RHA MA450i Headphones

I’m not one of those guys. I’m no Marco Arment, who I’m betting can tell you what Chinese factory a headphone was manufactured in based on the treble sound alone. All I care about is a decent set of speakers that fit my ears and allow me to listen in comfort. In fact, I’ve even been generally OK with most of the comes-with models that have shipped with every iDevice I’ve bought. That said, I have tried and owned some more expensive models and can at least tell that they are better in every conceivable way than the less expensive alternatives. So, there’s that.

That said, I was recently sent a pair of MA450i Noise Isolating Earphones to try out. I’ve been using them for a couple of weeks now in all sorts of conditions and listening to both music, voice and video. They have performed admirably in all situations. They are very comfortable in ear. In fact, I often forget they are there. They sound great! Far better than their fifty dollar price point would give away. I would put them on par with other, more expensive,“Marco Approved” models I have owned.

They have been especially good for running. Most in ear models I have owned start falling out as soon as I start to sweat a bit. These stay put. This might be because they include six sets of interchangeable ear buds to ensure there is a set to fit just about any ear. The default ones fit me perfectly out of the box though.

The cord is cloth wrapped and, therefore, less prone to tangle (and fairly easy to untangle when it does). The in-line remote and mic do the job. The jack itself maintains a solid connection. There all help to lend a more professional and expensive feel to the overall build quality.

These are keepers for sure. They are an Apple Store exclusive right now. Though, you can find their non-iDevice-remote laden cousin, the MA 350, at Amazon for ten dollars less.

Either way, it’s a square deal.

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Blogging Your Breakfast

I know you are thinking, “Gosh. Can it get any more boring?”

I’m thinking, “Do you really want me to answer that question?”

How did I become a writer? I learned to write at age 4 or 5 and then just never stopped. As a teenager, I self published a book of the most angst ridden crappy poetry the world will likely ever see and found the courage — the audacity — to sell it. To people I liked! As a young man at the dawn of the Internet, I co-wrote a zine, posted half-baked prose on a BBS, and emailed my work to my friends on AOL. I co-wrote and published a general interest magazine for handheld devices. No matter my occupation or job, I never let it get in the way of writing — making art and putting it out there — every day.

If you want to get better at your art, you have to make your art every day. If you want your art to spread and gain an audience, you have to put what you make out there into the world. And, more often than not, that means looking for something to inspire that art. Some days, that may mean some deep, soul moving, insight never before explored. Some days, it may be blogging your breakfast1. Some days that means the great stuff. Some days that means the less than great stuff. Some days that means the truly boring stuff. But you have to find the courage to put it out there for others to see, share, shred, or otherwise speculate on it. You often may not like what you hear but you take it and go back and make more art tomorrow.


  1. My morning consumption started as it almost always does — with a cup of coffee. A single cup, dark roast, made in a drip coffee maker. Because, let’s be real here, I’ve got three coffee drinkers in my household and I’m only half awake so I’m not plunging, pressing, or pouring-over a damn thing. More than an hour later, I had a bowl of cereal. I don’t know the brand. It is available at Trader Joe’s, is made primarily for kids, has a panda on the box, is allegedly organic, and tastes like peanut butter. I say “allegedly” because, well, how can we really be sure? How do we know this whole organic thing is not a marketing buzzword to make us all pay more to participate in the illusion. That illusion being that anything we did not grow or kill ourselves is likely crap. And, so, I move on next to a banana that is better traveled than I might ever be. 

Finished

That is what really matters. Not the time. Not the pace. Not the wall that I seems to hit between mile nine and ten where I just could not keep my heart rate down and thus fatigued easily.

But, I finished. I ran 13.1 miles. The longest I have ever run before is 10k. So, I managed to run more than double my longest distance. I can be proud of that. That’s what matters.

It was a beautiful day. Sunny, 70 degrees, light breeze. It was so nice just to be outside with the sun kissing the skin. It is the first big run of the season so it is very popular. There were 1196 other people running the half marathon portion alone.

I’m hooked now. I’ve already signed up for the half portion of the Minneapolis Marathon in early June, As I said yesterday, I did next to no training for this last one. I’ll not make that same mistake next time. Now that I know I can run that distance, I’ll keep doing so and work on increasing my time.

If I can offer any inspiration at all regarding my own journey, please remember that I have been at this with any seriousness at all for only a little bit more than a year. I’m certain, based on my own condition, that anyone can do it. It’s a beautiful world. Get out there and run in it.

I’m a writer. Writing is how I make this world better, friendlier, stronger place. If these words improved your day, please let me know by contributing here.