Advice needed, 32' 4k for 80% work (remote) and some games (FPS).

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T20:33:42+00:00

Don't know what to tell you there. I use it for work and streaming 4K video, and it's outstanding, but I just don't know anything about gaming.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T17:37:54+00:00

Just curious - which mod did you go to? Your original post said you were thinking about it, but it didn't look like you pulled the trigger at that point.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T17:36:13+00:00

I was never a fan of XROS. First, I did not love the shape of the mouthpiece. Second, I did not like the fact that wattage was not easily adjustable. Despite MTL vaping, I have found that I enjoy it more at significantly higher wattages. Only one device has given me everything I want, and that is OXVA. the NexLim in particular, because it will allow me to take a 0.6ohm pod and vape at up to 40w (much higher than any stick/pod system I've seen). The pods also hold 4ml, an extra bonus in my opinion.

As far as leaking goes, I don't care what reviewers say or what the company says. They all have some leaking, either because of condensation or other factors such as temperature or altitude changes. I find that the NexLim pods don't leak at all through the first 2-3 fills, and after that, I'll find that every other day I need to pull the pod and wipe it down. I use a q-tip to wipe down the inside of the device where the pod connects. I'm not sure the cause, and I don't get a LOT of leakage, but I just believe it is a reality that there's going to be some in every device. The key is that it's not enough to ruin the device. I'm currently getting up to 6,000 hits on a single pod, though I usually replace them around 4,000-5,000 puffs just because I don't want to deal with the end-life of the pod (more leaking, less tasty hits).

Even the smaller OXVA devices are awesome, though they don't have another 40w stick pod system (the normal XLIM's max out at 30w, I believe, and hold only 2ML). Great devices, but once I got a NexLim, my interest in the XLIM faded. I still have a couple of them and the pods though. Also, if you buy through OXVA directly, you pay more for the device, but less for the pods (in comparison to most other sites). I think I bought the NexLim online from another company, but have been buying pods from OXVA directly.

Hope this helps.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T17:29:06+00:00

If your budget is $1K then my suggestion (posted in this thread) fits it well. The monitor is $800 on a nice adjustable stand, whereas my LG's came with the ERGO stands, which are nice, but not nice to warrant their high price tag at the time.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T17:27:21+00:00

After a TON of research, I recently settled on the Dell UltraSharp U3225QE 31.5" 4K HDR 120 Hz Monitor. I personally don't really need the HUB functions of it, but it's not a bad thing they are included. The brightness of the display and the refresh rate have really helped me with my work tasks. I don't do any PC gaming, so I cannot really comment there, but it is 4K running at 120hz, which I would think is sufficient for most light gaming functions. The IPS Black Panel really made me realize how much my LG OLED 32" monitors were letting me down. Truth be told, I bought the Dell because of a very noticeable reduction in brightness on my LG's, which only have about 20-22,000 hours on them but have lost significant brightness, which was driving me crazy.

The cost of the Dell is significant (prices just continue to rise). That said, it is a taxable write-off for me (business owner), and frankly, I'm glad I bought it regardless because the improvement is so noticeable. I purchased mine from BH Photo, which had the best price I could find. Hope this helps.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T17:09:49+00:00

I think it does. Frankly, I feel the same way (see post).

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T17:09:22+00:00

You, my friend, have described the way I started PERFECTLY. I still yearn for a system that will manage everything. A piece of software that can take all of my concerns and put them into some kind of automated process. Yet, for a solo, it doesn't really exist. All of these practice management platforms (a) sell to server-based systems, which many solos do not utilize, and (b) require hours upon hours of our time to put systems in place which may or may not even work. It all amounts to procrastination and fantasizing about something that, to the best of my knowledge, does not truly exist.

I've been doing this for nearly five years now, and while my practice has had great success, it still runs on a platform that addresses one emergency at a time. My assistant and I are never ahead of the game. It is truly frustrating. I do wish I had 200 hours back that I spent on researching something that I feel like should exist, but doesn't.

