>>2819065
Yes, I have learned to act stupid and just nod or say that sucks if someone says something of theirs broke or needs fixed. Unless they are a close friend or family member that already knows I'm Mr. Fixit.

Sometimes it is beneficial to help people out, sometimes it is an absolute clusterfuck. You just have to learn to read people and walk that line and only show your cards if it is something simple that they will appreciate and not be a huge time sink or inconvenience for you.

>>2819065
no. I'll tell anyone who asks that I can build houses from the ground up. people rarely ask me to do things for them and I don't mind telling people I'm busy.

stop being autistic

>>2819073
This. Hopefullu wiser now, I ain't saying shit because end result is it sidelines my own projects or some smartass brings something prefucked and pulls a Billy Bullshitter.
>but it didn't do that before!
Exceptions for certain people of course but I should've learned after 10 years as a mechanic.

>>2819065
Yes when I moved to suburbia and noticed my neighbor is run ragged with honey-do projects at every house on the court. So when we're sitting around and someone goes "yeah the outlet in the island just stopped working" I bite my lip and go, "huh, ask Dan I guess."

>>2819065
I stopped trying to help people, it just turns into me doing all the work and buying the parts to fix their shit

And

“Can you show me how to do it”

Turns into me doing it while they play on their phone

No I just say “aww that sucks man, idk man, change a tire no idea?!”

>>2819065
No good deed goes unpunished. Play stupid.

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>>2819065
I don't hide it actively. Sometimes I even bandy about some words about a project if I find no one to talk to it about; I am yet to open a weblog.

If someone asks me to do work I'm capable of, but they are too, I offer to show them how to do it and if that doesn't get them to sod off I tell them on the spot how to do it, step-by-step.
Only if they're not capable I ask what's in it for me, and then they usually don't have shit to offer that I would care for - fun, relevant work, or not doing bullshit work to save some temporarily inconvenienced mongoloid tenpence of monopoly money.

My ire, disdain and politeness all exceed most normies' brazen stupidity, thankfully.

>>2821405
>>2821436
>>2821421
Americans

>>2821457
t. commie eurofag

>>2819065
Someone is overestimating both their ability and the utility of "diy skills" lol

>The few, the proud: the hot glue-gun weilders.

>>2819065
Yes.

>>2821476
diy saves you literally thousands and you probably can do a better job than 80% of contractors if you take your time and do your research ahead of time.

every "professional" in the world will bitch and moan that you cant do your own electric or plumbing and to leave it to them but if you actually have above 100iq you can pass a rough in inspection.

>>2819065
It always surprises me how few DIY skills the normies have. Can't everybody do shit like fix a bicycle, solder, building basic shit out of 2x4s, and sketching 3D objects? People are always like "I can tell you took a course on that", or "you must have learned that growing up on a farm". These aren't things you need to be taught how to do. They're simple things, you should be able to figure out how to do it just by looking at it.

>>2821713
Was talking with my neighbor the other day and they were getting ready to replace a garden hose because the end broke off. I was confused as to why they didn't replace the end, and came to realize they had no idea it was possible.

I was a mechanic for a mom and pop construction supply company, mostly worked on their trucks and rarely the semi or a forklift. not certified or anything I just have lots of personal experience (cars, go karts, generators, autistic obsession with mechanical systems, etc etc), they were desperate, gave me a shot and they liked my work.
anyway, it felt like every single fucking week they or some other employees would ask if I wanted side work for their own/families/friends cars, to which I would always decline. they always asked why (even 4+ years later and asking me dozens of times), and i would tell them I don't want the liability if something goes wrong during or after, my fault or not. all it takes is 1 civil suit and if I happen to lose, poof there goes years worth of sidework, if not more. not worth the risk, hassle or headache for a couple of bucks a month.
the funny part is, most of them either didnt consider that (even after hearing it 10 times) and others literally can't even imagine it, being absolutely dumbfounded why someone would even sue you for working on their car. so yeah.

