About eight years ago I bought a DeWalt 14.4v cordless drill with two batteries at Gemmen’s Hardware in Hudsonville. I got a great price on it because both the drill and the batteries were factory rebuilt. But because it came with a full factory warranty I wasn’t concerned.
It’s been a great drill and I like having two batteries. One sits in the charger while I use the other so I always have one ready to go. (I’ve read it’s OK to let them sit in the charger but I always wondered....)
I have to be nearing the end of even a factory re-certified drill’s life span, but I have clearly arrived at the end of a battery’s life. Both batteries will hold a charge that only lasts about 10 minutes. Monday, while I was at Home Depot I looked for replacement batteries and was pleasantly surprised to find them on the rack. That turned to horror when I saw the price: $74! I’m sure that’s more than I paid for the whole package when I bought it. If I bought two batteries it would cost me more than buying a very nice new cordless drill with a battery and charger included.
I came home and looked online and found two places that sell my battery for $38 and one that sells it for $36. I understand that Home Depot has higher costs and needs more mark-up, but twice the cost??
Lesson: shop online!
We avoid using our credit card (singular) unless it’s necessary in order to complete the purchase, as when ordering things online. Do debit cards work for online purchases? If not, why not?
If a choir warms up singing scales in unison is it a chordless drill?
Once again I’ve been passed over for People’s list of the sexiest men alive. Go figure.
I really like Nora Jone’s mash-up duet with Ray Charles singing “Here We Go Again.”
Testosterone!
Crusher
Cruel sign outside a Detroit bar: “Free Beer during all Lions post-season games”
Public Service Announcement:
There may be some margin for error, but if the pack of Gu energy gel says that the expiration date is 2006 it is certainly NOT good by 2009.
DAMHIK
For the last several years I’ve written very brief articles for a Friends devotional journal. I submit a week’s worth of devotionals for their winter edition. I’ve just withdrawn from the rotation, but my latest series showed up in today’s mail.
Yikes! I don’t remember being on prescription drugs at the time but these sure read like it. Clumsy sentences, choppy paragraphs. I’m embarrassed and they’re probably glad to be rid of me.
One week until the triathlon, and I’m ready to be done training. I’ll stop my daily workouts Monday so my body and mind can be fresh for the Thursday event. I swim almost every afternoon and either run or ride in the morning. I try to do about 150% of the race distance for each of the three segments. I probably should have done more back-to-back workouts but I’m not too worried about the transitions between events.
What I am is pooped. I think that’s appropriate. The goal is to push myself to be in the best condition possible (within reason) going into the event, and that involves working to the point of fatigue. There may be people who can do a sprint triathlon without rigorous training but I’m certainly not one of them, especially at this age. And the sense of satisfaction after competing in an event is the payoff that only comes if you’ve done the hard work in the weeks before.
I think that’s one of the reasons I do things like this. I think it develops self discipline, a willingness to endure short term difficulty for a long term payoff and learning that I’m capable of pushing myself instead of taking the easy road.
All of those benefits assume I don’t drown during the swim.
No comments:
Post a Comment