SPARKY WEEKLY

⚡ JoshTheSparky Weekly Report

Week #21

August 3–9, 2026

⚡ WEEK #21

Another week of building.

This week continued the momentum from the previous one, but a lot of the work started connecting together. The website kept expanding, the Brainbusters got a major revamp, I continued working through the 2026 NEC, another Question of the Week went up through the FastTrax/NEC community, and I got the opportunity to sit down for a full hour on The Young Electrician Podcast and actually talk about who I am, my time in the trade, and what I'm trying to build.

The website work this week was less about simply adding pages and more about figuring out what each part of the site is actually for. Network, Community, Featured, Radio, Broadcast, Webinars, Newsletter, Reviews, Tutorials, Brainbusters, the Shop, and the other sections are all starting to have their own purpose. I'm trying to make JoshTheSparky.com the place where all of this eventually comes together instead of having everything scattered across different platforms.

On the electrical side, the study continues to move toward actually knowing how to use the NEC rather than just knowing that an answer exists somewhere in the book. I've been spending time browsing the 2026 NEC and getting more familiar with its organization, including working through Chapter 1. The Brainbuster revamp ties directly into that because I want the questions to become something people can actually study from, not just another post that disappears into a social-media feed.

🌐 WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT

This was another major website-building week.

The bigger goal for JoshTheSparky.com is becoming clearer. I don't want it to just be a page about me with a bunch of social-media buttons. I want it to become the central home for everything I'm building: education, community, content, audio, live broadcasts, webinars, the newsletter, featured electricians, reviews, the shop, and eventually more.

A lot of the work this week went into figuring out the structure and purpose of the site. The current sections being worked on or planned include /start-here, /network, /community, /featured, /reviews, /newsletter, /tutorials, /webinars, /broadcast, /radio, /shop, /faq, /essay, /sparkys-feed, and /support, along with the overall sitemap and navigation.

The point isn't to create a million pages just because I can. Each section needs to have a reason to exist. If somebody comes to the site looking for the community, they should know where to go. If they want the podcast, they should know where to go. If they want to study, there should be a clear place for that. If they want to see what I'm working on, there should be a place for that too.

JoshTheSparky.com is becoming the home base.

🧠 BRAINBUSTER REVAMP

The Brainbusters received a major revamp this week.

I've been thinking more about what happens after somebody sees a question. A social-media post can get somebody's attention, but I don't want the learning to end there. The website gives me a place to actually build the question out into something useful.

The plan is to have a central Brainbusters hub with question sets, exam-style multiple-choice questions, explanations, Code references, study material, and eventually printable resources.

That also gives me a much better content pipeline. A Brainbuster can be posted as a question, brought into a TikTok Live, broken down step-by-step, discussed with the community, and then kept permanently on the website as a study resource.

That's a lot more useful than just posting the answer and moving on.

The goal is still the same:

Don't just give people the answer. Teach them how to find the answer.

🎥 TIKTOK LIVE / BRAINBUSTER BREAKDOWN

The Brainbuster revamp is also leading into a TikTok Live study session.

The idea is to sit down and actually break the questions apart in real time. Instead of just showing the question and answer, I can explain where I would look in the NEC, what information matters, why certain answers are wrong, and how I got to the final answer.

That is also good practice for me. Teaching something forces you to find out whether you actually understand it.

The first live study session is something I'm looking forward to because it gives the Brainbusters another purpose beyond the website.

📖 2026 NEC DEEP DIVE

The 2026 NEC has been a major part of the studying this week.

I've been spending more time simply browsing the Code and learning where things are instead of constantly treating the NEC like a search engine where I already know exactly what section I'm looking for.

Chapter 1 has been part of that work. Getting comfortable with the organization of the Code and understanding where information lives matters because those sections are going to keep showing up everywhere else.

This is part of the bigger goal I've had for a while:

Master the NEC.

