Everyday Carry (EDC) is a thing. Imagine my surprise when I learned that there are many communities around this subject matter. Here I thought I was alone in my obsession for bags and carrying everything I need each day.

Since cycling into work a lot less I've been in the need of something to use as my every day carry bag that isn't a Thule Pannier. Don't get me wrong I love my pannier bags but they aren't practical for walking around, holding two bags can be pretty tiresome. Just using the one bag doesn't provide enough space for all I want to carry. I needed something that I could put my everyday and emergency essentials in.

As usual, I did a bunch of research to find a bag which met my specifications. I needed a bag which I could use for my laptop, power cord, headphones, notebook, keys, and pens. Then it needed to be able to accommodate emergency items for travel or when out and about for a full day like a raincoat, lifestraw, knife, water bottle, safety light, fire starter, flashlight, and room for a day or three of clothes. I also wanted expandability for future use and something that was high quality and the budget was open. Not much to ask for right?

Well after a lot of research through various sites I had narrowed everything down to 4 potential contenders.

Triple Aught Design FAST Pack EDC

First Tactical 1 Day Plus Backpack

Tru-Spec Tour of Duty Gunny Backpack

5.11 Tactical Rush 24

Each had their pros and cons based upon all my research, I ended up with the bag which wasn't the most expensive, very high quality, and had all the expandability. In my research, the First Tactical bag seemed to have read through all the negative Amazon and website reviews or taken customer feedback to produce their bag. It seemed to have every feature that I wanted and fixed those that other didn't like about some of the other bags. Also, you figure if they are making something for police, firefighters, and EMTS it has to be rugged. So, I took the plunge and decided to take advantage of their August sale!

The First Tactical Unboxing

Here is what you can expect if your order this bag.
The package arrives, nice branded tape.
Free shipping and Free Returns! Also a nice welcome letter from the team.
A catalog of all the good plus everything is wrapped in nicely and well branded.
Free Blueline patch and my Pack It rain jacket.
Another freebie, a water bottle pouch!
The bag, ready to roll.

My first impression is that I made the right choice. This bag is from the packaging to the freebies is nothing but top quality. They are a newer little-known company but the team comes from the experience and background of 5.11. I highly recommend you check them out.

My first test of this bag will be my 5 day trip to Austin, TX. Read about it in my next post. I will also post what I carry in my bag and show it off in more detail.

I got off the plane and headed down to the rental car shuttle outside of Dallas Love Field. Opened my phone and clicked on the SilverCar app and clicked on the button for a pickup. It gave me the choice of a text or a call so I sent the automated text which then brought a driver pulling up a few minutes later in a nice new silver Audi A4. He helped us with our bag and started to drive us over to their facility. As he did he gave me a quick explanation of all the cars controls and by the time he was done, we were there. Next, he verified my Drivers License and Credit Card and we scanned the cars QR code and we were off. I have to say it was a pretty nice in person experience and introduction to what SilverCar means to disrupt.

I've got to be honest and tell you that I wanted to not have a good first experience and impression. I wanted the pickup to be botched and the car not to live up to the hype of some of the reviews I had read online. Mainly because of my initial app experience placing the reservation and their short-sighted policy to only accept major credit card holders. This was going to be a bad review for those reasons, but I've changed my mind it will be my in-depth experience with SilverCar and you can decide if it's right for you.

Bad First Impressions

For starters if you do no have a credit card like myself then you are shit out of luck trying to use SilverCar. I'm sure this is for business and liability reasons but it's pretty short sighted to think that everyone has a credit card. Some of us, 30% of the US, live debt free and have no need or use for credit cards. Recent studies have shown that 40% of young adults say they have no interest in using a credit card. SilverCar is missing out on good size audience that is growing and their target mobile app audience. Other major rentals car companies have been accommodating to debit card users so should SilverCar if they want to capture this market. That wasn't the worst part of my initial experience but it's all related.

