2021 EDC Carry Update

Somehow, we’re back with another round of Everyday Carry - Quarantine edition. You can see last year’s list here

Just like last year, I fully acknowledge the absurdity of having an EDC when my most adventurous days rely on rolling the trash bin out for collection. However, having a small bag that I pack scratches the OCD itch in my brain and provides a sense of normalcy in a time where normal is a commodity.

Things that actually live with me throughout the day.

Tom Bihn Daylight Briefcase

I swapped out the Extra Small Timbuk2 Messenger for the Daylight Briefcase for no real reason, aside from its ability to fit a 13” laptop, as I’ve been using that to get away from the desk during office hours lately. I’ve had this bag for a few years now and it remains great as ever. It offers enough organization to store everything I’d like, and just like last year, any EDC bag is overkill as we remain firmly locked down, but it totes things up and down the stairs admirably.

Like most Tom Bihn bags, design and construction are top-notch, and the bag can’t help but ooze a dorky vibe. A dedicated space for a water bottle would be great, but otherwise no qualms.

iPad 11” with Magic Keyboard & Pencil

My non-day job daily driver continues to be the 2018 edition of the iPad Pro. Since the Magic Keyboard released, the iPad is my default device for email, texting, web browsing, and writing. To start 2021 I also moved my journaling practice over to the iPad.

The tablet remains my preferred method for light photo and video editing. From an audio lens, it performs double duty as a portable DAW machine, and as a soundboard that feeds into a proper mixer for podcasts. I’ll switch to Adobe Creative Cloud programs on desktop for bigger jobs, but more often than not, I just get it done with the iPad instead

The top 10 most commonly used apps are GoodNotes, DayOne, Ulysses, Lightroom, Insta 360, LumaFusion, Procreate, Reminders, Ferrite, and good old Safari.

AirPods Pro

Love them. Still use them more than I should. Like when cooking, running, and staring at the wall in existential dread. I’ve given up on the PXC-500s completely, not because they’re bad headphones, but because these are so damn good.

Kindle

In 2020 I read 52 books. 40 of those were on the Kindle. I have a far less ambitious goal of 24 books for 2021, but the Kindle Paperlite remains my e-reader of choice.

Anker 10k battery pack

Along with USB C to C and USB A to Everything cables, this slim battery stays in the bag because there is room, and sometimes my laziness is truly boundless. Why move to a wall outlet if there is a charger at hand?

Apple Watch Series 6 with Cellular

A late addition in 2020, I replaced the Fitbit Versa with an Apple Watch. One of my main goals over the past year has been getting fit, and the watch has been hugely helpful. Runs and walks without my phone are freeing, and Apple’s gamification of active calories, exercise minutes, and stand goals is way more edifying than the step-based Fitbit system. It hooks up seamlessly to the Peloton Bike to track rides and give heart rate metrics, and I also use it for literally every other workout like the 100 Push-up challenge.

This was absolutely a luxury purchase, but I find myself using it constantly. Laura and I even use the walkie-talkie feature, most often when we call in for backup with the kids during bathtime. Buying into the Cupertino ecosystem means that everything pairs and syncs easily. A typical day is routed through the watch and only addressed on another device when necessary.

iPhone 12 Pro w/ MagSafe Wallet

Last year’s iPhone season meant a new iPhone upgrade. I use the portrait lens a ton on this phone, and the industrial design is far more appealing than the iPhone 11.

The MagSafe wallet is a revelation, and I keep the 3 cards in there that I invariably need to use. Again, not so valuable in the pandemic, but helpful on coffee and beer runs.

When I leave the house, and honestly, usually when I’m in the house too.

PocKit

I recently picked up the Yellowbirch PocKit Pro, and while it definitely won’t fit in anything but a jacket pocket, it’s a great pouch for all the on-the-go and nice to have accessories. Honestly, it feels like a fanny pack or miniature sling without the easy carry of either, but it slips well enough into a coat pocket, messenger bag or diaper bag. The below items fit within the PocKit.

