I recently received this beautiful MoMA Colorplay Hourglass as a gift from a good friend who lives in NYC and could not be happier with it. While you can’t buy the exact one on Amazon, you can get similar hourglasses. Read on to find out what I really like about it.
Renewable light for camping and emergencies
Suaoki LED camping lantern
I recently purchased a Suaoki LED camping lantern, a neat collapsible solar rechargeable white LED lantern that I’m hoping to test out for a while before a major hiking and camping trip this summer. After getting it in the mail, we took it out on a hike to Calvert Cliffs State Park in Maryland to check out its utility. Here are my first impressions!
Fitbit Charge HR: Your All In One Activity Tracker
It seems like everyone is trying to get in on the wearable tech band wagon. Brands like Garmin, Jawbone, and Fitbit occupy a crowded market and of course there is the Apple Watch. Others have also tried to push the fashion aspect, for example Withings Activite, which emphasizes its styling over functionality. After doing extensive research on a slew of these activity trackers I decided to pick up the Fitbit Charge HR. Has it been a game changer? Read More
How to save time by… brushing your teeth?
I have seen the future and it is… a high tech subscription service for toothbrushes and toothpaste? Quip has been called a variety of names by different tech reviewers including: the Tesla of toothbrushes, sleek and elegant, the best toothbrush ever, best new brush, and even the Uber of toothbrushes. With these reviews and a price point of $25 for a plastic handle and $40 for the brushed metal version, regular and travel toothpaste, I decided to give it a try since the price point is on the lower end of electric toothbrushes which apparently work as well as the higher end $150 versions. I was due for a new toothbrush anyways (I keep breaking the fancy Philips Sonicare versions, two so far). So how did it go?
I tried a Soylent only diet. Here’s how it went.
Last year, one of our good friends, Saad, visited us in Philadelphia. Saad is an engineer at Palantir and told me about Soylent. I had seen ads for it Soylent on the Internet but hadn’t gotten up the courage to try. After all, I’m a huge fan of food, a la my affinity for Blue Apron. He said I had to try it as it would save me time. He further emphasized that if I was throwing away calories in the afternoon I might as well save some time and get a “balanced” meal while I was at it. This last point rang true, I’ll sometimes eat just a Probar or perhaps a sandwich from a local food cart. I was skeptical at first. But I decided to take the plunge. I asked Saad to order me a box and a mixing pitcher (at that time, Soylent was 5-6 weeks backordered for new customers and it was easier to get it through someone who is already a subscriber). So how did it go?
Never run out of power again with a ChargeTech portable battery pack
How often do you find yourself looking for an outlet in a crowded airport? Or in an older classroom that has few accessible outlets? The latter situation is what I’ve routinely found myself in, while teaching and taking classes. I decided to fix the problem by carrying around my own power source. I went out and grabbed a ChargeTech portable battery pack (24000 mAh size) for $150 on Amazon. After a month with the battery pack, I’ve found myself asking, was it worth it?
Gatsby Wax: Affordable Hair Wax with Great Long Lasting Hold
It started with the bowl cut when I was a kid. Then in high school it was the super spiky hair phase that required what seemed like a quarter bottle of gel each day. Next came the buzz cut and nowadays it’s the modern pompadour. This latest hairdo has me buying some hair product again and I’ve been extremely happy with Gatsby wax. Read More
2015 Top Buys: Daily Necessities
Top Buys of 2015
Spending more time reflecting is one of Tim Ferriss’ 25 things I learned from guests in 2015. After all, action without reflection diminishes the learning value of acting. So with that in mind, here are my 2015 top buys, the items that I got in 2015 that made my life more convenient or solved a problem (and three of these items I never leave home without): the Anker slim iPhone 6 battery case, the Mpow Cheetah Bluetooth headphones, the BRYK RFID credit card wallet, and the KeySmart key holder.
The Three Best Gifts for Frequent Travelers: Packing Cubes, a Travel Charger, and the new Baubax Jacket
Traveling. Sometimes you have to do it for work. Sometimes you’re doing it for vacation and relaxation. Thinking about where you’re going can be enjoyable. Once you arrive at your destination, the fun can begin! But all the stuff in between involving the process of traveling, dealing with security, lines, etc. — that can be a real headache. Any little bit of respite helps.We wrote about great earphones previously– another highly recommended item for the traveler in your life! Canceling noise helps you block out the unwanted intrusions into your personal space. Here are our other top picks for gifts for frequent travelers, something you can get the road warrior in your life this holiday season to make their lives a little bit easier: packing cubes, a travel charger, and this snazzy travel jacket.
The Three Best Gifts for Students: Fisher Space Pen, Stanley Vacuum Bottle, and BlenderBottle GoStak Storage Jars
Back to school after the holidays? Gifts for the student in your life this holiday season
Last year I decided to quit my tenured federal job and become a full-time student again. The challenges of being a student are very different from the challenges of working full-time. Student life is very much on-the-go and most days I lived out of my backpack or messenger bag. Anything that got thrown into the bag had to be reliable and tough. Below I discuss three things that helped me overcome some of those challenges. I think any of these, a Fisher Space Pen, a Stanley vacuum bottle, and a BlenderBottle GoStaks, would make an excellent gift for the student in your life. They are all under $25 too! Read on to find out why I think these items make awesome gifts for students.