I am Women – Hear me Roar!
The title is a little over the top, I admit, but this past week, I did something outside my comfort zone and it invigorated me, and gave a big old boost to my self- esteem. I installed a new garbage disposal.
For many of you that might not be a big deal. But even with experience installing ceiling fans, light fixtures, and even electrical outlets, I didn’t think that I could do it. In fact I had already inquired about the installation cost. However, when I went to my local hardware store to buy the disposal, I saw a simple how to poster. Analyzing all the steps, I thought to myself, I bet I could do this.
I talked to the sales clerk, making sure I wasn’t being over optimistic and that there weren’t hidden catches not mentioned in the display. I was assured that it was not that difficult.
And it wasn’t. A bit frustrating at times. I either lost a part – my almost year old puppy is great at picking things up off the floor or the unit was missing it. However after looking for about 30 minutes for it I just took that piece off the old unit. That missing piece required me to do the wiring twice. And I had to cut the plumbing pipe several times but otherwise the installation was straight forward.
And just doing this simple thing caused me to re-evaluate how I view myself. If I can do this, maybe there are other areas where I am self-limiting myself. And it is amazing how great it felt to pat myself on the back. Praise from other people is nice, but it even nicer when I think I have done something well.
Do you have any similar experiences that you care to share?
– – Leigh AAR[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Wow – you do a lot of stuff that I would like to do. My brother – who worked as an electrician while in the Navy laughed at me because I alway turn off the circuit breaker – which he considers overkill. If the switch is off (like a light switch then the current is off – but I like the added security of knowing it is switched off at the breaker box.
I don’t get the chance very often since I’m married to a Renaissance Man – he can fix anything. Even the grandbabies know this to the point where when the internet was down the other day, one of them said Papa can fix it, he can fix anything, and was mad because she figured we were just scamming her so she couldn’t play a game.
We do a lot of home repair, for ourselves and with the kids, partly because it’s so expensive to pay for labor and partly because the odd time when we do pay for it, we haven’t been happy with the work anyway. So I can paint, wallpaper, lay tile, lay laminate floors, install trim, all the surface work. A lot of these things were simpler than they appeared at first, as long as you do the research and take your time.
Something I’m actually really good at is putting things together. We make a great team when it’s time to build cabinets or put together that new barbeque. Something I’m not good at is electrical – even though I KNOW the power is off at the source, I just don’t like touching it. Funny how the brain works, isn’t it?
You go girl! I can decorate…period. Anything approaching repair, I call “the guy”.
I live in an apartment so there’s a handyman to fix things for the tenants but I can manage to fix several things on my own. I like it!
I do minor home repairs. Fixing the chain on the toilet, changing toilet seats, taking apart the bathroom sink and unclogging it (ugh), unclogging shower drain, patching and painting walls, fixing kitchen cabinets. A lot of times something will break and I will just run over to Ace or Home Depot and tell them what is wrong and they tell me what to do.
I definitely feel a great sense of accomplishment at the end of it. Being able to take care of your home gives one a great sense of satisfaction.