Chris

Both

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There is peaceful.
There is wild.
I am both at the same time.

  • Sum

iPhoneography

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I just got back from a quick road trip and took almost all my camera gear in one backpack. It was fun but exhausting.

The simplicity of the iPhone camera brings back the same happiness and exploration that made me love photography. I rediscovered the joy of every day life and documented it. Even the mundane. The camera’s limitations force me to focus fully on the subject I am shooting. That child-like wonder wakes up and the mind opens to the possibilities.
I get to discover new surroundings and re-discover the familiar. How did I miss that before? Snap.

The phone can fit into tighter spaces better than a DSLR because of its size. No worries here about apertures, ISO or shutter speeds. Shooting from the hip is possible as opposed to holding up a camera to your face all the time. Brilliant.

Adding some unique character to the photos through a wide variety of apps helps as well. It is fun to play with settings and adjust color, light, shadows and more all without losing the original image. These adjustments can alter the mood or expression as needed. It can be crisp and digitally perfect or go old-school analog photography. Mobile photography has massive creative potential compared to traditional photography.

While we are experiencing a world-wide contagion and the weather is pleasant, it is good for me to get out, remind myself to look for new perspectives and remember the creativity and joy of mobile photography.

In Or Out?

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Men seek for seclusion in the wilderness, by the seashore, or in the mountains – a dream you have cherished only too fondly yourself. But such fancies are wholly unworthy of a philosopher, since at any moment you can choose to retire within yourself. Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul; above all, he who possesses resources in himself, which he need only contemplate to secure immediate ease of mind – the ease that is but another word for a well-ordered spirit. Avail yourself often, then, of this retirement, and so continually renew yourself.

Marcus Aurelius (AD 120 – 180), Meditations (4.3)

Peace In Our Time

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During this time of isolation and retreat while in a pandemic, there is also loneliness and distraction.

OR, it is a time for mindfulness and reflection, like modern monks. I am choosing not to retreat into despair but it hasn’t been easy.

There were too many distractions before the pandemic and there may be even more currently- Netflix, social media, depressing newscasts, etc. Nothing wrong with a little of each but as they say, everything in moderation. I choose to read, meditate, write, journal, walk. The choice is mine: choose despair or choose to practice peace.

I take these stressful times and then reflect on my feelings during meditation. Sit down, shut up, slow down. This way I can organize my thoughts and feelings and process them better.

I can watch Youtube or read virus memes (I don’t do these, honest) OR, I can practice compassion and peace.

I am in no way a modern monk and don’t plan to hide away in a monastery but for now, I think this practice is productive and a good use of my time.

Salt Lake Plains in Jet, Oklahoma

Tsundoku

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Tsundoku? It is a Japanese word for all the unread book piles waiting to be read. Since distractions are limited, now is the time to reduce that pile. After a quick glance at the digital pile, it seems like I am on focused on a specific genre.

Reminders (Wuhan Virus Edition)

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  • Human brains are fantastic. We can process the stress of a pandemic and we can find creativity and beauty during a pandemic.
  • Remembering what I said I would do if I had the time to do it in. Well, now is the time.
  • Turn that fantastic brain off and use my hands or feet instead.
  • Make some comfort food. Soups are always a good idea.
  • Take it outside and walk.
  • What would a Stoic do? Those disrupted vacation plans? Let it go. Now is all we are offered, enjoy it.
  • Find a work-around and hit the road anyway.
  • Finish that photo project. Write in the journal.

What If I Am Wrong?

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“It’s not the existence of beliefs that is the problem, but what happens to us when we hold them rigidly, without examining them, when we presume the absolutely centrality of our views and become disdainful of others.” 

–Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience

I was hinting at something similar on my Practice vs Belief post

Thought Control

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“Ultimately, the only way to truly be in control of your life is to be in control of your thoughts.” – Somebody

Nutty Buddies

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While working from the home office I’ve had the chance to shoot squirrels. They were just as curious about me as I was of them.



Apple Books vs Amazon Kindle

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I have never owned a dedicated reading tablet such as a Kindle. Thankfully, Amazon has created the Kindle app that can be used on every device. Using this app for years on both the Android and iOS platforms has been great because my purchases have followed me around regardless.

While practicing my social distancing, I’ve been reading more than usual and have been looking at some book purchases. Well, the process of buying a book from Amazon while using an iPad is a no-go. Some BS competition and licensing thing apparently. I have to log on to the Amazon website and order there as opposed to doing this in-app.Then it hit me like a stack of digital books over the head: why not purchase through Apple’s Books app instead? I have gone all in on everything else Apple, why not books?

Amazon started out as an online book distributor. As a charter member myself, I remember receiving books in the mail that even included free bookmarks and magnets. Amazon has innovated the books industry ever since. They are the best and the Kindle software follows.

Having said that, I reinstalled Apple Books to the iPad and looked around at all the redesigned changes. It is pretty and sports the usual customization standards for individual needs.

Both Amazon and Apple have this feature, both have a big store to shop your books. Both can be synchronized and read on multiple devices. I don’t listen to audiobooks but they are available. Apple’s is built in. I am even allowed to listen via my watch if I desire. May have to give audio books another glance soon. Even though Amazon bought Audible, I am surprised they don’t build that into their app. Both can read the PDF format. But from here they go their separate ways.

I have said it before and I will say it again. When paying for digital content, we do not own it. We are only buying the license to use it in the walled-off gardens we bought them from. My Kindle purchases stay with Amazon and that’s it. I learned this the hard way when I killed off my Google account. Goodbye purchased music, books, videos. It has’t changed and it will not change. When and if I decide to use Books over Kindle exclusively, I will not have access to my titles unless I re-install Kindle.

And I just remembered that Kindle has a $10 monthly reading program called Kindle Unlimited. These titles are not on anyone’s bestseller list but they are a great way to read a lot of books. Apple does not have this yet. Apple does make use of the ePub format however. With the wonderful people at the Project Gutenberg website digitizing and archiving the world’s literary classics, I download a lot of titles at no cost. Why pay a publisher money when these titles are now in the public domain? Kindle must have some partnership with local libraries too because I can borrow bestselling titles through the library/Kindle. Apple doesn’t have this yet. Grr.

Both platforms are amazing and I am glad to see that book lovers are getting the best of both worlds. It is a shame that everything has to be proprietary and profit-driven so I suppose I will find a healthy balance between. But for now, I will take some time and see how well Apple Books can be for my reading needs.