020/365
October 29, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
I’m learning that I need a bit more organization with this project. One thing is ensuring that I find time to make a picture and write a journal entry - that’s a given. Still, since I elected to develop and scan the rolls of film myself, there are a few extra steps that I need to consider: labeling/organizing the exposed rolls, backup scanner if the Noritsu fails (maybe a lab?), better quality scan with the EPSON, organizing the daily photos, to name a few. Oh, and I have two film bodies at Leica for repair. The last repair took over six months!
It's good to catch it now before the first post! Control the things you can.
In other news, we still haven’t carved our pumpkins yet, and that’s OK! Life is moving at a good pace.
019/365
October 28, 2023
Sarasota, Florida
I couldn’t miss this morning. The nice sunrise, cool air, and meditative 2-mile walk with Ripley put all the right pieces together. I enjoy getting to our usual path early to beat the other foot traffic and let her wander without a leash. It makes me smile every time I turn Ripley loose. The moment I unhook the leash she races and then slides across the grass on her back as if stealing second base. She then contorts her torso convex style, left to right and right to left, until she’s massaged enough of nature into her fur.
After returning, I spent some time with the kids, before heading off. Chloe and I went to her classmate Gage’s birthday party at Mote Marine. What a fantastic place! I spent some time talking with Gage’s father, Kirk, who shared a number of nearby park and walking recommendations. I’m looking forward to touring his list.
018/365
October 27, 2023
Bradenton, Florida
Today, I went to Wendy’s school to participate in the annual Trunk or Treat Halloween event. The teachers and even some of the parents open the trunks of their decorated cars and invite the children to stop by for a Halloween treat.
We were supposed to be a family of pirates, but as it turns out, Wendy also nominated me to dress up as Sparky, the new (& improved?) Branden River mascot. Yeah, it was uncomfortable and beyond sweltering, but looking back on the 45 minutes of in-costume fun, I have no regrets! Many of the kids loved it, and I was happy to bring some smiles. I even tried my hand at some motivational talks, saying “Stay in school!” and “Be sure to brush your teeth tonight!” Life-changing stuff.
017/365
October 26, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
After dropping the kids off at school, I visited Atria Bread + Coffee, my go-to for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I could default to Atria for just about everything! I planned on being heads-down in my work, but one of the employees stopped by to chat about my camera. He shared that he’d sold his DSLR, opting for the iPhone for digital and the Canon A-1 for film. I was amazed! As we exchanged, he mentioned feeling that digital often got in the way, shooting volume over quality, ending up in the black hole of cloud storage (iCloud/Apple Photos). Near the end of our conversation, I got a chance to share my film stock preferences, and I then directed him to the ever-helpful blog post, Metering for Film, by Johnny Patience.
I hope to run into Nate again so we can compare notes and share some results! It’s nice to hear someone who’s actively using film. Most film stories start and end with, “Back in college ...”
016/365
October 25, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Reduction continues. I sold one of my mountain bikes. It feels very good to reduce unnecessary material, but I’m finding even more peace because it’s occupying less space between my ears. The brain doesn’t forget, storing and maintaining my personal catalog, especially when it comes to possessions. I’ve found that possessions tend to hold a lot of emotional weight. You can see the effect of it everywhere lately, especially when possessions take on other forms, such as belief or opinion. That’s not the sort of complication that adds value to my days.
Having lost both my parents, I wonder how they see their possessions now. Would they rather me live out their lessons and remember the experiences or emphasize the material gained in life?
015/365
October 24, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
It’s incredible how much we store and never use. It feels very American to have something to store, have a basement for things, or even, in the case of Florida, rent a storage facility. Heck, we even have the (reality?) TV shows that showcase how much we consume. I feel many of these shows are just a loop of ourselves reflected through the TV or screen.
The abundance is outside. Outside in nature. Outside our heads (through books, writing, giving). For me, having Ripley is a satisfying step in that direction. She wants to run around nature and remain the faithful companion who asks so little in return.
She just is.