When I tried to get support for this issue to see if there was a workaround, or if they could hold the funds and take a deposit, it was a pretty direct no with no other offers of help or assistance. In various channels, I was told they only accept major credit cards with an attitude go use another service we don't want to try to accommodate you.

On some level I get it, it's their model so everyone tows the line, but in this day and age of service meaning everything it was a pretty poor experience. When you are a startup you need to build that brand and what I received was not very welcoming and a poor first impression. There was no offer to work around this issue or an offer to help me get a different rental service.

Once I had reserved an Alamo car for a Las Vegas trip in which they overbooked and ran out of cars, they immediately apologized and got me a car from a competitor as soon as possible with an upgrade at the rate they quoted me. Now that's service via traditional car rental. This new disruptive on demand rental service should do better than the incumbent businesses.

My SilverCar support issue was vastly different from my AirBnB support experience. This will be another post entirely and is a lesson in how to handle an unexpected bad situation the right way.

I ended up having to use my company's credit card, which I reimbursed as soon as the trip was done. What a pain in the ass. Normally I would have said the hell with them and written the bad review but this was 1 day before my vacation started and I was pretty hard against time to make a new reservation at another place.

Is it more expensive?

It might seem like it is more expensive than traditional car rentals but when you add the type of car you get, the VIP car pickup, plus all the add-ons it seems to come out equal and worth the price. In Texas, there are a lot of toll roads and the car had the toll transponder included in the price. If you want to give SilverCar a try use my referral code KCQDJXVS and get $25 off your first rental.

The Car

I'm not a car reviewer but really what would the SilverCar experience be if you didn't talk about the silver Audi A4. Let's just say that the car is decked out with every option you can put on a stock Audi A4 including Sirius radio, Wifi, Bluetooth, Nav, independent climate controls..and so much more. It drives like a dream, very smooth to handle and the engine goes vroom with the 2.0 Liter 4-cylinder engine putting out 252 horsepower. I even received a compliment on the car at one of our stops!

Overall I couldn't be happier with the car, it was super comfy and made the 1,200 miles across Texas go by with little fatigue. It fit all our luggage which was 2 large checked bags and 3 laptop bags in the trunk. We had to put the additional carry-on bag in the back seat.

My one major complaint is not that the car had navigation but it was with the navigation itself. The navigation in the car is a pain to use and it sent us into the wrong location a couple of times and one night wanted to me take left into the wall which held up a bridge. Luckily I wasn't pulling a Michael Scott and clearly could tell there was no left turn to take. If I was an owner of an A4 I would look to replace that or just use my phone. I recommend that you do turn on audio queues because without them the map and center control will get you more lost and confused and probably put you into a car wreck. You would think with the price of the car and navigation they could get you something that worked better than your iPhone. Once we returned the car the serviceman mentioned we shouldn't have used the Google Maps and instead the default maps. Wish I had known that was an option.

The Return & Conclusion

We were in Dallas for the last day which was a fun time. The flight took off late at night so wasn't till 8pm when we had to head back to the SilverCar office. It was as simple as going to the navigation and selecting the preprogrammed location. We drove there and met the serviceman who inspected the car quickly and drove us off to the airport. It ended how it began at Dallas Love Field where the serviceman helped us with our bags and we were off to our gate.

Overall SilverCar is a great concept and something I would do again if I had a credit card I could borrow again or if they change their policy. If they could figure out how to server debit card users I would be a loyal SilverCar customer every time I travel. The car is great and it's very convenient service. Open your phone and click the app and you've got a car.

If you want to give SilverCar a try use my referral code KCQDJXVS and get $25 off your first rental. Currently, there are SilverCar's available at these locations:

• Austin (AUS) - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
• Brooklyn (BKLN) - Brooklyn, New York: McCarren Hotel & Pool
• Chicago O'Hare (ORD) - Chicago O'Hare International Airport
• Dallas Love Field (DAL)- Dallas Love Field
• Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - Dallas Ft. Worth International Airport
• Denver (DEN) - Denver International Airport
• Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) - Ft. Lauderdale–Hollywood Intl Airport
• Las Vegas (LAS) - Las Vegas, McCarran International Airport
• Los Angeles (LAX) - Los Angeles International Airport
• Miami (MIA) - Miami International Airport
• New York City (NYC) - New York City: Manhattan (W. 42nd)
• Newark (EWR) - Newark Liberty International Airport
• Phoenix (PHX) - Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
• San Francisco (SFO) - San Francisco International Airport

What's it like to plan your entire vacation with your iPhone? It's amazingly disruptive and convenient.

