Travel Remotely

Travel the world from home

One of my favourite things to do these past few months is to have videos of people filming their walks through different cities around the world playing in the background while I'm working. This is one of the latest apps I've found that makes it easy to travel the world from home.

Kazuki Noda's Portfolio

I love visiting people's personal websites and portfolios. This is one that I found to be particularly fun to visit.

Why the Future of Startups are Studios

A case for product studios

It was only a couple years ago when I made my first attempt at building a digital product. I had visions of how that single endeavour was going to be the professional pillar that would support my entire future. So I poured several months of dedicated work into it and overtime this project that had once fed my motivation was beginning to drain it instead. Contrast that with these past few months, when I have been trying to publish at least 1 new digital product monthly. I'm working on my fourth product right now and I feel as though the cadence of my output has been a refreshing way to sustain my motivation.

I came across this article about product studios and it completely validated and re-inspired the joy I've been experiencing while working on a variety of short term products.

I felt particularly inspired by the idea of finding a specific problem or theme to target, so I've already started romanticising an unlikely future where I pick a new theme/problem every year and build 12 problem solutions toward them.

Daily Sparks

Occasionally I'll go through periods of ennui where I'll feel as through I've exhausted the list of interests that I wanted to explore. I've come to realise that oftentimes the problem isn't that I've explored all of my interests, but that I just can't remember every topic that belongs on that list. So lately I've been making a habit out of recording all of the things that sparked my inspiration or motivation each day. That way I'll always have an actual log to refer back to during my cognitively hazy periods.

Mantras

I've never really found a mantra that I felt comfortable using, but I like the idea of self-conditioning a simple stimulus to trigger self-confidence at any given moment. So I decided to try out a new strategy that relies on my wish to be more like some of my favourite tv show characters... Just for today... • I will be as worry-free as Frankie Bergstein • I will remain as composed as Alicia Florrick • I will be as bold as Madam Secretary • I will be as self-assured as Jane Bingum • I will carry out my mission as well La Femme Nikita

VR Selfies

I was watching a show where someone had taken a selfie while on a hike. It got me thinking about how the selfie of the future might be an immersive virtual reality experience. I haven't tried VR yet, so for all I know it already exists. But at this point I'm picturing people walking around with 3D panoramic cameras and then being able to relive those photos in a VR environment.

Real life VR video game

Following the theme of VR, this video introduced me to such an interesting proof of concept. I've never tried VR and I don't ever play video games, but I love the idea of combining virtual reality and augmented reality to manifest some version of an X-Men training room simulation. After seeing this I had to fight the urge to start learning how to program VR/AR software.

Solar powered cars

I love the feeling of inspiration I get when I'm introduced to a new way of looking at a product I've grown accustomed to. This was my experience watching this video about solar powered cars and seeing the innovative vehicle designs.

The effects of cold vs hot water on the body

I've never been remotely interested in the cold shower trend, but this was the first video I've seen that presented it in such a way that I found suggestive enough to potentially convince me to give it a try... eventually, at some point in the distant future.

The show The Nature of Things

I wanted to make a list of everything I was currently interested in and one strategy I found helpful was reading through the titles of the show The Nature of Things. They've produced so many episodes from every topic under the sun, so I found it to be a helpful jumping off point.