This is what gives us hope and optimism towards the future?

Therefore the best photos– the photos which promote hope, optimism, the future, and future adventures?

Photos which inspire movement, photos which inspire adventure!

Via negativa YouTube settings. No ads, no comments, no likes.

Lake arrowhead as a great weekend getaway. Rent a nice airbnb in the mountains, breathe that fresh mountain air, and do some quick day trips along the way (Mojave Desert, Palm Springs — shoot street photography in the downtown, the Palm Springs modern art museum, or go on a short hike), and shoot some photos in the snow:

An experiment:

Shooting XS (extra small) jpeg on RICOH GR IIIx.

I actually think the photos are *big enough*!

Surprisingly good, especially the default color mode, and the default HDR settings!

What makes it so good?

Great creative tool. Lidar, ability to screenshot and mark up photos, and the default camera is very strong.

I still prefer RICOH GR IIIX as my primary (monochrome) camera. But iPhone Pro is great for color photos and macro photos, or video selfie vlogs.

The screen is great. Also because of the great HDR, it makes for a great landscape camera.

Avoid free. Why? In ‘free’, there is always a hidden trap, somewhere. Whether it be distractions (Google), whether it be advertisements (Facebook/Instagram), or whether some sort of subliminal brain-washing (the overly sensationalist news).

Joshua Tree– maybe one of my new favorite places on Earth:

Small thumbnails; the quickest way to most efficiently go through your photos, and flag/favorite/download your favorite photos based on what ‘pops’ as a small thumbnail.

Google Photos– a great tool (Chrome) to edit (select and flag) your best photos, and also to share your best/favorite photos with friends and family.

Google Photos is great, especially if you don’t want to spend money on Adobe Lightroom (monthly subscription), or if you don’t have a Mac with access to Apple Photos.

A step towards techno-zen.

You pave the path, and cultivate your own culture. You don’t follow anything or anyone.

I love barebones. Clean, minimal, without flourishes and superfluous elements. More spartan, cold— this is our new luxury.

Uber-base level Tesla Model 3, white, black interior, cheapest model, no additional autopilot (~$39,999) with the cheapest aero rims.

iPhone SE with no case in black. Or MacBook Air, cheapest base model (only $899 with Apple education discount).

RICOH GR III/GR IIIX, black and white high contrast monochrome small JPEG mode.

No headphones. If you want to listen to music, just play it off your laptop speakers or off your phone speaker.

Just one all black everything outfit. Black merino wool t shirt, UNIQLO black athletic shorts, black leggings, no socks, only minimalist shoes (water shoes, or Vibram 5 finger type shoes, or the “L-Run” brand minimalist zero drop shoes on Amazon).

Barebones website and blog design.

Whether it be looking at and reviewing your photos, working out in the morning, seeing your kid in the morning, or your morning coffee!

Not that things are getting more expensive, but the value of the USD is becoming less because of inflation? Don’t save your money in USD, buy Bitcoin or Tesla stock instead.

Towards “re-usable”, things that aren’t disposable. Fewer goods, more expensive and premium-luxury. Better curation of our tools, life and things.

Anti gas cars, anti hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. Electric as supreme, as it is “re-usable”. Even with babies and kids — transitioning them out of disposable diapers as soon as humanly possible.

Anti film, pro digital. Anti physical things, pro ephemeral online or digital things.

More expensive, and better.

Lidar as a game changer. Polycam is the one. iphone Pro good for portable Lidar:

Why toe socks are so great?

Beautiful things don’t make for a beautiful person.

La Sportiva gore-Tex boots, an expensive Gore-Tex jacket, merino wool, etc.

Why? The goal isn’t to live in the most luxurious home in the mountains, but to be outdoors.

Therefore, the best way to think about clothing is outdoor armor. Any type of clothing which helps you be outdoors longer, go further, and be more brave is better.

Something nobody really talks about: the importance of safety. For example, I just did a quick weekend trip in Lake arrowhead, and when driving up the mountain, there was an insane amount of fog, which was very dangerous. At that moment, the thought: what would be the maximum the safe car to climb up the mountain, surrounded by fog, with icy roads?

(more…)

Nobody knows what it means to be happy, but we know what it means to be focused. Knowing how to focus on something better you can control.

Therefore, put your strength and efforts towards focus. That means, knowing how to get rid of distractions.

(more…)

Also, skech on top of your screenshots!

The best ethos for raising a child, also works well with adults.

Best to be hands-on.

Danger breeds focus.

Focus over “happiness”.

Bitcoin ATM?

The Palm Springs modern art museum as a great place!

Currently doing a weekend retreat at Lake arrowhead, in the mountains at an Airbnb cabin lodge. To escape the cold, we drove to Palm Springs, checked out the art museum, and did a short fun hike, and walked around the downtown area. It was my first time in Palm Springs, and the main Avenue is very interesting. Almost like a bougie Santa Monica meets Vegas. Great for Street photography!

The mountain air and elevation as very restorative for your health.

I love cruel and harsh landscapes. They sharpen me, focus me, and inspire me.

In praise of the mountains:

How can we optimize our lives to live more dangerously, more recklessly?

Living in the mountains, desert, or more unforgiving climates. Places where it snows. East coast people as having more hair on their chest compared to soft California folks.

The purpose of life isn’t to stay at home, but to leave, embark, explore, discover, conquer, and traverse.

If you judge others or compare yourself to others, you equivalize yourself to others. Assuming you’re a rare plant, treat yourself as your own category, your own species.

When people challenge you to an argument don’t be suckered — there is no “winning” an argument by reason, logic or dialectics. Just ignore them, and don’t acknowledge what they said or their existence.

If I shot a lot of photos in a given day, it is a sign that I had a great day.

Actually not a horrible focal length!

In praise of iphone Pro to edit your photos while in the field.

What do we want? Things to be faster, more instant.

Consider the “Insta-pot”, or even “Insta-Gram”. Instant film (Polaroid, Instax).

Digital photography as superior to film photography because digital photos are instant.

Opt for smaller. With Tesla, get Model 3 Performance over Model S Plaid. iPhone Mini over iPhone Pro. Small is the new (clutch) luxury.

Small luxury apartments (less square footage, more modern and premium) over big (boring) and ugly suburban homes.