Simple Living

Splurged on a pair of Apple Airpod Pro’s.  With the proceeds of my recent watch sales I had more than enough for new wireless earbuds. Initial Review Only had them for a few hours and overall I’m impressed by how well they are integrated with my iPhone 11.  Everything just works, and once you learn the basic controls it’s quite intuitive. I am finding the transparent audio impressive and beats my open ear cans like the Grado SR80’s.  The noise canceling feature I’ve only used sparingly and will try it out soon. 3 Day Review Okay, I got in my new Airpod Pro case and liking it as one problem I discovered with the Pro’s due to their size and shape they seem to easily fall out of my pockets. My first few listening sessions relied on transparent audio and that’s not good for actual music listening.  When I turned it off, the sound quality of certain songs improved, which should be obvious considering the original intent of transparent audio mode. But after several sessions, the audio qualit

I needed a general purpose backpack to slot between my casual Jansport and my Dakine hiking bag. I had five basic requirements: Black color Polyester material Larger than 26 liters Utility pouches for water bottles Internal compartments for a laptop There were several choices and I was liking the Adidas - Striker II selling for $20, but couldn’t find any in black so I opted for a black Adidas - Foundation V. Both the Striker and Foundation look very similar, with the proportions of the Striker being slightly smaller. My options Jansport Superbreak 501 - $17 Adidas Striker II - $20 Adidas Foundation V - $27 Size - 33 Liters Overall, I’m liking the Foundation V, it’s a bit larger at 33 Liters compared to my 26 Liter Jansport 501. Compartments - 4 It has four compartments with a laptop sleeve in the primary and a mesh zip pouch in the secondary with key leash.  The third pouch is padded for sunglasses and fourth pouch for small utility items.  That is double the compartments on a Jansport

My collection of watches has grown to over a dozen pieces yet again and like several times before it consists of a plethora of inexpensive and cheap watches I’ll never wear. I’m culling the herd and slimming down to 4 watches: Rolex Explorer 114270 Victorinox INOX Casio G-Shock DW5600 Casio A168 My thoughts on how to setup an ideal collection: I. Classics that Obey Form + Function It took years for me to realize I prefer simple tool watches of a reasonable size and classic styling.  For most everyday I'm relying on the humble Casio's and for more formal or special days I bust out the Automatics or the INOX.   It's funny how the Casio A168 gives me such delight as I don't have to worry much and it satisfies most of my daily needs in a watch. II. You don’t need every style or design One common mistake I made when I first began collecting watches was wanting to ‘complete’ a collection in terms of colors and styles.  If a model came in 3-4 colors I desired all of them. Cont

If you are seeking a Casio G-Shock you will likely come across two (2) of the most popular design series, the square 5600's and circular 6900's.  Both represent G-Shock at their best and you can't go wrong with either. When selecting the right G-Shock, you have four (4) questions to help narrow down your choices: 1. Form Factor (Size) For those with smaller wrists the smaller 5600's are the logical choice, but most people can get away with wearing a larger 6900. 2. Features (Modules) Second are module (features) and the most basic modules reside in the DW models. Higher end G-Shocks typically have model names starting with a 'G' like the GW or GLX. 3. Style (Color/Design) The third and most difficult choice is style.  Casio doesn't make this easy as they have done many limited edition and collaboration models offering thousands of different color and design choices. For me, I'd recommend keeping it simple and for your first G-Shock get one in classic bl

It finally happened at around 85,000 miles my 2007 Lexus IS250 displayed the dreaded Check Engine Light and VSC. I had just changed the oil at the dealer a few weeks back and also replaced the rear axle and front bushings, then drove off and my dash lit up like a Christmas tree. I went back to the dealer and they determined the cause was a dead O2 sensor and leaking valve cover gasket.  They believe oil dripping from the gasket fell on the O2 sensor and caused it to fail. Total bill?  About  $1,300. O2 Sensor - $600 Valve Gasket - $700 In addition to resolving the Check Engine light, I also had other maintenance and repairs.  So total cost for the month was  $ 4,050. Oil Change - $250 Rear Axle - $ 1700 Front Bushings - $800

The backlight was no longer working on my Casio G-Shock DW-6900 and while it showed the time and all other functions worked, I suspected it no longer had enough battery power to sustain the backlight. Researching online I found the instructions on how to replace the battery and confirm it uses a CR2016 battery. Overall, the steps to replace the battery are straight forward provided you have a tiny Phillips screwdriver that fits the back screws and a needle or pin to release the battery harness. CAUTION: The trickiest part of the battery replacement would be when you press on the battery harness catch.  I had to review the online instructions and Youtube videos several times before I understood how to gently release and also lock it back in place.  Take your time on this crucial step or you may permanently damage your watch. A special note, the 2007 Lexus IS250 keyless remote also uses the exact same CR2016 battery.  I fortunately, had a spare after replacing the batteries on all my I

I’m debating on what to get for my next watch in 2021.  My last purchase was the Victorinox INOX in 2020 and with the death of my Apple Series 2, I have room for another watch. I’m seeking something simple and my choices are: Casio G-Shock DW-5600 Casio A168 Details Matter My current stable of G-Shocks always leave something to be desired.  My GLX-5600 is in red.  The DW-6900 too bulky and my G9000 hard to read negative display…so enter the contenders of a black DW-5600 or a silver A168. Pro #1 - Both are Affordable My current opinions are leaning towards the 5600.  Although, considering both are quite affordable…I’m also leaning towards acquiring both. Pro #2 - G-Shock is near indestructible I like G-Shocks as they are built tough and can go almost anywhere.  I have no fear of diving in a pool or the ocean nor banging it up while working outdoors or in the gym.  The G is a true beater watch. Con #1 - I own too many watches A knock against getting both is my ever growing collection.  

