Trials are tools

And I’ve never regretted acquiring a tool

I’m a sucker for the sales shelves at Menards. A tool or hardware kit at a steal of a deal is hard to pass up. They say it’s better to have and not need than need an not have, and time has proven this to be true.

I just finished fixing this freezer today. It went out last week, and a $240 service call revealed that it would cost at least $900 to fix it. Problem is, it cost me $900 to buy it in the first place, and I only need it for two more months because we’re upgrading (but do really need it in the meantime!)

A call to the manufacturer, and a search online revealed the part cost a third of the price. I took a chance and embarked on the project. I had no idea how long it would take. Three days, four more calls to the manufacturer, texts to the service technician I had to turn down, and a couple of those bargain tools later, we have a working freezer.

A business consultant would say this was a terrible way to spend my time. But I achieved a lot more than a box to keep goods frozen. I learned a bit how to read wiring diagrams, gained a basic understanding of refrigeration components and assembly, and modern appliance circuitry. Moreover, I worked out my persistence and asking for help muscles. These are all great tools, and just like the wire stripper I dusted off to finish this task, I have no regrets procuring them, regardless of how frustrating the process was.