Category: Reading

2025 April Update

Photo of The Month:

I was walking over to Enzo’s (pizza) for lunch and noticed the north section of Monument Circle was blocked off in preparation for the “Month of May“. I liked the symmetry of this shot & it’s my favorite one of the month!

What’s Going On:
I *think* we’re done with the wild temperature swings that take place this time of Thanks! year & into the early Dog Days of Summer. I’m looking forward to packing up the SUV and spending time outdoors.

It’s May in Indy & that means I’ll be spending more time at the track that I’m ready for. It’s a LOT of walking. You have no idea how big that place is until you attend a few events and realize you have to factor in 20 minutes to get from your car to the event location.

What I’m Buying:
OLIGHT Sphere Smart Night Light
Do you work in an open-style office? Do you get constant walk-ups asking if you’re on a call? Do you want a way to tell people you’re busy? I have a solution for you that is very inexpensive and works amazingly well!

The OLIGHT Sphere is under $20 and with just a tap you can change the color from Green to Red to other built in patterns. The brightness and colors are adjustable (with the free app), and it worked immediately! As soon as I put it on the corner and set it Red, the interruptions all but stopped. The Sphere comes with a magnetic charger that you can run off a USB port on your computer or dock.

BODEGACOOLER 26Qt (25L) 12-volt refrigerator/freezer
I love my Yeti Roadie 24 (I guess they don’t make them anymore?) but messing with ice can be a pain. I found a good deal on the BODEGACOOLER (under $200) that can ride in the back of my SUV and run off the 12v power port. This will be perfect for Costco runs and Farmer’s Markets. You can use it as a fridge or freezer (and even make ice!).

I tested it with my Jackery 500 and it ran for over 2-days making it perfect for camping and other off-grid activities. If I power the Jackery off the 12-volt plug in the car and the BODEGACOOLER off the Jackery it will basically run indefinitely!

NOCO Boost X Portable Jump Start Pack
Subaru is notorious for having small batteries in their Ascent model, and I don’t like being stranded. I was camping in WV a few summers ago and woke up to a dead battery, it added about 3 hours to my day to get a jump, find an auto parts store, and get a new battery installed (it was due).

I used to carry jumper cables in my car but these days it’s not a good idea to jump start another car. Too many risks of something getting fried. This battery pack might be able to help someone else one day in addition to getting me out of a jam in the middle of nowhere.

Rotring 600 3-in-1 Multicolor Pen and Mechanical Pencil
Remember the 4-in-1 pens that gave you Red/Blue/Black/Green back in the day? Who used the Green? Well, this is a more modern version that gives you Black/Red/Pencil (and a bonus BLUE refill in the box). I prefer Blue to Black so I can tell if it’s an original or a copy (don’t ask me why because I don’t know).

The 600 is all aluminum and has a nice solid feel. It has a smaller grip than the Lamy Safari I traditionally use. I like the ability to quickly switch from Blue to Red and I’ve been using pencil more lately when sketching ideas and logging tasks.

What I’m Reading:
Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobson
If you want to have nightmares, this is the book for you. It’s a minute by minute account of what would happen if North Korea sent a nuke to the United States.

The Belt Series by Gerald M. Kilby
Another great series by a talented author. It has some of the same characters from the Colony Mars series and is an easy read to get into. Really enjoying this author!

Kindle Unlimited
I had a 90-day trial offer from Amazon & once I realized I had several books on my wishlist that were available via Kindle Unlimited I decided to give it a try. So far I think it’s worth the price!

What Else:
I tried a trial of YouTube TV and while I liked it, the User Interface sucked and I can’t justify $90 a month to watch a few channels I’m interested in. I have coworkers who swear by it but it’s just not for me. If YouTube was included in the price it would make it a better option but, as of now, they are separate subscriptions.

And Finally…

2025 March Update

Photo of The Month:
This month’s Featured Image is a Weather Fax from New Orleans Coast Guard captured via Shortwave radio. It takes about 5 minutes for all the data to transfer over the air. Depending on the atmospheric conditions, the results can be quite good!

What’s Going On:
You gotta love the early spring weather in Indiana. 70’s one day and snow the next. You really need to keep an eye on the forecast so you, literally, don’t get stuck out in the cold. I keep cold weather gear in my car, and it’s always a gamble to remove it before Memorial Day.

What I’m Buying:
Ghost Whale Organizer Pouch from Ton Bihn (TB). I had some points to spend and there were a few accessories I have been looking at on the TB website. Since my favorite TB wallet is no longer being produced, and people are trying to sell them for $200 on eBay, I thought I’d look for an alternative. While I was initially looking at using the Ghost Whale to organize some small items in my backpack, it turns out it makes a great minimal (and inexpensive) wallet!

