what to look for and the stamina to complete are skills developed in sandwich making, well in the eyes of a five year old it's stamina because they are all "starving to death". Enjoy the fruits of your labor, savor the fact that you completed a project, regardless of whether it was necessary or just because you felt like it. In my line of work, if my clients are happy, I'm happy. The best way to develop a well rounded skill set is to find someone who is doing what you need to learn and volunteer your time to pick up some pointers or to hone what you already have. OJT is sometimes the best teacher. Now, I'm gonna go fix me a sandwich.....later.
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