People I know say they actually find these useful, so I’m writing one this year too.
Gadgets
Mouse and Keyboard
I also covered them in this article.
A full set of Switchbot
I switched almost all the IoT devices in my room to Switchbot’s. Specifically, things like:
Up until now I’d been buying cheap Chinese-made products one at a time, and each manufacturer had its own app to configure things — it was a real hassle. Now I can manage everything with just the Switchbot and Google Home apps, which is super easy and satisfying. The look is also nice and clean, and it can show the room’s temperature and humidity.
For example, when I say “good night” to Google Home, it runs a scene like the one below. If you have lots of home appliances like a circulator or accent lighting, I highly recommend it.
Turn off all the lights, close the curtains, keep the bedroom humidity above 40% with the humidifier, schedule the AC to turn off in 7 hours
Daily Life
NIUM CLASSIC
I tried various famous slim wallets, and this one became my best. The setup is almost the same as the one I introduced before, but it’s incredibly small and unobtrusive — fantastic.
I also tucked an Anker GPS card inside, so I’m covered if I lose it.
THREE Eyebrow Pencil
I have atopic dermatitis, so I can’t really do full-on makeup. A stylish friend recommended that “just doing eyebrows is high impact for low effort”, and I’ve been following that advice. * Note that you also need refills.
Braun Body Groomer PRO X XT5300
Amazon | Braun Body Groomer PRO X XT5300-b body shaver, trims to natural length / shaves clean, evolved 4D blade with 2x the cutting area, arms, fingers, legs, underarms, intimate areas, face, 6 attachments, body trimmer (Amazon.co.jp limited)
amazon.co.jp
A small, easy-to-use body groomer/trimmer. Handy for quickly shaving the undercut part of my hair or trimming my leg hair a bit shorter. Essential for cyclists. Since I’ve also been getting laser hair removal on my beard and it’s gotten thinner, this alone pretty much covers shaving too.
Cooking / Food
Toffy Handy Chopper Mini II K-HC5
Amazon | [Toffy] Handy Chopper II K-HC6 (Ash White) New model, no power required, manual food processor, mincer, chopper, food cutter, blender, stylish, cute, easy K-HC6-AW | TOFFY | Hand Blenders
amazon.co.jp
I replaced the food processor I rarely use with this. It’s light and easier to wash than a food processor, so it’s plenty.
Epicurean Wooden Cutting Board
Amazon.co.jp: Epicurean Wooden Cutting Board M Natural, Dishwasher Safe, Japan Authorized, Outdoor, Camping 001-120901: Home & Kitchen
amazon.co.jp
A small, light, just-the-right-size cutting board. Easy to handle, hard to stain — fantastic.
like-it Strainer + Bowl Set
Amazon | like-it Strainer Bowl, Plastic, Microwave-Safe, Colander & Bowl, Usable for Rinsing Rice, Strainer and Bowl, Gray, 6-Piece Set, Made in Japan, Heat-Resistant Bowl for Draining Water and Hot Water | Bowls, Online Shopping
amazon.co.jp
A space-saving strainer and bowl set. They look nice, are just the right size, and you can take them straight to the dining table — handy.
Microwaveable food packs
This year I feel like I started seeing a lot more “throw the meat or pasta into this and microwave it” packs at the supermarket. They’re easy yet really tasty, and there are lots of varieties — I’ve been buying them on repeat.
Content / Experiences
Godzilla Minus One
The visuals, the story, the direction — all great… Personally I prefer it over Shin Godzilla.
Manga
- Chikita★GUGU
- It’s a manga drawn by someone I know. I read it again after several years and found it incredibly fun, so I’ll plug it here. It’s a cute, surreal world with light gags, but it gets gory and heavy here and there.
- Zeikin de Katta Hon (Books Bought with Tax Money)
- I mentioned this last year too — it’s nice that there are more manga lately that are both genuinely educational and fun.
- Bengoshi no Kuzu (Lawyer Scumbag)
- A famous one that’s also been adapted into a drama, but I only just read it. It dives deep into legal knowledge while also having a great story.
ChatGPT GPT-4
I subscribed, of course. I’ve only been using it for about half a year, but I can’t live without AI anymore…