gear

when should I replace or upgrade an old appliance?

TL;DR
If you need it to work, and it does not work, and you cannot fix it.
If you have multiple years of money saved up, and it is taxing something besides money, and opening up will allow you to achieve something worthwhile.
If you have tons of money and you just do not want to do it.

There's levels to this.

First level is survival mode. Scrimp, survive. Day to day. Maybe a week, not a month.

Second level is saving mode. Scrimp, survive, save. Week to week, month to month, not a year.

Third level is well once you figure out saving mode, I guess money flows or investing mode, business mode. Sustainability mode. Solving the money problem by creating a sustainable source or sources of income coupled with spending habits that are lower.

Fourth level is enjoyment mode? I do not know. That is further than I can see, but I see people saying they just spend for convienience. Money is no longer an issue.

Fifth level, well I think we are moving beyond money now to like, enjoyment, contentment, and that is where these things start to come together. Maybe people try to have legacy with money, but the thing is legacy comes from other things. It is kind of like how at some point, you need to do something else. Happiness. And happiness is not money, but the lack of can be related. Kind of like, going from no safe living area to a safe living area to a nice house. Well, those are huge. But at some point, you will get diminishing returns. Spending on a nicer and nicer and nicer or more houses will not get you the level of happiness increase as the other levels did.

When is something broken?
Depends on your ability to fix it, have it fixed, deal with it not working.

What should you prioritize?
Things that impact health, education, experiences with friends and family, safety. Same kind of priorities. Ability to earn money.

Also consider how often you use something and for what purpose.

If it is often and the purpose is important, then consider that item.

What are guidelines?
When it does not work, you cannot fix it, and you cannot pay to have it fixed, or it is not worth it. Ex. spend a weekend fiddling with something when a replacement is $2 for 50 of them, and they last years each. That is an extreme example.

When it works, but it is limping along? That is the best time and position to be in for looking for deals. How do you know something is limping along? When a reasonable person cannot just go and just use it. Like you have to do something special to turn it on, or it is precarious conditions in order for it to work. A bodged solution that does not quite work well.

When the cost to replacement is going to go up or there is a really good sale. These things change. Right now there is a glut of production for large appliances and the dollar is continuing to inflate. The purchasing power is going down, down, down. Eventually these home appliances will have to be replaced. They are important to function. You can get something new and nice and functional. But normally they are so expensive.

But right now? Prices getting slashed for sales. And they will cost more or be lower quality in the future.

Go for it.

Bike Case for Travel Airline

I've seen a couple of people mention traveling with this bike case.

https://postcarry.co/blogs/news/why-travel-with-your-bike-is-easy-with-our-bike-case

looks good
problem is $400
but it covers a lot of the components

maybe could make something similar out of cardboard?

it is also larger than the correct dimensions
but it is a weird shape, so maybe that helps?

looks like it oculd actually fit inside a car.

could be a good way to bring bikes on a bike trip that does not require them to be hanging on the back of the car?

airplane flight? seems like if you are going to bring your bike on a flight, this would be the way to go. I have done the bike box thing, and the box ends up being huge.

hub protectors would be cool.

roadtrip? that seems different, but could be useful. makes me think that packing the fixed gear bike inside the car might be easier and better.

I bought a laptop.

Why? This one is still working.

It is like 7 years old now. And I have replaced many things on it. That is very uncommon for a consumer grade latpop.

The laptop I purchased is an enterprise grade laptop. A business laptop. I like it, why? The durability, the upgradabilty and repairabilty, and the price was crazy.

Most normal new laptops are around $600-$800. This one was for sale for under $400 all in.

But the thing is. I am happier about getting the deal than I am about the prospect of actually having a new laptop.

Why?

1) All the stuff that goes into it.
2) This one still works for what I want: writing and web browsing.

It does those two things well. It draws low power. It is thin and light. It is durable enough.

It does show its age when it comes to navigating certain websites. It starts to bog down. But other than that, it is great.

So when it starts to be that it cannot keep up with your typing input. Whe websites are so bloated that you need to keep them going, then consider upgrading.

Right now, I have to type more slowly. The objective is to type and get information out there and work.

Maximize that.

Keep the old gaming stuff

I like gaming at 1080p resolution, playing FPS, and high frame rates. It is still doing that. When I had the game on high or ultra settings, I ended up just turning them down.

Why? All the cool things were distracting.

Was not trying to be an immersive game, but a fun competitive game. For example, things looked better with shadows on high, but made it harder to make out enemy players.

I put the viewing distance on ultra because that is worth it. I turned all the effects down. The fun part is playing with friends and talking and goofing around. The graphics are not a huge draw.

