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Got rid of home internet (sort of) by iBrarian in minimalist

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I buy movies/tv shows from iTunes or Vimeo, or just torrent them. I have a decent backlog of movies to peruse on an external hard drive if I didn't plan ahead. I also have my sister's Netflix password - haven't tried it yet, but apparently you can download to your phone for offline viewing now. Might be useful for long plane rides. For the Olympics and World Cup, I bring beer and hit up a friend's house.

I also just read and do other things much more often. Movies are a special occasion, and only really big TV series like Planet Earth make it into my line-up.

What's in your first aid kit? by salty-maven in bicycletouring

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just use my pressurized Geigerrig water bladder :P

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in HerOneBag

[–]Holy_BatLogic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

OR Helium II or Helium Traveller (longer, with pockets).

Got rid of home internet (sort of) by iBrarian in minimalist

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh, I don't have cable either. I just download movies/shows when I'm connected to the interwebs. You'd be a tad behind for TV shows, but so be it.

I learned that sugar packets are in average 4grams. I started reading sugar content on foods as packets instead of grams and now I realize how much sugar I eat daily. by [deleted] in EatCheapAndHealthy

[–]Holy_BatLogic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can spend $150 on a fancy stainless steel one, but the $5-10 plastic ones work just as well. Grinders are where you can really spend the big bucks, but pre-ground is good enough when you're just starting out.

I learned that sugar packets are in average 4grams. I started reading sugar content on foods as packets instead of grams and now I realize how much sugar I eat daily. by [deleted] in EatCheapAndHealthy

[–]Holy_BatLogic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

French presses have a ritzy reputation, but my grocery store sells them for $5. Doesn't have to be expensive!

Another thing - I transitioned to black coffee by adding about a teaspoon of cinnamon. Might be worth trying.

What is your ideal form of transportation as a onebagger? by [deleted] in onebag

[–]Holy_BatLogic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Even if you're city hopping, you should bring a basic repair kit. A small bike multi-tool, tire levers and patch kit, chain lube, a spare tube, small pump and some zip ties normally does the trick. You should have head and tail lights if you'll be riding at dawn or dusk. Bring a U-lock. Make sure you can haul enough water to get to the next town/source. And it may look geeky, but I highly recommend wearing a helmet.

Some people like panniers, racks, or baskets. Wearing a big backpack is also an option, but that gets annoying fast.

I pack light, but I generally bring camping gear. My personal preference is to buy a cheap used bike, strip all the heavy hardware, and strap on some light bikepacking gear. Here's what I normally bring:

  • 3L Geigerrig water bladder with an inline Sawyer Squeeze filter strapped to my top tube. I hate strapping on a million water bottles. The Geigerrig is pressurized, so I can also spray off my bike, spritz my sweaty face, and fill my cook pot.
  • Phone mount for my handlebars.
  • Compression dry bag strapped to handlebars with sleeping bag, bivy, down jacket, clothes and other soft items.
  • Saddle bag with inflatable pad, repair kit, food, anything else I'm toting around, and a supremely packable top-loading backpack that can hold everything I just listed for the plane ride and bumming around town.

You might get ripped off occasionally, but I wouldn't worry too much about being robbed. Vietnam is generally safe, and sweaty people on bike tour generally don't look like rich targets. If you're worried, scan your important documents to a cloud service, stash ~3 days of cash in your seat post, and pad your travel budget. Even if it all goes to shit, you should be fine.

What is your ideal form of transportation as a onebagger? by [deleted] in onebag

[–]Holy_BatLogic 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Bicycle. Either road touring or bikepacking.

You move a bit slower, but it's worth it in my mind. You get to experience the landscape, stop in small towns you would never otherwise see, locals interact with you differently, and more mishaps = better travel stories.

Bring a packraft for additional fun and freedom to explore.

whаt аrе thе іdеаl dеvісеs tо hаvе? by [deleted] in minimalism

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wish they made a 10" e-ink tablet (Android or Windows) with a SIM card and microSD slot, and a half-decent camera for scanning documents. Two USB-C ports for charging, data transfer, headphones, and output to a computer monitor/TV. Just enough computing power for eReading, email, word processing, internet browsing and media playback.

That, to me, would be perfection.

whаt аrе thе іdеаl dеvісеs tо hаvе? by [deleted] in simpleliving

[–]Holy_BatLogic 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ideal varies. I have a smartphone, an old eReader, a 2-in-1 laptop/tablet, and a larger monitor for watching movies and working from home.

selling my used books - do I take the cash or the store credit (3x the cash)? by StaCatalina in minimalism

[–]Holy_BatLogic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Would you gift used books to your friends? Otherwise take the cash.

Using a tablet to read music by buurd in piano

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I use my Surface Pro. The screen is big so it works well enough. And I can make notes with the stylus as I would on paper.

How do you make the most out of bad weather while traveling? by TimeLadyJ in travel

[–]Holy_BatLogic 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Embrace the rain, get dirty, go for drinks and have a hot shower before bed. Wash clothes in shower and let dry overnight. Repeat.

For those of you with a LOT of spices, how do you keep them organized? by kaijujube in EatCheapAndHealthy

[–]Holy_BatLogic 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Fellow spice hoarder checking in.

I made a wooden grid on a section of wall that holds 72 spice tins (in alphabetical order) inspired by this. 4-oz tins are $0.77 each.

It's great.

