Women Can Do Mods Too!

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: Norcold Question.

LauraRey

I am always so empowered when I see women making mods.  No offence to the men, but I grew up in a time and place where women weren't encouraged to learn to use a multimeter or own tools. So when I see smart women making mods, I think that maybe I can do this too.  This is becoming my new mantra:  I am not scared.  I own tools and have access to the web!

irvingj

I'm so glad to see your comment; keep it up, LauraRey!! I grew up in the same time period and still dislike intensely the attitudes that prevailed then -- and that, to a certain extent, are unfortunately still around.

From 1990 to 2012, I taught a middle school elective class, "Model Aviation." The planes we built were for FLYING, not just to look at; it was considered a STEM curriculum class, and believe me, those 6th, 7th, & 8th graders got "the MATH" and "the SCIENCE" whether they wanted it or not. (I was a real bear in that regard....)

Over the years I had an increasing number of girls in my class, and guess what-- they generally did better than the boys! I love to see women get involved in technical stuff -- no reason at all not to!

A number of my students (yes, even the girls) went on to careers in engineering, and I see that as a good thing for that field -- I can't count the number of times I've tried to work on a machine and wanted to string up the engineer that designed it. Seems like the whole field could benefit from a female influence!

(Same with math, but that's another story....)

ontheroad

laura rey, my husband's grandpa was an immigrant from Hungary, and he told all his children, the first thing he learned was to read English, if you can read (and interpret) you can do anything... I personally can sew and use power tools...I wish when I went to high school I could have picked "shop" for a class - it wasn't offered to girl only home ec., you can do it...go forth and conquer!

Photomom

When I grew up in Tennessee in the 1960s, the newspaper classifieds had two headings "Jobs for Women" and "Jobs for Men." (We still had segregated schools and drinking fountains, but that's a different story...) Anyway, I had always liked doing things like taking old radios apart to see what was inside, building forts, etc. My favorite toy was an old cardboard refrigerator box that I imagined was a spaceship. I managed to talk my high school into letting me be the first and only girl to take wood shop and those skills still serve me today. We were dirt poor, no chance of college, so my escape was joining the Air Force. When I took the aptitude tests the recruiter told me not to bother taking the science and math test but I did and did well. Lo and behold, the AF had just opened up some "nontraditional" career fields to women (in the early 1970s the military was having trouble recruiting enough men, for some reason.) I was one of the first three women to train in electronics and computer maintenance. My family was very upset; my mother told me I should ask for a clerical field so I could get a "good job" when I left the service. As you can imagine, many of the men did not want me there and made life difficult. But I did well in training, did well in my field, and eventually was assigned to the AF's tech school as an instructor. I managed to parlay my experience into a job as a field engineer, all the while using my GI Bill to get my computer science degree.

I've had a very interesting life and career because I wasn't afraid to try things that others thought weren't "appropriate" and that is the moral of my story. Don't worry about what others think of your choices. You must make your own choice and do it.

ericnliz

Photomom, Thanks for sharing your story! I have two very head-strong daughters that give their three brothers a run for their money more times than not. Neither are afraid to try much of anything [the youngest is in to body building, and tough as nails! With 3 of my grandsons in tow to boot!] I have NEVER discouraged them from trying anything that was not life threatening in any way, and have watched them both flourish as a result! If at first, you don't succeed, ask more questions, do more research, and try again!

jkjenn

Shortly after buying my home, the garbage disposal died. It's death coincided with a visit from a college roommate. She is 5‘ tall, and probably weighed less than 100lbs. She said, "We can do this!" So, with the help of a Lowes how-to video and a couple calls to my brother (who works in construction) we replaced it! From there, I started other small projects around the house. I try to stay away from things that require cutting or anything to look nice, because I am not good at that. I can't even cut wrapping paper, straight. But, I'm not afraid to tackle a lot of other stuff.

Nomad

Good topic - Should probably get splt off to it's own thread ... "You can do it gals" or something. Cyclonic, Verna?

ericnliz

I agree PXL, ladies, you have the floor!

Photomom

PXLated said:

Good topic - Should probably get splt off to it's own thread ... "You can do it gals" or something. Cyclonic, Verna?

Yeah, maybe not "gals" though.

Smullis7

I have a similar story, Photomom, only I went Army.  I can remember being one of two women in PLDC (a leadership course) and being told by the guys that there was no way we'd make it thru.  I made...and was honor grad.  All but one guy changed their tune after that (one even told me he would not have made it if I hadn't motivated him).  I also decided on a career in IT, although I ended up on a management track instead of technical, and it's interesting that still today you have some 'older generation' individuals that start out pretty skeptical that I can do the job...until I do the job.  :-)

Fatman, I have a 2017 Outback and was told to run the aux fan at all times on propane, but I don't.  I follow the PXLated rules and run it when the internal fan kicks on in hot weather.  I have yet to blow up or melt a bread wrapper to the counter.  :-) 

Photomom

Smullis7 said:

I have a similar story, Photomom, only I went Army.

Just to show you that I do have a feminine side, I liked the AF's Chanel-inspired uniforms better.

ericnliz

Photomom, That one made me smile!

