Simple Living

Refreshing My Wardrobe: GAP Sweaters I haven’t worn GAP sweaters regularly since college, but I’ve developed a habit and now have three GAP hoodies and one crew sweater to complement my Uniqlo crew sweaters. Keeping it simple, I opted for mostly white or beige GAP sweaters that pair well with my blue jeans. My navy jackets and tops were clashing, so to break up the monotone blue, I’m going with white tops and white shoes. It’s a very simple, classic, and easy look. I can now sport at least four different white sweaters to mix up my week, along with a black crew neck. My navy GAP hoodie is being reserved for those days when I wear black or khaki pants. I’m so glad my new job allows me to wear hoodies again! I spent three years stuck in slacks and button-down shirts.

Expanding My Ink Collection: Iroshizuku Triple Mini Set I picked up another triple mini set of Iroshizuku Ink. For the price of one 50 mL bottle, I got three smaller 15 mL bottles to sample different colors of ink. This brings my growing collection to about eight different Iroshizuku inks. I believe there are at least 26 standard colors, along with several seasonal and special editions, making it an exciting addition to my writing arsenal.

Staying Secure: My New Apple AirTag I’m a bit paranoid about losing my keys, so I bought an Apple AirTag and a key case. Overall, it cost me about $40 ($30 for the AirTag and $10 for the key case). It works as expected, and I feel a little safer knowing I have a way to locate my keys. If it continues to work well, I might consider adding one to my car as a way to track it—heaven forbid it ever gets stolen!

New Ride: 2015 Toyota Camry XLE I picked up a 2015 Toyota Camry XLE as a replacement for my Lexus IS250. I’m optimistic that the Camry will deliver the famed Toyota reliability, but I’m hedging my bets with a $3,200 extended warranty. The Camry cost me about $18,000, plus the warranty, bringing the out-the-door price to around $23,000. Yes, it’s a bit high, but this is the top-level trim for the four-cylinder model, and it had only 88,000 miles. The previous owner also did oil changes every 5,000 miles or six months, which is a big plus. Although Toyota advertised the 2AR engines could go 10,000 miles or a year between oil changes, I believe in sticking to 5,000 miles or six months. I did the math, and no matter how I spin it, the monthly cost to own any reasonable car was going to be about $350-$400. The Camry hits the high end of that range. Specs - 2015 Camry XLE Engine: 2.5L - 4 Cylinder - 2AR-FE HP: 178 @ 6000 Torque: 170 @ 4100 Transmission: 6 Speed Performance: 0-60: 7.9 secon

First Flight with Southwest Airlines I recently flew for the first time on Southwest Airlines. Yes, I know—what took me so long? I don’t have a good answer! Overall, I found Southwest to be very reasonably priced for what they offer. It’s a low fare for a decent seat, complete with a pretty good Wi-Fi entertainment system, and they provide some free drinks and snacks. I got to enjoy free movies and text friends while flying, which was pretty awesome. Honestly, considering the quality of airline meals that other carriers offer in economy, the simple snacks Southwest provides are not half bad. Sadly, there was no alcohol available. I can see the appeal of enjoying a beer or some hard liquor with the pretzels. Perhaps in a few months, they may bring back liquor sales. I’ll likely fly Southwest again, as it’s so affordable for what they provide. For my flights, I experienced both the 737-Max8 and an older 737-700. I prefer the Max8 for its additional bathrooms, but otherwise, both planes a

New Anker Power Core 10400 Both my old 8 and 10 amp power banks died, so I replaced them with a new Anker Power Core 10400 (10.4 amp). I’ve always wanted an Anker, and I figured now was as good a time as any to get one. I got this one for $20, which is quite cheap, but it’s a slow charger with a maximum output of 12 watts. The Power Core 10400 is an older model and usually retails at a lower price. The reason it’s so affordable is due to its max output speed on charging, which is about 12 watts. This is fine for smaller devices but would take forever to charge larger phones that are accustomed to 15-45 watt fast chargers. Despite the wattage limitations, it has good capacity relative to its weight and size. However, because of the slow charging speed, I can only use this for smaller devices. If you can snag this for $20 or less, it’s worth it. Otherwise, I recommend spending a bit more for a faster charging model. Newer Anker power banks can run at 4.8 amps or higher, translating to 24

