Mike Schmitz

A few weeks ago, I shared a gift guide with my newsletter subscribers after being encouraged by a friend to put one together. The exact text message exchange went something like this:

We’re getting down to the wire, but for you procrastinators out there (who aren’t yet subscribed to my newsletter), here are a few gift ideas for the nerd in your life (or for yourself – no judgment here):

•  Hidrate Spark Pro Water Bottle  – This Bluetooth-enabled water bottle has a built-in LED ring at the bottom that flashes when you get behind on your hydration goals. I’ve used this for about 3 years now, and it’s successfully helped me drink more water (which has had a significant impact on my overall energy and health).
•  Storyworth  – This is a service you can gift to someone to help facilitate conversations and connect with your loved ones. Learn more about the people that matter to you and preserve their stories for generations.
•  Ugmonk Analog  – A simple productivity system built to protect your focus in a digital age. Absolutely beautiful in its simplicity and design. I bought this myself when it came out, and actually just gifted it to all of our team members at the day job.
•  The Laws of Creativity by Joey Cofone  – An absolutely essential guide to creativity. If you have ever wished that you were more creative, you need to read this. I wish this book had existed 10 years ago.
•  Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman  – A great book about the limited time we all have here on Spaceship Earth. I was surprised that I enjoyed this one as much as I did. A great book that forces you to deal with your own limitations and confront the reality of our cosmic insignificance.
•  30 Lessons for Living by Karl Pillemer  – What if you could interview thousands of people at the end of their life and condense all their answers down into 30 small lessons to help future generations live happy, meaningful lives? That’s exactly what the author has done with this book.
•  Magic Puzzles 3-Pack  – The Magic Puzzle Company has created some phenomenal puzzles that include a “Magic Shift” mechanic to produce a surprise ending. You put the main puzzle together, then there’s another envelope with a sub-puzzle that you position after sliding the other pieces of the puzzle around. These are a ton of fun.
•  Sovereign Chess  – A fun twist on standard chess where you can make a move as another non-player color when you land on certain squares of the board.
•  Parks Board Game  – A fun and chill board game where players collect resources to “visit” national parks and collect points. What makes this game is its unique art style. One of our favorites.
•  Root Board Game  – There is no board game that we play more than Root. It’s an asymmetric war game with unique factions that all play differently. The cutest little war game you’ll ever see, and a ton of fun to play.
•  Klask  – Think of this as magnetic table-top air hockey. The main difference is that you control your piece via a magnet that you hold under the playing surface. A fast-moving game that is easy to learn and difficult to master.
•  Cafflano Klassic  – This is a portable pour-over coffee system in a container the size of a standard thermos. It includes everything you need to make delicious coffee except the hot water – the grinder, the dripper, the lid even functions as a mini gooseneck kettle. I bring this with me whenever I travel.
•  Ratio Six Coffee Maker  – If you like the taste of fussy pour-over coffee but don’t want the hassle of making it by hand, the Ratio Six is for you. It simulates the pour-over process to make a great cup of joe, but you can just turn it on and come back when it’s ready (like a standard brew pot).
•  Throwboy Classic Mac Pillows  – For the Apple nerd in your life. These throw pillows started life on Kickstarter as a set shaped like classic Macs, but you can now purchase them individually and there’s quite a variety to choose from.
•  Ember Smart Coffee Mug  – If you never seem to get around to drinking your coffee while it’s hot, this mug is for you. You can set a temperature via the app and this Bluetooth-enabled mug will hold the temperature for up to 3 hours.
•  Spark Mini Guitar Amp  – A little pricey, but this battery-powered Bluetooth guitar amp sounds pretty great for its size and gives you access to a bunch of digital amp models and effects via the companion iOS app. A great little practice amp.
•  Glocusent Reading Light  – If you prefer to read physical books but don’t want to keep your parter awake in bed, check out this handy little battery-powered reading light that wraps around your neck.
•  Keychron K2 Pro Mechanical Keyboard  – WARNING! Mechanical keyboards are rabbit hole. But if you want a solid starter keyboard with hot-swappable switches so you can upgrade it later, the Keychron K2 Pro is a great place to start.
•  Spoke Roady Pen  – A great little pocket pen. It feels great, writes smooth, and is made extremely well. I’ve gifted this pen more than any other, and everyone is always impressed with its weight and feel.
•  Gravity Blanket  – Weighted blankets are amazing. If you haven’t tried one, you should. They can help significantly improve the quality of your sleep. The Gravity Blanket is one of the originals, and the best one I’ve come across.
•  2023 Focused NeuYear Calendar  – Some shameless self-promotion… I helped design this NeuYear calendar, and have sold these for the last couple of years. But I’ve been using a NeuYear calendar for far longer than that. These are great dry-erase calendars that let you see the whole year at once.

I have personal experience with everything on this list, and am confident there is something here for even the pickiest of nerds.

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