Simple Living

Gardening Update I've been cultivating my plant collection since the lockdown, and I've recently downsized to 5 plants after some ups and downs. Here’s a recap of my current lineup and some updates: Current Plant Collection: 8-inch Pots: Sansaviera (oldest, 3 years) Parlor Palm 6-inch Pot: Xanthosoma (Elephant’s Ear) 5-inch Pots: Sansaviera x2 Updates: 1/13/24: Added a Xanthosoma for $14.99, opting for it over a Monstera. 6/10/24: Unfortunately, my orchid died after blooming twice, so I’m now down to 6 plants. I also trimmed my golden pothos to manage its long vines better. 10/15/24: Let go of the pothos due to health issues, leaving me with just 5 plants. Thankfully, my Parlor Palm survived a spider mite infestation and has recovered. I’m looking forward to nurturing the remaining plants and possibly adding a larger one in the future.

Personal Collections Review for 2024 Another year, another review of my personal collections. My last review was in 2021. I've dropped the Whisky collection as I'll treat it as consumables. I. Total Value ~$13,200 The value of my collections is actually modest, as only a few items make up the bulk of the monetary value, primarily my Rolex, Omega, and iPhone 16.  Remove those, and it's about ~$2,400 in value of the rest of my 'stuff.' This may change as I'm contemplating a major purchase in 2025 to finally acquire either a Rolex Submariner 14060 or an Omega Speedmaster Professional, budgeting ~$4,000 to $8,000 for such a major acquisition. This would double the value of my collections. II. Full Collection 1. Headphones -- 9 Total Value: ~$600 Decreased by -1 as I chucked the AKG’s and can’t find a 3rd pair of old Apple earbuds, while at the same time adding several wireless options as well as Lightning Apple Earbuds. I also cleared out my AirPod Pros (gifted) an...

Cash Stash Goal I want to increase my cash on hand to $1,000 . I presently have $720 , separate from my regular savings and retirement accounts. I like having some physical cash on hand, which I squirrel away in several locations, rarely keeping more than $150-200 in my wallet. Most stashes are small, about $40-50 each. Current Stash Goals Here's my target breakdown for the $1,000 cash goal: Wallet : $200 Safe : $600 Med Stash : $50 Med Stash : $50 Med Stash : $40 Med Stash : $40 Small Stash : $20 I plan to grow these stashes gradually, adding about $20 per week , so it will take me a year to reach $1,000 . Long-Term Plan If this goes to plan, I’ll continue this for two more years , adding $500 per year until I max out at $2,000 in physical cash by 2026 . My future allocation will look like this: Wallet : $400 Safe : $1,200 Med Stash : $100 Med Stash : $100 Med Stash : $100 Small Stash : $50 Small Stash : $50 This strategy helps me feel secure with physical cash while keeping ...

Trader Joe Wine Choices: I’ve tried enough wines to curate a revolving selection of fun, drinkable table wines at affordable prices, mostly sourced from Trader Joe’s, Target, and Costco. My taste ranges from fruit-forward, slightly sweet reds to dry white wines. Occasionally, I enjoy an earthy GSM or Bordeaux, but typically, I prefer wines without any overtly strong taste profiles. Variety is key for me, so I like to mix things up. Here are my favorites and experiences from Trader Joe’s: BB - Bulk Buy Red Wines Rancho Viejo Reserva BB La Sonriete - Garnache BB Fruit forward. Campi Rudi Appassimento Rosso Puglia IGT Passito BB Syrupy sweet, similar to Meiomi. B by Fonbadet Bourdeaux BB Revelation - Cabernet Merlot Maison Barboulot - Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah Sweet. Patroferno Appassimento Puglia Primitivo Sweet. Javier San Pedro Randez - Tempranillo White Wines Revelation - Chardonnay Sweet with a slight bitter aftertaste; drink it on the first day only.

