🌱 Gift idea and travel gadgets

Greetings from Austin,

Got back to Austin last night after a week in Greece.

Here are your 3 insights in 3 minutes. Opa!

🧳 Drip Kit

The term “Dopp kit” came from German leathermaker Charles Doppelt who innovated “toilet bags” in 1926.

Much like the name, I haven’t paid much attention to my actual black leather Dopp kit for years.

But for this recent trip, I made the best $35 upgrade I’ve ever spent.

After reading tons of reviews I found the one. Here are my 3 favorite features:

• Tiny hanger to hang anywhere (this alone was a gamechanger)

• Separate removable liquid pouches for flights (EU is strict on liquids)

• Tons of compartments

Check it out here.

I also just put my other favorite travel gadgets all listed here.

Last thing, with all due respect to Charles Doppelt, the “Dopp kit” is due for a rebrand. From here on out it’s the “Drip Kit.”

🎁 Gift Idea

Last month, I hosted my 2-hour birthday party (yes there were name tags and an icebreaker).

I wasn’t surprised that people enjoyed connecting, but I was surprised when one friend brought a gift.

It was the only gift and completely unnecessary.

But the gesture was impactful.

My friend Rohun gifted a copy of his favorite book, Poor Charlie’s Almanack: The Essential Wit and Wisdom of Charles T. Munger.

And wrote this short note in the book as well, making it the most gangster gift ever.

I’ve gifted tons of audiobooks, but not physical books.

Now I’m inspired to get stacks of my favorite books to give as gifts (with notes on the first page).

♻️ Gift Substitute

I could put a cliche quote here about following your natural gifts and watching the magic happen…

But that’s not how it works.

Instead here’s Steve Martin’s take:

“But there was a problem. At age eighteen, I had absolutely no gifts. I could not sing or dance, and the only acting I did was really just shouting. Thankfully, perseverance is a great substitute for talent.”

— Steve Martin

Keep persevering. 💪

Con gusto,
Mitchell