Fisher Space Pen

This is a full-size pen, same less than stellar writing experience as any Space Pen, but its bulletproof reliability outweighs that drawback. The PocKit accommodates the bigger size, which I find more comfortable to hold than the bullet.

Leatherman Skeletool

I had a much loved Leatherman Wave that I lost on a shoot a few years ago. I used it constantly but didn’t want to spend the money to buy another. This is a simpler replacement, and honestly, I use it ALL THE TIME. There are always a million little quick fix tasks around the house, and rather than grabbing the dedicated tool, I just use the screwdriver bit, pliers or blade found here. Easily my favorite addition to my EDC. It lives in my pocket more often than in the PocKit, and the only thing I miss from the Wave is the scissor set.

Olight S1

A close second favorite in 2021 EDC. This miniature flashlight is incredible. I’ve always used budget flashlights and wanted to see what a “proper” light can do. With rechargeable batteries, this thumb-sized torch can put out as much as 1,200 lumens and is the perfect check the sump, walk the dog, read spooky stories with the kids flashlight.

Field Notes

Jot down notes. I’ve shifted most of my journaling to digital thanks to the iPad, but pen and paper is still great to have on hand.

Roav Balto Sunglasses

These continue to be my favorite sunglasses. They fold down to the thickness of a couple of credit cards and over 3+ years of constant abuse they snap open, look good, and keep working.

Uniqlo Airism Mask

We’ve all gotten well versed in masks these days huh? I’ve found these fit my face best, and are affordable and easy to clean. A backup mask lives in the zippered area of the PocKit.

Ridge Wallet

I stash a bit of cash, along with additional cards here, typically a backup credit card and insurance cards.

Light Filmmaking

Osmo Pocket 2

A substantial upgrade to the original, this lives in the bag, and the wider lens and quality of life improvements make this a cool little device. Great for impromptu vlogging and capturing moments with the kids. I keep the do it all handle on at all times, and the little lav mic works fairly well. If this worked as a webcam it would be even better.

Insta360 OneX2

A 360 cam! This injects pure joy into my gadget nerd heart and I break it out on runs, Onewheel trips, and walks with the boys. The footage is unique, if not spectacular and it is just so damn fun to use.

Audio

I’ve been working to up my audio production game. I’ve always used a field recorder and dynamic mic in the past, but I picked up the Rode NT-Mini as a replacement condenser mic for my daily zoom meetings. It’s so damn portable I sometimes pack it up to use as a voiceover mic with the iPad as well. This is rare, but the small form factor of the two devices is great to use together, even if it requires wired headphones for monitoring.

The bag is big enough to throw in a Fuji X100 or XT series with a lens or two. It’ll even fit the Mavic Air 2 or Mini with some clever packing. I honestly, haven’t felt the need to do that, and would probably just use a more camera gear-oriented bag instead, but this little bag can fit a surprising amount of gear if you want it to.

60 days of Calorie Counting

Between January 1st and March 4th, I counted every calorie I ate or drank.

The mental results:

A fully formed habit of more conscientious eating, and a better understanding of eating for sustenance versus pleasure or boredom.

The physical stats:

Starting Weight: 205.5 lbs

End Weight: 187.9 lbs

Net Loss: 17.6 lbs

After 7+ months of taking my fitness seriously, and 60+ days of calorie counting here’s what I’ve learned.

Counting Calories is work. At least to start

Forming the habit of calorie counting is a massive pain. Apps like Noom, MyFitnessPal, and Fitbit make it easier, but it’s still a chore to scan packages, log individual ingredients, and spot-check the database calories against the nutrition facts from restaurant websites. The meals I eat by myself, breakfast and lunch, became more consistent by sticking to the same staples and formalizing salad and smoothie recipes. This not only allows me to log food faster but drives simpler, healthier, meals. After about two weeks of consistent logging, I settled into a groove of tracking the meals as I go, and while I occasionally need to fetch a nutrition label from the recycling bin, the process is now mostly automatic.

