Show me your balls!

I have a funny thought; perhaps bodybuilders, we should create a sort of new bodybuilding competition federation in which bodybuilders *must* appear in the nude.

First, you could tell whether their balls are shrunken or not. Apparently this is the number one most obvious indicator of steroid use. Because the feedback loop is simple; if you are injecting foreign testosterone into your body, signals to your body that you no longer need to naturally produce your own Testosterone, which is the hormone which comes from your testes, a.k.a. your balls.

The reason why I think this nude bodybuilding competition is such a good idea is that why is it that male nudity is so taboo? Porn, pornography, is so mainstream now, nobody really seems to care. But yet, there is still a taboo about male nudity?

BECOMING A ZEN PHOTOGRAPHER

One of the books that I wrote which I’m the most proud of is my Zen Photography book, which I finished in the Vietnam, at the wonderful LA VIET coffee cafe compound.

I think the reason why I love my Zen Photography book, and why it has resonated with so many people is that it is honest, interesting, and insightful.

I have some general thoughts about how to become a zen photographer — the first is focusing on the zen photography aesthetic and ethos.

The second one is very simple: delete all of your social media accounts. Delete Instagram, don’t use it. Delete comments, delete statistics, disable them all.

This is where I still recommend using wordpress.org over wordpress.com. it seems that wordpress.com, which is run by automaticc— they always find a stealthy way to try to include statistics and stats into everything.

With wordpress.org, you can disable comments, disable stats, disable at all.

No feedback

If you really really really really really want to become a zen photographer, the strategy is to structure things in such a way in which you’re not exposed to any feedback.

Also, I think the reason why I’ll never put Seneca in organize sports is that the folks on numbers, games, winners and losers is a bad one. I would rather just take him to a park, like Calvin and Hobbs just play Calvin ball; just make up the game as you go along. And ultimately the sport in the game isn’t even that important, what is more important is your courage physicality strength and physical capacity and capability.

Zen aesthetics

First and foremost, I don’t think it’s actually necessary to shoot black-and-white. I personally prefer it, but you can still do it in color! Just keep the color super minimal.

For example, I really like the photo creation done by the Apple photos team, there is this fun little dynamic photo exhibition gallery thing in front of the Apple office in Culver City on Washington, the competitions are beautiful; simple, elegant and flowing.

iPad Pro photographer?

Just shoot on your iPad!

BODY FASCINATION

Weird– it is considered immoral to be *too* into your body, but we can be ‘into’ our productivity, our ‘work’ as well as our virtues, but not our body?

For example, nobody ever dares to say that going to church mass or synogogue or praying (Islamic people) is a ‘waste of time’. But to exercise your body is seen as a waste of time?

Stoic Training

Spartan training, stoic training — hardening. Hard training:

I am the paragon of what a stoic *should* look like:

STOICISM 101

Become invincible:

The Stoic Masters

Learn from the master stoics:

See all philosophy >

Lifting Ideas

1. Rack pull

2. In between leg deadlift pull

3. Dip belt chain + in between leg deadlift

Auto Gym

A gym on wheels?

ERIC KIM MANLY

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Mega Beast

Like a Greek statue?

I flex too hard?

Flex goals!

VID

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WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OR END GOAL OF TRAINING?

Staying insanely local?

In terms of how to conquer living in LA something that I have gleaned;

first and foremost, it seems wise to live a life or a lifestyle in which one is not stuck in traffic, any traffic.

for example, one of the great tragedies of life and modern day life is any period of time being stuck in a car, against your own wheel. Essentially what this means is that when you’re stuck in the car there is so much you cannot be doing, so much you cannot do.

Purely from an economic perspective, up productivity perspective, this is a huge waste of time. Even one of the grand visions behind Elon Musk and his boring companies; how to not be stuck in traffic?

My vision

So I have a few visions. One is in regards to being able to stay fit and work out and whatever without having stuck in traffic there are some way that have figured this out. First, sandbag training. The general idea is that despite a big ass sandbag, Online or on the Internet, you could just get on roadfitness.com or you can get it on Amazon, and just go to local playground, fill it up with sand, work out, pick it up throw it around etc., just have fun with it, And when you’re done, just dump out the sand, put the empty sandbag back in your car and just drive home, or even walk home!

One of my favorite parks is without traffic just a five minute drive away! I love it, but the critical downside is that because of LA traffic, literally this 1 mile stretch takes me almost 20 minutes stuck in traffic! All bumper-to-bumper local traffic.

Home gym?

Another thought I have is about having some sort of home gym, mobile gym, backyard gym, etc.

The first interesting thought is that gym, gymnasium actually means “gymnos”, which literally means naked in ancient Greek. Why?

First, things in Greeks would hang out in big open air plazas — the gym wasn’t simply a place where one “worked out”, it was also a place in which one philosophies, talk to other men, etc.

