Life

Not exactly sure which Mililani recreation center this is, but it’s been resurfaced to include 8 pickleball courts! The four in the middle are permanent, and it appears that there are lines marked for two PB courts in the nearest tennis court (and guessing two more on the far tennis court).

January 10 2026

Mac OS 26.2 Tahoe Update Zonked My Mac

Gee Why Life, Passion dfu, mac 0

Saw the notification that Mac OS Tahoe 26.2 was available for update. So I did. But the update didn’t fully complete with the startup progress bar stuck at around 33%.

So I powered down and restarted. My MacBook Pro M3 was then looping at startup seeing the Apple logo then a black screen then the Apple logo again and repeat. Holding down the power button, my Mac showed an exclamation point with the URL support.apple.com/mac/restore. This was getting serious.

This is the first time I had to enter DFU mode and couldn’t get the key combo correct. Instead, follow these directions by Mr. Macintosh to enter DFU mode by holding Control, Option, right-sdie shift, and power for 10 seconds then let go of Control, Option, and right-side shift. Keep holding the power key, and this pattern got me to DFU mode.

With a second Mac, I tried reviving my busted Mac and that failed. I changed USB-C cables and ports and still no luck. I think this MBP DFU port is nearest the MagSafe plug on the left side of the keyboard. I deleted big files from my functioning Mac to create space to save the recovery startup files. I also installed the Apple Configurator app from the App Store. This is a more refined interface to restore/recover Apple devices.

Reviving didn’t work so I went for a restore which does a factory reset of the Mac first. My Time Machine backup was about 2 weeks old but better than nothing. After several hours, my MacBook Pro was back (albeit with two weeks old data).

Who knows what caused all of this but before you install the 26.2 update, I would trigger a Time Machine backup and also restart your Mac before updating.

August 23 2025

Bought PDF Squeezer

Gee Why Life app, mac, software 1

I noticed that I had a PDF file that was about 20 MB in size. It’s a few pages long with mostly text, so the file size seemed overly large. I tried to compress the PDF using the Mac’s Preview app, but the savings was neglible. I then tried Adobe Acrobat/Reader/whatever it’s called now, and the app said I had to pay for a different version to compress PDF.

That led me to PDF Squeezer. I did an online search for PDF compression and after a few articles, I saw someone mention this software. I did a sample test using the trial version and my 20 MB PDF shrank to 2 MB using the strong compression option! The compressed version looked a little too soft so I tried the light compression. The quality of this version looked good at 3.7 MB in size.

To save the compressed PDF however does require a paid for license. Luckily, there’s a 50% off special right now so the normal $20 cost is $10! That’s an easy buy for software that I can continually use.

Go check out PDF Squeezer.

January 28 2025

HOKA Anacapa 2 Low GTX

Gee Why Life, Passion fireisice2025, hoka, kicks, shoes, sneakers, waterproof 0

Along with the Salomon X Ultra 4, the Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX received praise online with the biggest complaint being the too big sizing. Zappos had a smaller size 9.5 available in black, and I tried it due to the mis-sizing. I admit that they weren’t a bad fit at half a size smaller. Unfortunately at the time, Zappos did not have a size 10 available for comparision purposes.

The Anacapa 2 Low GTX is one of my finalists of all the waterproof hiking shoes I tried. It fit better than the Transport Chukka and is more streamlined than the Tor Ultra Low. For whatever reason, this model at Zappos was discounted to $118 compared to $180 on Hoka’s web site.

But… that sizing. Yeah, the size 9.5 fits with regular socks on a short try on duration. How would these feel wearing them all day? I would really like to try my true to size 10 for comparison, but there are none at Zappos and none elsewhere at a discounted price. So reluctantly, these were sent back to Zappos although I could have held them longer with Zappos’ unbeatable return policy.

Details

Hoka Anacapa 2 Low GTX
Size 9.5
Black/black
$180 (Hoka)/$118 (Zappos)

January 26 2025

Salomon X Ultra 4

Gee Why Life, Passion fireisice2025, kicks, Salomon, shoes, sneakers, waterproof 0

I’ve never tried on a pair of Salomon shoes of any type, but these Salomon X Ultra 4 received too many good reviews online to ignore. So I bought a pair from Zappos with its generous return policy, and spoiler alert, yes, I did return them.

The shoes actually fit well right off the start like many reviews mentioned. Although they look narrow compared to other shoes, the fit was just right without any break-in period. But for me, the X Ultra 4 just seemed too technical for my needs. Sure, they would do the job, but it just seemed like these shoes could do more than what I needed. It kinda felt that I was pretending to be a serious hiker or something I’m not.

My only small gripe is the Quicklace system. I’m just not a big fan of these speed lacing setups, especially with the noodle-thin laces. I think it’s having to tuck in/secure the laces after tightening that I don’t like.

Anyways, a solid shoe at a solid price that can seemingly do more than I need.

Details

Salomon X Ultra 4
Size 10 (true to size)
Quiet Shade/Black/Quiet Shade
$140

January 21 2025

Hoka Elite Terrain System Tor Ultra Lo

Gee Why Life, Passion fireisice2025, hiking, hoka, kicks, shoes, sneakers, waterproof 0

These Hoka Elite Terrain System Tor Ultra Lo didn’t show up in any online search results for waterproof hiking shoes. However, I remembered a craze for this model a few years back and decided to check them out.