The food database you use really matters.

I started the year using Noom as my tracker of choice. I loved the lessons and gamification of the process, but opted out after the first week, and turned to the classic MyFitnessPal app. Why? The Noom database was not nearly up to par. I’m fine with manually entering the occasional meal, but almost everything I logged in Noom had to be entered by hand either because the food wasn’t listed, or worse, the identified items were wildly inaccurate. The MyFitnessPal database is far more comprehensive and cut down on the logging friction.

Hitting your calorie goal is not as important as logging the food.

I set a 1.5-pound weekly weight loss goal in MyFitnessPal, which allots 1,620 daily calories. Rarely do I stay under this count. Instead, I use the number as a guideline and try to make the best choices possible throughout the day. Sure, if I’m already at or over the goal at the end of the night I’ll typically turn down the beer or ice cream sandwich. But sometimes I don’t, and that’s okay. In the past, I would so strictly adhere to the calorie goals set that life lost its flavor. Meals and snacks were no fun.

Now, while I log everything and work to make smart choices, I’m not beholden to the number. Every week I have a day or two where I’m well over 2300 hundred calories, sometimes over 3000! Those aren’t the norm, but I don’t beat myself up when they happen.

Exercise matters

“You can’t outrun a bad diet.” The adage is overused, but there is truth to it. If you’re routinely overeating no amount of exercise is going to compensate. However, regular exercise goes a long way to ensuring you won’t forget the taste of mint chocolate chip ice cream. This philosophy won’t help you cultivate six-pack abs, but in my experience, a mid to heavy regimen of cardio and strength training will accelerate your weight loss and help reconfigure your body shape. All while still enjoying food that tastes good.

I do 20-60 minutes of cardio 5-7 days a week, and strength train three days a week. According to the Apple Watch and Fitbit, my cardio workouts burn between 100 and 140 calories every ten minutes. Therefore, if I workout for 20 minutes, I don’t hesitate to have that 160 calorie ice cream sandwich after. Instead, I luxuriate in it as a reward, and I still burned a few dozen bonus calories to boot. The calories burned in strength training are far lower, but in doing workouts like the 100 Push-Up challenge, I found my metabolism fires a little cleaner, and the physical changes in my body make the weight I am carrying look a bit more appealing.

Not every day is the same.

I weigh myself every morning right after waking up. Some days I’m a pound or two heavier. Others a pound or two lighter. Though the scale vacillates each day, my overall weight continues to trend down. There’s no reason to beat yourself up over a weight fluctuation. Although I typically exceed my aggressive calorie goal, I more often than not eat below my maintenance level. In doing so, I continue to lose weight over time. Just trust the process and you’ll get there.

Eating out of hunger vs boredom

Tracking calories raised the question early on, do I want to eat right now because I’m hungry? Or just because of habit or boredom? More often not, it turned out to be the latter. Drinking a lot of water and eating high volume, low-calorie meals like salad helps a ton. Social eating and drinking is the next level of this challenge, but the ongoing pandemic has curbed those tendencies almost entirely.

Be kind to yourself

Sometimes the meal I log is just close enough. I eyeball it rather than dissect my deli sandwich for ingredient weights. I recently had eye surgery and didn’t track my weight or calories for 5 days. That’s okay too. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is being kind to yourself pays dividends. Don’t lash yourselves for your failures, and over time, you may appreciate saying no to that snack or extra helping, as you learn to treat your body kindly.

Why buying a Peloton Bike was my best decision in 2020.

I’m surprised too. 

I swore the bike would be an expensive piece of unused room decor. Another obelisk added to an already over-indexed basement space. In no uncertain terms, I did not want to waste the money.

You’ve read the title, you know the ending to this story already. I was wrong.

