You never know what you will find when you head out there onto the streets, into the unknown, onto the frontlines of life!

I drink some espresso, watch the sunrise, and contemplate the infinite possibilities there are in life…

When I look through photos I’ve made over the years this is what photography reminds me of. Photographs fills me with this abundance that makes me so grateful for every small fleeting moment, detail, and experience!

All Weather is Good Weather

Parades, rainy days, sunny afternoons—it doesn’t matter. All weather is good weather for photography. You just need to prepare and adapt. That’s how you turn a challenge into an opportunity.

Be Prepared

Rain? No problem. I always bring:

• An umbrella
• A raincoat that goes down to my ankles
• A mindset ready to use the conditions to my advantage

Photography doesn’t stop because of the weather—it starts when the weather changes. Rain adds mood. Snow adds texture. Sunlight and shadows create drama. Be ready to embrace whatever comes your way.

Find the Right Corner

Photographing in a parade isn’t about the parade itself. It’s about the people, the workers, the outskirts. The parade is just the excuse.

“The reason why I’m here on this particular corner is because I know these columns and backgrounds can be used for composition.”

This time, I positioned myself near a vent blowing smoke. The smoke became my backdrop, and I waited for the right moment—a janitor leaning against a pole, framed by the swirl of the smoke. The background is the foundation. Once you’ve got that, the story falls into place.

Photograph the Outskirts

Forget the main event. Look at what’s happening on the edges:

• The crowd watching
• The workers cleaning
• The small, quiet moments everyone else overlooks

“The parade itself isn’t as interesting as the crowd. Photograph the workers, the people on the outskirts, the ones watching. That’s where the real stories are.”

When you’re at a parade or event, find a choke point—a place where people gather naturally. Stick around. Observe. Let the moments come to you. It’s not about running around; it’s about seeing.

Use the Conditions

Rain doesn’t ruin a parade—it transforms it. This year, it was all about reflections and mood. In the past, I’ve photographed sunny parades and even a drained fountain at Logan Square. Each condition brings its own story.

“All weather is good weather. It’s just a matter of using what you’ve got.”

Rain brings out umbrellas, fogged glasses, and people huddling together. Sunlight creates hard shadows and stark contrasts. Embrace what’s in front of you.

Final Thoughts

Every year, I go out and photograph the parades. It’s never the same twice. That’s the beauty of it. You’re not just documenting an event; you’re capturing the way it feels in that moment.

So, don’t let the weather stop you. Pack your gear, find your corner, and look for the stories on the outskirts. That’s where the magic happens.

For instance – culling through my new black and white photographs will be a task I must complete one day, but if I don’t feel like doing it now, I won’t do it. Also, not to mention my previous work in color that I need to work through… I purposely spent the past two years working on a completely new body of work so that I can be detached from it.

Now I have one more month of focusing on the production of new work until the Mummer’s Parade on January 1st. I will hopefully feel like digging into the archive once 2025 rolls around, but there’s no need to rush. I just don’t feel like it. Why force yourself to do something you don’t want to do. I’d much rather produce as much new work as possible.

My goal is to produce two greatly different bodies of work. It will almost feel like my color and black and white work was made by two completely different photographers which will be interesting.

I put my head down for two years straight not missing a single moment of every single day making new pictures. To be honest, it’s been this way for a decade, but the past two years have been different. I think I might be the first photographer to ever document their entire personal creative transformation daily through videos, photos, writing, etc. My life is a living work of art.

Having a creative breakthrough requires you to completely ignore the world…

Don’t be a cog in the machine.

Who are you? How do you live? What is your purpose? Why are you here? What kind of person are you? What do you give to the world?

Bring Your Own Beef (BYOB)

Why Turkey is Overrated

Turkey has become the traditional centerpiece of Thanksgiving dinners, but let’s be honest—it’s just not the best choice. Turkey is a lean meat, low in fat and calories. While some people equate this with being healthy, the truth is, it’s not the most nutrient-dense option.

“Do you want to be a little turkey? Gobble gobble gobble. Or do you want the power of a bison or an ox?”

If you want strength, vitality, and energy, skip the turkey and bring your own beef to the table.

The Power of Fatty Red Meat

Let’s talk about why beef—specifically fatty, red beef—is superior:

• Nutrient-Density: Beef is packed with vitamins and minerals your body needs.
• Satiety: Fatty beef keeps you full for hours.
• Hormonal Health: Cholesterol in beef helps synthesize vitamin D and hormones like testosterone.
• Strength and Vitality: Beef fuels physical performance and mental clarity.

