The Handy Man

One thing about staying and living in a big house in Thailand is that you get to learn how to fix things yourself. I mean, of course, if I am rich, I could easily hire a Burmese worker here in Maesai (100baht MAX for a days work) but normally they don't do things the way you want them to. So the best solution is to get dirty yourself. Unless the job is way too complicated.

My bed broke actually, one of the beams below supporting the planks broke into two. Don't ask me how it broke. You all can fantasize about the process but I'm not interested in the details :P. Anyway, today I got a spare plank and I proceed to saw the plank to size.. Took me some effort as the bloody handsaw is only 12" long. I fixed the beam by sandwiching 2 planks on the side and secured the original with screws, so to make it one long beam again. Its an easy job but I don't think people in Singapore staying in HDB or Condos could do it if they want to. As you really need some space to work. So all in all it took me less than an hour to do it.

Talking about fixing stuff. I already replaced stuffs like taps and pipes. Mend wires, fixed toys with a soldering iron. Added another set of lightings for my storeroom. I even used to fix some of the stuff at the Internet Shop. (Besides computers) I fixed a sliding door problem, a chair and headphones while I worked there. My Ang Mo friend even call me Mr "Fix-it".

I have to admit that my Technical Workshop in Secondary school does help. (I was in Normal Technical Stream and joined the school's electronic club.) At least I know the drill bits (3 basic types) and which one to use on which surface. I could also read a simple circuit diagram (I wonder anyone still do it now??). I do enjoy the process of it very much. I think its in me. I like to "make" or "fix" things. I think thats the main reason why I like building plastic models and computers. Tons of problems with them and you get to solve the puzzle and fix them up... hehehe