With five months with the bike, the stats so far: 165 workouts. 120+ active days. 40lbs down from my peak pandemic weight. A legitimate exercise routine that stretches beyond the Peloton platform.

How did Peloton reshape my relationship with health and fitness?

“Free” time and anxiety found an outlet

In the before times I commuted from the southern Massachusetts suburbs through Boston into Cambridge, either by train or commuter rail. The daily 3–4 hour roundtrip meant that I was commuting for all of my personal time, with the rest of the day spent working or with my son.

Once the long-term reality of remote work set in, the commute went away. Our basement flexed from a lounge/storage/game space to incorporate a home office. In the early days, spare time was non-existent while juggling child care with work. By July we had a new baby in the house but also found consistent childcare. This support unearthed some precious free time. Time which immediately became dedicated to anxious naps and snacking.

Having struggled with fitness for the last 5+ years, my weight and belly fat skyrocketed. I started a Couch to 5k program running program in an effort to shed pounds at the same time my partner became interested in the Peloton

“Why spend money on that when we can run through a New England summer and fall?” I said foolishly. We already had dumbbells, a weight bench, and a water rower buried unused in the recesses of our basement. A stationary bike the cost of a mortgage payment didn’t make sense. My wife explained that soon it was going to be cold, dark, and snowy, and running was too high impact for her right now, as she recently gave birth to a baby. She is a saint.

Her interest (aided by an aggressive retargeting ad campaign) converted me to pro-Peloton in short order. The purchase was made with delivery scheduled for mid-October. In the interim, I completed the couch to 5k course. Feeling good, I started towards a 10k distance until a knee injury left my leg elevated and myself in physical therapy. The bike arrived shortly before my knee doubled in size, and the low-impact seated workouts were approved for rehabilitation.

I rode a few times weekly in October and November as my knee healed. The rides were challenging, instructors almost painfully motivational and fit. My butt hurt from the seat. But on top of the whopping upfront cost, I was determined to get value out of the monthly $40 subscription fee. At this time, I rode to make the bike, “worth it.”

By December I was completely burned out. From work, the lockdown, the political insanity within the country. I could scarcely think, let alone function as a human being. I turned to the bike and rode. Everyday. I beat through the mind-blank autopilot and set two goals. 1. Be the best father I can be. 2. Ride the damn bike.

The habit slowly formed and I still clip in for at least 15 minutes daily. Oftentimes I ride after the kids fall asleep, but on the best days, I use it as a pseudo commute from the basement workspace to the upper levels of our home. An hour of cardio and a quick shower helps shed whatever I was during the morass of the day, so I can be the dad I want to be for the little dudes.

Gamification works

Since December 1st I haven’t skipped a day on the bike. Keeping the streak going provides enough motivation to climb aboard even when my only ambition is to drink a beer and go to bed. The challenges span beyond a simple unbroken calendar streak though. It’s been a blast chasing a variety of virtual badges. From personal feats such as milestone rides and output records to more general trophies for completing a new promoted set of rides. Collecting the shiny gold stars as I go adds an extra endorphin kick, and I look forward to days where a new milestone badge is in my grasp.

Why waste this effort?

Spending all this time on the bike has promoted other healthy habits. I roped a few pals into joining me in a Hundred Push-up challenge three times a week, to counterbalance the cardio with a touch of strength training. We all do the prescribed workout in our homes and then commiserate about it over Slack.

I’ve also begun to question my dietary habits. I used to reach for the second serving, beer, or ice cream, without question. Now I ask if that momentary satisfaction is worth canceling out the caloric gains I earned. Sometimes it is, and I enjoy it. But usually, the answer to food and drink is “No.”

From a weight-loss perspective, consistent cardio is my magic bullet to stick with calorie counting. My app of choice, MyFitnessPal, inflicts a draconian 1620 daily calorie limit. It takes zero fingers and zero toes to count how many times I have hit that goal. However, the calories I gain back from exercise allow me to eat between 2000 and 2100 calories and still be at a caloric deficit.

