It's almost that time of year.... in Seattle it feels like maybe we will skip spring and go straight to summer? 

If you have kids, you know that Summer is filled with creamy white sunscreen applications each morning before the kids go to camp, the beach, or whatever. Having sunburnt kiddos is no fun.

Two years ago I wrote an article on my favorite sunscreen, Beyond Coastal.

I explained my reasons for why I chose a chemical sunscreen over a mineral one. After years of trying mineral sunscreen I was done. I could not stand how the products felt, were applied, and how they stained my cars, furniture and everything else. I also found a lot of variability in preventing burns and questionable science that mineral is actually, in balance, better.

When I have questions about cosmetic products, I usually turn to the Environmental Working Group. They do an OK job of giving you a view on how many cosmetic products stack up. In their mind, Beyond Coastal is one of the best chemical sunscreens out there and I have been a happy customer for 2 years.

With Mother's day and Father's day on the horizon, I thought I'd write about something for men. I've been looking for a new dressy belt for a few months. I think the last time I purchased a black or brown belt I was in college. Belt shopping isn't exactly how I would choose to spend my time, but when you need something it will warrant some effort.

However, my attempts have not produced any results. The department store drive by belt investigation did not land me on a belt. On a recent trip I noticed that my friend Tony East was bragging about how his belt does not set off the security apparatus at the airport. While telling me this he also mentioned it was reversible.

REVERSIBLE!!!! you mean the two necessary colors, black and brown, plus a belt you could wear in the airport? I had to know what this magical thing was. 

It also turns out that Tony, as a big fan of Paul Smith (I mean who isn't!), found a reversible belt that fits the bill in so many ways. I ordered mine within minutes from the Paul Smith website and had it a few days later.

I go the belt in the black primary color since that is what I use most. Brown is he secondary color. It's made of Saffiano leather which is a type of leather finishing that produces that shiny bumpy texture with a cross hatched pattern. It is very durable.

Since I can remember, I have used some form of electric toothbrush. In the late 90s it was the Oral-B (the brush head that turns) and later the Philips Sonicare. I've been using the Sonicare for probably 15 years.

These tooth brushes come in a dizzying array of options. It's like buying a washer/dryer. And of course, there are always the Costco double pack / special editions.

Lately I've been seeing ads for a new Toothbrush called the Quip and I decided to try one out. The quick is a fairly in-expensive option compared to the ones mentioned so far. They start at $25 for a plastic one or $40 for metal.

For many years I have relied on OluKai Sandals and Beach Shoes. They are simply fantastic. I have spread that love to everyone in my family. Olukai is a California (often confused as a Hawaiian) based clothing company but they are known for their sandals.

For over a year now I have been lugging around an Anker PowerCore+ 20100 battery on all my trips. What makes this battery special is that it has a USB-C port that can charge a MacBook or other USB-C items such as Android phones or a Nintendo Switch. 

As a kid, I always had a Mag Flashlight. They came in big and small, and I remember them always running out. With modern day advances in lighting (LEDs) and Batteries (Lithium) I decided to take a look at my flashlights, including making sure I have an Every Day Carry (EDC) flashlight.

Flashlights are very useful tools. For me it comes down to:

1. Home emergency and tasks
2. Bedside (so I can avoid turning the lights on)
3. Travel (finding stuff in my backpack or luggage)
4. Travel (finding my way around an unfamiliar hotel room or house in the dark)
5. Photography (light painting for long exposure)

Last year I started testing out some flashlights from a company called Foursevens. They make a bunch of flash lights and below are the ones I've purchased.

I remember when Digital Frames first came out. Everyone thought our houses would be filled with these things. However, after the first batch of frames, they all devolved to cheap pieces of junk, made from left over LCD parts and generally low resolution and aspect ratios that didn't match your photos.

These first generation frames also made it difficult to update photos. Often you had to use a physical memory card and as such the photos never changed.

This past year, while shopping at the b8ta store in Seattle (basically an OmarKnows retail store) I stumbled upon the Aura Frame.