The other day our LCD on the treadmill went out. Actually it was at the end of winter and my wife was annoyed I didn't get it fixed right away. Eventually I called Reebok, got support, disassembled part of it, got a diagnosis over the phone of a blown controller board and ordered a new one. $150 spent, refunded, $400 spent, refunded, and $400 spent again, two round trip package shipments, a one-way delivery, and a little elbow grease and I've got a working treadmill. I also saved some money since it would have been $120 + parts for someone to come to the house, possibly more given where we live.
I consider myself a software person and although I think the computer is for the most part a tool to me, I like tinkering with it. I don't mind configuring things, messing with my personal web site, adding enhancements, etc. And I think that bleeds off into the rest of my life.
So for this Friday's poll:
Are You a DIYer?
I think I am. In the past year I've built a loafing shed, installed some new electrical outlets, built saddle racks for my wife, tiled 3 bathrooms, sharpened the bush hog blades and replaced the tie rod on our mower. There's been more, but those are the big ones where I had to learn how to do something, usually by myself after reading a bit or asking a few questions.
I like working with wood, I watch various DIY shows on TV, read MAKE magazine, and rarely hesitate to dive into some projects that need to be done. I have some limitations, and if there are safety issues, I tend to hire a professional at least once, asking questions and learning how they do things. Plumbing is definitely not my forte.
I'm curious about the rest of you that read this newsletter. You're mostly techies and curious by nature. Do you look to Do-It-Yourself in other parts of your life?
The Voice of the DBA Podcasts
The podcast feeds are now available at sqlservercentral.mevio.comto get better bandwidth and maybe a little more exposure :). Comments are definitely appreciated and wanted, and you can get feeds from there.
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or now on iTunes! 
- Windows Media Podcast - 30.1MB WMV
- iPod Video Podcast - 20.0MB MP4
- MP3 Audio Podcast - 4.5MB
Today's podcast features music by Everyday Jones. No relation, but I stumbled on to them and really like the music. Support this great duo at www.everydayjones.com.
I really appreciate and value feedback on the podcasts. Let us know what you like, don't like, or even send in ideas for the show. If you'd like to comment, post something here. The boss will be sure to read it.