things i think about while powerwashing 34

Good morning everyone!

Or afternoon? Who's counting.

This week's was a little later since I was on the road. It's been a hectic weekend and I finally got the time to sit down in front of my laptop and put some thoughts to paper.

Specifically, the one that has been clinging to my back for the past week or so: the Brevite camera backpack.

I got this backpack in 2019, right before the pandemic, convinced that I would be using it extensively. And .... well let's say something got in the way of bringing a backpack around. But it's a full package backpack for people who want to bring their camera around with a laptop without looking too obnoxious. When my back and more muscles, and was stronger, I loved it. But I'm weaker now. My back and shoulders ache after carrying even just a water bottle and a Sony A7 IV in it.

But that's the bad about the backpack, let's talk about what I live about it — or even just the good memories. The first big trip that bag went on was to Seattle in December 2019, right before all this COVID stuff went down. It worked pretty well with the bottom straps being used for my jacket when it was too warm but ... it was cold enough most of the time.

Then came Taiwan, where I went around the island with this little backpack. I didn't bring my laptop out to cafes or anything, but it did bring around my Sony a6500 and did it perfectly.

It's been down the wide sidewalks of New York, up and down the coast of California, by the waters of Lake Michigan in Chicago, and in the fields of Indiana. It's lived a good life. And depending on how I want to spend my money in the next two weeks or so, it may continue on in another person's hands.

It's weird how one backpack can define a period of someone's life. Not quite enough to do everything asked of it, but flexible to do just enough. I'll probably be moving on to the Wandrd Prvke as my one backpack solution for travel, work and leisure. And I'll let you all know how that goes.

cats

Here are some cats I've seen thus far in my journeys:

books

Since I've been on the plane quite a bit I've been reading a lot. I have a lot of books downloaded on my e-reader so I've kind of just been busting through them in the order listed on my e-reader. But there's a bit of a problem — I went crazy downloading books a while back and have shit like "The Right Side of History" by Ben Shapiro on there since it was a bestseller at the time. So I guess I'm going to have to read that at some point, but I'll save that for the end or when I accidentally delete it off my e-reader due to a very fortuitous slip of my finger.

Anyway, the books I've been reading:

• becoming by michelle obama: surprisingly good, did not think I would be into reading memoirs of a FLOTUS but she is a very good writer.
• guardians by john grisham: this book taught me that anyone can get published.
• stay true by hua hsu: are you part of the subset of friends I have that grew up in the Bay Area and went to UC Berkeley? this book is for you. this one got me good.
• educated by tara westover: this one got a lot of hype a while back. and i agree with it. separating this mini-review into two parts helps to deal with the book a little. the first question is whether you are ok with her airing her family's life into a national best seller. i personally had no qualms, but i can see that being an issue with others. the other is the narrative itself, which was gripping, heartbreaking, and very reflective.

pet of the week

This one comes a little late, but comes from esteemed subscriber Julia Taylor (and not subscribed but still kind of esteemed Joe Duhownik?). Cats are always welcome on this blog, no matter their origin or species. Please continue to send your animals to me at ryan@torrtle.co. See you all!