Custom leather money clip wallet from Mitchell Leather Factory. I had ordered this before the Ghost Whale above and it had a longer lead time (also got held up at the USPS hub in Indy that’s weeks behind getting things delivered). As soon as this arrived, I turned the Ghost Whale back into an accessory organizer and moved everything to this money clip wallet. The wallet is made from high-quality Horween Dublin leather, and it fits all my daily carry cards and cash perfectly. The version I purchased is natural on the outside and navy blue inside. This should get better with age and custom form to its contents in a few weeks of carry. For the price (under $100), this is a great product and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the market for a new wallet.

Horizon Helvetica from Kickstarter. Billed as the “Swiss army knife of sketch tools”, it was yet another campaign that took twice as long to deliver as initially quoted. I’ve backed several Kickstarter campaigns over the years, and I like the idea of helping a small startup get their idea off the ground, but the execution always gets screwed up. It’s either suppliers, manufacturing, or in this case, shipping issues. I think I’m done for a while (until the next “must have it” thing comes along). 🙂

Although it took forever to finally get the sketch tools, they did end up turning out pretty nice. I like to have a straight edge when I use small notebooks and I’ve been using little 6-inch rulers. The Helvetica has additional options and allows for more creative drawing options. I’ll report back later this year on how useful they are compared to what they replaced.

What I’m Eating:
Earlier in March I picked up another bag of soup mix from U-Relish. This time it was White Bean Rosemary, along with a smoked Ham Hock from Schacht Farms to make a pot of Ham and Beans. Another excellent product from this husband-and-wife duo. This is my third purchase from them, and they just keep getting better.

A new location of the Culinary Dropout chain opened in Indianapolis. We stopped by for dinner in March and were impressed with the atmosphere and quality of the food. It’s a fairly large space and they did a good job managing the sound. It was easy to have a normal conversation, even will a full-ish house.

Where I’ve Been:
March was a pretty quiet month. We checked out the new L.L. Bean in the Keystone area. It was dead & they still had a lot of winter gear out. I was hoping to find some new spring/summer clothes but did not. I did end up getting a couple pairs of their traveler pants which I’ll be testing soon. Details next month.

What I’m Watching:
I watched the first episode of Severance Season 2 and realized I needed a refresher, so I found a 14-minute recap on YouTube that got me back up to speed. and back into the Severance “mindset.”

Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations is one of those shows where you can scan through the episodes, find one that sounds interesting, and go to another place for 40 minutes. It’s always been a favorite of mine and it will always be one of those shows I turn on when I need to decompress.

Northern Exposure was a favorite of mine when it was on originally in the 1990s, and it all but disappeared for 25 years. It showed up on Amazon Prime Video one day and I wasn’t sure it would still be any good, but it’s aged very well and is another easy watch at the end of a busy day. I’m slowly making my way through each episode.

What I’m Reading:
Spare by Prince Harry – I’m not a big (auto)Biography fan but I remember the day Diana died, and seeing Harry all grown up, became interested in his story. This book was not popular within the Royal Family but I thought it was a pretty good read, and seemed to be a genuine reflection of how he has lived his life.

The Belt Series by Gerald M. Kilby – I enjoyed the Colony Mars series so much I naturally moved to the next set by this author. These are quick reads and not too far out there with the Sci-Fi, so they are easy to follow along and enjoy. Entanglement was the first book of the series and I enjoyed reading that over a long rainy weekend. I’m already looking forward to book number 2 in the series.

The Ministry of Time – Before moving on to the next Belt book, this one became available via Libby at the local Library so I jumped on it. It follows a time travel project where the Ministry of Time reaches into the past and grabs subjects right before they die, bringing them to the current time. These historical figures are paired with a mentor (called a Bridge) and taught how to live in their new timeline. If it were not for all the accolades this book received, I probably would not have given it a try.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR SCIENCE FICTION • A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, VANITY FAIR, ESQUIRE, VOX, GOOD HOUSEKEEPING, THE INDEPENDENT, PARADE, KIRKUS REVIEWS, AND MORE…

It’s been interesting enough for me to keep picking it up! I’ll be curious to see how it ends, or if it turns into a series (or maybe a movie?).

What Else:
Do you ever wonder how much snow costs us? Neither did I until I ran across this article in the Hustle (a pretty good newsletter!). Hint: It’s a LOT! $$$$$

And Finally…
On a dry lakebed in the Mojave, a group of friends build a practical scale model of time: 13.8 billion years of cosmic evolution, and our place within it.

2025 February Update

Photo of The Month:
Our featured photo this month is the backside of an Acura I was sitting behind at a light while driving to work. This is a current photo but that license plate is almost 5 years expired!

