The courage to be intentionally ignorant about things, takes more courage than prying into everything. For example, whenever I overhear gossip about other people, I just remain silent, instead of fanning the flame.
Similarly speaking, to intentionally remain ignorant about the news, and not prying to the news takes more courage than mindlessly always checking up on the news. Why? The reason why people are so addicted to the news is out of fear. FOMO, the fear of missing out. The fear that you will miss out some integral piece of information, that will somehow protect you from unforeseen circumstances.
Also, not checking your email. Not using email. Perhaps the most courageous thing I’ve ever done is to not check my email for 2 to 3 years. The courage to miss out on things takes more courage, and also more incentive on your end. Then you yourself have the incentive to go out and make things happen, instead of waiting for things to happen onto you.
For example, the reason why porn is mostly uninteresting is because it takes no risk. Unless, someone else is at home. Text much more risk to try to pick someone up, go to the local bar and nightclub. Social risk taking is a noble one.
Also, the reason why I love powerlifting so much is that it is real risk, in the realm of your own body.
Also the reason I love cryptocurrency, and crypto-speculation is the risk and the balls that takes to speculating it. Why? It is the most volatile, and perhaps the most risky thing to put your money on.
Ever since I integrated some yoga moves and warm-ups to my powerlifting regimen, my body has become stronger, and I have been able to lift more. No belt, no straps, only chalk and a power grunt.
Not all greed is made alike. I think there is actually a difference between good greed and bad greed.
What is the difference between good greed and bad greed? I say good greed is the greed which actually benefits you, bad greed is the one which weekends or disadvantages you.
The ideal place to be is a place that the more time you spend there, the more you like it. For example, my great enthusiasm with the north park neighborhood in San Diego.
Dear friends, a thought on my mind: the importance of physiology in photography.
What is physiology?
The concept of physiology is kind of a more old-school one, which is falling a little bit out of vogue in more recent times. Nowadays, the bias in the trend is towards “mental health“, nobody focuses on physical health.
Basically physiology has to deal with the human body, anything that deals with your body.
Why the importance of physiology and photography?
The reason why this is important: without a body you cannot go out in photograph. Let us consider, you need your legs to move yourself around, your arms move the camera, and your eyes see. Let us also consider that the more physically fit you are, certainly this will make you a more fit photographer. Especially in the realm of Street photography, being able to quickly sprint for a photo opportunity, rely on your toes, and be quick.
Let us also consider that with physiology, you need physical strength and endurance to go on photograph. Ideally, the ideal street photographer would be able to walk 30,000 steps a day, without any fatigue.
How to make yourself a more adept photographer
Perhaps the best way to become a better photographer is to train your body to become stronger, to become a better photographer.
Some thoughts:
Get into heavy deadlifts and squats. Attempt a one rep max every week, for your sumo deadlift or your squat.
Get some Vibram five finger shoes. I like the EL-X model. Why the toe shoes? Because it allows you to walk more, with less fatigue, more naturally.
Make doing active stuff your leisure. For example, if you have option to go on a date, instead of just going to a restaurant, where you’re sitting on your butt for two hours and just eating, maybe it is better to go on a walk, going hike, etc.
If you’re going to also have a meeting, do a walking meeting. This is what Steve Jobs loved to do.
For your morning coffee, or whenever you want a coffee, maybe it is good idea to not make coffee at home. Instead, force yourself to walk, to a local coffee shop, or the closest coffee shop to you, even if the coffee is not great.
Conserve your energy. For us men, my theory — perhaps conserving your spunk is a good idea. Maybe the superstition of boxer is not having sex the night before is a good one. Because would you blow your load before attempting a one-rep max deadlift? Probably not.
SunExposureTherapy. I have more physiological energy, and also my health is better, and my skin is better, when I spend maximal time outdoors, topless, in the direct sun. No sunblock, just let yourself tan naturally.
For your work, or your computer work, try to do as much of it outdoors as possible. Either in the direct sun, outdoors in the open shade, or at the local coffee shop. Don’t work at home.
Become more social. One of my theories on why it is essential to be social is this: when your social interaction with somebody, do you have to activate some sort of physiological energy in order to engage with them. And also the way the other people respond to you and vice versa releases some hormones. For example, let us say that you talk with a beautiful woman, and assume you’re a straight male, certainly your physiology and your hormonal response will be different than if you just stayed at home.
Make real life and embodied reality your entertainment: if you’re bored at home, instead of just watching a movie or Netflix, go to the local pub, coffee shop, club, dance place, etc. Now that we’re all vaccinated, it seems that we can resume life back to normal.
Food
I think food is actually the most underrated piece of the equation. We almost all act as if food is all about calories and macros, rather than the chemical composition of it, and also how it changes your hormones.
For example, the bodily physiological response you get from eating 1000 calories of a ribeye steak is very different from the hormonal response to get from eating 1000 calories of table sugar.
Also a funny thing I learned and observed in my workshops: whenever I teach a photography workshop, and we break for lunch, it seems that the shooting that the students do after lunch is a lot more low energy. Why? People get food coma after eating lunch. Especially when they consume a lot of foods which spike insulin, like simple carbs, sugar, etc.
