Best Purchases in 2021
As part of my annual review, I go over my purchases from the past year. I like to see what I spent my money on and if it brought me joy. I use this exercise as a guide for purchases in the coming year. It might seem obvious but I want to spend more money on the things that bring me joy and less on the things that do not.
Below is a list of my favorite purchases of 2021 (in no particular order):
Nanzan GiroGiro
Nanzan GiroGiro is a Japanese restaurant in Honolulu, Hawaii. The restaurant specializes in a Kaiseki menu that changes every month. Kaiseki is a traditional Japanese multi-course meal that is similar to a tasting menu.
My wife and I dined here twice last year with a different menu each time. We sat at the counter surrounding the kitchen and watched the chefs prepare our food. As much as I savored the food, it was just as enjoyable watching the masters at work. Dinner at Nanzan GiroGio is an experience and I’m glad we were able to be there for it.
MacBook Air M1
I needed a new laptop for personal tasks at the beginning of last year. I would be using the computer to browse the web, write blog posts, and edit videos. I found that the MacBook Air was perfect my needs. I love the fast speed, amazing battery life, and simplicity of MacOS.
As a bonus, below are two of my favorite accessories for the MacBook Air:
Anker USB A to C Adapter
These tiny dongles are essential since the MacBook Air only has USB C ports and most of my peripherals are regular USB. These adapters are definitely worth the price at $16 for a pair. I use these adapters at least once every day.
Bellroy Laptop Sleeve
I got the Bellroy laptop sleeve to protect my new laptop. I love the magnetic snap at the top of the sleeve. The sleeve feels solid and I am confident that it protects my laptop.
Trezor Model One
The Trezor Model One, or any hardware wallet, is one of my personal musts when dealing with cryptocurrency. This small device stores the private keys of your crypto accounts. It does not eliminate all security risks when dealing in crypto. But it helps take your mind off worries with malware and viruses on your computer.
The $65 is definitely worth it for the peace of mind. I chose the Trezor over Ledger because it works with Ronin and Axie Infinity.
Roam Research
On the surface, Roam Research looks just like every other note taking app. However, the two direction linking and templates make it stand out. I was so blown away after the 31 day free trial that I paid $500 for the 5-year Believer plan.
I switched my daily journaling to Roam from pen and paper. Although I miss the feel of writing by hand, I enjoy having all my notes digitalized. It’s much easier to go through my previous writing and gather insights. I also use Roam to draft most of the posts seen on this website.
Wedding Planner
I got married this past year. And I couldn’t have done it without the help of a wedding planner. Mona from Neu Events was wonderful. She helped my wife and I scope out the venue, navigate COVID guidelines, and track down vendors. I can’t imagine how much more stressful it would have been without Mona’s expertise and guidance. The money was well spent for an once in a lifetime event.
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