# Things you prefer to do the hard way... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 12, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607 "2016-05-12T14:55:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/41 "2016-05-13T02:43:49Z")
> [@Mars\_Horizon](#): > > I roast my own coffee beans. Can you jump onto [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=788327&highlight=coffee)and share some insight? I’m contemplating doing the same. I use shaving soap, a brush and lather up rather than something out of a can. If I don’t have my rig, I just use the hotel soap, my hands, and shave in the shower. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/42 "2016-05-13T06:09:08Z")
I think 3D printers and laser cutters are awesome, but I like making things by hand (well, and power tools, but that’s still the ‘hard way’ now). ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/43 "2016-05-13T07:25:58Z")
Neckties, bow ties, and pocket squares will be tied or folded at each wearing; none of this pre-tied, pre-folded, clip-on shit. Pie crusts will be made from scratch. Have always had cars with manual transmissions, but maybe not for much longer. The writing is on the wall. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/44 "2016-05-13T09:22:40Z")
Many of the things I do the hard way have already been mentioned. One that hasn’t been mentioned is drying clothes on a clothesline. Not only is it cheaper, but they smell so darn good when they come in off the line. I only use the electric dryer maybe 2 or 3 months a year in the dead of winter or if I need clean clothes right quick and it’s too rainy to hang them out. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/45 "2016-05-13T10:48:00Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I often use paper maps (or at least Google Maps printouts) rather than my GPS when driving. Any moron can reach their destination using GPS. ^ this is me. When I travel long distance I have old fashioned published maps for the areas I’ll cross, and a print out of the planned route from the internet. Hate the recent “updates” to a lot of map software on line that’s all about selling hotel rooms/whatever and very little about how to get from point A to point B. > [@kayT](#): > > I knit my own socks. I love how they fit and I love being able to have wild colors and patterns. And I love to knit. Win win win. I started knitting my own socks a couple years ago. Not particularly fast at it, but I enjoy it. I also bake bread entirely by hand. I’ve met many people amazed I don’t use a bread machine or even a powered mixer with a dough hook. I like the experience of doing it by hand, the tactile feel of the dough, and I don’t find it that much effort. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/46 "2016-05-13T11:32:17Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I often use paper maps (or at least Google Maps printouts) rather than my GPS when driving. Any moron can reach their destination using GPS. And they become more moronic as time goes by! The younger people will never know what to do if they end up out in the middle of no where with no GPS. I’ve always loved maps. I learn things the hard way and sometimes I do it the hard way several times before I learn the easy way ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/47 "2016-05-13T12:27:10Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > I split wood for my fireplace using an ax and a wedge. It is both satisfying and good exercise. I don’t do fires at my house, but when I was a kid I used to split firewood this way with my dad - not because he made me, but because I enjoyed it. Thinking about how/where to split a piece of wood, and then using strength and technique together to deliver the most powerful hammer blows was very satisfying. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/48 "2016-05-13T12:31:06Z")
I’m not fond of kitchen gadgets, choppers, dicers, juicers etc. I like using my knife. I have one that fits perfectly in my hand, is a lovely weight and I can sharpen it easily and often. I also have a chopping/work surface that was designed just to suit me. The height is just slightly below the height of my hip bone. It has a cutting board surface. With this knife, and this cutting surface I can do most everything, in comfort, with ease, and without appliances. ( I do own a very old blender that sees a little use for making slushies, and a mixer I just never use.) And I can do it all quicker than digging out/setting up appliances would take! And I make most everything we eat, a very culturally diverse selection, from scratch! I don’t begrudge others kitchen accessories but find they just don’t suit me. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/49 "2016-05-13T12:31:08Z")
I send hand written invitations, thank you notes and greeting cards. I’m also one of those that spells out words and uses punctuation when texting. I just can’t not do it:o I rake the leaves and sweep my sidewalk by hand. I own a blower and have yet to take it out of the box because I just can’t perpetrate that obnoxious noise on my neighbors, not to mention myself. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/50 "2016-05-13T12:37:27Z")
