And I didn't even get to the parts about how the Soviet Union tried training them as riding and driving animals, and when that failed, they started in on the idea of dairy moose. Dairy moose.
!!!!! That is the BEST THING EVER. And also possibly one of the most poorly-thought-out.
Hmmm. Most of the basic life skills I am grateful for are cooking-related, all the little things that make it possible to look in the fridge and the cabinets and make edible food without a recipe or a grocery-store run. Hard-boiling eggs. Cooking pasta al dente. Estimating amounts so there are actually enough leftovers to freeze (I fail at this). I still call my mom on a regular basis to ask questions like "How do you cook sausages?" (he method: approx. 1 million times easier and better than what I used to do).
Other things: basic toilet maintenance. I don't really know how to do this, but I have a book, and it saves money to be able to do the little things if you live in a house with finicky toilets (like the one I grew up in). If you have a car, basic car stuff: changing a tire, checking the oil, refilling the wiper fluid. If you have a bike, changing the tubes and tires, oiling the chain. Reading an actual paper map, for those times you are in the middle of nowhere with no GPS (of course, this works best if you have SOME idea where you are, haha, don't ask). Enough swimming to not drown. Basic handsewing and ironing (iron-on patches--also really handy). Bearbagging if you ever go camping in bear or coyote country. Reading fine print.
I am deficient in lots and lots of areas; handily I have a boyfriend who is willing to do a lot more car maintenance than I am (not on my car, but at least he can explain basic stuff) and a mom who knows EVERYTHING from cooking to basic electrical wiring and carpentry. Also Joy of Cooking.
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!!!!! That is the BEST THING EVER. And also possibly one of the most poorly-thought-out.
Hmmm. Most of the basic life skills I am grateful for are cooking-related, all the little things that make it possible to look in the fridge and the cabinets and make edible food without a recipe or a grocery-store run. Hard-boiling eggs. Cooking pasta al dente. Estimating amounts so there are actually enough leftovers to freeze (I fail at this). I still call my mom on a regular basis to ask questions like "How do you cook sausages?" (he method: approx. 1 million times easier and better than what I used to do).
Other things: basic toilet maintenance. I don't really know how to do this, but I have a book, and it saves money to be able to do the little things if you live in a house with finicky toilets (like the one I grew up in). If you have a car, basic car stuff: changing a tire, checking the oil, refilling the wiper fluid. If you have a bike, changing the tubes and tires, oiling the chain. Reading an actual paper map, for those times you are in the middle of nowhere with no GPS (of course, this works best if you have SOME idea where you are, haha, don't ask). Enough swimming to not drown. Basic handsewing and ironing (iron-on patches--also really handy). Bearbagging if you ever go camping in bear or coyote country. Reading fine print.
I am deficient in lots and lots of areas; handily I have a boyfriend who is willing to do a lot more car maintenance than I am (not on my car, but at least he can explain basic stuff) and a mom who knows EVERYTHING from cooking to basic electrical wiring and carpentry. Also Joy of Cooking.