Not memorize every number in the book. Not be the guy who can repeat an answer but can't explain where it came from. I want to become comfortable enough with the Code that when I run into a problem, I know how to start working through it.

That is a skill that is going to matter a lot more as I progress through the trade.

⚡ QUESTION OF THE WEEK — 2026 NEC

Another Question of the Week went up this week through the electrical community on the FastTrax System forums associated with Paul Abernathy.

This week's question moved into motor calculations:

A 5 HP, 230-volt, single-phase motor is rated for continuous duty and has a service factor of 1.15. The motor nameplate indicates a full-load current of 22 amperes.

The branch-circuit conductors are copper THHN, and the terminals are rated 75°C.

What are the minimum branch-circuit conductor size and the maximum initial overload setting permitted under 430.32(A)(1)?

The choices were:

A. #12 AWG Cu THHN and 25.3 A
B. #10 AWG Cu THHN and 27.5 A
C. #10 AWG Cu THHN and 35 A
D. #8 AWG Cu THHN and 27.5 A

The posted poll currently has B — #10 AWG Cu THHN and 27.5 A at 100% with one vote.

Questions like this are useful because they're not just asking for one table lookup. You have to work through the motor information, conductor requirements, and overload requirements and know which parts of the Code apply.

That's exactly the kind of Code work I want to get better at.

🎙️ THE YOUNG ELECTRICIAN PODCAST

One of the biggest things that happened this week was joining The Young Electrician Podcast, hosted by Ruben Young.

We spent roughly an hour having a real conversation about my time in the trade, who I am, how I got here, what I'm working toward, and the mission behind JoshTheSparky.

This wasn't just a quick interview about electrical work. There were great questions that allowed me to actually explain the person behind the content and why I'm putting all of this together while I'm still early in my career.

It was a one-hour conversational tell-all, and I got to talk about my experience in the trade, who I am outside of just the posts people see, and what I'm ultimately trying to accomplish with JoshTheSparky.

The episode should release sometime in September.

I'm glad I did it because short-form content doesn't always give you enough room to explain yourself. You can make a 30-second video about a Code question, but that's not enough time to explain where you're coming from, what you're trying to accomplish, or why you're spending so much time building something around the trade.

An hour-long conversation gives you room to actually talk.

🎓 WEBINARS

The webinar side of the site is continuing to develop as well.

I don't want to create a separate permanent page for every webinar and end up with a giant pile of dead event pages. The better idea is to have the /webinars page act as the central hub, with journal updates documenting what happens before, during, and after each event.

That way, somebody can see an upcoming webinar and sign up, while somebody who missed it can come back later and read what happened.

More educational opportunities are coming through the electrical community, so staying connected is becoming increasingly important.

Sign up for the webinars through your email and stay connected for upcoming events.

📻 SPARKY RADIO

The /radio page is being developed as the home for the audio side of JoshTheSparky.

That includes Spotify, podcasts, interviews, broadcasts, and other audio projects as they develop.

The Young Electrician podcast appearance is exactly the kind of thing that belongs in that ecosystem. Instead of an interview existing only on someone else's platform, the JoshTheSparky site can eventually point people toward all of these appearances and audio projects from one place.

🎥 BROADCAST

The /broadcast page continues to take shape around live content.

The Brainbuster TikTok Live is one of the first things I'm looking toward putting there. The goal is for /broadcast to eventually be the place to find upcoming live events as well as a record of past broadcasts and study sessions.

The first broadcast idea remains centered around breaking down electrical/code questions and showing the process rather than simply presenting answers.

⭐ FEATURED SPARKY

The /featured page is being built around highlighting other electricians and people in the trade.

I don't need to create a separate page for every person. A long-scroll page makes more sense for what I'm trying to do. Each feature can have the person's date of addition, picture, a short write-up from me, their information, and links where people can find them.

The point is to put other people on.

If somebody is doing good work, making good content, teaching, learning, or contributing something worthwhile to the trade, I want JoshTheSparky to be a place where they can get some additional attention.

