Visit to tax office

Visiting tax office is a patience training, intense mode.
It also makes me think so many questions about human nature and the civilization they have created.

Collection of memories

How do I manage to find information from years ago? Actually I remember quite well where something was written. This weak method probably won't work for long time so I should find a solution. 

Rosetta 2.0

In order to keep important transgenerational information, stone is a possibility. Or blockchain. Much better: create a popular songs to be installed in brains of NPCs.

Box of notebooks

 The box I made by hand some years ago is almost full. They really look a family.

Strong glasses

Vision Pro. Experimenting with this new style. 

Note taking is a huge field which has many approaches. I'm not sure if this one is the best but I'm having much fun filling pages in this way. It removes the restrictions of boxes and too straight lines. The result is obviously more natural. However the risk to have a poor result in composition and final feeling is higher. I guess it adds essence to the notebook and that can't never be a bad thing.

Dancing fishes

 Japanese fishes flowing free in this page full of random but useful notes. Maybe they are trying to send a message.

New notebook

New baby!  327g. 

Working with such a thickness took me a few days of adjusting details. A few imperfections, more than usual. I had to do some parts of the process in two steps. But I reached the goal of much bigger spine compared with the pages (+29%). This will help to balance the thickness once the notebook is eating notes, experiences and sticked alien stuff. The pages will get about 54% bigger. Now it looks a little ugly in his initial trapezoidal shape.

Some photos show it together with his great grandfather (n-4) notebook. New one will be 21% thicker than it when finished!

A fat notebook has some problems I experienced before: It’s heavier to carry, difficult to write near the edges and higher risk if it’s lost/stolen when travelling since there are many more memories and hours of work. Of course I can’t call it “pocket” anymore. However the final shape is magnificent, and this only point makes up for everything before. At least I think so now. Maybe myself from the future will think different but anyways he has the duty to carry it and finish it from now on.

Mr. Robot

3 scenes of the great show Mr. Robot with my trusted mechanical pencil Pentel 205.

Style of note taking

A few days before I was drawing tropical fruits and Banana Boat sunscreen. Suddenly I come back to Winter in Europe, drawing a scarf and taking medicine for the cold. Not good deal.

This style of note taking is fascinating. Quite different from my regular way to fill a page (too organised). It's more fun and open to improvisation. The result is difficult to see in advance because each note impacts a lot in the final composition. I want to think if the ingredients are solid and real and the process is made with passion, the result will show that. Maybe one day I will move fully to this way of documenting.

Simple hut in Koh Lanta

I realize I don’t need ruler to draw little house this since every line is organic and natural. Same for its construction. Just nearby resources, simplicity, easy and can be made in a few days with help of family and friends. 

The result is something in harmony with the place. I guess this is real wisdom.

I saw that giant lizard around my hut most of the days there. Quite scary when it appears just a few meters away.

Koh Lipe

I think it’s my new favourite Thai island. Not easy to reach in comparison with other islands since wake up early is mandatory to take the first morning flight from BKK and then a chain of bus and boats. 

It’s tropical and tropical is always good. Small, no bikes needed and extremely beautiful place.

 

Recent trip route in Thailand

Thailand has many layers to be unveiled and the more I discover, the more fascinating everything becomes. These are new islands for me, all of them amazing, specially Koh Lipe. I had great day in Koh Santa, in low season, my favourite season.

This map style is slightly different from others and I like it a lot. I think it will be my map style by default  (until I start experimenting in the next attempt because I know myself).

Giant Thai stamp, self portrait and important lesson

Mixed notes: One note emphasizes, "The important thing is the tone" when it comes to storytelling or any creative endeavor. Understanding this key aspect took me years, but once I did, many doubts and decisions resolved quickly and effortlessly. Consequently, the story itself, its accuracy, and even aesthetics come later.

Applying this insight is the next challenge, but that's another matter.

 

Finding Inspiration in Satoshi Kon's wisdom

Satoshi Kon was a true master of his craft, weaving delicate images with deep emotions. His words recently helped me resolve a dilemma that had lingered in my mind for months while crafting the 2050 cards project.

I had placed excessive emphasis on the story, thinking it was the foremost element of any narrative. Some renowned film directors even delete a well-shot scene if it doesn't enhance the story. This mindset, while practical for business/profit related activities as cinema or Netflix, may stifle free creativity.

Satoshi Kon's perspective was refreshingly different: he painted mesmerizing images overflowing with creativity and then ingeniously find the way to match them with the story. The result might sometimes feel disjointed, but the emotion and, more importantly, the tone, were paramount.

This is my tiny tribute to him, etched into a small page of my small notebook. I hope it resonates with your soul and introduces you to his magnificent universe if you haven't ventured there yet. Let's embrace the beauty of creativity and the magic of storytelling, just as Satoshi Kon did.

 

Mixed notes including Thai coins and Lady Gaga

First time I see that Thai coins table. I’d like to see one of those Chang coins! I imagine them like 1kg oreo cookies each.

Sun direction in Bangkok

It's a little confusing when coming from Europe. In Bangkok Sun could be in the South or in the North depending of the time, which is extremely weird for orientation. It’s also a key factor when choosing accommodation since light quality changes a lot.

A room facing North is not so bad here! The magic of tropical places. 

 

The moustache

Take care if you eat wine and khachapuri in Georgia while displaying a bushy moustache.

A triangular man

Mixed notes. A triangular shaped man, F-35 Lightning II and other irrelevant annotations not worth mentioning but somehow they deserve to spend time writing them.