Still can’t top this gem I spotted while in line at Costco waiting for gas back in 2021…

What’s Going On:
Del Taco unveils plans to open 10 restaurants in Indiana – I’m excited for this. We tried these for the first time several years ago while in Las Vegas and immediately noticed how much better they were than Taco Bello Bell (I know that’s a low bar).

It does not look like any of the new locations will be in my city but I’ll drive a little bit to get some more of those tacos.

The battle over AG1—the influencer-famous, $100-a-month green supplement—is coming to a vending machine or grocery store near you – If you’ve watched any YouTube videos in the last few years you have no doubt seen the AG1 sponsorships. I had a co-worker that shared some with me and it was much better than I expected (a little gritty), but not worth $100 a month, in my opinion. I’ll be curious to see how it’s packaged and sold in retail & if it will make it to the shelves of Costco anytime soon, where I might give another try.

What I’m Buying:
I finally decided to get an Air fryer. I know, I’m really late to the game, but I jumped onboard early with the Insta-Pot and was disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it will cook a good meal, but it misses the depth of flavor you can only get from a long slow braise in the oven. I’m told it makes excellent yogurt and spaghetti (not together).

So far I’ve only experimented with a few things like frozen personal pizzas, French fries, and potato skins but it’s turning out to be a really good (processed) food cooker! I need to roast some chicken breasts for an upcoming dinner so we’ll see how that goes.

I was surprised at how quiet it was and how quickly I could cook a batch of (frozen) potato skins. Cleanup was really easy too with the parts being dishwasher safe. While not a substitute for a real oven, it’s been handy during the week when I just want something hot for dinner and don’t want to spend a lot of time making it.

What I’m Eating:
Tous Les Jours – I saw this place was opening a location on Main Street in Carmel and we checked it out on MLK day. WOW, this is a great little bakery with some unique items. While at the store enjoying some sweet treats, I looked them up on line and discovered that not only were they a chain they has a mother location in Castlelton, of all places. Turn out this is the same little French/Asian bakery inside the Saraga International Grocery store! In fact, the local kitchen is in Saraga and they bring the pastries to Carmel from that location.


Hanna’s Banh Mi bakery and Cafe – This place was originally going to open on Allisonville Rd (north of 116th), but the “coming soon” signage disappeared. Fast forward about a year & I find it in Castle ton, next to Saraga! We stopped in for an early(ish) lunch and ordered a bowl of Pho and a roasted pork Bahn Mi. Both were delicious but the Bahn Mi stole the show with the delicious combination of fatty pork, creamy sauce and the lightly pickled vegetable ton top of the freshly baked French roll. By the time we left, the Saturday lunch rush had shown up with a line to the door.


Bubbies Pickles – Babish Culinary Universe has been doing these Ranking videos where he trues every variety they can find of a particular product. I really enjoyed the pickle ranking episode & after seeing how well the Bubbles Spicy Kosher Dill Pickles scored I decided to grab a jar to try. I found them at my local Fresh Thyme, and while on the higher end of the pickle purchasing spectrum have found them to be a delicious addition to the refrigerator shelf. Just a noticeable spice that goes well with a sandwich, or alone as a snack. They have a very satisfying crunch and a very clean pickle taste. The brine is a little cloudy (from the lacto-fermentation) so don’t let that keep you from trying these!

Where I’ve Been:
The Pioneer in Brookville, Indiana – We visited earlier in the month to continue exploring the Indiana Chicken Trail. Brookville actually has 3 stops on the Official Trail. The other two are the Dairy Cottage (also home of the Super G, their version of the Big Boy) and the local VFW (website link not working). I ordered the chicken planks and they were batter dipped and quite tasty. My parents ordered the chicken dinner which they really enjoyed. We were talking so much I forgot to take any pictures!

Carmel Winter Farmers Market – These Winter markets are MUCH better than they have been in years past. I was very impressed with the Broad Ripple market and equally impressed with what we found in Carmel! A lot of vendors have booth in both, and some alternate between the two. Either one will get you some good quality products and even a freshly cook breakfast if you’re hungry.

What I’m Watching:
Reacher season 3 is on Prime Video and this year Anthony Michael Hall (from the Breakfast Club) plays the bad guy. Episode 1 was very good and left me wanting to watch more.

What I’m Reading:
Frostbite by Nicola Twilley – The study of “Fridgenomics” was a fascinating read about how the invention of refrigeration, something we take for granted today, was feared in the beginning because it was making people sick!

