Here is a Retired Person hack for y’all!

Michael Z

Michael Z

Senior Member
Location
Northern Wisconsin
So, I dedicated today to catching up on some odds and ends along with some chores like washing my car (in freezing weather), bringing in fire wood, and cleaning my shop bench top. So I wrote descriptions of all 11 tasks on a piece of paper and crossed them off as I completed them. Got 10 of the eleven done and plenty of time for the last one!

The holiday coming probably provided some motivation too.
 

Michael Z said:
So, I dedicated today to catching up on some odds and ends along with some chores like washing my car (in freezing weather), bringing in fire wood, and cleaning my shop bench top. So I wrote descriptions of all 11 tasks on a piece of paper and crossed them off as I completed them. Got 10 of the eleven done and plenty of time for the last one!

The holiday coming probably provided some motivation too.
Click to expand...
I do your hack (writing down stuff) daily. hahahaha. That keeps me going too and I get my chores done. I love it.
 
The first on my hack to do list is finding the calendar to see what day it is!

How did this new use for the word "hack" come about?

I always thought it used to be a word as in "He did a hack job of that..." (Piece of crap work, half ass-ed, a BAD job)
OR "With this congestion I am going to hack my head off..all day long." (as in coughing hard all day long)
Or "He is a hack!" A bad surgeon doctor or hair dresser that just butchers the crap out of your body or hair?
 
CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
The first on my hack to do list is finding the calendar to see what day it is!

How did this new use for the word "hack" come about?

I always thought it used to be a word as in "He did a hack job of that..." (Piece of crap work, half ass-ed, a BAD job)
OR "With this congestion I am going to hack my head off..all day long." (as in coughing hard all day long)
Or "He is a hack!" A bad surgeon doctor or hair dresser that just butchers the crap out of your body or hair?
Click to expand...
The term "hack" meaning to find a better way or short cut in doing things originated at MIT, in the 1950's by the computing community. The term has since been more widely adopted to mean essentially the same thing but in relation to a whole host of life situations in general.
 
MrPants said:
The term "hack" meaning to find a better way or short cut in doing things originated at MIT, in the 1950's by the computing community. The term has since been more widely adopted to mean essentially the same thing but in relation to a whole host of life situations in general.
Click to expand...
Is that AI info or from your knowledge over time? How come people used it before the 50s if it came from the 50s - my parents.
 
The first few times I heard it from my grown kids, I thought "Why would you want to do something half-assed?". LOL

I also thought (for quite a time when I was younger) a "hack" was someone who was a "hackney" driver - until a polite Brit corrected me nicely...
 
CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
The first on my hack to do list is finding the calendar to see what day it is!

How did this new use for the word "hack" come about?

I always thought it used to be a word as in "He did a hack job of that..." (Piece of crap work, half ass-ed, a BAD job)
OR "With this congestion I am going to hack my head off..all day long." (as in coughing hard all day long)
Or "He is a hack!" A bad surgeon doctor or hair dresser that just butchers the crap out of your body or hair?
Click to expand...
“Hack job” would be a hastily done job. We still use those terms. My son-in-law, who is an electrician, uses those terms a lot.

But as mentioned, the term hack was originally used for computer programming. And somehow it was applied to other things.
 
CooCooforCoCoPuffs said:
Is that AI info or from your knowledge over time? How come people used it before the 50s if it came from the 50s - my parents.
Click to expand...
I was already aware that it was a term used early on in the computing community. I thought everyone know that? It originated in the 50's but wasn't adopted into modern culture and widely used until more recently; as I thought I explained in my original response.
 
Last edited:
Ten years ago, a car club I was in had men, and a woman that were pushing, or were 90. They used hack as a explanation for getting something done better/easier just like most of us do. Seems to be a universal term, which I guess is kind of rare haha..
 
Working from a list is definitely a great tip.

It also helps to rank the items on the list and tackle the most unpleasant or most important tasks first.

Some tasks always fall to the bottom of my list and eventually end up falling off the list.

Lowering my standards has definitely paid big dividends for me! 😉🤭😂
 
Last edited:
Finding one of the work benches is an annual event followed by celebrations:) But there is nothing SO cannot put his hands on in a hurry:)

My truck gets a year to the gallon and an annual wash. More and she thinks she will be traded. No girl, we have been together since 2004.

SO is a list person. No matter what it happens if it is on the list. This does not apply to a grocery list which is more like a guideline.

Who can get upset with a guy who has CCC playing while I get ready for the dreaded daily Mumsy call?
 
Well, I checked with Grok (Ai) and came up with this long winded summary...