014/365
October 23, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
When you spend a lot of time working from home, you start to notice more peculiarities about your environment. I often walk by the rooms and notice the morning light coming through the blinds or casting a unique color on the walls. Stillness makes it all possible. Today, I stopped and admired the light in Chloe’s room, but I was also impressed at how she organizes life. I saw her attempt at making her bed, which surprised me because she’s usually the neater one!
As a whole, today could have been better. I was still recovering from the weekend. I recently mentioned it takes my body up to 72 hours to recover from its activities, and I think that is mostly accurate after today.
Press on!
013/365
October 22, 2023
Fort Myers, Florida
We drove home today from Fort Myers. After helping Wendy’s mother with her flat tire and saying our goodbyes, we returned north. On the way, we needed to find a supercharger, or maybe we were hungry ... or perhaps both? It’s such a nice convenience to leverage some nearby services while the car replenishes its charge.
The 365 project feels more and more like a challenge. Part of me is intrigued by where it will take me over the year, but often it feels like I’m forcing a photograph, like a necessary task. I need to let go of the search and just be present.
012/365
October 21, 2023
Fort Myers, Florida
The older I get
The more I think
You only get a minute, better live while you’re in it
And the older I get
The truer it is
It's the people you love, not the money and stuff
That makes you rich
Alan Jackson, The Older I Get
Today we departed our stay in Sarasota a day early to head south and visit with Wendy’s mom and her husband, Walter. Walter has not been doing well. Just over a month ago, he was hospitalized and we nearly lost him to a blood infection.
After visiting him today, we feel great about his progress and mental sharpness. However, he needs to rebuild his physical stamina and invigorate his leg muscles. That’s what he needs the most, especially for his age.
011/365
October 20, 2023
Sarasota, Florida
It’s incredible how much unnatural noise exists today. I’m becoming more aware of it. I think of it like light pollution. It’s there, keeping nature from our sight as noise is from hearing nature or listening to our physiology. On this morning’s walk with Ripley, as we veered closer to the nearby park, I could hear the humdrum noise of vehicles on SR 64 and construction happening at a nearby community. It’s constant and increasing.
This makes me think about the reliance some have on noise-producing applications (e.g., white, pink, and brown). Why have we decided to introduce a synthetic buffer instead of electing to live without it? So, I was curious and decided to read up a bit more on the subject of noise. As it turns out, the impact on our physiology is not always so apparent, and some suffer far worse from it.
Later in the evening, Wendy and I went to dinner in downtown Sarasota for an evening together. It’s great for us to reconnect outside of the home, made for a great end to a busy work-week!
010/365
October 19, 2023
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I am leaving Fort Lauderdale this morning and heading home after the short trip. With little sleep last night and nearly a four-hour drive ahead of me, owning an electric car is a plus. The autopilot feature helps alleviate the mental strain of long, uneventful drives across the flat state of Florida.
I plan on catching up on one of my favorite podcasts, named Grit. The episode I’m looking forward to is a conversation with Palo Alto Networks CEO, Nikesh Arora. I’m always curious about how leaders build and sustain momentum in competitive markets. I also enjoy gaining perspective on their stories - their journey and how these leaders remain lifelong learners.
“I never lose. I either win, or I learn.” - Nelson Mandela
009/365
October 18, 2023
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The recent mornings have been cool and enjoyable. On my daily walk with Ripley, it was 51 degrees and free of humidity - just what I’ve been waiting for!
In the early afternoon, I drove to the Miami / Fort Lauderdale-area for a customer event. Inter-Miami is facing Charlotte in a rescheduled game from August. Unfortunately, Messi won’t be playing, but I’m still excited to see the sporting event. It will be a great opportunity to meet new people and chat with customers and prospects outside of their organizations - situations I thrive in.
Before the event, I took a short walk around Fort Lauderdale. Despite the construction, I discovered a few open footpaths by the water where boats were swaying back and forth with the calmness of the water. Their stillness became my own.
