Slowly working on this piece of advice: “Unfollow IG models and influencers. Start following artists and designers. Your entire outlook on life will change.” Found this in my weekly Unreadit newsletter: Self Improvement. The curators of Unreadit pull all the best content from related subreddits and send you an email once a week. I’ve spent zero hours rummaging through Reddit in the last month because of this. — CD

I once walked into a hotel room and saw a large bottle of water on the desk. After I took a swig I noticed the $9 sticker on the bottle. Not wanting to pay the same price again, I started refilling the bottle from the cooler in the fitness center. Now when I travel I bring a bottle with me and head straight for the fitness center. — MF

Twenty-five years ago I published my first book Out of Control. In celebration of this anniversary, I re-read the whole gigantic thing and picked out 100 passages to tweet, which you can find at #OoC25 (still in process). I have to say, the book is still a great read, and probably more informative today than 25 years ago. I recommend it as an easy entry into robotics, artificial life, cryptocurrency, simulations, evolution theory, and the nature of decentralized systems like the internet. If you like the tweets, you’ll want to read the book. — KK

The last time I visited my dentist, her technician took my blood pressure with a small cuff that fit around my wrist. My results appeared in about a minute on the LCD. Very convenient. As soon as I got home I ordered a similar model on Amazon (Automatic Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor Blood Monitor) for less than $15 — MF

Jason Silva is a transcendental poet who raps about technology and the spiritual in very intense short videos. He sometimes quotes me so I am biased, but I really dig his rants. Yeah, they are flamboyant, but his preaching hits my mark. Check out his channel Shots of Awe for a quick jolt of the bigger picture. — KK

My Little Steamer ($12) is light and small and will save all of your blouses from looking wrinkled after packing. It takes about two minutes to heat up and start steaming and works really fast at unwrinkling. I love it. — CD

Two things have kept my to-do list on track lately. The first is this notebook previously recommended by Mark in issue 80. I bought 4 to stock up for the year. And the second is committing to the habit of asking myself the four questions from this Ted article. The most effectual being, “What’s the most important thing I can do today that would make tomorrow better?” and “Should I do this task now or can I do it later?” — CD

I have always used gasoline lawn mowers. I recently got a 5-blade push mower and am amazed at how smoothly it operates. It’s very easy to push, and the blades whir like a fan, neatly cutting the grass. It’s a pleasure to use. — MF

A lovely stream to follow on Twitter: 100 views of Tokyo. Each vignette is drawn in a colorful manga style. (Should be an Instagram stream, but is not.) — KK

When my sinuses are acting up, the thing that gives me the most relief is using a wedge pillow like this one. It keeps my head elevated and prevents post-nasal drip while I sleep. I always wake up better rested without a blocked nose or phlegm. Here’s an article that answers the question, “Do specialty pillows really work?”. — CD

Digital strategist Laura Olin has a newsletter with interesting miscellany that contains links to useful tips, thought-provoking quotations, and links to articles and videos. If you like Recomendo, you will like Laura’s newsletter. — MF

The ever-helpful David Pogue has a fantastic list of smartphone shortcuts I had no idea were possible. They save lots of taps. I programmed my phone to set up macros ( a series of steps into one step) initiated by a voice command, like “Hush Now” which silences your phone until you leave your current location. — KK

I’ve been using Rev.com for transcripts of audio conversations. It’s $1 a minute. But I recently tried Trint.com, which uses software instead of humans to turn recordings into text, and it was as good as Rev.com. It’s 25 cents a minute. Worth a try! — MF

I just got back from an overseas trip and this ergonomic Trtl pillow helped me sleep through most of my long flights. It’s super soft and supports my head better than traditional neck pillows. The best part of course is that it takes up virtually no space when packing. — CD

We’ve had one of the rainiest winters in memory. I normally carry a compact foldup umbrella in my bag, but when I head out from my house in the rain, I grab the Blunt near the door. This full-length umbrella is built like a tank. It is super sturdy, larger than a solo umbrella but not as big as a golf umbrella. There are no pointy corners (they are blunt, hey), and high winds won’t faze it a bit despite its large sized canopy. It would take an actual hurricane to invert it. You’ll lose it before it wears out. It’s expensive, but worth it. — KK

This Gottman Institute blog post has some examples of phrases to help de-escalate arguments with your partner. I wish it wasn’t so hard to say “I’m sorry” when I’m in the wrong, but these workarounds help steer heated conversations back on track. — CD

Those neoprene mousepads make my skin crawl for some reason. I found this one, which is made from aluminum, and it’s a joy to use with my optical mouse. I even like the sound my mouse makes as I run it over the lightly textured surface. — MF

This well-done 3-part YouTube series by SmarterEveryDay will make you smarter about how/why social media algorithms are exploited, and why it is so difficult to remedy, and why this will be an on-going arms race. — KK

The best gift you can give your indoor cat is a great view and a comfy place to nap. I’ve owned both the original Kitty Cot ($50) and the less expensive version by Oster ($20), and they’re both great. The Kitty Cot offers more size options and the Oster Sunny Seat has a machine washable cover and can hold up to 50 pounds. Every time I witness my little furry Frida sleeping or lounging in her perch enjoying her view, I think about what a smart purchase this was. — CD

I’m a huge fan of bicycles as the ideal way to tour. You see more than in a car, but you cover more than walking. Inexpensive, too. The Adventure Cycling Association is dedicated to encouraging bike touring in the US and offers very detailed maps and guides for many routes, short and long – including those paths without cars. I used their fantastic maps to bicycle 2,000 miles from Vancouver to Mexico along the Pacific coast with minimal traffic, hills, and hurdles. Plus tons of other help for bike touring. — KK