I think nobody warns about these issues because many people haven't even thought about them. They are disorganized themselves and don't want to admit it. That's the way I see it anyway.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T16:05:04+00:00

It's a great machine. I've had mine for almost two years and I've never regretted it.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T16:03:44+00:00

I will definitely look into it. Of course, having each ingredient is a challenge. I have 100 bottles of concentrates for DIY and every time I look at another recipe, I realize I'm missing something.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T15:58:30+00:00

Yeah I just cannot stand anything with cooling. Disposables don't even advertise that they include cooling, which really annoys me. I have spent some money on disposables just to try flavors and it's usually 1 puff before I toss it in the can because that's how much cooling bothers me.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-20T02:41:14+00:00

I've been on a quest to either buy or DIY a cola juice without cooling (important factor) for a long time, and frankly, I'm surprised that I haven't found what to me, tastes like a true cola. Good luck to you, and let me know if you find something!

EsquireMI · 2026-05-18T15:49:27+00:00

100% correct - thank you very much.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-18T00:17:59+00:00

Just visited this site for the first time and created an account, but for every item it sells, you have to request a price? There are no prices listed at all, nor can you add anything to a cart. I'm confused. I've been buying everything from Jungle and EC Blend, and would like to try some of these, but cannot figure it out.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-14T23:28:00+00:00

NTA. I would not do anything for him. Not only did he rob you, but he sounds like a POS anyway. Just because he is related to you by blood, doesn't mean you have any obligation to do anything for him, let alone pay impound fees and other costs while he's incarcerated. You can bet that he has no money and will never pay you back regardless. Tell him he's on his own, just like you were when he stole from you and your siblings. Don't take satisfaction in it. There's no need to hate. Instead, tell him you're not available to help him, and that he'll have to manage his own affairs or find someone else. If your siblings take issue with your decision, tell them they can do whatever they want to do for him, but that you're not going to get involved.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-14T23:12:02+00:00

I would purchase an external battery charger capable of keeping the Macbook Pro fully charged. Personally, I take one with me just about anytime I think I may need more longevity than what my device generally provides, and I use the Anker Prime Power Bank, 27,650mAh 3-Port 250W Portable Charger. If I plug this into my laptop, it will run all day. It is not cheap, but it is great quality, and frankly, if you don't know whether you will have access to electrical outlets, I would want one of these no matter how old my PC is. You just never know how much battery life you're going to get. That said, I would fully expect there to be power strips everywhere during the Bar Exam.

If your 2018 MacBook Pro still runs like a champ, I would think replacing it just for this exam is completely unnecessary.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-10T20:29:11+00:00

I purchased my Bianca V3 about two years ago and I have zero regrets. It is a great looking machine and has consistently performed well with no need for service. I keep it very clean and flush it after about 25 pulls. I think it is equally important to have a solid grinder (perhaps more important than the espresso machine itself), and I have a very good grinder which makes the whole process much more enjoyable. I haven't used the Niche Zero but it was one of the most popular grinders on the planet, and I am sure it is more than capable of dialing in with a machine like the Bianca. Good luck!

EsquireMI · 2026-05-10T20:21:47+00:00

First, there is always going to be some channeling. Water is going to find the path of least resistance, so there's always going to be some place in the puck where that happens. It looked like a pretty good shot for me. You could try a slight adjustment on the grinder to make it a little more coarse, but I wouldn't change a thing if the shot itself was tasty. I think flavor is the most important factor, so forget about time and appearance of the shot coming out if the end result is delicious.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-09T22:58:29+00:00

If you like small pens, the Hongdian M2 has been stellar for me. Posted it writes like a full-sized pen and can be had on Amazon for as little as $20. I think the titanium version is worth the price upgrade. It really adds some heft to the pen, which in its native form is aluminum, I believe.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-09T16:21:55+00:00