Tower Dog: Life Inside the Deadliest Job in America by Doug Delaney – We have been lead to believe Alaskan Crab Fisherman had the deadliest job in America, but back when the telecommunication network was expanding across the nation with cellular services, Tower Dogs (climbers) were dying at alarming rates, often falling to their deaths from dizzying heights, as they built the backbone we all use today. It was told from the perspective of a former Tower Dog that needed to return to the business to make money to support his family while also trying to sell his story to Hollywood.

What Else:
Spotify Premium has 15-hours of Audo Books available every month for Premium subscribers. I thought this was something new but evidently it’s been available for over a year. I did a little digging and found several newer titles that I was waiting for on Libby to be available right now on Spotify, so this is a good alternative for the casual Audio Book listener (like me).

And Finally…
Meanwhile at a Cincinnati Bengals game…

2025 January Update

Photo of The Month:
This month’s featured image was taken facing West on Ohio St in Downtown Indianapolis while I sat at the light. I enjoyed the blue-skied sunrise behind me and the moon’s brightness above the horizon to the west.

What’s Going On:
A lot has happened since my last post in June 2024 (mostly good!). 2025 is a new year, and I was fortunate to have 2.5 weeks off work at the end of the year to reflect and reset. I felt it was time to fire the blog back up with monthly updates and a familiar format that allows me to add to it as the month progresses. I also decided I should start adding context to the Featured Image each month when it’s a picture I took.

What I’m Buying:
I rearranged my reading nook in the front room to make it more cozy and added a few elements. I’ve been dedicating at least 2 hours most evenings to reading and reducing my TV time (which consists of many YouTube videos). The Kindle Paperwhite has been getting a workout. I’ve seen wireless page-turners previously and was intrigued. Since you have to touch the screen of the Kindle to advance to the next page, it limits how you can sit and hold the device. With the page tuner, you can sit however you want, prop the Kindle up (I put it on a raised leg or a small folding stand on the end table), and push a remote button to advance pages. It’s a small thing, but I can sit for hours reading without interruption or discomfort.

I also picked up a mug warmer to keep my coffee/tea warm when I’m really into a book. I got tired of grabbing a cold mug after 30 minutes. I thought the rechargeable Ember mugs were interesting but they are really expensive. The mug warmers are under $20 and the one I purchased has 3 heat settings and an adjustable auto-off timer.

I bought the new iPad Mini 7 in October, which has 512 GB of storage and a cellular modem (basically the maxed-out edition). It was not cheap, but I have been amazed by the little mini’s versatility! The cellular modem allows me to have always-on internet and not have to try to find Wi-Fi (or hot-spot off my phone) when I’m out and about.

What I’m Eating:
I guarantee I’ve eaten every day since my last post, so I won’t bore you with that. Lately, I’ve been visiting Broad Ripple to check out the Winter Farmers Market and Ripple Bagel & Deli on non-market days and on the way into the office.

Located inside the old BR High School (now a middle school?), the market is bigger than I remember in years past, and it has a nice mix of vendors. Shout out to Schacht Farm for having some of the best meat I’ve had in a LONG time. Their sage breakfast sausage, chorizo, bacon, and sandwich ham are all very high quality, and each one is delicious. I plan on dedicating a shelf on the garage freezer to their products soon.

Another vendor I was very impressed with was U-Relish Slow Cooker Meals. They used to have a stall in the Indianapolis City Market, and I honestly never paid much attention to them. Shame on me because I have been missing out on their products! I picked up a black bean chili mix, and the owner recommended I add some chorizo to it if I wanted a little kick. So you know who I visited next!

Ripple Bagel & Deli has a dizzying array of options on its expansive menu!

Ripple Bagel & Deli

When I was in London in 2023, the Salted Beef Bagel was a game changer, and the Brick Lane Beigel Bake will be my first stop when I return. Ripple Bagel & Deli has a menu item called the Monon Roadkill that is about as close to the London sandwich as I can get in Indy. It consists of Pastrami, double Swiss, and horseradish on an onion bagel, and it scratches that itch for now. I need to remember to add pickles the next time I order it.

Where I’ve Been:
Since the last post, I’ve not traveled much, but I ended up in Boston for work last September. I really enjoyed the food we had there. Our group tried to catch a game at Fenway, but it ended up gettingrained out.

Fenway Park

I attended a Teivery Corporation concert at the Vogue. It was my first time seeing a show there, and it was the best concert venue I’ve ever been to. I’m not much for loud noises, and the acoustics and sound levels for this show were very nice. I had a very enjoyable time.

Thievery Corporation at The Vogue

During the holiday break, I traveled over to Dayton to the Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum (an amazing facility that everyone should visit at least once)

Wright-Patterson Air Force Museum

What I’m Watching:
I use TV Time to track all the shows I watch. It allows me to find out when new episodes become available and to remember where I left off when I don’t watch for a while. 

