Even in art, you're lowering your standards if you compare your work to others. The arts are something to which there is no standard as everybody looks at it differently and with their own perspective. True art comes from the artist's heart. Not somebody else's. All may not appreciate it, but should be respected as being your own. Even in my own profile I have a self-portrait of myself that I drew. Even though, I sketched it in about 30 seconds (counting the time it took to find paper and is far from flattering) because I got tired of my faceless box (almost 4 years ago), it's still my hand that drew it and I still leave it up here!

i'm sorry,
but this made me laugh like no other.
please explain yourself.

Ohhh hell nooooo if it quits working I try to fix it. If the product sucks I will never buy from them again. I'm one if it works while change it.

Hell I drive 40min away just to get my nails done. Why cause they do the best work have tried the ones that are within a mile of me don't like them so I would rather drive the distance and be happy with the results.

So it all depends on what you are talking about when lowering the benchmark.

You get what you expect if you expect nothing you will get nothing..

There are things that will vary on ones expectations.

that's my point. it used to be better to fix than replace. only now parts are so cheap, the cost of a new unit is sometimes lower than the cost of the replacement part and labor. as far as your nails go, you have set a benchmark and none of the places close to you meet that. people used to buy a new car or a new television set and pass those on to their children. now you buy a car and it might last until the warranty is out. buy a television and six months later it's technology is out dated

I refuse to lower my standards.maybe thats why im still single.iwill waitill i find an honest sincere intlgnt compasionate faithfull partner.

Do the benchmarks on my rear count?

It is good to have benchmarks and standards. People ARE judged. We all do it and we all are judged in turn. Some people just suck. Some suck less. Some don't suck at all.

I value my personal benchmarks and standards. I feel as though my father taught me very well.

In art (drawing/painting/music/dance/etc), I meant that comparing yourself as a determination of how good you are (or aren't) is lowering yourself because there is no right or wrong. I'm not saying that you can't appreciate other's and help expand YOUR OWN. But, judging your own worth by their thoughts is apples and oranges. Unless of course you want to copy them. In that case, you've already lost your bar.

That's the way I am,why limit when there are so many interesting things to do? You can be great at several things if you love to "tinker."

EXACTLY what I was talking about earlier about how I run my business. Over the years I've had many regular customers (and their friends and family) coming from a 50+ mile radius in all directions.

I DO think that WAY TOO MUCH of society has lowered their standards to the ground when expecting quality products/service. Now in the day of Wal-Mart, Dollar Stores and Chinese/et al CRAP..... soooooo many people have accepted that as the norm. WHY it became that way is a WHOLE different topic, but those 'junk' standards should not be! Up till 40 years ago (give or take) the U.S. WAS putting out quality products like General Motors and Craftsman. Yep, VERY fair chance that your Cadillac Escalade is made in Mexico, your Pontiac Montana is made in Brazil or your Chevy TrailBlazer in Venezuela. Ummmmm..... Find me one that was 100% made here in the last 20 years and isn't stamped with Toyota, or Honda, or Mitsubishi, or? For those who bought a Pontiac Vibe because it was American made. Guess what. Look closely and you literally see "Toyota" stamped ALL over it (although, ASSEMBLED in California). Wanna know why? It's cheaper to ship parts from Japan to CA than to PONTIAC, Michigan! Oh yeah, skip the vehicle tariffs along the way (more profit for them on top of the cheaper labor).... Craftsman tools.......Sure, they were never Snap-On, but fine for the average DIY'r and affordable. I'll admit, I still have some floating around (mostly ones that I got fresh out of high school and all I could afford at the time), but only as back-ups now cause they suck (but refuse to exchange them cause the 'NEW' ones SUCK). I have some that I got used over the years going back as far as the 30's. I've lined them up according to age in comparison for quality before (other than just KNOWING my tools). There is NO comparison! A U.S. company now (barely) riding the coat tails of it's ONCE deserved name. Sure, I was born, raised and will die in Pittsburgh (THE Steel City....at one time) and do my best to buy American, but even MOST foreign products have fallen over the years. Pioneer electronics (how many thought they were American?). At one time, put out a decent product. Then the 70's came and they started riding on their name. Zenith. Now Korean.... WAS based in Illinois till the 90's. Go ahead, compare the before and after. I dare ya...

Now, why has almost everything turn to plastic or veneer covered disposable JUNK that will never last to be handed down over the generations??????????