It's been a while for a real vacation so Leslie and I decided it would be fun to take some time off and travel to Texas. Instead of the traditional hotel and rental car companies, we decided to try something new do everything via mobile apps and the sharing economy. Our goal was to live more like a local and see the state so we used AirBnB and tried SilverCar.
This trip was our first time ever using the AirBnB App. Love the concept but never had the opportunity to try it out. This was the perfect trip to use AirBnB since we hit up 5 cities in 6 days and check out the non-touristy areas. It allowed us to stay locally in pretty interesting areas. I'll post about each city in our week long journey through Texas stopping in Dallas, Waco, Austin, San Antonio, and Houston.
Another great concept is to change the car rental industry with and make things more efficient, enter SilverCar. Read my in-depth post about the SilverCar app/service. It allows you to make a car rental reservation with a button click and get the VIP treatment from airport pickup to decked out Audi A4.

Overall taking a vacation only using mobile apps worked and provided a pretty convenient experience. We had a bunch of fun and I'd recommend it. Amazing all you need is a mobile phone to have a great vacation.

Give SilverCar a try and use my referral code KCQDJXVS and get $25 off your first rental.

There are two things that I can't live without delicious food and Instagram. The first needs no explanation as we all need some sort of food to sustain our lives so why not eat the most delicious dishes when you dine! Then there is Instagram which I've been a part of for many years. It provides me with a great daily visual inspiration and more local eateries have started posting to it making it a great place to find some amazing food.

Since moving to San Diego, 5 years ago, the food scene has really blossomed and we have some of the most amazing restaurants around. Here is my list of the 15 most delicious eats I've been to and had a delicious meal and I follow on Instagram. There are so many great places that aren't yet on Instagram and ones I follow but yet to go to. Enjoy these and make sure to give them a follow and go for a meal, I highly recommend it!

A photo posted by Breakfast Republic (@breakfastrepublicsd) on Feb 22, 2016 at 11:57am PST

Breakfast Republic

2730 University Ave, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by SuperNatural Sandwiches (@sprntrlsandwich) on Feb 5, 2016 at 2:48pm PST

SuperNatural Sandwiches

7094 MiraMar Rd #105, San Diego

A photo posted by Donut Bar (@donutbar) on Feb 27, 2016 at 1:13pm PST

Donut Bar

631 B Street, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by The Crack Shack (@getcrackshacked) on Jan 13, 2016 at 11:16am PST

The Crack Shack

2266 Kettner Blvd, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by StreetCar Merchants of🍗🍩☕️🍻 (@streetcarmerchants) on Oct 1, 2015 at 3:42pm PDT

Streetcar Merchants of Fried Chicken, Doughnuts and Coffee

4002 30th St, San Deigo, CA

A photo posted by S&M Sausage & Meat (@sausageandmeat) on Dec 16, 2015 at 4:28pm PST

Sausage & Meat

4130 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92103

A photo posted by Sweetbricks Toffee (@sweetbricks) on Jan 24, 2016 at 9:40am PST

Sweetbricks Toffee

917 E Street San Diego CA

A photo posted by Sushi Co. (@sushi_company) on Feb 25, 2016 at 11:18am PST

Sushi Co.

