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One of my favorite team-building activities from school was constructing a stable tower from marshmallows and dry pasta under a time limit. This brainstorming exercise challenged teams to construct the tallest structure without external support.

Years ago, I was remapping the functionality of an RC car for a school project. My team and I had to design, shop, build, test, and debug an analog circuit that added cruise control functionality and IR sensing.

Surely many people can relate to a phone charger that only works when the wire is placed in a certain position. Being a bit of a packrat, I have several frayed chargers within the same nightstand that I save for extra parts and replacements.

I tend to be overly cautious when planning my routes on new long-distance backpacking trips. I’ll start with detailed route reviews that pour over elevation maps. These reviews, combined with approximate pack weight, indicate how strenuous each hour of the trip will be and when to plan my breaks. With the wealth of geographical information available, it’s easy to determine how long I can expect to spend on a trail each day.

Like most, I’ve witnessed the loss of local businesses during the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. While it’s sad to see restaurants go, my region’s bike shops almost wholly disappeared. I once had multiple stops nearby for repairs, including national chains, all of which have moved or shuttered within the past two years.

I have a habit of reusing and repairing items that many would throw away or abandon in their garages. With a bit of work, there’s a treasure trove of items available to revive for all kinds of hobbies and interests. For me, this also extends to electronics – I’m particularly fond of restoring old NES and computer systems.