Simple Living

Leatherman vs. Swiss Army Knives: Two Different Multitool Philosophies Cutting: The Swiss Army Knife Advantage During a November trip, I found myself thinking about why, despite owning several Leatherman tools over the years, I always end up carrying a Swiss Army Knife. SAKs are built around the blade, and the Trekker is a perfect example of that design philosophy. It handled every cutting task I threw at it—slicing small logs, feathering wood, cutting cord—with an ease that felt natural and intuitive. Light, quick to open, and optimized for real-world cutting, the Trekker highlights why SAKs excel when most of your multitool use revolves around a knife. Pliers: Where Leatherman Leads Leatherman tools take the opposite approach: everything centers on the pliers. The Supertool 300 showcases this perfectly with its strong, grippy, durable plier head built for twisting, tightening, and tough hardware. If your multitool work is genuinely plier-heavy, a Leatherman is the tool you want...

1st Epic 16-Day Road Trip Across the Southwest & West Coast Planning 4,500 Miles • 67 Hours of Driving • May 2026 After a handful of successful shorter road trips, decided it was time: 1st  true EPIC road trip — from Dallas all the way across the American Southwest, up the California coast, through the Rocky Mountains, and back home. I wanted a journey that blended nature, adventure, and city fun .  I'll continue planning and adjusting as I near May 2026, before setting out on a 16-day adventure (13 nights + 2 buffer nights) covering national parks, beaches, famous cities, and stunning landscapes. Long Term Goal - 30 States by 2028 Eventually, I want to visit as many States accessibly by regular roads and envision breaking it out into a series of multi-week excursions starting with this tour then a Southeast (2027) and Northeast (2028).  If time permits, I'll try for all 48 States, but even just a single epic road trip is awesome. States Visiting (In Driving Order) T...

Thanksgiving Road Trip: Camping, Bricktown, and a Smooth Cruise up I-35 Adventure Creek Ranch - Texas Lido Restaurant - OKC Renaissance Hotel - OKC Bricktown - OKC Bricktown Brewery - OKC Road Trip I-35 1. Adventure Creek Ranch @ Forestburg, TX I kicked off Thanksgiving break with a much-needed escape into the outdoors near Forestburg, Texas, at Adventure Creek Ranch. They have some incredibly creative cabins—everything from Star Wars themes to Hobbit-style hideaways. I spent two nights in their Yellowstone-themed cabin, which turned out to be exactly what I needed to unplug. With barely any cell or internet service, I spent most of my time outside—driving around in a Kawasaki UTV, enjoying the quiet, and embracing the challenge of cooking over a campfire. It took me about 90 minutes to get that first fire going. I made it intentionally difficult by using wet logs and limited tinder—just dry grass and strips of bark from mountain cedar trees—to test my survival skills. Armed only with ...

Going Back to a Computer Instead of a Smartphone When Did Smartphones Take Over? When did we become so attached to our smartphones that we now find them more comfortable for tasks a computer is obviously superior at? Watching a movie, typing a document, reading long-form content—nearly all of these activities are easier and more efficient on a computer, especially a laptop. Yet our smartphones remain the default choice for so many of us. Why We Prefer Smartphones Part of the irony is that laptops are better tools for many tasks, but smartphones are always within reach. They’re lighter, instantly on, and woven into our daily habits. I’ve realized that one reason my laptops—now over a decade old—still function well is because they’re barely used. They get powered on only a few times a week, while my smartphone is active six to eight hours a day. Intentionally Shifting Back Lately, I’ve been making a deliberate effort to use my laptop more often. I’ve started doing things like watc...