“The fattier the meat, the more satiated your body.”

Society has demonized red meat and fat for years, but it’s time to flip the food pyramid upside down. Fat isn’t the enemy—processed carbs and sugar are.

Say No to Carbs and Sweets

Thanksgiving is notorious for sugary desserts and carb-loaded sides. But consider this: carbohydrates spike insulin, making you hungrier and leading to energy crashes. Restaurants use this trick with bread baskets—they’re designed to make you consume more.

“Carbohydrates are the devil.”

Avoid bread, sugary drinks, and desserts. Instead, focus on nutrient-dense foods like beef. Water or herbal teas make much better beverage choices than wine or soda.

Farm-to-Table Beef

One of the best decisions I’ve made is sourcing my beef directly from an Amish farmer near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Buying half a cow and storing it in a deep freezer ensures I’m getting high-quality, nutrient-dense meat. Plus, it supports sustainable, local farming.

“I trust the Amish. They’ve been farming the same way for centuries.”

This farm-to-table approach not only benefits your health but also connects you to the source of your food.

Fasting and Mental Clarity

Fasting is a game-changer. Skipping breakfast and lunch allows your body to focus on repair instead of digestion. At the end of the day, you can enjoy a few pounds of beef and feel completely satisfied.

• Mental Clarity: Without constant digestion, your mind stays sharp.
• Physical Benefits: Fasting helps shed fat, build muscle, and improve energy levels.

“You never feel hungry when you eat beef. You wake up on repeat, feeling great.”

Breaking Myths About Meat and Sunlight

Many people believe myths about red meat and sunlight being harmful. The reality is quite the opposite:

• Red Meat: Provides essential nutrients and supports overall health.
• Sunlight: Sets your circadian rhythm and promotes vitamin D production.

“People think the sun is bad for you or that meat is bad for you, but we need to break this slave mentality.”

A New Thanksgiving Tradition

This year, let’s redefine Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of turkey, bring a feast of beef ribs, brisket, and steaks. Share the benefits of eating nutrient-dense, fatty red meat with your family and friends.

“BYOB Baby- Bring your own beef. That’s how we’re rolling this Thanksgiving dinner.”

By setting an example, you can inspire others to rethink their food choices and embrace a healthier, more powerful way of eating.

---

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate and share good news. Let’s use it as an opportunity to teach others about the benefits of fatty, red meat and break free from outdated traditions.

Life as a Visual Puzzle

Perceiving the World Around You

The beauty of photographing in black and white lies in its versatility. Whether the conditions are harsh, soft, or during golden hour, it doesn’t matter. What matters is your ability to perceive the world as a visual puzzle.

“When you’re photographing, you’re trying to solve that puzzle by positioning yourself and your camera from a particular vantage point to make sense of the chaos, putting order to it.”

For instance, I was photographing a man unloading a truck. In that brief moment, his silhouette was perfectly cut out against the backdrop—a small frame within a frame. It’s these fleeting instances that turn life into an intricate puzzle, waiting to be solved.

Order in the Chaos

Viewing life through forms, shapes, and compositions brings a unique perspective. While intuition should guide your photography, having simple ideas in mind—like a frame within a frame—can be helpful.

“Putting order to the chaos is a good thing.”

Soft light, though challenging, offers an opportunity to find beauty where it may seem absent. Golden hour might give you an aesthetic advantage, but all light is good light if you work with what you’ve got and stay consistent.

The Superiority of the LCD Screen

One game-changer for modern photographers is the LCD screen. Unlike a traditional viewfinder, the LCD screen offers flexibility, allowing you to compose from nuanced angles and perspectives.

“Using the LCD screen unlocks new compositional ideas where the viewfinder limits you to eye-level perspectives.”

With the Ricoh’s LCD screen, I’ve discovered the freedom to adjust my camera in ways that feel more intuitive and responsive. The ability to visualize a composition before raising the camera has enhanced my photography significantly. It’s easier to create and quicker to act.

A Call to Simplify

The LCD screen has changed how I approach street photography. It’s liberating. The ease of composing and reacting to life’s moments through this tool has made me question the necessity of viewfinders altogether.

“Anything that makes it easier to create more photos and gets us there quicker is beneficial.”

For street photographers, simplicity and adaptability are key. Camera companies, like Ricoh, are already making strides in creating tools that align with this mindset. Perhaps it’s time for more to follow suit.

Life, after all, is a visual puzzle. With the right tools and perspective, we can piece together its fleeting beauty—one frame at a time.

