Heinlein's List (How do you stack up?)

POSTED BY: Koffee
UPDATED: Tuesday, July 8, 2003 05:15
VIEWED: 7480
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KENWOOD

Wednesday, July 2, 2003 9:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Koffee:
Taking a cue from Kenwwod’s post on the “Firefly and the Heinlein Connection” thread, I thought it would be fun for all of us to go through Heinlein’s list and see how we measure up to his expectations.

I was hopein' this would catch on. Here goes:

change a diaper = I have a little monster runnin' round the house to attest to this.
plan an invasion = Do it all the time in theory ( RPG's and war games, comp and board ).
butcher a hog = Done it, and with headlights for lighting no less.
conn a ship = Depends on what this means, I could command one but giving the actual actions to take like what sail to raise and such would be a big no.
design a building = Done this several times, just don't ask me to draw plans free hand.
write a sonnet = Not unless you like Vogon poetry.
balance accounts = Yes
build a wall = Sure but it might not look so pretty.
set a bone = Not so much so.
comfort the dying = Yes, at least it seemed to.
take orders = Too often.
give orders = Yes, but not often enough.
cooperate = If I have to.
act alone = No problem.
solve equations = Had some trouble with differential and matrix equations, otherwise sure.
analyze a new problem = I love this.
pitch manure = Been there, smelt it, done it.
program a computer = Since HS.
cook a tasty meal = As long as you don't mind a limited menue.
fight efficiently = In theory yes, in practice I wasn't too good with a sword ( too slow ).
die gallantly = I'd like to think so. Hopefully I won't find out for a while yet.

17 out of 21. Not too bad.

Addendum:

Change a tire = Done it.
Build a fire = Done it.
Sew a shirt = Made one from scratch ( former Midevilist ), but esteticly it's kinda poor.
Orienteer unfamiliar wilderness using a compass and topo map = Done it, but I'm probably a little rusty.
Navigate an unfamiliar city using a map. = This is fun.
Hotwire a car = With tools and alot of time, maybe.
Grow a salad from seeds = As long as you don't want crutons and dressing.

6 out of 7 ( It's an easier list. )

Later,

ME.

Don't look back, som'thin' might be gainin' on ya.
Who let the pigs play poker?
Evo Shander was right!

RUTHIE

Saturday, July 5, 2003 9:22 AM

A human being should be able to:

change a diaper = Four kid's of my own's worth, plus quite a few 'borrowed' ones

plan an invasion = Haven't needed to, but it can't be very different from planning a family holiday for a large family - maps, routes, equipment, supplies.....

butcher a hog = No practical experience, but I know the theory, and don't feel squeemish about trying. I've killed chickens - does that count?

conn a ship = I always assumed this meant spaceship, in Heinlein's context. So - depends if they've left the instruction manual. Enterprise is easy - just tell the computer. Firefly looks rather harder - lots of knobs and switches. Wet water ship? Nothing bigger than a canal barge - and 'conning' there is don't run into the banks...

design a building = Designed my 'perfect' house lots of times in my head - could probably draw it out if we ever had the funds to think about building it.

write a sonnet = Hmmm. Poetry, yes, but I find the sonnet form rather restrictive. I prefer rhythm and rhymes and wordplay. Could I write a ballard instead?

balance accounts = Easy-peasy. Just make sure that you spend less than you earn.

build a wall = No practical experience of anything more sturdy than a garden shed, but I'd give it a go.

set a bone = I'd try, but would prefer to leave that to my hubby, who does this as a job. Come to think of it, he'd be better at butchering the hog, too - anatomy can't be too different to human!

comfort the dying = I'd try, but again it's part of my hubby's job - he'd be better than me.

take orders = So long as they're good orders, and I recognise the authority of the person giving them. If not - stubborn heels dug in....

give orders = To balance the above - as long as I'm sure I have a better knowledge of the situation than the person I'm ordering, and can give competent, informed orders that can be justified by explanation at an appropriate time.

cooperate = My prefered way of working.

