5 handyman skills that every gentleman should have
Words: Oliver Jarvis
We here at The Gentleman’s Journal look to enhance your experience of life, and the way we do that is by making calculated suggestions on how you can live it. As we have already advised in our 20 things every gentleman should know how to do article, we now look further and more specifically into the handyman. The handyman is the jack of all trades; the man who can change a lightbulb whilst frying Halloumi, the man who can construct a rabbit hutch whilst mending his daughters daisy chain, the man who knocks in his son’s cricket bat whilst… yeah, you get the picture. The man who can do it all is the man you want to be. So to help you achieve this plateau of the ‘Everyman’ we give you our pick of the 5 essential skills that we think you should have:
FIXING AN ELECTRICAL SOCKET
It’s that distant memory from childhood of cautiously negotiating the electricity board whilst awaiting instructions on which switch to turn on or off from your father; who’s sprawled out on the floor upstairs and jousting with the plug socket. Being able to fix an electric plug is a vital skill to have; for yourself, and to impress others. Being the man who can bring Desperate Housewives to life for your partner, trigger the Playstation Network connection for your son, and re-ignite that revolving picture frame you bought your mother-in-law so she could feel ‘closer’ to the family without you ever having to physically visit, is fundamental.
PUT UP A SHELF (STRAIGHT)
No longer will your daughter’s One Direction CDs be piled up on the floor as if replicating a game of vinyl Jenga, nor will you stumble over paperbacks that are thrown around the carpet in a complete disregard for any form of positive Feng Shui – no, being able to put up a shelf straight is vital. It may not let your creative energy flow or rival Michelangelo’s ‘David’, but it’s a practical skill that we believe every gentleman should possess.
REPAIR A BRA/STILETTO
Is she complaining about the prick in her side because the bra underwire is poking through? Or a bent stiletto heel that’s irritated her for months and made her walk like Don Corleone when he got shot in the first Godfather. Being able to mend a bra is a key skill, and can make you that hero of the moment in her eyes. Fix it, mend it – unbend it, with this skill it provides a platform to make you the man that can repair anything around the house, or on her.
MAKE A CLASSIC COCKTAIL
To be able to make a classic cocktail is your chance to be the Don Draper of the party. Knowing how to make a cocktail defines you in the eyes of others as a man that celebrates with panache, relaxes with his wisdom and speaks with brevity. We suggest that you get yourself a how-to guide, and start setting yourself up with some simple recipes.
JUMP START A CAR
It’s a skill that is often forgotten by a gentleman… until you accidentally leave the headlights on overnight and find that the car won’t start in the morning. Being the man with the know how puts you as a first port of call on a road trip with mates, or when your son breaks down; just like a pseudo-batman (without a cape or pointy ears) you’ll be called to fix the issue, hailed a hero, and the road trip will continue. We’re suggesting that you keep some jumper cables in your trunk compartment, so when in need you can do your duty.
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