It’s been a decent year in life, but a tough one in the pocketbook (what with The Great Bathroom Project, more medical expenses than I’ve had in the last 25 years, and giving up my biggest client on one of those thorny, stubborn Issues of Principle). Pardon me for being blunt, but I need this Amazon Christmas season to be really, really big.
So once a week between now and Chrismakwanzaahanukkahyule I’m going to feature a few cool Amazonian goodies. You faithful (and blessed) Amazon buyers know the drill. Enter Amazon through any of my Associate links and anything you purchase during that visit earns me a commission. It’s a great thing for me and I hope for you, too, because you’re contributing to this blog just by doing something you’d have done anyhow — shopping for Christmas gifts or treating yourself to something nice. Or something routine, for that matter. (I buy my paper towels and Kleenex in bulk via Amazon and some regular shoppers buy their puppy kibble, their coffee, their vitamins, and their gourmet cooking oils there, too.)
I never know who’s buying what. I only get aggregate reports on items ordered on any given day and items shipped. So your privacy is safe with me.
To start off, here are a few of the items people have bought recently that caught my eye.
Bolt Power X5 Mini 8000mAh Portable Car Jump Starter 400 AMP Peak – Emergency Outdoor Portable Power Pack The product name is self-explanatory. This is simply one of the handiest gadgets I’ve seen come through the orders page all year.
Howard Leight Impact Sport OD Electric Earmuff. These shooter’s earmuffs amplify conversations while suppressing ear-damaging sounds. Reasonable price, super-high ratings. Come in four different colors, too.
A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State by John Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute (with an introduction by the great Nat Hentoff). Might wake up a few sleepyheads.
For the more action-oriented book reader there’s 100 Deadly Skills: The SEAL Operative’s Guide to Eluding Pursuers, Evading Capture, and Surviving Any Dangerous Situation.
And it’s amazing how versatile and inexpensive sports cameras are getting. Here’s one somebody bought this summer: Neewer 1080P H.264 WIFI Sports Camera/Car Recorder with 1.5Inch LCD Display 12MP 170 Degree Wide Angle Underwater 30m for Outdoor Sports Supports All iOS 4.0/Android 7.0 System. Yes, the title Amazon chose is a mouthful, but I left it all in because … well, that’s what the thing does.
On the more low-tech end of the outdoor scale, how about this Tall Cord-Wrapped Wolfhead Hardwood Walking Stick? I have something similar that I used every day while living out in the desert. Really helped on steep slopes and uneven ground.
Knives are always a big item, and this Kershaw 1670S30V Blur Knife with S30V Steel Blade with SpeedSafe is pretty typically popular among Living Freedom readers. (Except of course if you really, really want a Kershaw folder, you might want to check out the special Zelman Partisans model. I get no commission on that, but it’s a terrific knife to support a terrific volunteer organization.)
That’s it for now. Thank you to all who’ve been using my Amazon links. It really helps. Special nod this month to the unknown buyer of those textbooks that seem so unlike a typical Living Freedom purchase, but certainly make my day when they show up among the shipped orders. Many, many thanks to all who surprise me with the big purchases and equal thanks to everyone who keeps the tally building from day to day with purchases of all sizes and kinds.
And, to go along with your wolf walking stick, check out the reviews on the 3 wolves t-shirt. This t-shirt is a must-have!
I’m currently jonesing for the Klarus XT11 Flashlight to go on AR #2.
Lots of knives in my Amazon bookmarks. Maybe, I ought to convert all those to an Amazon wishlist. Who knows, I might even get some of them. 😉
Not sure what the glucosamine would have meant for you, as I scored it for 11¢. Alas, those deals only last a few minutes, so I failed to go through your link. When the pressure isn’t on, I try to use your link. Got a nice walk in today before that rain hit.
I got a pair of those Howard Leight ear protectors when my old Peltier’s failed. The HL is far superior, and should last a good long time. I got one of the walking sticks too… just can’t manage rough ground well otherwise anymore. 🙂 Now if I can just teach myself to remember it before I leave the house. At the present rate of use, it should last for several hundred years! LOL
Well, you talked me into it. Just ordered a pair of those snazzy earmuffs. Been needing some. Thanks for the link.
Well, thank you, Bob. 🙂
One day I’ll get a set of them for myself. Been wanting electronic earmuffs since the first Peltors came out. I remember those were $175 — and crude compared with these! Enjoy — and hear the good stuff, not the bad stuff, in good health.
So, if any of us find ourselves with a little extra cash this Christmas, can we just send you some? Can you put up a tip jar or link or something?
SomeGuyNamedSteve — You’re wonderful for asking. After the overwhelming response to the “roof raiser” fundraiser I had in the summer of 2014, I’m hesitant to put up a tip jar again any time soon. You guys did so much for me already.
IF the Amazon shopping season doesn’t turn out to be a whopper, though, I’ll probably go ahead and do a short fundraiser around Christmas. It would be lovely to clear the plumber and electrician bills from the Great Bathroom Project, but I’d rather do that through extra Amazon commissions — money people would have spend anyway on their shopping and money spent that brings goodies to the shoppers and their friends — than through donations.
$39 and change for electronic muffs. [sigh]
I did get a set of Peltors back when I started teaching, early 1980s.
As I remember they were about $300. But I’m still using them.