Crazy about notebooks

No! I am not referring to the new generation of small laptops but the original thing. I am a big fan of Moleskine notebooks and sketchbooks and a couple of days ago I was really excited when I noticed a few in the clearance section in TK Maxx nearby and they were really having a clearance - around £5 each (normal price is between £8 -£15). I found out sometime back that these notebooks have quite a following and having tried one myself, I have to say I am hooked. I should have grabbed them then but unfortunately I didn't.

Anyway, I thought I will treat myself for Father's day today and went back to the store to see if they were still there but they were, of course, gone. However, I noticed some notebooks which looked quite similar but without an elastic band around the notebook. I have never heard of the brand 'Il Firino' (I can't even find their website) but these 'made in Italy' genuine leather bound journals looked fantastic. The acid free paper feels and looks great as well. I have no idea what kind of leather it is but I am sure they were ethically taken from the animals. I am vegetarian but unlike some people, I do not really mind leather products - is that an oxymoron.

I also bought a teNeues notebook with a black cover (I do not think it is leather) with red & white Zebra print design inside for my daughter. It has alternative lined and blank page and a great gift for my daughter who like to write and sketch as well. The best part is that both cost me only £3 each - a real steal. There were a few more and I might go back again to grab the remainder.

This happens to me all the time - I go out to buy something and end up buying something else - and regretting but fortunately today was an exception. I ended up with something even better.

Finding the right saddle for my cycle

This is my second post about my new passion - cycling and about a very important component of the cycle - the saddle. It is after all the part that remains in contact with your body and also carries most of your weight most of the time. At least for me anyway, because on my way to the University, I see a lot of guys who don't seem to be sitting on their saddles while paddling their bikes. I guess they are the pros.

Anyway, a few days after I bought my used bike over eBay, I took it out for a ride in the neighbourhood. The cycle is a Hawk mountain bike and came with it's original saddle from the shop - basic plastic and foam. I had barely gone for only a several hundred yards when I realised that the saddle was really uncomfortable and in fact my butt was beginning to get sore. By the time I got home, some very sensitive parts of my body in contact with the saddle were already numb. There was no way I was going to ride 4.8 miles to University on that saddle.

On my way back from the university a few days later, I dropped by the Go Outdoors store and bought myself a Canyon Gel seat cover. The thought of buying a new saddle never came into my mind then. After all, the reason I started cycling was because I wanted to save money. Anyway, the cover did make it a bit more tolerable and I did eventually start cycling to the University of Warwick campus from my house in Radford.

As time went by, I realised that I needed to invest in a new saddle. There were some drawbacks of the gel cover. It soaked up rain and the cushioning effect was gone by the time I reached the University. Doing research on the net, I found that there were so many brands and all kinds of saddles to choose from. A number of long time riders swore by their leather Brooks - a luxury brand in cycle saddles. Yes! There are actually luxury bicycle and accessories brands.

Best selling Brooks saddle - the B17 Special

However, I realised that I could actually buy a brand new bike with the price of the cheapest Brooks saddle. So I gave up the idea of buying a brand new brooks and went to eBay. I actually missed an amazing bargain on an almost new Brooks that went at just £5.50.

I ultimately bid and won a brand new WTB  Speed-V Sport Saddle. It retails at £24.99 but I got it for £12 including postage. The saddle features something which they call the 'Love Channel' which allows some room for some sensitive parts in contact with the saddle and it definitely made a huge difference. Though I would be lying if I said that it was really comfortable, I guess it will have to do for the time being.

Besides a comfortable saddle, I found out that it helps to have padded cycling pants. I am not a fan of men in tights but I decided to go for a Karrimor Padded Cycling Pants Mens, which I got on Amazon for just £10.99 including postage (original price was £34.99). What a huge difference it made and I always wonder why I didn't buy one earlier. Looking forward to sore free bottoms in the future.

If you are a cycling enthusiast, please do share your experience with cycle saddles.

Everyone is wearing a Tissot

Among my colleagues, I have become the guy they should consult before buying any electronic product. Not sure whether I can call myself an opinion leader but I guess I am. Now, it seems that I am also becoming their fashion accessories consultant. That's so wrong because I am definitely not gay nor a metrosexual. I am just a normal old-fashioned type of guy.

Last year my wife gave me a Tissot PR 50 watch as our anniversary present - the gents version of the one she has. "Matching! Matching!" in her words. Reminds me that our anniversary is coming up soon – in fact it falls next month.

Anyway, one of my friends was looking for a new watch to replace his old one and asked my opinion regarding various brands in the market. Of course, I recommended Tissot.

Why?

1. It's a Swiss watch.
2. It's a brand with a long and proud heritage. The brand celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2003. The company was founded in Le Locle, Switzerland in 1853 and is now part of the Swatch group, the biggest watch company in the World.
3. It's one of the classy yet among the most affordable brands.

If you have seen Mr and Mrs Smith, the Angelina Jolie/Brad Pitt adventure flick, you might not have realised it but both of them are wearing Tissot T-Touch watches.

Actually, this is not the first time Jolie has worked with the Swiss brand. She also wore the Tissot’s T-Touch in the movie: Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life.

My dream watch, the T-Touch offers 8 separate functions including an Altimeter, Chronograph, Compass, Alarm, Thermometer, Barometer as well as Date and Time. You may say, "So what? Even my Casio has all of those features?" Ah! That is where the similarity with the Tissot T-Touch ends. Pressing on the crown and then touching the touch-sensitive screen activates the functions.

Anyway, coming back to my story. One fine day, I noticed that my friend had bought a new watch - one exactly like mine. Yes, it’s a Tissot watch. According to him, "it was the best looking affordable model in the watch shop".

Yah right! What happened to all the Seikos, Citizens, Swatches, CKs, etc, etc.? However, unlike, ladies who would die if they were caught wearing the same clothes or fashion accessories, guys don't have that problem. So I have no problem with my friend wearing the same watch. Show's that we have similar good taste.

NOTE: I was not paid by Tissot to write this post.