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Lately, I’ve simplified my Pocket EDC and generally carry 7 core items with an additional 4 optional items. My core consists of: iPhone 11 Wallet Keys Wristwatch USB thumb drive (on keychain) Swiss Army Knife (on keychain) Bandaids (in wallet) My optional items: Airpod Pro Pen LED flashlight BIC Lighter More often than not I’m including only the optional Airpods with my core EDC.  The rest I find more convenient leaving in my messenger bag or backpack that I have near me.

I began my quest of building a sneaker collection in 2019 and focused on the basic classics.  I’m now feeling confident to venture into the larger $100-$200 segment that brings me into the orbit of Air Jordan’s, Air Max and quite a few famous Nike’s. 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 AF 1’s are my special pair.  Nike Miler’s and Stan Smith’s are my daily drivers.  Stan Smith and All Star’s for casual outfits.  Miler’s also double duty for trainers. Very versatile set with 4 pairs. Retired Shoes: Adidas - Superstar Puma - Suede Red - Onitsuka - Serrano // Size 9.5 Future Acquisitions: Nike - Air Jordan 1 Nike - Air Max 90 Nike - Air Force 1 (New colorway) Adidas - Superstar (New replacement) I’m still debating what to get and in what colorways, but focusing on and therefore researching Air Jordan’s and Air Max’s.  These would become my new spec

I had to retire the Adidas Superstar’s and for a while survived with the Adidas Stan Smith’s, but both are for fashion. For work I have to be on my feet for several hours at a time making both Adidas shoes painfully impractical. React Foam Enter the Nike React Miler’s.  These have an insane amount of React foam cushion in the sole and I can feel it squish with every step.  They feel absolutely amazing on foot and I can see these ideal for endurance. From what I’ve learned, React was Nike’s response to Adidas Boost technology.  Boost was first to market and gained fame that hit its apex with Kanye West’s collaboration on the Yeezy line, but has since fell out of popularity. No clear reasons given other than they lacked a ‘story’ like many legendary Nike’s from the AF1, Air Jordan’s or Air Max 90’s. Which is unfortunate as Adidas has several storied shoes of their own with the Stan Smith’s and Superstars. Pricing for Ergonomics They normally retail for $130, but I found them for $100 and

I needed a general purpose backpack to slot between my casual Jansport and my Dakine hiking bag. I had five basic requirements: Black color Polyester material Larger than 26 liters Utility pouches for water bottles Internal compartments for a laptop There were several choices and I was liking the Adidas - Striker II selling for $20, but couldn’t find any in black so I opted for a black Adidas - Foundation V. Both the Striker and Foundation look very similar, with the proportions of the Striker being slightly smaller. My options Jansport Superbreak 501 - $17 Adidas Striker II - $20 Adidas Foundation V - $27 Size - 33 Liters Overall, I’m liking the Foundation V, it’s a bit larger at 33 Liters compared to my 26 Liter Jansport 501. Compartments - 4 It has four compartments with a laptop sleeve in the primary and a mesh zip pouch in the secondary with key leash.  The third pouch is padded for sunglasses and fourth pouch for small utility items.  That is double the compartments on a Jansport

It finally happened at around 85,000 miles my 2007 Lexus IS250 displayed the dreaded Check Engine Light and VSC. I had just changed the oil at the dealer a few weeks back and also replaced the rear axle and front bushings, then drove off and my dash lit up like a Christmas tree. I went back to the dealer and they determined the cause was a dead O2 sensor and leaking valve cover gasket.  They believe oil dripping from the gasket fell on the O2 sensor and caused it to fail. Total bill?  About $1,300. O2 Sensor - $600 Valve Gasket - $700 In addition to resolving the Check Engine light, I also had other maintenance and repairs.  So total cost for the month was $ 4,050. Oil Change - $250 Rear Axle - $ 1700 Front Bushings - $800

It's been a while and brewed a cup of instant Starbucks Via Coffee.  Not exactly gourmet but above average when you compare it with its market niche of K Cups and other instant brands like Nescafe. Sometimes, its nice to have a cup of humble instant to appreciate things.