How to get there? Simple:

Spend the entire day in a garden!

A Conversation Between Dante and Nazir

Nazir: Oh yeah, it’s running, dude. I love this camera so much. What do you got to say?

Nazir: So you know what we should do, right? We should start printing our photographs as negatives instead of positives. That’d be kind of cool. I just saw R. Marist do it. Is this actually recording though?

Nazir: [Pauses] You know… can I tell? Oh yeah, it is, ‘cause it’s like… it’s at 35 seconds now, so…

Nazir: Let’s see… we’re only doing small JPEGs, high-contrast black and white, Ricoh GR III, 720p, 30 frames per second. Man, I love shooting with the Canon too. Oh, can we talk about the fact that Bitcoin went up? Like, $82,000 to $96,000—50% return on investment in six months. Are you kidding me?

Dante: 50% return on investment in just 6 months!

Nazir: Dude. This dude is killing it. I called it out when Trump said it! I called it. We don’t need a president to tell us the stocks are going to rise and everything’s going to go up. Crypto is going to take over. That’s a fact.

Dante: So when are you starting your YouTube channel?

Nazir: As soon as I get this GoPro, dude.

Dante: I think you should get it.

Dante: Yeah, I mean, it’s just smaller file sizes, super convenient. You know how it is.

Aeschylus’ The Oresteia: An In-Depth Study

Aeschylus’ The Oresteia is a cornerstone of Western drama and literature, the only surviving trilogy of ancient Greek tragedies. Comprising three plays—Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers, and The Eumenides—the trilogy explores themes of justice, vengeance, family, and the transition from personal retribution to societal order. This post provides detailed summaries, analysis of key themes, and insights into the trilogy’s enduring significance.

---

Agamemnon: The Seeds of Vengeance

Summary

The first play, Agamemnon, begins with the victorious return of King Agamemnon from the Trojan War. Yet his homecoming is marred by foreboding. His wife, Clytemnestra, has harbored a deep resentment for years over Agamemnon’s sacrifice of their daughter, Iphigenia, to appease the goddess Artemis and ensure favorable winds for his fleet. Clytemnestra, in alliance with her lover, Aegisthus, plots to murder Agamemnon.

Agamemnon returns, bringing with him Cassandra, the prophetic Trojan princess he has enslaved. Despite Cassandra’s warnings, the king is lured into the palace by Clytemnestra. Inside, she kills him, enacting her revenge. Cassandra, resigned to her fate, is also murdered.

In the end, Clytemnestra justifies her actions, claiming that Agamemnon’s death was deserved for the killing of Iphigenia. The play closes with the ominous tension of what vengeance might come next.

Themes and Motifs

1. Justice and Revenge:

• The cycle of blood vengeance begins here. Clytemnestra’s act is not just personal revenge but also framed as justice for Iphigenia.

1. The Role of the Gods:

• Divine will underpins much of the action. Agamemnon’s sacrifice to Artemis and Cassandra’s prophetic curse highlight the gods’ pervasive influence.

1. Gender and Power:

• Clytemnestra defies traditional gender roles, exercising authority and agency in a male-dominated world.

Key Motifs

• Light and Darkness: The beacon fires announcing Troy’s fall contrast with the dark deeds that unfold.
• Sacrifice: Iphigenia’s sacrifice haunts the narrative, questioning the morality of such acts for greater ends.

“The house breathes murder – blood, slaughter. The guilt is relentless.” — Cassandra

---

The Libation Bearers: The Cycle of Blood

Summary

In The Libation Bearers, Orestes, son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, returns to Argos after years in exile. Apollo has commanded him to avenge his father’s murder. Reunited with his sister Electra, Orestes hatches a plan to kill Clytemnestra and Aegisthus.

The play builds toward the climactic moment when Orestes confronts his mother. Despite her pleas and attempts to invoke maternal bonds, Orestes fulfills his duty, killing both her and Aegisthus. However, his victory is bittersweet. The play ends with Orestes tormented by the Furies, ancient deities of vengeance, who haunt him for the crime of matricide.

Themes and Motifs

1. Moral Ambiguity:

• Orestes is caught between conflicting duties: avenging his father and respecting his mother.

1. Fate vs. Free Will:

• While Orestes acts under Apollo’s orders, his own choices also play a role. This tension reflects the human struggle within divine constraints.

1. Family Loyalty and Betrayal:

• Familial bonds are both sacred and fractured in this play, with love and hatred intertwined.