Also, I think the original purpose of the gym, Gnos was training, training for battle. The purpose was to fight, for war, to defend ourselves in the possible case of war.

Other ideas

What is better, to move 1000 pounds an inch, or to move 1 pound 1,000 inches?

Certainly the prior!

CARS, CULTURE & THE SELF.

CAR THOUGHTS

Just went to the Petersen automotive museum, some thoughts:

How I found out about it?

I suppose one of the big upsides of living in LA, Los Angeles, is that there are so many epic and great things here. For example, I was just randomly driving down Fairfax one day from the gym, and I saw this insanely big building, with great curved white stainless steel and red architecture. I was curious what it was and I saw that it was the Peterson automotive museum on Google maps. I thought to myself, maybe one day I could take Sen here.

Pro tip:

When you’re driving and you see something interesting on the road or the freeway etc. and you’re not sure what it is, just take a screenshot of it on your phone, and revisit it later.

Perhaps this is where great architecture makes a great impression; I first I had no idea what the structure was, it was only later when I looked into it that it was actually an automotive museum.

***

Iterate

So finally the other day, after Sen took a quick nap in the car, I thought that it might be the best time to take Sen to the museum.

To me, after touring the whole place with Sen, some thoughts:

I suppose the good thing of going to museum was that after seeing all these cars in real life, I no longer feel the desire to own any of them.
The second thought which is useful is to think and consider these cars as art objects. That is, it ain’t cars for the sake of movement or driving, but something else.

Cars and culture, America, and Los Angeles?

Several things. First and foremost, in America, whether we like it or not, we are a car culture. For example let us consider that much of our economic powers and prosperity came from the automotive industry, Ford and GM, etc. Apparently even back in the day if you’re living in Michigan or Detroit and you drove a Toyota or a Japanese car, people would physically assault you or even physically vandalize your car.

How and why do cars matter?

Well first of all, this is tricky; cars are great because they allow you to do basic things like go to Costco, buy groceries, drive to the park which is otherwise too time consuming to traverse by foot, and with public transportation, it seems that if it isn’t convenient enough, people want to take it. Certainly COVID-19 did not help at all.

Is there a public transportation future?

I do not think so. Why? What people don’t seem to understand is that it is not about transportation or mobility, it is a matter of fashion, pride, individualism.

For example, it doesn’t really even matter how rich or poor you are, I think the best way to think about it is that your car or what car you drive is almost like your externalized avatar, your ego, your own self impression of yourself.

For example, I think vanity is fine. Everyone wants to distinguish themselves through what car they drive, what they look like, etc. I think for the most part this is a healthy and good thing. Perhaps the big problem though is ultimately, a car will never show your individualism. Why? if your car is not a custom car, ultimately you will look like someone else.

For example, almost any and every modern day card, unless you drive a very very very obscure car, someone else will have a similar make or model as year. For example, it doesn’t matter whether you drive a Lamborghini or a Ferrari, someone out there will also have a similar car to you.

The solution

I have a very very very very very simple solution. I think the best car to drive, in today’s world, almost irregardless of where you live is a simple old-school white Prius. I really like the year 2010 model, and up. Why? The good thing with the 2010 model is that there are no stupid LCD screens that pop up or touchscreens which distract you.

Secondly, these things last forever, and also, I actually really like the body styling the 2010 Prius model. The generation before it looks too much like a bubble car, and the generation after it, looks like a strange half assed effort.

The brand new Prius is very very cool, but still I am suspicious because considering that it is a totally new design, they will probably discover some issues with it. And also once again, all this unnecessary tech.

The car as your creative canvas?

Also the fun thing about just getting an old used car is that you can fuck it up and you don’t really care that much. So for example, this 2010 white Prius that I inverted; I have been having a lot of fun spray painting it, spray painting the rims, Touching up the paint here and there, badging it and modifying it etc.

Also, I think ultimately ultimate privilege is convenience, and living more streamlined. This means being able to live a maximally productive, efficient, streamlined life.

Even being in LA, finding electric chargers is a pain in the butt. And also it takes too long. The amazing thing is my Prius, the last month, I literally only filled it up once, and just going to the close by Arco, it only cost me 40 bucks!

Become the Lamborghini or the Ferrari?

Some other funny thoughts: study and observe and deconstruct the bodies style and the ethos of these cars, and figure out how you could integrate it into your own own bodily physiology.

For example, I really like Lamborghini cars for how wide and low to the ground they are. And how they look like fighter jets. so then the practical thought is why not try to transform your body to look the same?

Or, people who buy these huge pick up trucks, lift them up, or the Overlanding vehicles. Instead of buying a rugged car, why not strive to make your body more rugged? More effective interesting and also way cheaper!

