Had someone contact me because a browser interface was ‘down’ and it was actually a cert issue. It surprised me that in an IT context, this person didn’t have a basic understanding of SSL certs. They didn’t even know how to add a cert exception.
It got me thinking, what basic ubiquitous things am I a dumbass about outside of IT?
Ive seen lots of ‘fun facts’ compilations, but it would be better to get a wide range of subject suggestions that I can spend 30 minutes each or less on, and become a more capable human.
Like what subjects would plumbers consider basic knowledge? Chemical interactions between cleaning products and PVC pipes?
What would an accountant or a landscaper consider to be so basic its shocking people can live their lives without knowing any of it?
For most areas of expertise, its difficult to know even what the basics are to start with.
Basic knife skills is something I’m often almost shocked by. I had a housemate last year who’d bought herself a decent Sabatier chef’s knife (like this) but the way she cut veg, she may as well have been using a sharpened bit of moss. All the gear and no idea. Thankfully she forgot to take it with her or something when she moved out so it’s my knife now.
“or something”… You hid it didn’t you lol
I’m a person you will be horrified by because I gave up on sharp knives, switched to serrated for everything, and NO REGRETS.
I respect it actually!
I would also add knowing how to sharpen a knife on a stone and never using the knife-blunteners that come prebuilt into knife blocks these days.
What can I do or watch to improve my knife skills? I’m aware of how woefully incompetent I am when it takes me like 2 minutes to dice an onion the way Ramsay does in 10 seconds lol
For onions specifically:
Sharpen your knife and make French onion soup.
You’ll cut so many that you’ll figure it out.
For everything else: pinch grip and crab your other hand. The pinch grip is where you rely on a pinch between thumb and forefinger on the blade just in front of the handle to grab the knife. It’s the choke up of holding a knife and will make you much safer and give more control. Crabbing your other hand is where you curl your fingers up like ginger roots instead of letting them extend out like little baby carrots. It will keep you from being hurt when something goes wrong and allow you to go much faster because you’re not having to slow down to avoid cutting yourself.
I don’t usually read the names of posters, but getting food and cooking advice from “bloodfart” is rimjobsteve tier.
Happy to help, citizen!
Keep your knife sharp, remember that you cut by running the blade along something rather than pressing into it, and keep your fingers out the way by doing the claw with the other hand and keeping your grip firm. Then just practise!