A new college semester means new classes, new roommates, and new gear. You only get to make one first impression, so you better come correct. We’re not saying there is only one right shoe to get or backpack to wear – the opposite in fact. College is about learning about yourself and defining who you are going to be. Show up to your first day of classes proudly being yourself and showcasing your personality. Don’t think you can find the waffle iron that really speaks to your Doctor Who love at the mall. Nah, the best place to find unique back to college gear is on eBay.

eBay is great because 81% of everything for sale on the site is new, and it is so easy to sell on. To you, this means thousands of items from thousands of people, many of which make or have found totally unique and personal products. A backpack decorated with comic book panels? Look no further. How about an instant camera to capture all your roommate’s quirky moments? And if you don’t need a fruit-themed USB stick to keep your class files, then I don’t know who you are anymore man…

You can’t neglect your room either – whether you are in the dorms, have an apartment, or are still crashing for free (save that chedda!) with roommates Mom and Dad. Your room has to grow up from High School and move on to college too. Get an adult chair, a real desk, and a panda stapler. What – we’re talking personality here, aren’t we?

Finally, you gotta look good. I mean, of course, better than you already do – which is going to be hard to do but I think we’ll manage. If you’re a T-shirt and jeans kinda guy, class it up a bit with a Henley. A collared shirt guy? Relax a little with a bright polo. And if you’re a tank top guy – just stop. Stop now. Jeans are an every day classic and dead easy to do. No rhinestones, any holes or cuts should come with a good story, and no cargo pockets. For these reasons and more, it’s hard to go wrong with Levi’s.

The right room, right fashion, and right stapler (I’m not moving past this!) will certainly create the right first impression as you head back to college. But if for some reason you want more, or possibly even a non-panda stapler you can get all the college swag here.

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I rent a room in my home to travelers. It’s free money for a vacant room and I get to meet interesting and sometimes disastrous people from around the world. I have a nice little routine set up where I welcome them in, pretend to laugh at their terrible travel jokes, show them the room and spare toiletries, and then offer them tips for around LA. That said, there are several parts of the tour that I intentionally skip. My room is obviously off limits, they don’t need to know about which kitchen drawer I hide my artisanal potato peeler in, but above all my favorite item to neglect explaining is my new toilet.

I believe down to the depths of my soul that I will never get tired of hearing exclamations of wonder and curiosity from two rooms over every time one of my new guests first wanders into my “water closet”. It happens within the first five minutes of their visit and smacks an impish smile on my face. Every. Single. Time. The questions, like their travel jokes, follow the same themes and patterns – “what is this, where did you get it, and what does it do?” Well, it’s the Kohler Veil and it’s from the utopian bathroom of the future.

The Kohler Veil is many things – sleek, luxurious, high tech. All these things and more. An invisible or boring piece of your home it is not.  Forget back tanks, forget chrome handles to jiggle, and forget exterior curves and angles that just collect dust and hair. This commode is a sleek pod that is as evolutionarily different from your toilet as a Tesla Model S is from your ’89 hatchback. It’s also packed with about as much tech as Elon’s car. Seat warmer, two flushes, two bidet positions, water massaging, water temperature selection, a blow dryer with temperature selection, a nightlife, self-cleaning and more. I actually suspect it of sneaking out of the house at night and fighting crime – “You’ve been flushed, criminal!” The Veil also makes any other restroom an exercise in visiting the the distant past. My last guest  told me she thought the toilet at a restaurant was broken because it didn’t flush automatically when she stood up. This thing redefines what you expect from a bathroom convenience.

If I’m honest, it no longer matters how good of BnB host I am. I can be awful to my guests if I want, all the reviews are just glowing paragraphs about my “tech-toilet.” It’s strange to look at a toilet and think that I’m keeping this for the rest of my life and it will be moving with me every time I relocate, but that’s what this kind of ultra-high end appliance does to you. If you don’t believe me, my spare room has still got a few vacant days in March…

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The Ring Video Doorbell partners with your existing iOS or Android devices.  As long as the device is connected to the internet, you can monitor the Ring.  The product designers planned for most install scenarios.  The packages includes the hardware needed for a new install or an upgrade.  This well thought-out assortment even includes a micro-level.  The level is attached to the mounting plate and makes an aesthetically pleasing install simple.  I was activating my installed Ring only 22 minutes after I removed the old doorbell button.