3803 5th Ave. San Diego, CA

A photo posted by Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen (@rakirakiramen) on Jan 22, 2016 at 4:54pm PST

Rakiraki Ramen & Tsukemen

4646 Convoy Street #102-A, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by OB Warehouse (@obwarehouse) on Jan 13, 2016 at 12:38pm PST

OB Warehouse

4839 Newport Avenue, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by @rubicondeli on Feb 17, 2015 at 11:24am PST

Rubicon Deli

3715 India St, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by @prepkitchen on Sep 23, 2015 at 2:47pm PDT

Prepkitchen

1660 India Street, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by Ironside Fish & Oyster (@ironsideoyster) on Aug 26, 2015 at 12:55pm PDT

Ironside Fish & Oyster

1654 India St, San Diego, CA

A photo posted by CapeTown South African Fusion (@capetowngrill) on Feb 16, 2016 at 5:51pm PST

CapeTown South African Fusion

7580 Miramar Rd San Diego CA

A photo posted by Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream (@hammondsicecream) on Dec 31, 2015 at 2:27pm PST

Hammond's Gourmet Ice Cream

3077 University Ave, San Diego

Please also follow me on Instagram for posts on new places I visit.

Finally, I got the chance to see writer/director Noah Baumbach's first film, While We're Young. I have written about Baumbach's second film, 2015's funny and quirky Mistress America, which I really liked a lot.

This film stars Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts as a married couple that finds they've grown stuck in a common rut of life and are further constrained by the ceiling of getting older. Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried play the young twenty-something couple that befriends Stiller and Watts. This new element brings a younger energy to the older couple's staid relationship, sparking them to be young again.

This film hits close to home as I approach Stiller and Watts's age bracket. You don't really realize that you are getting older until you start to notice you can't quite do the things you used to do or you no longer even want to do what "young" people do. Things like running a few miles, training for triathlons, back pain, and my disinterest in anything besides hanging out at home caused me to ponder when the young-to-old switch was flipped and I abruptly find I'm no longer young.

I think the film's close relationship to my own life deterred me from seeing it for a while. I much prefered Mistress America, which allowed me to stand back and be a bystander to the action on the screen. While We're Young hit me much harder because in I keenly felt that I was watching some aspects of myself in Stiller's performance.

Aside from those uncomfortable personal revelations, I liked the film, although I much prefered Mistress America. The style of the films were similar, though the newer film has bigger name actors delivering great performances. It's a good film to watch and reflect on as you close in on your 40's.

Boomerang by Michael Lewis is the third entry in pursuit of my goal to read at least one book a month in 2016. Boomerang is an outgrowth of the research done for Lewis's previous book, The Big Short. Lewis delved into the causes of the colossal 2008 US financial crash and how it was driven by the subprime mortgage collapse. As he did, he repeatedly heard from various sources, including Meredith Whitney, about cities and entire countries that were in serious trouble.

This book intriguing on a global financial level but it also has implications on the human, sociological level. People will be people and they act in their own interest to obtain instant, albeit short term, gratification. One striking theme is how different countries behave with their newly burgeoning wealth as they begin to develop and gain that wealth. It isn't really a surprise that countries like Iceland, Greece and Ireland fail but I was astounded to learn the ways in which Germany is at the center of it all. An observer could be forgiven for wondering if they are trying to make amends for something.

While there are plenty of compelling stories in Boomerang, my favorite occurs when Lewis brings the narrative home to the US, and specifically to an interview with former California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. I haven't previously read much about him, but Lewis's portrayal of Schwarzenegger is surprisingly and gratifyingly evocative of how I've always imagined his true character might be. Schwarzenegger rides his bike through the streets of Venice the same way he lives - looking forward - with no time for what's behind him. It's revealing that this man, without a background as a politician, tried so hard to do what he felt the people who elected him wanted done. Yet he couldn't accomplish anything of substance because those same people, as well as the career politicians, could not face the pain inherent in the process of correcting the $400 billion debt.

Related Note to all California taxpayers: The San Francisco Chronicle has an insightful article on the ever-expanding debt that analysts are growing increasingly concerned about. This debt is already negatively impacting California's credit rating, which in turns impairs the state's ability to borrow. Boomerang explains how the tumble will begin and ultimately leave the hapless taxpayers to deal with the pain they tried so hard to avoid by assiduously ignoring the debt issue.

