Traveling...

"How the shit does this camera work?" - Us.

We love traveling. Getting out and adventuring into new terrain, excited for what we will see, who we will meet, and wondering if our van will make it through whatever off-the-beaten-track roads we come across in the heartlands of the country. We have found some of our favorite places on Earth just taking the next road we come across and going down it. The unknown is an addiction for Jamie and I. We thrive on it and reference Kath and Dave from Portlandia all too often. These characters live to be stressed out and over-obsessive. The sense of adventure can be romantic but thank our stars for roadside assistance.

I do not claim to be a photographer in any sense of the word. Most of my Camera Roll is pictures of either our dogs or accidental screenshots I have taken while attempting to open my iPhone. We do have an old Canon AE-1 film camera that we take with us when we travel and I freaking love it. My dad won it at a local auction house in the suburbs of Philadelphia. He got a box of vintage camera parts for his bid of $10, and this camera was still intact and functional. I feel like Peter Parker with this thing, plus it gives me a little cred when I see other self-proclaimed travel photographers with oversized, and overpriced, camera lenses the size of a Ford Focus, and weight just as much. I usually get an approving head nod or thumbs up when they see this camera strapped around my torso, bouncing on my hip.

Shooting on film is different from digital photography. There is no instant gratification. The only gratification is hearing the crisp click of the aperture capturing light. You have to line up your shot with film. You don't get to "Burst Mode" and snap a thousand photos in three seconds and then instantly review your work on a digital screen. You have to either get it right or don't. I try to keep a little journal and mental notes of lighting exposures to try to figure it all out. But, sometimes even when you mess up a setting or lighting, it still turns out great. I included some shots from our recent travels below and I love the way they turned out, even if some of them are a little dark. 

Idyllwild, CA

From a recent trip in February 2019

Telluride, CO

From our Honeymoon

Arkansas?

We broke down here. Honeymoon 2018.

Arches

From our Honeymoon 2018.

-YourFriendMatt

Fitness Class...

"Be right back. I have to throw up." - Jamie.

It is the new year, and with that comes all the resolutions that we all make to ourselves. Jamie and I are working on getting ourselves back into the shapes we were when we first met. I join a rock climbing gym and she wanted to explore the possibilities of fitness classes. We are both extremely intimidated by fitness. We have no idea where to begin. She found a beginners class within walking distance of our place in Santa Monica and debated signing us up. After a few days of back and forth debate, she signed us up. 

We walked into our 10am class on a Saturday and the gym immediately fulfilled every stereotype I have about gyms, especially fitness classes. There was loud rock music from the 80's and 90's blasting, a sweet smell of over 30-year-old body odor, and a militaristic fitness coach barking orders with a European accent. "Oh yeah, great form, excellent form everyone, three more reps! Sweet it out, honey!" Vlad shouted to a class making their way through a circuit.

Jamie and I signed in, along with our other Groupon inspired fitness newbies, and our class went to orientation. We were instructed to keep a positive attitude, be early, and set measurable goals. Vlad and his assistant weighed us all in and took our measurements. There was only one scale and they asked each of us our ages and goals when we stepped up. I did not know there was going to be homework or that I would be sharing my personal information with complete strangers staring at me as I stood on a scale. Others in our class were mortified when they had to step up, state their age, and goals. I could care less. I found it funny. What made it even more entertaining was when they yelled your weight to another assistant who recorded all the information. "Yeah, this one is 38 and weight 226 pounds! We got a lot of work to do!" One assistant would yell to another. I am here to support my wife so I just made up some bullshit goal of building mass or having the worlds strongest neck muscles. They recorded my weight and then simply instructed, "You should go eat something." I am underweight for my height, bummer.

Once we were all done being humiliated in front of our new class, we got instruction on what this intro class would look like and hit it. We needed to be barefoot, bring a towel, and drink a ton of water. Since neither Jamie or I knew what towels to bring, we figured we would be safe and bring a few beach towels. Everyone else had small hand towels. Whatever. All joking aside, I was sore after. Jamie almost threw up, which is just the icing on the cake for newly inspired fitness seekers. Nothing motivates you more than almost throwing up in front of everyone in your new fitness class. We worked through some strategic and sexual stretches before and after the class that made this already awkward experience, even more awkward. "Make sure your pelvis is fully thrusted forward, good form Gina." Vlad called out. Evidently my pelvis thrust form was not as great, I'll work on it.


The class ended and we walked home and discussed the future of our fitness. Jamie will be back and appreciated me attempting it with her. I will stick to rock climbing, it is more my speed and there is way less pelvis thrusting.

-YourFriendMatt

Finding Time To Read...

“Man, I have to take a speed reading class or something.” - Me.

It was brought to my attention that the average CEO reads about 4-5 books a month. If someone who runs a company, big or small, can cram hundreds of extra pages into 30 days, I think I can stop scrolling through Instagram to get a few pages in. I figured my goal would be to read at least one book a month this year. I know, not as aggressive as my entrepreneurial counterparts, but you have to start somewhere. So far I have been on track.

