I finish my birthday budget with Montbell rain trekker jacket

Today whole day we are out for walking. As of now I had walked 22k steps. On average we walked > 20k per day. 2 reason really. Firstly, is that I ate too much from all the cheap bento from 7-11 and Lawson. And secondly, transportation is expensive so we save more by walking more.

Today my iPhone 13 mini start to have pink line flickering and purple tinting issue when facing bright sun. Dying soon. Walking around the 中古 street to find iPhone and MacBook Air. But japan keyboard layout a bit different from us so didn’t plan to buy these electronic in Japan. Unless 20 years ago, I will import docomo Japanese phone to play those with annetanna one and have to hang keychain and strip one. 

Finally today I buy finish my bday present. The rule is like this, every year we both have $300 birthday budget to buy things we like. Why this is better for us:

- as a minimalist we don’t like to be burdened with stuff which is not useful

- as a frugal man, I don’t buy anything at all, having this rules made me spend at least once a year

- we don’t like surprise and would rather have the money and decide our own present for the year.

- reduce the stress to do shopping for present but left not appreciated

My brithday is in Sept and Jackie’s in March, so we have basically 6 months each to buy our present and in the event if we cannot decide after 6 months, the balance will be pass over to the other people budget as penalty. So today buy finishing up my budget is a good thing for me.

Sitting outside Montbell to change into the rain jacket and Jackie’s toe socks

So this year my birthday present is as follows:

1. Nike short
2. Green long pant i am wear (in pic above)
3. Leather handmade wallet
4. Qiaodan short 
5. Montbell side sling 
6. Montbell Rain Trekker Jacket Men’s

Thanks Jackie :)

Our video of us doing the handmade money clip is up below:

Money clip handmade finally over with idea to pay forward

Yesterday we finished the wallet half way. In the morning I look grumpy and stress. Whole day I don’t smile or don’t respond to joke in Mai studio. Jackie came asking what happened. I didn’t realise but I am stressed that I am not able to work on the wallet. I tried to mimic the Korean 2nd second hand I used for long time where it was super well made with very thin leather and folding were clean and also the way they use thread to sew also can be 2 different colour. Mai had told me that they had used machine while we have the limitation due to our is handmade. 

Money clip outer and card slot fixed, balance edge paint and clip sewing

However, I still cannot get over the fact that the wallet didn’t meet my expectation. Half way into the day, Mai probably noticed that I am stress and offer to help us to speed up the progress. She took over and help me to trim from the card holder side which is the most difficult and punching holes for the sewing. Following is the photo for the ending of day 3.

Today Saturday we checked out from 99 Au Co homestay, traam Viet house. They charged us separately from the utility which suck. We proceed to Mai place to finish up the detailing on the edge painting and sewing on the money clip. Jackie finish up her notebook cover and explored on repairing her leather iPod touch case. Okie, we still haven book our ticket to Nan Ning China and also haven find out next hotel yet. But you know we hated planning. Therefore, Jackie decided to stamp her note book case “No Plan” to symbolise this.

At 4pm, we finally finish the money clip with the final touch when we sit out the cafe to Tu Lao and Mai boyfriend was sold when he see my fishing rod is so small that I can afford to even carry fishing rod, cup and creamer stick mixer in my 7kg day bag.

Money clip hold money in the centre, 3 card slot with one hidden pocket behind and left pocket for receipts

Front view with blue thread to have a subtle navy blue colour which is made with soft goat skin

Internal slot using chrome leather for water resistance and sublet logo branding

Mai and BF were very amazed with our life and envy that we are able to make choices in life. Although we are not wealthy but we do not have liabilities too. Without children, mortgage and motor allows us to live minimally and fluid to travel as and when we like. After next week we will be likely going to Nan Ning via bus. Although slow but we have the time to enjoy and travel slowly. I think I am super lucky compare to 90% of the population, I need to be grateful for life. It’s not how much I own but is how little I need :)

Near blue 29 hotel, Cua Hang Sua Bo, Giang Vo Hanoi

Lastly, today we check in to blue 29 hotel in Giang Vo last minute and we stumble upon a very nice pure milk store that also serve nice cream puff. We suddenly thought of a nice idea to do leather wallet and gift it to people who we like to give as gift. Then we will ask them to “pay forward” for another person to receive this gratitude gift that they get to pick. So we are able to do leatherwork perpetually for infinite :)

Stroll along Tay Ho Lake

Today wake up quite late at 11am, prepare myself and go over to Mai leather shop to work on my money clipper. So we intend to eat the Tom (economic rice) behind Mai shop. Super nice one but when we reach there at 12:30pm, the food is all gone. Very powerful in Vietnam. Good food don’t last in Vietnam. So end up we walk further up to eat Bun Oc (snail noodle soup). 

