Simple Living

Retro Gaming: The Anbernic RG351p Review Retro gaming has come a long way since the early PC emulators. I was curious about how well a portable handheld could handle emulation and am impressed with the Anbernic RG351p. Based on online reviews, the RG351p is probably the best handheld for those serious about portable retro gaming and who want to own just one device. I have to agree with those reviews and was able to start gaming within 10 seconds of owning the device. This by itself is impressive. The RG351p is by no means perfect, but there are no perfect portable handhelds. Its competitors using the same chipset may have features and capabilities that outclass the RG351p, but they also come with their own drawbacks. The target audience for the RG351p is casual gamers who plan to spend 15 to 30 minutes in a gaming session. It can run for longer multi-hour sessions, but really this is for casual gamers. When shopping around for a portable device, I evaluated the following options: Retro...

2022 Wish List and Spending Summary As 2021 comes to a close, I'm planning my acquisitions for 2022, focusing on various collections and budgeting around $800. Summary Clothes & Shoes : $633 Knives : $58 Watches : $329 (final cost for SE2 only) iPhone : $200 Tech : $25 Final Total Spent : $1,245 Overall, I spent a bit more than expected, but each acquisition feels worthwhile. 2022 - Initial Wish List Clothes - $360 Uniqlo T-Shirts x3 - $45 - DONE Uniqlo Polo Shirt x2 - $50 - DONE Banana Republic Crew Sweater - $15 - DONE Uniqlo Heat Tech Shirt - $20 - DONE Uniqlo Ultra Down - $80 - DONE Northface Venture 2 Rain Jacket - $100 - DONE Adidas Red Gym Shorts x2 - $50 - DONE Total Spent : $360 Shoes - $200 ($110 spent) Air Jordan 1 - $110 - DONE Total Spent : $110 Total Spent Overall : $470 Wardrobe Refresh 2022 is a refresh year for my wardrobe. I’ve standardized on Uniqlo Supima Cotton T-Shirts . Despite being pricier than Hanes, Uniqlo’s Supima lasts significantly longer, ...

Updated Inventory List for Collections I've made some updates to my collections, adding a new category for Swiss Army Knives and shifting my focus from Clothing to Sneakers. Here’s the current overview: Inventory Overview Headphones: 11 Tech: 12 Watches: 7 Swiss Army Knives: 16 Sneakers: 4 Fountain Pens: 4 Whisky: 3 The only collection that hasn’t changed since 2018 is my Fountain Pens; all other collections have expanded or evolved. 1. Headphones (11) I reduced this collection by three items, letting go of my old MDR-ZX, ATH-EQ500, and WM-77 models, which I hadn't used in years. Breakdown: Over-Ear: Audio Technica - ATH-MSR7 Audio Technica - ATH-M50x On-Ear: Grado - SR80e In-Ear: AKG IG955 (Office) Klipsch R6i (Home) Beats Urbeats (Bag) Apple Earbuds x4 Wireless: Apple AirPods Pro 2. Tech (12) I added an iPhone 11, Amazon Fire 8 Tablet, and RG351p to my tech collection. I sold my Apple Shuffle and gave away my old iPhone 6s. I'm also planning to sell the LG K7. Brea...

Maintenance Log for 2007 Lexus IS250 Total Maintenance Cost Lifetime: 2018: $2,900 (warranty) 2019: $600 2020: $2,035 2021: $875 Total: $6,410 Currently, I'm averaging $2,137 a year in maintenance cost but this is due to major repairs due on engine and suspension. However, prepaying with a warranty helped defray $1,600 in additional maintenance.  Otherwise, the true cost would be $2,670 per year.  In either scenario the cost of this car was too high and not worth owning as even larger repairs were likely due like a short block, transmission, etc. Maintenance Cost by Type Consumables (21%) Tire Services : $460 Brakes and Rotors : $1,100 Battery : $50 (true cost $150)  Preventive (17%) Oil Changes : $1,400 Engine (30%) Alternator: $100 (true cost $1,100) O2 Sensor: $100 (true cost $600) Valve Cover Gasket: $100 (true cost $700) Suspension (31%) Front Bushings: $100 (true cost $800) Rear Axle: $100 (true cost $1,700) Total Maintenance Cost : $3,510 (true cost $8,0...

My Simplified Pocket EDC Lately, I’ve simplified my Pocket Everyday Carry (EDC) and generally carry seven core items with an additional four optional items. Core Items: iPhone 11 Wallet Keys Wristwatch USB thumb drive (on keychain) Swiss Army Knife (on keychain) Bandaids (in wallet) Optional Items: AirPods Pro Pen LED flashlight BIC Lighter More often than not, I include only the optional AirPods with my core EDC. The rest I find more convenient to leave in my messenger bag or backpack that I have near me.