>>2821713
You know those ridgid battery chargers with the cables permanently attached to the housing?

I got tired of the cables so I made a small stand out of an2x4 some Mexicans left in my yard from when they renovated my neighbors home

Neighbor came over to return a tool he borrowed while I was just using a impact driver to screw scrap wood together to make a shitty makeshift charging stand that I plan to redo later but will never get around to


And he goes “whoa where did you learn to build like that?!”

It’s 1 2x4 not even cut square, screwed to 4 other pieces to stand up none of the cuts are square and there gaps every where

I didn’t even plane off the grey oxidation on the pine

>>2819065
No, I enjoy helping people when I can.
What's the point of having all these skills if I dont use them?

If it's something I dont want to fuck with, I tell the the relevant information they need to help them hire someone.

>>2823094
>“whoa where did you learn to build like that?!”
To be honest i would probably say the same thing in a dryly sarcastic tone...

Hey everyone, we got us a fuggin' Joe Biden building back better over here!

>>2823088
Liability is true, but almost every court in the land would laugh off an attorney attempting to go after minor amounts of damage. Caveat Emptor

I enjoy helping people, and if I am not busted dead from hard work I will do it.
Fortunately I have a small group of friends and family so it doesn't get crazy and since I am a generic all rounder/handyman(uh oh) it's simple enough.
>>2821713
Most people don't realize the skills they have that others don't. To us many things are easy, while to others it could be hard.
Reverse is true too.

>>2823133
>Most people don't realize the skills they have that others don't. To us many things are easy, while to others it could be hard.
>Reverse is true too.
The machinist and welder at work were way too impressed by a cruddy stand I made out of scrap 2x12 so I could more easily mount pumps in boxes. It's funny how the idea of joining and milling metal is really easy for them but dado joints and circular cuts in wood were totally foreign.

Yes. I hate helping. Especially for free. Once you touch it it becomes your problem in the future too.

>>2823088
>>2823126
The secret is social liability, aka "it worked before you touched it!". You don't have to be sued, people can also just annoy you to death if they decide they have a reason to hate you now

>>2819065
I will make them things (wood working) if I feel like it but I will not repair anything. I will not fix their computer.

i have low self esteem, i don't want my shoddy work being observed and judged by people i want to like me.

I just retired after 40 yrs of home repair. I mastered 90% of it. I take great pride in my work, work ethic, fairness etc… I liked that it was hard work, heavy and usually dirty. Give me your nastiest job.
Now the bad. I gave up hiring 20 yrs ago. Anyone good is in their own business.
Now the worst.
Homeowners hands down. I use to deal with the husband. Those days are gone. The know it all wife is playing ramrod. Im a nice guy but the last 5 yrs Ive snapped on more than a few. Ive started selling my big ladders, scaffold, airless etc…IM DONE. It was time. Funny now i collect my retirement, no worries, take naps, fish and drink beer at 10 in the morning. I miss the hard work and feeling of achievement figuring stuff out. Oh well ive babbled enough. Fuck people is what im saying.
Crappie fishing tomorrow on the pontoon.

>>2821692
Yes, this is not brag worthy.

>I have a normal functioning brain. I'm so cool and skilled that I have to hide it from "normies" and not reveal my power

Gay. It's like a black bragging about not being on food stamps.

Why would you help a normie? Either let them overpay a "professional", or let them kill themself.
It's a win-win and it saves me having to do a basic job. What's the issue here?

>>2819065
I long ago stopped telling people I'm a software developer because too many people's eyes would light up and they'd tell me about some stupid idea they had for an app and ask if I would build it for them for a "share of the profits". They never had any capital or skills, just an idea that they thought was pure gold and I should be happy to implement for them. Now I just say "IT stuff" and that tends to kill that thread of the conversation.

>>2821454
Artist name?

