Category: Reviews

New Kala KA-C Concert Ukulele

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/11, 5 sec, ISO400
 “Soprano and Concert Sizes” Cedar Park, 2020

My new Kala KA-C Concert Ukulele arrived, and I couldn’t be more satisfied with it! I knew that the mahogany wood and cream binding would be the same as my Kala pineapple ukulele (which I love), but I was not expecting the metal tuning knobs to feel so nice, and the sealed gears were completely unexpected. Also, the new ukulele comes with a peg to attach a strap… a welcome surprise! I attached a fabric ribbon that I had saved from some packaging and it matches the cream-colored binding perfectly.

Like other Kala ukuleles, this one comes with Aquila Super-Nylgut strings which are good quality so I will not have to replace them. It’s fun to go through the new ukulele tuning process which can take several days as the new strings stretch out. I noticed that Kala included a note in the box to explain that it could take a few week or so to hold tune… I’m sure many ukulele beginners aren’t aware of this and might think they got a poor-quality ukulele, which isn’t the case. I bet this little note prevents many potential bad reviews or calls to customer service. 😀

Anyways, the ukulele sounds wonderful. The longer neck and more widely-spaced frets force me to stretch my fingers a bit more. With my small hands, it’s more challenging to play the concert size vs soprano size, but when I switch back to the smaller ukulele, it’s a lot easier! I suppose it’s like when baseball batters put the donut weight on their bats while warming up in the on-deck circle. When they go up to bat without the donut, the bat must feel super-light.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/25 sec, ISO800
 “Soprano and Concert Sizes” Cedar Park, 2020

I knew the soprano size fits me much better, but I wanted the concert size so I could play the notes higher up on the fretboard that the the soprano ukulele’s smaller fretboard cannot provide. The sound that the concert-size ukulele is supposed to be louder and fuller, and I’m sure that’s the case, but honestly my ears can’t tell that drastic a difference between that and the smaller ukulele.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the Kala KA-C Concert Ukulele. It’s certainly an upgrade over my old Hilo brand concert ukulele, and a great addition to my ukulele collection, which is now dominated by the three Kala ukuleles.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/100 sec, ISO1600
 “Kala Concert Ukulele” Cedar Park, 2020

Here’s a bonus photo of the cats enjoying the shape of the ukulele box:

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO3200
 “In the Boxes” Cedar Park, 2020

Last Letter / ラストレター (2020) – Movie Mini-Review

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5, 1/75 sec, ISO6400
 “Last Letter” Cedar Park, 2020

I watched Shunji Iwai‘s latest movie Last Letter (ラストレター) this afternoon and loved it. I’m a huge fan of both Matsu Takako and Hirose Suzu, so I knew that even if the story wasn’t so good, I could at least enjoy their acting. But I was captivated by the plot, which unfolded beautifully and culminated in a satisfying and emotional ending. (Have the tissue box ready 😭)

And I found the cinematography to be fantastic… a lovely film to look at just for the visuals, but combine that with a great plot and incredible actors, and Last Letter is a winner.

I love melodramatic movies, and this one fits the bill for sure. Recommended if you can find it! My rating is 8.5 out of 10.

Comfy Suede Watchband

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO6400
 “Suede Watchband” Cedar Park, 2020

I put this “Onthelevel” suede watchband on my Seiko SNDA27 chronograph and I think it’s the most comfortable watchband I have ever used. I think it also looks great! The brown leather leans towards orange, and matched the seconds hands on the watch nicely. The outside of the watchband is very soft and the look changes slightly depending on which direction the suede has been brushed. Although new, it looks immediately “lived in” and it gives the watch a cool vintage look. The inside of the watchband is a smoother texture, but still very soft and comfortable. I think this surface is more durable and a good design choice.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 19mm, f/5.6, 1/45 sec, ISO6400
 “Suede Watchband” Cedar Park, 2020

The green/orange version of the Seiko Chronograph wasn’t my first color choice (I wanted the now hard-to-find black/red SNDA57 version), and so the watch has been on the second tier when I choose which watch to wear. But with the new watchstrap, I have fallen in love with the Seiko, and I’ve been wearing it for the past week.

Another thing I like about the watchband is that it is not a NATO/Zulu style strap. With those types of straps, the band threads through one watch pin, then under the watch itself, then under the other pin, so your skin never touches the back of the watch. But the suede watchband is a standard type which attaches to the pins, so I can feel the metal watch on my skin, and that feels good! It also means the watch is not as thick as when you use a NATO/Zulu strap. Very nice!

