Recent or not recent purchases that I've been excited about:

Custom-Embroidered Oakland A's Baseball Cap
February 2023: I'm from eastern Pennsylvania, but for a number of personal reasons I also root for the Oakland Athletics. I love this hat. The factory design ('47 brand) makes great use of color and material, but the embroidery is what makes it a work of art. I'm not sure who understood three simple flowers to be the perfect complement to this specific sport team's logo (I never met the artist who created this at the Lids in Poughkeepsie, New York), but they succinctly capture a California earthiness, optimism, and calm. Wearing this makes me feel light, an adult connected to the earth, both a fan and a player.

Shark Classic Clip
May 2023: I bought this at a surf shop in Montauk. At $65, it was a small purchase, but the utility, durability, and surfer ethos of the watch have endeared me to it. The watch holds two times, two dates, an alarm, a stopwatch, and a timer. I use these jointly to manage my time, which is to say I use them to manage my life. They allow me to block off time for certain activities (e.g., reading, a bath, or meditation), to alert when to check on food or depart for a meeting. As the watch is waterproof and affordable, I don't stress over taking it anywhere. It is light and barely hangs on my wrist. In searching for the link above, I saw the style comes in many different colors; I hope to buy another this summer.

Rawlings Official Major League Baseball
December 2023: Through my entire adult life, I've loved to play catch. Doing so allows me to connect with a friend or loved one, and puts us in a position to create something simple yet great together: A game of catch. The whip of the ball leaving your hand, and the pop as you catch it, are like direct connections to childhood. While I am happy to play with the same glove I used in Little League (Ken Griffey Jr. brand, signed by members of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre Red Barons), I felt called to buy a world-class ball. This ball is clean and crisp; it was money well-spent. I bought a few extra for my friends. It's great for catch or just to have around the house.

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