I have rotary-tool phobia

I have a real love/hate relationship with some of my tools. I want every cool tool. The tool ads in my paper-arts magazines are my porn. When my friends get new devices, I get tool envy. And yet I have one wonderful tool that I just can't bring myself to use: my rotary tool.

I've had a rotary tool for at least three years. My mom asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I begged for a Dremel. Then I collected the accessories: A pole thing that attaches to my workbench to hang the tool from. A flexshaft attachment so I can work with just the spinny part of the tool and not have to try to wield the whole gun. Engraving bits. Who knows what else.

So how many times have I used my wonderful tool to improve my crafts and ease my labor? Zero. Once when Polly was here--visit before last--we experimented with it a little bit. She was much braver than I was. She revved it way up and didn't even scream when the bit touched down on a metal tag. I fiddled with it for about 15 seconds before I was swamped with feelings of inadequacy and gave up.

I've always contended that the reason women don't feel competent to do household repairs is that we don't have tools. We can't hang curtain rods because we try to do it with a high heel and a butter knife. I accumulated a nice little collection of household tools, and I bought tool boxes with tools for the women I loved for Christmas. Now I think women need power tools. When I found out that Polly's dad gave her an electric drill, I got a huge case of tool lust.

And yet I cannot make myself use my Dremel. Part of the problem is that the instructions that came with the tool are idiotic--a bad translation of instructions that probably were horrible in their original language. I've looked for advice on the Internet to no avail. It's like, if you don't already know how to use a Dremel and what to use it for, then you don't deserve to have one.

If you are an experienced Dremel tool user, please tell me how to enjoy my tool. Or if you know of a site that can give me advice and encouragement, please send me the link. I want to do the Dremel boogie.