I got a lot of neat things for Christmas, so I thought I'd share them with you.

Tramontina Cast Iron Dutch Oven

I love to cook, and I love cast iron. But cast iron is cantankerous. You have to season it well, can't touch it with water, and acidic foods are a big no-no. Fortunately, they make these enameled dutch ovens that eliminate most of those problems. I cooked a big pot of spaghetti sauce the other night, and it worked perfectly. No strange reactions, and the dutch oven stayed hot hours after turning the burner off.

Doxie Go

I hate paper, but I hate flatbed scanners even more. And while I'd love a heavy-duty scanner like the Fujitsu ScanSnap, we don't have enough room in the house. I don't even have a desk at the moment. So that's where the Doxie Go comes in handy.

It's a portable, battery-powered sheet scanner. It's fantastic. You can toss it into a bag, covered with the included carry case, and bring it anywhere. It scans fast, and with the touch of a button, can switch between 300 and 600 dpi. The included software can even convert documents into searchable PDFs.

My only complaint is that it tends to scan slightly crooked, but that can easily be fixed in the software.

Seiko SNK809

I've recently became enamored with mechanical watches. I love the look, and I love the precision that goes into crafting a good one. Several Reddit watch aficionados recommended the Seiko SNK809 as an entry-level automatic.

It's a sharp-looking watch, with emphasis on minutes instead of seconds. I've enjoyed it so far, but the bilingual days drive me nuts. Is VIE the same as FRI? Is JUE Thursday? Did I set this thing right? Even with a Spanish-speaking wife, this stuff confuses me.

iOttie One Touch Car Mount

This is the first car mount I've owned for an iPhone, and I love it. Press two buttons on the side, and the locking arms open. Put the phone in, push it in, and it activates a button that closes the locking arms. The suction cup is super-powerful, so no fear of my phone tumbling to the floorboard.

I have no complaints about the mount itself, but I miss the Android feature that would keep the phone awake while plugged in.

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