| All my life I was told that I was brilliant. Of course, I | | | | said the tiles on the shelf were the perfect size. I |
| was usually the one saying this to myself. So | | | | found out later that you really should know the size |
| naturally, whenever one thinks so highly of oneself, | | | | tile you need before you buy it. The more questions |
| they tend to think they could do anything. Fathers | | | | he asked, the more lost I felt. I began to notice a |
| obviously think this way when Christmas rolls around | | | | group of other workers surrounding us with smirks |
| and the swing set is waiting to be put up. Let's be | | | | on their faces. I could swear I heard laughter as I |
| realistic here, it is usually men who think they can do | | | | drove away with the products needed for laying |
| anything and everything. (Women apparently have | | | | ceramic tile. |
| the common sense gene that most men lack.) I will | | | | When I got home and began to work, I realized |
| admit that I am one of those proud men who say," | | | | something...I had no clue what to do! All I knew was |
| Directions? I don't need no stinking directions!". But | | | | that the end product would be that the room would |
| just like the Tim Taylor character in that | | | | be laid out with new tile. So I did what I thought I |
| hilarioussitcom Home Improvement, I needed all the | | | | was to do. I pulled the old tile out and put the new |
| help in the world. My project was laying ceramic tile. | | | | tile in. Hours later when I finished, I looked back at |
| As I walked into the nearest Home Depot, I began | | | | my work and realized I had made a mistake. The tiles |
| to feel worried deep inside. I had walked towards the | | | | looked bumpy and uneven, I had different shapes |
| section that would start my project of laying ceramic | | | | and size and worst of all, I realized that I knew |
| tiles and I tell you, the assortment of sizes, colors, | | | | nothing about laying ceramic tile. Later I did some |
| and prices was astonishing! Of course, being the | | | | research on laying ceramic tile and did it right. I found |
| frugal person that I am, I went straight to the | | | | out I needed to know the size I would need and |
| tileswith the smallest numbers underneath them. just | | | | how to smooth and waterproof the surface |
| then I was approached by a salesman. "Can I help | | | | underneath the new tile so it will last longer and of |
| you?" he asked. "Yes. I am laying ceramic tile and | | | | course I also learned the correct way of laying |
| would like to buy these." I said, pointing to the cheap | | | | ceramic tiles. Most importantly, I learned how to shop |
| ones. He then asked me what size tile would I be | | | | and compare, where even if I had to spend more |
| using. Because I thought it didn't matter the size and | | | | money then I wanted to, it would be more efficient |
| thought that I can cut the tile myself if it didn't fit I | | | | in the life of my newly tiled room. |