Prepare to MacGyver Yourself

“Any problem can be solved with a little ingenuity.” -MacGyver

Most of us know who MacGyver is. Even if you were born long after Richard Dean Anderson was doing his secret agent thing on air, years before the creation of Colonel Jack O'Neill, chances are good you still know what it meas to be a MacGyver. If for no other reason, you know him because of Patty and Selma from Simpsons.


In short, for those of you who do not know who he was, MacGyver was a fictional United States secret agent that was known for his resourcefulness. He could get himself out of the most difficult situations using only what was available to him. Now, granted the situations were a little outrageous but the message remains the same: where there is a will, there is a way. 

 Sadly, I feel this is a message that is rapidly going extinct within our society. Resourcefulness is a quality quickly being beat down by a vicious monster called laziness. Even something as simple as finding a phone number has become an “I don't have it, I give up.” scenario rather than turning to a phone book, 411 online, or asking a friend.

 I must admit, this is a pet peeve of mine. People giving up on finding answers, on finding solutions, when there are so many resources at their disposal. Need to do something on the internet? Libraries offer free access to the internet. Cell phone died and you need to make a call? Ask someone to use their phone or look for a payphone. Need to find a phone number, look it up or ask someone who might know. Need to get somewhere and don't have a ride? Public transportation. Need help figuring out public bus schedules, look online, ask a friend, or find the phone number for the bus terminal in the phone book. 

 The solutions are all around you and in the next couple posts, I am going to try to make them easier to see.

 So, if you're not a person who is naturally resourceful, how do you go about finding solutions? Simply put; prepare, analyze, execute.

 On to the first portion of the series: Preparation. 
“It is better to have and not need than to need and not have.” - Franz Kafka

Life happens, be prepared. Every day is a series of obstacles, a series of challenges waiting to be met, so how do you prepare for the known as well as the unknown? Think ahead. 

Take a moment to think of a camping trip. Write a quick mental list of what you would pack.

 Did you think to pack for the obvious as well as the 'in case'?

 You wouldn't go on a camping trip without your tent and sleeping bag would you? No. You pack those for what is known. As for the unknown, one might pack a first aid kid, a Swiss army knife, a roll of duct tape, some rope and a tarp. Just in case. 

 What about going to a formal event such as a wedding? You know you are going to need a suit/dress and shoes but if you're a Maid of Honour, you really should also consider packing some extra bobby pins, safety pins, and a small sewing kit, maybe even some Tide to Go. If you're a Best Man, maybe you should consider packing some extra antiperspirant and an extra tie for the groom or again, some easy use stain remover. You never know when these small things may be needed.

 But how do you know how to pack for the unknown if it's.. well... unknown? Murphy's law. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Now, this may not necessarily be true, the day may very well go off without a hitch but what is the harm in being prepared? Think of what could go wrong, and pack a few possible solutions. 

 It's like the umbrella rule. If you pack your umbrella, you won't need it but that one time you forget it... mother nature is going to decide you need to take a shower.

 Packing for the unknown doesn't even necessarily have to be for negative emergency situations. Remember when you were little and your mother used to remind you to pack your bathing suit just in case the pool was open at your aunt an uncles that day? That was preparing for the unknown. You didn't know if you were going to go swimming or not but it was good to have your swimsuit just in case. 

 What about bar night? You bring cash right? Do you think to bring your debit in case you run out? Do you think to bring your health card in case the bouncer needs a second piece of photo I.D. or in case something bad happens and you get hurt? 

 How many think to keep a few extra bobby pins or an elastic in their wallet? Maybe a safety pin in case their clothes suddenly rip? What about MacGyvers famous paperclip for those tiny reset button needs?

 I once went out and a girl I knew was getting annoyed with her dress falling in the back and exposing the back of her bra, a spare bobby pin I had laying around in my wallet was an easy quick fix. 

 When I was camping with friends and someone accidentally cut their hand open, the small first aid kit I always carry during outdoor excursions certainly came in handy. The extra rope I pack was also handy when it came to hanging up clothes I had decided to wash by hand. 

 Can you think of situations where a little forethought kept you prepared when a situation arose? Feel free to share in the comments below or to email them to thebrastreerambler@gmail.com  

 Next week, analyzing and executing your way to being resourceful.

Cheers!

 The Bra Street Rambler

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