Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Have you watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi?

SPOILER ALERT. it's about sushi!

This documentary is about Jiro Ono, an 85 year old master who is continuously trying to perfect his skills in the art of making sushi. He is so obsessed with sushi that he um, dreams of it.

Worth watching.

(Newcomers, per my Lightning Quick movie review policy / Hemingway baby shoes school of writing i try not to get too descriptive about the movie. just a quick one or two sentence summary then if I recommend it. Bam. Papa.)

In addition, here are a few of my takeaways from the movie.

1. try to find something to do that you love so much that you dream about it.
whether it's working for money or just a hobby, everyone needs a passion. 

2. whatever you do (even if you dont like it) do your best.
after watching this movie i found myself at work trying to do tasks to perfection, whether i like it or not. hopefully however mundane the task maybe there is some art visible in it.

3. balance.
dont let your obsession take over your life.

Patagonia: from dirtbags to douchebags

Dear Yvon Chouinard,

As a vocal fan of you and patagonia, I have two questions:

1. What's with the increased logo size on your latest products?

most of my patagonia clothing (circa mid '90's and '00's because the last so long) have a tastefully sized logo. they are visible but not obnoxious. Now, go look at your Adze Jacket and new Torrentshell Jacket. they now scream "patagonia!" in the most (the) North Face-esque manner.  I love your gear but as an unsponsored ambassador I would think twice before buying something with such a superficial branding treatment. If nothing else, make it removable for those who may seek that option. Often i find myself happily dressed snout to tail in old patagonia, but in what i consider an understated manner.


2. What's with the douchebag trucker hats?

it is well known that patagonia was born from dirtbags and adopted by yuppies. now i fear it has been kidnapped by douchebags.
Every time i see a patagonia trucker hat (with an admittedly nice patch) i want to punch your accessories designer. Sometimes it seems like you've gone from cutting edge and timeless to on trend.

For me, patagonia has always meant minimalist, multifunctional, timeless, and long lasting clothing and gear from an environmentally conscious company. With that in mind I ask you to remind consumers of your common threads initiative (reduce, repair, reuse, recycle, and reimagine) when they tire of their trendy big logos and trucker hats.


Still love you,
theevildrsin

secret revealed

ok i'm ready to reveal a secret...
I actually like running.

despite all the sticker designs below i have made over the years i actually like running. it is a minimalist activity like martial arts, swimming, bouldering, etc. you technically don't need any gear.

what i hate is all the bs marketing, hype and sales that are involved in the running industry.
26.2, 13.1, barefoot, minimalist, toeshoes...
i hate staring at all your running stickers plastered on your SUV. how ironic. 
i hate hearing you talk about how much you love running, how far you ran, how many mm drop your shoe has.

just run for fun
just run for exercise.
just run for transportation.

Just Do It.
aww crap.

a quick list of stuff I purchased in 2012

note, clicking on highlighted items will go to an affiliate link to purchase the brand item. i theoretically would get paid a little if you buy from the link. thanks!

sporti euro swim briefs - 5 pair. 2 of these are still functional. the chlorine kills them in a few months. Until i find a longer lasting minimally cut swim brief for a better price, these do nicely. a necessity for me to swim.

timbuk2  pack - as you will notice i'm addicted to backpacks. I didn't need it and rarely use it. I was attracted by the cheap price. whoops.

goruck tac hat - the ultimate baseball cap. 

patagonia stand up shorts 5" - because shorts should be. the go-to short when you're not in water.

patagonia baggies 5" - the go-to short when you're in water, or really doing anything else active. in lime green just for the heck of it. a black pair would be much more practical and boring.

klean kanteen 12oz stainless steel narrow mouth bottle plus stainless steel cap. - one of my better purchases of 2012. will last much longer than plastic bottles.

fleece pants - not a necessity but very cozy!

patagonia sun hat - bought it mainly for the beach for sun protection.

Create more

One of my resolutions is to do something creative everyday. Write, draw, make stuff, etc. In the first month I've already missed tons of days. To improve these stats I plan to do a couple things.

1. Make sure I have tools that make it easier and attractive for me to create.

a. take a pen / pencil everywhere
b. jean pocket-sized leather journal with refillable notepad (fieldnotes?) everywhere. first use up my pocket moleskine.
c. alternatively, write / post on my ipod touch.
d. alternatively, get an ipad mini to facilitate taking photos, writing and blogging.

2. make a habit of creating.

I recently looked at the number of my blog posts per year.
2010 - 48
2011 - 103
2012 - 59
and this year is off to a low average. So this year I will try to double my high score of 103, which means I should be posting an average of four times a week. yeesh. I better get going!

What does this mean for you? You may be reading less refined posts about a variety of topics. Another thing I've noticed is;

1. that a lot of what I write down is in a list format.

The Obligatory New Year's Post

This season a blogger usually makes two posts, the Holiday Gift Guide (I didn't do one, however I suggest a Snow Peak Titanium Spork for everyone and every occasion. It is perfect. Will last forever. Affordable at under $10. Snow Peak Titanium Spork (Google Affiliate Ad) Exotic material. Titanium. Compact for people who don't want to be bogged down with stuff. Useful and Multi-functional. Great fork. Mediocre soup spoon. Lousy for cross hatching peanut butter cookies.) and The New Year's Resolution post.

The New Year is like the Dark Side Cave on Dagobah in Empire Strikes Back.
Luke - "What's in there?"
Yoda - 'Only what you take with you."

Leave behind the negativity of any disappointments or failures of the past year.
Take with you you must, an optimism for new adventures and successes in the New Year.
And a spork.

The Loot: Part II. Snow Peak Titanium Double Wall Cup.

Welcome to Part II of The Loot. In part 1 I mentioned how good ol' titanium and stainless steel was getting a little boring (how spoiled am I?) due to no visible wear characteristics aside from scratching. Enter the Snow Peak Titanium Double Wall Cup.

in Anodized Purple!

Hey it makes for a good ornament!

 Though anodizing is a durable coating my guess is that through the years it will show scratches better than plain titanium. Yes it's a little crazy to buy stuff for its wear characteristics but it is mighty entertaining to me.

I figure this is a lifetime product compared to a plastic, ceramic or glass cup that can crack, chip or shatter when dropped.

I also got a lid to keep my cat from stealing sips and washing his paws in my cup!

Thanks Santa!



Get your own Snow Peak stuff here...
Snow Peak Mini Solo Titanium Cookset (Google Affiliate Ad)