Articles On Information: miscellaneous

Showing posts with label miscellaneous. Show all posts

The Acquisition Process Flow

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3Um9o_Ate-a8RQQVz_Zd-9uoKt6WfNqPZNKBR2RXAWY-X0E956gPC_j0TG9nZ5wJgfzn9kX221e6xlECIiE5HAtroqYOZs7uAD2jwDu8e4KdfzzpzW7tpyGxQCNR3wqta-ochLw9nC4/s1600/20120808+-+DA+process+flow2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3Um9o_Ate-a8RQQVz_Zd-9uoKt6WfNqPZNKBR2RXAWY-X0E956gPC_j0TG9nZ5wJgfzn9kX221e6xlECIiE5HAtroqYOZs7uAD2jwDu8e4KdfzzpzW7tpyGxQCNR3wqta-ochLw9nC4/s400/20120808+-+DA+process+flow2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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The theme of this blog relates to my thought process for getting interested in stuff. I thought that a self-explanatory flow chart would make sense. When I preview this post, however, the image of the flow chart is blurry. It might be readable if you click on it; I'm not sure. So this might be a failed experiment.</div>
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Even though I said the flow chart is self-explanatory, let me explain. The process begins with a seed of curiosity, which may come from a friend, a news article, a real world experience, a TV commercial, another blog, an Internet forum, etc. For instance, my interest in Japanese denim jeans came from a post I read on <a href="http://www.head-fi.org/t/445976/the-jeans-fi-thread" target="_blank">Head-Fi</a> of all places. The seed germinates into a round of preliminary research that determines whether or not I remain at least somewhat interested in the topic. If not, I'll just spend more time on Head-Fi, no worries. If so, the initial research becomes a whole lotta research, which typically makes me want to acquire one or more items (pens, ridiculously spendy jeans, headphones, whatever).</div>
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A normal person would just pull the trigger and buy something, especially if it's inexpensive like, say, a PEN that costs a buck fifty. Not me. I tend to get stuck in a loop of analysis paralysis during which additional research is performed before ultimately making a purchase. My theory is that informed consuming is the only way to go to prevent buyer's remorse and to ensure that you are getting the best possible product for whatever your budget might be. This sounds great in theory. In practice, however, it can become difficult for me to follow the "No" branch of the analysis paralysis decision box. Because I'm cheap. And because I know that I spend too much money on things that most people find stupid, compulsive, and/or excessive.</div>
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So there you have it. This is my process.</div>
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Update (about two hours after making this post): I am currently in the "Perform In-Depth Research" step regarding shaved ice machines. LOL, there goes my morning.</div>
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The Acquisition Process Flow

The theme of this blog relates to my thought process for getting interested in stuff. I thought that a self-explanatory flow chart would ...

10:28 PM

Finished Tattoo & Artwork

This is a follow up to a post I made about <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-tattoo-tribute.html" target="_blank">my new tattoo</a>. The tattoo has been done for a while now, and I'm really happy with it. The color is awesome, the design is exactly what I wanted, and all the elements flow together. I just wish that I could get a decent picture of it. For now, the best I could do is this selfie:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGri17IBsSriAtcAVB_goKayo5LN331zQyPF0QDn60B42u5aUBeeLFs2wn-cOkyYijDus7RaZ90B_3WK7Bap7-Esj0R-LoPhMhaFAZ94vZdMgmYmwwpV4Nq5Ns9LncUmphppBdCYL_bA/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGri17IBsSriAtcAVB_goKayo5LN331zQyPF0QDn60B42u5aUBeeLFs2wn-cOkyYijDus7RaZ90B_3WK7Bap7-Esj0R-LoPhMhaFAZ94vZdMgmYmwwpV4Nq5Ns9LncUmphppBdCYL_bA/s1600/IMG_7311.JPG" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like this tattoo. The design and rendering of the electric eraser and the orange slice are top notch, and the amount of detail is impressive. I am trying to schedule a touch-up appointment with the artist (Craig Driscoll) so that he can smooth in the color of the translucent green french curves. Other than that, I wouldn't change a thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As is customary, the artist gave me his original working sketch as a souvenir. I love the artwork, so I asked him to create a color rendering for me. Using the sketch as a guide, Craig created an awesome original piece for me, along with several archival quality prints for my sisters. The original drawing is just as impressive as the tattooed version.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvg3cE_Z5kbuRcAt7yd4A9Dak5Fhqdast8WU45Jg41DvFrwjJzI-EEgyRNZL7gnOYmZpTLFy__CSLB2-KQgQJM7KhOrhudxYoEHZjwtQj1dOCPCC20TeGtYdEzIVsjSIB3Jmycw-DqIBQ/s1600/20131002_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvg3cE_Z5kbuRcAt7yd4A9Dak5Fhqdast8WU45Jg41DvFrwjJzI-EEgyRNZL7gnOYmZpTLFy__CSLB2-KQgQJM7KhOrhudxYoEHZjwtQj1dOCPCC20TeGtYdEzIVsjSIB3Jmycw-DqIBQ/s1600/20131002_001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> I framed the original artwork and it now hangs in my office. I am super stoked on the work that Craig did for me. I'm sure that Dad would have liked it, too. </div><br />

Finished Tattoo & Artwork

This is a follow up to a post I made about my new tattoo . The tattoo has been done for a while now, and I'm really happy with it. The c...

9:30 AM

Inexpensive Acquisition: Gear Tie Thingy

This is just a quick blurb about something stupidly simple, but awesomely useful: Nite Ize Gear Ties. These gear tie thingies are glorified twisties; you know, those annoying wire ties that keep loaves of bread from escaping their bags. The Nite Ize product is more durable, rugged, strong, and colorful . . . but it's still basically a bendy wire. OK, it's a thick bendy wire wrapped in a pretty rubber sheath.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1T-EbSKg2hDT3l-a8sAwGOnNjxIooRAHiuFJSlQotZY95oP4pk2mnKrYCSFsbx5I6lbB6n0AnrYQvUKb39euDWpMfG7UcnrPO3riyCRzEhKNIM6QhjirPXuCxFawT-Bt9kWQSZl8R7P0/s1600/IMG_7256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1T-EbSKg2hDT3l-a8sAwGOnNjxIooRAHiuFJSlQotZY95oP4pk2mnKrYCSFsbx5I6lbB6n0AnrYQvUKb39euDWpMfG7UcnrPO3riyCRzEhKNIM6QhjirPXuCxFawT-Bt9kWQSZl8R7P0/s1600/IMG_7256.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />These gear ties come in various lengths ranging from 3 to 64 inches. I have a handful of the 3-inch size and a couple of the 6-inch size. I use them for my charging cords, speaker wires, LAN cables, and headphones. You'd be surprised at how useful they are. Really.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-RQ1YI-ahZBJseF-D4XT3jIeHnuAdjeD7NXfVKLfni5WLXFMeaCybppb38CRaQTnCDNfg6d7pkcT3hmNRJCYDZ7y-MZWj8sgfE9suHKpHu-lhdZoUZH3kcwsyeF816nQNFclb8Dl0cw/s1600/IMG_7257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt-RQ1YI-ahZBJseF-D4XT3jIeHnuAdjeD7NXfVKLfni5WLXFMeaCybppb38CRaQTnCDNfg6d7pkcT3hmNRJCYDZ7y-MZWj8sgfE9suHKpHu-lhdZoUZH3kcwsyeF816nQNFclb8Dl0cw/s1600/IMG_7257.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />Not much more to say about these gear ties. The instructions are straightforward and very easy to understand: "bend it around something". You owe it to yourself to check these out. All the cool kids have them now.

Inexpensive Acquisition: Gear Tie Thingy

This is just a quick blurb about something stupidly simple, but awesomely useful: Nite Ize Gear Ties. These gear tie thingies are glorified ...

4:19 PM

Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Notebook (Revisited)

This is just a quick follow up to my previous post about the <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2013/03/leuchtturm1917-pocket-notebook.html" target="_blank">Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Notebook</a>. After writing that post, I purchased and used other "good" fountain pen friendly paper, including a Rhodia Webnotebook. I'm no paper expert, but I've found that the Leuchtturm1917 paper works better for me than Rhodia and Clairefontaine paper. Don't get me wrong, Rhodia and Clairefontaine paper products are great, and I like using them. However . . . Rhodia and Clairefontaine products are expensive, and the paper used in those products can be too smooth and impenetrable for some of my fountain pens. As a result, some pens skip when writing on Rhodia/Clairefontaine paper. In addition, ink takes forever to dry on those papers.<br /><br />In contrast, the paper found in Leuchtturm1917 notebooks seems to hit a sweet spot such that the paper is absorptive enough to prevent skipping, while also being smooth enough to accommodate pleasant fountain pen writing. OK, I admit that these characteristics may also result in slightly more ink spread, feathering, and show-through than other premium paper. That said, the combination of all those minor downsides pales in comparison to the occasional skipping that I experience with the competing paper. Seriously, I can't stand it when my flowing words of written wisdom get abruptly interrupted by Mr. Rhodia saying "let me stop you right HERE so that you can appreciate my glass-like surface, which limits ink distribution to within a submicron range."<br /><br />Some folks may retort with comments such as "you're doing it wrong" or "you need to send your pens to a nibmeister and have them all tuned up" or "have you tried using ink X" or "you suck and I hate you" or "I'll bet you live in a dry climate, and that you have hard water, and that you don't eat enough fresh fruit" - fair enough. I suppose I'm just glad that the Leuchtturm1917 paper allows me to write with all of my fountain pens in a consistent and expected manner. Just saying.

Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Notebook (Revisited)

This is just a quick follow up to my previous post about the Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Notebook . After writing that post, I purchased and used ...

11:30 AM

Qi Charger

I picked up a Motorola Droid Mini phone a while ago. After tinkering with it for a short time, I discovered that it has native support for wireless charging (compliant with the <a href="http://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/" target="_blank">Qi inductive charging standard</a>). For the geekspeak challenged, "inductive charging" = "charging without plugging your phone in" (some people call it "wireless" charging, but that's not technically true because the Qi charging pad must be connected to a power source using wires, a cable, a cord, coat hangers, twisted tin foil, or the like). For the pronunciationally challenged, "Qi" = "Chee" (as in Kim Chee or Cheetos).<br /><br />There are many Qi chargers available on the market now. I acquired the Koolpad charger shown here:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRHKXCHFr31QpawMHmJyJh3abdCQQI6QS7Z804USh3ZMDM2VC2w66GocjJvIw3GMMLg8d8KLxFKWXsIuAAJsacIz8vC9pigID-zVC8wyyv9Ais9w5mF5yY26dS6VHo_lLaz1Dj_iunnA/s1600/20130930_143626082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcRHKXCHFr31QpawMHmJyJh3abdCQQI6QS7Z804USh3ZMDM2VC2w66GocjJvIw3GMMLg8d8KLxFKWXsIuAAJsacIz8vC9pigID-zVC8wyyv9Ais9w5mF5yY26dS6VHo_lLaz1Dj_iunnA/s320/20130930_143626082.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The charging pad came with a micro USB cable (no power adapter is provided). The USB cable allows the charging pad to be connected to any powered USB port or to a wall adapter that has a USB port. I simply used my Motorola wall adapter to connect the charging pad. I did not have to modify my Droid Mini at all (no additional hardware, no app downloaded, no settings tweaked).<br /><br />The Qi charger works like a charm, and it was one of my best acquisitions of 2013. I keep it plugged in at the office, where I spend most of my time during the week. I simply place my phone on the pad whenever the battery drops below about 50% to top it off while I work. The charging pad automatically recognizes the phone (or vice versa?) whether or not the phone is on. The magic begins with a beep emitted from the pad and a confirmation generated by the phone. The green indicator light (shown in the picture) changes to blue when the phone is charging, and reverts back to green when the battery reaches 100%.<br /><br />Qi charging takes a little longer than usual, but that doesn't bother me at all because I usually have several hours of desk time during each workday. I don't mind charging at a leisurely pace. If I need to charge my phone faster, I simply remove the charging pad from the USB cable and replace the pad with my phone. Easy peasy.<br /><br />I highly recommend a Qi charger for anyone who is lucky enough to have a phone that already has a Qi power receiver built into it (I have no opinion regarding phones that require modification or retrofitting). In fact, by the time I unleash this post, I'll probably have a Qi charger at home, too.

Qi Charger

I picked up a Motorola Droid Mini phone a while ago. After tinkering with it for a short time, I discovered that it has native support for w...

10:52 AM

Christmas Lights: Second Place = Loser!

I was the first one on my block to put up lights this season . . . they went up the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving. I actually planned to merely lay out the new lights and do some pre-wiring, but the project gained momentum and I went ahead and set up everything. As I mentioned <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2013/01/christmas-lights-raising-bar-in-2013.html" target="_blank">here</a>, I wanted to step things up and try to catch up to my neighbor, who is the clear leader on the "Best Lights on the Block" list.<br /><br />I admit that I was rather pleased with my lights after firing them up. The modern LED light strings and the sheer number of lights are quite impressive. In fact, I was the block leader for eight days. The next weekend, however, I was put to shame by my neighbor. I think he added a few items to his arsenal from 2012, and my light display is still deep in the minor leagues relative to his big league arrangement.<br /><br />Oh well, this is only a friendly competition that we both hope will encourage other neighbors to light things up. I wasn't planning on adding anything else this year, although I had been considering how best to improve things for 2014. In fact, I actually went out and bought an extension ladder to measure the roof line and eaves for next year's light strings, and recorded all of the pertinent dimensions last weekend. While taking the measurements, I noticed that my neighbor was adding more stuff to his house. He obviously knows that I'm trying to catch up, and he's intentionally upping his game just to see me sweat! It's really tough to keep pace with the guy.<br /><br />So, I'm writing this post because I terminated my delayed 2014 light deployment plan this morning. While drinking a tasty cup of Ethiopian coffee, I stumbled upon <a href="http://www.holiday-light-express.com/" target="_blank">this website</a> devoted to LED Christmas lights. The website isn't very polished, but it lists some items that I had been considering for next year, and the prices are decent. One thing led to another and my shopping cart was full before my coffee cup was empty.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-zNR4f_lCbhXLD_yAcX5t9PKmJ1q581txBBAbCjl84CfXyJySUDO61Niwc-eCVp8fD1jdSKzkdIPZMQXntQn8a6c94AETZCADIyBq5U9hCUjPhhu_YdynjaMOX5cMiRSrhnVZfwLGns/s1600/20131216_001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-zNR4f_lCbhXLD_yAcX5t9PKmJ1q581txBBAbCjl84CfXyJySUDO61Niwc-eCVp8fD1jdSKzkdIPZMQXntQn8a6c94AETZCADIyBq5U9hCUjPhhu_YdynjaMOX5cMiRSrhnVZfwLGns/s400/20131216_001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Impulse Purchase</td></tr></tbody></table>Today's acquisition will be used to adorn the upper roof line of the house, and to replace some of the old dim lights that I've been using. In my opinion, lights on the upper deck really separate the serious players from the run of the mill amateurs. It's time to join the ranks of the ridiculous. I'll still be in second place by a huge margin, but Rome wasn't built in a day.<div><br /></div><div>I know that pictures would be nice, but I'm not about to take pictures of my neighbor's house and post them. Moreover, my point and shoot camera sucks and doesn't like to take pictures at night. I'll try to take some pictures of my lights after the aforementioned products arrive and get installed.</div>

Christmas Lights: Second Place = Loser!

I was the first one on my block to put up lights this season . . . they went up the weekend BEFORE Thanksgiving. I actually planned to merel...

