I need one of those helpful RNs when I’m working on a project. Two if I’m drinking and working.
Missing Tools & Other Stuff
- Thread starter oldflame
- Start date
While working on our house, I kept misplacing my hammer and tape measure. So I finally splurged and bought leather holsters for my belt for both of those items. Worked great if I just put those two tools back as soon as I used them—like a gunslinger who has just dropped his victim. That way, I always had on me two things I often needed, especially on ladders or while crawling around. And my hands were free.
But when my wife saw me one day she started laughing. “Have you ever seen any professional carpenters wear those? Why can’t you just remember where you put your tools?” she asked me. Man!
But when my wife saw me one day she started laughing. “Have you ever seen any professional carpenters wear those? Why can’t you just remember where you put your tools?” she asked me. Man!
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I have always been that guy who can tell someone where to place their hand and what tool will be there. Did paint my tools with three orange dots.
Like one of my Grandfathers said, "you never truly know a someone until they borrow a tool .... or money"!
Yet as aged it does seem more and more this placement memory is slipping. Just spent a couple of weeks thing I left a pair of shooting safety glasses and ear protection at the range. Beating myself up for a rookie mistake only to now feel different. Found them today on my electronic bench right where I left them in a plastic bag. So do I feel bad for thinking I left them or forgot where I put them? No just glad I found them.
Like one of my Grandfathers said, "you never truly know a someone until they borrow a tool .... or money"!
Yet as aged it does seem more and more this placement memory is slipping. Just spent a couple of weeks thing I left a pair of shooting safety glasses and ear protection at the range. Beating myself up for a rookie mistake only to now feel different. Found them today on my electronic bench right where I left them in a plastic bag. So do I feel bad for thinking I left them or forgot where I put them? No just glad I found them.
whoaru99
Epic Member
When I was a Jet Mech in the USAF, every tool from every crew on that shift had to be accounted for before anybody went home. Only a couple times did we have to stay late, and no tool ever went completely missing. All were eventually found.
Or missing screws ......
Ah yes, My Multi-UniVerse theory in practice.
Whenever you are missing a part or tool, Your Doppelganger in another Universe has found it.
Usually after a trip through several universes it shows back up and your Doppelganger is now looking for it!
Can take apart an item for repair and lay all the screws and parts on the bench less than an arms length away.
I don't get up but during reassembly one screw is missing, I scour the bench, Floor with a strong flashlight and usually give up after a time.
An hour later I sit down at my bench and the screw is laying right in the middle of it?????
Whenever you are missing a part or tool, Your Doppelganger in another Universe has found it.
Usually after a trip through several universes it shows back up and your Doppelganger is now looking for it!
Can take apart an item for repair and lay all the screws and parts on the bench less than an arms length away.
I don't get up but during reassembly one screw is missing, I scour the bench, Floor with a strong flashlight and usually give up after a time.
An hour later I sit down at my bench and the screw is laying right in the middle of it?????
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whoaru99
Epic Member
Had the ability of going into Avionics when working for a Major Carrier. Passed on it didn't want the stress and worries. Knew well FOD watch!
Liked what I was doing on the flightline and bagroom. That was fun and got paid very well.
I was expecting the next line to be "and now I can't find the belt or the tools".
Since I share my garage with my sons from time to time, I have a simple rule. Don't put it down, put it back. I know full well that my memory isn't as quick as it was, it's not a forgetful problem, it's a distraction problem, and it's complicated by multitasking. So I took a proactive approach to this problem. I have a medium sized low profile tray, and as I accumulate tools that I use near the project I'm working on I place the tools in the tray. I consciously do not put tools down knowing I'll remember it because I'll need it shortly, I take the time to put it in the tray next to my project. If you need a tool for a one time use, put it back directly after you use it. Small screws .... I bought a few different sized pill organizers. As I remove a screw, I'll place it in the pill organizers.
Garry~
Garry~
I used a roll cart when turning wrenches for a living. Working flat rate makes cleaning up an end of day task. So I drug the cart around putting tools I'd used in the cart for later use or cleaning up. left it with another guy when I retired...well actually laid off but I never went back to work.
Don’t just assume it’s old-age forgetfulness or dementia. Years ago, I was listening to a podcast about ghosts—not great. But one episode focused on a particular family and their house and extended family and friends.
They were supposedly haunted(?) by something that regularly moved small things around their house. It was especially interested in change—particularly dimes, IIRC—and would drop them on the floor in another room or place them in all kinds of odd locations. They’d regularly find these dimes in their pockets. (They weren’t even sure where the dimes were coming from.) Seems that if you visited this family, sometimes these problems/ghosts/dimes would follow you home.
Or maybe it was just a family of kleptomaniacs and pranksters.
They were supposedly haunted(?) by something that regularly moved small things around their house. It was especially interested in change—particularly dimes, IIRC—and would drop them on the floor in another room or place them in all kinds of odd locations. They’d regularly find these dimes in their pockets. (They weren’t even sure where the dimes were coming from.) Seems that if you visited this family, sometimes these problems/ghosts/dimes would follow you home.
Or maybe it was just a family of kleptomaniacs and pranksters.
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Problem I had with carts in my garage, was that all to often I'd work myself into a tight squeeze working on the truck, and it was difficult to back out, and work my way back in, just because I needed a 9/16 socket. (truth humor). That said, carts are a must have at work, when I need one that's for sure.
Garry~
Did you ever see the Twilight Zone episode, "Little Girl Lost?"
The sequel: "Little Stanley Philips Head Screwdriver Lost."
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dly66
Addicted Member
Join the club. Additional problem is my cat. As she got older (probably around 19 months old now) Binky can make off with things or put on the floor then under/behind something. Pictured in my avatar laying on top of my receiver in the workroom. She will get up on the wire shelving and grab bags of electronic components out of their respective bins and fling them to the floor. Tonight it was two bags of green LEDs.
Might be interesting to know, but Miller's Law states 7 plus or minus 2. What's important is that as you get older and seemingly more forgetful, it doesn't always mean your suffering from some form of age related forgetfulness. Miller's Law suggests that the average human being's short term memory on average can only hold 7 items at one time. The plus or minus 2 is dependent on grouping .... such as if you have to remember 2-4-6 and 8 and you group it into 2468. This is what I was referring to earlier in my post. So lets us just say this rule is fact, as your short term memory remembers 7 items, at any given point you do something, and that replaces one of those 7 items in your short term memory, thus my reference to distraction.
This is why writing things down is a necessary exorcise as well as organizing our practices such at don't put it down, put it away helps us. No matter how good the practice works, there is always Murphy's which has it's own set of law's, such as finding your lost glass's on top of your head, or looking for the pen you need to wright down the stuff you want to remember.
Garry~
This is why writing things down is a necessary exorcise as well as organizing our practices such at don't put it down, put it away helps us. No matter how good the practice works, there is always Murphy's which has it's own set of law's, such as finding your lost glass's on top of your head, or looking for the pen you need to wright down the stuff you want to remember.
Garry~
I've been using Spiceman50's suggestions more as time marches on. I'm usually good at compensating for my increasingly volatile memory (who pulled the plug?). The many years in this dwelling have seen a number of larger items disappear forever.
Because the other tools I used made it back to the work shop and my tool pouch was only a few feet away makes me nervous that they joined those other items in the ether.
Because the other tools I used made it back to the work shop and my tool pouch was only a few feet away makes me nervous that they joined those other items in the ether.