Dining Experience at Saemaeul I recently tried a new restaurant in Carrollton, Dallas, Texas , called Saemaeul , which specializes in BBQ pork. The food is quite good—very tender and delicious. The pork is sliced thin, resembling beef tongue, which adds a unique presentation. The ban chan side dishes were excellent, complementing the meal beautifully. I also tried the cheese and egg side dish, which tasted amazing. It was like a fluffy omelette with corn and cheese, making for a delightful addition to the meal. Overall, Saemaeul is a great spot for BBQ lovers looking for quality dishes!

Road Trip Journal: Waco, Austin, and San Antonio I recently embarked on a 3-night road trip through Waco , Austin , and San Antonio , driving my 2016 Toyota Highlander V6 . Here's a detailed account of the itinerary and experiences along the way. Planned Itinerary Day 1 - Monday: Waco to Austin 10:30 am - Depart Dallas for Waco 1:00 pm - Arrive in Waco (2.5-hour drive) 1:15 pm - Visit Magnolia Market 1:30 pm - Lunch at Club Sandwich Food Truck 2:30 pm - Depart for Austin (3-hour drive) 5:40 pm - Arrive in Austin 6:00 pm - Dinner at Ramen Tatsu-ya Day 2 - Tuesday: Austin to San Antonio 7:30 am - Breakfast at the hotel 9:00 am - Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Downtown Austin 11:00 am - Visit Domain Shopping Center 12:30 pm - Lunch at Miyo Sushi 1:30 pm - Enjoy Chi Cha Boba Tea 2:30 pm - Depart for San Antonio (2-hour drive) 4:30 pm - Arrive in San Antonio 5:00 pm - Explore Riverwalk Mall 5:30 pm - Dinner at Dave & Buster's 6:30 pm - Stroll along the River Wal...

Jacket Collection Overview I currently have 9 jackets that cover a range of temperatures: Track Jackets (65 degrees) Adidas - Red - DUO454 - 2019 Adidas - Navy - DUO461 - 2019 Adidas - Black - 2020 Light Jackets (55 degrees) North Face - Venture 2 Raincoat - Navy - 2021 Generic - Bomber - Green - 2023 Polo Varsity Jacket - Navy - 2024 Levi Denim Jacket - Blue - 2024 Middleweight Jackets (45 degrees) Uniqlo - Puffer - Navy - 2021 Winter Jackets (25 degrees) North Face - Ski Jacket - Brown/Green - 2023 Temperature Considerations Temperature ratings also depend on factors such as rain, wind, and sun exposure. For example, I can comfortably wear a track jacket on a sunny day even if it's 50 degrees and there's no wind. I typically layer my jackets with a hoodie or sweater, which adds about 10 degrees of warmth. Winter Layering Winters here don’t typically get colder than 0-10 degrees, so I find the puffer over a hoodie is sufficient. The North Face ski jacket is particular...

Recent Sneaker Purchase I couldn’t resist and picked up a pair of Air Force 1 ‘07 in a larger size 10 on sale for $65. These feel so much better on my feet than the cramped size 9s, and the midsole support is a lot better than the Air Jordan 1s. While I’d prefer all-white AF1s, I’m satisfied with these and will add them to my daily wear rotation alongside the AJ1s in size 10.5. Next year, I plan to pick up another pair of AJ1s in size 10.5 to complete my rotation set, leaning towards a pair of black & white or another two-colorway combo.

Dining Experience at Al Biernat's Steakhouse, Dallas, Texas I had the pleasure of dining at Al Biernat’s Steakhouse in Dallas, Texas, where I ordered the 22 oz Cowboy Ribeye cooked medium rare. Priced at $70, the steak was absolutely worth it—cooked to perfection, tender, and bursting with flavor in every bite. Meal Highlights 22 oz Cowboy Ribeye : Perfectly cooked to medium rare, the ribeye was tender, juicy, and easily one of the most enjoyable steaks I’ve had in a while. Every bite was packed with flavor, making it well worth the price. Salad and Bread Selection : The fresh salad and the large, varied bread basket were delightful complements to the main course. The variety and quality of the bread selection were a nice surprise, adding to the overall dining experience. New Wine Discovery This meal also marked my introduction to the Santa Margherita Valdadige Pinot Grigio , which has quickly become my new favorite. Its crisp, refreshing notes paired perfectly with the richness ...