High FPS is nice for being competitive.

I might consider turning the graphics down even further. Make it a game.

How far can I stretch this?

Fixed gear bike is quintessential lovely summer afternoon that melts into evening bike

It is summer. Shorts, t-shirts. No winter clothes, no checking the weather. Just put on shoes, walk out the door, and step into the sunshine.

Bike to meet your friends are a brewery. Bike to get tacos. Go hangout in a park.

Easy.

No stressing over which gear to be in. No madly shifting adjustments. Just pedal harder or go slower. Or get off the bike and walk.

The reward is the journey. The reward is being outside with friends.

Maintenance? Lube and air. Check brakes every once in a while. You hardly use the breaks so the pads last longer. You gave up skidding so the tires last long too. Just lay the bike down. No derailleurs to get out of alignment. No high and low limit screws to adjust. Just a simple, strong, reliable drivetrain. Need to fix it? Just replace a chain.

The feel of riding is sublime. Just pedal. No coasting, just pedal. Want to slow down? Slow down your legs, slow down the bike.

Just ride.

Digital device minimalism

Phone
Laptop

Of the two which is most important? Utlity is phone - calling, texting, navigation.

Laptop? Blogging creation. Unbeatable. Desktop is stuck, it does not move with you. Phone is too restrictive, no one wants to type on a tiny screen. Tablet? Jesus, that thing is toxic for production. It is all consumption. Typing on the screen or with an external keyboard is terrible and cumbersome.

Phone wins on going with you. Portability. Always with you. So you can learn to type on there. Voice dictation might be the win. The huge win is walking and voice dictation if you can manage that.

Desktop. Huge win for durability and raw power. If you are editing photos or videos, I mean, hard to beat. But otherwise? Tough. Put a walking desk on there maybe. As a backup device? almost unbeatable. as a gaming device, unbeatable. except by the nintendo swich if you have games you like on there. Also, durabilty, huge, huge, you can change anything or swap anything out, if a screen breaks on any other device, the whole thing is pretty much toast. If it breaks on a desktop? Buy a new one, and it will probably be a huge upgrade to what you have before, because, well, how do you even break a desktop screen? They are way less likely to get broken in the first place. Keyboard breaks on a laptop? Repairs. On a desktop? LOL, go grab one from another work station and you are going. Faster than opening a laptop, much less ordering the parts. If you build it yourself? Upgrade it piece by piece. Easy.

Tablet. Consumption, especially watching streaming or videos is unbeatable. Beautiful huge screen, way better than a phone or a laptop. Fast. Instant compared to even a fast laptop. Portable if you are moving around watching things. Battery life is crazy, 2x-4x longer than laptops for a given price point in time. Unobtrusive, no keyboard to get in the way when you are resting it on a windowsill or a table or a treadmill.

Laptop. Writing creation is great. Video watching is great. Get a thin and light unless you need the power and can't make a desktop work (portabilty). If you are researching have a phone and a laptop is S tier, it is god tier. You can pull stuff up on yoursecond screen (phone). Switching tabs is way easier and faster. The keyboard inuts are faster. You can still take it with you places.

Flying and Travel with a folding bike vs normal bike

Where are folding bikes best for travel?

They seem to excel with multi-modal commuting in a city, bike touring especially involving train or plane flight. Or anytime you are on a plane.

Why? Because you do not need to have a bike box to transport. You can use your same room. You can take on every train.

Should I buy this bike (boat, watch, house)? Consider these questions

Large purchases require extra thinking. Why? Because a $5 mistake is different from a $5000 mistake for most people.

Try it cheap. Lease.
What are you trying to achieve? Some people want freedom, speed, etc. For example, people want to burn off steam and have fun and go fast. Learn how to bike or mountiain bike or even a motorcycle. Cheaper and gets at the thing better than buying a fast sports car. Freedom? Go on a walk.
Is it just a bad value / cost?
What else could you use the money for? Example, default to would you rather have this extra outfit or would I rather do something else?
Flip it around. I do this when deciding whether to return things. It was a jacket and a great deal for $80. Maybe I'll keep it. I could use it. Or if I had it, would I sell it for $80? Yes, absolutely, get rid of it I already have tons of jackets.

If you actually need something, then there is usually only one reason. It makes it faster. For example, my phone was lost. No chance of getting it back and I need to get one today. Just chose the best model you can in the time you have at the store. No use spending weeks.

Something broke and you need one today. Do it.

Is the item maintenance heavy or does it require a whole bunch of new purchases? and storage? avoid it.
People that are into it are not that great / don't want to hang out with them.