My first test subject arrived a few hours after the install.  The notification popped up and I accepted the ‘call’.  I spoke into my phone and greeted him with, “How can I help you today?”.  A slightly spooked dealer of wares turned his head to my Ring and said, “This is interesting.”.  The conversation did not go much further.  I politely assured him that I was not interested in Arizona beach front property and pressed the end button.

What if your visitor decides to knock instead of using the doorbell?  Motion sensors are included for this very purpose.  The app allows complete customization of the motion sensor range.  Adjusting the zones and range to match your front stoop will make sure that all visitors are announced.  This feature alone sets Ring apart from competitors.

This addition to your home will provide the luxury of a high-rise intercom system without the price tag.  Eliminate lengthy conversations with unwanted visitors, document exact times of package deliveries, or you know, tell the food delivery person that you need a few minutes to put your pants on…

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Sometimes this means I am home for a few nights, and other times it means I’m back on the road early the next day. So recovery from the week’s travel exhaustion is a must, and in that, a proper mattress is needed. Now, I have been resting my head on the standard, classic mattress for years and my rest has not necessarily been, well, fulfilling. Packed with nights of tossing and turning, I can’t say I have the fondest of memories and dreams on this old thing.

So it was time for change in my sleep, and luckily there are mattress companies out there bringing change to the industry. And one of those companies, YogaBed, caught my eyes. Not only was the price right for the king size bed, but I have been wanting a memory foam for years. Packed with features like 4 layers of foam, 2 free memory foam pillows, and a machine washable mattress cover, this 10in tall mattress hit the bill of everything I was looking for. Even better was it hit the point of being 100% sourced and manufactured in the US, which in this day and age of order on demand is increasingly rare. And with 101 day trial period, I knew if I did not like it even after a month, I would be able to return it and move on. The order was made.

After a week on the road, I came home to this epic box on my stoop. Inside was my brand new king mattress and I could not wait to get it unwrapped. After dragging it upstairs, which was quite a chore, unpacking it was a cinch. Sliding the YogaBed package onto the bedframe, I clipped the bounds and within 5 minutes, a queen mattress was born. Well, inflated, but the same idea. Here it was, my new bed, ready to go, ready to bring me a new sense of relaxation.

After the first two nights, I can say there has been nothing more amazing than the sleep on the YogaBed mattress. I am waking up rested, ready to go, and my dreams seem to be deeper. Instead of tossing and turning for a bit to get comfortable, I lay down and start to relax, hitting sleep sooner. And that is exactly what I needed to come home to, this idea of a deep night sleep.

In a weird way, my bed has become one of the more exciting reasons to be coming home, to know that after a week in hotels of varying quality, I am going to be coming home to a full, incredible sleep, getting me ready for the next day on the road. And I want you to get the same great night sleep, so we have worked out a $75 off coupon with YogaBed on any new purchase using coupon code Factory75.

Optional brand approved language you may use in or after the post:

Yogabed is comprised of the Yoga Comfort System, an advanced layered system specifically designed to optimally support the body by dispersing weight evenly and reducing pressure points that cause tossing and turning.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Yogabed. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Defending Your Castle by William Gurstelle will teach you how to “build catapults, crossbows, moats, bulletproof shields, and more defensive devices to fend off invading hordes.” Yes, it said crossbows. While the book walks you through various defensive positions and weapons in the context of defeating ancient armies like the Mongols, Huns, Tartars, Macedonians, Crusaders, and Vikings I’m pretty confident a goddamn crossbow will work on a modern thug.

This is what a men’s self-help book should be. “You? You’re just fine. But here’s how to build a battering ram…” Defending Your Castle walks you through the history of ancient armies and then shows you the defensive technologies that either did or could have defeated each one.

It is a fascinating journey for historians and makers alike. Neither of these elements are too focused on, leading to a very balanced and fun read. Whether you’re worried about the zombie apocalypse, all those damn [insert ethnic group here], or just looking for a fun, weaponized Sunday project, Defending Your Castle is right up your alley, or maybe castle wall.

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