7:28 PM

5.1 Channel Music Titles

I absolutely love listening to my favorite music, preferably by way of decent audio reproduction equipment. Unfortunately, due to finances, the lack of space, and self-imposed restraint, I haven't had a decent playback system for many years (I was an early adopter of home theater gear and DVD playback, but I got rid of my home theater rig a long time ago and haven't replaced it yet). That said, I have some decent portable music players, some great headphones, and a very nice computer-based 2.1 channel setup at the office. But nothing worth listening to at home . . . yet.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh9Gur-2uEzDby2JOajsfKCCjfsZVANcSz6QVv_9BSmPBh2cra1ie_v499cBiZcCjdHcZG3nAjX4rFbp2dyqESnTcNTOEsUk9ktrz4394XQHASNDshXlD5_aAkG32NQ57l4tM95kjtYk/s1600/IMG_7124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgh9Gur-2uEzDby2JOajsfKCCjfsZVANcSz6QVv_9BSmPBh2cra1ie_v499cBiZcCjdHcZG3nAjX4rFbp2dyqESnTcNTOEsUk9ktrz4394XQHASNDshXlD5_aAkG32NQ57l4tM95kjtYk/s200/IMG_7124.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Awesome Home Theater System</td></tr></tbody></table>My place is undergoing a minor remodel to add a "bonus" room for everyone to enjoy. In this context, "everyone" includes me, so I've planned accordingly. At first, I wanted the room to accommodate a pool table, some old school pinball games, a dart board, a hi-fi rig, a shuffleboard table, a shooting range, a trampoline, and a poker table. The reasonable voice in the household scaled my plan back somewhat, leaving me with a small "hangout" and home theater room. Oh well, I'll take it.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcnK3NtakvBDnz2yraftFO6YMAznBiwLnWVNhz8GconxhnVJWk_Rv5Kcd6nBdHxKURTp3XVf5nW1QLW6wPFviLxxdI1Y6ul16WyCyL33kM4ExvYoDWmARGoror9OvNK3qhcMeJo8R_Y0/s1600/20131129_HT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYcnK3NtakvBDnz2yraftFO6YMAznBiwLnWVNhz8GconxhnVJWk_Rv5Kcd6nBdHxKURTp3XVf5nW1QLW6wPFviLxxdI1Y6ul16WyCyL33kM4ExvYoDWmARGoror9OvNK3qhcMeJo8R_Y0/s320/20131129_HT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Awesome Media Room</td></tr></tbody></table>So, I'm currently looking at various home theater equipment to outfit a room that doesn't even exist yet. Moreover, a good friend of mine (who happens to be a true audiophile and a big fan of quadraphonic music) recently gave me a demonstration of his awesome quad system, and I was instantly hooked. We listened to some Pink Floyd and King Crimson in high resolution 5.1 channel DVD formats, and the surround sound experience was something to behold. Suffice it to say, a new acquisition disorder set in that day, and I've been collecting and wish-listing various multi-channel audio titles since that day. This disorder is particularly troubling because I don't even have a compatible playback system yet. I do have a Blu-Ray disc player, but it's merely hooked up to my TV speakers. Unimpressive non-surround sound to say the least.<br /><br />Here's the problem: it's not easy or fiscally painless to acquire 5.1 channel music titles. There are a number of reasons for a lack of new and used inventory. First and foremost, there is little demand for surround sound audio because most people listen to MP3 files on the go these days. Does anyone actually sit down and listen to music anymore? Second, rapidly evolving and competing surround sound and high resolution audio formats have made it difficult for content providers to sustain sales. For example, 5.1 channel music can be delivered on a standard DVD, on a DVD-Audio disc (which may be incompatible with some DVD players), on a SACD, on a Blu-Ray disc, etc. At present, Blu-Ray audio is the newest vehicle for delivery of high resolution multichannel audio. Unfortunately, this means that it's becoming increasingly difficult to score out-of-print titles that are only available in older "obsolete" formats.<br /><br />What does one do about this? One gets addicted to hunting down multichannel audio discs. Thankfully, there are some old SACD titles that can be had on the cheap due to high inventory and little demand. There are a handful of newer Blu-Ray titles on the market, but they can be rather expensive if the disc that you seek is only available in a special anniversary deluxe collectors ridiculously priced edition.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLrtjs5QJNXWohXfARqdSBw5os4gxGwEh-rzIjrlc7-bci5W_2qndPRJrMxbico0-qPsF-f0CO18mOd9cDzPKqszql8bUV7RdgCWpj5nlbPCZbs0iR_ZlaAXX-jnGAuHU9c4jbvmNiVo/s1600/IMG_7102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLrtjs5QJNXWohXfARqdSBw5os4gxGwEh-rzIjrlc7-bci5W_2qndPRJrMxbico0-qPsF-f0CO18mOd9cDzPKqszql8bUV7RdgCWpj5nlbPCZbs0iR_ZlaAXX-jnGAuHU9c4jbvmNiVo/s200/IMG_7102.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing To Hear Here</td></tr></tbody></table>This post is not intended to be a "look at my collection" ego booster, and I know that my inventory is small compared to serious collectors. I'm not really collecting for the sake of ownership or investment; I'm simply trying to find my personal favorites before they go completely extinct so that I can enjoy them on my nonexistent home theater system in my nonexistent media room.<br /><br />Speaking of ridiculously priced exclusive collectors editions, my stack of items includes the "Immersion" box set of Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon", which includes a Blu-Ray disc that is chock full of audio goodness. The Blu-Ray disc includes a high resolution 5.1 audio version of the album - that version is currently ranked as the best surround sound title on the <a href="http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/forum.php" target="_blank">QuadraphonicQuad</a> site. For this reason, I'll probably listen to Dark Side first. I regret that the picture does not include anything from Tool, Radiohead, Isis, Explosions in the Sky, or The Beastie Boys, but I'm pretty sure that 5.1 audio titles from those bands are not commercially available. No such luck.<br /><br />Perhaps I'll post some comments about my listening experiences if and when I am able to actually play the discs. Until then, I'll continue in my attempt to acquire more titles (if anyone want's to unload their DVD-Audio version of Deadwing by Porcupine Tree, just let me know).

5.1 Channel Music Titles

I absolutely love listening to my favorite music, preferably by way of decent audio reproduction equipment. Unfortunately, due to finances, ...

7:18 AM

San Diego Padres Baseball Cap

I promised myself that I would publish this post before the 2013 baseball season ends. So read on . . .<br /><br />I wrote about <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2013/07/59fifty-baseball-caps-yes.html" target="_blank">59Fifty baseball caps</a> a few months ago, and am still somewhat intrigued by the whole concept. Even though I'm not a huge baseball fan, I always like to root for the underdog. Accordingly, I recently acquired an official on-field cap bearing the logo of one of the suckiest teams in baseball: the San Diego Padres.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRo_cb5wQ6dVO2wOWL3ILdzT5EFoQM9g8TO29V6zudSS-q1v2IQbzKqUcwzqx8ih5i4IhQeDa9RoZoRyMsbQvVlSnYPRngqBt7sPwYdLvXLZ4X58KSKjSh5znTtPShqXT6Ub76aR4I9Y4/s1600/IMG_6441.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRo_cb5wQ6dVO2wOWL3ILdzT5EFoQM9g8TO29V6zudSS-q1v2IQbzKqUcwzqx8ih5i4IhQeDa9RoZoRyMsbQvVlSnYPRngqBt7sPwYdLvXLZ4X58KSKjSh5znTtPShqXT6Ub76aR4I9Y4/s200/IMG_6441.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />Technically, this piece of headwear should be called the New Era 59Fifty Official MLB On-Field Cap, San Diego Padres, Alternate Color (or something to that effect). The above picture shows the sticker flair that adorns the brand-new cap. I'm an old traditionalist, so I immediately removed all the stickers from the cap. I realize that some may consider this to be sacrilegious, but meh whatever. It's just a hat.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskkONvH4WH1ccQSAbbVqUV8UWXwS7vikuI4JCJMhVRFHiKxNpjG5vO6J_ilKncOqBUSias7H-Auc0jx5udeSjPF1n5d7qHfSbu3iPSlVaFNkux8Rb9z17oGni7CWcvY4Qa8CHgL0DNPo/s1600/IMG_6442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhskkONvH4WH1ccQSAbbVqUV8UWXwS7vikuI4JCJMhVRFHiKxNpjG5vO6J_ilKncOqBUSias7H-Auc0jx5udeSjPF1n5d7qHfSbu3iPSlVaFNkux8Rb9z17oGni7CWcvY4Qa8CHgL0DNPo/s200/IMG_6442.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, it's just a hat, but it's an OFFICIAL hat. It says so on the inner headband part. That makes it special, I guess. I like the fact that the hat isn't cluttered with New Era branding or other extraneous logos. It has the San Diego emblem on the front and the obligatory MLB "batter man" logo on the back - that logo has been around since the late 1960s (not kidding).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_uQOrjb_e_8xkZbY8l8sNZhZ2m92P3jFhtArxCDQ9IBRM1rauujXItTYEG4M-8dzFCb88YpS7QS2ijCT3AYPbhyCHKo62S5y6jGtNoGgUWaUhTxKF0DHno9PZThq4BIx3E65UUwxz0Q/s1600/IMG_6444.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv_uQOrjb_e_8xkZbY8l8sNZhZ2m92P3jFhtArxCDQ9IBRM1rauujXItTYEG4M-8dzFCb88YpS7QS2ijCT3AYPbhyCHKo62S5y6jGtNoGgUWaUhTxKF0DHno9PZThq4BIx3E65UUwxz0Q/s200/IMG_6444.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I like the olive color and overall look of this cap. Unfortunately, the crown doesn't fit my pin head as well as it should. I may need to hit the New Era online forums to see how best to shrink the crown a bit. LOL, there's an online forum for everything in the world these days. So awesome.</div>

San Diego Padres Baseball Cap

I promised myself that I would publish this post before the 2013 baseball season ends. So read on . . . I wrote about 59Fifty baseball caps ...