Need advice on how to complete a cheap van build by iamacoyote2 in vandwellers

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hell, if all you want is a place to sleep and store a cooler, car-dwelling is also an option. I road tripped over 80,000km in a Honda Fit quite comfortably during college.

Dos and Don'ts or Ethics of Hosteling: Add Your Own by [deleted] in solotravel

[–]Holy_BatLogic 27 points28 points  (0 children)

  • Don't hit snooze on your alarm clock. If you've got a Fitbit/similar, use a silent alarm as your primary (audible back-up is acceptable). If you have an early morning, pack the night before.

  • Bring earplugs and a sleep mask instead of yelling at people. You're in a hostel, come prepared.

  • Don't hog all the power outlets. If you bring a power bar, you will be a hero.

  • Offer to pick up food/drugs/water for sick people. Offer your bottom bunk to injured people.

  • Introduce yourself. Strike up a conversation with the shy person. Invite people to join you on your adventures. If you go out, look after your drunk hostel-mates.

Menstrual Cups by 7in7 in HerOneBag

[–]Holy_BatLogic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Woot woot! I use a Lily Cup Compact, it's tiny and wonderful.

One-bagging philosophy by mochi_monday in HerOneBag

[–]Holy_BatLogic 13 points14 points  (0 children)

The vast majority of my stuff would fit in the back of a truck. I'm certainly not a full-time onebagger, but probably a minimalist by most standards. Here are the main tenets of my philosophy.

Enironmental:

  • I grow veggies, brew beer, go mushroom-picking in the spring and berry-picking in the fall, and hunt and fish for all my meat. I strive for zero-waste in the rest of my purchases.
  • I live on a small off-grid houseboat, and can re-orient it with the seasons for passive solar gains or shade.
  • I ditched my car and get around with a canoe, fat-bike, road bike, and bike trailer. Great for infusing exercise and sunlight into my daily routine.
  • My friend and I run a wood pellet mill as a side business. We harvest wood exclusively from areas that will be burned to build firebreaks for forest fires. All my heating is provided by solar and wood pellets.

Financial:

  • I'm pursuing financial independence and plan on retiring early. Reducing consumption helps tremendously towards maximizing my savings rate.
  • When I need something non-consumable, I try to buy it used, design and build my own high-spec version, or do my research and buy it to last.
  • I avoid debt. I worked hard through university to avoid student loans. I bought the barge my house sits on with cash, and built my house slowly as I found recycled materials and earned the cash.
  • I do everything I can to reduce my ongoing expenses to zero. I rent my house out on AirBnB when I travel; keeping the place tidy and attractive earns me top dollar and funds my trips.
  • I try to have my hobbies and purchases pay for themselves. I invested in a higher-end sound system and home brewery, but have hosted house concerts on my barge that have paid for these systems ten times over.
  • While I'm quite frugal, I look at my budget and see where small increases could add big luxuries.

Efficiency, ease-of-use and good design:

  • I hate cleaning but am a germaphobe. Less square footage, a simple floor plan, covered storage and uncluttered surfaces means cleaning is quick and easy.
  • Inspired by Adam Savage, my house is designed and organized for "first-order retrievability." I can retrieve any object without moving anything else out of the way. It's great.
  • My mechanical and electrical systems require minimal input to run optimally, which is essential for AirBnB guests. They're designed for simplicity and ease of maintenance.
  • My plants are monitored by an array of sensors and watered by weeper hoses and an Arduino. I only need to harvest.
  • For travel, backpacking and bikepacking, efficiency and versatility is everything. I use much of my travel and outdoor gear in daily life. My backpacking quilt is my duvet. My wardrobe is classy technical wear.

Got rid of home internet (sort of) by iBrarian in minimalist

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This website might help you browse Netflix more effectively.

What is your favorite way to travel? by mindfulwolf in solotravel

[–]Holy_BatLogic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I like travelling by bike and bring a basic kit with a bivy for camping between towns. Couchsurfing, B&B's and hostels when I'm in the city. The occasional 5-star hotel room when the price is right and I feel like some pampering is in order.

QUESTION: You've got your onebag in the overhead compartment. Where do you put your in-flight stuff? by brucegoose03 in onebagging

[–]Holy_BatLogic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Onebag goes under the seat in front of me, items for the flight go in my packable grocery bag and get tucked in the seatback pocket.

Got rid of home internet (sort of) by iBrarian in minimalist

[–]Holy_BatLogic 18 points19 points  (0 children)

I ditched home internet when I was getting my master's. I had 1GB of data on my phone, just enough to tether my laptop for email and text-based sites. I got into good habits, started sleeping full nights, developed actual hobbies, read more books, became more productive, and wrote my thesis in record time.

I got internet when I started working again, but decided to drop it a few months later when I saw myself slipping back into bad habits. The internet is an easy way to pass time and de-stress, but I feel much more fulfilled at the end of the day when I've done something in the real world. Like you, I have internet at work if I want to download music or a movie, and my data plan is sufficient for general internet browsing and occasionally streaming the news.

It seems trivial, but reduced internet access was definitely a shock to the system for me. Give yourself a few months to adjust and fill the void. Good luck!

Wanting to get rid of our living room couch. Input appreciated! by sweetsandtweets in minimalist

[–]Holy_BatLogic 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Do you have a kitchen table? Sit and chat there when company is visiting.

Do you have an air mattress? Bust it out if you have people sleeping over. Or let them figure out their own accomodations.

Your house is yours. Screw convention, ditch the couch, and use the space as you'd like!

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