Lots of planning or logistics to be abl to use it. Ex. a bike that is stored away vs one that is maintained and ready to go. A vacation house that requires flights and driving to get to vs one that is a few hours away.

Cool car: Corolla GR 2023

Corolla GR - 300 hp, AWD, hot hatch, 6 speed manual transmission.

I guess the Yaris GR did 0-60 in 5.4s and was never released in the states.

Will I buy it?

Probably not.

Why? Point A to point B for cars.

But damn it looks fun. What it makes me think of is that it would be fun to go riding and adventure like that.

Go ride a mountain bike. Much more fun than driving a hot hatch in traffic or on the freeway even. Why? In traffic or freeway, you cannot really let the car go. Safety, law, conditions.

Different if you 1) have a rally or offroad area 2) want to spend. However, you're talking tires for the price of a really nice mountain bike.

And everything is the internal experience.

You want adventure? Go ride mtb close to home.

What kind of stuff gets better with time?

Classic clothing
Classic watches
Classic cars

But then classic stuff can also be boring.

What is exciting?
New and trendy and futuristic

Spend more on classics
Intersperse trendy things for fun and stimulation?

Gear: [SOLVED] Wacom Intuos medium tablet only half working Ubuntu

There is something called Android mode, or phone mode.

When the Wacom connects on certain Linux distributions, it sometimes enters Android mode.

Easy fix.

You can press the furthest left and the furthest right buttons on the top to switch to PC mode. You can press them again to get to Android mode.

The tablet is in Android mode if the light is dim.

After that, it works flawlessly.

Have fun.

Essential (or underrated) work from home gear to buy

1. Laptop desk

You need it to keep your laptop cool. Overheating damages laptop parts. Also it is more comfortable and functional.

2. Space heater

Get one. Especially during the winter months, having a space heater nearby can provide comfort. It is not necessarily about saving the cost of central heating. It is about having heat where you need it

3. Wool sweater

Keep a wool sweater on and everything will be okay. Thick does not mean physically heavy. A wool sweater will keep you warmer and more comfortable through temperature swings. Put a longsleeve on (or your favorite hoodie) underneath and you will have the added comfort of cotton against your skin.

4. Sweatshirt

The BEST work from home fit during the winter. A sweatshirt is king. It is key. It is comfortable. It is supremely functional. They allow movement, and if you have the kangaroo pocket, you have an easy way to stash things.

5. Sling

Get one, but do not neglect the fanny pack. Having some sort of day pack is nice because especially right now, you have a few things to carry including your mask. These come in various sizes, but something <2 liters is great as a fanny pack, and something around 10-12 liters is great as a sling bag.

6. Water bottle

Get a Nalgene or a glass water bottle. Staying hydrated is key to being productive, alert, and happy. Keep a water bottle close and now you can fill it by walking to the kitchen. No lines. No banter with coworkers you would rather avoid. Message friends or family for a social break.

7. Kettlebell

Embrace the new opportunities of WFH. Boring conference call or meeting? 10 two-handed swings will keep the blood flowing. Normally, you would have to sit and doodle. Bank away some health points for when you really need to sit, focus, and get down to work. 25 or 35 lbs is a great starting weight.

7. Standing desk

Need I say more? Sitting for long periods of time is bad for your health. Standing is an improvement.

Cheap, polarized sunglasses Goodr or Knockaround Sunglass Review

Sunglasses broke. I had an expensive pair of Ray Ban Wayfarers. But my preferences for sunglasses is pretty clear, 1) polarized lenses, 2) everything plastic, no glass because of sports and potential for injuries 3) no nose bridge. Despite all that, they should be comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. No need for story and emotion. Luckily, you can find cheap, polarized sunglasses in abundance now. The Ray Bans are normally $250. These replacements are $25. I bought four pairs to try on at home, and I'll return the ones I do not like. Easy choice. The sunglasses I bought on vacation in Ibiza, well, they made me happier to wear them, they were more exciting to me, and they have lasted longer because they did not break. That is the second pair that I have broken. Perhaps there is some really durable, great warranty, etc. kind of sunglass. But the thing is, these work better for me. More than 80%, they probably provide 95%-98% of the functionality of the more expensive pair, and they are 10% of the price. In fact, because the cheaper ones are cheaper, that actually is an additional feature. I can easily replace them, they are more abundant, I can have two pairs in different places so they are handy, etc. I can give them away more easily. No worries about using, scratching, or losing them.

The mass market does provide good things sometimes.

Sure, I could buy another expensive pair of sunglasses used or something like that, but frankly, they have broken on me twice now. The cheap ones are more durable. It is a win, win, win.