“These liabilities are so massive that it is tempting to ignore them,” Gov. Jerry Brown

Like Lewis's other works, this book is a riveting study of the true nature of people and what motivates their characteristic behaviors, masquerading as a financial book. The book's end arrived too quickly for my taste. I would have been happy to remain in the grip of this skillful author for a quite a while longer. It would also have been edifying to read more of his findings and insights on the US. However, it ended neatly where it began. Perhaps he's saved some related content for another book. One can hope. Or it could simply be that Michael Lewis can write about anything and make it a superlative read, in which case we can confidently leave the choice of future material and topics in his capable hands. So far Flash Boys is the better book but this is a properly solid second place. I recommend you read it.

Was able to get a prescreening of How to be Single tonight, thanks Warner Brothers. The film stars Rebel Wilson (who I love) and Dakota Johnson as women in New York City learning as the title implies how to be single or find themselves. First off this casting was great Rebel is always so humorous but the supporting cast was able to hold their own. My favorite parts were basically every moment between Leslie Mann and Jake Lacy.

Side note, Jake Lacy was also great in Love the Coopers though that film wasn't the greatest and really tried to hard to be funny and sweet and just missed the mark.

So, here's the movie pitch think very funny and commercial version of Mistress America meets Wild. If you haven't seen either of those films please do, they're great and I recommend them. This is an awesome movie that was so funny it had the whole theater laughing. The timing is really well done and the pace with the humor and sincerity of the story work so well.

So many great parts but favorite is the cab scene near the end of the film. You'll know what I mean.

There are these solid moments of humor that is brought to the sincerity of each moment. It's very true to life and in a roundabout way Dakota Johnson finally finds what it really means to be single instead of chasing what she thought single meant. It's definitely a great film to check out and not just a chick flick though the women are the focus of the film.

A great movie that is truly funny. I recommend this if you are a Rebel Wilson fan or just a fan of comedy 4.5 stars.

How to be Single is in theaters February 12, 2016

First off I'm a huge fan of Amazon Prime Video and Netflix as the future of content creation. We've been cord cutters for a couple of years now. Both Netflix and Amazon have the direct connection to the end user and all the data on what we all like and watch. It allows them to create content customized to our tastes. Here's a much better post by Tomasz Tunguz on the future.

Amazon Prime Video has been creating pilots and get feedback from audiences on creating the tv series. After watching the Mad Dogs pilot for free with my Amazon Prime subscription I was hooked! It's based on a UK created show by Cris Cole. The bad part about the pilots is that you have to wait for the show to be created. After that first episode it was hard to wait till the full release on Jan 22.

The show is about a group of 4 lifelong friends who travel to their successfully rich friends home in Belize. I can't really say much more or I will spoil it or give it away you just have to watch. But what turns out to be a relaxing week vacation with friends in beautiful Belize turns into the worst possible vacation you couldn't even think of. Each episode is action packed and funny with some great dramatic moments. Oh and did I mention it gets even worse for the gang each episode than the last. The show really plays well on the relationship of these 4 friends and how life has changed them and this trip will truly change them.

The series is actually shot in Puerto Rico and the locations are stunning. The back and forth between each character is awesome and it's just a great show that keeps you guessing and watching. Recommend you clear your calendar and binge on this show. It's free to Amazon Prime subscribers. Must watch TV!

If you're planning to retire at some point in your life, and even if you aren’t, then you should be reading Chris Hogan’s first book Retired Inspired. I pre-ordered my copy at Amazon before Christmas and it arrived not too long after. I had heard about Chris Hogan from listening to the Dave Ramsey Show. As a huge fan of Dave and the show, I'm aware that Chris has been working with him and talking retirement for some time now.

Tangent alert: In my household, we're allergic to debt, are philosophically opposed to it, and refuse to let it enslave our lives. Sorry if I wasn't clear, I hate debt. We have been debt free for almost 10 years. So, if you're in debt and haven’t heard of Dave Ramsey, you should check it out. For more than 20 years, he's been on a successful mission to get millions of people out of debt. He's also the New York Times best selling author of Total Money Makeover and Financial Peace University (which I highly recommend if you're trying to dump debt). Dave's outstanding podcast and radio show will have you hooked within your first hour of listening.

