Well, it’s been a crazy last few days — and honestly, I’m still trying to figure out how a water heater managed to deliver the life lesson I apparently needed.
Let’s start at the beginning.
The Great Water Heater Saga
Monday rolls around and the plumber with the great ratings shows up. Nice guy, easy to talk to, walked in like he had just stepped off a “Dependable Plumber” commercial. I let him get to work on my 75-gallon water heater, which was installed back in 2017. In my mind, I’m thinking, “Okay Scott… inflation, supply chain, the world’s on fire… probably around four grand.”
Then the man walks upstairs and says, “Alright, I’ve got your quote…”
Nine. Thousand. Dollars.
But wait — because I was a first-time customer, I got 10% off. Woop de freakin’ do. What a deal! Only a little over eight grand for a tankless water heater. Nothing like a bargain to start the week off right.
At this point I’m wondering if the thing is going to be gold-plated… or include a built-in espresso machine… or maybe come with a plumber named Steve who just moves in and maintains it forever.
The Plumber Olympics Begin
While he went back downstairs, I started calling around. I needed to know if I was exaggerating or if this was truly highway robbery disguised as a hot water heater estimate.
First plumber picked up and confirmed I wasn’t crazy — said I was probably being overcharged by about three thousand dollars. Turns out my original plumbing company was one of those corporate giants with a “down-home family name” vibe. You know… the kind that sounds like Grandpa Joe and his trusty wrench are going to help you out, but instead they roll in with finance plans that look like a 30-year mortgage.
This one was Arnold & Sons. I’ve had Tiger out before too — they once offered to fix a plumbing issue for 30k, which was really thoughtful of them.
Finally a local plumber called me back with a quote of $5,300, and they came out the next day to install it. And let me tell you — these guys did WORK. The angles were perfect. The lines were straight. It looked like a piece of art. Not a plumbing disaster, not a “good enough,” but solid craftsmanship. You could tell they took pride in it, the way people used to.
That’s when my streak of showering at the gym came to an end.
But… It Sparked Something
Turns out, a busted water heater can slap you upside the head with some inspiration.
Because while I was taking those gym showers, I started thinking about how I need to take better care of myself. I want to be around for the people I love. And I’ve been carrying around some extra weight that I’d really like to evict from the premises.
So I hopped on ChatGPT — which, let’s be honest, is like Google searching on steroids — and had it plan out my week. Workouts. Food prep. Routines. The whole deal.
I actually stuck to it last week too, even with the onset of a sinus infection (finally got medicine today). And honestly? It felt good. It felt like a reset I didn’t realize I needed.
Funny how a water heater dying can kick your butt enough to get you back into the gym.
Final Thought
If we’re being truthful, nobody leaves the gym saying, “Man, I really regret working out today.” You feel better. You feel clearer. You feel like you did something for yourself.
So wish me luck. I’m starting fresh, sticking with it, and trying to keep my health in better shape than my old water heater.
And do me a favor —
check your water heater… and make sure you’ve got salt in your water softener.
You never know what lesson life is about to throw at you.
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