Dude's Must See Products for July 2023
Here are some things that happened in July 2023: 1) The 4th of July; 2) My mama's basement flooded, costing her many thousands of dollars, and me many hours of furniture moving, to remediate; 3) My friend Cornelius lured me into a 5-mile hike by promising to buy me as many In-N-Out burgers as I could fit in my daypack, but then got us lost on the trail, and turned it into a 10-mile hike. During which I had no food, and ran out of water due to trying to conserve space in my daypack for In-N-Out burgers; 4) I played mini golf at Puttshack. It was kind of pricy for what I got, but overall way more fun than items 1, 2, and 3 above.
And here are some things that became must see products in July 2023.
Note: All must see products for July 2023 are priced as they were at printing on August 1, 2023. Pricing, and availability, are subject to change.
15 (More) Items I Bought & Would Buy 100 Times Again
A few years ago I wrote about 20 items I bought on Amazon and would buy 100 times again, providing you dudes and ladies with invaluable information on how to improve you own lives by purchasing a bunch of sh*t. And now, I'm back with more, baby! 15 more items I bought and would buy 100 times again. (They're all also available on Amazon, but my titles have a character limit so I had to leave that part out.)
Happy shopping, happy lifehacking, and happy not sending me angry emails if you decide something I bought and would buy 100 times again is a POS, or otherwise undeserving of your acquisition.
Socket Fanlight
A ceiling fan, plus an LED light, that installs in seconds by screwing into your existing ceiling light socket?! Damn, Socket Fanlight, talk about a real cool, light bulb moment!
The Socket Fanlight wraps a 15.75" ceiling fan around a 1,000-lumen LED light bulb, so you can enjoy some airflow with your illumination without the DIY knowhow and hassle that might otherwise accompany this type of upgrade. Installing the Socket Fanlight is as easy as, say it with me...pie.
Extremus SwitchBak Tie-Down Bungee System
The Extremus SwitchBak Tie-Down Bungee System is ideal for activities such as extremus sports. Extremus adventures. Extremus recreation. Extremus home and garage organization!
Extremus says their 6", 8", and 10" length sets of bungee cords have "infinite uses to organize your gear." You can use each SwitchBak individually, or attach any number of them to create the exact length you need.
Fluffy Wall Art
Can't get a puppy or a cat? How about a pettable Mona Lisa, a soft 'n' silky Scream, or a furry Starry Night instead? Fluffy Wall Art turns masterpieces of fine art into masterpieces of fluff art, with the artists of UK-based Kahove using dyed faux fur in place of paint to create replicas of da Vinci's, Munch's, and van Gogh's celebrated works.
Fluffy Scream, Fluffy Night, and Fluffy Mona Lisa come in your choice of 31.5" x 21.3" or 47.2" x 31.5" sizes. All have lustrous fur extending about 2" out from their canvases.That's about the same length as the wall-to-wall shag carpeting my mama used to have in her bathroom, and if the Fluffy Wall Art feels as good running between your fingers as that did between my toes, we are all in for a real decorative treat.
Grid Studio Disassembled Old Tech Art
Grid Studio creates art honoring extinction that is itself on the verge of extinction. Their framed displays of disassembled old tech - namely iPhones, but also a few other Apple products, brands of early edition cell phones, and nostalgic gaming devices - rely on relics that are getting harder and harder to come by.
Dripping Blood Pearl Necklace
Yep, I read it on Reddit. Or rather, I saw the Dripping Blood Pearl Necklace on Reddit, as you and thousands of others may have too. But I still couldn't resist showcasing it here, given that blood and pearls are what this site is all about. Or rather, the optical illusion the combination of the two creates in the Dripping Blood Pearl Necklace is one of the things this site is all about.
Halloween costumes are another.
And pranks, especially those that could scare the bejeezus out of your mama and Aunt Jan, and that your wife, She-Ra: Princess of Power, is willing to aid and abet you with, are a third.
E195: What Is This Thing?
Hints: 1) It's a fan of the phrase, "Reduce, reuse & recycle"; 2) It might help you save a few bucks at places like UPS and the post office; 3) To figure it out, you'll need to think inside the box.
Tow Hitch Multi-Tool
The Tow Hitch Multi-Tool from Rockworkx isn't just a multi-tool itself, it makes a multi-tool out of your tow hitch. The 2" receiver of any vehicle can now both tow trailers, RVs, and sporting goods racks and store a 7-in-1 multi-tool for camping, 4x4 off-roading, and other outdoor adventures. And, now that I think of it, hide your keys and cash, and set you up with a stripper pole.
