A realization:

I am obsessed with discovering perfect … but once I discover the best or perfect, I am interested in moving on, and innovating a new approach or aesthetic.

Each and every new day as a new chance and opportunity towards experimenting with new life and living strategies, new stoic strategies:

The first thought:

Treat yourself like a rare plant. You are not equivalent to anyone else, but yourself.

This means–

You are not bound to by the ‘normal’ rules and ethics of society.

Treat yourself carte blanche.

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Our ideology in regards to our things and tools. Also our design ethos.

Why is hiking and nature and the great outdoors so great for photography, and also for stimulating your eyes and brain?

Jagged, random, yet fractal patterns.

For example when even photographing knots in a tree trunk — can you see the Van Gogh ‘starry night’ here?

Or photographing how they seem or *feel*.

In other words, make your photos less ‘factual’, more personal and subjective.

Or perhaps you already are the outlier. Exert your pride in it — you’re not bound by the same (basic) social rules as others!

And also shed the “gram” (Instagram).

The salmon strategy in life.

My pride and glory.

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SENECA: My pride and glory.

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It is essential that you create and choose a site icon for yourself which is instantly recognizable, in terms of shape, color-palette, etc. Make it bold, simple, and iconic.

Ideally for yourself, you desire to become an icon.

Eikon: ‘portrait’, likeness.

Clothes I am currently wearing:

1. T-Shirt: OUTLIER.NYC Black Merino Wool T-Shirt (one). Black.
2. Shorts: UNIQLO extra stretch shorts. Black.
3. Leggings: UNIQLO heat tech leggings (cotton, extra warm). Black.
4. Boxers: ExOfficio Boxer Brief (black, medium). 100% perfect. I literally just had two pairs of these while living in Vietnam/Japan for 1-2 years abroad — every night just washed them in the shower with shampoo, wrung them with a towel, and hung-dry them for the next day.
5. No socks.
6. Shoes: “L RUN” barefoot shark shoes (on Amazon). For cold weather and hiking in the snow and rain, LA SPORTIVA nucleo high 2 (bought at REI, WIDE FIT is best!).

RICOH GR IIIX DETAILS (crops, screenshots, and in high contrast black and white JPEG mode, with the blacks maxed out):

There is no equality, nor *should* there be ‘equality’. Rather, we should think ‘different’ and ‘difference’.

For example, I believe in basic things– like all US citizens are equal in terms of having the power of voting rights, law-rights, etc. However the fact of the matter is there is a hierarchy.

For example, Brown University is certainly superior to Cal State Fullerton. UCLA is superior to UC Riverside, UC Berkeley is superior to YALE, etc.

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In terms of figuring out what is the ‘best’, choose that which is ‘via negativa’ (the least weight).

For example, the best iPhone is the lightest one (iPhone Mini).

A thought upon waking up:

When it comes to our devices, a good heuristic is opt for the most screen, for the smallest footprint and size.

For example, the iPhone Mini as superior to iPhone SE, because the iPhone Mini is technically smaller, *AND* has more screen size! Also has a greater density display (476PPI vs 326PPI). Interestingly enough, the 476PPI of the iPhone Mini is actually more dense than even the iPhone Pro (460PPI). Also brighter screen (800nits vs 625nits). And the huuuuge point:

Weight: the iPhone Mini weight is only 141 grams, whereas the iPhone SE is 144 grams).

The lightest is supreme.

Something I am very interested and passionate about is marketing. I remember I first learned the bizarre way to refer to words as ‘copy’ — and then I soon learned:

The power of words to influence, move, motivate, and impute a certain ethos or aspirational qualities.

For example, if you study the marketing copy (marketing materials, word choice) of McLaren, you will find that it alludes to aspirational ideas and qualities such as:

• Visceral precision
• Lightweight skin
• Total engagement
• Pure feel
• Light-ening fast
• Scorching acceleration
• Rewrite the rules.
• Extreme measures to cut weight

And:

• Uncompromising attitude
• The desire to become better than the best.
• Merciless weight cutting program
• Scrutinize every component.

And,

• Intoxicating power

The realization:

It is not the product you are selling, but the lifestyle, the aspirational qualities we desire.

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Why is it that we cannot posit our own personal success, independently … and we must rely on some sort of social metrics to do so?

Currently in Southern California, gas prices are pretty insane. The average cheapest gas is easily over $5.50 USD a gallon. Some places even over $6 a gallon. Assuming you’re unfortunately stuck with a car that requires premium, I can easily imagine you spending over $100 USD to fill up your gas tank … which might happen once or twice a week (so you can end up spending ~$600 a month in just gas). If you drive a truck or an SUV, maybe you can even end up spending $1000 a month in gas.

Even Lamborghini is putting a hold with commerce with Russia (Lamborghini is owned by the VW Volkswagen group). Before the crisis with Ukraine, Russians were infamous for buying tons of Lamborghinis (oil money).

