Our legacy...

 

 

You know the saying "one man's trash is another man's treasure"? Well, that's a lie. I've been going around to different antique stores, flea markets, and salvage stations and I notice that no one really cares about these places or the things that are there. It seems the only type of people that are interested in things from the past are the older generations who grew up in those eras, the fifties and sixties. 

The problem is people are so obsess with staying up to date with technology that as soon as something new comes out, everything before that becomes old and obsolete; creating more "waste" and "trash". you can go into any mall and see for yourself how frantic people are shopping for new things and staying up with trends and styles. 

If there is anything archeology has taught me it is that we learn about past cultures and civilization based upon the things they had build and created and have left behind.  So with all of our trash and e-waste and all the things we throw away or leave laying around our house unused, what does that say about our generation and us as people?

Luck or Fate

 

 

 

Everyone has heard of the saying "everything happens for a reason." Well lately I've been noticing that to be really true.  

At first I thought it was just luck but when one situation leads to the next and the outcome is something really unexpected but in a positive way, it seems like "it happened for a reason."  For example for the longest time my friend Damian and I have been searching for classic cameras like the Leicas and Hasselblads but we could never find it anywhere except online and it seems like it is way out of reach.  But our tireless search for these treasures, at first glance seems hopeless, had led us to meet various interesting people from shop owners and antique dealers to amateur and professional photographers from all over the bay.  Every person my friend and I come across has led us closer to those cameras; some have even become really good and close friends of ours.

Is it luck or fate that all of this has happened?  Well whatever it is I hope it will continue. It has led me to a lot of great people and stories.

Julia and Hamlet

 

I've been hanging out with my friend Julia this past week in Berkley.  She is definitely one in a billion.  She is one of the most positive and creative individual I've ever met.  Seeing how she works and understanding how she thinks really makes me appreciate not just fashion designer but creative people in general.  Her positive attitude definitely gives me a different perspective on life.  

Currently she is working overtime on designing costumes for "Hamlet" that's going to take place on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco here. I'm actually really excite about it because it's a modern take on Hamlet and seeing Julia working on the costume gave me a bit of a preview of what to expect at the play.  It is definitely something worth going to. It's also a great photo opportunity.

Photoshoot

Earlier this week I did a quick photoshoot for my friend Troy at Caffe Trieste on 1st street.  The shoot was to help promote special events at the cafe and the music artists that perform there.  The idea that Troy had was to help create a much bigger art scene in San Jose and really promote all the venues and business that support art and music.  This was the start of it and I'm very glad to take part in it.

The photoshoot itself was a bit difficult because I don't have all the necessary equipment to do a professional shoot like lighting and flashes. Despite that the shoot still turned out pretty good.

Troy has a performance at Caffe Trieste in the upcoming week at the beginning of October.  Feel free to go and check him out nd have some coffee.

Everyday Design

The more I study design, the more I see design in everyday life.  People often overlook simple every day items not realizing that it is design in some way or another.  It is often said that "the best designs are the designs you don't see." It means that the best designs are design so well that it becomes part of the daily life that people don't  realize it.

Generally when people think of design, they often think of Ikea furniture, apple products, or Mercedes and Audi cars.  But the reality is everything is designed. Only a few of those are truly design well.  

Some examples of good designs that most people overlook are: Tupperware, double spout soy sauce bottle, zippo lighter, legos, Bic ballpoint pens, modern day bicycles, and soda cans, letter envelope, the lightbulb, etc.

Next time you use a product, observe how it works, how you use it, how it feels, smell, taste, looks, and sounds like.   

City by the Bay

I've been spending a lot of time exploring San Francisco within the last couple of months. The more time I spend there, the more I grow accustom to the variety of lifestyles that can only be found in San Francisco.

It has a unique atmosphere that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Every neighborhood, every street corner, every local store and restaurants are uniquely distinctive to the city.  The people there are a whole different breed of life. Everything from the clothes and fashion to the attitude and actions of these individuals reflects the carefree and peaceful identity of the city.

I've been there countless times yet every time is different. There are always new thing and scenes to be discovered, new people to meet, and new ideas to share.  It is definitely a city I would love to be a part of in the future.

A Slow End

I'm starting to realize that I'm getting too old for school.  More and more I walk around the campus and I see people, young people, I can't relate to anymore.  This might be because all my friends have graduated and are working now.  It could also because I'm 25 and been in school for 8 years now. It could also be that my brothers are both married and a lot of my friends are on their way to getting married.  I'm officially a quarter century old yet I feel as though I haven't done much with my life. 

           

Instead of being stuck in school and sitting in class and waiting for the hour to go by, I want to go places and meet people and have little random accidents.  But it seems more and more I'm trap in school and work day in and day out.  This repetitive cycle is slowly killing my motivation and creativity.  I'm a prisoner in my own life.

The only thing that’s truly and honestly keeping me going is the desire to follow my dream...and this is the start of it.