City Flag was taken during my most recent trip to NYC. I walked around the city with an iPhone 17 Pro to learn how to shoot on the new smartphone. This photograph was taken from a window in the Museum of Modern Art. Looking out, you could see the empty floor of an office building across the street, lit up, with a waving American flag straight through. It was about 5 stories up where this photograph was taken.

I really enjoy the contract and light in this composition. For an unplanned, candid capture, I am happy with how it turned out.

City Flag was taken in January 2026 with an iPhone 17 Pro. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: 2026, January, NYC, City, Architecture

We knew he’d hit the point of the trifold smart phone and who better to introduce it to the mainstream than Samsung.

The Galaxy Z TriFold isn’t just an incremental update; it’s a structural pivot. By adding a second hinge and a third panel, Samsung is effectively trying to kill the tablet and bring the single device that does everything into existence.

From Samsung:

Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of Galaxy Z TriFold, further expanding Samsung’s leadership in new form factors for the mobile AI era. Built on a decade of foldable category innovation, Galaxy Z TriFold showcases engineering mastery with its most advanced foldable technologies optimized for the unique demands of a multi-folding design. Its slim profile ensures the portability of a premium phone that provides ultra performance and, when unfolded twice, it reveals an immersive 10-inch display¹ that elevates productivity and cinematic viewing — offering a best-in-class mobile experience never before seen in any other form factor.

Now where does the desktop come in? The somewhat marketed feature of Samsung DeX. If you are unfamiliar with DeX, you probably aren’t alone. It has long been a feature on Samsung flagship devices where you can use a dock or external monitor to use Android in a full desktop environment. I have used this feature extensively in the past, and it is a very capable desktop replacement. Think of it has a more functional Chromebook.

For the first time on the TriFold, you don’t need an external monitor to get the desktop experience. You can trigger DeX directly on the 10-inch screen, supporting up to four workspaces and five simultaneous apps.

Under the hood, the TriFold is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which is necessary to drive the heavy lifting of Samsung’s Galaxy AI. With a screen this size, features like Circle to Search and Note Assist feel less like mobile gimmicks and more like professional tools. The extra real estate also allows for Gemini Live to run with a multimodal interface, meaning the AI can “see” what’s on your 10-inch screen and provide contextual help in real-time.

Verdict: The Shape of What’s Next?

At 309 grams, it’s not a featherweight, but the trade-off is a 200MP camera system and a 5,600mAh battery split across three chassis segments. It suggests that the future of mobile isn’t just about making things thinner—it’s about making them more versatile. Samsung wants to change the phone from your primary device to your only device, and the is a definite big step in that direction.

This post is part of an ongoing series called Perfectly Awesome. Featuring a collation of fun and random products found wandering the internet. If you want to receive more posts like this, please subscribe below.

Subscribe now

"Ring out the false, ring in the true” Alfred Lord Tennyson

I wish I could say I planned out this post months in advance for the New Year celebration, but I just found it today. It reminded me of the old saying, “ring in the new year.” And seemed a great way to with the EVRD Community a Happy New Year!

This quote comes the poem, Ring Out, Wild Bells:

Ring out wild bells to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

By Alfred Tennyson

You can find more history about the poem and Alfred Tennyson on Wikipedia. Or find some more quotes by Alfred Tennyson on Brainy Quotes.

A small side note… I did the graphics for this quote differently than in the past. That is my actual handwriting in the image. I will be experimenting more with this style in future posts.

Section: Quotey

Tags: Alfred Lord Tennyson

Underwater was taken in New Hampshire on my first all day hike up Mount Moosilauke. I didn’t bring the DSLR on the hike (attempting to stay light), but I did have my phone and a GoPro. I’ve talked before about what a fun camera a GoPro can be. Given it’s small size and durability you can create some interesting shots and views.

Underwater was taken in May 2024 with a GoPro Hero10 Black. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: 2024, Nature, May, Water

With so much music on streaming services, it feels strange when I have a specific songs and version I want to hear and can’t find it. But if I dug through my old mp3s I could find it. That’s more of a commentary on the current state of music... but I digress.

Everybody’s Free to Wear Sunscreen was originally an essay published in 1997 and later turned into a popular song.

“Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young“, commonly known by the title “Wear Sunscreen“, is an essay written as a hypothetical commencement speech by columnist Mary Schmich, originally published in June 1997 in the Chicago Tribune.

Wikipedia

For some of you, this may be the first time you’re hearing this. For others, a reminder from your youth. Either way, I hope you enjoy it and it’s worth reading the original essay on the Chicago Tribune.

