As a woman in a world of power tools and powerwashers, where do you fit in? Do you willingly take on "manly" work and do it with ease, or do you play your femininity card and sit back sipping an iced tea?

And, to the men out there, do you feel threatened by a woman that can run an orbital sander in circles around you?

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

Answers

I will answer my own question by letting you all know that I powerwashed everything but the dog at our house this weekend. I love to powerwash, but when it comes to cutting the grass, count me out. Of course, that is mainly due to allergies, not a lack of interest. Okay, maybe a little lack of interest.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

Deep in my bones, I'm an engineer because I can put anything but ANYTHING together. Ikea crap giving you fits? Send it on this way. At Christmas I am the designated some-assembly-required problem solver. One time I built a doll house from a kit, just for fun. I have also put together office chairs, computer desks, a fancy filing cabinet, and a chandelier.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

I'll mow the lawn and use power tools. I have to admit I'm a little leery of power tools ever since the time I cut my thumb while using a drill press. (The piece you're drilling has to be clamped down!) I feel better if there's someone around to keep me from doing something unsafe (i.e. stupid).

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

Are you kidding?! I love women who play with tools. And I'm not talking the skimpy models on the Skil power tools calender. I'm talking a woman who puts a face shield and gets dwon and dirty with a wood lathe.

One day I'm going to have a workshop with power tools in every nook and crany and, trust me, Al can use all of them if she wants.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

It was so funny, as I was going to town with the powerwasher this weekend, at one point, I looked over at my sweetie who was entertaining our dog, and he was just watching me with this huge grin on his face. I had the feeling that if I had started powerwashing the siding, he might have ripped my clothes off right then and there.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

Oooooooh! Wood lathe! I want a wood lathe soooo badly.

Someday.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

I want a router, and a pneumatic nail gun, and a miter saw, and a SkilSaw, and a giant staple gun, and some other stuff.

Master V gave me a Dremel power tool for Valentine's Day a few years ago, and it was the best present ever. I like a man who likes to give girls tools.

Unfortunately, he gets very nervous when I use certain of these tools (namely, the ones with sharp blades), because I am not known for my coordination skills. But practice makes perfect, doesn't it?

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

That's why you're typing with the three fingers you have left on your one hand, right?

I'm awful with tools, but I'm learning. I'm in the market for a good drill right now and I just got my first set of real tools for Christmas. I know many, many, MANY women who are better with tools than me.

Toys is another matter entirely.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

I love doing the "manly" work. Before I got so damn allergic, I used to love mowing the lawn. I love painting...love, love, love. Also on the list: putting things together, anything that involves hammering (and that isn't some X-rated trap I walked into without knowing it), and fixing furniture.

My mom has been trying to talk me into the circular saw, but me scared.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

I didn't used to like it, but I find myself watching far too much New Yankee Workshop. I'm not sure if I'll ever actually put that stuff together myself though...I mean, the man has a million dollars worth of equipment in there, damn. And a strange attachment to gluing things together with little wooden "biscuit" thingies.

On the other hand, I'm damn handy with the tools I do possess, namely, screwdrivers, hammer and nails, and yes, occasionally a nail file. Works in a pinch.

-- Anonymous, June 03, 2002

Aw, man! Whay did you have to go and mention The New Yankee Workshop?! I have serious love for Norm Abrams. The guy is a frickin' genius. I used to watch the show religiously. And that was when I was living by myself and going to grad school and working full time and could only watch about 3 hours of TV a week.

I would love to do some of those projects someday, but you are right, I would first need to get $50,000 worth of power tools and then figure out what a biscuit that you can't eat is.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

Oh, I am definitely Chief Put-It-Together in our house. But, that all goes back to the directions...not only won't my man ask for directions, he also won't read directions. If he does read the directions, he gets even more confused. I got so tired of taking things apart just to put them back together that I took over the job completely.

And, I would probably say that my lack of interest in regard to the lawn is a combination of allergies and severe black thumb. Bad enough that I kill potted plants as if they were ants on a sidewalk...I worry that if I get to involved in the grass grooming process that it will all be dead by July.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

I worry that if I get to involved

Ooooooo....I meant too involved.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002

Oh, I'm all for doing it myself. I only ask a guy for help if it's too heavy for me or I can't reach something up high (me being barely 5'3"). Assembly required? No problem. Paint? S'okay. Sanding and stain? Give it here. I have put together every piece of furniture in my studio except the armchair and some plastic storage drawers. Desk? Check. TV cabinet? Check. Dresser? Check. Platform bed frame? Check. In fact, my parents save up "guy" stuff for me to do when I visit them, and my brother even asks me to do stuff. In fact, it annoys me when people have the stereotypical idea that I can't, or shouldn't, do a certain task because I'm a woman. I enjoy the sense of accomplishment I get from doing something myself.

-- Anonymous, June 04, 2002