7:57 AM

A Tattoo Tribute

I recently wrote about my absolutely bad ass skateboard deck, which was hand painted by Craig Driscoll. That post can be found <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2013/06/skateboard-deck-by-craig-driscoll.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Dealing with Craig got me thinking about a tribute tattoo in honor of my dad. I had the concept and design elements in mind for a long while, but never pulled the trigger or felt that the timing was right. Perhaps the skateboard artwork got me motivated or something, but whatever the case . . . I asked Craig to do the tattoo.<div><br /></div><div>My dad was a draftsman: he worked by hand back in the day and then was forced by the powers that be to transition into CAD. I have very fond memories of going to work with Dad when I was a wee lad and he was still drafting the old school way, with mechanical pencils, triangles, a compass, templates, etc. It was always fun to play with his gigantic Bruning electric rotary eraser; I would draw random pencil marks just so that I could take the Bruning for a spin. That electric eraser became the central design element of my tattoo. I provided some reference photos and Craig started sketching.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmwXAxy1JHvzFM9i8T4KA5854u5FCsmh_suOmcsnkOC9VWVnbwGERBE59SIsmNyYiIoBkU1SJI3GLhyphenhyphenvL0dHeI3lm30Z9iT32tNN69vHvwmZDoWfYJkNNK-ZXON90JMWp1DbtUvGtm-0/s1600/20130816_001.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBmwXAxy1JHvzFM9i8T4KA5854u5FCsmh_suOmcsnkOC9VWVnbwGERBE59SIsmNyYiIoBkU1SJI3GLhyphenhyphenvL0dHeI3lm30Z9iT32tNN69vHvwmZDoWfYJkNNK-ZXON90JMWp1DbtUvGtm-0/s200/20130816_001.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I threw out some other "drafting" themed items for Craig to consider, such as mechanical pencils, triangles, a T-square, French curves, etc. Craig decided to keep it simple, so he merely incorporated a couple of French curves into the banner and background design. I also asked Craig to include an orange and/or some orange blossoms into the design; Dad was very proud of his two orange trees that produced the sweetest fruit year after year. He nurtured those trees for as long as I can remember, and they are still standing and bearing fruit to this day. So, yeah, I really wanted the design to include the orange stuff.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiCg87Uyd8dq0dgHogiaAdpyXghme71KgGO2_yQbMmycGDpDkPDCvInby6Z7re5Yh5-ZhrWg_fKSEtlyteIlf3HySCOdmoeFYKqf3U5GesCSG-LU6gTDyo31GPFvJsGqGh9j1ErCPjY8/s1600/20130816_003.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAiCg87Uyd8dq0dgHogiaAdpyXghme71KgGO2_yQbMmycGDpDkPDCvInby6Z7re5Yh5-ZhrWg_fKSEtlyteIlf3HySCOdmoeFYKqf3U5GesCSG-LU6gTDyo31GPFvJsGqGh9j1ErCPjY8/s200/20130816_003.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Watching Craig complete the sketch was a treat. I wish I could draw like that. Anyway, the completed sketch (shown in the above picture) was used to create the stencil, which in turn was applied to my lower leg. About 90 minutes later, the black line work was completed and we called it a day.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrmkgd20A2Ddl4zrjH9A9wqxXPVLGxdVDJQ1oBSX0_QF98_qVRAY_5_gAIAb52RjCeYfbIcGhu72VUkIQpzh2xighVTGScBFD8viHKYwQm8jBO-_h5NjmCh1L7E_YWfjqAuLymqd9unE/s1600/20130928_combo3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUrmkgd20A2Ddl4zrjH9A9wqxXPVLGxdVDJQ1oBSX0_QF98_qVRAY_5_gAIAb52RjCeYfbIcGhu72VUkIQpzh2xighVTGScBFD8viHKYwQm8jBO-_h5NjmCh1L7E_YWfjqAuLymqd9unE/s200/20130928_combo3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>It's a little difficult to read and interpret the black outlines in the absence of any color and shading. If you look closely, there are two French curves lurking in the design, along with an orange slice at the bottom, and a few orange blossoms here and there. The above picture was taken after the tattoo had healed for about a month. The color and shading have since been completed, but the skin is far from healed at the moment. I'll publish another post to show off the finished product as soon as I can!</div>

A Tattoo Tribute

I recently wrote about my absolutely bad ass skateboard deck, which was hand painted by Craig Driscoll. That post can be found here . Dealin...

6:38 PM

Pen Display Case

Anyone remember that George Carlin skit about finding a place for your stuff? "That's the whole meaning of life, isn't it? Trying to find a place for your stuff." He was talking about houses in that skit. Never mind that; I'm talking about a place for my fountain pens.<br /><br />I had been keeping my stuff (including a few pens) in my little <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2012/08/valet-tray.html" target="_blank">valet tray</a>. That worked well until my pen collection started to grow to the point where I needed a better storage solution. I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on a 250-pen case made of African Blackwood, and I didn't want to make a DIY case out of an old cigar box. So . . . I acquired an affordable and practical item: a 6-pen display case by Royce Leather.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kmkxYXgb6sfXiRXKGbepeZwVtQdYHEO4EmmHhTVNOnWufbC7eVW_XkzToFCl6mPRRiF2U0XEej1VAjTTO1dGgzsh1_SjOjyEv6Nicb3HVCjwic379DLf9O2isUCogzKc1zOKs20xTkc/s1600/IMG_6990.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3kmkxYXgb6sfXiRXKGbepeZwVtQdYHEO4EmmHhTVNOnWufbC7eVW_XkzToFCl6mPRRiF2U0XEej1VAjTTO1dGgzsh1_SjOjyEv6Nicb3HVCjwic379DLf9O2isUCogzKc1zOKs20xTkc/s200/IMG_6990.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />The case is good for what it is. The fit and finish are a little suspect, but the black leather matches my valet tray and the viewing window is made of glass rather than plastic or plexiglass. The pullout drawer and the tray insert are a little flimsy, and the drawer is not supported very well. For example, it's very easy to pull the entire drawer out of its opening (there are no features designed to prevent that from happening). As another example, the drawer tilts downward when it's pulled out too far. That said, the case is very reasonably priced, and the workmanship and quality is on par for the price point. So there.<br /><br />Royce Leather also makes a larger 12-pen display case; I intentionally obtained the small 6-pen size in a feeble attempt to limit my pen purchases. The following pictures show the case loaded with six writing instruments: Pilot 78G; Sailor Pro Gear; Pilot Custom Heritage 91; Lamy Vista; Baoer 388; and Pelikan M205.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzChKlgA6iMOUfb_Zbgc3-d5fLY_d0j4UEGA5bRbI8kemN7t3mSZJV93sn2AoXyOaSwx0S5PAse0hyphenhyphenKBn0-4Fk7kE-Fr97crcjgPheQmB1wVUCNNBGH6dj1zFPjiJ6gAXV84WXUWin2E/s1600/IMG_6991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzChKlgA6iMOUfb_Zbgc3-d5fLY_d0j4UEGA5bRbI8kemN7t3mSZJV93sn2AoXyOaSwx0S5PAse0hyphenhyphenKBn0-4Fk7kE-Fr97crcjgPheQmB1wVUCNNBGH6dj1zFPjiJ6gAXV84WXUWin2E/s200/IMG_6991.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxjR1IBer61X61eGveB2AxMqk3CtDSpvs21YrkV1aocKi8WdNS9x8xcU4WH-0yf2nhHk_7tnlbvT_izBYDyzwVpLyQPp2iWcLzA3Zo5_DGSJwGc92pL2beCkhXEN16Bns1qypzOoNuvU/s1600/IMG_6993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxjR1IBer61X61eGveB2AxMqk3CtDSpvs21YrkV1aocKi8WdNS9x8xcU4WH-0yf2nhHk_7tnlbvT_izBYDyzwVpLyQPp2iWcLzA3Zo5_DGSJwGc92pL2beCkhXEN16Bns1qypzOoNuvU/s200/IMG_6993.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />Nit Pick Alert!<br /><br />I've noticed that the pens tend to slip and slide within the tray slots whenever the drawer is pulled in or out. Oh well, that's inherent in the design and it cannot be helped. Maybe that's why many display cases have hinged lids. Another minor annoyance is that large diameter pens may not fit inside this case. For example, my son's <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-sons-dragon-fountain-pen.html" target="_blank">Dragon Pen</a> doesn't fit unless I carefully position it and consult my Expert Dexterity manual before attempting to slide the drawer in.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqhSgTy1biw-GP3qdlwcXCA6Tm5nR7NiUofvuy1wDmDMkuvOL6o0ouPMpO4A3aepQp_Kbs0t-RS43Af9jopIwSsqo_F-2f5aiY9V7rGtjovrDYFt8rJyQlSYvDAIcPN3B5FbPD4hycxc/s1600/IMG_6995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQqhSgTy1biw-GP3qdlwcXCA6Tm5nR7NiUofvuy1wDmDMkuvOL6o0ouPMpO4A3aepQp_Kbs0t-RS43Af9jopIwSsqo_F-2f5aiY9V7rGtjovrDYFt8rJyQlSYvDAIcPN3B5FbPD4hycxc/s200/IMG_6995.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do Not Enter</td></tr></tbody></table>Don't let my nit picky criticisms influence your opinion of the Royce Leather display case too much. I like the case and feel that my money was well spent. I've found a good place for my <strike>stuff</strike> fountain pens.

Pen Display Case

Anyone remember that George Carlin skit about finding a place for your stuff? "That's the whole meaning of life, isn't it? Tryi...

10:09 AM

New Phone = EDC Nightmare!