After lunch we walk around for coffee. It makes me remember the time I was working in the city, lunch break Liao drink coffee after lunch break as last time I also have 2 hour lunch break. We stumble upon a very run down cafe, it entice us to go check it out you know cause we are sucker for shop that has 60s look. When I got in I am just very amaze with how Vietnamese can run a business using the least resources. In business term they call it the minimum variable product. They have half finish entrance door, half finish roof top and half finish cornice. But yet they are already running the business with full revenue capacity. The building was like demolished down half way and someone just took over and use red brick to repair to a functional building. 

Jackie is standing at the corner, can you see her?

After the coffee I went back to work on the wallet. I kinda stuck and keep staring at the leather and I can’t decide forward. Although Mai tried to input her advice on the job but I cannot agree with her on how some method is applied. Then I just realise the money clip that I brought online second hand for $30 is very well made. A lot of technique was used to make the wallet super thin. I keep want to use the technique on my own handmade and I realise that it was too difficult specially in thinning the edge and the folding at the round corner. So the whole day I only got to do one piece with a brand stamping. Tmr I need to carry on so I need to speed up and adore an easy method to finish the wallet even if it mean it has to be thicker.

After leather working today, Jackie decided to walk into the westerner side of Tay Ho Lake. For excising to clock our daily walking target and got an excuse to walk and talk and stroll along the lake. Weather is cooling. At 10pm the alarm ring and we have to take a picture of the day. At the moment we saw nice alfresco place where people sitting at the lily pond dating. So here is the picture :)

Behind Tay Ho Lake

We secretly gave Mai a surprise visit

Hanoi lodging is so high compared to Nha Trang. Usually we pay only 4 star hotel for $18 but in Hanoi central / Tay Ho we are only able to get $30 for 3 star hotel. 

Earlier this morning when I went down to eat and I saw the haze is so bad in Hanoi and I do a quick search on the air quality and realise it was 25x above world recommended level. OMG, extremely unhealthy and I think Hanoi will not be a good place for us to relocate. As this is the 3rd trip this year and I think i will not come back to Hanoi anytime soon. I personally now like Dalit and then follow up Nha Trang now.

From Airbnb at Yen Phu we check out and move to lahomestay hang dau. I see the picture so nice but price at only $15 on agoda. But when we check in then the owner tell us that the hotel is newly added in the agoda and they didn’t prepare the room for us. So our 3 days booking have to cut to 1 and I need to move out again tomorrow.

Today after checking in to hotel we decided to give Mai a surprise at her Bima leather company. She was a new friend we made when we was looking for leather tools during our first visit. We decide to drop by her office and give her a surprise. 

Today big news is that the China bull market suddenly pull back and a lot of 90s and 00s are taking up loans and brought into the market. They were heavily influenced by China influencer. However as these younger generation had not accumulated much assets and those 3rd party non bank lender will see a lot of default from these group of people. 躺平了. Now is really getting harder and harder for younger generation. The economic no longer make sense even for me.  

Not suitable in-service line

 

Jacky went to find Andrian to ask about my temperament issue when I am dealing with retail client. I tend to stick to my principle a lot and unable to 扮可怜 or 博同情. 

I would rather jeopardise the whole deal rather than meeting client at the "middle". 

I acknowledge that I am not very end goal driven. I always do thing without an end in mind. Sort of a very process kind of person.

Jacky came to a conclusion I might not be very suitable to be working in the service line. She asks me to do back my leather project and at least start off with a product. She says since I don't work really well with bosses and colleagues, I am not a very people person as I like to exercise my world view on people around. She recommends that I should at least be enforcing my control on a product as a solopreneur. 

GLIENDESIGN (@gliendesign) • Instagram photos and videos

GlienDesign - YouTube