Notebook 1

My notebook, books, new camera, newsletter update

Two days ago I found myself in a waiting room without my phone or anything to read. It could have felt like time wasted, except I had my notebook.

My notebook. It’s Moleskine-style, but much cheaper. You can buy two for $9. Leather-ish, elastic loop, double ribbons, just over 3 x 5 inches. It’s the perfect everyday carry.

The notebook goes with me everywhere—back right pocket, favorite pen in the elastic loop. I use it to capture notes, journal, jot lists, process ideas. It’s a hodgepodge of genres and uses.

So in the spirit of my multi-disciplinary, capture-everything notebook, here’s an occasional new series: “Notebook.” In it, I’ll share a handful of things I’m thinking about, reading, noting, creating, or appreciating.

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FREEDOM by Sebastian Junger | Book

My first completed (and started) book of the year. This book is two things. It is part travelogue about a 400-mile walk along railways in the Northeast that Junger did with three friends. Second, it is a meditation on human freedom—and on what reinforces that freedom, such as the ability to walk, fight, and think.

Like most of what I read, it came from the local public library. I have no intention of owning it. Modestly recommended.

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QUITTING BOOKS | Practice

I stopped reading at least a dozen books in 2023.

There’s too much good stuff out there to waste reading time on the uninspiring or shoddy.

Most recently I quit Ozark Dogs—a novel that I’d describe as “white trash Southern crime noir.” It seemed promising at first: a grizzled Vietnam vet hunts down his granddaughter’s kidnappers while processing his own parenting regrets and war-related inner pain. Unfortunately it was scattered, over-the-top, full of character confusion, and unnecessary plot pivots. Pass.

Instead I picked up The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) from Penguin Clothbound Classics, a beautiful 1,276-page epic that is included in many Great Books lists. Saw the movie but never read the book: until now. Christmas present from Izzy. Loving it!

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Camp Snap Camera | Gadget

I’ve taken over 800 photos since I received this camera as a Christmas gift.

From the Camp Snap website

It’s a unique concept. A cheap plastic camera that feels like a 35mm film disposable. Remember those? The kind that you find at weddings or used to take to the beach.

Except this isn’t film or disposable. It’s a digital camera. A very low tech digital camera. There’s no screen for photo review or distractions. You have to connect it to your computer to see the pictures.

Camp Snap first made the camera for kids going to summer camp. The campers couldn’t bring phones or devices with screens, and this provides a way capture memories. It costs $65 and comes in a variety of colors. Seems hard to damage. I’ve dropped mine a half dozen times without visible damage.

The camera comes with serious limitations. Capturing photos is painfully slow. For indoor use, you’ve got to stand completely still or use the quirky LED flash. The photo quality is much lower than what’s found on my four-year-old iPhone. Most of the shots are unusable. Blurry, grainy, noisy.

But I love it. The limitations inspire creativity. The lack of screen and immediacy allows me to be more in the moment. My first act was to visit the support website and download a piece of firmware that transformed it into a monochromatic shooter. Black and white photos only.

A few of them:

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Photos | Sub-newsletter

In this new section, “Photos,” I’ll be sharing images taken with the Camp Snap camera. Occasionally they’ll be accompanied by a little write-up.

You can update your preferences to turn on email notifications, as you won’t get them by default.

This one is from yesterday:

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Thanks for reading.

Would love to hear your book, gadget, and anything recommendations in the comments.