Satisfactory products are better for happiness

Hours of research, travel, and saving up, and you finally find the best product for you. Turns out, that is kind of a waste. Satisfactory products advantages over searching for the best products.

  1. They cost less.
    You need money to purchase your financial free and time, labor, location, and opinion independence.

  2. They are easier to replace.
    They cost less, for one. Additionally, they are more ubiquitous. If you need a cheap tote bag, almost any corner store has one. But if you want a particular luxury brand, you pretty much have to go to a boutique.

  3. They force you to find happiness elsewhere.
    Luxury products are nice and fun. They give you attention of other people. And that can feel good too. Unfortunately, lots of people depend on this path. In terms of using money effectively, it is purchasing depreciating goods instead of assets. It is something that is one and done and needs to be replaced. Purchasing satisfactory products allows you to find happiness elsewhere. Look for something that is inherent, that stays with you, that even adds value (time, money, experience) to your life.

  4. They cost less time.
    Less time to maintain. Less time to research. Less time to procure (available everywhere, less money). Some people will say, well I got this cheap thing and it breaks all the time, it would be better to have a better one. If you use it all the time, obviously yes. If you use it once a year...probably still worth it. Until you wore this cheap thing out, you also, may not have actually known.

  5. That said, there are times when better products help. That is typically when they increase functionality. If you are a professional, then typically, you get the tools that work best. Regardless. Oftentimes, at a certain level, the tools that are the best are not made and sold. The best tools sometimes come from hacks, from specialty made items, or solutions borrowed from other trades. These are special cases, where, essentially, the function of the product changes. If it is a piece of art, then consider it a piece of art. If it is an investment, consider it an investment. When products get in the way of function, when a product is a piece of art, or an investment, it might be a different case. But again, that is a use case.

Why do people get the best products? In general, because they think it will make them happier. When you really look at the reasons people give, they come back to that. Fortunately, we know that happiness is not actually tied to expensive material goods. Another reason could be they work. The needs of a professional carpenter are different from a home DIY person. The carpenter might have 4 different kinds of hammers. The home DIY person might use a hammer once every year.

For the most part, satisfactory products suffice. Pursuing satisfactory products frees up time, money, mental space, effort, and energy. People get nice products because they want to be happy. These resource can be better directed towards these ends. Good products matter and have certain qualities, but they do not make you happy.

Travel Gear: 40 liter backpack

Why a backpack, especially 40 liter backpack for one bag travel?

The number one thing is a backpack. A clamshell opening. 40L. Get something durable.
I have reasons for all of these things.

Advantages of a backpack

  • Easier to get around - If you need to run to catch a bus, you can do it. If you have a duffle bag, this prospect is much more difficult.
  • Hands free - You can grab a drink or food and not have to mess with your bag.
  • Active - If you want to bike, you can easily bike.

Why a clamshell opening for a travel backpack?

  • Look at everything at once - Compared to a typical top-opening backpack, with a clamshell opening, you can easily open it and look at everything at once. With a normal backpack, you need to dig to get things in the bottom.

  • Downside is that if you do open the bag, everything is visible. If you are on a train, it is easier to open a top opening backpacking and keep contents inside and discreet. With a clamshell, you can get around this limitation by having the things you likely need to access at the top of the bag (water bottle, jacket).

Why 40 liter size for a travel backpack?

Despite using smaller bags on many trips, I have not gotten my ideal size lower than 40 liters. Here's why:

  • Extra space - I pack enough stuff that i easily fit it all in 20L bag. 40L is quite large, but the space is so helpful. You can use it to bring back souvenirs and gifts. Without the extra space, you would need to bring a second bag.

  • Fits in all overheads - This size fits in overhead bins. Especially if you get a soft-sided bag. It would also fit underneath the chair, potentially, but it will take up all your space.

  • Alternative: One alternative is a duffle bag with backpack straps. It is nice to have the opening be against your back because it is better for security. The duffle is very nice because it is even easier to get at stuff, plus it is discreet. Duffle bags hold surprisingly much for the perceived size.

Stuff I Want: JiuJitsu Edition

Instructionals:

Gracie Combatives - $151 - punch defense mostly
Gary Tonon Escapes - $149
Art Of Learning Jiu Jitsu MEGAPACK (All 3 volumes) + Bonus Nutrition Guide - $59
Fluid BJJ - Karel Pravec get used

Edit: Just go to class and work. Do not need these things. If it is boring and you are not learning much, go to advanced class. Write everything out.