Which makes me think —

Let us assume a big source of petroleum and oil/gas is from Russia, and Americans hate high gas prices. Then the question — would the average American prefer anti-Russian embargos on oil (for high gas prices), or prefer their low gas prices?

Another secret to making more engaging and intimate photos.

Another form of subject matter — epic light.

Photograph textures.

Better off-center, than centered.

The benefit of longer lenses (like 40mm, on the new RICOH GR IIIX), is that it allows more compression of the scene. To fill the scene and to isolate your subject matter, and ignore everything else.

The secret:

Do not box yourself into any ‘category’ or ‘genre’ of photography.

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If you consider design products, consumerism and capitalism is nowadays driven greater by the design of things than the function of things.

For example, we buy things for the design, not the function. We also see great design, and think:

This design dictates the lifestyle of the thing.

Let us consider Apple– what drives growth and purchasing behavior? New designs, new industrial designs. And contrary to what Marc Andreesen says, I believe hardware is actually the future.

Consider why people buy Tesla cars — it is not because people care for the ‘environment’, they like it because it is the new sexy car (S3XY — the 4 models for Tesla).

We are quickly learning and discovering that economics is not a ‘real’ field or ‘science’.

The only people who major in economics is in order to ‘make a lot of money’, or it is a shortcut for studying ‘business’. But as we are quickly discovering that computer science is more lucrative, it seems that economics is a poor field to major in if you decide to go to college. Or perhaps better to study industrial design (RISD).

Design is the future.

Something I realized in photography (personal photography):

Capture tender moments.

For example, mother and son moments (Cindy and Seneca).

I find black and white is the best way to discover hidden beauty, hidden in every day sight.

RICOH GR IIIX in high contrast black and white JPEG (extra small is sufficient), with contrast and the blacks maxed out.

The other day I was at the mall, playing with Seneca, killing some time, and walking around the mall with my RICOH GR IIIX. I missed at least 2 ‘decisive moments’ in street photography (or two interesting street photography scenes). A reminder to self:

You must shoot faster.

Less hesitation, less fear of upsetting someone, and less thinking about composition. Just capture the moment you witness.

The other day I was at the mall, and I saw an Aventador SVJ in person parked in the parking lot. And the thing which shocked me:

Seeing it in person, I was very under-whelmed.

Why? First of all, the first impression:

When you see it parked from the back, it doesn’t look that interesting. Too much plastic components on the back.

Second, when you actually walk close to it, you notice it is actually really small. A lot smaller than you imagine in person.

Which makes me think:

Wow, if you read all the marketing materials for Lamborghinis online, or the ‘meta-verse’ behind Lamborghini, or the allure that rappers give about Lamborghini … it is so great.

But if you see it in person, it is very under-whelming, and very underrated.

Takeaway:

Never get suckered by marketing materials or the concept behind something. Witness it first-handedly before making any judgements:

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Something I discovered I am very interested and passionate about:

Discovering NEW workflows.

Why?

Why?

Whenever I discover a new workflow, it makes me see things in a new way. And also, by doing things in a new way, it challenges the old way we do things. And by challenging the old way we do things, it gives us a chance to open up our minds:

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New photos:

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How good weather is overrated:

After doing much traveling, and experiencing many different climates, this is why I discovered: climate is overrated.

For example, great weather doesn’t make you happy. You don’t even think about it or notice it. Yet with bad weather, and it does make you feel miserable.

But, the question is whether the misery of the poor weather prevents you from activity, going out and doing stuff. The very practical thought and strategy I have is this: if you live in a place where it is insanely cold, snowy, and brutal, just spend a shit load of money on great clothing. Like they say in Sweden, there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. This means spending thousands of dollars on the best Gore-Tex jacket, best down jackets, the best Gore-Tex boots, etc. Also, lots of money on merino wool layers.

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Currently the new buzzword is ‘sustainability’. But what does this mean?

To sustain … to keep holding on (tenere, teneo).

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For example with iPhone, I know that iPhone mini is the best iPhone, or maybe even the iPhone SE. Yet, I am personally more interested in the entrepreneurial aspects of LiDAR, which makes me gravitate towards the iPhone pro.

Therefore, the realization that it is not necessarily the best that I want, or even my personal preferences. Rather, I am more interested in trying something new, and innovating.

Digestion is insanely important. How come nobody talks about it? Only Asian people.

The new health trend I will see happening in America in the West: focus on digestion.

Even in eastern Asian cultures, a common way to greet somebody is just ask how their digestion is like. For example, instead of asking somebody “how are you?”, you ask “how is your digestion, is your digestion well?”

Why kimchi and fermented foods is the future, as it aids with digestion.

“Work” is not a virtue, but a vice.

The upside of shooting randomly.

For example, an eye on the extreme right or left of the frame as dynamic and interesting.

We must seek it everywhere!

The two best hedges against an uncertain future, a good hedge against fiat currency.

Nobody knows what makes them happy, but I do. Photography.

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