I LIVE for tinkering! If I didn't, I likely wouldn't be where I am today. A LARGE part of it is how I was brought up. One Grandfather working in the mill after serving his time in the Navy (Grandmother raising 3 kids and died soon after I was born). Not much money going around then. Other Grandfather worked in the mill between his 'calling' to the Army as a mechanic and was the ultimate 'tinkerer' and DIY's and one of my hero's. He had no professional knowledge of building, but knew how to use his hands and built the house my Mom and Uncles were raised in (and still standing tall) using rudimentary tools (a main one being the "7 in 1" saw table/lathe/drill press that I inherited and still use). With the money he earned, growing up through The Depression and 3 kids to support and put through college, he knew he had to be frugal (and fix his own stuff). I try to stop over my Grandma's whenever I can and still find his 'doings' all over even though he's been gone for 15 years. Used (some new) vacuum tubes and all labeled carefully. Without my knowledge , Gma took them all to a flea market and sold them 'per size' ranging from 10 cents to $1.00! I was told she made a TON and I still have HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS left. 40 year old gumbands (rubber bands for those who don't speak Pittsburghese) made out of old inner tubes. Used air filters and spark plugs from cars gone past. He's only had two other than the 62' Impala that was a shed since I was born! Had only a 70' Chevelle and a '83 Bonneville (that my Grandma still drives). Both he got new and only moved onto the Bonneville cause Grandma won it in bingo! The Chevelle (and spare parts) are mine now, but I still gotta chuckle each time I see the collection of brand new oil filers and radiator hoses he stockpiled on sale from Montgomery Wards. I was just lucky enough for him to live long enough for each to teach each other a few things before he died. Then there's my Father..... Also, had to tinker with everything and is a 'jack of all trades, master of a few' like myself. He's been a mill workman, a car salesman, a HAM fixer, a computer hacker, a bad-man arrester, a repo-truck driver, a court officer, an animal chaser, a fire fighting laser, a CPR giver, a construction worker...........

maybe that is part of the problem with america today. too many times a father is not in a sons life to pass on the values a boy needs to become a man

IF I have 'benchmarks' , they would have to be subconscious. Unless standards are the same as benchmarks,,,in which case I dont really think of it is as 'measuring up' as much as I do 'fitting in' with my goals and values.

Things like a respectable/respectful man A secure man. A man who is not into the bars and clubs. A man who doesnt think of sex as entertainment. An employed/employable man. A brave man. A good father. A chivalrous man. ...standards I dont plan to lower especially because I am raising a daughter whom I dont want to teach to have low expectations.

ABSOLUTELY a problem. Broken homes/fatherless homes have done what seems like irreperable damage in so many ways. Children are meant to have a father just as much as they are a mother. Society has done a disservice convincing ourself that it isnt important.

a benchmark is something you would use to compare other things to. for example: is this car "as good as" a cadillac (using cadillac as a benchmark for quality). you may choose your father (or some gentlemen you know to have the qualities you want in a man) and size other men up knowing that they would have to meet or exceed his level

My father taught me how to shoot when I was 7 or 8 on an old .32 revolver, then a .25 revolver, then a .22LR, then a 9mm, then a 6.5mm, then a 16ga, then a 12ga, then a 20ga, then a .357mag, then he gave me a .35 Marlin for my 12th birthday (still have it). Then just let me play with .45mag, 30/30, 30.06, .233..... ok, you get the point....What do you expect when you're the oldest sibling and your dad was a Constable who carries a .357mag as a sidearm, a 12ga Mossberg (riot fun) up the front of the dash (his choice to install) and a KG9 under the seat. Of course, guns were modded and all ammo he self loaded....hot.... We kinda lost touch a bit when I hit 17. We've been slowly getting back together after the last few years (and has updated his night vision and laser scoops, no surprise.......and he has a .50cal sniper gun he said I can play with..... ). He thinks I can't beat his 'supposed' 2.5 mile headshot...... Yes, he has 'little guy syndrome'.......which is a large reason we stayed apart for years. I was getting older, stronger and smarter.......He was getting .......older......Now, I let go his occasional 'stories' when he's around and tells others. Especially about his exaggerated 'toughness' while I was growing up.......Whatever makes him happy..... Quite a few years ago I realized that life is way toooooo short after my first couple hundred friends and family died. Now, I look at things in a whole different light and do my best to spend whatever time I can with them, while I can.

Is she hitting on me??? First Ash, then Jumper, then Ese, now you....GEEZ...... I'm already taken!

that's a tough question


so like knowing "what I want" in a man - I also don;t always know my benchmarks until I see them

Cadillac and a benchmark? I thought you had higher standards than that......

I think I have a few benchmarks, but I guess my biggest one is to try and treat people the same way I treat them. Sometimes I deserve what I get ,sometimes not so much, but hopefully if I do screw up I can own up to it.