>>2823577
https://www.artsy.net/artist/nobuaki-takekawa-1

>>2823562
>ask if I would build it for them for a "share of the profits"
Comedy gold. The general reaction most people give me is "lol I don't know anything about computers!" Which is a strange reaction. Do you say the same thing to auto mechanics?

>>2819065
Yes I hide my low power level it by inflating it. I claim to be able to help and then I show up and fuck everything up. I've broken so much furniture helping people move. Nobody can stop me.

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I used to work for a cabinet company doing installs. About 90% of the customers were retired boomers. The vast majority of them, amazingly, 'used to work for a cabinet company in my younger days!' then want to literally sit and watch you while you're working. Like they're overseeing you don't make any mistakes, because they're obviously an expert. Can't save a few buck$ and do it themselves, but they'll sure as hell critique you and what you're doing.
Fucking infuriating.

>>2823503
Good for you, bro. Enjoy your retirement from morons. I'm in my 40s now and I'm already wanting to retire.

>>2823088
?
What sorta liability are you going to have on cash side work?

>>2824100
>Fucking infuriating.
your life is going to really suck, or at least you're going to make it suck.

>>2819065
>>2819073
The internet has cheapened expertise to this level, normies have all been bumped to the most annoying part of the dunning-kreuger chart. They know enough to not think anything of asking 3 million questions but they're ignorant enough to get defensive when you're skeptical about their plans or market literacy or whatever.
People don't even mind contrivances, they're just not going to manufacture one for you. I guess if you realize that then you just go pick up the blocks for $1 each and don't fuck with the man.

>>2819065
I have a simple metric for if I will help someone with a project: would I be willing to do all the work for free? If the answer is no then its not worth my time.

>>2824123
Its like an absurdist rendition of the boomers famed "sweeten the pot if you want a deal" form of back handed negotiations for any sort of transaction. Whereas the boomer would try to haggle him down to 99 cents per block "just to score a win they can brag about at the next bbq" the current retard thinks "oh you want to sell me something for a fair price? Id like you to open stuck jars and wipe my ass too"

>>2824126
It's sad, i get the sense it comes from a sort of self-defeated "everybody is stupid" dipshit mindset and when you show them any measure of kindness they want to be stuck to your titties for the rest of time, like you're the good guy that life has owed them since the beginning

>>2824100
>then want to literally sit and watch you while you're working
Sounds like cheap learning material if you adjust your approach and/or interpretation.
They're trying to be generous with how they share their time even if they're idiots, you can learn to apply social grace (learn anything from the interaction) and verbal firmness (suggest they go to a specific area 'for clients', away from you).
>>2824136
>>2824123
Super familiar. First noticed it from Evangelical Christians and Hare Krishnas, though.

>>2823554
If you help a normie fix his car he’s just going to drive to another normies house and breed with them to make more normies

Which means more work for you …unpaid because “you don’t charge friends, family, cmon man do me a solid, I’ll help you next time!”

>>2823562
I’ve had someone come up doing that shit

He was like “I got an idea!!! A light switch that looks like an island”

He wanted me to, design, manufacture and store and ship the product for 20% of the profit because he was the idea man

I just looked at him and said… “ I own the 3d printers, the cnc milling machines, I already sell and deliver product in my off time… why do I need you as a partner?”

His response was that he was retired and wanted something to generate some income

Told him then why don’t you buy your own printer I’ll teach you for free

And he dropped the idea… give them that splash of reality sometimes don’t be polite

Be like “what skills or expertise do you have to offer”

They spent their lives drinking, playing fantasy football, doing a mindless job and Xbox let them face that

>>2824100
I like to watch repair guys because
I’m genuinely interested in what they’re doing and how the stuff gets put together, not to criticize them but so that I can learn about the stuff that I don’t yet know how to fix, and so I can understand what is happening inside instead of it just being a “magic box”. But I often walk away because I don’t want to cause them stress while they’re working, since being watched sucks.
I want to watch to learn but I don’t want to bother the guy by watching.
feels bad :(