  • Anthony Bourdain – No Reservations (rewatch from the beginning)
  • Hell’s Kitchen Season 23
  • Below Deck Sailing Season 5
  • Northern Exposure (rewatch from the beginning)
  • Squid Game Season 2

What I’m Reading:
Colony Mars (7-book series) by Gerald M. Kilby
I’m through the fourth book and was hooked from the first one. I’ve never thought of myself as a sci-fi fan, but this series is a good way to dip your toes in because it’s not so far-fetched. I could see this being somewhat realistic in 20 years (if not sooner).

Colony Mars Series


What Else:
I traded in the trusty Subaru Crosstrek for a new Subaru Ascent. It’s a night and day difference in size and performance, with that familiar Subaru look and feel. I only have a couple thousand miles on it so far, but just about everything about the car is perfect. Gas mileage is much less than the Trek’s, but it’s worth it for the capabilities and capacity I’ve gained with their flagship larger SUV.

I’m still “playing radio” (Amateur “Ham” Radio) when I have time. So far I have been in contact with 127 countries and have exchanged QSL (post) Cards with about 50 stations from around the world. I may make a gallery on the Blog to showcase more interesting ones I’ve received.

And Finally…

2024 June Update

What’s Going On:
June went by just as fast as May. I’m sensing a pattern in 2024 as the days blend together, and the weekends go by WAY too quickly. Our office was closed on July 4th and 5th (and I took the 3rd off as a PTO day). So, at least, I feel like I’ve gotten a break. I have a busy couple of weeks at work coming up that I need to prepare for.

I just realized that in June, I had lived in the same house for 20 years. It doesn’t seem like yesterday, but I was surprised to see it was 20 years ago. I’m doing everything I can to pay off this place before I even think about retiring. There is nothing like NOT having a house payment when you decide to give up the 9-5 grind. I don’t see myself retiring 100% anytime soon, but not having a house payment gives you more options to do something different.

Luckily, I moved from a career that could be a daily grind (IT Consulting) to something I enjoy (Operations). I’m still involved in the IT aspects of the company, but I like the other parts, like organizational operations and HR the most. We’re moving our office in October, and that’s a project I enjoy being involved in as well.

What I’m Buying:
If you’ve never tried a shampoo bar, it’s a game changer. It’s like a bar of soap, but for your hair, it’s much easier to travel with than liquid shampoo. C.O. Bigelow sells the Badger brand shampoo bar, and I ordered one a few months ago.

As soon as I used it for the first time at home, I ordered another one for my DOP kit. They seem to be out of it at the moment, but I was able to find it on Amazon at the link above.

Speaking of DOP Kits, I ordered the Tom Bihn Standard Spiff Kit (in Sangria 210 Cerylon) for my shorter trips in June. I have an awesome canvas DOP kit that I use on longer trips, but for 2-3 nights away, I wanted something a little smaller as I have learned how to pack lighter and NOT check a bag. In fact, I traveled over a week in Thailand last February with only a carry-on and a personal item. My Switzerland/Paris/London trip last September taught me never to check a bag again if I could help it.

I had never heard the term “Kitchen Candle” before reading this article in Food and Wine. I ordered a Vanilla Kitchen Candle from Amazon, and there really IS a difference! The scent is a lot less strong and helps cover up those smells left over from the last dish you cooked. I’m a fan and will keep one of these around from now on.

I love my flashlights, and I finally pulled the trigger on the (newish) Olight Arkfeld Pro. It has upgraded specs from the original Arkfeld (now in my car), but now it’s “Pro” and has a green laser! This one is now in my EDC because you never know when you need to laser-point something. 🙂

What I’m Eating:
I watched a YouTube Video from America’s Test Kitchen about Cast Iron Pizza a few weeks ago. I love pizza and had to try this out. Let’s just say I’ve fixed two in the last two weeks, and I’m never going back to frozen or delivery. The cheater’s move is to purchase pre-made pizza dough (and sauce) from Fresh Thyme. It saves you a lot of time, and they both taste delicious.

I was in Huntington, Indiana, the other day and finally got a chance to try the tenderloin at Nicks Kitchen. The place is pretty small, and they had a decent lunch crowd. I sat at the lunch counter and placed my order (with pickles, mayo, mustard, and onions).

This sandwich did not disappoint, and it lived up to the hype! The crinkle-cut fries (with Mama Selita’s Jalapeno Tomato Ketchup) and freshly made iced tea rounded out the meal. The total price was around $20 with a tip. Service was attentive, and I’d 100% return here again when I was in the area.