I consider myself to be a person who likes to keep up with new technology, gadgets, and electronic equipment. That said, I had been using an ancient Motorola flip phone for ages because it worked great, it held a charge for a week, and I rarely NEEDED anything other than basic voice service and basic text messaging. Don't misunderstand, I had always WANTED a modern smartphone, but I hated (and still hate) the pricing schemes that are forced down customers' throats.<br /><br />Anyway, for a number of reasons I finally had to upgrade. I chose the Droid Mini by Motorola, and I'm happy with the decision even though I have nothing as a baseline for comparison. Here's a picture of the phone:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdoyY6FPJRYxlt3IIm877KEFnsypn7MApSbgvHW4UYTFl2x87wgE_8jfG8t02obWlPeg3LjA_hm51FFZTfjUhab2Ct_AhtH1FzNlQ8hIKp6H3e1Dkz_Vvyk2q-ilRgehx4_ItbATS6wU/s1600/IMG_6997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdoyY6FPJRYxlt3IIm877KEFnsypn7MApSbgvHW4UYTFl2x87wgE_8jfG8t02obWlPeg3LjA_hm51FFZTfjUhab2Ct_AhtH1FzNlQ8hIKp6H3e1Dkz_Vvyk2q-ilRgehx4_ItbATS6wU/s200/IMG_6997.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Droid Mini</td></tr></tbody></table>Even though this phone is relatively compact (about the same size as the ubiquitous iPhone), it has created an issue for my usual EDC scheme. My typical EDC loadout includes: wallet; phone; keys; knife; flashlight; compact pen; and pocket notebook. I had a good, dependable, and well-thought pocket assignment back in the good old pre-smartphone days. Wallet in one back pocket, notebook in the other back pocket, keys in a front pocket or hanging from a belt loop, knife in the right front pocket (tip-up carry of course; tip-down is for losers), flashlight in the left front pocket, and the pen in the coin pocket (or wherever if I'm not wearing jeans). This worked well for me, regardless of the size of the knife (within reason) carried, regardless of the size of the flashlight (again, within reason) carried, and regardless of the particular pair of pants/shorts worn that day.<br /><br />That leaves the phone. When life was simple and phones were tiny, I carried my phone in a belt holster. Dork accessory? Useful and convenient? Geek flair? Yes; all of the above. My belt-carried phone meant that it was always at the ready, quick to access and deploy, and easy to hear. Plus, I mastered the one-handed action of unholstering, flipping, and answering the phone. Seriously - ring to talk within milliseconds.<br /><br />The Droid Mini is small, but nobody in their right mind would hang it from their belt. I don't use a man purse and I rarely use a briefcase or messenger bag. Consequently, I had to rethink my tried and true EDC scheme to accommodate my new phone.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqnHNzAcGH1wWzv-Jhv0-KAvFIoLQ6sgPURO4AaE6N1dIg6eXvrDZtThl7qsLOY-uBc0ebk7Qhz5JPYrMFhg0CV-YbURbJYgj3peTlyUCVCYRiv6011Udm_tw-lh7-61p8JpanqJUS_Y/s1600/IMG_6998.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmqnHNzAcGH1wWzv-Jhv0-KAvFIoLQ6sgPURO4AaE6N1dIg6eXvrDZtThl7qsLOY-uBc0ebk7Qhz5JPYrMFhg0CV-YbURbJYgj3peTlyUCVCYRiv6011Udm_tw-lh7-61p8JpanqJUS_Y/s200/IMG_6998.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyday Confusion</td></tr></tbody></table>Take a look at the above picture. It doesn't look like much, but it is. The main issue is that I really want the phone to have its own pocket that will usually be void of keys, coins, and other objects that could damage or scratch the screen. Moreover, I don't like keeping it in my back pocket because I don't want to lose it or sit on it and break it. I could probably keep it in my left front pocket along with the pen or a small flashlight, but there's no way I'd be able to pocket both the phone and a larger flashlight or knife.<br /><br />Now I'm thinking about ditching the pen and the notebook altogether. I don't use them that often, and the phone can be used in an emergency to dictate or write down important notes (e.g., "buy new flashlight" or "research blue-gray fountain pen ink"). That would definitely lighten and simplify my EDC load. I could streamline things down to the bare essentials: wallet + phone + keys + knife + light = no fun. As an alternative, I could stop carrying my "large" lights and knives and limit myself to AAA lights and blades that are less than 2.5 inches long. As an extreme measure, I could drop the flashlight from my EDC set and rely on an Android flashlight app instead. I don't think they have a Spyderco knife app, so I'll keep carrying mine, thank you very much.<br /><br />You know, as of this writing I'm still within the 30-day return period of the Droid Mini. It's not too late to make a U-turn and re-holster my flip phone.

New Phone = EDC Nightmare!

I consider myself to be a person who likes to keep up with new technology, gadgets, and electronic equipment. That said, I had been using an...

8:51 PM

The Daily Rant: Cheap Umbrellas

I haven't written much lately because I'm buried at work and am busy with summer vacation activities. Speaking of which, I recently returned from a vacation in a rainy climate. Rain is really annoying when you are not fully prepared for it, i.e., all you have (for your family to share) is a cheap and already-broken portable umbrella. You know, the type that bends, breaks, and tears immediately after purchase. We had a pink one that was an embarrassment. It really sucked.<br /><br />As luck would have it, crappy, fragile, cheap, and unruly umbrellas are readily available in wet tourist spots and rain forest souvenir shops. We copped a pair of them and were feeling good about ourselves. For a very short while. Forty minutes to be exact. That is how long it took for Cheap Umbrella 1 to break.<br /><br />Our original pink nightmare was tossed before Cheap Umbrella 1 failed, leaving us with only Cheap Umbrella 2 for protection. Thankfully, that one held up until our last rain-soaked day. Unfortunately, my kid left Cheap Umbrella 2 in the hotel lobby, and it was long gone before we realized it. So . . . we returned home umbrellaless.<br /><br />This is how my quest for a new "high quality" umbrella began. I spent a fair amount of time researching a number of offerings, such as the various models from Shedrain, the stylistic and spendy options from Davek, the high tech innovations from Blunt, etc. Truth be told, I feel that any umbrella, regardless of cost, style, and technology, will eventually break, get lost, or fail. I haven't pulled the trigger on anything just yet, and I'm not sure if I will. Are there are any umbrella experts reading this post? If so, I welcome your suggestions!

The Daily Rant: Cheap Umbrellas

I haven't written much lately because I'm buried at work and am busy with summer vacation activities. Speaking of which, I recently ...

7:19 PM

59Fifty Baseball Caps? Yes.