Gear:
Globetrotters Gi - white, travel gi, bjj, folds down and I can use it during travel. I have been to a few gyms and they have loaner gis, but it would be nicer to have my own in case they do not have a loaner. Additionally, it is potentially cleaner.
-> Still interested in this one. Size A2 probably.

Stuff I Want: Headphone Edition

Get the Sennheiser HD 560s - Gaming. Excellent listening.

Edit: 2021 10 10 - Most of what you do with headphones is gaming, get the Sennheiser p38x from drop.com
or if you like the headphones you have, get a modmic.

Wired. It should be wired.
Removable aka replacable wire. You can solder a wire to repair it, but having a removable one is very nice because there is such a big system for 3.5mm plugs. You can get line extenders, splitters, mic in, mute, etc.
Open vs closed - if you have just one, get IEMs or closed back ones with noise cancelling. For a different listening experience or FPS gaming try open back. The main downside is that now people can hear what you are listening to. The main upside is the sound stage and quality.

Audio Technica ATH 7c - $50 noise cancelling headphones that are great. They would be perfect if they had replacable ear caps. However, they ones included are extremely comfortable. I have used these for 8 hours a day for years. No issues. The pad wore out, but you can sew it back together.

Audio Technica ATX M50X - fun for walking around and base.

Bose QC 25 or 35 - I do not know if you can connect the QC35 wired or if they can only do bluetooth. Either way the ANC on these is great.

Sony XM4 - The only other expensive headphone to consider for ANC.

Apple Airpod Max - They look beautiful, but you will end up throwing them in the garbage because bluetooth only dies. And when it dies you cannot fix it. A broken, torn, damaged, lost cable you can. A bluetooth device that will not charge or will not pair? You can try resetting it, but they are dead.

Sennheiser HD 6XX - These are great, but I chose the other ones because of FPS gaming.

Sennheiser P38X - Supposedly these are fantastic for gaming, AND for music. Why don't I get these? I want removable audio cable and I do not need a microphone. As an all-in-one solution though, these coul dbe good. I prefer to have a separate microphone because of modularity and replacability anre repairability. If I didn't already have other stuff set up, I would consider this one heavily for FPS gaming and music.

Uses:
FPS gaming and music - HD 560s, P38X
Non-FPS gaming (where position does not matter) and music - HD 6XX or ATH M50x
Only one? - Get closed back, with noise cancelling. The open back options are difficult and IEM or ear buds all the time is not comfortable. Get the ATH 7c with ANC for huge value, get the Bose QC 25/35 or the Sony XM4 if you want to spend premium.

Mainly at home gaming and listening?
HD 560s and IEMs for travel / outside
Alternatively, get a set of ATH M50x if you want closed back
Do you exercise?
Add cheap bluetooth earbuds if you work out with music, travel, etc.

One headset?
Get a wired, over ear headset with ANC
Alternatively get a set of earbuds if you just do not care. Jabra or something. The issue with earbuds is that they die. But if you only have one and you use them all the time, I understand the use case.

Stuff I Want: Workout Gear Edition

Sandbag / duffle bag - I bought a canvas duffle bag, I can use it for swings, throwing on the ground, throwing in the air. A lot more stuff than weights. I could probably get 75 lbs worth of rice in there. Rice is about $0.50 if you get long grain, 0.60c for calrose. Basically $20-$30 for like 50 lbs of weight. I think mine was on sale and it was like $10 for a 25 lbs bag. A 10 lbs or 25 lbs medicine ball would cost much more and not be as adjustable. If I quit or get tired of it, I can eat the weight and use the canvas duffle just for travel. Look up sandbag training for workout ideas. -> Got it! Great for twisting workouts so far, very different carrying the weight.

Exercise bands -
https://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/41-bands-individual/p/large-bands - 41 inch get three of different weights

Kettlebell Kings Kettlebell - These are considered either the best or in the top 2 quality of kettlebells available. So you typically pay a premium. During COVID you are paying even more of a premium. Compared to iron plates, you pay a premium for weight that comes in a kettlebell form. So like...typically kettlebells will cost $1.5 / lbs for even at a used place. $2 / lbs new is common. Whereas typically you can get new plates for $1 / lbs and typically $0.5 / lbs used. So for these at $3.5 / lbs is pretty reasonable.

Workout books and plans - there are a few books that I want, but I will just buy one to begin with and get the information I need from there.

In one book, there shoul dbe more than enough to start working out.

Stuff I Want: Keyboard edition

A split keyboard Bluetooth connectivity Ideally both Able to use on a lap? Maybe a lower cost one as an experiment?

Lower cost: Logitech K380
Keys2Go Wireless

Higher cost: Thinkpad Bluetooth II

Enthusiast: Mechanical keyboard