that PBS special you speak of is the richard pronneke reference i made. the man had his tools shipped to him without handles, so that he could make the handles when they got there. and who else have you ever seen make a working, locking door with just wood and a hatchet?
as far as the tyler durden thing, i was mostly just referring to his line in the movie (i don't think it's in the book) about grinding corn in abandoned parking lots and one pair of leather pants your whole life. anyone who claims to (really) be like tyler durden over the internet is drowning in a river of ********...
still, the dream will never die, and maybe someday soon i'll keep everything i own in that adam bag and a backpack, and i'll stop reading message boards.