The word "hack" has a rich and varied history, with its meaning evolving over time across different contexts. Here's a breakdown of its origin and meanings:
Origin:
  • Old English: The word "hack" can be traced back to Old English "haccian," which means "to cut or chop." This verb was likely used in the context of cutting wood or meat.
  • Middle English: Over time, it evolved into Middle English "hakken," still maintaining the sense of cutting or chopping but also beginning to take on metaphorical meanings.
Meanings Over Time:
  1. Physical Cutting or Chopping:
    • Literally: To cut or strike with rough or heavy blows. This meaning is evident in terms like "hack saw" or "hack job," implying a rough, unrefined cut.
  2. Technology and Computing (Late 20th Century):
    • Hacking into Systems: With the advent of computers, "hack" took on a new life in the tech world. In the 1950s at MIT, "hack" was used by the Tech Model Railroad Club to describe an ingenious solution or a playful prank involving technology.
    • Positive Connotation: Initially, "hacker" referred to someone with an aptitude for understanding how systems work and using that knowledge creatively, often in programming or computer science.
    • Negative Connotation: By the 1980s, with the rise of computer security issues, "hacker" began to be associated with those who breach security systems illegally, leading to the term "hacker" being used in a derogatory sense as well.
  3. General Usage:
    • To Manage Poorly or Hastily: "Hack" can also imply doing something in a quick, rough, or unskillful manner. For example, "He hacked through the project" might suggest it was done hurriedly or without much care for detail.
    • Life Hacks: More recently, "hack" has been popularized to mean clever, often simple tricks or shortcuts for dealing with everyday tasks. Life hacks are shared for everything from time management to household chores.
  4. In Sports and Other Contexts:
    • Golf: To "hack" can mean to swing wildly or without skill.
    • Journalism: Sometimes used pejoratively to refer to writing or reporting done hastily or without depth.
Summary:
The word "hack" has transitioned from a term related to physical cutting to encompass a wide range of meanings in technology, creativity, and efficiency, reflecting human ingenuity, as well as sometimes, its shortcuts and flaws. Its meaning is highly context-dependent, showcasing the evolution of language with technology and culture.
 
I recently replace the front wheel bearings in my F150 and checking the front rotors and Brake pads.
So I might as well pull the back ones and check them too. Right?

I take the Tires off, put the truck into maintenance mode loosen the brake Calipers and find one locked up with rust.
So I get a new one, replace the pads with new, assemble the truck, take it out of maintenance mode and I got lights
on the dash. No BACK UP ASSIST, no anti lock - anti skid - auto hill parking brake and no cruise control.

Test for codes:
I redo maintenance mode several times, do a hard reset, disconnect the battery several times over the next weeks.
Everything worked except the cruise control and back up assist. So as the days pass I just get accustomed to the
Lights on the dash.

This morning Snowball is up at 3AM, cooking bbq ribs and stuff like cream cheese cake to take to the Daughter - in - Laws
For 1pm dinner. We get there, I pull in, Snowball gets out and walks into the house, I back out the driveway, turn around
and back in the driveway to unload all the presents for all the kids and grandkids.

I look at the dash and the lights are out, the back up assist is now working. An Xmas Mirakel at the Kids place.
So Snowball and I promise the kids to come over a lot more to experience more Mirakels.

On the way home I tested the cruise and it also works. turned it on and off, adjusted it several times Works. Yea
Another Mirakel !

Snowball says, "Thats your Xmas Present" !
So thats it. Yeas

Christmas mirakels are a fact. I have proof.
 
MrPants said:
I was already aware that it was a term used early on in the computing community. I thought everyone know that? It originated in the 50's but wasn't adopted into modern culture and widely used until more recently; as I thought I explained in my original response.
Click to expand...
I didn't know that. Learned something new.
 
  • To Manage Poorly or Hastily: "Hack" can also imply doing something in a quick, rough, or unskillful manner. For example, "He hacked through the project" might suggest it was done hurriedly or without much care for detail.
  • The above is how I've always used the term. Especially, a hack writer.
 
papa tiger said:
I recently replace the front wheel bearings in my F150 and checking the front rotors and Brake pads.
So I might as well pull the back ones and check them too. Right?

I take the Tires off, put the truck into maintenance mode loosen the brake Calipers and find one locked up with rust.
So I get a new one, replace the pads with new, assemble the truck, take it out of maintenance mode and I got lights
on the dash. No BACK UP ASSIST, no anti lock - anti skid - auto hill parking brake and no cruise control.

Test for codes:
I redo maintenance mode several times, do a hard reset, disconnect the battery several times over the next weeks.
Everything worked except the cruise control and back up assist. So as the days pass I just get accustomed to the
Lights on the dash.

This morning Snowball is up at 3AM, cooking bbq ribs and stuff like cream cheese cake to take to the Daughter - in - Laws
For 1pm dinner. We get there, I pull in, Snowball gets out and walks into the house, I back out the driveway, turn around
and back in the driveway to unload all the presents for all the kids and grandkids.

I look at the dash and the lights are out, the back up assist is now working. An Xmas Mirakel at the Kids place.
So Snowball and I promise the kids to come over a lot more to experience more Mirakels.

On the way home I tested the cruise and it also works. turned it on and off, adjusted it several times Works. Yea
Another Mirakel !

Snowball says, "Thats your Xmas Present" !
So thats it. Yeas

Christmas mirakels are a fact. I have proof.
Click to expand...
Could be that backing up the vehicle actually allowed the springs and adjusters to reset themselves.
I did the rear brakes on my old 92 4X4 several years ago, I followed an article in a car magazine on how to do it "right".
Didn't work for me, guess i wasn't holding my mouth right, or, maybe you were blessed! Either way, good for you!
 
my one grouse about myself in life is that despite occasionally starting a diary I did not continue it for long enough - I continue to regret it to this day - where to store them all ah well that's another thung now!!
 

Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top