tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37997967148332982772024-03-28T20:28:46.930-07:00[ - ZEROSEVEN - ]This is a blog about music, travel, technology, and a bit of everything else. ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-18075318223709903082023-12-06T10:14:00.000-08:002023-12-08T22:56:00.572-08:00New car: Genesis GV70I thought I'd be spending at least 5 years with my 2021 Toyota Mirai, but that relationship was cut short when I was rear-ended, leading to the car being totaled.Making lemonade from a lemon situation, I went shopping for another car.Yes, interest rate is high so this isn't a good time to buy a car, but I needed something. Sharing my wife's car would save us a bunch of money, but at the cost of ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-22097738963294174832023-09-28T16:40:00.007-07:002023-09-29T21:03:40.955-07:00Samsung deal & overview of S23 Ultra, Tab S9 Ultra, and Galaxy Watch 6Samsung recently offered a crazy deal where you can get the S23 Ultra, Tab S9 Ultra, and a Galaxy watch 6 for around $400 (+ tax) with various trade in items. You could also add 2 Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for $50 each (which was a deal on its own). I was going to wait for the S24 Ultra but this was a deal I couldn't pass up.Deal break down:S23 Ultra 512GB with S22U trade-in $261.24Tab S9 Ultra 512GB ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-23457710974555713572023-09-28T16:03:00.009-07:002023-09-28T17:01:13.866-07:00How to add fast wireless charging to your S23 phoneI recently took advantage of a great deal from Samsung and upgraded to a Samsung S23 Ultra from my launch S22 Ultra (1 year and 7 months old).S23 Ultra with Spigen's Zero One caseEverything was great until I found that my fast wireless chargers don't fast charge the S23U. I was scratching my head for a while. I thought my S23U was defective...but it couldn't be. Everything else work fine.I ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-30716788567240705802023-09-17T05:21:00.038-07:002023-09-28T16:04:40.501-07:00Life lesson from Fight Club (the movie)As usual I was wasting time watching YouTube videos on a late weekend (after all, it's MY personal time)...but this was not a normal time waster. This time, I found a message that shook me deep to my core:Don't worry about external chaos, control your inner chaos and embrace what is to come.In the movie Fight Club, Tyler Durden is the manifestation of the main character's need to control his lifeZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-14602550212809712562023-07-31T17:15:00.007-07:002023-08-01T02:20:26.219-07:00Comparison of 2 mechanical keyboards (EVGA Z15 & Loriik LR68)Part of the joy of owning a mechanical keyboard is the high amount of customizations that comes with it. Revised keycaps config under bright light. Z15 (top) using HyperX PBT pudding keycaps while LR68 (bottom) rocking XDA "this is plastic" setLights off to show more RGB πIn the process of replacing keycaps. You can see the Gateron Brown switches here.Original config of the LR68 vs Z15 (ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-13702506479665597012023-07-30T13:21:00.009-07:002023-07-30T13:58:51.303-07:00Marquis of Wucheng - MoshowToys robot figureMy first MoshowToys figure arrived and it's huge!Ive been into Gundams since I was a kid. Having built many kits, I'm used to Gundam HG and MG grades, but this new robot figure is easily 2X typical MG size.That said, it is amazingly detailed and high quality.I no longer have time or patience to build quality Gundam kits so these pre-built & painted action figures are just the ticket. I'm ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-23507321349035128522023-05-07T10:29:00.019-07:002023-05-07T11:53:32.297-07:00A new take on American exceptionalismA recent post on Reddit on how Vietnam defeated 3 world powers in 30 years prompted me to think about how one of those powers (the US) compares.As a Vietnamese American who grew up in the communist regime (and with family members on both sides of the war), I am proud of being Vietnamese. But I am also proud to be an American.The toughness and resilience of the people who fought the Vietnam War ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-35042764380741008122023-04-05T09:11:00.005-07:002023-05-27T16:18:01.926-07:00Finally started our travel blog & video channelMy wife kept talking about making a travel site and YouTube channel but we never actually do it, until now.The concept is simple: 1000 Days of Travel in our lifetime (https://1000daysoftravel.com).At 3 weeks a year, that's roughly 48 years π±. But if we can squeeze in 5 weeks a year, we can do it in 28.6 years. We got a good start (52 countries) so let's see if we can do it.My wife made some ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-148655124743313422023-04-05T08:50:00.010-07:002023-05-27T16:21:04.257-07:00New metal G-shock Casioak watch
