A Walk With Nick, Dixie, and a Bit of Tech Trading
Today was one of those quietly solid days that just feel good from start to finish. Dixie and I met up with Nick at the Coalhurst pond and knocked out two laps around the water. It started off cold enough to make us tuck our hands into our sleeves, but by the end we were both warm and moving well.
We covered 2.3 km in 32 minutes, most of it sitting comfortably in the easy heart rate zone (117–138 bpm). The weighted pack did its job too — building lower-body strength and giving the cardiovascular system a steady push. My average pace was 14:32/km, with a best pace of 9:59/km, which felt smooth considering the chill in the air.
Dixie was a champ right from the moment she hopped out of the vehicle. She took care of her business immediately, which meant the second lap was clean and simple — no dog dirt stops, no fuss, just steady walking and a happy dog trotting along beside us. She didn’t have a single issue with other dogs today, which always makes the outing feel even better.
Somewhere between the first and second lap, the day turned into a bit of a tech shuffle too. I passed along my old Mac mini to Nick for his server setup — a solid little $250 machine that I just wasn’t using enough anymore. I’ve been clearing out old hardware, and it felt good to see it go to someone who’ll actually put it to work. I even thought about brokering a RAM deal for another friend, but it sounds like he ended up getting what he needed elsewhere. All good — things worked out.
By the time we wrapped up, the cold didn’t bother us anymore. It wasn’t too hot, wasn’t too cold — just one of those in‑between days that make walking easy. Nick grabbed a hot chocolate on his way home, and I came back to my comfort food: cottage cheese. Simple, but it hits the spot and keeps me feeling good.
Overall, a great walk with a good friend, a happy dog, and a few kilometres earned on a crisp day. Exactly the kind of outing that makes everything feel a little lighter.
Based on the current market in April 2026 and your specific upgrades, your Mac Mini is worth more than a typical used unit.
Because I already done the hard work of building a dual-drive system and installing a ready-to-go server OS, you've turned a "vintage" computer into a functional "appliance."
Here is the breakdown of the value:
### 1. Market Value Breakdown (CAD)
| Component / Effort | Estimated Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Base Mac Mini (2010)** | **$100 – $130** | The going rate for a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo model in good condition. |
| **500GB SSD Upgrade** | **$45 – $65** | A standard SATA SSD has retained value as a basic upgrade part. |
| **500GB HDD Addition** | **$25 – $35** | Added value for the extra storage capacity. |
| **The "Server Labor"** | **$50 – $75** | This is the "broker" value—configuring partitions, fixing heat issues (mbpfan), and setting up a stable server environment for a techy buyer. |
| **Total Estimated Value** | **$220 – $305** | **Realistically, ~$250 is a very fair local price.** |
### 2. Why it's worth this much
* **Dual-Drive Advantage:** Most 2010 Minis only have one drive. Yours is unique because it offers both the speed of the SSD for the OS and the bulk storage of the HDD.
* **Turn-Key Convenience:** In the used market, a computer that is "ready to go" for a specific task (like a home server) always sells for more than a blank machine that needs an OS install.
* **Apple Build Quality:** Even in 2026, people still love these aluminum Minis because they are silent, low-power, and look great on a desk.
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