There is a lot of argument and consternation about the accuracy of these calorie burned metrics in fitness and health circles. But following these guidelines works for me. I eat enough to not be hungry and lost 17 pounds in 2021. A solid increase over my non-calorie counting days.

Riding helps me feel better

I’ve long struggled with depression. My family and I exited 2020 relatively unscathed, but my brain chemistry hasn’t gotten the memo. Burnout, numbness, surge capacity depletion, pandemic fatigue, describe it however you like, but most days I feel like a shell of the person.

Riding the bike, reclaiming control over a small part of my day, has offered some reprieve from the darkness. On the best days, the exercise flips the mental light switch on. Thrusting the darkness back to the walls for hours.

More than anything, It proves that I can create positive habits. A drive to grow and better myself still exists, and that’s a spark that I need.

Is a very expensive piece of home gym equipment necessary to enact these changes? No, of course not. But for me, it has been the needed catalyst to rebuild my mental and physical health. 

Stay at Home Everyday Carry

With the pandemic’s end more mirage than anything, my EDC and Work carry looks quite different this year. At this point, I’m set to work from home indefinitely, and even when the office reopens I intend to remain primarily working from home.

Why do I have any type of EDC if my days are spent in the house? Great question! I certainly don’t need to, but having spent years working and living out of a bag, it’s a routine that both comforts and grounds me.

So, what’s in this security blanket surrogate? Tech. Mostly tech.

2018 iPad Pro 11” with Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard

I have a desk in our converted basement with a PC I built for photo editing, as well as a company-issued laptop. The PC setup is fast and comfortable enough that I’ve done 99% of my work from there. Meanwhile, the iPad has become my preferred personal device for nearly everything else.

Over the last two years I’ve adopted the bullet journal methodology for life and task tracking. In quarantine I finally moved away from an ink and paper journal, and brought all of my life management into Notion. The iPad replaces the notebook that went with me everywhere for updates.

Especially during the earlier days of the pandemic when both my wife and I were on parental leave with the birth of our youngest son, I made personal vlogs of our family excursions around the neighborhood nearly daily. I then ingested the footage and edit on the iPad to be in the same room as my family. With the addition of the Magic Keyboard I now complete all of my non-day job related writing on the iPad as well, from blog posts and D&D session notes to freelance work much for the same reason. Even if the kids are taking a snooze, or my partner is deep into an episode of Love is Blind, being in close proximity to each other is a blessing. Plus, I’ve designated my desk as a capital “W” Workspace, and the rest of the house for family and other pursuits, while this means I’m not playing games on Steam, I’m better able to delineate work and home zones, and have been more focused and efficient for it.

TLDR on the Pencil and Magic Keyboard. The Pencil allows me to draw and continue to practice illustration with no additional prep. The Magic Keyboard is the piece that was missing to complete the iPad experience for me. While the iPad will not replace a traditional computer, it now does 80% of what I require from a computer, plus all of the usual media consumption of a tablet. Since I no longer actively work on photo campaigns, I'd absolutely be comfortable just traveling with the iPad for hobbyist content creation. Including editing stills, video, and audio. The shockingly good keyboard and trackpad experience finally bridged that gap.

Kindle Paperwhite

At the start of 2020 I committed to a 52 book reading challenge. What would be the harm in that? Between audiobooks on my endless commute and 30 minutes to an hour of reading each night I was comfortably finishing at least two books a week. Then Covid, and shortly after that, an infant happened. I’m proud to only be three books off pace as of this writing. The Kindle is my preferred way to read everything but poetry, and I tote it around the house along with the iPad. Lately I’ve been able to squeeze 15-20 minutes in while eating lunch and another hour before bed.