I’m cycling through my collection and donned the Orange Monster for past few days.  The benefit of owning larger watches like the Victorinox INOX and Armani AR585, they make the Seiko SKX781 look perfectly sized. Love/Hate relationship I can see how people can love it or hate it as I’ve experienced both during my 5 year ownership of the SKX781.  It’s blunt styling can be a turn off with the metal bezel and case, but then it feels more modern and unique relative to everyone else who clings to the Submariner style diver bezel; including the SKX007. What really attracted me to the SKX781 is the beautiful and legible Orange dial.  It’s by far one of the easiest to read dials and I wish many more watches took this to heart when designing watch dials, including Seiko. Another reason for the Orange Monster is it’s smaller than the more famous SKX007 as I owned both and found the 007 a bit too large for my tastes, but now might be okay with the larger size. But $500? I’m still shocked that the

It's been a while and brewed a cup of instant Starbucks Via Coffee.  Not exactly gourmet but above average when you compare it with its market niche of K Cups and other instant brands like Nescafe. Sometimes, its nice to have a cup of humble instant to appreciate things.

I bought an oyster style bracelet for my Zenith.  The summer heat makes wearing leather impractical and I’m liking the form factor size of 36mm watches. It looks almost like my Rolex Explorer 114270 and in many ways was part of the reason I picked up this particular bracelet. Buyers Remorse Before, I hated this watch and wished I had gotten a Hamilton Khaki or Seiko SARB as they were all about the same price under $500, but now I’m okay with the Zenith.  It’s lovable to me as it’s a very classic design, simple, clean and now unique.  You’ll be hard pressed to find another original like this. As of this writing, this Zenith is 65 years old!  Pretty good for a watch old enough to retire. It’s also quite shocking how time flies as we are now nearing the middle of 2021.  

One of the obvious downsides of owning white shoes…they get dirty and require regular cleaning to make them look decent again. I'm still learning and before I move up to nicer pairs of kicks, I went for some classics that are also very affordable to use for practice and for now using only home cleaning agents like detergent or bleach. Cleaning Schedule (Daily & Monthly) I have a two (2) part cleaning schedule and daily, I wipe down any white shoes I've been wearing to minimize any dirt or grime having a chance to set in and become a stain. Monthly, I do a deeper clean for any white shoes that I've worn regularly or are starting to look really dirty.  A deep clean for me involves removing the laces and cleaning each component of the shoe separately. Cleaning Methods The laces so far have done okay with just soap & water then a soak in a bleach solution. For the shoes, depending on the material (leather, pleather, canvas, etc) I usually wash with detergent and water.

I’ve been wanting to invest in a foldable backpack and was considering Osprey and some other brands, but wasn’t ready to spend $30 dollars or more. Instead, I got a Foldable Backpack from Daiso for only $4.  I needed something to carry a water bottle and some snacks while out and about; this bag was perfect! But for $4 understand you are getting an ultralight bag with very thin material and weak zippers.  Treat it gently and it’ll work fine.  The instruction tag also warns to avoid moisture so it’s probably not water resistant and could get soaked. Plenty of Pockets This thing comes with a main compartment, a smaller compartment (where it also reverses and folds back into) as well as two side mesh pouches that can fit a small bottle of water.  There is also a small hanging pocket within the main compartment. I found the pockets quite useful, although I wouldn’t put anything expensive or valuable in the side mesh pockets, I just stowed cheap water bottles. Watch the Straps CAUTION on th

I’ve now had the opportunity to own and try both Alox and Cellidor Victorinox Swiss Army knives.  The Alox and Cellidor describe the type of materials used on the knife handles or scales. Alox Alox is Victorinox’s branding of Aluminum Oxide and are the metallic scales that were used commonly on their military issued Soldier knives to the Swiss Army from the 1960s until about 2008.  They also maintained civilian versions with the Pioneer Alox being a near perfect copy of the Soldier with addition of a key ring. Cellidor Cellidor is their branding of plastic scales that they’ve used for many years on their civilian knife models and famous for their red Cellidor knives. So which is better? Neither, both are.  Its really what you are seeking and how you plan to use the knife.  The common complaint of Cellidor is due to the inherent nature of plastic in that it’s brittle and susceptible to cracking on hard impact or disintegrating from harsh chemicals.  Alox is metal and more resistant to b

My Apple Watch - Series 2 in Space Grey Aluminum 42mm has finally died.  Bought it new when it first came out some 4 years ago around April 2017. I may take it into an Apple Store to see if there is any hope for it, but if not...I’m actually relieved it died as I’m now free from the tyranny of a ‘Smartwatch’.  I can enjoy my traditional quartz and mechanical watches again! Although, I’ve been mostly sporting my Victorinox INOX on most days and a Swatch when I need something light.  The G-Shocks seem excited to see the light of day again in the gym and on day hikes. Update - 5/22/21 Checked the Apple Service website and they quoted an out of warranty repair for the battery is $79.  Considering a newer Model 3 is just double the price of a new battery, just not worth it to fix the battery. I may someday try replacing it myself with one of the aftermarket battery replacement kits, but not right now.