Though I’ve always been reasonably smart with money, in the last few years I’ve gotten significantly more serious and focused personal finances, particularly as I look toward retirement. I will discuss some of my personal retirement plans in future posts. "Retirement is not an age but a financial number” is a new perspective to me and is a concept that Chris Hogan illustrates particularly well in Retire Inspired.

This should be required reading for anyone over 18. It's basically a life manual. No matter the stage of your retirement planning this book handles every aspect without being too complicated or over your head. Chris tells great stories of his experiences working with folks helping them prepare for life. Get Retired Inspired, read it, do it plan your retirement dream in HD.

Book #2 is complete, next up another Michael Lewis novel.

I was able to get my old-timey Cape Coder on last night at the prescreen of Disney’s "The Finest Hours". I was raised on Cape Cod and didn't leave until after high school. On my return I started a web development business with Leslie. Being a little older and a business owner allowed me to explore my location and discover more of the Cape's history. My appreciation of the area grew. One story I hadn’t heard about was that of US Coast Guardsman Bernie Webber. He's the inspiration for the book by Michael Tougias and Casey Sherman and now the movie, "The Finest Hours".

What an amazing story of heroism during one of the most daring Coast Guard rescues in history! It happened during a blizzard in 1952 off the coast of Chatham on Cape Cod. I default to the word 'amazing' because I'm at a loss for how else to describe what Bernie and the small crew did that day to try to save lives on a sinking oil tanker. Anyone that would go out on command into the face of death to save others is astoundingly heroic. That this actually happened, dramatic license notwithstanding, boggles the mind.

The movie was quite well done, in keeping with Disney's usual high standards. Chris Pine delivers a great New England accent. The 3D aspect of the movie was also surprisingly good. In my experience 3D started out very gimmicky, but now in a few recent 3D movies I’ve seen it is well executed and its seamless incorporation doesn’t take away from the story. 3D has finally made good on its early promise to add depth, realism, and immediacy to our entertainment.

It’s always fun to see a movie shot in a place you're familiar with and on locations you've been to. I think it’s even more fun to see that location transformed into a bygone era so you can see "firsthand" how it was back then. Overall, "The Finest Hours" was exciting, though not overly intense, that I very much enjoyed. Like many engaging movies, it keeps you questioning yourself "would, or could, I have done that?". I think it’s a great movie for all ages and I highly recommend it.

The movie is opening in theaters tomorrow January 29th

Amazon is a wonderful place and for me and has made traditional shopping at local stores practically obsolete. It could be the hermit in me, but I really don’t like to leave the house. I rarely visit a mall or store anymore unless it’s for groceries or for a home project that needs doing immediately. My shopping trips could soon be further reduced because Amazon is making great strides in the 1 - 3 hour delivery window with Prime Now and Amazon Fresh.

As I browse their product offerings, I’ve often wondered (like many of us, I'm sure) what are the spendiest items available for purchase through Amazon. So, with the help of a friend who monitors online products, I have compiled a list of the 5 most expensive things you can buy on Amazon. Make sure you have your Amazon Prime account, if not get 30 days free.

#5 Midmark Corporation Casework Project

I assume this is a custom set of cabinetry for a dentist's or doctor's office. Not sure why it’s so expensive. But it’s weird and makes our top 5 most expensive Amazon products.
Price: $170,116.58 + $1,712.15 shipping

#4 Soma Technologies Trimode 9/6/4 Monitors Expanded

Medical equipment anyone? Who knew that you could get what is essentially an X-Ray machine on Amazon. You would think you could get free shipping for that price.
Price: $175,355.58 + $1,764.54 shipping

