So what do most people do when faced with problems in and around the house? I ask because most of my friends seem to be almost entirely mechanically ignorant. Most of my friends are programmers, which makes it all the more suprising to me. What interests me about computers and programming, is learning how it all works, how it was put together. For me I'm using the same parts of my brain when I'm doing system administration, as when I change the oil in my car. I'm applying a lot of simple skills/knowledge (where the oil goes in, drains out / how the filesystem is arranged) and using simple tools (wrenchs, screwdrivers / ls, grep, emacs) to get a job done. Owning a house I get plenty of opportunites to apply my mechanical know-how. Are my programmer buddies calling a plumber every time the have a leaky faucet? Maybe they exchange computer help with relatives who know how to do what they need. I don't mind asking for help or advice, but needing someone else to do something pains me. Usually it's because I lack (can't afford... yet) the tools I need, but it still really bugs me. Today I repaired the convection fan on our oven. The motor shaft was fouling against the inner chassis, preventing it from turning. While I was at it I recalibrated the oven thermostat. (The temp was off by 25F, which will explain why Deb's cookies were taking so long to bake.) Next up is repairing the leaky outdoor faucet and the inside shut-off.