59Fifty refers to the flagship baseball cap model by the company New Era. 59Fifty caps are old school in that they are fitted according to skull size. New Era has been making caps since 1920, and the 59Fifty model has been around for almost 60 years. The 59Fifty is the official on-field baseball cap worn by Major League Baseball players (it is also the official sideline cap worn by NFL players).<br /><br />Wait, there is a backstory here. First, I am almost positive that I owned a 59Fifty cap many years ago without actually realizing it at the time. I recall owning a fitted cap back in the day - size 7 1/8 - but don't remember the design, team, or style. I assume that it was a New Era 59Fifty, which has been the most popular fitted cap for ages.<br /><br />More backstory: I used to have a collection of NBA team caps, but they were not made by New Era. They were adjustable caps (aka "snapback" caps), and I had one for every team. I rarely wore those hats, and eventually got rid of them. So, caps and I have a little bit of history . . . but I've never really been interested in 59Fifty caps <i>per se</i>. Until recently. Seriously, there is a lot to learn about these caps! This is fascinating stuff, and could be the beginning of a new acquisition disorder around these parts.<br /><br />OK, so the frontstory goes like this: I was at the mall recently and saw a kiosk selling a bunch of caps. At the time, I was looking for a Lakers cap (even though the NBA season is over and the Lakers suck these days). I wasn't looking for a 59Fifty cap in particular, I just wanted anything that fit. I tried on a few and ultimately settled on this one:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqeuAV8BBAfcR5qM_-2gZ92F9N8zBkj9tvalHzPPBiQBTAfaRa0es5Y0UocckIEd07iVhwCe75DPfPUAObxra2TFgvy3K0eMj3QN0Zxswvb-avkng9ddqZGPNG4x2-ir0UoSRywm8trU/s1600/IMG_6431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDqeuAV8BBAfcR5qM_-2gZ92F9N8zBkj9tvalHzPPBiQBTAfaRa0es5Y0UocckIEd07iVhwCe75DPfPUAObxra2TFgvy3K0eMj3QN0Zxswvb-avkng9ddqZGPNG4x2-ir0UoSRywm8trU/s200/IMG_6431.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The salesperson (she was very persuasive) convinced me to buy a cap for my son, too. He wanted a Detroit Tigers cap and we found one that fit him fairly well. We didn't know it at the time of acquisition, but the Tigers cap is an authentic and official on-field 59Fifty cap:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbzbrXhqBBQon-a1G3VbTe-N6jy9wH80-T-pCxnPeY55UIFznp-YG8SBxCT4srcqwoYHsCDb_XCoXo3mAiknjOXK68SC_B_fjD8OGMY8YCcbsnNjKB8uTIAcVfLCwKF5LuGCzhOT0z4k/s1600/IMG_6437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbzbrXhqBBQon-a1G3VbTe-N6jy9wH80-T-pCxnPeY55UIFznp-YG8SBxCT4srcqwoYHsCDb_XCoXo3mAiknjOXK68SC_B_fjD8OGMY8YCcbsnNjKB8uTIAcVfLCwKF5LuGCzhOT0z4k/s200/IMG_6437.jpg" width="150" /></a></div><br />The return policy of the kiosk said something like: "OK to exchange within a week, but don't wear it, don't bend the bill, and keep it in as-new condition. In fact, don't even look at it." So I told my son to keep the stickers on his cap until he was certain that it fit well and he wanted it as a keeper. At this point, the sight of my kid rockin' his new cap with the stickers on them made me wonder why many people (young and old) wear baseball caps without removing the tags and stickers. I was also curious about the "flat bill" phenomena (see golfer Rickie Fowler) that has really caught on.<br /><br />It didn't take much online research for me to realize that there is a baseball cap subculture (which includes baseball fans, hat collectors, 59Fifty collectors, etc.). I found a <a href="http://neweracaptalk.com/forum/" target="_blank">New Era fan forum</a>, and several baseball cap blogs such as <a href="http://www.strictlyfitteds.com/" target="_blank">this one</a>. I now know that there are certain techniques and protocols related to breaking in a cap, shrinking a cap, stretching a cap that is too snug, altering the shape of the crown, restoring the shape of a cap, brushing the silky smooth fabric of a cap, storing caps, etc. I've also seen videos, forum posts, and articles related to Sticker Syndrome and, to be honest, it all seems quite silly to me. The only rationale that makes a little sense to me is this one: "leave the hologram sticker under the bill of the cap because it proves authenticity if you are ever questioned by Squad 59Fifty of the New Era Police Department."<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cS2dsJi3xz1O0gbC7LVZHQd9mLMHLvCT9WS-nDpeJEW-Tssrbv_jwdXzOzBSy6_0n6jhq4nKMuQwfgSnbJU2WFRm3lvlcYoNmWs03zRmUatMoI3MCpnDZt0N5vdv7ivf1aJOyRXZtDE/s1600/IMG_6439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cS2dsJi3xz1O0gbC7LVZHQd9mLMHLvCT9WS-nDpeJEW-Tssrbv_jwdXzOzBSy6_0n6jhq4nKMuQwfgSnbJU2WFRm3lvlcYoNmWs03zRmUatMoI3MCpnDZt0N5vdv7ivf1aJOyRXZtDE/s200/IMG_6439.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Authentic 59Fifty!</td></tr></tbody></table>You can see a portion of the hologram sticker on the bill of my son's Detroit Tigers cap above. He removed it (along with all of the other stickers) after about a week. As the above picture shows, an authentic 59Fifty cap includes a lot of branding and labels on the inside; consequently, stickers are not really necessary as evidence of authenticity. Personally, I don't really care if a person wants to keep one or more stickers or tags on his/her cap. It's a free country, and it's not my cap, so why should it matter?<br /><br />It matters because it's funny, that's why. Just ask Key & Peele: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ZM0-f5_CU" target="_blank">Dueling Hats</a> (if that link is dead, Google it!).

59Fifty Baseball Caps? Yes.

59Fifty refers to the flagship baseball cap model by the company New Era. 59Fifty caps are old school in that they are fitted according to s...

8:49 AM

Nomadic PE-09 Pencil Case

Nomadic: (1) of, relating to, or characteristic of nomads; (2) roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed pattern of movement; (3) a Japanese (of course) company that makes pen cases, bags, backpacks, pencil cases, and more pen cases.<br /><br />I've already written about the <a href="http://dailyacquisition.blogspot.com/2012/12/nomadic-pe-06-pencil-case.html" target="_blank">Nomadic PE-06</a> case that I got for my son. The PE-06 is a nice case, although it's rather small. My daughter has a much larger collection of pens and pencils, she NEEDED a new case to hold all of them, and she had me at "I want . . ." Of course, one thing led to another, which led to the Nomadic PE-09 Pencil Case. I acquired the navy blue version, which has a bright orange interior.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTTWxr915b-Y28PPlMJ8KIYenyE29-9evD6NBA1RWQprQlFUtMoWxowDklmDFL5zwmGypT4MOQbpZlCNGfOGIhQBUFxzHG1632nCg3JOa9LpoH2sLQcIxw40U697lhJZ0jlEeKivwjW8/s1600/IMG_5979.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTTWxr915b-Y28PPlMJ8KIYenyE29-9evD6NBA1RWQprQlFUtMoWxowDklmDFL5zwmGypT4MOQbpZlCNGfOGIhQBUFxzHG1632nCg3JOa9LpoH2sLQcIxw40U697lhJZ0jlEeKivwjW8/s200/IMG_5979.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Flap</td></tr></tbody></table>Sorry about that crappy picture. Anyway, the PE-09 is huge - it has a large main compartment that is accessible via the main zipper on the top, a Velcro-affixed flap with a zippered pocket (shown in the picture above), and additional pouches and interior mesh pockets. The main compartment is basically a large interior volume with a little mesh pocket that is suitable for an eraser, a piece of candy, or a lucky bottlecap. I estimate that at least 30 standard sized pens/pencils could fit in the main pocket. Take a look:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA_9rHtyJcyoStaJAXQgm6Zc7F5A1_I8o7PrMbvWzVIOzbWq60NSdvAsIMd5uizP7seH65iRRvcqS3XV0SvcLAAHcqSCu0smuVRKnnI7HSBDzmOkSJgUW227GkyFFGl1C_hXD_jhj85Y/s1600/IMG_5976.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDA_9rHtyJcyoStaJAXQgm6Zc7F5A1_I8o7PrMbvWzVIOzbWq60NSdvAsIMd5uizP7seH65iRRvcqS3XV0SvcLAAHcqSCu0smuVRKnnI7HSBDzmOkSJgUW227GkyFFGl1C_hXD_jhj85Y/s200/IMG_5976.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Pocket</td></tr></tbody></table>The zippered flap pouch is held in place with a couple of pieces of Velcro that make a lot of noise when the flap is released. This may be an issue if your goal is to extract that super special pen or pencil in a stealthy and inconspicuous manner. The next picture shows the "secret" pocket that is hidden behind the flap. Here you will find more storage space, and some mesh liners that are sure to please anal retentive organization freaks.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRDhTsl2Mndc28OkHtZbD2iqSrWkRfb2DcfxrAgBCr6dyymlsRuwQrJXZdZ-4WeZe_-BCxUfNEw8dkDLKK1_kpTWBzNbKYftCgcosTzGNcbfkqSXLoPa2NuJvAJWphy-cyGG-AikhcB0/s1600/IMG_5977.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRDhTsl2Mndc28OkHtZbD2iqSrWkRfb2DcfxrAgBCr6dyymlsRuwQrJXZdZ-4WeZe_-BCxUfNEw8dkDLKK1_kpTWBzNbKYftCgcosTzGNcbfkqSXLoPa2NuJvAJWphy-cyGG-AikhcB0/s200/IMG_5977.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden Pocket</td></tr></tbody></table>I like all the pockets and stash spots in the PE-09 case. I don't like the noisy Velcro, but I can live with it. Another feature (or flaw) that I don't particularly like is the way that the main compartment remains accessible even though the zipper is closed. It's hard to describe: the primary zipper seals the top of the compartment, but leaves gaps on the two sides. These gaps are large enough to allow pens and pencils to slide out of the compartment, which may occur during extreme stationery competitions or simply as a result of tossing the case into a backpack. I admit that the likelihood of actually losing something is rather low, but still. Check out Exhibit A:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_LOIrUOXDCLsj1T7f6y02k-OXaFW-cBveM639rFaR-esyhMgbZPwxnFi5ZKwEXkQaHcXQbLuSHFi5J3PFVmB_pNxNwL-21l6So9vjLtt5TpKIzWNILz_z-llZG7I-I3KsqgdSDydJ94/s1600/IMG_5978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9_LOIrUOXDCLsj1T7f6y02k-OXaFW-cBveM639rFaR-esyhMgbZPwxnFi5ZKwEXkQaHcXQbLuSHFi5J3PFVmB_pNxNwL-21l6So9vjLtt5TpKIzWNILz_z-llZG7I-I3KsqgdSDydJ94/s200/IMG_5978.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pen Exit Hole</td></tr></tbody></table>To be honest, my daughter loves this case, and it works great for her. I don't think she's lost anything yet, which means that I'm probably griping about a non-defective feature.<br /><br />OK, so I'm not 100% satisfied with this particular Nomadic case (I'm glad that it's not mine). That said, Nomadic makes a bunch of other cases that are worth looking into if you are in the market for one.

Nomadic PE-09 Pencil Case

Nomadic: (1) of, relating to, or characteristic of nomads; (2) roaming about from place to place aimlessly, frequently, or without a fixed p...