Giant Fluffy Floor Cushion
Made by Aneta of Blue Brush Gits, this shaggy disc of a pillow comforts and cozies up to all in a variety of colors, as well as sizes ranging from Bigger Than Your Average Floor Cushion, to Plufl Dog Bed for Humans, to Frikkin' Huge. The cushions are filled with silicone balls, and Aneta notes their exteriors are made of "shaggy" and "fluffy," which aren't textiles per se, but do describe the product better, and make me want to buy it more than actual material names like "rayon," "polyester," and "synthetic fiber."
Monopoly Scrabble Mashup Game
It's a Monopoly Scrabble Mashup Game! Or, as they should have called it, Ponymolo! Or Omnoplyo! Or Lypomoon!
Winning Moves says their board game "combines the best elements of the Monopoly game with the crossword-building play of Scrabble." I hope that means I get a wad of cash for every X I use, as well as for every time my mama tries to cheat and convince me "brang" is the past tense of "bring," and Zelle isn't just a proper noun.
NukAlert Keychain Nuclear Radiation Detector & Monitor
NukAlert sounds a little cooler than Geiger Counter and dosimeter when it comes to naming a nuclear radiation detector and monitor. It also sounds a whole lot more sensational and alarmist. That said, the NukAlert shouldn't go off when you stand next to your microwave or the dentist is x-raying your teeth. Rather, the keychain-sized detector and monitor is calibrated to alert you when your radiation exposure reaches "dangerous levels."
NukAlert monitoring of gamma and x-ray radiation is active 24/7, and its battery is rated to have a life of 10+ years.
BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide Smartglasses
Heads up, bikers. BMW Motorrad is bringing head-up display - plus a 21st century design and aesthetic that is far from your grandpa's motorcycle goggles - to their ConnectedRide Smartglasses.
Set to hit the US later this year, the ConnectedRide Smartglasses will project familiar HUD technology, including navigation, speed, and gear, directly onto their lenses, and into riders' fields of vision, without forcing them to look away from the road. BMW says this should enable "safer motorcycle riding," but combined with their futuristic anthracite frames and rectangular lenses, the ConnectedRide Smartglasses will probably be coveted more for their drip factor, and the fun of showing off such a slick piece of BMW tech.
Adventure Board Multi-Use, All-Terrain Utility Board
The Adventure Board claims to have "endless uses," and it's not messing around in saying so. You can use this all-terrain, all-season utility board as everything from a floating dock and paddle raft, to a waterslide, bridge, snow sled, and gymnastics tumbling mat. And those are just its basic applications. If you've got some ideas for a DIY adventure that could use a variably inflatable plank to enhance the outcome, methinks the Adventure Board will not disappoint.
Star Wars Orbitkey Key Organizers
Keep your keys from exploding like a Death Star all over your keychain with a Star Wars Orbitkey Key Organizer. Inspired by Star Wars characters, ships, and vehicles, the Orbitkey series ranges from a subtle red stripe on a black background representing Darth Vader, to more literal prints of a TIE Fighter and the Millennium Falcon in flight. Mandalorian fans also have a Mando - black with brown stitching - and Grogu - fuzzy beige exterior paired with a key lime green interior - options.
Hulkfoot Heels
The most interesting thing about these Hulkfoot Heels from I Wanna Bangkok isn't even that they are 2" pumps with giant, veiny green Hulk toes and arches growing out their front end. Nope. The most interesting thing about these Hulkfoot Heels is that I Wanna Bangkok says they are "unisex." Unisex! Like they're just another pair of Zombie Feet Sandals or Sneki Snek Slippers that my double-wide dude hooves can slip right into without causing a blood clot or foot necrosis or whatever debilitating injury occurs when you squish your toes into a triangular point for hours on end. I don't even know how dainty-footed ladies wear high heels, and I Wanna Bangkok is telling me their Hulkfoot heels are motherhulking unisex?!
Well. ... I mean, are they all 4E sizes or something? That would actually make sense, given that the Hulk feet the Hulkfoot Heels are modeled after are at least, like, 10E. And if that's the case, I guess it's possible that Hulkfoot Heels are the most comfortable heels ever made. Heels that would accommodate a gnarly ol' man foot. Heels that...this dude better get in on before they sell out!
E196: What Is This Thing?
Hints: 1) You've surely seen one before, just maybe not one that looks and works like this; 2) It could become your main squeeze; 3) It's totally tubular, and anything that wants to roll with it has got to be totally tubular too.