# Practical stuff everyone should know **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 24, 2002, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700 "2002-06-24T12:54:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/41 "2002-06-25T16:31:49Z")
Potato shooter? Oh yeah, **swampbear** , that’s just the sort of thing every young adult needs to master… Actually, I could use one myself - I like to toss my less-than-fresh veggies into the woods behind my house for the critters of the night - I could get some deep penetration with a potato shooter! 😃 **Ziactrice** , believe it or not, she doesn’t like to drink. I’ve let her try some things and she wasn’t impressed. I also suspect seeing certain extended family members overindulge has given her a perspective of alcohol abuse. It will be interesting to see how she reacts when she’s on her own, considering neither her dad nor I drink very much at all. Oh yeah - another good skill - saying no to telemarketers and door-to-door solicitors. I got suckered in to buying magazines I didn’t want and over-priced lightbulbs in my foolish youth. Just say no! Just say no! ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/42 "2002-06-25T16:45:12Z")
I’m so surprised to read this whole thread and see than nobody had mentioned my personal peeves: She needs to know how to tie knots! She needs to know how to securely tie a bulky item to the top of a car. I simply can’t believe how many grown-ups have no clue how to tie simple knots (bowlines, half-hitches, etc.), what situations to use them in, and how to use rope to tie something down securely. (The Perfect Child may already know these things due to her sailing experience.) ---
**Author:** ![EchoKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@EchoKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EchoKitty)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/43 "2002-06-25T17:40:18Z")
Did anyone actually teach any of these things to any of you? I learned most of it as I went along. Lucky kid, that Perfect Child! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/44 "2002-06-25T18:03:14Z")
How to admit you’re wrong, apologize for it, and move on without kicking yourself for the rest of the day. (Last one is the hardest…) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/45 "2002-06-25T18:10:58Z")
Some I was taught, like cooking and sewing and basic electronics and auto mechanics. Much I learned myself, like dealing with people, fixing bicycles, plumbing repair, and how to bleed radiators when your house isn’t heating right. Lucky for me, I’m pretty good at troubleshooting and figuring out a fix. Now, whether my kid, or anyone else for that matter, chooses to benefit from my experience - that’s yet to be seen. I’m surprised no one has piped up with “Don’t eat yellow snow.” ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/46 "2002-06-25T20:02:57Z")
**FCM** , if my brother were reading this thread, that is exactly what he would say. 😃 Looking at this thread, I realizr I have a long way to go in being competent at some (if not most) of these things I sould know. :smack: Lots of time to learn, though. Some of the things aren’t an issue with me, so that’s a relief. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@Bren\_Cameron\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bren_Cameron_1)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/47 "2002-06-25T20:10:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyChatMom \* > \*\*Aw, c’mon, **Bren** , go alllllllll the way back to my OP - I mentioned buttons and hems. I’m a real advocate for sewing, and not only because I’ve been making clothes since I was 13 or so. > \*\* Scrolling back…scrolling back… :smack: Cheese! There it is! How could I have missed that? Points off for my reading comprehension, then, sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/48 "2002-06-25T20:11:58Z")
Too many typos… preview is my friend. :smack: (and I’ve even eaten today, too… what’s up with that?) What I meant to say was “I **realize** I have a long way to go in being competent at some (if not most) of these things I **should** know.” Oh, and since I’m posting anyway… definitely do NOT eat glowing green snow! :eek: F\_X ---
**Author:** ![funions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/34f0e0/32.png) [@funions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funions)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2002, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700/49 "2002-06-25T20:34:35Z")
I didn’t see this one on the list; On the off chance that something untoward should happen and someone were to try to attack her, she should shout “FIRE” at the top of her lungs. Because people are programmed to respond to shouts of “fire”, but not to shouts of “help” or “rape”, she’d be much more likely to get assistance. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/practical-stuff-everyone-should-know/115700.md?page=2)