3:18 PM

Skateboard Deck By Craig Driscoll

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLylxOyfXTVAaiZnX6_H-qfXY0SiF6abPAcht5gyY_Gr5jHHSfOILSLFVrQmsobB0pgtena6NM3D7D7Ka8ZqUNyeao9CA-7-8wXQ_fIBcgIrYq33O4Uzt6b6gAuKufxOYTQCo22SGw3ak/s1600/20130610_Driscoll_Deck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLylxOyfXTVAaiZnX6_H-qfXY0SiF6abPAcht5gyY_Gr5jHHSfOILSLFVrQmsobB0pgtena6NM3D7D7Ka8ZqUNyeao9CA-7-8wXQ_fIBcgIrYq33O4Uzt6b6gAuKufxOYTQCo22SGw3ak/s400/20130610_Driscoll_Deck.JPG" width="137" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Craig Driscoll</td></tr></tbody></table>And now for something completely different . . . tattoo art. I admit that I find tattoos and tattoo art (if done well) very intriguing. That said, I do not have tattoo acquisition disorder due to: (a) the extremely high cost of tattoos rendered by top-flight artists; (b) the permanence of tattoos; and (c) the pain that usually accompanies tattoos. Speaking of top-flight artists, I consider <a href="http://craigdriscoll.com/home.html" target="_blank">Craig Driscoll</a> to be one of them. I've always liked his tattoo designs, paintings, and artwork, especially his skateboard deck pieces. In fact, I was going to buy one of his decks a few years ago, but he sold it a few days before I had a chance to make an offer. So bummed.<br /><br />Skip ahead (or back) to a couple of months ago. I was randomly checking out Craig's website, and I saw that he had some cool skateboard decks for sale once again. I contacted him to discuss the artwork, chit chat, blah blah blah, and ultimately commissioned him to create an original deck for me. I wasn't 100% set on a design, and I decided to let him choose between a snake design or a koi design. That's about all the input I gave him; I wanted the finished artwork to be a surprise.<br /><br />The original, hand painted, piece of awesomeness is shown in the picture. The logo at the top is Craig's signature, and the bright blue painted highlights and paint splatters are intentional. I love this skateboard deck! If anyone is wondering, the answer is "HELL NO." I will not be riding this board; it lives on the wall, where it will remain indefinitely.

Skateboard Deck By Craig Driscoll

Photo: Craig Driscoll And now for something completely different . . . tattoo art. I admit that I find tattoos and tattoo art (if done well)...

2:08 PM

"Premium" Writing Paper (Clairefontaine & Rhodia)

I think that I've completed the basic kit for a fountain pen newbie. Fountain pen: check. Converter: check. Ink samples: check. Another fountain pen: check. Bottle of ink: check. The last item in the fountain pen 101 kit? Fountain pen friendly writing paper! Really. I'm serious:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsw_bh0ZS6GnC3-_OjYgYKIyT7BjwZMiM-qRYUvsQra5DPuBCiqTPXY1ZDjcwJQChQqTOiL0YlrYrFFkiNHIA5bHmgMvfG2dGhY5qPJkt6K02IVYrUNKDp3dyCGDxa2hb_RJREHQJUEc/s1600/IMG_5753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsw_bh0ZS6GnC3-_OjYgYKIyT7BjwZMiM-qRYUvsQra5DPuBCiqTPXY1ZDjcwJQChQqTOiL0YlrYrFFkiNHIA5bHmgMvfG2dGhY5qPJkt6K02IVYrUNKDp3dyCGDxa2hb_RJREHQJUEc/s200/IMG_5753.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />Left to right: Clairefontaine Triomphe writing pad; Rhodia Dot Pad (spiral bound); and Rhodia Dot Pad (staple bound). They are all A5 size, and they all contain really nice paper. Serious reviews of these writing pads can be found all over the Internet, and anything I try to write will be redundant. Personally, I like the feel of the Triomphe paper the best, but I don't like the way that the pages are glued at the top . . . tearing the pages away cleanly can be hit or miss. I prefer the micro perforations on the Dot Pads much better in this regard. The Triomphe paper has lavender or purple-ish colored lines, which are impossible to accurately show due to poor lighting, color balance, and bush league photography skills:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JueShjW_mW-LRr6zMftT_OS4oHsg_2uOPZEGnDeudN1ooXjVbdX4-z5l4YYPw749drk5tGbZ2TgegN33WRwoe9hJr6LBkE2_s8WsjGoIhdADNJoq38xuG5YEI8u7uhel1x-fSdGRtVw/s1600/IMG_5755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JueShjW_mW-LRr6zMftT_OS4oHsg_2uOPZEGnDeudN1ooXjVbdX4-z5l4YYPw749drk5tGbZ2TgegN33WRwoe9hJr6LBkE2_s8WsjGoIhdADNJoq38xuG5YEI8u7uhel1x-fSdGRtVw/s200/IMG_5755.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clairefontaine Triomphe</td></tr></tbody></table>The Dot Pad paper uses a grid of dots instead of lines. Official specs say that the dots are printed with a 5 mm pitch. I like the dots:<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHt3ySqEP9ljuuIaha2kTeY45494u35bIPZVzSXpVGRyPf7aFWr58oPWt75N8CjBLMJzTV_dF77MtCzf1JNq022bkBmd66l0oWPh8WOCHbjE9GdRsESWKW0JOxvjAJ8wpwMaIX-UGQB0/s1600/IMG_5754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRHt3ySqEP9ljuuIaha2kTeY45494u35bIPZVzSXpVGRyPf7aFWr58oPWt75N8CjBLMJzTV_dF77MtCzf1JNq022bkBmd66l0oWPh8WOCHbjE9GdRsESWKW0JOxvjAJ8wpwMaIX-UGQB0/s200/IMG_5754.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhodia Dot Pad</td></tr></tbody></table>To be honest, my fountain pens work just fine on the standard office copy paper that I use. That said, they write smoother and produce higher quality ink lines on these premium paper products. Even if you don't write with fountain pens, you should try some of this paper just for the experience. You only live once.<br /><br />By the way, I also acquired a tiny Rhodia pad (No. 10 size, 2 x 3 inches) and feel that it's just too small to be really useful. I also bought one in the No. 11 size, which is 3 x 4 inches. The No. 11 size is perfect for quick notes, to-do lists, reminders, and miniature paper airplanes. I use the No. 11 pad more than the A5 size pads shown in the pictures.<br /><br />To summarize: I now have fountain pens, converters, ink, and good writing paper. I think my kit is complete. Too bad my handwriting sucks.

"Premium" Writing Paper (Clairefontaine & Rhodia)

I think that I've completed the basic kit for a fountain pen newbie. Fountain pen: check. Converter: check. Ink samples: check. Another ...

9:20 AM

Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Notebook

My pen acquisition disorder (PAD) is settling down somewhat these days. I've collected a bunch of gel pens to use at the office, and I've discovered the awesomeness of fountain pens. So what's next? First, finding something interesting to write about. Second, finding some decent paper to write on. I discover interesting things to write about every day, so item one is easy (e.g., "Some moron cut me off on the way to work today" or "I wore black socks today" or "I made bad coffee today"). Item two presents more of a challenge, requires more thought, and takes more time.<br /><br />So . . . this post relates to some decent paper that I've been using recently. The paper is found inside a Leuchtturm 1917 Notebook (pocket size).<br /><br />The Leuchtturm webpage for the pocket notebook is <a href="http://www.leuchtturm1917.com/en/content/pocket-notebook" target="_blank">here</a>, and a couple of online reviews can be found <a href="http://wellappointeddesk.com/2012/01/30/leuchtturm-1917-review/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://officesupplygeek.com/notebook-review/book-style-binding/leuchtturm1917-ruled-notebook-review/" target="_blank">here</a>. My abbreviated review is as follows: I like the Leuchtturm 1917 notebook more than the Moleskine pocket notebook, the Leuchtturm 1917 paper plays reasonably well with fountain pens, and they are less expensive than Rhodia notebooks (which many pen lunatics feel are the best in class). I like the fact that the pages are numbered, and I like the idea of having a table of contents at the beginning of the notebook. I may have to try a Rhodia notebook next for comparison, but I suspect that the Rhodia can't beat the "bang for the buck" value of the Leuchtturm 1917.<br /><br />Is there even a point to be made here? If hard pressed, I guess my point would be to encourage notebook users to try a Leuchtturm 1917 instead of a Moleskine.<br /><br />I wrote a test page in my notebook, made a really poor scan of it, and then used my amateur image processing skills to further ruin the jpeg file. Keep that in mind when you view this washed-out, white-imbalanced, and unrealistic color rendition:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUW57-UFfyMKBIqC-oqdThEK7DrecEkuSeI4QOxln0baL2xuYdsWu_mBiG9M_buJYqbJyDmPGEZteH3b8LuF9M0BVjhQOGfvj4rHQyVxay1YP6ubc-fwtIKGvzEnh-37UdEj-UrPbnz7w/s1600/20130118_Leuchtturm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUW57-UFfyMKBIqC-oqdThEK7DrecEkuSeI4QOxln0baL2xuYdsWu_mBiG9M_buJYqbJyDmPGEZteH3b8LuF9M0BVjhQOGfvj4rHQyVxay1YP6ubc-fwtIKGvzEnh-37UdEj-UrPbnz7w/s320/20130118_Leuchtturm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>

Leuchtturm1917 Pocket Notebook

My pen acquisition disorder (PAD) is settling down somewhat these days. I've collected a bunch of gel pens to use at the office, and I...