act alone = If necessary.

solve equations = Plug the numbers in and work out the answers, yes. Derive them in the first place, only with great difficulty.

analyze a new problem = Love doing that - sent me to be a research scientist!

pitch manure = I'd do my best. I have to confess a slight 'eugh' factor at the thought, probably caused by falling off a wall into a pile of wet manure when I was 5. I'd rather butcher the hog.

program a computer = I taught myself Spectrun basic. After that, it rather lost me...

cook a tasty meal = My speciality.

fight efficiently = Hmm. No experience at any form of physical combat, and probably wouldn't do very well at it. I'd be more likely to use talk and negotiaton to avoid the situation. However, if diplomacy failed, I'd do my best tooth and nail bit to protect my family.

die gallantly = This is probaby what the tooth and nail bit would lead to. So I hope I would do so.

Addendum:-

Change a tire = Was all set to do it last time, but then couldn't get those gorram machine-tightned nuts undone, so had to call the big, strong AA man. Grrrrr.

Build a fire = Skill learned in early childhood, ressurected a few yers ago when we had an open hearth and a chopped-down tree.

Sew a shirt = Could do, but I prefer knitting. Could I knit a jumper instead?

Orienteer unfamiliar wilderness using a compass and topo map = Errr - yes, but we did get rather lost...

Navigate an unfamiliar city using a map = yes, as long as I'm not trying to drive at the same time. No problem on foot.

Hotwire a car = Hmmm. I think I rather prefer not to have this skill - can't think of many honest uses for it...

Grow a salad from seeds = Grow it, yes. Stop the slugs eating it first, no.

And a few of my own skills:-

I could make you a wooly jumper, starting with a sheep. Could even dye it with vegetable dies. But the spinning would be a bit lumpy.

I could bake bread starting

KENWOOD

Monday, July 7, 2003 11:17 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Ruthie:

And a few of my own skills:-

I could make you a wooly jumper, starting with a sheep. Could even dye it with vegetable dies. But the spinning would be a bit lumpy.

I could bake bread starting with the corn - could even design a low-tech windmill to make the grinding easier.

I could make wine from just about any fruit or veg you have on hand, then go on to distill it to make moonshine, if that's what's wanted.

I could culture the yeast needed for the bread and booze from natural sources.

So do I get a place on the transport to the outer worlds, huh? Huh? I'd make a good colonist

/B]

Wolly jumper: Not a chance.
Bakeing Bread: I,ve done it from the flouer.
Wine & Shine: Can do but I prefer to ferment honey or sometimes maple syrup. Have some of each in the closet I need to decant off.
Cultureing yeast: Had to think on this. I could do it but but I don't know about the quality, most yeast used for this are from specific strains bread for millions of yeasty generations for specific qualities. I'd worry about the mother of vinegar getting in there too.

When we make that Firefly colony you got a spot.

Later,

ME.

Don't look back, som'thin' might be gainin' on ya.
Who let the pigs play poker?
Evo Shander was right!

PHILOMEL

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 2:02 AM

Well, um, now I just feel incompetent.

Is it so wrong to eat cereal for dinner??? Is it???

And really, battling traffic on the Gardiner is like planning an invasion ... if you really think about it ...

For everything else, I firmly believe that the Great and Noble Bell drops the Yellow Pages into my lobby twice a year for a reason ...

Phil., who has never read Heinlein, and now feels way too insecure to try.

SIRENKAIN

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 4:57 AM

I can say with complete honesty that I can do all of the above listed things. I will point out however there was no condition set to doing them well.

So I would not come over on Hog Slaughtering day unless you didn't mind a mess and an all day afair.

Morbid and creep-ifying I got no problem with.

SERGEANTX

Tuesday, July 8, 2003 5:15 AM

Has anyone bothered to point out that this list was proposed by a character who was two thousand+ years old? Not like most of us have that kind of time you know?

In fact that was kinda the point of the book.

SergeantX

"..and here's to all the dreamers, may our open hearts find rest." -- Nanci Griffith

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