Around Jiyugaoka

I have been reading Angel by Jason Calacanis this past week.  It is a book I have been waiting to be released for a long time.  Jason is a well know Silicon Valley Investor who turned $100K USD in investments into $100M USD.  He was an early investor in Uber, Thumbtack, Wealthfront and a few hundred other companies.

Constantly Moving

My wife says I'm like a little mouse that can't sit still.  When I'm not physically moving my mind is moving a million miles an hour.   This year has been no different.  I've had a lot of travel so far this year with trips to London, Mumbai, Osaka, Seoul, Manila, Bangkok, LA and Singapore twice.

Spring Focus

I have been very focused on a pet project for the past few months using what little free time I have on it.   20 minutes here, 30 minutes here, a Saturday afternoon here.   It's amazing how much you can get done with little focused amounts of time. 

Bombay

The week before last I was in Mumbai for the week for business.   I think this was my 20th trip to Mumbai in the past 15 years.   It's amazing to see the massive transformation this city and all of India has been on.   

Moving Forward

Life has kept me very busy lately without much personal time.  I have had a few business trips to start my year.  I had a trip to London in January and a short trip to Singapore in February.  Unfortunately both had very packed schedules that didn't get a chance to get out and shoot.

The Start

I'm wrapped up 3 weeks of leave yesterday and headed back to work.  I never used to be able to take time off at year so it's nice to finally be able to.  I travel and work a lot throughout the year so I really cherish this time to unwind and catch up at home.  

The End

I have officially stopped traveling for 2016 with my final two trips of the year to Bali and Taipei completed.   My traveling has come to an end for the year.  My total travel for the year 174,660 miles.  Wow what a year of travel!

Analog Future

I'm in a film phase right now and I am going to try to shoot film for the foreseeable future.  I have a small wine refrigerator filled with a few hundred rolls of film waiting to be shot.  I have a few really cool expired ones in there too. 

Eventually they stop laughing

I like people who stick to their convictions in spite of opposition.   I think all too often people either stay with the norms or quickly adapt to the popular opinion or approach when facing challengers.   People should feel comfortable and confident to stand up for what they believe in and prove others wrong with their actions and results.

Homebody

I have continued to focus on my guitar playing as of late.   I'm still not very good but it's something I am really enjoying.   I go to lessons once a week and try to practice for a least 30 minutes each day.  I can see slow and steady progress which is very satisfying. 

Knocking on Heaven's Door

I'm continuing to slow slug away at learning guitar.  I really wish I learned when I was a kid and had hours and hours to practice vs. the 30 minutes I can give it a few times a week.   This week I'm learning The Guns and Roses version of Knocking on Heaven's Door.  

The Inevitable

I've been reading The Inevitable - Understanding the 12 Technological Forces That Will Shape Our Future lately.   It's an really interesting look at what our future will be like from a technology perspective in 30 years.    It's written by Kevin Kelly the founder of Wired magazine.  

Exploring Ebisu

We decided to head from my office to Ebisu to shoot for a little while.   I love the few blocks surrounding Ebisu station.  The streets are often pretty quiet but packed with lots of little restaurants and bars that make for great scenes for photography. 

Odd Hours

I have always been someone who kept odd hours.   I'm usually the last person to go to bed.  I tend to retire around 1 or 1:30AM.   I also tend to be the first person to the office which means I'm getting up around 6:30AM or so.   

Los Angeles

This week I had a short trip to Los Angeles.   I left Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon and I'm currently on the Saturday 1AM return flight.  With the time changes I arrived in LA on Tuesday 11AM

Jet Lag

I stayed up until 10:45PM last night and sure enough I'm wide awake at 1:40AM.  I tried everything I could fall back sleep.  After 2 hours of staring at the ceiling I decided to do some work.   

Familiar Places

I love going back to places where I have spent a lot of time in the past.  I instantly feel reconnected. My mind fills with memories of past adventures in the area.   I worked in the area for more than two years and had a lot of great meals in the area.