What I’m Watching:
I started the latest season of The Bear, and it’s just not holding my attention. The other two seasons were just OK. It’s just not living up to the hype for me. I do enjoy the chef cameos and the random Easter eggs sprinkled throughout the shows, but I’m not sure I’ll finish it any time soon.

What I’m Reading:
I just finished a 13-hour audiobook by A. American called Going Home. It’s the first book in The Survivalist Series (I’m looking forward to starting book two called Surviving Home). I didn’t realize I liked the dystopian genre, but I enjoyed this book. In fact, I decided to start watching “The Last of Us” on HBO because of it. I’m only 1 episode in, but I really like it so far.

I tried Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited 30-day trial but can’t justify the $11 a month when I have had good luck getting books from the local library using Hoopla and Libby. That’s where I got the Going Home audiobook (for free).

What Else:
Chat GPT released a desktop app for the Mac, and I have been playing around to see if it’s helpful. So far, when it comes to writing, I’ve found Grammarly to be easier to use, but at $150 a year, I might not be renewing. Some AI features in an upcoming MacOS release will render Grammarly an expensive add-on that will probably no longer be needed.

And Finally…
The most significant Security Flaw in North America

2024 May Update

What’s Going On:
WHERE did May go? I’m sitting here today doing my weekly Review, and it finally hit me that it’s JUNE (and halfway through June at that)!

What I’m Buying:
My Everyday Carry (EDC) is pretty standard: wallet, watch, keys, phone, knife, and light. Sometimes, I pocket some pepper spray, depending on the situation. The individual items rotate (like a dive watch vs. an Apple watch or a money clip vs. a wallet), but they’re always consistent and in their respective pockets.

My blade of choice this last year has been the 945 Mini Osborne (in Green Aluminum). It’s a great knife and has held up well for daily carry. But it’s a little on the heavy side when wearing lightweight clothing.

Mini Osborne

While walking back to the car from the Broad Ripple Art Fair, we stopped at Rusted Moon Outfitters to look around (and to see if they still had their 20% off sale going on). I missed the sale but still walked out with a new (and much lighter) Benchmade. The Mini Bugout (CF-Elite) is a perfect summer pocket carry since it only weighs 1.5oz. The weight saving comes from the Carbon fiber-reinforced scales. Add to that a Cerakote blade & you’re looking at a nice low-profile and versatile slicer.

Mini Bugout

The Mini Bugout needed to be broken in a bit to get that trademark Benchmade open/close action, but it didn’t take long, and it’s been in my pocket every day since.

What I’m Eating:
Babish Culinary Universe has been posting some interesting “Ranking Every…” videos lately, and one caught my eye: Ranking 46 Kinds of Ramen. If you’ve visited an Asian Speciality store, you have undoubtedly seen the mind-numbing combinations and variety of Ramen. We’re not talking about the standard Top Ramen found at the local Stop-and-Shop for $0.50 a pack.

Spoiler Alert, his favorite turned out to be Buldak Quattro Cheese Ramen Hot Chicken Flavor. I turned to Amazon to help me find it.

Spotted when I visited Thailand in February 2024

This stuff is GOOD! It’s like Kraft Mac & Cheese powder meets ramen noodles, but it also has another pouch of flavor that brings the heat. I must warn you, this stuff is HOT! I used half the hot packet on my first bowl and regretted it immediately. I backed off quite a bit the next time I fixed it, and it was a delicious bowl of instant spicy cheesy ramen!

I thought the packaging looked familiar, and I went back and looked through my Thailand Trip photos from earlier this year. Sure enough, I had sent the picture above to my son while I was there.

If you’re into Instant Ramen, I recommend checking out the Buldak Quattro Cheese Ramen Hot Chicken Flavor. If you do, let me know what you think!

If you’re looking for a good quality lunch, I recommend you check out Slapfish in the Fishers District. I’ve gone there for lunch the past couple of Fridays (working from home) and had some really good fish and chips! Lunch out for under $20? I’ll take it.

Lastly, the old O’Charley’s in Fishers has been turned into a Sports Bar called Walk-Ons. We visited a few weeks ago to try out the Shrimp PoBoys. They were pretty tasty. We were looking for a substitute for B’s Po Boy, who used to be in Fountain Square Pre-COVID. These were very close with the bread (from New Orleans) being the missing ingredient (although the hoagie roll at Walk-ons is decent). For a basic Po Boy, they scratch that itch. In fact, I went back the following week and got another one for lunch! The sleeper item on the menu at Walk-Ons is the HUSH PUPPIES! Get them as an app or a side & thank me later.

Where I’ve Been:
The first weekend in May found me in Marion, IN, attending a small regional Amateur Radio swap meet. I didn’t have very high expectations, but it turned out to be a nice show with a few radio guys I’ve talked to on the air and was able to meet for the first time. I also got a good deal on some antennas to use with my receiving equipment (scanners and stuff).

