My Gear For Sale page has been updated with a few new items and a few price drops. Bags, hanks, pen, Kobo.
New: Sumo Theme 1.1 with internationalization support. English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, & Russian. If there’s a specific language you need, let me know. You can choose language & customize date format in the config.json. Huge shoutout to @cesco for the heavy lifting here.
I added a new page to my site, Gear For Sale.
After a few months and multiple (very delayed) back-and-forth emails with Bluesky, I was finally able to secure my domain name as my handle. Was beginning to look like it might not ever happen.
The Micro.one video walkthrough by @manton sure does feature a nice looking theme if I do say so myself. Of course, I’m not biased.
Here’s more stuff for sale. Clever Supply Co Sidekick ($50), Bellroy Field Notes Cover with 8 notebooks ($80), and an iPad Pro 12.9” 128GB with Apple Pencil and Apple Cover ($625). In case you missed it, I posted some Tom Bihn stuff too.
Any Tom Bihn fans out there? I’ve got a Synik 30 + HLT ($180) and a Cadet with Cache ($180) available. CONUS shipping included. I’ll have more stuff (other brands) available this week too so stay tuned.
I just figured out a plumbing issue in our house that’s been frustrating me for months. I fixed it for a grand cost of $0. I won’t be revealing how simple it was to fix.
For Christmas, we got the kids ModRetro Chromatics. They’ve already been a hit (for the adults too). We managed to snag a few games, but now I’ve got the itch and the chase is on for old GameBoy games.
One more ICYMI post: Here’s a Christmas Gift Guide I put together if you happen to be looking for a last minute gift for someone.
Looking through some pics from a few years ago and stumbled on this one. It’s one of those random shots attached to good memories that makes it worth more than the photo itself.
My city is getting that gas station.
ICYMI: My 2024 Christmas Gift Guide
My 2024 Christmas Gift Guide
I decided to throw together a Kottke inspired 2024 Christmas Suggestions style of list. No real rhyme or reason, just things I love or that interest me.
I’ve categorized them based on area/location of life.
On Your Person
I’m a big EDC person and have put countless hours into research and testing of hundreds of products. If you’re an experienced EDC type, you’ll know about some classics folding knives (pocket knives) like the Sebenza (high end), Bugout (mid-range), and Cadet (budget). All are great gifts depending on budget. But that cadet is the sweet spot for gift giving.
A good pen is often overlooked and misunderstood. Don’t sleep on the Zebra F701. Or up the budget and grab a Tactile Turn Bolt Action. My personal favorite is this Spoke Design beauty.
For a wallet, the often sold out Tom Bihn Nik’s Wallet is fantastic. I’ve seen a lot of people suggesting the Chum’s wallet lately as well.
If you want to carry a quality light, a Malkoff or Zebralight are my two favorites. Avoid Olight and Nebo, in my opinion. You can do better than Fenix, but they’re not bad.
Put a SAK classic in your backpack, your desk drawer, or other places that make sense. And don’t forget an excellent pair of Roka sunglasses ($50 off with link).
In Your Office
I’m not going to suggest computers/devices here as that could go a million different directions. Instead, I’ll suggest things like this TwelveSouth desk pad, this Audio Texhnica mic for Zoom/Podcasts, and these shockingly great Moondrop wired headphones. Did you know you can turn wired headphones into some of the best Bluetooth headphones?
A postal scale and shipping tape dispenser are great for those who ship frequently. Also, use PirateShip for the best prices and experience.
If you’re going to be sitting for hours a day in a chair, it’s important to get a great one. Steelcase Leap and Amia are two of the best.
For a desk pen, a Studio Neat Mark One or Lamy Safari are excellent choices. Studio Neat’s PanoPad is a game changer for a notebook.
In Your House
I’m excited about this Anker battery/dock for our house. Gives us a central place in our home to charge phones and other devices, but also can be picked up and used elsewhere when needed (like the kitchen island). Anker also has these excellent dual USB-C charge cables that I love.
TwelveSouth has my favorite bedside dock.
This tea kettle is fantastic. We’ve used it multiple times a day for years without issue. My wife grinds her own coffee every morning with the excellent Oxo Grinder. She’s been a Chemex person for years but recently grabbed a Moccamaster.
I love my Synology router. I use a Mac Mini to power our Plex Server (I suggest a Plex Lifetime membership). For hard drive space, I use 2 of these Toshiba drives in a Sabrent dock. We have an antenna for free OTA channels.
In Your Vehicle
Grab a Leatherman for your vehicle. They’re better than the similar versions you see in random checkout lanes. And incredibly useful at times when you really need it.
If you have a compatible vehicle, the Bulletpoint Mounts are better than everything else I’ve tried.
This SAK fingernail clipper thing is so good that almost everyone in my family now has their own either in their vehicle or on their keychain. Speaking of keychains, you need an AirTag.
If you have kids, these oversized window mounted cup holders are so convenient. For trips, we use these iPad mounts.
Random
These Ryobi loppers save so much of your time and energy. The classic G-Shock is hard to beat for value. Rechargeable batteries are so convenient. You also need to organize your batteries.
The MagSafe Popsocket is a winner. Flint and Tinder jeans are my new favorite. Their Waxed Trucker Jacket keeps me warm. Flux tennis shoes are my everyday choice. As for boots, these Jim Green’s are incredible.
The Logitech MX Master 3S is suggested everywhere for good reason. Field Notes are so useful. Future proof your device charging with this insane 240W USB-C cable for an excellent price.
Apps/Services
Omnifocus 4 takes the title as my app of the year. It has a steep learning curve, but is worth diving into as a ToDo app. Features like defer dates, recur upon completion date, and custom perspectives catapult it above the rest.
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That’s a look at my recommendations for the 2024 Holidays. If you have any specific suggestions, let me know. Merry Christmas!
ROKA Eyewear makes some of the best sunglasses/glasses out there. The Bartons and Aviators are my two suggestions. If you’d like a nice new pair, here is a whopping $50 off.
I’m late to the game, but Omnifocus 4 is such a good app. Yes, it has some rough edges. But its handling of both defer dates and due dates is superb. Mix that with custom perspectives, shortcuts support, and email integration and it blows the competition away.
There is a font that would be perfect for a project I’m working on, but I don’t know if I can justify the license cost for it.