8:51 AM

Rage Comic Fun! Spot On. Exactly.

Rage Comic Fun! Spot On. Exactly.

My good friend has more creativity in his pinky fingernail than I will ever have. I was pleasantly surprised this morning when he sent me th...

1:38 PM

Christmas Lights: Raising the Bar in 2013

I'm finally going to tear down my meager and pathetic Christmas lights today. Or tomorrow. Or this weekend. Yeah, I'm that neighbor who refuses to abide by the sacred rule that mandates removal of all Christmas lights and decorations some time during the first weekend of each new year. Everyone else on my block has shut down for the season, but my crappy, old school, incandescent, energy inefficient, and unintentionally flickering icicle lights are still glowing. Just like they have every year for the last decade. Although these lights have served me well, I've decided to step up my holiday light game for 2013.<br /><br />Please read on for more of this exciting story . . .<br /><br />You see, my side of the block is usually chock full of holiday lights, while the other side is usually very weak and dim. No contest, really, except for the house immediately across the street from me. They have set the neighborhood bar for sure: multicolored icicle lights on the first and second stories; multicolored LED light strings surrounding the garage door; lighted nets on the bushes out front; lighted snowflakes on the second story eaves; and lighted nets (multicolored) on the street-facing roof, which is conveniently angled to allow viewing. To be honest, their light display isn't really all that impressive, but it definitely sticks out as the best one on the block, and it puts my bush league display to shame. I admit it. My kids even tease me about it. "Gee whiz, Dad, why can't we get cool lights like them?" or "Why do we always have the same boring white lights" or "Dad, we have more broken lights than good ones" or "Our lights suck ass!" OK, they don't really say that, but you get the point.<br /><br />So I hatched a plan to scour the stores for after-Christmas sales, hoping to score some awesome deals on lights and accessories. This of course led to some online research, measuring my landscape and house dimensions, and over-analyzing. One thing led to another, and I convinced myself to acquire some commercial grade LED strings. I looked at a number of online vendors, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Rite Aid, etc., and finally settled on <a href="http://www.christmasdesigners.com/" target="_blank">this place</a>. Although I originally was thinking about some animated lights, color-changing lights, or those cool looking "melting icicle" lights, I ultimately decided on a simple arrangement of green mini LED strings combined with red/white LED icicle strings. It took awhile, but I measured everything out, and ordered a boat load of light strings, a few boxes of clips, a 50 foot extension cord, a 9 foot triple outlet extension cord, a couple of three-outlet adapters, and an outdoor timer. The plan is to replace the old dim white icicle strings with the modern red/white icicle strings, topped with the green mini lights to enhance the overall Christmas color scheme. Moreover, the same arrangement will be used to line my ENTIRE street-side fence, which rises about ten feet above the sidewalk and is about 90 feet in length. I'm hoping that the simplicity of the arrangement will be overshadowed (overlighted?) by the sheer amount of candlepower emitted by all of those little diodes.<br /><br />But wait, there's more. Due to the low power consumption of LED lights, I'll be able to connect more than a billion of the light strings together. So, Phase Two of the holiday light plan is as follows: (1) additional mini LED strings around the perimeter of the garage door, perhaps red only or red and white; (2) lighted nets for the bushes in front of the house; (3) multicolored mini LED strings wrapped around the trees in the front yard; (4) multicolored LED icicle strings on the backyard play structure, which is visible from the street; and (5) a cheesy inflatable Santa, snowman, or perhaps Spongebob Squarepants standing on the deck of the play structure. I haven't given Phase Two much thought, and I haven't purchased any of the items for Phase Two yet. Luckily, I have an eleven month acquisition period for Phase Two. Time is on my side.<br /><br />My across-the-street neighbor won't know what hit him when I fire up the lights on December 1, 2013. He set the bar in 2012, and I intend to raise it in 2013.<br /><br />

Christmas Lights: Raising the Bar in 2013

I'm finally going to tear down my meager and pathetic Christmas lights today. Or tomorrow. Or this weekend. Yeah, I'm that neighbor ...

7:04 AM

Nomadic PE-06 Pencil Case

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HEyoSleE-Lp3dA39aHu3HsWPUtXTC4BnmXB0AYyoaJKbmTpsxwyLPQdGUPiLu8t4jgEHtXLqTA00qTwfZwh_-mW5K7nB5hc8117K8qRDFit8lbVfI4w0wHuTVjVyiqWxvkt8rRjQsAc/s1600/IMG_5601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6HEyoSleE-Lp3dA39aHu3HsWPUtXTC4BnmXB0AYyoaJKbmTpsxwyLPQdGUPiLu8t4jgEHtXLqTA00qTwfZwh_-mW5K7nB5hc8117K8qRDFit8lbVfI4w0wHuTVjVyiqWxvkt8rRjQsAc/s200/IMG_5601.JPG" width="200" /></a> I've been buying a lot of writing instruments and related accessories recently. I've kept some of the items, but have given many pens and pencils to my kids for use at school and around the house. My daughter's pen collection is larger than mine now, and my son's is growing, too. My daughter already has two pencil cases, so I felt obligated to acquire one for my son. We browsed the JetPens website for awhile (a long while, actually) and decided to get the Nomadic PE-06 case for him. Check it out; it's like a sleeping bag for pens. Read on for more details . . .<br /><br />Let me begin with my conclusion: the PE-06 case is perfect for a small number of pens and pencils. I'm jealous of my son's acquisition.<br /><br />So this thing is a clam shell design, and it appears to be made of nylon. A cool feature (shown in the first picture above) is the zippered pocket on the front of the case, which gives quick access to frequently-used items. The end of this front pocket has a mesh "window" so that you can see which pens/pencils are tucked away there - pretty cool design feature. Open the PE-06 to reveal the two halves of the main compartment:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uO02h6MP-2RVxc6LNIIifq8Ne9-ZKTTrTkR5AsWF8ZcEShqgykXEHJr_l06amDb84lQXoADm7aOieOIB7VFE6SYWFRA-Oy8R7KNe1QwDFKKc2OsQ6GON1cQneekL3gAi7XSmwi0prXc/s1600/IMG_5602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9uO02h6MP-2RVxc6LNIIifq8Ne9-ZKTTrTkR5AsWF8ZcEShqgykXEHJr_l06amDb84lQXoADm7aOieOIB7VFE6SYWFRA-Oy8R7KNe1QwDFKKc2OsQ6GON1cQneekL3gAi7XSmwi0prXc/s200/IMG_5602.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />I'm not feeling the bright orange color of the interior, but I can appreciate the "stylistic philosophy" driving the use of contrasting colors. The inside has a variety of slots and pockets of different shapes and sizes. The Japanese are so thoughtful: the PE-06 comes with detailed instructions and a diagram that shows where you can put things:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezIAWZ2qWZ8ectyTpoe3GZF0OjTUZaxFg5Z3i5U8BYfvHC_DDIVgvWmr0nORwZsBnBSuadv8nmFx035dGx9qiGrDqw_JMmbHwQlnBwjYJ9by0Fr6gSVlXlPZTIyQ2hlQp5RSFDGRwf3Y/s1600/IMG_5603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezIAWZ2qWZ8ectyTpoe3GZF0OjTUZaxFg5Z3i5U8BYfvHC_DDIVgvWmr0nORwZsBnBSuadv8nmFx035dGx9qiGrDqw_JMmbHwQlnBwjYJ9by0Fr6gSVlXlPZTIyQ2hlQp5RSFDGRwf3Y/s200/IMG_5603.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />There really is a lot of room in the main compartment, enough to store more pens than I would ever need to carry around. It's nearly perfect for my son's use as a school case that usually stays at his desk (but occasionally comes home with him). I think it would be nice to have a pocket or some slots lined with soft material, but that's getting nit picky. My son likes it, so it was a successful acquisition. Here's one more picture that shows the PE-06 in all of its pen-stuffed glory:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBLOpHHdTQNbkL_1VQvnkEp4KllWk339WJgoja8aI9Y_hP7Gk2QQGMpieq7ml0zxG9xE88bsikMj1_Da3eygsY5OJT80Cd8Rm_8c_WlZ_IyDmB9hD8-EG4dgq6IF6USgdTeB05zfoQos/s1600/IMG_5604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBLOpHHdTQNbkL_1VQvnkEp4KllWk339WJgoja8aI9Y_hP7Gk2QQGMpieq7ml0zxG9xE88bsikMj1_Da3eygsY5OJT80Cd8Rm_8c_WlZ_IyDmB9hD8-EG4dgq6IF6USgdTeB05zfoQos/s200/IMG_5604.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><br />