I started the year out with what I thought would be an easy read, absolutely biting off more than I could chew, with “Thinking, Fast and Slow” By Daniel Kahneman. This 512 page-turning thrill-ride (sarcasm intended) consumed my January, taking all my mental capabilities. I do not claim to be a smart man so, pretending I could understand the left and right side of the brain as my first read of the year was not smart. I will give it to me Kahneman though; it is written well, and I could tell he was trying his best to put it in layman terms. Once again, I am not a smart man. 

As January turned into February, I wanted to turn to something a little lighter. “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki fit the mold. If you have not read this and have any plan of running your finances, life or want to make radical outside-the-box decisions, I would strongly suggest starting here. Even if you do not agree with some ideas throughout “Rich Dad Poor Dad” it will, at least, leave you thinking. And, I think that is a good thing.

My read this month is “Fierce Conversations” by Susan Scott and was recommended to me by a mentor/peer at work. We were having a conversation about the development of veteran teammate and discussed what would an area they could improve on before taking the next step in their career. I immediately pointed out that I have never seen them have a hard conversation with anyone and boom…a day later this book was in my hand for them to read. Instead of immediately passing it along I figured I would give it a go first to see what I could get out of it. Only a few chapters deep right now and like I said before, even if you do not agree with some ideas throughout the book it will, at least, leave you thinking…and that’s a good thing.

-YourFriendMatt

The Average CEO Reads 4-5 Books Per Month By Refreshed Leadership

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

-YourFriendMatt

Hell on Earth...

I am at the Department of Motor Vehicles. This is hell.

February 3rd 2015 - It's a Tuesday morning. The DMV opens at 8 on a beautifully brisk SoCal morning. I grab my coffee-to-go mug and leave to get there by 7:30am, to be the first in line when they open. Pulling onto Colorado Ave. I see a line of people and think nothing of it. After all my local DMV is across the street from Universal Music Group, maybe there is a celebrity signing or free concert. Nope. This endless line of disgruntled zombies holding paperwork is here to get a title changed or take their drivers test. This should be fun.

They don't open for another half hour. 

This is probably my fault. I should have followed the rules, been aware of my expiring license and got it taken care up in a timely manner making a reservation. I did not do any of that and now I am paying the price. When I finally got into the building, just to get into another line, the chipper administrative officer told me I needed a reservation to take my California drivers exam and added "They next one I can schedule you for..." trailing off in silence squinting at the glow coming from his computer screen "Is late March! Wow! That's not bad at all." I stare in awe. I can't do anything but I can't be without a license for a month and a half. I beg and plead asking if there is anything else I can do and he brings me in close to tell me a secret. "The DMV in Granada Hills accepts walk-ins." He whispers "You should be able to get in and out of there quick!" I thank him for the tip and jump in the car - and expired license - to Granada Hills.

After sitting in in the other Hell on Earth Los Angeles provides to the world - The 405 - I arrive a quick hour and a half later at the next DMV and there is no place to park. Usually not a good sign. Remember how that guy at the other DMV said I should be able to get 'In and out'? Well, this is what I walked into.

5 hours, 3 different lines and a panic attack later I walked out. 5 hours. 5 hours of sitting. I had so much time on my hands I wrote this blog, downloaded the DMV App and took practices driver tests. I even called home to a few people to let them know I was still alive.

This is a tale of caution. Don't make the same mistake I did. Make a reservation for the DMV. And if someone gives you advice at the DMV punch him in the balls.

Yo. I can’t read good...

There ain’t no shame in my game. I went to the reading trailer in middle school. You know, that tan trailer on wheels out back of the ‘real' school where they took the four or five students per grade that were…linguistically challenged. The place I learned how to say and read the word ‘vegetable’ as VAG-EH-TAB-EL. "Short ‘A’ sound Matthew and you almost have it.” The blonde language arts teacher endlessly wearing a navy sweater turtle neck would say. Emphasis on the almost. This was after weeks of work. "I fink I am wewwy startin' to get it." I would say in response as she made a sign of the cross and rolled her eyes. I was brought up Catholic.

I don't hate reading, never have. I actually love it, but when I was younger, I guess it was harder for me. As an adult (kind of) now I try to read as much as possible. There is even an alarm on my phone that goes off daily so I can make a point to try to find a half hour a day to read. Take that brain! And School! You'll never get the best of me!

I recently did an experiment to see how many words I read per minute now as a semi-function citizen of this beautiful America society. I thought it would be way harder to figure out. After googling for about 6 seconds I found a website that offers reading test for free, Staples.com. Sure, why not? The place that sells the Easy Button also provides thorough aptitude test for reading competency...for free? Sure, why not?

As it turns out I read at 237 words per minute. Which, if you can't deduce by the bold letters on the tablet shaped graph included above that clocks me in at 5% slower than the national average. Me can't read good...according to Staples extensive online testing. Welp, there goes the rest of my confidence. That's right, I am worst at reading than an average 8th grader. It says so on the tablet graph above. Go check.

I included the link below if any of you are interested it this the comprehensive analysis. Let me know how you do!

Can you read good? Click here to see...

-YourFriendMatt