The model of this watch is GM2100C-5A.Ever since I saw the announcement of it back in February, I knew I had to get it. Macy's ran a 25% sale over the weekend and it applied to this watch so I grabbed it.I can't wait to take it with me on an upcoming trip.Here's a video review:I went a bit overboard in this video as I included comparisons between it and my existing metal G-shock (ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-37025577368600110872023-01-21T19:26:00.004-08:002023-04-05T08:51:34.351-07:00DNDM - Elfida. A beautiful song about a sad storyThis is a beautiful song about a little girl who, despite losing her fight against illness, inspires others to fight on.Sometimes you come across a beautiful song that evokes deep emotions, but you don't understand it because it's in a foreign language.Still, music transcends language and nothing is lost, even if the current song is a modern (house) interpretation of the original.This is DNDM's ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-62608656498611605832023-01-21T18:18:00.006-08:002023-01-21T18:28:18.088-08:00My favorite songs from INNAI've been a fan of INNA (a Romanian house/pop artist) for a while, but I recently came across these awesome songs. I then proceeded to listen to most of her entire discography (she made a ton).There are many good songs, but here are my current favorites:
INNA - INNDIA
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Another version:
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INNA - Yalla (Let's go)
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ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-53701495102431487052022-12-10T11:33:00.006-08:002023-01-21T18:28:32.458-08:00DNDM - I Love You MuchI just came across this awesome YT music channel: DNDM. I've been listening to many of their songs but I'm especially in love with this one.Listening on my 7hz Dioko, I can hear the instrument separation and crystal clarity of each tone. The foreground is amazing, but that background track is just πTurn up your volume and take a listen.ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-20218032359177856652022-11-20T03:44:00.004-08:002023-01-21T18:28:43.848-08:00My YouTube channelI recently made a YouTube channel to review flashlights as well as things from my various hobbies.You can check it out here: https://youtube.com/user/1ZEROSVNIt's a fun way for me to talk review/discuss things from my various hobbies, but also a learning tool for me. I hope to improve my video editing and speaking skills through making videos and sharing them.I hope the contents on this ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-31745717173694222652022-10-12T02:23:00.005-07:002023-01-21T18:29:08.311-08:00My first hobby-grade Remote Control carI saw a good sale on a 1:10 scale RC car recently so I bought it.This was actually inspired by a hike to a nearby park (Fairview Park). This park has many dunes with plenty of dirt and low grass shrubs, perfect for a good RC car to do jumps and kick up dirt.As is tradition, after I bought it, I couldn't make use of the car as there's only concrete and asphalt around me (downside of living in a ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-30322030310992094032022-06-07T01:42:00.025-07:002022-07-21T03:18:57.225-07:00Upgraded desktop computerI finally found enough time to upgrade my main desktop computer.It was running a Gigabyte B450 motherboard with Ryzen 5 2600 from 4 years ago. Time to update the old beast.I actually bought most of the parts during Black Friday last year but never got around to installing them. I built a mini-gaming PC in between that time so there was no rush to upgrade this one. But now's the time.Build goal:&ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0Orange County, CA, USA33.7174708 -117.83114285.4072369638211555 -152.9873928 62.027704636178846 -82.6748928tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-59128397307087094472022-03-01T07:51:00.013-08:002022-03-18T04:25:50.111-07:00Heroism in modern timeTo say that things have been crazy around the world is an understatement. Historic weather events caused by climate change, hyper-inflation, political strife & polarization, population unrest, and of course, the Covid-19 pandemic. Leaders come and go, but nobody has been able to do much to change the dark narrative lording over the world. Needless to say, the last few years weighed heavily onZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-51609699912465966512022-02-20T06:07:00.001-08:002022-02-20T06:07:28.298-08:00Our Lady Peace - In RepairAfter 2 years of the pandemic, it's fair to say that everyone's in Repair.Let's take some time to heal, and re-heal. We all need it.ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-88757652910551593932022-01-02T14:07:00.076-08:002022-06-07T02:05:01.058-07:00Phantom H1 - A mini-gaming PCHappy New Year! ππΎπ»2022 marks a new year full of hope and opportunities.What better way to ring in 2022 with a technology refresh, right? πOK so 2021 has not been a great year for PC upgrades. Thanks to the pandemic and a confluence of factors, computer parts, especially graphic cards, are hard to come by. I've been hunting for a new RTX 3080 (or 3070) for over a year and still couldn't get ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-86999233127061826772021-09-26T02:19:00.011-07:002022-01-08T16:06:21.861-08:00Parisian Vibe - Best of French Songs (Mix)Holy smokes, this playlist is amazing.Put on a pair of headphones and turn it up to 11!That first song (Quedate Luna) makes me want to fire up my speakers just to feel that awesome beat drop...but it's late so I'm listening on my phone with Creative SXFI & 1More TripleFi headphones.Going to try again tomorrow with my KEF Q150 speakers.ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-58557238632010388572021-08-14T14:05:00.008-07:002021-09-16T04:22:45.333-07:00Pale blue dotThis video is so inspiring.Elon Musk is the Einstein of our time. Despite his brilliance, he is running out of time to achieve his mission: get humanity off this rock, this "mole of dust, suspended in a sunbeam".Elon is planning his remaining time in 5 minute increments so he can make the most of it. The least we can do, is to push harder, go higher, and achieve more in our work. Even if it ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-82639950021136119842021-06-14T20:36:00.036-07:002021-06-15T04:38:57.388-07:00Mood lighting for your TV: Govee Flow Pro light barsEver since I saw the Philips Hue HDMI sync demo 6 months ago, I've been wanting to buy them for my TV. However, at $150 for the light bars (which I actually have) and $250 for the HMDI Sync kit, they're a bit much.Since then a few alternatives came to market but none are good enough, until Govee released the Flow Pro Light bar kit. However, it was unavailable for a while and still a bit ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-66619955768716731402021-06-03T03:23:00.020-07:002021-07-26T15:24:19.490-07:00How does a 2018 computer fare in 2021?I had some time today so I played some PC games. Of course it's been a hot minute since I played any game so I had to do a bunch of software updates.Here's my gaming pc:More details can be found in the original 2018 post.After some light gaming, I decided to update all drivers and even the BIOS to see if there's any performance improvement.Well, good news and bad news.Good news is my PC is still ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-75782478846967856792021-04-24T08:51:00.025-07:002021-05-19T00:21:33.933-07:00New keyfob cover for my '21 MiraiI love my Toyota Mirai but the plasticky keyfob was a let down. Coming from a metal key on my previous luxury sedan, I was expecting the Mirai to have a similar keyfob, but I was disappointed. So, I set out to find aftermarket keyfob covers.I found a few good options on Aliexpress and bought two of them. The first one arrived and boy is it nice.It comes in a nice boxExploded view (sans the ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-79098480849624266352021-04-17T03:40:00.021-07:002021-04-17T04:16:48.086-07:00Every Day Carry (EDC) toolsI've always liked EDC tools. Over the years I cobbled together a bit of a collection. However, as I go through them, I realized I like to keep things light and compact, so I've been slimming down what I actually carry everyday.Well, after years of carrying and un-carrying stuff, here's my current EDC:Contents: Leatherman Style CS (latest addition)Toyota Mirai keyfob in leather coverSanDisk ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3799796714833298277.post-70081935087734853352021-04-07T23:52:00.031-07:002021-09-16T04:00:07.479-07:00Futuristic Hydrogen stationI've had my share of fueling experiences, some are great, some, not so great, but all of those experiences pale in comparison to what I just had at the True Zero station in Fountain Valley.This is a brand new, high capacity station that came online last year. However, due to some issue, it's been down for the past 2 months. It's now back up and man, is it awesome.After hearing it was back online,ZEROSVNhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10029019136305761059noreply@blogger.com0Fountain Valley, CA, USA33.7090212 -117.95440695.206412284571563 -153.11065689999998 62.211630115428441 -82.7981569