I’ve been doing lots of different things in my free time between jobs. One of the most fun was working on my car the other day.

Of course, it’s a modern car, so it’s stuffed with microchips and “no user serviceable parts” under the hood, and I haven’t had the years of specialized school that you need to be an auto mechanic nowadays, so I didn’t touch the engine block or drivetrain. itself. I just wanted to add aux input to the stereo so I could connect it to an MP3 player.

Happily – and surprisingly – the electrical side hasn’t changed as much over the years as the stuff under the hood. With the help of an aftermarket adaptor, some tap-in connectors from Radio Shack that are way easier than stripping wires and soldering by hand, and a helpful guide, it was pretty straightforward.

Most importantly, though, it works! The car speakers are so much nicer than headphones. Gotta love free time!