As previously mentioned, I use myrepos to keep local copies of useful code repositories. While working with backups yesterday I noticed that this directory had gotten quite large. I realized that in the 8 years that I’ve been using this system, I’ve never once run git gc in any of the repos.
Fortunately this is the sort of thing that myrepos makes simple – even providing it as an example on its homepage. I added two new lines to the [DEFAULT] section of my ~/library/src/myrepos.conf file: one telling it that it can run 3 parallel jobs, and one teaching it how to run git gc.
That allowed me to use my existing lmr alias to clean up all the git repositories. The software knows which repositories are git, and only attempts to run the command in those.
$ lmr gc
After completing this process – which burned through a lot of CPU – my ~/library/src directory dropped from 70 GB to 15 GB.
Back in 2007, the International Man of Mystery designated codename 503 told me to read Never Gymless by Ross Enamait. This was my introduction to the resistance band, which is one of the tools mentioned in the book. Enamait recommended bands from Iron Woody, so that’s what I bought. I replaced them periodically over the subsequent seventeen years, sticking with the same brand. The Iron Woody bands are 41”, which is the default length for loop bands across the market, though my understanding is that this is more a fluke of history rather than due to any considered reasoning.
This past Fall it was time once again to replace a couple of my most frequently used (and thus stretched out) bands. Iron Woody was out of most bands, so I looked around to see what was hip and cool on The Internet. The consensus seemed to be that Serious Steel Fitness and Harambe System had the some of the best bands. I was particularly intrigued by these two because the Harambe bands were 38”, and Serious Steel offered a handful of lengths, including 37”. The more I thought about, the more sense these shorter lengths made.
I ended up buying the Harambe band bundle. They are the nicest bands I’ve used. When I opened the package, I first grabbed the light green 1” band because this looked to be about the same width as the blue Iron Woody band that is my go-to for a lot of exercises. I was shocked by how hard it was. Part of this is the difference in length (and the difference in age), but it turns out the Harambe bands are also thicc. The width is deceptive. I’m using narrower bands now, but getting a better workout. The narrower width make it easier to do side-by-side band stacking to tune the load, which is great. Initially I thought that the yellow 1/4” band would be too light for me to use for much of anything, and that is true by itself, but I have found myself frequently stacking it with one of the other bands.
The shorter length is great, and my motto is now 38” or GTFO. (I’d probably be just as happy with the 37” length offered by Serious Steel, if their bands are of similar quality.) I can use the 38” bands for all the exercises I previously used the 41” for, but I get more resistance sooner, which is much more better. The way I visualize it in my head is that the force curve is flatter, but vertically higher. There are other exercises that were never an option with the 41” bands, because I would only get resistance for a small part of the movement, but are now possible with the 38” bands.
About three years ago I was given a Jaquish X3 Elite bar and platform. I was skeptical of these at first, but both have grown on me, and I have been using them regularly with my Iron Woody bands. (I borrowed a set of the X3 bands for a month, which were fine, but nothing special, and I decided I preferred my Iron Woody bands to them.) I still do some things with just bands, but most of my resistance band use involves the bar and platform. I’m now using the Harambe bands with the X3 pieces, and am pleased with the setup. I also use my zafu in place of the cork block for the Harambe-style bench press – which is one of the exercises I couldn’t really do with longer bands.
The Harambe bars and platforms look objectively superior to the X3, but not enough to make me want to spend money to replace my existing equipment. I’d likely go with Harambe if I was starting over. (I also appreciate that Harambe has a decent website, and the guy behind it seems like just a normal dude in his videos. The Jaquish website feels like some sort of multi-level marketing cult and I need to perform ablution after I look at it.) The bars and platforms from both are expensive – probably unnecessarily so – and I hear there are a bunch of cheap knock-offs of the bar-and-platform idea that probably work fine. But I am smitten with the Harambe bands, and feel like that piece was money well spent.
But the main takeaway is: try bands shorter than 41”.
I’ve been carrying the Loop Switch earplugs everyday for the past 13 months now. A couple months ago, Loop replaced this model with the Switch 2. This v2 Switch looks to be a minor incremental upgrade, but overall the same product. I think my impressions of the v1 Switch are still relevant.
The Switch is an earplug with a rotary mechanism that allows the attenuation to be adjusted between three different modes:
Quiet (v1: 25 dB SNR, v2: 26 dB SNR)
Experience (v1: 21 dB SNR, v2: 23 dB SNR)
Engage (v1: 17 dB SNR, v2: 20 dB SNR)
My most frequent application for earplugs is nightclubbing. Having three modes on a single pair of plugs, which can be adjusted in-ear, is a really great capability in this application. If I happen to find myself near a speaker, I can crank them up to Quiet. Then when I join the cool kids in the back, I dial them down to Engage and can carry on a conversation with someone while still being protected. At shows with multiple artists I often find myself setting them to Experience for an opener, going down to Engage between sets, and then up to Quiet for the headliner.
I have not found any other earplug that offers anything quite like this. There are others that have multiple filters that you can swap between, but the earplugs need to be removed from your ear to do that. And even then, trying to mess around with taking out one small part and install another, in the dark, in the middle of Club Hel, is not a winning strategy.