One of the obvious downsides of owning white shoes…they get dirty and require regular cleaning to make them look decent again. I'm still learning and before I move up to nicer pairs of kicks, I went for some classics that are also very affordable to use for practice and for now using only home cleaning agents like detergent or bleach. Cleaning Schedule (Daily & Monthly) I have a two (2) part cleaning schedule and daily, I wipe down any white shoes I've been wearing to minimize any dirt or grime having a chance to set in and become a stain. Monthly, I do a deeper clean for any white shoes that I've worn regularly or are starting to look really dirty.  A deep clean for me involves removing the laces and cleaning each component of the shoe separately. Cleaning Methods The laces so far have done okay with just soap & water then a soak in a bleach solution. For the shoes, depending on the material (leather, pleather, canvas, etc) I usually wash with detergent and water.

I’ve been wanting to invest in a foldable backpack and was considering Osprey and some other brands, but wasn’t ready to spend $30 dollars or more. Instead, I got a Foldable Backpack from Daiso for only $4.  I needed something to carry a water bottle and some snacks while out and about; this bag was perfect! But for $4 understand you are getting an ultralight bag with very thin material and weak zippers.  Treat it gently and it’ll work fine.  The instruction tag also warns to avoid moisture so it’s probably not water resistant and could get soaked. Plenty of Pockets This thing comes with a main compartment, a smaller compartment (where it also reverses and folds back into) as well as two side mesh pouches that can fit a small bottle of water.  There is also a small hanging pocket within the main compartment. I found the pockets quite useful, although I wouldn’t put anything expensive or valuable in the side mesh pockets, I just stowed cheap water bottles. Watch the Straps CAUTION on th

I’ve now had the opportunity to own and try both Alox and Cellidor Victorinox Swiss Army knives.  The Alox and Cellidor describe the type of materials used on the knife handles or scales. Alox Alox is Victorinox’s branding of Aluminum Oxide and are the metallic scales that were used commonly on their military issued Soldier knives to the Swiss Army from the 1960s until about 2008.  They also maintained civilian versions with the Pioneer Alox being a near perfect copy of the Soldier with addition of a key ring. Cellidor Cellidor is their branding of plastic scales that they’ve used for many years on their civilian knife models and famous for their red Cellidor knives. So which is better? Neither, both are.  Its really what you are seeking and how you plan to use the knife.  The common complaint of Cellidor is due to the inherent nature of plastic in that it’s brittle and susceptible to cracking on hard impact or disintegrating from harsh chemicals.  Alox is metal and more resistant to b

Finally taking the plunge and picked up my first Limited Edition and going with the Aqua Blue Alox Pioneer.  The Pioneer is part of the annual colors editions released in 2020 and found this one for a particular good price. I’m also halting my collecting for remainder of 2021, with exception of picking up perhaps another Limited Edition like a 2021 Alox Pioneer X. They made half-a-billion Swiss Army Knives as of 2017 so I see no reason to chase after common models and styles.  Instead focus on the Limited Editions. The Main Blade This is the most substantial main blade that I've yet to experience on a Swiss Army Knife and I own several different models from the svelte 58mm Classic to the 111mm Trekker and the blade on the 93mm Alox is a beefy contender.  It has a very strong backspring and is sharpened more aggressively.  I could feel my fingernail getting cut just by running it across the edge.   The Pioneer earns its reputation as the 'Civilian' version of the old Soldier

I was able to pick up a bottle of Yamazaki 12 year Single Malt Whisky from Suntory.  I remember people used to say this sold for cheap back in the day for the price of Johnnie Walker Black Label sells for today.  I had a chance to taste it over the years and was looking for a bottle for quite some time. I got it as a gift so I’m going to wait for a good day to savor it.    

Amazon is pretty cool (or scary) in that it retains a history of everything I've ever purchased and I just realized I got my Victorinox Swiss Army Knife - One Hand Trekker from their site in 2011, making it a decade old.  It still looks and feels brand new as I barely used it. Locking Blade The Trekker is a substantial size knife in comparison with other Swiss Army Knives and one of the reasons I picked one up was I had sliced my hand pretty badly using a regular 91mm Swiss Army Knife and was seeking a locking blade and preferred sticking with the Victorinox brand, thus the 111mm Trekker. Error was more on me, I was moving while on a hike and trying to multi-task and was cutting something and wham.  Blood dripping everywhere.  Fortunately, I was able to wrap my hand and apply first aid.  I was only a few hours into my journey and circled back before it got dark.  While it hurt like heck, I was still able to drive home and didn't need to go to a hospital.  I had just gotten my