The Tor Ultra Lo features a Vibram Megagrip outsole and is actually waterproof. The product description mentions a “GORE-TEX bootie for splash-proof performance” so not sure how waterproof these really are.

But hey, these shoes look different in a cool way, definitely melding urban lifestyle with the outdoor elements. I do like these although I would pick a different color way if available (it looks like this green colorway is no longer available from Hoka’s web site).

The biggest downside to this shoe is its sheer weight. One Tor Ultra Lo weighs 508 grams whereas the New Balance Hierro trail runner weighs 327 grams. Does it matter? I think it would if wearing these all day while walking/hiking around. And if the upper did absorb some water, that extra weight would further deaden the weight. I think these would be fine for casual outings with sendentary moments.

Details

Hoka Elite Terrain System Tor Ultra Lo
Size 10 (true to size)
Green (forgot to write down the actual color)
$225

January 19 2025

Hoka Transport Chukka GTX

Gee Why Life, Passion fireisice2025, hiking, hoka, kicks, shoes, sneakers, waterproof 0

My online order of the Hoka Transport Chukka GTX arrived quickly but sadly, were also returned quickly. Visually, I don’t mind the style of the chukka – sorta casual, sorta sporty. It’s a good blend.

The nubuck leather upper isn’t bad at all, but i just feel it’s an odd match with the other synthetic sections near the collar. While I understand the benefits of the quick lacing system, I need to figure out a better way of getting a good fit. Of course the top laces cinch easily, but it’s the lower laces that I need to adjust, and the interlocking toggle just seems to get in the way.

Really though, the fast disapproval for me is simply the fit of the shoe. My foot just does not feel centered in the shoe. There’s a sensation that my feet are sitting on the inner medial side of the Transport Chukkas. It’s just weird, and I didn’t like it, doubtful that I would get used to this feeling.

Details

Hoka Transport Chukka GTX
Size 10 (true to size)
Black/black
$200

January 10 2025

New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v8 GTX

Gee Why Life, Passion fireisice2025, hiking, kicks, new balance, shoes, sneakers, waterproof 0

Well, well, well, this is a nice surprise. I didn’t think much about trying the 8th (and newest) makeup of the New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro Gore-Tex since I recently tried on the v7 model and the similar mid Hierro. But I was wrong.

I admit that the Hierro v8 wasn’t high on my watch list due to the lack of colorways. While the non-waterproof version has a few colors to pick from, the Gore-Tex model has one color – black. Technically, black with phantom and magnet, the colorway isn’t bad, just very subdued. Beside the monochromaticism of the v8, the shoe is totally different compared to the v7 and mid. Well, maybe not totally different, but there are significant changes to its design.

The overall aesthetic reminds me of the current NB lineup of the 1080 and More. Chunkier midsole with a more curvy and organic inspired upper. It’s actually a nice shoe and does embody the trail runner aspect of this model.

Where do I begin? Let’s start at the bottom – the outsole. It’s still Vibram produced, but the compound is a lot tackier than the v7 with lots of audible squeaks as each step peels off the ground. And the traction pattern doesn’t feature the chevron-y shapes but rather little islands of grip.

The upper of the Hierro v8 looks much more perforated than the v7 with pinholes covering a good portion of the toebox and tongue and even the inner lining. To me, all the holes would made the Hierro 8 less water proof but the shoe weighs more at 340 g versus 328 g so maybe there’s additional unseen layers for that waterproofness.

This is an odd one but the shoelaces of the black 8 feel nice – waxy smooth but supple. The v7 laces have contrasty colors for style but feel more abrassive. Does it matter? Probably not.

The fit is still tight in the toebox, I think due to the rigid Toe Protect overlay. I might have to go wide if I go with these. The arch seems more supportive on the 8 since the midsole appears to extend higher than the 7. I can see my arch falling in the 7 but not so much with the 8. This is usually a good sign for me.

Unfortunately the Gore-Tex model is not yet on sale unlike the regular Hierro 8. Maybe soon, the $169.99 price tag will see some relief. Even with all its pros, this shoe still costs $110 more than the clearance v7. But so far, the New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro v8 Gore-Tex is my favorite waterproof hiking shoe (keep in mind that I won’t really bet testing the waterproofness of the shoes since most of them would be returns… though waterproof shoes that are not would be grounds for a return…).

: Gore-Tex and Vibram labels

: Plain tongue tag

: GORE-TEX

: Redone outsole

: Outsole of Hierro v7 (top) and v8 (bottom)

: Less of a weird outsole tag

: Hierro v7 and v8

: Toe Protect on both

: Buttery laces

: Not as elegant laces but still good

: Revel in the magnificent outdoors

: Perforations in the liner too

Here’s a little bonus comparison to the New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14. To me, the Hierro v8 and 1080v14 share similar design elements. The overall appearance of both are on the beefier side with the thick padding of the Fresh Foam X. This has no bearing on the performance of either shoe, just more of an observation.