>>2824489
Just be normal about it and they don’t mind


“Hey. Uh I hope you don’t mind, but I like to watch so I can learn”

Then lick your lips a lot

Repair men also like to be called “daddy” by other men they’re teaching/showing how to repair because it reminds them of being a father

Occasionally let out a “mmmmm” when they’re bent over and can’t see you so that they know you’re still there and paying attention

>>2819065
Absolutely. I am a state-licensed Electrician. When people ask what business I'm in, I tell them I repair printing presses. The last thing I need is some dumbass homeowner asking me to install a ceiling fan.

>>2819065

I am handyman turned maintenance man turned project manager with a very strong autism for completing a job to as close to perfection as I can.

I have to tell myself I am trying too hard when it comes to some non critical tasks and take some short cuts here and there.

This translates also into social shortcuts where I pretend I have no idea how to help someone even with some simple instructions or a design because I know it can turn into a 5 hour ordeal for something that is really not that important because that individual simply cannot look after/help themselves. What started the divorce between myself and my wife is that she would offer my help to friends, while I worked a full time job, was helping her out with her business and her incapable self and then these tasks she tacked on with our(her) friends and I would find myself running from 5 am to 9 pm and then catch criticism for not being a part of the family. Which to her meant coming home on time so she could swipe through Pinterest, then later Instagram and finally tiktok while I took on family duties all for a relatively poor wage (the perks way more than made up for it but the actual take home figure was a point of contention that she utilized as soon as she started making a dollar) and she would hold that over my head as some broke looser while still complaining that I was fighting against helping her friends.

I was actually feeling pretty shitty about myself before this rant so putting this to paper has reinforced why I am back in my grandmothe s basement vs a half acre of property and a 2500 square foot house that is massively premium for my country. Fuck that shit.

>>2821713

>Bicycle mechanic

This is a profession that I have a hard fucking time wrapping my head around.

I understand that some people simply don't have tools but my inner mind just refuses to believe it.

>>2827374
I think they’re more common in places where people commute to the train station by bicycle, etc.
If you’re some Asian salaryman and your bicycle falls apart on the way to work, the last thing you wanna do after work is spend your time trying to rebuild it for the next day.

>>2827379

I think it's more of a developed nation thing. Where "disposable" and "income" can actually form a phrase with each other.

>>2821465
Nah not an ethnic issue. While I ll never help niggers no matter how good behaved they are I ll still won't help the majority of white people because when it votes to fixing they don't appreciate it. So far only grannies have appreciated it.
>>2827372
While your wife is a dick for doing that why didn't you put a foot between the door. Well easy for me to say, my wife always got my back.

>>2827390
maybe saying “Asia” was misleading but some developed nations actually do use bicycles for transport. Japan for example has lots of bicycle shops and it’s often more economical in terms of time/money to drop your bicycle off so the mechanic there can put everything back in order so you don’t have to come back after working your overtime office slave job and fiddle with derailleurs in the dark

>>2827394

>While your wife is a dick for doing that why didn't you put a foot between the door. Well easy for me to say, my wife always got my back.

We frequently had massive fights and I would placate myself with drinking. Was initially easier just to get drunk, do something stupid and she would leave me alone while I was suffering the shame and guilt of what I had done for a week until the cycle started again. We visited couples therapy (her idea) a couple of times and both therapists started focusing on her after a couple sessions and she decided to stop because things weren't going her way, lol. She also convinced me to go to therapy alone to "deal with your demons". First therapist said I should carve out more time with myself and learn to say no, when I started doing that all hell would break loose. Currently seeing a psych who says that ditching her would be as beneficial as going sober. Unfortunately kids are involved and while out loud she says she could never understand how people use their kids as shields in fights she does use them as leverage.