👥 COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY

The community side had a good week.

The Question of the Week, FastTrax, NEC discussions, the podcast, upcoming webinars, and the people I've been following and learning from are all reminders that there is a huge amount of knowledge already being shared throughout the electrical trade.

Paul Abernathy, Mike Holt, Ryan Jackson, The Young Electrician, NEC Chat/FastTrax, and many other electricians and educators are putting information out there. I'm still early in my own career, so I'm not trying to pretend I'm already at the top of the mountain. I'm trying to learn from the people who have already climbed further than I have while contributing whatever I can along the way.

The podcast was a good example of that. I got to sit down with someone else in the trade, talk about the journey, and have a real conversation about where I'm trying to go.

That's the kind of networking I want—actual relationships around the trade, not just collecting followers.

There are also more webinars and educational opportunities coming up, which is another reason I'm trying to keep the site and communication systems organized enough that people can actually find these things.

🛠️ TOOL REVIEW

Tool reviews are becoming another part of the JoshTheSparky content pipeline.

The important thing for me is that I'm not interested in reviewing something just because it exists. If I'm going to talk about a tool, I want there to be a reason for somebody in the trade to care about it.

Does it save time? Does it make a job easier? Does it solve a problem? Is it something an apprentice should know about? Is it actually worth having?

Those are the questions that matter.

The same principle applies to the digital tools I'm using to build the website and content. A tool is only useful if it actually improves the work.

🛍️ BRAND & SHOP DEVELOPMENT

The JoshTheSparky brand continues to develop alongside the website.

The shop is now part of the site structure, and merchandise such as the stickers we've been working on is being developed as another optional way for people to support the project.

I'm not trying to turn JoshTheSparky into a giant storefront. The educational material and website are still meant to be free and accessible.

The shop is simply another piece of the ecosystem for people who want something physical or want another way to support what I'm building.

📰 NEWSLETTER

The newsletter remains part of the larger communication system.

The idea is for it to be another way to keep people informed about what is actually happening around JoshTheSparky: website updates, electrical content, community developments, featured electricians, webinars, projects, and other things worth knowing about.

The website is the main home, but not everyone is going to check the site every day. Email gives people another way to stay connected without needing an account or having to chase down every social platform.

⚡ KEY MINDSET

This week I started thinking less about individual posts and more about whether all of this work actually connects.

The Brainbuster isn't just a question. It can become a website resource, a social post, a live study session, and eventually something somebody can come back to months later when they're studying for themselves. The podcast isn't just an interview. It's a chance to explain who I am and what I'm trying to do. The Network page isn't just a list of links. It's the map showing people where everything connects.

That's the difference I'm starting to see between creating content and building something.

At the same time, I don't want the website to become an excuse to stop focusing on the actual trade. The entire point of building this is still connected to becoming a better electrician. The Code study, Bay Path, the hours, the job search, the math, the physical work, and the people I meet in the trade are still the foundation.

I'm trying to build something that grows with me instead of something that distracts me from growing.

📚 LESSON OF THE WEEK

The biggest lesson this week was that you don't need to already be an expert to start building something valuable, but you do need to be honest about where you are.

I'm still early in the trade. I don't have decades of field experience. There are plenty of people I can learn from, and there are plenty of things I still don't know.

That's not something I'm trying to hide.

I'm trying to document what it actually looks like to go through the process of becoming an electrician while taking the education seriously, learning the Code, asking questions, meeting people, and figuring out where I want to go.

There is a difference between pretending you know everything and being willing to learn in public.

The same applies to the career decisions I'm making. Not every opportunity is automatically the right opportunity. Travel, distance, type of work, education, people, schedule, and the direction of the job all matter. The goal isn't just to accumulate hours as quickly as possible. The goal is to accumulate the right experience while moving toward the kind of electrician and eventually the kind of leader I want to become.

💪 TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

Take care of your body as if you have no enclosure for your brain.

Guys are blowing their backs out at 24. Stop this.

