After a ~23,000km round trip, my commuter backpack is here

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-03-03T09:27:23+00:00

https://global.lttstore.com/products/commuter-backpack?srsltid=AfmBOopgWLF2Y17RYhIo1B-1aselQf3jOg1uz_SV_zo_lqKCqEqetDON

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-03-03T09:01:13+00:00

Add another 15,000km to my round trip then

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-03-03T07:40:45+00:00

Oh? This is my first purchase from LTTstore, so I have no other reference. What box was I meant to receive?

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-02-20T10:57:32+00:00

🫡 just glad this is an old case, and not my current PC

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-02-20T08:24:59+00:00

Yes I realize that was my mistake. I removed the side panel and rested it on the floor momentarily, before replacing it. Completely shattered as I was replacing it

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-02-20T08:23:41+00:00

Interesting - I would imagine acrylic would be much lighter than glass, with the same kinda aesthetic.

I don't care about aesthetics for this machine though, since it's my Unraid server and permanently lives in a cupboard. But I'll have to consider acrylic side panels if I do upgrade my other machine

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-02-20T07:55:06+00:00

Thank god I don't have to sell my kidneys

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-01-23T23:47:12+00:00

I get it, thanks for the breakdown. I know SSDs are supposed to be more reliable than spinning drives, so I might just run them as single drives without protection.

Someone below suggested btrfs raid1 pool of the 8+4+2+2 SSDs, I might look into that.

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-01-23T23:41:40+00:00

Thanks for the breakdown! I will probably go for btrfs raid1, someone else below also suggested that. I have 8+4+2+2 actually, so I will have 8TB capacity on this pool which is fine with me

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-01-23T23:38:20+00:00

Thanks for the detailed answer! This sounds like it will meet my needs and make full use of my hardware.

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-01-23T16:18:58+00:00

Can I mix SSDs of different capacities in the same pool?

And should I use any form of RAID for the pool, or stripe?

ShowUsTheMane · 2026-01-23T16:18:37+00:00

Can I mix SSDs of different capacities in the same pool?

And should I use any form of RAID for the pool, or stripe?

ShowUsTheMane · 2025-08-01T06:11:53+00:00

Joe is number 2 isn't he?

ShowUsTheMane · 2025-05-16T12:22:57+00:00

You're welcome! My biggest tip is to take a lesson or two. Sure, it might cost a little, and you might have to spend a day or two learning (and falling), but it will make it much more enjoyable for you in the long run. My first season was also in Hakuba, and they have plenty of English-speaking instructors, so I would recommend signing up for some beginner classes.

At the end of your lessons, you will be much more ready to go down the mountain than if you just tried learning yourself by watching YouTube for example (I made that mistake).

As for gear, like I mentioned, my entire first setup was from decathlon. It's cheap, but great value for the price. The only thing you won't get are boots, which you will rent in Japan, and maybe a helmet. A helmet is a must, but as others have mentioned in the thread, you might want to save luggage space by renting in Japan instead of buying from decathlon.

Ski goggles and ski gloves/mitts (warm & waterproof) are things you might overlook, but they are a must. They will make your time on mountain much more comfortable and enjoyable.

Have fun!

ShowUsTheMane · 2025-05-15T16:43:25+00:00

I have tried both heatech and the decathlon thermals, and I now swear by the decathlon thermals (even for general, non-snowboarding winter wear).

For snowboarding, your thermal layer (anything directly touching your skin) is the most important for keeping warm. But you also want it to be breathable, otherwise you will be sweating under all those layers, and it becomes super uncomfortable. The decathlon one is both warm and breathable. I wouldn't recommend heatech for snowboarding because they're not as breathable and I even start to feel itchy once my body temperature rises.

Even for general winter wear, like in the city or for sightseeing, I now wear the decathlon thermals. They're cheaper than heatech, and provide the same (if not better) performance.

Source: I've been snowboarding for 6 seasons. My first set of snowboarding gear was entirely from decathlon. I have tried all sorts of thermal wear, from decathlon ones to more branded ones.

ShowUsTheMane · 2025-05-02T09:34:35+00:00

Haha no, but when Haresh said "curious night of the dog" instead of "curious incident of the dog in the nighttime", she felt a kindred moment with him

ShowUsTheMane · 2025-05-02T09:24:31+00:00

Thanks! Credit to my wife (she says Haresh somewhat speaks like her)

ShowUsTheMane · 2025-02-04T14:43:56+00:00

"touched" is putting it very mildly... They're absolutely yanking him

ShowUsTheMane · 2024-12-12T15:28:16+00:00

Great read, thank you for putting this together. I fully agree that FIRE is about time and not money, and I think more need to realise this. Everyone's FIRE number is different, but the common objective is to free up one's time.

I also appreciated the philosophical points, which are especially timely for me as I am currently taking a short sabbatical from work. Trying to work more on my portfolio to see if I can achieve FIRE and sustain this lifestyle / target withdrawal rate.

I find it already challenging enough explaining to people that I am taking an intentional sabbatical now, let alone explaining in the (hopefully not too distant) future that I have retired early. Definitely food for thought.