For myself personally, after much experimentation I realize that I’m the same after breakfast for lunch. This is why I stopped eating breakfast and lunch, and instead, just drink water and black coffee. This has given me a lot more physiological energy throughout the day, and it seems that my body is now trained that I don’t actually really get hungry until dinner time anymore. Not having to waste time eating breakfast and lunch, is a huge advantage.
Also, some thing you could experiment with is eating more beef liver and beef heart. It is common knowledge that predators prefer to eat first the organ meats, and leave the lean flesh meat for the vultures. What is this? Organ meats have the highest nutrition density, even when compared to flesh meat.
Whenever I eat a lot of beef liver, or organ meat for dinner, I sleep very very well, and I wake up the next day with much more energy.
More photography workout ideas
Try to do as many push-ups at home as possible, then just go on a walk around the block with your camera, and see what photos you can shoot.
When you go to the gym, walk, and just shoot the photos you see along the way. Also, after you get a quick pump from the gym, and you’re walking home, see if this allows you to see more photo opportunities.
My friend Dana Barsuhn did this — he offered to shoot photos for his local CrossFit gym, an exchange for free membership. This seems like a great idea: you could double dip. There is something very engaging about photographing athletes in motion, and also by having a free gym membership, you yourself become more fit.
Look at more sports and athlete photography: I recently saw a photography book dedicated athlete and sports, and the dynamism of humans in motion was very very inspiring. Even Richard Avedon would dance with his models when he photographed them.
Get into boxing: it seems that boxers, who are light on their feet, would make great photographers, especially Street photographers.
Do dance photography: photograph dancers, or breakdance. The ultimate kinetic art of bodies in motion. Also, when we see people in motion, it actually motivates us to move our bodies as well. This is why whenever you see other people dancing, you yourself want to boogie.
Invest in your photography
Experiences last forever. Invest in an epic ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE for yourself.
Build your own website portfolio: register a domain on the bluehost.com, and install WordPress.org. Then create your portfolio of your best 10 photos of all time.
Book a flight, or an Airbnb to a place that you want to go and photograph. It is always good to have something in the books.
Upload a photo to arsbeta.com in which you desire constructive criticism on.
Have a conversation with WHY APP? on why you make photos.
Upon much thinking and reflection, the realization:
Happiness is not the goal of life, nor should ‘increasing your happiness’ be the goal.
Perhaps a better goal is rather power augmentation. Increasing your physiological power, your physical power (one rep max ability in the gym), and your artistic power output.
There are not lots of pieces of technology or things that I love, but one of them which I really do love is the iPad Pro. It blows my mind how much I could get done on it, while the battery life is so amazing. Even after an intense session with it, I still have tons of battery to spare. This is great because it makes me feel more free, it makes me feel like I could do more, with less concern.
For example, some things I can do on it: review my photos and flag my favorites, while being in the outdoors direct sun, write and blog with it using Siri voice dictate, vlog with it, using the Ultra Wide selfie Vlog front facing camera, send photos of Seneca to my family and friends via iMessage on the iPad, send email newsletters, use iA Writer to write, and even do some 3-D modeling (Nomad sculpt).
And also because the new iPad Pro has the M series processor, it can do a lot. For example, I could do intensive computing on it, while still doing screen record.
Shout out to the iPad and iPad Pro team: Steve Jobs would be proud.
I say: if you’re interested in iPad Pro, just buy it. If you don’t like it, just return it.
If you want to upgrade your stuff, consider, the best “upgrade†isn’t something that is necessarily more powerful or capable, yet something that is lighter. For example, upgrading your iPhone to an iPhone mini is actually an upgrade, getting an iPhone Pro which is heavier is a downgrade.
When you want to purchase new things, new clothes, new shoes, etc., the best thing to read in the technical specifications is the product weight.
He ironically with coffee: I’ve discovered the best upgrade for a coffee cup or coffee mug is the lightest one.
My interest and passion in titanium
One of the pieces of technology which has certainly served me best for my prescription eyeglasses. Without them I literally cannot see anything. My current lenses are the most expensive â€Crizal†branded prescription lenses that I got while in Mexico City, and they opted for the most expensive, thinnest, and lightest lenses. Also the titanium frame LINDBERG glasses frames that I got while in Mumbai India almost a decade ago have still held up well. The best thing I tell people when I show them my glasses is it to tell people to observe how light they are. Heavy is bad.
What should Apple engineers be doing?
I say instead of making computers more powerful, honestly, most people don’t need all that computing power, is to make the devices lighter, and thinner. How is it that almost a decade after Steve Jobs has died, the MacBook Air hasn’t got any thinner or lighter?
Something to consider: sometimes technology makes us stronger, sometimes it makes us weaker.
The question is: when is when? How can we maximize the upside to technology, while clipping the downside?