I prefer to hang my laundry out to dry. We built a deck specifically for my clotheslines, including 2 benches to hold the laundry baskets. There’s nothing like freshly laundered, sun-and-air-dried clothes and linens! It’s nice to fold things as I take them down, and we even included eye-bolts so I can use hangers if I need them. I love my clothesline deck!! Fortunately, with all of the crappy, soggy weather we’ve been having, I do have a dryer, so we still have clean, dry clothes, but they haven’t been smelling as fresh as I like. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/51 "2016-05-13T12:56:25Z")
I own, and liberally use, a bunch of powered kitchen utensils - food processor, blender, stick blender. But when it comes to egg whites for meringue, mousse or semifreddo, I whip them by hand with a balloon whisk. Don’t know why, I just like doing it. Happy to use a machine for cream, just … egg whites get my personal attention. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/52 "2016-05-13T13:19:15Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > Rather use hand tools instead of power tools. (Provided that I’m not building a house!!) Me too. There’s a current Chevy truck ad where the spokes-dude is telling three manly truck men that they need to cut a board and to pick a tool. Every one of them goes for the power saw instead of the hand saw. Slackers… ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/53 "2016-05-13T14:03:52Z")
-Manual transmissions only. -I cook everything from scratch except noodles and bread. (Which I will do from scratch occasionally. -We have a microwave that we never use. Our families used to freak out about us not having one, so my mom bought us one. We use it for popcorn. Sometimes I’ll melt butter in it if I’m in a hurry. I honestly use it maybe three times per year. -More often than not, I’ll wash things by hand over using the dishwasher. -I use a push mower. I’d prefer one that isn’t self-propelled, but it’s nearly impossible to find a nice one that isn’t. -I use a shovel instead of a snowblower, as I don’t think my driveway is large enough to justify it. -Fly fishing vs reel, even though I’m horrible at it. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/54 "2016-05-13T14:12:02Z")
If I was on my own I would still write things down in a Daytimer. But my husband and I share a calendar on our iPhones so everything goes in there so we always know what the other is doing. My husband makes almond milk from almonds in the Vitamix. Ever since we started reading labels in the grocery store we’ve been making more things from scratch. Which is good for our health but sucks for me because I hate cooking. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/55 "2016-05-13T14:51:43Z")
> [@amaguri](#): > > I don’t know why, but I hate dishwashers so I always wash and dry everything by hand. I’ve owned a dishwasher at 3 of my previous residences and never once used it. I’m fairly lazy so I wouldn’t mind using a dishwasher if it actually washed the dishes. Using the dishwasher just rinses them off. Not worth it. I never thought of manual transmission as the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/56 "2016-05-13T20:57:41Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > You use a wrench? What a wimp. I bite them off. Guilty as charged! Wimp ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/57 "2016-05-14T00:21:53Z")
> [@furryman](#): > > I’m fairly lazy so I wouldn’t mind using a dishwasher if it actually washed the dishes. Using the dishwasher just rinses them off. Not worth it. > I never thought of manual transmission as the hard way. I disagree about dishwashers. Some only rinse them but new ones with nice hot water really do wash the dishes, very nicely. I agree about a stick shift. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/58 "2016-05-14T00:27:19Z")
[QUOTE=elbows] I’m not fond of kitchen gadgets, choppers, dicers, juicers etc. I like using my knife. [/QUOTE] Same here. My husband bought a gizmo for chopping onions. I’ll admit that it works nicely if you want to dice a half dozen of them, but the other day, I was mincing about half an onion for pasta salad. He gave me grief for not using the thing, even though we spent more time bickering about the thing than it took to dice the onion with a knife, never mind how long it takes to clean the thing. Like Alton Brown, there’s little room for unitaskers in my kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/59 "2016-05-14T01:07:34Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I often use paper maps (or at least Google Maps printouts) rather than my GPS when driving. Any moron can reach their destination using GPS. I don’t own a GPS, although I don’t hesitate to print out a Google map whenever needed. I do have a 2013 Rand McNally road atlas. My insurance agent gave me one for free, and even though I rarely travel, I have used it to look up locations (like Fort McMurray, for instance) when I didn’t feel like turning on the computer. p.s. Whenever I give directions to my house, I tell them not to use the GPS directions because they’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2016, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607/60 "2016-05-14T10:45:48Z")
I knap my own flint adzes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-prefer-to-do-the-hard-way/754607.md?page=4)