So this weekend we decided to take on a few projects at the house. One of them is to fix my room now that my niece is also living in it.
My room isn't very big and having two females share it has made it feel like living in a box, so I knew we needed ways to create more space. The "bookshelf" in my room was actually a bar my mom's uncle had made that my grandma didn't want us to get rid of ... but the thing was huge so I knew getting a thinner but taller bookcase would help. We also needed something to put my niece's clothes in (the ones that don't fit in the closet have been in a giant duffle bag for 2 months). So off my mom and I went to Target.
We initially went just for a small storage bin or something for the clothes but found a good size bookshelf and a clothes cabinet ... and they were on sale. The bookshelf I wanted from Ikea was $60 ... for the booksheld and the cabinet it was $58. I love you Target.
The only problem was ... both required assembly. So with my dad doing his garage project, my brother cleaning out his room and my other brother still asleep after working until 6 am, I decided to put together the bookcase myself.
My niece was proud of me because I always say there are three things I don't do because guys can do them: take out the trash (except at work), kill bugs and build/move furniture. She says it's "anti-feminist" of me ... I say trash smells, bugs creep me out and I'd really rather not do heavy lifting. I don't think it is an "anti-feminist" sentiment or that I'm personally sending women back hundreds of years - I have 3 brothers and a dad who have always done those things; and, to be honest, I don't like them. If they will do it, I say let them.
Anyways, after taking about an hour to get half the bookcase finished I called my friend Ben. He's a good friend (also dating my best friend) who I know is good at the "handy work" stuff, and I realized that building both the bookcase and the cabinet was going to ruin my entire Saturday. My niece laughed when Ben came over on his lunch to help out.
I was pretty much finished with the bookcase but I had piece on upside down so Ben quickly fixed it and started on the cabinet while I nailed in the back of the bookcase. In about 30 minutes he was about 60% done when he found a broken piece on the door and couldn't finish. My mom took the cabinet back and got a new one. Ben went out with Kristin, I went to Chili's and had cocktails with my sister ... at least the bookshelf got done. I'd cut myself, cursed a little and was tired but I defeated the bookcase.
Ben said he'd probably come over and make the cabinet after church ... well I had the kids in the nursery this week so I wouldn't have seen him and he ended up at work. After I got home I sent him a text but got no response, so I figured if I could put together a bookshelf I could put together a cabinet. It couldn't be any harder than the bookcase.
I started before I had to leave for softball practice and by the time I left (about an hour and 15 minutes later) ... I'd put in 4 screws. This was not easy.
The bookcase had all the parts labeled and all the screws and stuff separated and labeled ... the cabinet did not. All the screws, nails, and hinge things were in one bag, the directions were harder to follow, I had to make my own holes for the magnetic hinges, none of the shelves were labeled and I don't have any power tools. I don't know how Ben had moved so quickly with just a hammer and a screw driver but I was struggling.
I got home from practice around 5 determined to slay the cabinet monster. 2 hours later Ben sent me a text telling me his phone had died and he'd heard from Kristin about my struggle (she plays on the softball team too) and offered to help. For once, I declined. Even though I was sore from practice, my back was starting to hurt and I had made one of those hinge holes on the wrong side of the door, I was close to being finished. I'm competitive ... shotty work or not I wanted to be able to say I did this myself ... I did't even mind admitting that I put a hole in the wrong side of the door.
Another hour later I hammered the last nail and made my niece carry her new cabinet into our room. My niece laughed at the length of time it took me and at the number of times I hammered myself instead of the nails but she also said I should feel proud and asked if I was empowered by my accomplishment.
I rolled my eyes. My bad shoulder was killing me, my back hurt, I was tired, I wanted to smash my new creation for the tedious job of making my own holes in the doors, I was pretty sure I had bruised a finger and it took me 4 hours and 20 minutes to do a job Ben could've done in an hour ... I was not empowered by my accomplishment; I was tired and sore from it. I told her it was good but next time I was going to call a guy; she rolled her eyes.
I mostly said it to mess with her, but I probably meant it. Making a cabinet and a bookcase in a weekend by myself was nice. I did feel good about doing something myself and overcoming a struggle with something new, but now that I've had the experience ... well, I'm over it.
I know I can build something on my own, I will treasure that knowledge and feel good that I don't need to call someone to do it for me ... still, if a guy is available to build a cabinet or a bookcase faster (and probably better, honestly) I'm going to let him.
I don't know if that's empowerment or not, but it is what it is.
'Nuff said,
Crysania
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