The joy of being outdoors, walking, shooting photos (Photos on the street, street photography), thinking, and writing.
Month: May 2022
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Environments and energy
There are certain environments which give you energy, and other environments which sap you from your energy.
Being at home saps me of my energy and being on college campuses saps me of my energy, but being in a busy downtown area, or another busy coffee shop gives me energy.
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Off The Grid kid
My ideal for Seneca
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Men should not be children
Against the notion of a grown-up man, who still plays video games, and is into childish things.
For example, I am very anti-toys. Grown men should not have toys either.
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Don’t ask for advice
All advice from others, is bad advice. From the last decade of asking others for advice, I have not yet received one piece of good advice, knowledge, wisdom which has really helped me.
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Car sizes
Why is it that women prefer to drive really big SUVs, and men prefer to drive smaller, sports cars?
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Productivity culture
In the bay area, everything is about productivity. To maximize your productivity.
However, in LA, it is much more about Image, Fitness, fashion, models and people.
Also in the bay area, it is all about tech, and technology, and tech companies.
However in Los Angeles, they’re much more about media, fashion, modeling, video, arts, culture, etc.
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Always get the max storage
You never know your potential future usage. Better to have extreme (extra) buffer in this case!
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Better take the longer, more beautiful path than the shorter, uglier one.Better take the longer, more beautiful path than the shorter, uglier one.
Or another words, why it’s better to take the 101 instead of the 5 freeway.
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Depressing vs uplifting architecture and environments?
Brutalist architecture, lots of concrete as very ugly and depressing. The more green, the more brick, the more warm elements, the better.
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Is college worth it?
I don’t think so. Only if perhaps you are first generation, and you go to college for upward social mobility to get a job. But assuming that both your parents are already called educated, I don’t think college is worth it. Maybe unless you get a full ride. Even so, four years of your life could better be spent somewhere otherwise — traveling the world, Being nomadic, starting a company, etc.
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I like repetition. When something is repeated, it has more meaning.
Think Andy Warhol and his repeating Marilyn Monroe heads. Also, diptychs, triptychs, etc:
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Nothing is ever optimal.
In spite of it, still do it.
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What are you insanely enthusiastic about?
Simple way to live life: only do things, and pursue things which you are insanely enthusiastic about.
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Enthusiasm
If you’re not feeling it, and you don’t feel enthusiastic about it, don’t do it.
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GOPRO HERO 10 REVIEW
Great! Some reasons:
First of all, my son Seneca loves it. At age 1 year, 3 months he already knows how to use it! Just click the top record red button on top, and it automatically turns on and starts recording.
Secondly, files look great. 1080p, 60fps (exporting it down to 720p, 60fps) looks great. Video files look waaaay better than iPhone Pro to me.
Third, more fun to shoot with a GoPro than an iPhone or any other phone camera. Video on GoPro is so much more fun because you don’t need to worry about focusing or anything. Also the uber-wide mode (‘super wide mode’) is very fun. Also the built-in image stabilization for GoPro 10 is insanely good.
Fourth, more playful. To just shoot random clips of whatever on a GoPro is far more fun and playful than a ‘serious’ video camera.
BEEF RIBS 4 LYFE Fifth, because it is so robust, it can be easily banged around (literally by Seneca), and I have zero concern of it scratching, breaking, etc. Compare this to an iPhone or any smartphone — you are always concerned about scratching it.
Sixth, the Quik GoPro app is actually really good.
Seventh, price is super good!
Eighth, it is super small. I just keep it in my front left pocket.
CRUISE LIFESTYLE -
MAXIMIZE THE PHYSICAL.
For example in K-12 schools, especially for kids, perhaps 90% of the time should just be spent outdoors playing and being physical, and only 10% on studying.
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Exhaust the limits of the possible
“O my soul, Do not aspire to an immortal life, but exhaust the limits of the possibleâ€- Pindar Pythian III
From intro of “The myth of sisyphus†(Albert Camus):
The upside of getting lost in a Barnes and Noble or bookshop in the philosophy section (the only section worth checking out).
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Cruise Hacks
Take a cheap Carnival cruise — I liked the 7 Day Panorama Mexico one. Some hacks:
- Order 8 steaks at the sit down dining.
- Go to the gym everyday (they have 100 pound dumbbells!) The hot sauna is also very good.
- Stop by all the places early, and come back early.
- Don’t use Wi-Fi onboard. Disconnect for a week.
- Bring your laptop and make some ebooks or e-zines. iPhone is quite useless without Wi-Fi. Laptop is the GOAT when it comes to offline computing.
- Guy Fieri burger bar very good. My record is 12 Patties (ask them to just give you burger Patties). Eat with mustard and pickled Jalepenos.
- Bring a GoPro. Very fun! Shoot ultra wide (super wide), GoPro hero 10 (1080p, 60fps).
- Shoot street photography on the cruise ship and off the cruise ship.
- The Library room on the cruise ship is very zen.
- When you go offshore and go to the beach and water, easiest to just swim in your boxer briefs (Exofficio boxer briefs).
- Cabo, Mexico is actually super nice. The beach and water is even more beautiful than Hawaii!!
- Don’t get suckered by excursions. Just get off the ship, walk or call an Uber somewhere (works well in Mexico).
More cruise thoughts
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Exciting Life
We all just want a more dynamic, interesting and exciting life. Not more money or more fancy cars or things.
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RICOH GR IIIX IS THE BEST CAMERA OF 2022
Better than Leica M11, Leica Q2, any Fujifilm camera, any digital medium format camera, better than iPhone Pro, etc.
Best video camera (better than iPhone Pro) is GoPro hero 10.
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Anti Points
Nobody cares for points. We just want to win. In STREET FIGHTER II, you get all these random “pointsâ€, but nobody cares for them. Winning is the goal.
Perhaps in life, money (cash, USD, $) is the point system. But in real life, we want to win. Don’t get distracted by the points.
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The Whole World is Your Play Park!
Don’t just be stuck in a park, a skate park, a play park, or any place.
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BORING IS THE ONLY SIN.
“Haven’t you noticed that there are no interesting men in heaven?â€
Nietzsche -
Ghetto Standing Desk
Don’t pay for a standing desk, just hack it together yourself.
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Apple is Boring
All the new Apple products — my only critique is that they’re boring. No longer sexy, interesting or unique.
Even new Lamborghini stuff is boring.
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Just leave your phone in the car
When you go out, park your car, just leave your phone in the glove compartment. Fully present and attentive. Same with going to dinner with your girlfriend, wife, partner or family.
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Cement Grey
I really like this color
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What do you do once you can no longer motivate people with money?
The labor shortage is a money issue — the money that companies are offering people to work menial labor jobs is no longer motivational enough.
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Spend 80% the time on the road, and 20% of time and home
This is our power law— not to always be on the road, and not always be at home. However, the optimal distribution between both.