Category: Well-being

Monday Baking and Bye-bye Fitbit

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"Brownie Time" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO1600
 “Brownie Time” Cedar Park, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Even though today is a dreaded Monday, mine was pretty good! I got a ton done at work, and then later on, I helped Bay make brownies for his school assignment. We haven’t tasted them yet, but they smell delicious! It was fun to help him measure, mix, and bake the goodies. Plus, he did all the dishes. 😄

In less-good news, I’ve been wearing a Fitbit for the past month or so, but I am going to stop. Basically, the pros do not outweigh the cons. It’s kind of uncomfortable, and the syncing with my phone is unreliable. Today it finally lost Bluetooth connection with my phone for good. I’ve spent an hour or so trying to troubleshoot it before deciding that the Fitbit was not enriching my life, by rather causing frustration and negativity. At first, seeing the data was interesting, but honestly, it’s the same day after day, and I don’t really need the tracker to tell me how many steps I’ve taken. I find that it’s enough to know if I’ve planked, how many squats I’ve done, or if I’ve spent time on the bike. And when I go running, I like to use Strava, whose data I do find interesting. I guess the Fitbit just isn’t for me.

Oh, here’s a photo of Yuzu and my glasses, just because. 😺👓

"Glasses" Cedar Park, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec, ISO6400
 “Glasses” Cedar Park, 2018

I hope you had a nice Monday!

おやすみ

Readily Available

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"Warm Sun" Austin, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/10, 1/100 sec, ISO1000
 “Warm Sun” Austin, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

Today’s photo is of the notebooks that are on my work desk. I was chatting with a friend about journaling and writing in notebooks, and I thought about the barriers that prevent me from writing more. And by writing, I don’t mean writing stories or the great American novel. But just jotting down reminders, practicing kana, doodling, etc.

And I realize that one of the big barriers for me is just the proximity of the notebook and pen. For instance, when my notebook is in my bag on the floor, that’s too far. However, if I keep the notebook on my desk, opened to a blank page and a pen resting on top, then I write a lot more.

It’s kind of like photography for me. Since my X100T is so small and easy to carry around, I almost always have it with me, and therefore I take more photos. It’s readily available all the time.

So, making the pen and paper easily accessible has been key so far this year. My notebook might not be the prettiest, but it’s functional and I enjoy writing in it. It’s just another small thing that makes life a little more fun.

I hope you had a nice day!

おやすみ

Enjoy Shooting

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"Cold Front" Leander, 2018
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/16, 1/1250 sec, ISO200
 “Cold Front” Leander, 2018

こんばんは。How’s it going?

I watched a great video by Kevin Mullins in which he talks about simplifying the photographic process. I agree with a lot of what he says and his idea of letting the camera do most of the work, and you just concentrate on seeing the scene. He also talks about simplifying your gear and amount of kit you carry. I think once you stop thinking about gear, the photographic process gets simpler and purer, and also more enjoyable.

It’s kind of where I am at (and have been for a while) with my photography hobby. I’ve gone through the evolution of buying lots of gear and maximizing specs, lusting after the latest and greatest cameras and lenses, and collecting many different camera formats (and spending a fair bit of money). Then I started gravitating to smaller cameras, ditching gear, and eventually landed with my X100T, which doesn’t even have interchangeable lenses. And I love it! It’s been my go-to camera for the past few years. I don’t need anything more than this. When I travel, I take this one camera, a couple batteries, and I am all set. It makes traveling much more enjoyable!

"Trusty" Cedar Park, 2017
“Trusty” Cedar Park, 2017

I am on a journey to simplify my life, and simplifying my main hobby of photography is a great step in the right direction.

Today’s photo is of the sky as a cold front arrived in Texas. The temperature will drop about 40 degrees in just 12 hours! Brrrr….

Keep warm!

おやすみ

Slow Sunday Activities

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"Cat in the Corner" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/4, 1/15 sec, ISO3200
 “Cat in the Corner” Cedar Park, 2017

こんばんは。

It was a relaxing Sunday at our house. Just check out the photo of Anko – she has the right idea!

I did do a few chores around the house and yard, such as folding laundry, washing the bedding, and some light tree-pruning, but even those tasks were done at a slow pace. Unrushed tasks are not really chores at all anymore. In fact, they can be kind of fun. But, sometimes I realize how pleasant they can be only after the task is done. So I am trying to get that mindset before I start the task, which will motivate me to get started on them.

In the evening I played a ton of Splatoon on our Wii U. I’m terrible at that game but it’s a ton of fun. Even getting splatted by other players is hilarious! What I like about the game is that even for someone who has terrible aim in shooters, there are “weapons” that don’t require a ton of accuracy, or have different purposes other than just splatting other players. For instance, I love the paint rollers because they can cover a lot of ground in paint, and the attack is very imprecise. It’s good for someone like me who is accuracy-challenged.

"Battle Ready" Cedar Park, 2017
Photo info: FUJIFILM X100T, 23mm, f/2.2, 1/320 sec, ISO200
 “Battle Ready” Cedar Park, 2017

For dinner, I barbequed hamburgers on the grill. I tried a new technique for me, which is to not put the cheese on the burgers while they are on the grill. Instead, remove the cooked burgers to a plate, and then put the cheese on them while the patties rest. The cheese will still melt, but the grill won’t become a cheesy mess. It worked great… definitely the better way to make cheeseburgers! 🍔

I hope you had a nice Sunday. Here’s a nice relaxing tune from Splatoon. My favorite!

おやすみ