CoffeeStudyTalk

I purchased a pair of Adidas Superstars around June 2019 for a mere $20 and have been wearing them continuously for almost 18 months, almost daily since COVID hit hard.  The shoes have been beaten up and lost all of its cushioning in the soles, but otherwise are still functional and chugging along. A tear formed on the outer side of the left shoe and was likely due to me being too harsh when trying to clean the shoes one day, otherwise it should have remained intact. With the exception of the tear and the lack of cushioning (the soles likely collapsed over time) the shoes are still wearable and I use them daily at least 5-6 days a week with an average 6-10 miles of walking on surfaces with mostly dry conditions and only an occasional wet pavement or puddle. Over 3000 miles! By my estimates I've worn them for about 3,096 miles (18 months * 4.3 weeks * 5 days = 387 days * 8 miles = 3,096 miles) and its likely due to mostly flat and smooth surfaces like concrete, tile, wood and carpet

The Air Force 1's are nice and I'm glad I waited until after I tried wearing the Adidas Superstar and Converse All Star.  I used those cheaper shoes as a way to practice and figure out how to keep white shoes clean. The easiest method is to simply wipe them down as soon as you can after each use and since I wear the Air Force 1's at most once a week and generally on the weekends, that habit of wiping them down is not too bad. I keep the Adidas as my knock about pair and I never realized how dirty they are until I place them side-by-side with the fresh looking Air Force 1's. Believe, I am now hooked on nice sneakers and probably looking to replace the Superstars in a year or so with the Stan Smith's.  Another classic. For Reference, I wear size 9 1/2 on both the Adidas and Converse, but went a step down to a 9 on the Nike's and they still feel a bit loose.  The Adidas at first felt snug, but now feel loose at 9 1/2 and I'll try the Stan Smith someday in a 9.

Its interesting how Dunkin Donuts charges more for a regular Iced Coffee vs an Iced Americano.  I opted for the Americano and it tastes okay.  For the price its exorbitant, but I was in a rush and wanted something cold and caffeinated. I guess I'm spoiled now by a plain iced coffee for a buck at McDonald's.  It's not gourmet, but how can I argue with a buck coffee?

I couldn't find a guide on the various types of Adidas Track Jackets as there appears to be several variations.  These are my personal notes based on observations and for most part I noticed 6 characteristics to look for: Logo - there are slight differences based on the specific model of Track Jacket. Material - most are either pure Polyester or a Cotton-Poly Blend (generally 50/50) Collar - track jackets generally zip up to a pop-up collar, other styles like the Superstar lack a collar. Sleeve Stripes - most have the standard 3 stripes running length of each sleeve. Full Zip - these open in the front with a full zipper.  I'm skipping those quarter-zip varieties of jackets for now. Front Zip Pockets - these usually have 2 front pockets that zip up. Non-Trefoil Varieties Typically these have no logo or use the triple stripe triangle logo and will call the Tiro Style.  They are also usually pure 100% polyester, but I've seen a few Cotton/Poly blends. Essentials - Adidas

Replenished stock with some Jameson.  I've acquired a taste for it and find it quite easy to drink.  It's become a staple along with Johnnie Walker Red, Black and Wild Turkey 101.

Been using the McDonald’s App and picked up the 99 cents iced coffee.  Got mine with Hazelnut as it’s been a while....it’s a bit sweet for my taste, but still a nice treat.

I've been studying Python off and on for years, but really got into it when I forced myself to use it at work; that seems to be the key to learning something new, actually finding a reason to use it.  And its paying dividends as I'm asked to do more stuff with Python. For now, I'm using it primarily for scripting and automating some basic tasks.  I'm still relying heavily on Window Task Scheduler to call my Python scripts and hope to someday decouple from that and use something else for scheduling (if that is even feasible or advisable). It beats having to write very ugly batch command line or even Power Shell; my primary reason for embracing and getting comfortable with Python in the first place. I feel comfortable with my trifecta of skills:  T-SQL, Tableau and Python.  I'm learning R, but have yet to feel confident that I'm a practitioner. Find a passion, find ways to practice and you'll be happy.

I was curious and began this mileage log after I replaced the front tires, I began taking the mileage between gas fill ups and learned some interesting things. Spent $400 for a pair of new front tires on the IS.  It normally takes 225/45 W rated tires, but Costco only had the higher Y rated in stock, otherwise I’d have to wait a few weeks for them to order W tires.  Not wanting to risk driving on the highway nor deal with the spare, opted for the Y tires. Honestly, doesn’t make a difference as long it’s equal or higher than the original manufacturer recommended ratings.  Cost me a bit more as I also had to swap out the TPMS sensors and I find Costco is the best deal for those as well. A real bummer as I wanted to keep the tires for at least another year as I just did the brakes on all four wheels.  But the nail was in the worst spot near the edge and the side walls...just a little more to the middle and I could do a cheap plug.  Cest la vie. I do feel a slight improvement in traction a

It's not the same as enjoying a good cup of coffee, in a coffee shop.  I didn't realize how much I missed my weekend moments.