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The podcast on man things
S1 E6: Dad Advice (Father's Day Edition)
This is the first time Catherine has done a dad advice segment
Speaker A: I'm surprised Hercules did turkey onto that trick.
Catherine: Hey, everyone, I'm Catherine. And for a very special Father's Day episode of men's stuff, I'm going to introduce a new segment of where I asked my dad how to do something and see how good his dad advice is. And it seemed only fitting that I record my first episode of dad Advice on Father's Day. I mean, who better to learn about men's stuff than a woman? And who better to talk about men's stuff than my dad? Since it's Father's Day and the first time I'm doing a dad advice segment, I'm going to spend a little bit of extra time talking about my dad because he deserves it. Hi, dad. I love you. My dad, Tim, is a greek american retired business owner, and now he spends his retirement doing crosswords, having lunch with his friends, and scooting around the country with his much younger wife. Growing up, my dad owned a real estate appraisal business, but he always made time to come to every single one of my swim meets, baseball games, winter recitals, you name it, he was there. He told my brother and I that he invented the skateboard. And I wholeheartedly believed him. Until I was 20, he taught me to drive on a manual 350 Z Dodson Nissan. The car had both the Datsun and Nissan names on it because it was the year they switched, which was 1984. And he proudly told me that story over and over when he was telling me about the cardinal, along with the story of how he bought it for a friend for $50. It had removable t top windows was very red, and it was incredible. My dad is so cool, and I think he really wanted that to be my first car. But he was up for a challenge because I'm left handed. And I both didn't know how to drive manual and didn't know how to drive in general. Compare that with the 350 Z. Not having airbags and, well, my mom was probably right that that was a recipe for disaster. My dad has always been there for me. He's one of the smartest people I know, and he's always challenged me to be better. But most recently, I've needed my dad so much more. And this is actually the purpose of this segment. My dad has helped me so much since I've been divorced and I moved in by myself. I call him three times a week to ask him to help me with something, everything. And he always finds time to give me advice and explain things to me and then call me later and ask, uh, to make sure everything is okay. He's helped me out of a terrible lease with a predatory landlord. He told me to hire a lawyer and not trust my ex husband. Very good advice. He cheered for me when I took apart my entire garbage disposal to prove to my new landlord that it wasn't working. And he helped me get a new chain lock when my male neighbors were being creepy. And then he explained to me how to install it to make sure it worked. Okay, Tim. Dad, I love you. You're the best dad ever.
I called my dad and asked him three very dad questions
Today, for this segment, I called my dad and I asked him three very dad questions. They how do I magnetize my drill bit? Is there a way to find studs without using a stud finder? And how do plastic drywall anchors work? I called him and I asked him those three questions and he answered me and even gave me a little additional dad advice. Thanks, dad. I love you. So without further ado, here is dad advice, part one.
Steven and I were joking about how you invented the skateboard
Hi, dad. How are you? Good.
Speaker A: How about she?
Catherine: Happy Father's Day, dad.
Speaker A: Oh, thank you.
Catherine: Sure.
Speaker A: Watching the golf tournament all day. Came out at twelve and didn't go off till seven.
Catherine: So I was thinking about you and Father's Day, and I was thinking about like, my best memories with you. And the first one I wanted to ask you was, Steven and I were joking how you invented the skateboard.
Speaker A: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, when I say invented, Andy and I took a pair of skates, render steel skates, you know.
Catherine: Uh uh-huh huh.
Speaker A: Took a hacksaw and cut one of them in half and down it to the bottom of a oblong board and it worked. But then we went out to the roller rig. I mean, roller rigs were popular back then. And I think we bought a whole pair of used skates you like, put your foot in like a shoe skate.
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Speaker A: And we took those and took those wheels and axles off and, uh, improved it with those.
Catherine: You improved it. So there was a prototype, number two.
Speaker A: And then we went on and ordered some new wheels because they had wooden wheels on them. Uh-huh and you know, you go down the street of the sidewalk and how they were half the size they were when you left, you know, just warped out so quick. So we ordered some fiberglass wheels and put them on there.
Catherine: Uh uh-huh huh.
Speaker A: So, uh, you know, we took it to that limit, busted our butt so many times we figured we better stay off of them. But anyway, that's the story behind it.
Catherine: I love it. I believed that you truly invented it until I was like 20.
Speaker A: Well, that's my version of the story. By golly, I'm not, I'm not changing it either.
Catherine: Well, there you were. Dedicated enough. You made another one. I love that.
Speaker A: If I get people to believe it.
Catherine: Hey, I would go to school for, like, school show until day and tell people that my dad invented the skateboard.
Speaker A: Well, you tell the truth as far as you do.
Catherine: Exactly.
Speaker A: I'm telling the truth as far as I do. I don't know anybody else.
Catherine: I don't know anyone else who's invented the skateboard, honestly. So I think it was you.
Speaker A: My hair is nice and fancy. Look at that.
Catherine: It looks really good, dad.
Speaker A: Relaxed.
Catherine: Very relaxed. Yes, very, uh, dad chic.
Speaker A: How's everything going with you?