Smullis7

Ha!  I liked the female berets better too...and I knit.  Although most of the time, I do rescue photography when not camping with my own pups.  :-)

Cyclonic

PXLated said:

Good topic - Should probably get splt off to it's own thread ... "You can do it gals" or something. Cyclonic, Verna?

Always looking to make me do some work

"As you wish!"

Sharon_is_SAM

Cyclonic has a magic wand, too!

Nomad

Cyclonic ... Sorry - Since I've never done a split, figured it'd be fast work for you. I'll trade ya three pic resizings for one split :-)

Verna

Ahhh, the early 70's.....  AT&T was sued and "had" to open up all jobs to either sex. I wanted to be an outside telephone installer, not a clerk. There weren't any tests to pass, although they sent me out with another installer to make sure I knew what I was getting into.  I passed all of the classes and I became the 14th woman in the State of Indiana to become an "Installer Repairman".  After two years, there were 3 females left out of first 50 who attempted. After one year I became the first "Equipment Installer Repairman", installing business telephone systems. They did finally change the titles to be Systems Technician, although now it is Customer Services Tech and they don't install actual telephones...and I no longer have a landline. 

The road wasn't easy, the telephone poles were tall, cables were heavy, the telecommunications field changed so much, my job duties changed, my reporting locations changed, but I retired 6 years ago next month with 39 years 2 1/2 months of service.  It was a great career, although my knees would disagree...

If there was was one thing I discovered, don't tell me I can't do it. I may not take the same path you took, but we'll arrive at the same destination.  And to think they told me in high school that I couldn't take wood shop or drafting because "girls don't do that!".  

jkjenn

@Verna - I went to pole climbing school for strike prep one year. I am tall and had no difficulty, but many of the women were disqualified right off of the bat because they were to short to retrieve the ladder from the top of the van.

Verna

@jkjenn, I'm 5' 3.5" and I tippy toed to tip the ladder over the outside rail so I could reach it.  The 28' ladder took a toll on my right shoulder and I ended 22 yrs as an installer with a 24' ladder. As I said, I may not have taken the same path, but I was really good at figuring out a way to get it done. 

So, do you still work for them?

LauraRey

Oh my!  This certainly branched beyond my initial comment.  I should clarify.  I am a computer programmer and teach programming at a university.  I'm handy with power tools, but I've never attempted electrical work.  That's the part that I'm feeling determined to learn.  What an amazing group of people!

Verna

@LauraRey, we'll help you learn. There's lots of discussions about testing your 12V, testing fuses. Etc.

Woodworking is my hobby, and one of these days I'll finally build the foot powered scroll saw that I can take to AZ in the winter . Until then, I'll work on some carving this winter. (That will probably give me more incentive to build the scroll saw!)

gooselady

I wasn't allowed to take shop class in school.  It was either art or home ec.  How useless!  I still get frustrated at my unfamiliarity with power tools, and I have no understanding of electronics or mechanics.  I am much more comfortable with hand tools and live systems, meaning animal power.  However, much can be learned from the internet and the great people who contribute their time and thoughts to educate others.  Many thanks to the people on this forum who have helped and inspired me to make my own mods to my beloved T@B.

Cyclonic

PXLated said:

Cyclonic ... Sorry - Since I've never done a split, figured it'd be fast work for you. I'll trade ya three pic resizings for one split :-)

Ratkity

I love this thread! Thank you all for your service to our country, both civies and service folks. I am proud of my military family, but most proud of my Sgt-Major Aunt who joined the marines in 1953 and retired in 1981. While she wasn't the first female marine at the time, I was still proud how she could get the attention of anyone with that leadership-type poise and confidence. She passed-away in Sept 2011. I have a plethora of articles and recruitment photos of her (she was a "looker" ). 

This year, I got to ride the Harley at Rolling Thunder and wore her brass hat pin on my vest. 

I am in awe of ANYONE who can overcome their fears of doing something scary, and doing it anyway - I think that's called Courage and Bravery.

A good friend once told me "Fear knocked, Courage answered - and nothing was there" (many variations of this, but was how I heard it first).

Semper Fi!

Joe

Very impressive and inspiring stories Verna, LauraRey and Photomom.  Thanks for sharing.

dmerzbac

Joe said:

Very impressive and inspiring stories Verna, LauraRey and Photomom.  Thanks for sharing.

Totally agree with Joe. I love hearing your stories!  Dave

ericnliz

Ditto here as well Joe! Like I said earlier...Ladies, you have the floor. Keep doing things you do, and please don't be afraid to try the ones that either intimidate, or baffle you. You've got a really great support system here as well! MOD ON!

larrygon

Verna said:

Woodworking is my hobby, and one of these days I'll finally build the foot powered scroll saw that I can take to AZ in the winter . 

Here is a home made scroll saw powered by a battery drill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_1cs8Kp7t4

Verna

Thanks, @larrygon!  That guy is good!  I lik e his drill press, too.

LauraRey

Ok...I'm so DAFT sometimes.  Some of the mods I am pondering involve some delicate shaping.  I. own. a. scroll. saw.  DUH.