Portability, Weight and a good pair of Scissors.  These are the three (3) factors in determining which Swiss Army Knife is ideal for Urban EDC and after trying and owning several models I've reached the conclusion the Climber is the ideal model for me.  Other contenders would be: Compact (no awl, no second blade) Super Tinker (Phillips head instead of corkscrew) Pioneer X (no bottom side tools and awl instead of second blade). Specifications Large Blade Small Blade Can Opener Bottle Opener Scissors Awl/Reamer Corkscrew Tweezers Toothpick Go Big? But the Saw... You can easily get all the tools you want by upgrading to most 4+ layer models like the Huntsman, Explorer, etc, but then weight and portability become an issue and I've pocket carried on separate occasions the Huntsman or Climber and I could feel the difference of an extra half ounce of weight in the Huntsman.  Also, while I have used the wood saw, I don't think that is of value in a typical Urban setting (although

I've decided to restart my Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Collection for 2021.  I recently acquired an Alox Cadet and now have both a Huntsman and Climber on the way. I plan to acquire only a few more models and prefer now the Alox for durability and aesthetics.  The plastic scale models will be more for utility and stored away at the office, home and bags. Current Collection Swiss Champ Red // 2011 // Collectible Trekker Black // 2011 // BOB bag Huntsman Silver Tech // 2016 // EDC rotation Black // 1979-1985 // Hiking Bag Cadet Alox Silver // EDC rotation Climber Black // 1979-1985 // Collectible Traveler // 1979-1985 // Collectible Hoffritz // 1985-1990 // Collectible Ruby // 1992-2005 // EDC rotation Camper Red // 1999-2005 // Collectible Spartan  Red // 2009-2011 // Car Red // 2009-2011 // Office Ruby/Sapphire // 2009-2011 // Messenger Bag Classic Classic // First Aid Classic Lite // Collectible With the Huntsman and Climber on the way, this has freed up several Spartans that are

I’m usually with my messenger bag that includes more items, like first aid, bottled water and some snacks.  But if I’m on foot around town this is usually what I have in my pockets along with my keys and a Kingston 8gb USB drive. I’ll likely add a Bic lighter to make for a more complete basic tool set.  Possibly a small bit of paracord wrapped in a keychain. March 2021: iPhone 11 Ballpoint pen Victorinox Cadet Swiss Army Knife Leather wallet    

The past 12 months have been the wildest of my life and even that is an understatement.  To commemorate the COVID-19 years and remind myself of how crazy its been I picked up a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife - Alox - Cadet. I've always wanted an Alox model ever since I purchased the Alox 8gb USB drive and found the all metal design truly breathtaking.  There is a certain feeling of assurance in its durability when you hold it in your hands and while its smaller than my Spartan it weighs about the same. My trusty Spartan has been by my side for several years and unfortunately its begun to show its age and the plastic scales are warping and coming undone.  While I have several other Spartans, I wanted to opt for an Alox as my everyday carry as I anticipate this will last longer and not require more regular replacement, although my Spartan has been with me for at least 7 years. In short, the Alox Cadet is beautiful and I'm very pleased.  While it'll take some getting used to as I

There are several Dean & Deluca's in Waikiki and I stumbled upon one of them in the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center.  It's fairly tiny with a mere three tables outside and this one seems to be more of a Coffee Shop with a narrow selection of coffee, teas and typical matching accessories like coffee mugs, cookies and jams. It's nothing like the larger Dean & Deluca's I'm used to that are more an upscale grocer like a fancier Trader Joes. Nonetheless, this was a nice respite and the iced Americano was good.  

Prices were cheap and figured I take a break and went to Honolulu for a short vacation.  I've been here several times before for work and play.  I'm amazed at how empty the whole place felt, the downside was there wasn't much to do other than eat, drink and sleep. I took in the sights and was actually quite soothing sitting outside my balcony and listen to the ocean waves.  The Victorinox INOX is proving a keeper and other than its tendency to get a few sand particles lodged between the bezel and the crystal, its the perfect watch for the beach.