Of course, in May, you go out to the track! I was out there for some work events & didn’t go to the race. It ended up raining & delaying everything anyway, so that would have been an awful time at IMS this year. I ended up watching it on TV like everyone else when they lifted the blackout. Indy Car will be on Fox next year & I’m hearing people say the Indy 500 will be televised live. I’ll believe it when I watch it.

At the end of May I went camping with a good friend of mine down at Hardin Ridge. We had a good time catching up and playing around with some Amateur Radio equipment once the sun went down.

Lastly, I checked out the Fishers Farmers Market a few Saturdays ago. The markets keep getting better! I walked away with a package of pepperoni Rolls from one of the Amish vendors. They were really good!

What I’m Reading:
Jenny Lawson is back with another introspective into her life called Broken (in the best way possible). It’s been a great read so far. I got about 25% through it in the first sitting. It can be a little dark as she walks you through her mental and physical disorders, but she has a lot of laugh-out-loud moments that make the book a must-read. Her previous books have been just as enjoyable to read as well. If you’re looking for a light-hearted look at life from someone with a very active imagination, Jenny might be an author you’d like to read!

What Else:
That’s about it for May. It went WAY too fast & June is already half over. The weather is finally catching up to us, with 90+ degree days in the forecast for the next couple of weeks. A group of us are going over to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch the Olympic Swim Trials. We were able to get suite tickets, so that should be enjoyable. We also arranged a behind-the-scenes tour to see how they pulled this event off. I should have some pictures in the next blog post.

And Finally…
The maddening mess of airport codes.

2024 March Update

What’s Going On:
It’s hard to believe it’s April already. We’re a few days from the big solar eclipse that’s been in the news for a while now. As of today, it’s supposed to be partly cloudy on April 8, with a slight chance of rain. This might be a bust!

What I’m Buying:
There were no big purchases last month, but I did get a hell of a deal on an Arlo hard-wired Video doorbell. I just installed it last weekend, and I wish I had had one of these a while ago. It works a lot better than I expected, and for $30, I think it was one of the best purchases so far this year.

What I’m Eating:
We ate a LOT of Thai food last month since the recipes were still fresh and the ingredients plentiful from my visit to Saraga. The Costco-stocked garage freezer has been getting a workout lately, too. It took a while to find one during COVID-19, but having some extra freezer storage was a great purchase.

On my way back from camping last weekend, I stopped by a “Hucks” gas station in Paoili, Indiana, and picked up a Spicy Chicken Sandwich for brunch. It was much spicier than I expected, but I hit the spot. I’ll buy another one next time I pass a Hucks!

We finally tried Noah Grant’s in Zionsville last month. I have heard good things about it for a while now & we finally made it over there.

It’s primarily a seafood restaurant with steaks, sushi, and salads. We ordered the calamari, split a wedge salad, and had scallops and crab cakes for our entrees. It was all very well prepared, and the service was spot on. It was even half-price night for wine, so we picked out a nice Pino Grigio to go with our meal.

Where I’ve Been:
I took advantage of the warm spell and went camping last Friday night in my favorite spot in Southern Indiana. Indian-Celina Lake had just opened for the season, and several sites were unavailable for reservation due to a bug in the system, so the place was pretty quiet, with only six other campsites occupied that night.

What I’m Watching:
Somebody Feed Phil is back on Netflix! I wasn’t expecting any new episodes after the last season, so that was a pleasant surprise. Mr & Mrs Smith on Amazon has been surprisingly good as well. It’s loosely based on the movie with the same name, but it’s a series.

What I’m Reading:
I just finished “The Art of Invisibility” by Kevin Mitnick. While it was a little dated, it had some good information about how to protect yourself online.

I just started the book “The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11” by Garrett M. Graff and could not put it down. It’s a fascinating account of the lives of hundreds of people who were directly impacted by the 9/11 terrorist attack.

What Else:
I took some Ham Radio gear with me on the camping trip and participated in an activity called Parks on the Air (POTA). The goal is to set up a simple station and make a minimum of 10 contacts with other radio operators. I had 35 contacts Friday night and exactly 10 Saturday morning (including Alaska!) before I broke camp down and headed home.

And Finally…
A few weeks ago, I read the long-form opinion piece in the New York Times called “At the Brink.” It was a fascinating piece about the threat of using nuclear weapons today. It has great writing and interactive graphics to along with the subject material.

See you in a few weeks!

2024 February Update

What’s Going On:
I just got back from a 10-day visit to Thailand! It was a LOT of flying (24 hours each way) but worth every minute of the journey once I arrived. I have a 2-part blog post I’m working on this month and should have the first part out in the next week or so.