#3 Janel Lessing Original Pen and Ink Art

Original artwork is always beautiful. This is a signed original piece by the child prodigy. For those that don’t know, Janel Lessing was born in 1950 and wanted to be a world famous artist at the age of 3. By the age of 10 she was creating adult art at adult prices. The truly crazy part is she was nearly blind.
Price: $300,000.00 & FREE Shipping

#2 1802 Draped Bust Half Dime

For the coin collectors out there, we have this rare half dime. There were only 3,060 created. This is one of the most sought after coins, as most have been destroyed over time, with only 40-50 known to exist. Get this one right now on Amazon.
Price: $367,000.00 & FREE Shipping

#1 Todd Brownings “Freaks" Lobby Card set

This super rare lobby card set is one of the most spendy products you can buy on Amazon. I didn’t know people were selling one of a kind collectibles like this, but as we have seen, Amazon is truly the "everything store".
Price: $850,000.00 & FREE Shipping

Watch the trailer for the movie.

Moneyball and The Big Short are great movies and I wish that they would make Flash Boys, the latest book I've read, into a film but they won't and that's for another post.

After watching and loving The Big Short I was reminded that the story was written by the same author that also wrote Money Ball, Michael Lewis. Really liking those films one of my colleagues suggested I read Flash Boys another great Michael Lewis book.

I went through the book almost as fast as a High Frequency Trading algorithm soaking up every word and event. It is a captivating book and something I wish I had read when we built StockTwits. StockTwits is a niche social network built around sharing stock information in real time.

Flash Boys is about the change of the traditional stock market as we know it (people trading with people) into the computer to computer based high frequency trading that exists today. Back in 2009 we always knew that playing stocks was a suckers game and the real money was being made by programmatic computer trades but how all this was happening and came about was mostly unknown to me and most of the world. Even the investors and day traders rarely had a clue how it all worked. We sold our StockTwits data knowing that companies like in the book would buy it to feed into black boxes to make trades on information gleaned from it. The buyers of the data wouldn't tell you what they were doing with the data but would just pay you for it. Little did I know at the time that speed was the key and what the HFT firms were buying. Any little edge to one up the competition.

The hero of the book and someone, if the events in the book are true, we should be praising is Brad Katsuyama the ex-RBC trader and current founder of IEX. He does his best to give everyday investors a fighting chance and really figures out what a lot of investors and banks didn't even know at the time. It will amaze you the attitude of some banks and investors even when they know they are getting taken advantage of to do business as usual.

If you’re into the stocks, the market, or technology this is a fascinating book. It’s a tech story without being exactly about technology and about some huge historical change that ends up affecting us all. Read it, you will not be disappointed.

This is my first book of the year and really happy it was suggested to me. I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to get to reading the other two other books by Lewis.

Next book up is the recently released Retire Inspired by Chris Hogan.

Being intentional and the proper use of your time in life is very important. It’s how you accomplish goals or so they say. You can’t just set out to race a triathlon without training and your work and personal life is no different. I started out the new year a little loose on my intended schedule to achieve my goals so I’ve decided I need to adjust my schedule. It all first starts out with stating my goals for the new year.

• Read at least 1 book a month
• Write at least 1 blog post a week
• Visit the gym or be active for at least 30 min at least 3 times a week
• Do at least 3 Triathlons this year
• Test and create 3 donut recipes

These are all personal goals, I have other business goals I will probably write out at a later date. Now that it’s down in writing on purpose I can start to figure out a schedule to complete these life goals.

I’ll admit it with two weeks behind me I’ve already failed to blog daily as I intended.

As I posted previously blogging is damn hard, especially for me. It’s hard to get the time to write every day. There are so many things I want to write yet can’t either figure out how to put it down or I tell myself to save up the content and that will be great for a more in-depth post when I have the time to go in depth. I guess I’m just pushing it off and not really sticking to a schedule.

I’m going to adjust my every day blogging goal to a weekly goal. That way I can build up to something daily. Take it a little slower and be less aggressive with writing. So, while it seems like I’ve failed, I’m just getting started and need to work at my pace and build it up. It’s not a sprint but a marathon as they say.