Broken Brakes or Broken Face?

I have always considered myself someone who can fix most things. It came to my attention lately that i needed to change the brakes on my car. Having few tools of my own i waited for a chance to go to my parent's house. Thanksgiving (happy turkey-day everyone!) gave me a good chance to pull off the old pads and replace them with new ones.

Having driven my car into the garage, with all of the necessary tools for the job at hand, I proceeded to take the lugs off the tires. This is a simple procedure that I have performed a multitude of times. This time things were different. I applied my weight to the tire-iron and the lugs wouldn't budge. I jumped up and down trying to force them but they were stuck good. It was clear to me that i needed to approach this with a little more ingenuity. I grabbed a steel pipe placed it over the handle of the wrench and applied force to release the bolt. The lugs were still stubborn. I ended up bending my only lug removal tool. I took my dad's tire-iron out of his car and used that. It straight away broke.

It was time for a trip to Big-O-Tires to have them removed by the professionals. they removed and replaced them for free and then we drove it home for a second try. All but one of the lugs loosened easily on each of the tires. I was trying to take the last left front lug off. Applying pressure with a newly purchased multi-headed, tire-removing monster. As i was pushing down the integrity of the metal failed me again. anyone that has ever jumped up and down on something that breaks knows that acceleration soon follows. My head accelerated right towards the hood of my car. After a really fat lip, a bloody nose, and 3 broken wrenches I surrendered. my plan to save some money had failed and I, having been humbled, humiliated and hurt, took my car back into Big-O-Tires to have them put new breaks on my car.

I hereby relinquish my self-acclaimed title of handyman. i will now join the slew of shlubs that pay people when anything needs to be fixed.

btw. Righty tighty, lefty loosey. I know the rhyme and i was definitely twisting to the left. the left should have loosened the lugs.