I would love to just have a good old Casio watch, but there are two reasons why I have a smartwatch instead:
I need a silent alarm to wake me up in the morning without waking my husband.
I want a step counter that counts every step instead of just those when I carry my phone so that the number looks higher.
For many years, I had a Fitbit. It did these two things very well, and I was happy.
But then four events roughly coincided in time. Firstly, Google bought Fitbit and demanded to get all my data. Secondly, I bought an iPhone Pro Max, thinking the bigger screen would make reading more pleasant than a normal-sized phone. Thirdly, London became the phone theft capital of the world and I started worrying about having my phone snatched when taking it out to skip the ads in the podcast I was listening to, or whatever. And lastly, I went to Korea and was able to buy an Apple Watch on the cheep.
That was why I decided to get an Apple Watch. I wanted a non-Google, phone-snatching-preventing iPhone remote at a discount.
I have now had my Apple Watch Series 11 for 10 months and feel there are a few things I want to get off my chest, so here’s a very honest review.
My wish list is a list of the things I crave, but I put off buying. Maybe they are a bit on the expensive side, or I’m not sure whether the desire will blow over. Or I’m just savouring the anticipation.
Here’s the current list:
TOYO Cantilever Toolbox ST-350 MG (Moss Green)
One of the things I want to do when I move next is to put together a well-thought-through toolbox, instead of the random bits and bobs I’ve accumulated over the years. The first step is, of course, the toolbox itself, and TOYO make the best one, imho.
Apple AirPods Max 2 (Midnight)
My noise-cancelling over-ear Bose headphones have ended up in the office, and the in-ear AirPods replacing them at home and out and about are not isolating enough when I travel or when the husband is taking work meetings at home.
Lego The Endurance
I was a massive Lego fan as a kid, and I still am, even if I’m a rather infrequent builder these days. The last time was a bonsai tree for my desk at work, but now I have my eyes set on a nice-looking ship model for my desk at home, once I move.
Carhartt WIP dungarees (black rinsed)
I’ve always had a thing for dungarees. I really like the look of them on top of a hoodie or a white tee. Right now, though, the pair I have aren’t getting much wear, so I think it would be a good move to get a pair of my favourite black Carhartt WIP dungarees instead.
The future model of iPad Mini
For many years, I didn’t have a laptop and just used an iPad for everything. I do love the MacBook Air that eventually replaced it, but there are times when I miss the iPad’s simplicity. Not least in my EDC, so I don’t have to wear my backpack. I’m therefore quite tempted to get an iPad Mini, but the current model feels a bit old, so I’m waiting to see what happens.
Too often, I get my phone out to make a quick note, and then I get distracted by something on the screen and forget the thing I was going to write down in the first place. That’s why I try to reduce the distractions on my phone as much as I can. I allow notifications from only the bare minimum of applications, and have reduced the number of visible apps and widgets to remove the clutter.
I’ve always had a thing for baggy jeans. It makes me tremendously happy that they are back in fashion at the moment, and I enjoy seeing them everywhere around me.
Back in the day, the last time we were wearing baggy jeans, JNCOs weren’t a thing where I’m from, but I came across them online and from the first moment I saw them, I wanted a pair. However, the lack of supply and, I guess, my lack of courage meant I never bought any.
Until now, that is. A couple of weeks ago, I was browsing the web, and I can’t remember quite how, but I ended up on JNCO’s homepage, and there they were. I kept coming back, browsing the product list for a couple of days, and then I suddenly hit the “add to basket” button, satisfying a lifelong ambition in just a click.