Catherine: Oh, it's going good. So I sent you the picture of my desk that I made for myself today.
Speaker A: Yes, I saw that.
Catherine: And actually, I had more dad questions for you. Because of my drill, the screws won't stay on it. It's not magnetized. And it was so annoying. And I was wondering if there was a way that I could magnetize my drill and if you knew anything, because it was just really annoying.
Speaker A: Well, you can buy bits that are magnetized. You don't need to do that. I mean, you could keep the screw on the head until you got ready to where you wanted to put it.
Catherine: Yeah, my motor skills aren't that great.
Speaker A: I got a great solution for you. Simple, too.
Catherine: Okay.
Speaker A: This is revolutionary.
Catherine: Okay?
Speaker A: Just hold the screw with your fingers and just where you want it, and put the drill on there.
Catherine: Okay? Okay.
Speaker A: So don't just pretend like the drill is a manual screwdriver. How would you do that? You'd hold the screw where you want it. Put the screwdriver on that turn. Well, this puts a screw where you want it. Put your drill there, send it over to you. It doesn't have to stick on there.
Catherine: Okay, thank you. You know, the hardest part is, like, realizing that I have to put pressure on it when I'm pushing it in. You know, I want it to just go by itself, and it won't.
Speaker A: I'm surprised Hercules did turkey onto that trick.
Catherine: Yeah, he really wanted to help me when I was measuring. He loved the measuring tape.
Is there another way to find studs without using a stud finder
Okay, so the other thing I wanted to ask you was if it's possible to find studs without using a stud finder. I searched for mine for, like, 30 minutes today before I found it. Is there another way to find studs?
Speaker A: Yes, there is. Tap on your wall, and where there is no stud, it'll be like a hollow sound don't have to tap it hard. Just kind of tap it.
Catherine: Just. Okay.
Speaker A: Just kind of go across with your knuckles, and you'll hear that pitch get less and less hollow. And then when you hit a stud, it won't sound hollow, it sound firm. But if you keep going, tell that you're going away from the stud, so it starts sounding hollow again.
Catherine: Okay, thank you. I tried to knock, but then I was like, I have no idea what I'm doing.
Speaker A: It's real simple. You can do it. Studs are 16 inches apart, so that'll give you a few.
Catherine: Thank you, dad. I should have called you earlier.
Speaker A: You're fine. You'll hear the tone. Unless there's plaster walls, which I don't think it is.
My brackets came with a bunch of anchors, and I always ignore them
Catherine: Okay. So the other dad, um, thing I wanted to ask.
Speaker A: Well, this is father's day, so I'm.
Catherine: Getting all the father's advice that I can get. My brackets came with a bunch of anchors, and I always ignore them, but I was hoping you could tell me what they do.
Speaker A: Are they like little plastic sleeves that have ridges on them?
Catherine: Okay.
Speaker A: If you do not find the stud, drill your hole and put that sleeve in there.
Catherine: Do I drill it into the hole with the screwdriver?
Speaker A: No, drill your hole and then put your sleeve in there. Maybe just tap it in so it goes in and it's kind of flush on the wall.
Catherine: Okay.
Speaker A: And they're designed so when you put your screw in there, the back of it flares out and it holds it in there, won't come out.
Catherine: Okay.
Speaker A: So that holds the screw in place with its like a real thin. If you have a stud, you don't need to do that.
Catherine: Okay.
Speaker A: These are just. If you cannot find a stud, the sheet rocks real thin and it's not going to hold and the screws gonna come out.
Catherine: Uh-huh.
Speaker A: Use that sleeve. And, you know, once you put the sleeve in there, put your bracket or whatever, screw it in through the wall and the back end of that thing spreading out so it won't come out. That's why it's got those ridges on it.
Catherine: The only time I ever tried to use one, I tried to use it in
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Catherine: a stud because I thought I was being extra anchoring.
Speaker A: Well, that already hold it. But that's a lot of work, and you really don't need that.
Catherine: I didn't pre drill it either.
Speaker A: Yeah. If you can find a stud, put the screw right into it. That'll hold it a lot firmer or as firm as if you put the sleeve in there. But I noticed it looked like you were putting it under your tv set.
Catherine: Yes, that's my second monitor. It's not aligned perfectly because my two studs are, ah, one inch off. So I should have called you before this.
Speaker A: Well, you know, I would go to the trouble to move it. How far off is it?
Catherine: An inch.
Speaker A: Well, when you put your top on there, just slide it over so it looks like it's in the building.
Catherine: Perfect.
Speaker A: That would pass government work. Okay, well, it shouldn't go anywhere.
Catherine: Yes, it's been on the wall ever since. Um, sorry. To my landlord. I'll just spackle over it when I leave. Yeah, yeah, that's fine.
Speaker A: Another little trick of the tray too. If you don't have any spackling, buy a whole thing of spackling or caulking or whatever. Get a tube of toothpaste.
Catherine: Really? Yeah.
Speaker A: It's gotta be clear. It can't be like, uh, striped or color's gotta be white or have glitter in it. Put that in there. That'll harden up and it's just as good as spackling or caulking or anything else.
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