My Experience as Youth Pastor

I know I've mentioned how much I love technology, but at the same time fight it. I think the main reason I fight my gadgets is because I push them beyond their intended limits. If I had a super fast computer and all the latest goodies I probably wouldn't have to fight it so much. Instead I have a meager budget and big plans that involve things I don't have. This combined with a somewhat unhealthy obsession with MacGyver equals getting the job done at the peril of innocent electronics.

For example, my Youth room doesn't have network and it is not feasible to install a wired connection. This means we need to get a wireless signal over to my building. This really isn't that hard and could be done very successfully for about $150-200. Unfortunately I don't have this money handy, so I'm researching other options. It turns out that there are a ton of DIY projects involving items I have on hand or that I can acquire for close to nothing. Some of them look a tad bit hillbilly, but much of this is concealed.

The biggest problem is that doing it this way will only lead to trouble down the road. I know this from past experience with forcing gadgets to perform outside their performance tolerances. On the other hand I might be able to do this for a couple of months and then be able to afford the upgrades the system actually needs, or more likely gets pieces of the total upgrade as I can afford them.

I know this sounds like borrowing against the future, but its really more like gambling against the future. If the gamble pays off then I get what I need now for the price I can afford now and then do things right down the road, if it doesn't pay off then I have to pay an extra $50-100 down the road. The question is if the gains outweigh to potential risk.

This can only be answered by detailed research, or my preferred method, which is to try it and hope nothing catches fire.