>>2819073
P much. My mom has asked me to repair her electronics or work on her electrical and that I certainly don't mind, but most anyone else who knows I work in electrical can assume I'm incompetent for all I care. I have been stopped while wearing company shirts that say electrical on them and I just tell them that I don't do side work, sorry.

I don't hide it but for some reason nobody believes I'm capable of doing anything, not realizing I've either built or fixed most things in my house myself and they never noticed.

Told them I was gonna put a fence up and they rolled their eyes and said it's gonna be shit I should hire people who know what they're doing.

Jokes on them I've been building fences since I was a child I had it up in three hours.

>>2827364
Fellow Sparky here. The way liability is, so many jobs aren't even worth touching even if done legitimately as a contractor/permitted. Even worse if done on the side for cash.

Learned to be very wary of people that obviously know enough how to do the work themselves, yet hire you for some reason. Most likely so they can nitpick your work and refuse to pay later, while you take the full burden of responsibility with the permit.

>>2821421
>show me how to do it turns into me doing it while theyre on their phone

i always just make the other person do it while i guide them and very rarely jump in, usually only if its something delicate and mission critical. like a seized bolt or something

>>2824028
topkek

>>2824028

lol I oughta start doing this.

>>2827374
For most part yes, as a kid i would tear apart with my dad tools and rely on bicycle mechanic for lacking tools and parts, but aside buying tools being a commitment and a hassle for renters/flat, most people get blocked from even trying in fear of breaking stuff or thinking they are unable by overestimating. Many people don't have dads or dad don't know or are absent trash, which was my father case refusing to buy tools and only had a few ones because my mother dad gave him, and refusing to help or explain shit. Some people are just trashed out by bad parents and even today I never mounted a PC even knowing cuz fear of breaking expensive parts

>>2819073
>not trying to fix whatever he can for fun
you are an autistic faggot

>>2827921
>>not trying to fix whatever he can for fun
>you are an autistic faggot

I have enough of my own stuff to fix to last me a lifetime. Everyone else can fuck right off.

>>2827921

>Fixing everything for everyone other than doing what you are supposed to do for yourself and not really making good money out of it.

Now we are autism

Only if they tell me "I tried so and so" (it's a good start) and "it failed for this reason." (which is the most important thing, since it means that the person is willing to learn). In that case I absolutely do.

>>2824478
That's pretty clever.

>>2827544
Get all that shit in writing. If you're gonna take her to divorce court make sure you get the opinions of the couples therapist and your psych.

>>2827583
>yo if you help me with X thing I’ll pay you!
Or even worse
>can you help me with X I’ll buy you a beer and lunch!
Anymore I just tell them my weekend rate is like 75$/hr. When they balk at that I explain my OT rate at work is about 50$/hr… and I’d still rather have the time off to myself. So if they want me to work when I’m off it’ll have to be more. Usually people are just clueless and not outright selfish so they get the hint then. If they don’t I hit them with the: ok, let’s do a trade, you clean my house, scrubbed floors and all, and I’ll do the side work you need.
I do have friends I’ll gladly help out, because they’re the type who have helped me at the drop of a hat when I needed it.. but waaaay too many people think they’re in that circle.

>>2827988
>I don’t know about X
>well what have you tried
>nothing, I don’t know
Vs
>I’ve tried Y and Z, I think it’s a problem with A, but it could be B
I had to institute this rule with my guys at work. I try my best to be a good boss and support my guys, but some of them have a bad habit of giving up in 10 seconds and calling me to give them advice. If they’re really stuck, of course, give me a call… but if you can think for 30 seconds and get the answer of what to try next.. that’s the only way to learn.

>>2823503
you type like a boomer for sure

what do you mean 'know it all wife is playing ramrod' . do you think everyone is familiar with your bespoke boomer idioms that you just made up

>>2823503
You’re like every single negative boomer stereotype rolled into one, why be so proud of it?