The electrical trade is physical. Your body is one of the tools you bring to the job every day, and you don't get to replace it when it wears out.

Keep exercising. Lift intelligently. Recover. Pay attention to your back, your joints, your sleep, and everything else that lets you actually do this work.

When opportunities come up, take a step back and think through the outcomes instead of jumping at the first thing available. Consider the travel, distance, type of work, schedule, education, and whether it actually moves you toward your ultimate goal.

Find what makes you happy while still moving toward where you want to go.

And always remember:

You are the electrician. Confirm everything yourself.

🕒 TRACK YOUR HOURS

Always track your hours.

Timesheets, cards, paystubs, signed forms, or whatever records your company provides should be kept somewhere you can access later. Keep your own dedicated record with the company name, job, location, dates, hours, and any required documentation.

Keep signed forms from your foreman, master, or journeyman when applicable, along with anything else that proves your experience.

Don't assume somebody else is going to have the exact records you need years later.

Your apprenticeship and career record are ultimately your responsibility.

🎓 EDUCATION

I have signed up and paid for my fifth Bay Path module.

This module will focus heavily on NEC calculations and related Code, leading into Module 6. These later modules are going to be some of the most important parts of my education because they start bringing together the math and Code knowledge I've been working on.

I also added advanced algebra to my coursework and have continued self-teaching geometry and pipe-bending concepts. The goal is to strengthen the mathematical foundation underneath the electrical work rather than treating the calculations as something I only need to know long enough to pass a test.

The 2026 NEC Code Book is officially acquired, and I plan on printing the Massachusetts amendments so I can study the Code alongside the local requirements.

📊 THIS WEEK IN NUMBERS

Study Time: Approximately 2–3 hours daily, roughly 14–21 focused hours.

Questions Completed: Approximately 50 questions per day.

Content Output: Continued the daily content rhythm across platforms.

NEC Study: Continued deep-diving into the 2026 NEC, including browsing Chapter 1 and learning the organization of the Code.

Brainbusters: Major website revamp underway.

Live Content: TikTok Live Brainbuster breakdown being prepared.

Podcast: Approximately one-hour conversation with The Young Electrician completed.

Podcast Release: Expected sometime in September.

Career: 215+ commercial hours banked and career search remains active.

Education: Fifth Bay Path module paid for and underway.

Website: Continued major expansion and organization of JoshTheSparky.com.

Community: Another 2026 NEC Question of the Week completed.

Webinars: Continued developing the system for upcoming and completed educational events.

📱 CONTENT PIPELINE

The daily content rhythm continues, but the Brainbusters are becoming a much bigger part of the system.

Quick Hits can introduce a question. The website can hold the full Brainbuster. TikTok can put the question in front of people. A live session can break it down. The explanation can then remain available as a permanent resource.

That gives the content a longer life.

The same thing applies to Theory Analysis, NEC questions, practical electrical information, jobsite lessons, tool reviews, community content, and eventually podcast and broadcast material.

I'm trying to stop thinking of each post as something that exists for one day and start thinking about how each piece can contribute to the larger library.

🌐 COMMUNITY & INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

The electrical education community continues to have a lot going on.

The weekly NEC question through FastTrax gives me another reason to sit down and work through actual Code applications. The Young Electrician podcast gave me a chance to talk about the personal side of the trade. Upcoming webinars provide more opportunities to learn from people who have experience I don't have yet.

I'm also continuing to follow people like Paul Abernathy, Mike Holt, Ryan Jackson, and others who are consistently putting electrical education out there.

There is no reason to try to reinvent the wheel.

Use the resources that exist. Learn from people who know more. Ask better questions. Give credit where it's due. Then take what you learn and use it to become useful to somebody else.

That's the kind of community I want to be part of.

💡 KEY TAKEAWAY

This week made it pretty obvious that the pieces are starting to connect.

