Greetings
Thanks for taking a moment to read this month’s update. I hope you’re doing well. The photo above is from today on my morning walk, 1 Jun 2025.
Work-Life Balance
I’ve been able to reduce my workload to free up time for daily walks, adequate sleep, and to be more available for family. The reduction of work has been made possible in various ways.
- MEDIA DIGITIZING — Our local public library now has a digital media studio where patrons can accomplish various tasks including digitizing old VHS video tapes and audio cassette tapes. These are services I’ve been offering for years, usually at a discounted fee. So, it’s time consuming and a financial loss for me to offer the service. Having a local free public resource available helps open my calendar for the main tech services I provide. I’ve donate financially to the library as a way to support the tech services and resources they make available.
- TECH CLASSES — Tech classes are also available at our local library. About 15 years ago, I was privileged to be the first person to use the new computer lab at the library for free public classes. I’m happy to see that initiative has grown.
- TRAINING APPRENTICES — I’ve been able to train apprentices who can take over for me to provide specialized support for businesses and organizations. The training involves instruction in the skills specific to the scope of work the people will be doing. Documentation I’ve created over the years serves as a guide and has the specific steps unique to each organization or office.
- INTERNET SERVICE — In the past, it made economical sense for people to purchase their own modem and WiFi network equipment rather than rent from their Internet service provider. In recent years I’ve begun suggesting that people rent network equipment from their internet service provider. This gives them access to low-cost or free setup and phone support which can save hundreds of dollars. This shift has saved me many hours of on-site work and drive time.
- APPLE REPAIRS — I received training from Apple to be a qualified service technician able to work in an authorized Apple service center. So, I feel comfortable doing some small repairs on Apple equipment. However, those repairs can be time consuming, tedious, and are susceptible to the occasional mishap during a repair. Delicate tiny flat cables can get damaged, or screens already strained from stress can crack. I much prefer sending that work to the Apple repair center we have in our city. So, I’ve been sending people there in recent years. Also, an authorized repair center or store is the only place people can get in-warranty work done.
- BIG BOX STORES — Some simple services can be provided economically by big box stores like Best Buy or Staples. So, when my schedule is full, I might refer a new caller to one of those service providers.
Whenever possible, I like being a tech support person who can facilitate and add value, without the stress of being the only person people have to rely on.
Long-term Planning. Short-term Peparing
There are some careers where multiple employees can do the same job. When I was in high school, I worked at a fast food restaurant. If I needed to take a sick day, there were a dozen other employees who knew how to cook the fries and burgers, or serve soft ice cream in a cone.
With the career I’ve had since high school, providing personalized tech support to hundreds of people, there are not a dozen other people who could step in and provide the same level of service. There’s an additional sense of responsibility to make sure people have the basic information they need to operate their computers, websites, and services. This can be in the form of documentation provided to their next tech support person.
There are fall-back plans. For example, if I were to be unavailable in the future, if there is a subscription I’ve been paying for, that would need to be paid by the customer directly. An on-screen renewal alert would make this clear, such as with antivirus software. I do this with all of the automated systems I put in place. If a subscription isn’t automatically renewed by me, the person knows to reach out to me or renew it directly. This minimizes disruption.
In 2022 I created a document on this topic and called it “Long-term Planning. Short-term Preparing.” If I live for another 40 or more years, I need a long-term plan in place to make sure I can do that in a perpetually sustainable way. I choose a diet and exercise routine that is likely to sustain me for a long time. I avoid things that might shorten my life. So, I’m prepared for another 40 or more years. Yet, I also need to be prepared for what happens if I don’t live to be over 100 years old. I know of many people who passed away before they reached my current age. That knowledge prompts me to take time out for vacations, spend time with loved ones, and do some of the things a person might otherwise wait on.
I know of a doctor who died of a stroke at the age of 32 just five days before completing her residency. I can think of other examples where people were finishing one chapter and ready to begin the next when their life ended unexpectedly.
So, for that reason, I want to live as someone who doesn’t have much time, but I also want to live frugally as someone who has plans for a long life ahead.
Writing Topics
I continue to expand on the topic reports found on the Resources For Life dot com website. The list can be found on the What’s New Page. Adding incrementally takes very little time since the post and related context are already present.
Tech Writing
If you’re interested in the latest tech-related guides and articles I’ve posted, you can visit the Posts Page on the Iowa City Tech website.
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Thanks
Many thanks to all of you who keep in touch and provide support for the work I do.
Origins. For those of you who are new to these monthly personal updates, they began about 24 years ago out of a desire to share from my personal life about topics of lifeways (faith/philosophy), health, career, finances, relationships, effective living, and public interest efforts. This is based on the Life Map presented on the Resources For Life website. [View]