Joe Kueser’s Blog Another Geek Finding His Place on the Web

All I Need Is A Hammer!

I remember a bit some comedian did a number years ago about a woman using a screwdriver to put in a nail to hang a picture frame. He went on for 5 or 10 minutes about using the right tool for the job, and convincing her to use a hammer. For some reason I woke up this morning thinking about that bit. It didn't take me long, though, to figure out how closely this fits into some of my resent frustrations. Then I got to thinking...

Doing commercial consulting, you're given a really huge toolbox...and a Sears credit card. See a new and shiny tool that's perfect for the job you're trying to accomplish? Super! Go out to Sears and buy one! (But not everyone needs a cherry stoner.)

Doing DoD consulting is a bit different. Our toolbox is roughly the size of a shoe box, and consists of a hammer, a few screw drivers, a couple of Vice Grips, and if you're real lucky, some spackle. Every once in a while we get the opportunity to buy a new tool, but we don't have a Sears credit card, we have a WalMart gift card that is usually delivered at about this time of year. What do we usually buy? Stickers to put on our hammer.

Is it possible we are to comfortable with that hammer? It feels so good in our hands. It is such a versatile tool. Not only can I hammer nails like the tool was designed to do, but if I'm real creative, I can screw in a screw...or hammer in a screw, or pound the crap out of the square peg until it fits into the round hole.

People love their hammers. Just try to take one away and see what happens. They'll kick and scream and tell you, "All I need is a hammer!"

Ok, I'll admit that the hammer is a very versatile tool, and you really can accomplish almost any job with that hammer. But when you start to try to paint a fence with that hammer, it's time to pull out that WalMart gift card and buy yourself a power sprayer.