The website is growing at the same time the content is growing. The content is creating questions that can become Brainbusters. The Brainbusters can become live study sessions. The live sessions can become more content. The podcast gives people a longer look at who I am. The community gives me people to learn from and eventually people to help.

None of these things are finished.

That's okay.

I'm building them while I'm learning the trade, and they're going to change as I figure out what actually works.

The important part is that there is now a direction.

Build the resource. Learn the trade. Build the network. Help people. Keep moving.

📜 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."

— Matthew 7:12, King James Version

This is one of those verses that is simple enough that you don't need to over-explain it.

If I want people to help me, I should help people.

If I want people to teach me, I should teach what I know.

If I want people to give me opportunities, I should look for ways to give other people opportunities.

If I want to be treated with respect in the trade, I should give that same respect to the people coming up behind me.

Build the kind of community you would want to be part of.

🎵 SONG OF THE WEEK

"The World Is Yours" — Nas

This one felt right for the week.

There is still a huge amount of road ahead of me. I'm early in the trade, I'm still figuring out the direction of my career, and JoshTheSparky is still being built from the ground up.

There's a lot I don't know yet.

But there's also a lot that's possible.

Keep learning. Keep working. Keep building.

The world is bigger than whatever you're dealing with right now.

⚡ QUICK HITS / UPDATES FROM THIS WEEK

• JoshTheSparky Weekly Report #21

• Brainbuster website revamp underway

• TikTok Live Brainbuster breakdown planned

• 2026 NEC deep-dive study continuing

• Chapter 1 browsing and Code organization study

• Another 2026 NEC Question of the Week completed

• The Young Electrician Podcast appearance recorded

• Podcast expected to release in September

• Webinar system continuing to develop

• Website Network page being built

• Community page being developed

• Radio page being developed

• Broadcast page being developed

• Featured Sparky page being developed

• Newsletter system continuing

• Shop development continuing

• JoshTheSparky network continuing to expand

• Bay Path Module 5 paid for

• Advanced algebra coursework continuing

• 2026 NEC Code Book acquired

• Massachusetts amendments planned for printing

• Career search remains active

• 215+ commercial hours banked

🧭 CURRENT PRIORITIES

Going into Week #22, the focus is going to remain on finishing the foundation instead of trying to rush into a bunch of new projects.

The website needs continued organization and development, particularly the Network, Community, Radio, Webinar, Broadcast, Featured, and Brainbuster sections. The Brainbuster revamp needs to get to a point where the first live breakdown can actually happen. The 2026 NEC study needs to continue, especially learning to navigate the Code naturally rather than relying on memorization.

Career development remains active as well. The next opportunity needs to be evaluated based on where it can actually take me, not simply whether it puts me on a job tomorrow.

The education continues with Bay Path Module 5, NEC calculations, advanced algebra, geometry, and the other pieces I'm working through.

And, as always, the content needs to keep moving.

🔚 FINAL THOUGHT

This week wasn't one giant accomplishment.

It was a lot of smaller things moving in the same direction.

I sat down for an hour and talked about my journey on a podcast. I worked through another NEC Question of the Week. I kept studying the 2026 NEC. I started turning the Brainbusters into something bigger than social-media questions. I kept building the website and figuring out where everything belongs. I continued working toward the next stage of my education and career.

That's what this is right now.

A bunch of pieces being built while I'm still becoming the person who is going to use them.

I'm still green to the industry. I'm still learning. I'm still going to get things wrong sometimes. I'm still going to have to ask somebody who knows more than me. That's part of it.

But I also don't want to wait until I'm some finished product before I start contributing.

Learn what you can. Give credit to the people who taught you. Help the person behind you. Keep your records. Take care of your body. Read the Code. Ask questions. Don't blindly trust anything—including yourself. Confirm it.

And keep building something worth leaving behind.

Stay safe. Remember you are playing with God's fury.

See you next week. ⚡

Josh The Sparky
@joshthesparky4
JoshTheSparky.com

Future Massachusetts Electrician | NEC Student | Always Learning