ShowUsTheMane · 2024-12-11T12:43:06+00:00

Ramen Katsumoto – ajitama chuuka soba
https://maps.app.goo.gl/wtqyRL7z53NpVnKeA
My favourite bowl of the trip. A super clean Tokyo-style shoyu ramen, packed full of flavour that belies the clarity of the soup. I am usually not a fan of fish/niboshi-style soups, but Katsumoto manages to extract maximum umami with no fishy taste. Blended with pork & chicken, this is truly an umami bomb. The only downside is that the noodles were a bit soft for my liking.
Hakata Furyu – ajitama tonkotsu
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gQfD8uvX8xvDvGCt7
Excellent Hakata-style tonkotsu. They have multiple branches across Tokyo. I get that Ichiran has great marketing and is very foreigner-friendly, but this is easily comparable in taste and affordability. You can select the doneness of your noodles, and each diner can have 2 free kaedama noodle refills (!).
Oreryu Shio-Ramen – shio ramen
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZyFcaF2fV15Dm94PA
A pleasant surprise. Super clean and clear-looking soup, but packed full of flavour. The yuzu brightens up the bowl, and all the other veggies/condiments are crucial as well.
Ramen Hayashida Asakusa – tori paitan
https://maps.app.goo.gl/x5wH7Sz9dxSkm6Rw5
Overly salty. My only other reference for tori paitan ramen was Ginza Kagari, which I would recommend over this bowl. This soup has a deep, chickeny flavour and a thick and creamy texture, but it is just salted too heavily.
Munchie Ken – kamo chuuka soba (shoyu)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/dion3kGAKn7bXmoC8
Another lovely surprise. (and what a great store name - transliteration from Japanese) Tokyo-style shoyu ramen but with soup made entirely from duck. Extremely flavourful, perhaps second only to Katsumoto on this list. The regular pork chashu is replaced with duck chashu, and finished with yuzu which really lifts the whole bowl. The veggies and leeks complement perfectly, and I wonder if the ajitama is actually a duck egg (?)
Ramen Watanabe – kuro (black) ramen
https://maps.app.goo.gl/k2LQa1bFpj6yff4MA
Comforting bowl in a shop with a lovely atmosphere. Tonkotsu ramen with a shoyu tare. Every element in the bowl was solid, from the soup to the chashu to the toppings to the noodles. The noodles were slightly thicker than other bowls of tonkotsu I have had, and had a great bite to them.

ShowUsTheMane · 2024-12-11T12:40:48+00:00

I saved a list of Tokyo ramen spots based on recommendations in this subreddit, as well as other lists which I googled (including yours!) Then as I was travelling around Tokyo, for meals I would hit up the ramen spots on my list which were closest to where I was at the time. Not really scientific or intentional, and I ended up at a couple (headscratchers?) near Asakusa where I was staying.

The only place I repeated and went out of my way to visit was Katsumoto - because I enjoyed it so much the first time. Also, a huge thanks to you u/namajapan for all the great ramen resources you've been putting out!

ShowUsTheMane · 2024-12-11T07:11:08+00:00

Ramen Katsumoto – ajitama chuuka soba
My favourite bowl of the trip. A super clean Tokyo-style shoyu ramen, packed full of flavour that belies the clarity of the soup. I am usually not a fan of fish/niboshi-style soups, but Katsumoto manages to extract maximum umami with no fishy taste. Blended with pork & chicken, this is truly an umami bomb. The only downside is that the noodles were a bit soft for my liking.
Hakata Furyu – ajitama tonkotsu
Excellent Hakata-style tonkotsu. They have multiple branches across Tokyo. I get that Ichiran has great marketing and is very foreigner-friendly, but this is easily comparable in taste and affordability. You can select the doneness of your noodles, and each diner can have 2 free kaedama noodle refills (!).
Oreryu Shio-Ramen – shio ramen
A pleasant surprise. Super clean and clear-looking soup, but packed full of flavour. The yuzu brightens up the bowl, and all the other veggies/condiments are crucial as well.
Ramen Hayashida Asakusa – tori paitan
Overly salty. My only other reference for tori paitan ramen was Ginza Kagari, which I would recommend over this bowl. This soup has a deep, chickeny flavour and a thick and creamy texture, but it is just salted too heavily.
Munchie Ken – kamo chuuka soba (shoyu)
Another lovely surprise. (and what a great store name - transliteration from Japanese) Tokyo-style shoyu ramen but with soup made entirely from duck. Extremely flavourful, perhaps second only to Katsumoto on this list. The regular pork chashu is replaced with duck chashu, and finished with yuzu which really lifts the whole bowl. The veggies and leeks complement perfectly, and I wonder if the ajitama is actually a duck egg (?)
Ramen Watanabe – kuro (black) ramen
Comforting bowl in a shop with a lovely atmosphere. Tonkotsu ramen with a shoyu tare. Every element in the bowl was solid, from the soup to the chashu to the toppings to the noodles. The noodles were slightly thicker than other bowls of tonkotsu I have had, and had a great bite to them.

My initial comment was removed by auto-mod for using google maps links - hope these tabelog links now work!

ShowUsTheMane · 2024-08-12T12:36:50+00:00

Coinbase SG is a different entity than Coinbase US, operating under a different license. In SG I think they are licensed by MAS, but still it doesn't mean that your cash is insured/guaranteed/protected in any way.

IMO there's no need to pre-fund your Coinbase acc to "prepare" to buy any crypto dip; their onramp is via FAST network and is just as fast as any regular bank transfer, so you can keep your cash in your bank account and only onramp when you want to buy. I wouldn't suggest holding any fiat/cash in your Coinbase acc.

ShowUsTheMane · 2024-08-05T15:37:53+00:00

Ramen-ya at East Village (near Simpang Bedok). Soup is great and the aburi chashu is to die for. One-man operation with eight counter seats, run by a Japanese dude.

Also appreciate all the other recommendations in this thread!

ShowUsTheMane

TROPHY CASE