The only criticisms I have about this strap are that the stays (the loops) could be a millimeter or two wider, and I wish the buckle had a brushed or matte surface to match my watch. But those are just small things.

I’m now thinking of getting another suede watchstrap for my smaller Seiko SNK809 watch. The strap is just that comfortable to me. However, I am not considering using a suede strap on my Seiko SKX007 watch, as I feel that dive watches should not have leather watchstraps. That’s a bit of purist thinking, but it just feels right to me. 😄

Easy Way to Carry a Bike – Swagman STANDARD Fork Mount Rooftop Bike Carrier

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Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/500 sec, ISO200
 “Bike Carrier” Cedar Park, 2020

Today, with the help of my two teenage sons, I installed a trailer hitch on the Subaru. And along with the hitch, I bought a hitch-mounted bicycle carrier. I love it!

The hitch is a CURT 13382 Class 3 Trailer Hitch, and it’s beefy, heavy, and tough. I was so happy to have my sons at home because, although it’s a relatively straightforward installation process, the weight of the hitch makes it awkward to lift both sides and thread the four nuts onto the bolts (all while lying on your back). I followed this helpful video and it made the process easy to understand. I love YouTube!

After the hitch was secure, I put the bicycle rack on, and adjusted the wheel supports so that Mango the Bike fits perfectly. The Swagman XC2 Hitch Mount Bike Rack is super-easy to use. It carries two bicycles securely, and you can even lock the bicycles if you have a padlock. Highly recommended rack!

Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/750 sec, ISO200
 “Bike Carrier” Cedar Park, 2020

Before I bought the hitch and bicycle carrier, I bought and tried out the Swagman STANDARD Fork Mount Rooftop Bike Carrier. It’s a lot more affordable, but lifting the bicycle to the roof was kind of a pain, and more importantly, I felt a lot of anxiety driving around with the bicycle up top, especially when I was driving around corners. And not being able to see if the bike was ok up there was not comforting.

With the hitch-mounted bicycle rack, I can see it in my rear-view mirror for that peace-of-mind, and the mechanism that secures the bicycle is very sturdy. I have no worries at all with that hitch-mounted bicycle rack. Definitely a good solution. (Thanks to my brother for recommending it!)

Life (1982) – Book Review

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Yu Lao’s Life is the story of Gao Jialin, a young man in his 20s who recently lost his job as a teacher and has to move back to his rural village and peasant life. From there, the story explores the relationship with his elders, his romantic relationship with the peasant girl Qiaozheng, and the city girl Yaping. Although he makes some big decisions that affect his personal life, Jialin’s (and everyone else) fortunes and future are greatly dependent on the government of 1980 China and the bureaucracies it creates. This social structure combined with family connections can give you advantages and also take them away, as we witness as the story plays out. Jialin deals with conflicting motivations and pressures that shift with his job situation, which take him between rural and city settings, and also between the groups of people who live in each.

Some things about the characters that resonated with me (SPOILER ALERT in the bullets):

  • Jialin’s spirit and talent even in the face of challenges. His conflicted feelings towards Qiaozhen versus Yaping were palpable, and the ultimate decision he made was certainly understandable, even if the results are somewhat heartbreaking.
  • Qioazhen’s pure heart and devotion. Even though she knows the limits that her illiteracy places on her, she takes the chance to spend her life with Jialin. I found Qiaozhen the most interesting and admirable person in Life.
  • Yaping’s prudent and opportunistic nature. She realizes her love for Jialin, and how he fits in with her future life. However, when situations change, she’s not afraid to re-evaluate.

I watched the movie version of Life / 人生 (1984) right after finishing the book, and believe that it’s best viewed as a support for the book. As a stand-alone movie, I don’t think it’s very good because events just seem to happen one after another, but you won’t know the motivations or the relationships between the people. It’s a classic case of the book having much more detail and insight than the movie. However, for me, the film added welcomed color to the book. As someone not familiar with the setting, it was great to see what the village looked like, as well as the city and the people. Lao describes the clothing they work, like the Dacron pants or patterns on Qiaozhen’s shirts and voila – there they are on the screen! Not only that, but the dialog in the movie was pretty much exactly like the book (the translations, at least). The scenes were like little visual depictions of the book’s chapters. I thought it was very helpful!

“Qiaozhen and Jialin”

I give the book my rating of 8.5, and the movie a rating of 7.

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