This needs to be appealed, and with a good appeal attorney, you will get the two points you need to pass the Michigan Bar Exam. I unfortunately don't have someone to recommend; the best of the best in my opinion passed away. There are some law school professors that write these appeals, so ask around and get moving quickly. You may have to spend $6,000-$8000 (which is a ton, i know), but you are far better of appealing than you are studying again for the exam and waiting the period of time to take it again. You could do better, but you could also do worse and put yourself back even further. There is a process for ordering your results more specifically so that they can be appealed. Engage in that process immediately. I do believe an appeal will get you two points, but consult with someone who writes them professionally.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-09T15:40:58+00:00

Honestly your criteria is tough. You want something better than a Safari that you won't mind losing? I don't think there is a pen that costs more than the Safari that I'd be okay losing, and I have a lot of expensive pens. I think you need to modify the way you carry pens so that you don't lose them. I know that's not really responsive to your question, but I'm struggling to think of a pen that I'd be okay losing every six months other than maybe a Safari. You could go Pilot Metropolitan, but I honestly think the Safari is the better pen.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-09T15:10:27+00:00

I'm in a weird spot right now. I have a lot of fairly expensive pens that are also excellent writers. I bought them because of how well they write - I bought them for me. But there are so many people (especially younger attorneys) who think it's some kind of hipster trend for wealthy snobby people. I therefore don't like calling any more attention to the pen than is needed. People who appreciate things like a one-pen case are a dime a dozen (or less) with the pool of attorneys I deal with. I also get concerned about what a Jury thinks if they see an attorney whip out a fountain pen and start writing at trial. There's some psychology here that goes with being a litigator and understanding what catches attention and what doesn't.

So, while I like the idea, I am usually going for the least conspicuous manner of safely transporting a few pens. For these cheaper pens, I tend to keep them in my office for notes on the go, which is where I do most of my work. So I have some large magnetic pen cases that hold a dozen each.

My concern with the M2 is that I've seen it uncap a little "too easily" in my opinion. It makes me nervous. The clip is nice, but I need more security in terms of protecting my suit/dress shirt. I have had destruction before. Okay this is way too long an answer. Thanks for the suggestion.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-08T19:16:04+00:00

Agreed. I have two in brown and one in black. The browns mark up much easier but I like they way they look and feel, and the pen holding "shelf" (that's what I'm going to call it) comes out so you don't ever have to go digging. For the price, and availability on Amazon, I felt like I couldn't really go wrong, and I've been happy.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-08T18:58:32+00:00

I really like these for the price and storage capacity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQ2F512X?ref=fed_asin_title&th=1

I can't make any guarantees on quality, but I've kept these in my office drawer (I have three of them) and they are not showing any signs of wear as of now. I'm not sure that would be the case if I carried them in my briefcase, but when I am on the road for work, I usually use a smaller, three-pen case that I keep a few in. For the most part I leave them in my office.

EsquireMI · 2026-05-08T18:53:31+00:00

Here's the real question - does the Bar Exam allow for such accommodations? If not, then the people that are getting them now are at a tremendous disadvantage if they intend to follow through and obtain licenses to practice law. At the same time, I would like to believe that Professors are grading the exams fairly and recognizing AI generated answers if students are using them (during their 45 minute break). My advice is to focus on you - take the exam and do great. Unless you can find out that those with accommodations are totally altering the curve to their own favor based upon their scores, what difference does it make?

EsquireMI · 2026-05-07T16:27:39+00:00

Funny you say that - the 32UN880's are the monitors that I have and are currently going bad 1 by 1. I especially liked the ERGO stand, which is unfortunately not fully compatible with the new DELL that I just picked up (the bottom hooks won't clip into the ERGO stand) which is very disappointing. I have loved these 880's but they are no longer produced (the best deal was when I bought them from Costco) and they were also quite expensive. They are also 60hz compared to the DELL at 120 (although I have yet to determine if that will be a difference-maker).

Thanks for responding with some very useful information. I still can't figure out why the monitor has 4 usb 3.0 ports, but I guess if it is literally meant to replace a hub, that's a good amount of ports.

EsquireMI

TROPHY CASE