This is my recollection of one of my first blogs that I wrote many years ago. I originally wrote it with an earlier version of a blog engine and I thought I had backed it up before I started blogging again. I simply can't find where I backed it up. Oh well, even us computer people have a few Ooops! now and then.
Although it is about my feelings toward maintaining my pool myself, it crosses over into many aspects of life, business, and even computer programming. In the book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, one cycle owner prefers to maintain his bike himself and really treasures the journey to whatever destination he may be traveling. Another cyclist concentrates on his own business, relies on others to maintain his motorcycle, enjoys the freedom of travel and riding his bike but is not as thrilled with the journey and doesn't want to be bothered wiith how every aspect of his cycle works.
The economy is rough. Growing up, my friend had a pool at his house and I always hoped he would invite me over. I constantly had to resist the temptation to invite myself over. I always liked swimming as a kid. We used to drive from New York to Florida on average twice a year. Spring break vacation was the best because we got to go swimming when we checked into the motel around the half way point of the 2 day trip. Then, we got to Florida! Swimming every day for a week! Probably one of the main reasons I moved to Florida 16 years ago.
That was then, this is now. As a kid, I didn't have to worry or know anything about pool maintenance. When I moved to Florida, I was just happy to have one of my dreams come true which was to own my own pool. I recall reading an article in which someone had calculated his Cost Per Swim. I look upon a pool like a boat. If you are going to calculate your cost per swim or the cost for each time you take out a boat, you shouldn't own a pool or a boat. However, the economy is rough. I estimate that, now that I maintain my pool myself, I save about $75 a month or $900 a year. But, that $75 a month savings cost me about 2 hours a month and some understanding about what to do to properly maintain it.
So, I've learned how the pump works, which pipes are going to the filter, the pool heater (which has been busted for years), and which ones are returning to the spa part of the pool and the main part of the pool. I've learned that I don't have to purchase as much chlorine in the winter time as I do in the summer time. I could get away with a gallon of chlorine in the winter every couple of weeks and, in the summer, I might need as much as 2 jugs a week. Leslie's Pool Supply has a purchase 11 jugs and get the next one free. On Wednesdays, it's double punch day. They frequently send out coupons to get a 3rd jug of chlorine when you buy 2 more. So, I buy my jugs of chlorine with the coupon on Wednesday and get 4 punches (2 for each jug I purchased) on my card. It costs $9 for the 3 jugs instead of $13.50 and every 3rd visit, I get another Free jug for reaching 11 punches on my card. Another pool supply company charges $6 for their jugs so I save about $10 a month with Leslies plus another $10 a month by not going with the other pool supply store.
This learning curve did not come without a price. Instead of throwing out shirts and shorts with holes in them, I throw them in the garage and wear them whenever I pour chlorine and acid into my pool. I have a plastic bin that I transport the jugs in the hatchback of the car. I still have a large bleached stain on the carpet of the hatch that was created from transporting the chorine. This was how I figured out the plastic bin trick.
So what does this have to do with life or computer programming? Well, when times were good and income was rising at a rate faster then expenses were and our assets were increasing in value, we were much like the guy who looked upon his motorcycle for enjoyment and relied on others to maintain it. We didn't know that much about maintaining our things ourselves because we didn't have to. Plus, it is a pain trying to understand everything we have and how everything works. I always looked upon this as a kind of micro-management. But, I am realizing that, the more I know the Basics about various things, the happier I am. I believe that comes from less stress that is a result of knowing what to do when things go wrong. And, when your house is no longer brand new (and your body is no longer brand new), things start going wrong more often.
Something else that I learned from maintaining my pool and other aspects of my home are that NOT ALL the experts are experts. Most people that work on your stuff will do it the easiest cost effective way they know how. This is not necessarily the right way to do it. This is often discovered when something goes wrong. You determine the cause and then you realize that, the so called "Experts" didn't do the job right or that you could have done it yourself for much less. So my latest philosophy in life is to know enough about what the next person does in order to know if they are doing a good job at a reasonable price. Also, know your limitations. If often pays to pay higher prices in certain situations.
This transfers over to computer programming as well. I have a bad quality of trying to be the best at every programming language I take on. Unfortunately, it is an exercise in futility. Programming tools, languages, and techniques are always evolving. Many programming languages eventually go to a virtual wasteland. I think the key is to be patient in a high speed world. Don't jump into the deep end right away when learning a new programming tool. Learn the basics and know the capabilities and don't worry to much about what issues you are going to encounter along your journey. There will be issues. There is no such thing as a perfectly written computer program. However, the great thing that I have discovered about being a programmer is that if you are experiencing a problem, someone else has experienced the same problem. It is just a matter of searching the internet for a solution. The internet my own team of "pool life guards".
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