Training

I have never really met anybody with an impressive car who also had an impressive looking body. Car shows an auto shows are funny, because the question is this; who are you more interested in, the owner or the car? My friend Don Dillon laughed and said of course the car!

When you step into the mall or the gym, nobody has any idea what car you drive

Anybody who drives an impressive car, what they do not understand is this; once you go inside the gym or the mall, nobody has any idea what car you drive. You become naked.

How do cars matter, how don’t they?

First and foremost, nobody wants to be sedentary inside a car, irregardless of how expensive or nice the car is. Why? From a pure physiology perspective, sitting down and being sedentary is bad.

The best option is instead, to be out and about in the real world, open fresh air, using your legs. Even a lot of guys who get really really really really successful end up getting into bicycle racing and riding instead? Why? Technically when you’re riding a bicycle, it is almost like you’re in a convertible, as you get fresh air all around you. Second, riding a bicycle is just plain fun! I don’t really believe of bicycle riding from a pure “exercise“ philosophy; there are much better ways to exercise that don’t involve sitting on your butt. And once again, the reason why I think riding a bicycle purely for “exercise“, isn’t good because you are still sitting on your butt! Even though you are pumping your legs.

A funny thing that Seneca has been doing is he got a free balancing bicycle without pedals, and he just walks it around! This seems to be a good idea because he is still able to walk himself around.

Walking lifestyle?

A very simple life thought and strategy is this: better to rent in a very very very desirable neighborhood, which allows for maximum walking, instead of owning or buying a house even in “good” neighborhood?

Even from a pure productivity perspective, I am far happier and more productive being able to just walk everywhere, instead of having to rely on the agency of driving a car.

Now what?

Some simple thoughts:

First, rather than aspiring to buy that new desirable car, better instead to think of modifying and transforming and customizing the car you already got. Figure out how creative you could become!
Instead of buying a Tesla, better to gain his mindset. I recommend downloading and reading the Elon Musk biography book by Walter Isaacson. Just buy it in the iBook store, and read it on your iPhone or iPad. Or if you drive a lot, maybe it is a good idea to just get it as an audiobook!
Think hybrid. I still think in today’s world, even though gas and petroleum is bad for the planet, the ultimate car is still some sort of hybrid car. Whether it be hybrid, plug-in hybrid, etc., or just a straight up hybrid. One concept I actually found very interesting is this notion of a turbo hybrid; I have no idea how it works, but apparently I think it is available on the new Kia Sportage car, as well as the new Toyota Crown car?
If you live in LA or Southern California, or plan to come down here, definitely check out the Peterson automotive museum! I think if you are into cars or car culture, you’ll probably gain at least one creative idea.
Instead of wasting all that money on a car or your car, better instead to think and consider spending that money on insanely great food instead. Eat more organ meats, 100% grass fed beef, 100% grass fed lamb, bone marrow, which is essentially the demigod food of the gods, cheek, tongue.
Whenever you see a nice car, always try to look through the car window and give a good stare to who is actually driving the car. Become less interested in the car, become more interested in the person driving the car.
I still think it is a fun idea to try to psycho analyze people, car behavior, why people drive searching cars etc. I am still fascinated by this concept, “Tell me what car you drive, and I will tell you who you are.”
Think American. Am I the only liberal I know who is still pro America? Let us not forget that Tesla is technically an American car company! I’m also still really big into Ford, I really really enjoyed the Ford versus Ferrari film. In fact, I think it is a harder flex to buy that new Ford Mustang, the one that looks like a supercar, instead of buying some sort of loser Lamborghini or loser Ferrari. American muscle is supreme.

Tesla innovation

A lot of things unravel here. One idea is studying Tesla Elon musk is from a design and production and innovation perspective, one of the greatest ideas. Why?

First, one thing that I learned from the Peterson automotive museum which was insanely inspiring was seeing a deconstructed Tesla. It is so insanely innovative.

One idea is how Elon and his team innovated and discovered new ways of merging the unit frame body and the production as well as the batteries. The more you can merge the two together, the better.

Also, the cyber truck. When I saw it in real life at the museum, my mind was literally blown. To me the cyber truck was at least 1 billion times more interesting than any other Ferraris in the vault. Also much more impressive than any of the Rolls-Royce or Bentleys, even the old-school ones.

Why? First, to see the total stainless steel body is insanely epic. It looks beautiful. Secondly, how angular it is, so gangsta. Honestly the reason why I think it is wise to go all in on Tesla, at least for standard investments is that once the cyber truck comes out, it will totally destroy and dominate all these other loser trucks. No more Ford F150, Raptors, or the loser Rivian truck.

Also the reason why I love the cyber truck so much is that I feel that it is truly a carte blanche design. Think in this world, in this life, isn’t it more fun to shock and all people instead of just doing the same boring old iterative designs?

SAND THOUGHTS

Maybe sand bag training is a good idea?

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