Backpacks, Beeswax, and Life Hacks

It's the dead of winter here on the east coast but at least the days are getting longer. Where my commute used to be entirely in darkness, it's now only kind of in darkness and I get to see the sunrise. Rule #32: Enjoy the little things.

Housekeeping 🏡

There's a video! Had some extra time with this one so if you want more than just pictures, check out the video I made showing off each of these items.

in this issue

🎒 GoRuck GR2 Heritage

🗃️ Toyo Steel case

🐝 Savannah Bee Company Beeswax Salve

🎒 GoRuck GR2 Heritage

If you're super into backpacks like I am, then you've probably heard of GoRuck. If you haven't, well congratulations on being normal. GoRuck is a brand that makes some of the toughest bags you can buy. They're insanely expensive (some would say too expensive) but consistently get praised as the ideal backpack. Its bags come in a few different shapes and sizes but the one that caught my eye was the 26L GoRuck GR2 Heritage. So I got it. It was a reckless purchase that had me stressing for days but now that it's here I can confirm: it's definitely grailworthy.

The bag itself is made of waxed canvas which is different from the material I typically like in my backpacks. I usually drool over super technical, lightweight fabrics like Dyneema and X-PAC, but there was something about the classy waxed fabric that called to me. As it stands right now, the bag is fairly stiff and I definitely need to break it in. I opted for the 26L version of the GR2 instead of the similarly sized GR1 because this bag has two compartments instead of one. So not only can I use it everyday for commuting to the office if I want to, but the second compartment gives it that extra level of organization that I need since I also plan to use it for one bag travel in the future. Either way, this is definitely a situation where the phrase "buy once, cry once" comes to mind.

🗃️ Toyo Steel case

I don't know when it happened but the algorithm must have heard that I have a thing for organization. Once I fell down the Traveler's Company rabbit hole, it was only logical for the algo to send me nonstop a e s t h e t i c pictures of random objects being perfectly stored and organized in Toyo steel cases. These metal toolboxes are perfect for all the small knick-knacks that I find myself collecting as life goes on.

I ended up grabbing one in this sick gold color and I underestimated how much I would like it. They’re such a life hack. Not only does it keep my desk clean but it gives me a convenient way to travel with some of my more important gear. For example: I leave a few cables and random things in here, but I also have two hard drives that I use for work. So when we have a work from home day I just pick this up off my desk and know that I have everything I need to do my job wherever I am. Plus, it fits so perfectly into one of the pockets of the GR2.

(Pro tip: if you get one make sure to add stickers. This thing looks great with stickers.)

🐝 Savannah Bee Company Beeswax Salve

The cold weather months always wreck my hands. Especially now that I have a dog which needs to be taken on a walk at least 3 times a day. There's no hiding away from the cold. Thankfully, my sister got me this Beeswax Salve last Christmas that is a game changer. Taking a little dab of it once or twice a day has been saving me this winter.

It's from Savannah Bee Company which, apparently, is a very well-known company that makes all kinds of bee-related products. Plus, they're all about saving the bees which is a nice bonus.

Freeform Impressions

I just can not get into this. I'm going to give it another try because my coworker Ellis finds all kinds of ways to put this app to good use, but until I have a free weekend to finally figure out the I/O for all my synths, I don't see how I can use this in day-to-day life. I was never a huge fan of the infinite note-taking style but I'm willing to give it another go. If you have Freeform as part of your daily workflow please let me know what your use case is because I'm sure it's a useful tool, I just don't know how to add it to my setup.

Answer to last week: Footsteps!

This week's AI riddle: 

"I have no voice, but I can tell stories. I have no body, but I can transport you worlds away. I have no life, but I can connect you to millions. What am I?"

Affiliate Link Disclaimer: Some links in this newsletter may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them.