Choosing Between iPhone XR and iPhone 11 When I was looking for a replacement for my venerable iPhone 6s, the XR and 11 were high on my list. I debated which one to get, and I found that the XR and 11 are almost identical, with only two major differences: the faster A13 chip and the dual rear cameras of the 11. iPhone 11 Specs Screen: 6.1” (828 x 1792 pixels) ~326 ppi - 60 Hz Processor: A13 Bionic (7 nm) RAM: 4 GB Storage: 64 GB Battery: 3110 mAh Camera: 12 MP / 12 MP Weight: 6.84 oz Port: Lightning iPhone XR Specs Screen: 6.1” (828 x 1792 pixels) ~326 ppi - 60 Hz Processor: A12 Bionic (7 nm) RAM: 3 GB Storage: 64 GB Battery: 2942 mAh Camera: 12 MP Weight: 6.84 oz Port: Lightning Dual Cameras — Yes, It Makes a Difference I ultimately decided on the iPhone 11 and paid $300 during a special deal (the full retail price is normally $600). I am very happy with my choice, as I find the dual cameras to be a must-have. You don’t realize what you’re missing in casual photography until you’ve tr

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

My Experience with a 2007 Lexus IS250 I picked up my 2007 Lexus IS250 in 2018 for $11,000 and have owned it for more than three years (as of 2021). I went into this one blind, having only experience with Toyotas, and thought a Lexus would be similar in terms of reliability and maintenance; they are not. I fortunately purchased an extended warranty for $2,400, which later proved to be a wise move. For comparison, a brand new 2018 Corolla would have cost about $22,000 at the same time I purchased the Lexus. So initially, I was ahead by $8,600 while driving a nice luxury car. Conclusion - TL/DR - It's Not Worth It My journey comes to an end, and I'm parting with the Lexus for $6,000. This represents a loss of 45% or $5,000 on the purchase price alone, and the total cost of ownership has burned through $16,910, leaving me in the red by about $11,000. To view it another way, that's about $262 per month for 42 months, roughly the same as a new car payment. If I had gone with a br

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.

Comparing Casio Digital Wristwatches: DW5600 vs. A168 Casio digital wristwatches have become famous for offering exceptional value. It can be challenging to find alternatives that match their quality at such low price points. The G-Shock DW5600 and vintage A168 are excellent examples of their respective model lines, available for around $45 and $20, respectively. It’s this affordability that makes these watches so attractive compared to their high-quality features. When comparing watches, you should consider five criteria: Features Accuracy Reliability / Durability Wearability Aesthetics I. Features - DW5600 Wins Digital watches have a significant advantage over analog watches when it comes to features. Analog watches require space on the dial for each feature, which can be inherently difficult due to limited real estate. In contrast, digital watches can cycle through multiple features using the same display. By pressing the mode button, either Casio watch can cycle through 4-5 screens

Sneaker Collection Journey I began my quest to build a sneaker collection in 2019, focusing on classic staples. Now, I'm feeling confident enough to venture into the $100-$200 segment, exploring Air Jordans, Air Max, and other iconic Nike styles. Current Collection White - Adidas - Stan Smith // Size 9.5 White - Converse - All Star // Size 9.5 White - Nike - Air Force 1 // Size 9 Black - Nike - Miler React // Size 10 The Air Force 1s are my special pair, while the Nike Milers and Stan Smiths serve as my daily drivers. The Stan Smiths and All Stars are great for casual outfits, and the Milers double as trainers. This versatile set of four pairs provides great options for various occasions. Retired Shoes Adidas - Superstar Puma - Suede Red - Onitsuka - Serrano // Size 9.5 Future Acquisitions I'm considering the following future acquisitions: Nike - Air Jordan 1 Nike - Air Max 90 Nike - Air Force 1 (new colorway) Adidas - Superstar (replacement) I'm still debating th