Previously, my preferred plugs were the SureFire EP3 Sonic Defenders. These are in a somewhat similar vein as the Loop Switch, in that they have filter caps that can be opened or closed to adjust the attenuation. I find the Switch to be superior. The Sonic Defenders offer 24 dB SNR when the caps are closed, which is good, but only 11 dB SNR when the caps are open. This isn’t much, so I find that my for use cases the Sonic Defenders only really get used in cap-closed mode. The range of attenuation offered by the Switch (both v1 and v2) is a more useful neighborhood for the environments I operate in.
The mechanical nature of the Switch means that the body itself is a rigid plastic. This makes them inappropriate for sleeping. At least, if you spend any time on your side. They don’t stick out much, but they do so enough that sleeping on them is uncomfortable. I bought a pair of Loop Quiet 2 earplugs this summer for sleeping. These are entirely made of a soft silicone, and I find them comfortable to wear all night. I do not sleep with earplugs regularly, but anytime I’m on the road I throw the Quiets in my bag (along with the Switch – they’re small enough that I’m fine with carrying both sets) in case the hotel or campsite or redoubt or whatever is loud.
I’ve worn the Switch for multiple consecutive hours, and find them to be perfectly comfortable (as long as you are not laying on them). With other plugs it’s often a relief to finally remove them, not because they cause any discomfort when installed, but just because they feel like they’ve been cutting me off from the world for a few hours. Removing them is like coming up for a breath of air – a breathe the free air again my friend sort of moment. Not so with the Switch, I think because I am periodically dropping them down to Engage mode when appropriate. Sometimes I forget to take them out for a while after leaving.
The Switch comes with four different sizes of silicone tips to adjust the fit. Replacement tips are available to extend the life of the tool.
The dial of the Switch has a small tab protruding. This provides a haptic reference point for what mode is selected, and gives you something to grab on to when moving the dial. It works well enough for switching the dial between Quiet and Experience modes. But Engage mode is the most anterior position on the dial, and when in that mode I find the tab slips underneath my tragus. It is small enough that this causes no discomfort, but the smallness also means it can be difficult to get purchase on the tab to pull the dial back to either of the other two modes. I have to slip a fingernail under there to grab it, which sometimes takes a couple seconds to get right. This is the only negative thing I have to say about the Switch, and I am told this was fixed on the Switch 2. It is not enough of an annoyance to make me want to move to new model while my current ones are still working fine, but I look forward to someday upgrading.
All of the earplugs offered by Loop feel a little overpriced, but the two models I have are good products, and I think it’s great that they are trying to normalize PPE into a fashion accessory. I want more of that in the world.
The foreground shows a man relaxing on a portable camping chair next to his touring bicycle. The bike is heavily laden with panniers suggesting a long journey. In the background, there is a dry, scrubby landscape with low-lying vegetation and sparse trees under a clear blue sky. The location appears to be a trail or roadside somewhere in a temperate climate. The overall setting suggests a sense of adventure and self-sufficiency.
A Caucasian male, appearing to be in his 30s, of seemingly middle-class economic status, is seen taking a break, enjoying a drink from a thermos. He seems relaxed and content; possibly on a solo bikepacking trip. His attire suggests an outdoor lifestyle and active pursuits. His expression appears peaceful and reflective. The image appears to be taken with a professional camera during daytime.
The man’s sunglasses appear to be polarized, which might suggest he is protecting his eyes from glare on a bright sunny day. A small, almost invisible detail of a thin twig can be seen to the left of the bicycle tire. The overall setting suggests a planned stop during his journey, with equipment suggesting a well-prepared and experienced cyclist. The overall cleanliness of his equipment points to a tidy and organized individual.
It hallucinated panniers (the bike has a bar bag and saddle bag, not panniers – get your luggage straight, Google). There is nothing heavy about my tea party load-out. I’m out for the afternoon. The thermos is on the ground; I’m drinking from a mug.
But I do like to think of myself as well-prepared, experienced, tidy, and organized. I’m glad the Machine sees me that way. I feel seen.
I have a rule that I am allowed to purchase certain goods whenever I both can afford to do so and think that I may possibly have a use for them. It is a small list, including items such as Voile straps, Abloy Protec2 padlocks, and Pelican cases. Even if the specific model I purchase ends up not working for whatever project I currently have in mind, I can always use more of these items, and will never regret the purchase1. In the parlance of our times, these items spark joy.
Recently I determined that my zibaldoni situation was getting out of hand. I had completed notebooks in two different locations, empty notebooks in three, and accoutrements like covers and inserts all over the place. “Self,” I said to myself, “This situation will not stand.” But it seemed like the perfect excuse to buy another Pelican case. I trawled eBay for a week until I found a good deal on a used yellow 1450. This now holds all notebooks, along with their directly related accessories. It sits on top of a cabinet next to my other 1450 (a previous eBay find). I figure I’ve got space for at least two more.
Notes
↵ Purchases of all other durable goods go through a protracted, multi-day period of hem and haw, where I ask myself: do I really need this thing, is the particular model I'm eyeing really the best suited to the problem I am trying to solve, will the item work in the short run but cause me to have regrets later on, etc.