Key Motifs

• Snakes and Dreams: Clytemnestra’s dream of a snake (Orestes) biting her breast foreshadows her demise.
• Chorus as Moral Compass: The chorus of enslaved women provides commentary on the ethical dilemmas faced by Orestes.

“To suffer is to learn. And even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart.” — Chorus

---

The Eumenides: The Birth of Justice

Summary

The final play, The Eumenides, follows Orestes as he flees to Athens, pursued by the relentless Furies. Seeking purification, he appeals to Apollo and the goddess Athena. Athena intervenes by establishing a trial to decide Orestes’ fate, the first court of law in human history.

The trial pits the Furies, representing ancient retributive justice, against Apollo, who advocates for mercy and rational judgment. The jury’s votes are tied, and Athena casts the deciding vote in favor of Orestes. She transforms the Furies into the Eumenides, or “Kindly Ones,” who will henceforth oversee justice in a civilized manner.

Themes and Motifs

1. The Evolution of Justice:

• The play symbolizes the transition from personal vengeance to a structured legal system.

1. Divine and Human Collaboration:

• The gods guide humanity toward progress, with Athena embodying wisdom and balance.

1. Reconciliation and Transformation:

• The Furies’ transformation underscores the importance of integrating the old with the new rather than outright rejection.

Key Motifs

• Trial and Debate: The trial format emphasizes dialogue and rationality over violence.
• Civic Order: The foundation of the court system reflects the values of Athenian democracy.

“The man who acts must suffer. That is wisdom’s ancient law.” — Athena

---

Moral and Philosophical Insights

1. The Cycle of Vengeance:

• Aeschylus illustrates the destructive consequences of cyclical violence and the need for a higher form of justice.

1. Justice and Mercy:

• The trilogy moves from a harsh, retributive justice to one tempered by mercy and rationality.

1. Gender Dynamics:

• Clytemnestra’s dominance and the role of Athena highlight shifting perceptions of gender and power.

1. Divine Will and Human Agency:

• While the gods influence events, human decisions remain pivotal, emphasizing the balance between fate and free will.

---

Key Takeaways for Study

• Understand the Themes:
• Justice, vengeance, family, divine intervention, and the evolution of societal order.
• Analyze the Characters:
• Clytemnestra: A powerful, complex figure driven by grief and anger.
• Orestes: A tragic hero torn between duty and morality.
• Athena: A symbol of wisdom, justice, and reconciliation.
• Examine the Symbols:
• Light and darkness, snakes, dreams, and the trial process.
• Reflect on the Historical Context:
• The trilogy mirrors the Athenian shift from clan-based vendettas to civic democracy.

---

Closing Thoughts

Aeschylus’ The Oresteia is more than a story of revenge; it is a profound exploration of human civilization’s moral and societal progress. From the personal anguish of Clytemnestra to the civic triumph of Athena, the trilogy captures the complexities of justice and the enduring struggle for balance in human life. As you study these plays, consider how their themes remain relevant in today’s world, where questions of justice, mercy, and societal order continue to resonate.

Dollar-Cost Averaging (DCA) is an investment strategy where you regularly invest a fixed amount of money into an asset, like Bitcoin, regardless of its price at the time. The goal is to reduce the impact of market volatility and take advantage of price fluctuations over time.

How It Works:

1. Fixed Amount: You decide to invest, for example, $50 every week into Bitcoin.

2. Regular Interval: You stick to this schedule, whether Bitcoin’s price is high or low.

3. Buying More at Lower Prices: When Bitcoin’s price drops, your $50 buys more Bitcoin.

4. Buying Less at Higher Prices: When Bitcoin’s price rises, your $50 buys less Bitcoin.

Example:

• Week 1: Bitcoin price = $20,000 → $50 buys 0.0025 BTC.

• Week 2: Bitcoin price = $25,000 → $50 buys 0.002 BTC.

• Week 3: Bitcoin price = $15,000 → $50 buys 0.00333 BTC.

By investing consistently, you smooth out the average cost of your Bitcoin over time.

Benefits:

1. Reduces Risk: Avoids trying to time the market, which can be stressful and error-prone.

2. Simplicity: Set it and forget it—no need to monitor Bitcoin prices daily.

3. Emotional Control: Helps you stay disciplined during price drops or spikes.

Why Use DCA for Bitcoin?

Bitcoin is highly volatile, with prices fluctuating significantly. DCA allows you to build your position over time without worrying about short-term price swings. It’s ideal for long-term believers in Bitcoin who want to accumulate it steadily and reduce risk.

What are you going to do about it?