Philosophy of mind is a personal passion of mine, and I just started re-reading this work after spending a few years apart from it. While Merleau-Ponty's prose is dense, his account of embodiment undergirds many of my own beliefs on the nature of human consciousness — and I'm always looking for a stronger foundation. You know, on top of all that nothingness. Plus, it's got a great cover.

The Nexus 7 is my first tablet, and it's honestly the first tablet that's made the iPad seem less appealing. Between the Gmail experience and Flipboard, I'd say it's already provided $200 of value — and I'm just getting started. The form factor, weight, and functional beauty of Jelly Bean are a splendid combination.

I used to be a huge player of mods — especially for Half-Life and Half-Life 2 — but in recent years I've gravitated towards more mainstream titles like Battlefield 3 and Company of Heroes. Still, even the most polished blockbuster games in the past few years don't hold a candle to the experience I've had so far in this survivalist multiplayer zombie game. While ARMA II's visuals aren't top-of-the-line, the game's tension, pacing, and overall atmosphere is unmatched right now. If you want a closer look at my personal misadventures in the zombie-infested world of Chenarus, check out one of my DayZ diary entries.

Zipcar is a car-sharing service that's got a big presence in Washington DC and Baltimore, two places I currently roam. It's reasonably priced and incredibly convenient — the company uses a nice mix of technology between the web and with its mobile app that makes it possibly the most frictionless car renting experience out there. I can't see myself buying a car again unless I end up ditching this whole "technology" thing for a humble existence somewhere in Montana.

Okay, these aren't exactly new, but they're one of my favorite possessions. A few years ago a good friend of mine had a Western-themed wedding, and I had to buy some cowboy boots to stand beside the other groomsmen. As it turns out, these things feel fantastic, and they look great with a suit. They also up my cred as an urban cowboy.