008/365
October 17, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Woke up feeling a bit unwell today with a slightly sore throat and a foggy head. No cough or fever, so hopefully it’s temporary. Many people around me, including those I frequently interact with, have been experiencing the flu or some new strain of COVID-19 (also the flu?). Surprisingly, I have managed to avoid it so far. Hopefully, my win streak continues!
After loading up on some nutrients, and feeling better, I went to drop off our recycling at the nearby community collection center. Next to it, there are three or four baseball diamonds that I always notice when I’m in the area. I decided to park the car, explore the grounds and take a photo of America’s Favorite Pastime. Being in this setting brings back so many nostalgic memories of playing ball in my neighbors’ backyard late into the evening.
007/365
October 16, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Today started OK, but the midday lull seemed to occupy enough headspace to keep me from being more productive. Some time ago, I started to wonder how food (chemistry?) was playing a role in my wellness, mood, and overall productivity. Today’s example was more evidence that my food choices, made 48-72 hours prior, played a much more significant role than I thought. I’m now curious what optimal really feels like.
On the upside, I’ve been enjoying the mild temperatures lately. Highs of 72 after morning lows of 60 degrees with 14 mph winds have been enjoyable. Morning and daytime walks will be plenty from now until next May. Ripley certainly doesn’t mind!
006/365
October 15, 2023
Parrish, Florida
The Irish won a thrilling game yesterday evening. Actually, they did so convincingly. Despite my sluggishness from the week, including all the birthday and Halloween festivities, it’s amazing how refreshing it is when your team wins.
I took the girls and Ripley for a two-mile hike at the Rye Preserve. The weather finally turned cooler, so we spent the afternoon outside. I took a few shots of the Rye Family Cemetery. The headstones date back to the late 1800’s, with many of the residents passing at an early age. I can’t imagine what the struggle looked like in that era.
Hopefully, one of them turns out as the afternoon sunlight was pretty intense. Typical of Florida.
Some additional info on the Rye Family and their settlement: https://www.ncf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/NCPAL-Report-1-Rye-Village_compressed.pdf
005/365
October 14, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Mom had a girl's evening scheduled, so I took Chloe and Ellie out for a night on the town.
Daddy. Daughters. A date night.
We enjoyed chatting and laughing over a taco dinner, also Chloe’s 1st favorite food. I was sad for the girls that we couldn’t visit the local art store. They had their heart set on painting a new pottery figurine at Arts A Blaze Studio, but it closed as we arrived. However, we made up for it with an adult-size cone of ice cream, which they ate at Peculiar Pub while I watched part of the Notre Dame football game.
I took a few pictures of the pub's interior spaces, but the lighting was very challenging! I doubt my post-ice cream hands held the camera steady. Fingers crossed.
004/365
October 13, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
I ended the rather unusual week with some good times with friends, celebrating Halloween at the Gast house. One thing that surprises me about Florida is the level of dedication (perhaps obsession?) to Halloween. Among the lights, multiple inflatables, and other decor, many decorate their homes more elaborately than they do for Christmas. I took a picture of a larger-than-life Skeletor. Impressive, but I can’t image the storage needs for these massive things.
On another note, it pleases me to share that I’ve nearly sold off all my cameras, lenses, and accessory items that don’t bring me joy. All that remains are film cameras, and a digital Leica M for its unique sensor qualities. I should write more about this later, but the goal is to simplify, and reduce the weight of possessions.
002/365
October 11, 2023
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
I managed nearly eight hours of sleep last night and still woke up feeling like I could have slept some more. Today was much improved over yesterday, but I still didn’t find the right kind of momentum.
Enjoyed dinner with the family. We had fish tacos with some savory sauce on top - I didn’t experience diminishing returns if that indicates my satisfaction! We followed dinner, and my food coma, with some family reading time. I’ve been enjoying Atomic Habits by James Clear and bridging that with a work-sponsored video series by him on MasterClass. I’ve been particularly struck by the notion that goals are not enough because they’re finite. That is, ending.
You do not rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems.
Reading what’s not said, what I picked up was that it never ends. Habits create the system and ultimately move us closer to the vision for our lives.