We have 100ish planks that need holes drilled in a particular pattern. They made this complex jig where you clamp boards to one end and then there's a little block and dowel you move to position the drill on each of the 10 holes as you move down the 8' plank.

I asked why they don't make a stencil/template they just lay on top of each board. They stared blankly for a minute and went "We've been doing this for 3 years, why didn't we think of that?"

ENGINEERS.

They're brilliant and I love them, but they didn't grow up doing arts and crafts as kids and it really shows

I also revolutionized their "cut 80 wires of the same length" process because I knew how to make pompoms as a kid

TADA

And that's why diversity in the workplace is important, thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

I can't XD I'm glad you're there to bring in the skillsets we had when we were five??

tho to be fair to your coworkers & prove your point, I just checked with my wives & they think they would've gotten the stencil part but not the wire-wrapping/pompom tactic

This is my forever-argument for workplace diversity. People (myself included) get the dumbest tunnel vision about how to do certain things, especially if they've been doing it routinely for a while

Also, TIL how to make a yarn pompom haha. Nice work, that's a pretty brilliant wire hack!

Yeah, the pompom thing is a pretty niche trick that I don't expect people to come up with on their own, but the stencil part. I can't even. I love them but the tunnel vision is so real.

Yeah, the stencil part. I got to "100ish planks that need holes drilled" and was already assuming there was a stencil. I'm glad you love the team and are already showing your value there, though.

Yes! I keep doing that anxiety depression thing where I'm like "this is going too well, it's suspicious, what's about to go terribly wrong" but like. Nah.

And there's office dogs some days! Look at this perfect baby!

His name is Shadow and he belongs to the CEO and he "guards" us watching the doors because he is a very good boy.

Oh that is a GREAT office pup!! Please give him head rubs for me. I hope the suspicion wears off and the "going well" bit continues!

pompoms specifically, sure, but people who do any kind of sewing or fiberwork? I mean. if you have to cut a lot of stringy things of the same length, it's the same intuitive skill family as coiling cable or rope using your hand-forearm-elbow as a spool

I would think anyway. which also brings in tech crews & ranch people among I'm sure other demographics