Modern Simple Living

Food & Drink A Year in Spirits: 2018 Review and 2019 Strategy Reflecting on consumption habits, budget planning, and building a curated home bar. 12 Bottles 8 Liters $404 Total Spent Section I 2018 Retrospective In 2018, I purchased about 12 bottles of liquor, totaling 8 liters for $404. This total includes an estimated $65 value for a gifted bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue. This averages out to roughly 1 bottle per month, which aligns perfectly with my expectations.   Bourbon Exploration I decided to increase my bourbon consumption to 33% of my total liquor intake to broaden my horizons. Initially, I found bourbons to be a bit too sweet, which sometimes overpowered the tasting experience I prefer with Scotch whisky. However, after regularly sampling bourbon, I realized I wanted to keep a bottle on hand to enjoy a dram now and then, balancing it with my whisky pours. House of Johnnie It's no surprise that I lean heavily towards Johnnie Walker. About 25% of my total consumption...

Feature My Journey to 165 lbs: A Decade of Weight Management A personal reflection on dietary discipline, lifestyle shifts, and consistent tracking. 15 Years of Tracking 52,500 Total Calorie Goal 20,000 Daily Steps Achieved 165 Target Weight Section I My Diet (2019 - 2022) In the years following 2010, I explored dietary changes, particularly considering a keto diet due to my research on the issues with processed sugar. I was concerned about potential side effects like feeling tired or sluggish during ketosis. Instead, I decided to focus on reducing my carbohydrate intake by avoiding processed sugar while increasing my protein and fat intake.   To simplify my approach, I made four specific changes to my diet: → Breakfast — Opted for an egg or tuna salad sandwich. → Vegetable Intake — Aimed to eat 8 oz of veggies daily (celery, carrots, cucumbers, etc.). → Hydration — Increased water intake to 48 oz daily. → Sugar Reduction — Avoided processed sugars. I began implementing thes...

Gear Review Holiday Surprises: Bluetooth Gifts at the Company Party *Testing out new audio tech after a festive surprise* 2 Gifts 12+ Hours Battery Life ~3 Days Usage Section I Holiday Gift Highlights At a recent company party, I received two surprise gifts: a Bluetooth Sony speaker, the SRS-XB10, and a pair of Apple AirPods. I’m quite pleased, as I’ve been wanting some Bluetooth audio gear for a while. Overall, it was a very nice Christmas, made even better by these thoughtful gifts.   Sony SRS-XB10 Bluetooth Speaker The Sony SRS-XB10 is a fairly decent speaker for its size. It will be especially useful at outdoor parties and events thanks to its impressive battery life. It’s compact and portable, making it easy to take along wherever I go. → Battery Life — 12+ hours of playback → Portability — Compact design for travel and events Apple AirPods The AirPods are proving to be even more interesting. After several days of regular use, I find them very convenient compared to conve...