Instruction Manuals Help To Save American Landfills

Since I have been on a blog hiatus for the past few years, I thought I'd repost some of my blogs from other places while I get my thoughts together for a recommitment to blogging...

(Written February 7, 2007)

Instruction manuals and I don't mix well. Who has time to figure out those hieroglyphics or read the greek ? Manuals are simply a reference tool in case I cannot figure something out on my own. Besides, most things can be "Googled." Unless of course, you are in the process of trying to construct your computer. Then there is a problem... although...I did pretty well putting my computer together without an manual. Don't you just love when something fits together perfectly and works ERROR-free the first time!
I would much rather figure out how to work something on my own than read the manual, but then I've noticed that I chastise my husband for not reading the instruction manuals when he tries to construct things. Guess I think he's not as smart as me! If he doesn't read the manual(can't figure out the manual) then whatever project he works on is tossed to the side. Case in point: A basketball goal purchased at Walmart for about $150 lay opened and exposed to the elements for a year on my porch because the instructions were just too hard. One year. 365 days. On the porch that was the main entrance to my house. He promised to get the neighbor to help him put it together for our girls, but those promises faded into thin air. The basketball goal was sent to the dump last year with only a few rust marks from the scattered pieces left on my concrete porch to remind me of our lovely display. On a side note...a huge roll of insulation sat on the other porch(facing the road) since Hurricane Katrina hit. Yep. It's 2008. We finally gave it away this year. People would ask me where I lived and when I would explain to them my area, they would say, "Oh, is your house the one with the insulation on the porch?" Yep...you can do that in the south. I am just not sure at what point they consider you "white trash, " a couple of full porches or an entirely trashed out yard? We haven't gotten that far yet so maybe I'm safe!