>>2828882
women are fucking annoying. you provide a plan for some sort of project and they'll nitpick the cost, the looks, on and on.. cost cut to remove things that are important. and then when it looks like shit they'll legitimately tell you that you should have called her a dumb bitch and made her do it the right way.. so you fix it and then the first words out of her mouth will be "wow, i'm glad /I/ decided to do that it looks great, we should have done that from the beginning"

and then complain that it was expensive.. the original reason she tried to skip it in the first place

>>2828899
Sounds like you need practice managing people’s expectations, as does the boomer who originally made the comment. I’d go as far as to say women are easier on average, because they’re far less likely to pretend they know what they’re talking about and then dig in their heels when shown they don’t.

>>2828899
Spent a few weeks tiling a shower for a girlfriend. She decided to do the floor while I was at work and it set completely uneven, tile corners stabbing your feet. I couldn't even get mad at her because she realized how bad she fucked it up compared to my work.

>>2828903
OMG you are so full of democrat!!! Women are the WORST to manage!! They are full of excuses, constantly play the victim role, and cry when they get mild critical comments. Go back to making coffee, faggot.

>>2827589
Nothing but facts here

>>2827374
Bikes can be rather complicated machines nowadays and for a lot of things you need some specialized tools that can only do that single thing you probably only need to do every few years.
Plus >>2827379 and >>2827390
However, I don’t understand how people can’t even do the 5 minute, piss easy job of changing a flat tire/tube on a bike. Or changing the brake pads (on a cantilever though. I can absolutely understand why one would not want to touch a hydro disc brake (I still do…)) where you only need an Allen key and two moderately functional hands.
>>2819065
I don’t go around offering my help to random strangers, but family, friends and good neighbors (in that order)? Absolutely.
But I generally don’t tend to associate with retards and leeches, so I can always ask them for help in return.

>>2827364
Hey why dont you like installing ceiling fans??

>>2827544
Who are we supposed to be mad at for giving women rights ?
What era was it that men started simping and giving women "freedom"?

>>2828089
>>I don’t know about X
>>well what have you tried
>>nothing, I don’t know
>Vs
>>I’ve tried Y and Z, I think it’s a problem with A, but it could be B
>I had to institute this rule with my guys at work. I try my best to be a good boss and support my guys, but some of them have a bad habit of giving up in 10 seconds and calling me to give them advice. If they’re really stuck, of course, give me a call… but if you can think for 30 seconds and get the answer of what to try next.. that’s the only way to learn.
I feel you…
Same with my guys.
If I'm observing them from the office, and they try something new, or gotta figure out something new, I just can see how they maybe give it one or two low effort tries and then throw a fit or cry for help when it obviously doesn't work.
Every single time I gotta sprint to them before they cause any major damage and go through the whole scheme again:
>Look at the thing first, observe what it is and how it works.
>Think about what you are trying to accomplish and how.
>Try, but carefully and observe closely what happens.
>Does it seem to work?
>Good. continue.
>it doesn't work?
>make some slight changes.
>Still doesn't work?
>Start again.
>Still doesn't work?
>Calmly call for me, and I'll gladly help.
But don't fucking try to brute force shit for 10 seconds and give up screaming and shouting.
I swear, one day I'm gonna fire those idiots, but the wife says they're just 2 and 4 years old and that this is normal.
Oh well, I guess I'll give them a few more months. At least the older one now can take the corners of freshly sawed wood with some sanding paper pretty well, so I guess that's something.

>>2829073
Either you attract low quality women or you just suck at managing them. I don’t even have that problem with immature women in a work environment, so it’s hard to know where exactly you’re going wrong.. but clearly it’s a deficiency on your point.
>has an emotional reaction while throwing around insults that you don’t even know are true or not
Pathetic. God boomers are the worst generation. All they can do is fuck things up.. wars, the economy, their own relationships with the women around them… and then emotionally cry that it wasn’t their fault and they deserve better.