Toolbox

A man who can only do one thing is a man who can be replaced. A man who can do many things is a man who is hard to replace and hard to control. Skills are not a luxury. They are protection — for yourself, for your family, and for your community.

The list below is not exhaustive. It is a starting point. Every man should be able to do most of the things on it. If you cannot do some of them yet, learn. The time to learn how to change a tire is not on the side of the road at midnight.

• Change a tire. On your own vehicle, in your own driveway, once, so you know you can.
• Jump-start a car. Red to red, black to black, start the good car first, then the dead one.
• Change your oil. Or at minimum know how to check it, and how often to change it.
• Reset a circuit breaker. And know where the breaker panel is in your house.
• Shut off the water to your house. Know the valve. Know it before a pipe bursts at 2 a.m.
• Shut off the gas. Same reasoning.
• Use a stud finder and a level. The difference between a shelf that holds and a shelf that falls.
• Hang a picture, a shelf, a mirror. Level, anchored, done.
• Patch a small hole in drywall. Spackle, sand, paint, done.
• Unclog a drain. Plunger first, then snake, then call a professional.
• Build and start a fire. In a fireplace, in a pit, in the woods if you have to.
• Sharpen a knife. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one.
• Use basic hand tools. Hammer, screwdriver, wrench, pliers, saw, tape measure, drill.

• CPR. Take a class. The life you save may be someone you love.
• Stop bleeding. Direct pressure, elevate, tourniquet if needed.
• Treat a burn. Cool water, not ice. Cover, do not pop blisters.
• Recognize a stroke. FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.
• Recognize a heart attack. Chest pain, shortness of breath, pain radiating to the arm or jaw, nausea. Do not wait to see if it gets better.
• Handle a firearm safely. Treat every gun as loaded. Never point it at anything you are not willing to destroy. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. Know what is behind your target.
• Have a fire extinguisher. And know how to use it. PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.

• Cook three meals we'll. Not elaborate. Three meals you can make without a recipe and that your family actually likes.
• Balance a checkbook. Or its modern equivalent. Know where your money goes.
• Write a professional email. Short, clear, direct, no unnecessary exclamation points.
• Give a firm handshake and look a man in the eye. Simple. Underrated. Learned in a day, practiced for a lifetime.
• Speak in public. Not a TED talk. A eulogy, a wedding toast, a brief report to your committee. Speak slowly, clearly, and briefly.
• Write a letter of condolence. Handwritten. Short. No advice. Just presence.
• Say no. To things that will eat your time. To projects you cannot finish. To invitations that will cost you your family.
• Apologize. Without excuses, without blaming, without adding a "but."
• Keep secrets. A man who cannot keep a confidence cannot be trusted with anything.
• Read a book. A whole one. Cover to cover. Every year. More than one if you can.

Keep these on hand. Not because you will need them every day, but because when you need them, you will need them immediately:

• A good basic first aid kit
• A fire extinguisher (kitchen and garage)
• A flashlight (and spare batteries)
• A multi-tool or Swiss Army knife
• A basic tool set
• Jumper cables or a jump pack
• A spare tire and the tools to change it
• Water and non-perishable food for three days
• Important documents in one fireproof place
• A list of emergency contacts — written down, not just on your phone