Modern Simple Living

Gear Review Retro Gaming: The Anbernic RG351p Review *Is this budget handheld the ultimate device for your nostalgia fix?* ~10 Seconds Startup 5–6 Hours Battery ~30 Minutes Avg Session Section I The Quest for the Perfect Handheld Retro gaming has come a long way since the early PC emulators. I was curious about how well a portable handheld could handle emulation and am impressed with the Anbernic RG351p. Based on online reviews, the RG351p is probably the best handheld for those serious about portable retro gaming and who want to own just one device. I have to agree with those reviews and was able to start gaming within 10 seconds of owning the device. This by itself is impressive. The RG351p is by no means perfect, but there are no perfect portable handhelds. Its competitors using the same chipset may have features and capabilities that outclass the RG351p, but they also come with their own drawbacks. The target audience for the RG351p is casual gamers who plan to spend 15 to 30 min...

Collections 2022 Wish List & Spending Summary Planning, tracking, and closing out the year $800 Initial Budget $1,245 Final Total Spent 5 Categories 4 Update Rounds Table of Contents ① Year-End Summary ② Initial Wish List ③ Wardrobe Refresh ④ Update — Feb 2022 ⑤ Update — Apr 2022 ⑥ Update — Aug 2022 ⑦ Update — Sep 2022 ⑧ Update — Dec 2022   The Full Picture Year-End Summary As 2021 came to a close, I planned my acquisitions for 2022, focusing on various collections and budgeting around $800. Overall, I spent a bit more than expected, but each acquisition feels worthwhile. Category Amount Clothes & Shoes $633 Knives $58 ...

Gear Review Updated Inventory List for Collections *Refining the rotation: A complete 2021 look at tech, gear, and everyday carries.* 57 Total Items 7 Categories 16 Knives 2021 Update Table of Contents ① Inventory Overview ② Headphones ③ Tech ④ Watches ⑤ Swiss Army Knives ⑥ Sneakers ⑦ Fountain Pens ⑧ Whisky   Section I Inventory Overview I've made some updates to my collections, adding a new category for Swiss Army Knives and shifting my focus from Clothing to Sneakers. Here’s the current overview of my holdings: Category Item Count Headphones 11 Tech 12 Watches 7 Swiss Army Knives 16 Sneakers 4 Fountain Pens 4 Whisky 3 The only collection that hasn’t changed since 2018 is my Fountain Pens; all other collections have expanded or evolved. Section II Headphones I reduced this collection by three items, letting go of my old MDR-ZX, ATH-EQ500, and WM-77 models, which I hadn't used in years. Over-Ear → Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 — High-resolution over-ear headphones. → Audio Techn...

Gear Review Maintenance Log: 2007 Lexus IS250 Analyzing four years of repair costs, warranty savings, and fuel efficiency $6,410 Total Paid $8,010 True Cost ~$2,137 Annual Avg ~25.8 Avg MPG Table of Contents ① Ownership Cost Analysis ② Maintenance Cost by Type ③ Annual Repair History ④ Gas Mileage Log Section I Ownership Cost Analysis Currently, I'm averaging $2,137 a year in maintenance costs, but this is largely due to major repairs required for the engine and suspension. Prepaying for a warranty helped defray $1,600 in additional maintenance. Without it, the true cost would have been $2,670 per year. In either scenario, the cost of this car was too high and not worth owning, as even larger repairs were likely on the horizon, such as the short block and transmission.   Lifetime Maintenance Totals → 2018 — $2,900 (Warranty purchase) → 2019 — $600 → 2020 — $2,035 → 2021 — $875 The true cost of keeping this vehicle on the road was $8,010, though the actual out-of-pocket spe...