AirPods Pro

These were a very nice Christmas gift from my wife, and I probably use them more than I should, typically for audiobooks or podcasts. Cleaning up the tornado remnants of my son? Headphones in. Folding laundry? Grilling dinner? Going for a stroll with the dog? Headphones in. Typically I have something chattering away. My job is fairly solitary for 4–9 hours a day, and I work best in silence or with ambient music. So, during those times where I don’t need a clear focus, it’s nice to hear the rhythms of another voice.

Sennheiser PXC-550

Noise cancelling headphones I used far more frequently before getting the AirPods. They stay paired with my company Macbook and iPad, and still see a reasonable amount of use, usually during the workday.

iPhone 11

Mostly a picture and video taking device at this point. I also use the Osmo Pocket a ton to capture random footage of the cats and kids, but often the phone is just easier and quality nearly as good (better in low-light). I also don’t literally carry the iPad and Kindle through the house at all times, so those audiobooks and podcasts get streamed from here too. I am actively looking to divorce myself from carrying around my phone in the house. Despite deleting all social media from my phone, I still find myself doomscrolling way too easily.

Fenix E-12, Opinel 08, and Fisher Space Pen Bullet

Flashlight, pocket knife, and pen respectively. All things that I tend to need if I don't have them, and rarely use if I do.

What about the bag?

I collect EDC, camera, and travel bags. The idea for having the perfect carry for the day scratches a raw part of my OCD brain. I mix up the bag, even while in quarantine a fair bit, but have recently been using a Timbuk2 Extra Small Classic Messenger. It holds the above with room to spare, and I bring it between the floors of the house to delineate different segments of the day. Be it work, family, or that rarified personal time.

Time and concentric orbits

A fresh reply to a dead and buried email thread hit my inbox. The Subject line: “Harvard Yard Pics.” The original message marked as delivered on August 11, 2013.  

Maddie F. reached out to me from the past as she and her partner, Michael, had recently gotten engaged at a contra dance festival. She outlined how I had taken a photo of them in Harvard Yard and they wanted to know if I would be willing to take formal engagement pictures of them.  

My head; entirely cobwebs.  What the hell was I doing in Harvard Square in August of 2013? That was a year in which my local editorial work really took off, and I worked regularly around Cambridge, primarily as the principal photographer for the “Scout” series of hyper local magazines.  

2013

I dug further into the threaded messages.  A couple lying on a lawn blanket in the Yard.  A tousled haired guy working on a Macbook and a red-haired woman in a sundress reading alongside him.  I recalled snapping a few posed-candid shots of them quickly as part of a monthly “Around town” feature for the Cambridge magazine. 

2019

Those were my free weekends.  I’d recruit a pal or two to wander around town to bar hop. Drinking interspersed with pauses to take photos of anybody that looked interesting.  A systematic method of obliteration and editorial. The next morning, often while nursing a bloody mary at a favored brunch joint, I retraced the previous night’s steps through photographs.  On this day in 2013, I took 187 frames, and at 1:30 AM had burst into a 24-7 laundry mat to photograph the vagabond frontman for the west coast I’m-not-sure-if-they’re-fucking-with-me band, the Wet Chins.  

My initial response to Maddie reflected the maw of depression that can threaten to envelope me. Silence. Maddie reached out again.  “Your pictures are famous amongst our family. Are you still around Boston?”

It was the impetus I needed.  I fired a response back. Assuming the coerced-cheeriness that slips on like a mask when working with clients, I let them know that I no longer photograph full-time, but was excited to chat and possibly provide a referral if I proved the wrong fit.    

Cut to last week.  I parked next to my now-wife’s former apartment on Hanson Street.  Upon meeting with Maddie and Michael, we do tequila shots at Dali, then take off on a quick tour of Somerville before chasing sunlight into Harvard Yard.  

Collaborating with folks like Maddie and Michael is the lifeblood that I too often stray from.  It was an absolute thrill to spend time with these two remarkable humans, and I’m very grateful that we were able to share this experience together.  I frequently lose the thread of my past, and how it’s relevant to today. These two reminded me of the importance, and I am eager to work and create with more folks soon.