The first thought is this: who owns the technology? For example, I’m very suspicious of Gmail. I think Google has low-key engineered it to become very addicting. Every time you pull it down to reload your emails, you’re like running a slot machine. If you ever find yourself mindlessly refreshing your email while waiting for the bathroom, waiting for the elevator, while in the elevator, or somewhere random where you know that you haven’t gotten the emails, note that. As a good antidote, when you register your own website domain, just make your own self hosted email. And check your email via Apple mail app on your laptop.
I trust Apple more than I trust Google. Why? What Apple is trying to do is trap you in her ecosystem, to have you continually purchase Apple products. Whereas Google‘s purpose is for you to stay addicted to their products, and services, and always be distracted and clicking on stuff.
Noise canceling technology might be the best technology
The reason I’m really passionate about noise canceling headphones is this: it is the ultimate via negativa technology. I like the idea of technology which removes noise, removes annoyances, and remove distractions. For example, the best piece of technology on a computer is probably your ad blocker. And your tracker blockers.
Also, something I observed is that the biggest problem people have while driving is texting while driving, being distracted by the phone while driving, changing music or podcasts while driving, etc. Therefore ironically enough, perhaps the safest option for you to do in terms of a car isn’t to get a car with more sensors, but a car with fewer sensors. For example, getting a 90s or 2000s car without any LCD screens, or back up cameras. Ironically enough, I think this might breed for a better driving and more focus. And paying attention more. Also a manual transmission car, so you could be 100% focused on driving.
Even the other day I saw an older guy with a Tesla model S, with a huge mark on the side. I asked him how he got it, and he said that he changed lanes without checking the sensors first. Perhaps it would be more important for him to just be more aware of the road.
Technology that makes you more mobile versus technology that makes you more sedentary
Even as I write this, I’m outside in the direct sun, enjoying my morning cup of coffee, with the morning sun against my topless back. Also, I’m writing this whole thing via Apple keyboard voice dictation. The reason I love writing or jotting down my thoughts on iPad instead of my laptop is that allows me to move around more, and also stand upright, and also be outdoors. As much as I love my laptop, it breeds for more static behavior. Even doing a standing desk is very static, not as bad as sitting, but not great either.
Try using the voice dictation option on the Apple keyboard, for your iPad or iPhone. It works really well.
An interesting piece of technology I found is the idea of having a standing desk and a treadmill. However, I’ve still discovered that it is superior to be able to move omni-directionally, with an iPad on stable ground, where I dictate my moving and walking speed. Also, ability to compute while being in the direct sun, instead of depressing indoors , without natural light.
The point isn’t to become more productive, the point is to become healthier and stronger
For the most part in today’s world, productivity is a slave mentality. For example, if you judge your own personal worth based on how productive you are, consider yourself as a qualified slave.
A simple thought: think if your technology actually motivates you to move more, or become healthier. And no, I do not think an Apple Watch will motivate you to walk more. Maybe, a passion and the lust for photography is good; because it motivates you to move more. Also, being greedy for the gains motivates you to go to the gym and move more.
The best shoes
Shoes are also a technology for your feet. I have discovered that the Vibram five fingers, the EL-X model has actually positively helped me walk around more, move more, enjoy walking more, with more energy and less fatigue. Not those stupid Hoka shoes with huge foam cushioning, nor any Nike or Adidas foam shoes. Getting running shoes with a ton of foam is like getting a condom with huge foam padding. We want more sensation, not less.
Similarly speaking, when you’re going for one rep max deadlift or squat, the ideal is to do it barefoot. After that, just wearing socks, or a zero drop, shoe like the Vibram five fingers. Or something similar. For example, when I deadlifted 475 pounds, I just did it in socks.
I love the outdoor grill
Even more recently, I’ve discovered that one of my new favorite pieces of technology is the outdoor grill, as it allows me to cook more meat, faster, more efficiently, better, with greater taste and char.
Even back in Providence days, I loved my slow cooker. Any piece of technology which allows you to cook more meat and consume more meat is good.
What is the best environment for your kid to grow up in?
And personally speaking, after spending time with Seneca in the city, traveling, and in the suburbs (where there are literally no sidewalks), i’ve been thinking about what the best environment is for him to grow up in.
It actually seems that Seneca is most stimulated by the city, urban environments, or even bohemian neighborhoods. Also, he loves living nomadically, being in transit, being an airplanes, trains, and on the move.
What is he dislike? Staying at home all day. He does enjoy running around the house a little bit, but he would prefer to spend 90% of his time outdoors, and maybe 10% of his time indoors. Just like me.
Similarly speaking, real “successful“ people actually don’t look “successfulâ€. Beware of appearances, appearances are often deceiving.
Similarly speaking, often the strongest guy the gym doesn’t look like the strongest guy at the gym.
There was also very funny Delta force meme amongst military folks: the real military assassin looks like a total nerd.
Real successful people don’t wear suits. People who aspire to be successful wear suits in order to look the parts. But often the richest guy going to the restaurant is the one wearing flip-flops and shorts.
Similarly speaking, don’t treat other people‘s kids or talk about other peoples kids the way you don’t want other people to treat them, or talk about them.