March is somewhat of a quiet month, but as the temps warm and spring gets closer every day, it’s time to start planning some outdoor activities. I reserved a campsite for an overnight trip later this month to try my hand at a Ham Radio Parks on the Air activation. This combines my love of the outdoors with my newly refreshed passion for Ham Radio.

What I’m Buying:
Woot! is an overstock site connected with Amazon, and it occasionally has some really good deals. Earlier in February, I bought a refurbished Dyson V10 Animal for less than half the cost of a new unit. It’s an older model but better than the V6 I purchased years ago. It arrived in generic packaging, but there was no indication the unit had even been turned on, let alone used at any time. I was immediately impressed with the increased performance of the V10 and am very happy with the purchase. The V6 still has some life, so it will be used for smaller house tasks, including cleaning the cars.

What I’m Eating:
Lots of Thai food while on my trip. I flew Turkish Airlines, and their in-flight meals were very tasty. I was pretty impressed with the quality and quantity of the food served while we cruised at 35,000 feet. It was funny to see the standard USA chains on my layover in Istanbul. Burger King & McDonalds were prominently placed through the airport and had a lot of customers.

I went almost two weeks without eating American or processed foods and could feel a difference in just a few days. For some reason, I always assumed Smoothies all had dairy (something I avoid) and quickly learned that was not true. I enjoyed several fruit smoothies while abroad and also enjoyed their incredibly low price. We’ll see how well my blender holds up after my next smoothie supply run to Costco. I might be in the market for a Vitamix in the future…

Where I’ve Been:
I saved about $1000 on my airfare (and a 2-hour flight leg at each end) by flying out of Detroit. It’s only a 3.5-hour drive from my house and was worth it. I used some of the savings to upgrade my seats for the 4 flight legs. More on that in a future post…

I only had one stop in Istanbul, Turkey, before I went to Bangkok, Thailand. Once in Bangkok, I met my brother, and we took a short flight up to Chiang Mai, where we stayed for most of the visit.

Toward the end of my trip, we returned to Bangkok for a few days before I hopped on an early morning flight to return to the US.

I returned to Detroit via Istanbul again and landed around 7:30 pm. Customs was a snap, and I was returning to Indy by 9 pm. I arrived home after midnight and was still pretty awake, even though I had been up for approximately 36 hours. Once settled, I slept like a rock and enjoyed the extra day of PTO on my return. Adjusting back to Indiana time was more complicated than I thought, considering I didn’t have any issues adjusting to the 12-hour time change in Thailand.

What I’m Watching:
I downloaded a lot of content to my iPad Pro for the travel legs and consumed quite a bit. YouTube always has something to watch, and I wanted to watch a few movies on Netflix. Being able to download content to your device is a great feature that I wish more streaming services would provide. The in-flight entertainment was available, but I only used it once to watch a soccer match live at 38,000 feet.

What I’m Reading:
I also read a lot while held captive in the air. I have a bad habit of pinning articles to “read later,” and I had a lot to choose from. I also worked on a few books using the Amazon Kindle. The Art of Invisibility by Kevin Mitnick kept me entertained for a few hours before I switched over to a copy of Essential Thailand by Fodor’s Travel Guides.

And Finally…
This was quite a mystery. How does a 200-foot broadcast radio tower disappear without a trace? Check the comments on the article for details (and the answer to the mystery!).

2024 January Update

What’s Going On:
It’s been a slow month after 2 weeks off work over the holidays. I had some dental work after dealing with a bothersome tooth since Thanksgiving & it’s healing up nicely.

What I’m Buying:
Nothing major except for a few travel items for an upcoming trip. More on that in the February update!

What I’m Eating:
We visited Grindstone Public House for Devour Indy & had one of the best meals in a long time. Lightly battered & fried stuffed mushrooms, Fish & Chips, & Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream. It was VERY good & the portions were generous.

What I’m Reading:
I’m making an effort to read more in 2024. It’s not that I don’t like to read it’s the fact that I have so many hobbies that reading always takes a back seat.

The Art of Invisibility by Kevin Mitnick – It’s 6+ years old but still has a lot of good information about how the Internet works & how to protect your privacy.

World Travel: An Irreverent Guide by Anthony Bourdain – Written after his death, it’s a guidebook about his favorite places.

The Maine Millennial: Car headlights are out of control

What Else:
I’ve really been enjoying my new ham radio privileges & I’ve communicated with 105 countries since September. It’s something fun to do when the weather is gross. I’m looking forward to taking some equipment with me when I go camping!

And Finally…
This is a long one, but well worth the time to read.

The Crimes Behind the Seafood You Eat | The New Yorker