July 10, 2026 at 12:00 am
Comments posted to this topic are about the item I Can't Make You Learn
July 10, 2026 at 3:16 pm
I liked this conversation.
It reminded me about the number of hours I spent just watching my dad do something. As a farmer, he touched everything and made anything work. I watched him wire a house, fix a faucet, change an engine's gasket or finish a drywall for painting.
Although I did not do the work myself, I learnt enough to tell which tool he would need next and I had it ready for him.
And today, while I'm missing the practice, I am able to analyze, understand and fix most of the small issues I have around the house. And I'm pretty proud when it works, and prouder to show that to my dad.
And, often, I am also happy to show him the kind of handyman I am, with the creativity required to patch and fix thing in my day to day work, but with a computer.
July 10, 2026 at 4:47 pm
My youngest son was an engineer for a heritage railway company. That was a varied job with tight deadlines and often required thinking fast on his feet.
My middle son is a joiner who can turn his hand to anything in the building trade. He knows how to pick up a sheep, castrate a pig and inject a horse.
Nothing seems to daunt them. They spend an evening watching a YouTube video on how to do something, then try it themselves. They also have a variety of friends of all ages who have incredible skills. They always seem to know someone who can fill in the gaps in their knowledge.
They have the self-confidence and willingness to try something new. They also put effort into maintaining their friendships in the real world rather than online.
July 13, 2026 at 3:42 pm
I liked this conversation. It reminded me about the number of hours I spent just watching my dad do something. As a farmer, he touched everything and made anything work. I watched him wire a house, fix a faucet, change an engine's gasket or finish a drywall for painting. Although I did not do the work myself, I learnt enough to tell which tool he would need next and I had it ready for him. And today, while I'm missing the practice, I am able to analyze, understand and fix most of the small issues I have around the house. And I'm pretty proud when it works, and prouder to show that to my dad. And, often, I am also happy to show him the kind of handyman I am, with the creativity required to patch and fix thing in my day to day work, but with a computer.
Same with my kids. I've had that attitude with a lot of tech, and it helped when I moved out to the ranch.
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