Back in High School I did a very carefull study of the environment and decided to take a Basic Home Ec class. I learned how to cook, sew, do laundry and other basic home skills.
Oh, did I mention that I was the only male in a class of ~45 females
How gay, huh
? I did the same thing by taking a typing class. (Again the only male in a class of ~ 60 females.) My firends thought it was gay also, until they noticed that all these girls would come up and talk to me. Having the same class with homework, group projects, etc. gave us a common connection. After that I never did have much trouble finding a girl to go out with on Saturday Night.
Yes, I also took a couple of Industrial Arts classes (House Wiring, Metal Shop, Wood Shop, Auto Shop.)
I brought a fairly decent, slightly used, sewing machine to my marriage. (Which somewhat surprised Mrs Scout when I used it in front of her for the first time and actually managed to sew stuff togther and not my fingers.) Sewing skills came in handy when I was in the Army to sew on patches, rank, badges, etc. Now it's very useful since my son joined Cub Scouts (and I'm a den leader) to get all those patches on the uniforms (Holy crap are there a lot of patches !!!!! But about 15 minutes on the machine and they're done, vs $15-20 at the tailors/cleaners).
Funny this topic came up. I was just at Jo-Ann Fabrics and picked up some more clear thread for adding a couple of new cub scout patches and a yard of some fabric to make some "cases" for the protective eyewear (about 20 pairs of glasses) so they don't get all scratched up getting banged around in the range bag.
I can sew simple stuff (a fabric pouch with a draw string closure for glasses, 'fer instance), and sew on patches and make basic repairs to clothes. I probably could do clothes/drapes, but only if you're not real picky as to finish/straight lines. I did make a pair of pants/jeans from a pattern in high school. (Imagine "Picasso Pants"
) I got a lot of "Nice Try !" and "You'll get the hang of it." type comments from the girls and the teacher.
Nice thing is I got a well rounded education. I can cook, clean, sew, do laundry, fix plumbing, do electrical, repair/maintain cars (at least until they became flippin' computers), build/make stuff with wood and/or metals, and have done all the other things that Heinlein mentioned, except the "Die Gallantly" part, I'll save that for
much later.