New Year's Champagne Tasting: Veuve Clicquot In preparation for New Year's, I picked up a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and decided to practice with more white wines and champagnes. This was my first real experience with champagne outside of a wedding or major celebration, and I'm really enjoying it. The Veuve Clicquot was dry, reminiscent of sake or Pinot Grigio, yet it had enough sweetness to make it pleasant. I learned that it needs to be served cold and consumed at a good pace to fully enjoy the bubbly experience. There's still much to learn about champagne, but I'm excited to add more options into my rotation!

2024 Budget and Wardrobe Update I'm planning to stick to a budget of around $500 for 2024. I’m getting better at managing my expenses and am on track to hit $740 for 2023. Planned Items Most of my budget will be allocated towards clothes and shoes: Shoes - $141 Air Jordan 1 Low (Size 10.5M) - $86 - Purchased Stan Smith White/Green (Size 10M) - $55 - Purchased Clothes - $216 Bomber Jacket - $200 - Skip for 2025 Polo Letterman Navy - $160 - Purchased Levi Denim Jacket - $36 - Purchased Uniqlo T-Shirts (3x)  - $50 - Purchased Blue Jeans - $50 - Skip for 2025 Watches - $40 Casio A168WG - $40 - Purchased Tech - $240 iPhone 16 - $200 - Purchased Anker 10k Power Bank - $40 - Purchased Total Spending So far, I've spent a total of $637 .  I may increase my budget to $800 if I need to replace additional clothing items, but I don't anticipate needing much more. Future Considerations The only unknown factor is whether I will upgrade to the iPhone 16, depending on how it compar...

Weekend Coffee Update I’m enjoying a nice coffee weekend and recently stopped by the newest Summer Moon location in North Texas. As the weather is getting chillier, I treated myself to a very decent cappuccino, which I’d rate a solid 7 out of 10 . It’s great to discover a cozy spot like this outside of Deep Ellum. Another excellent option in the area is Pax & Beneficia , located in Plano near Alma. Both places offer a nice atmosphere for coffee lovers.

Milestone Achievement: 100,000 Miles on My 2015 Camry Today marks a significant milestone: my 2015 Camry has officially hit 100,000 miles ! When I purchased it in 2022, it had 88,000 miles, which means I've added just 12,000 miles over the past 22 months —approximately 600 miles per month . To put this into perspective, I'm driving at about half the rate of the previous owner, who would have needed to cover 1,000 miles per month to reach that 88,000-mile mark in seven years. Looking Ahead: A Decade More to Go Ideally, I want this car to last an additional 70,000 miles or 10 more years , assuming I continue driving around 7,000 miles per year . That would bring the total mileage to a reasonable 170,000 miles . I test drove another 2015 Camry with similar mileage before purchasing this one, and it drove effortlessly, which reassures me about the car’s longevity. While I’m less concerned about the mileage itself, I am mindful of its age. The Camry will reach 8 years old in 20...

Taco Bell Pass Experience: A Month of Tacos I decided to give the $10 Taco Bell Pass a try, which allows me to enjoy one taco per day for 30 days . This seemed like a fantastic deal, especially since it includes Taco Supremes for about 33 cents each ! Day 2 - Confirmed It Works I had no doubts about its legitimacy since it’s through the official app. I enjoyed my second discounted Taco Supreme today, and by Day 4 , I’ll have already broken even on my investment. Day 23 - This Was Such a Good Deal! I must say, I’ve indulged in quite a few discounted tacos 🌮—it’s becoming almost ridiculous! With only a week left in the challenge, I’m feeling the effects of my taco-heavy diet. On the bright side, I’ve also scored at least six more free tacos from welcome gifts and other promotions. By my estimate, I’ve spent $10 and received around $90 worth of Taco Bell ! Day 30 - And It’s Done As the month comes to a close, I feel a mix of sadness and relief. I’ve enjoyed the experience, but I’m al...