Enjoyed the song? Have another version we should know about? Let the community know in the comments.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing music series on EVRD. If you want to receive more music like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Music

Tags: Sunscreen, Baz Luhrmann

Butterfly 1 was taken somewhere in Massachusetts, I’m not sure where thought. This is an older photography that I rediscovered in a lost folder while looking for something else. It’s titled Butterfly 1 because I have several more photographs of butterflies I’ve taken over the years and plan to share more.

Butterfly 1 was taken in April 2013 with a Canon EOS 60D and a Canon EF-S 18-135mm lens. I’m unsure which program this photography has been edited in.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: 2013, April, Nature, Not So Wildlife, Insect, Butterfly

This is a passage is the opening paragraph from the wonderful book, The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. The photograph accompanying this post is one I took around the same time as reading this book and one that comes to mind when reading the excerpt.

It was hard to say when exactly winter arrived. The decline was gradual, like that of a person into old age, inconspicuous from day to day until the season became an established relentless reality. First came a dip in evening temperatures, then days of continuous rain, confused gusts of Atlantic wind, dampness, the fall of leaves and the changing of the clocks - though there were still occasional moments of reprieve, mornings when one could leave the house without a coat and the sky was cloudless and bright. But they were like false signs of recovery in patient upon whom death has passed its sentence. By December, the new season was entrenched and the city was covered almost every day by an ominous steely-grey sky, like one in a painting by Mantegna or Veronese, the perfect backdrop to the crucifixion of Christ or to a day beneath the bedclothes. The neighbourhood park became a desolate spread of mud and water, lit up at night by rain-streaked lamps. Passing it one evening during a downpour, I recalled how, in the intense head of the previous summer, I had stretched out on the ground and let my bare feet slip from my shoes to caress the grass and how this direct contact with the earth had brought with it a sense of freedom and expansiveness, summer breaking down the usual boundaries between indoors and out, all allowing me to feel as much at home in the world as in my own bedroom.

I shared this excerpt once before, many years go in 2009, on my personal blog at the time. Every once in a while this passage comes back to me with the changing season. I haven’t shared it with the EVRD Community before, and it feels like a fitting place.

Revisiting the excerpt now reminds me of another book I have read lately, Bittersweet by Susan Cain. I don’t have a great description of the correlation in my mind, but the mood feels similar.

If you have not read any of Alain de Botton’s books (or ever heard of him), I recommend checking out one of his several books. I will say, my personal favorites are The Architecture of Happiness and The Art of Travel. Although it’s been many years since I have read these books. Enjoy!

Section: EVRD

Tags: Books, Quotey, Reading, Travel, Alain de Botton, Winter, Photography

Seagull at the Beach was taken at the beach in Rhode Island. I was attempting to photograph the crystal clear day and perfect waves rolling onto the shore, when the seagull walked right into the photograph. I really like the framing of this photograph with the seagull. It adds a little depth and contrast to the picture that I really like.

Seagull at the Beach was taken in September 2023 with an Apple iPhone 13 mini. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: 2023, February, Nature, Not So Wildlife, Bird, Beach, Ocean

Bumblebee was taken in my backyard after watching these bees swarm while I ate lunch. I’m getting in the camera of keeping my camera more accessible when home, and not having it packed away in its bag. Giving me the opportunity for more impromptu shots like this.

This is the first time on EVRD I’ve shared my most recent shot. I have typically shared photographs from years pasts or at least several months ago. This is the last photograph I took on my camera and the last one I edited in Lightroom. Maybe I’ll share more of my current photographs in the future. I hope you enjoy this one.

Bumblebee was taken in September 2025 with a Sony a6000 and a 55-210mm lens. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: 2025, February, Nature, Not So Wildlife, Insect

The Bookstore was taken at Crow Bookshop in Burlington, Vermont. This was a bit of an impromptu trip and my first time in Burlington, Vermont. The Crow Bookshop is an old style shop in The Church Street Marketplace. If you are ever in Burlington, this is an area I recommend walking around. There is so much to explore. I also left with a few books.

I didn’t plan on capturing this image, but while walking around, I looked back and had this perfect view. The lone reader at the end of the stacks, window to the street, and the Crow logo. The bookshop itself was actually very crowded that day. This was a unique view and moment during my time there.

The Bookstore was taken in February 2024 with an Apple iPhone 13 mini. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: 2024, February, Vermont, Books

"If you can’t be who you are where you are, you change where you are, not who you are.” - Caroline A. Wagna

I wish I remember where I originally found this quote. I was cleaning out an old notebook and found this quote scribbled on a page labeled February 25th.

So I did a little research. This quote is from an interview with Carline Wanga on The Path.

I was a surprised to see this quote from a LinkedIn interview mostly talking about the context of climbing the corporate ladder. It was not what I was expecting. But it is a great quote, and taking on it’s own is very powerful.

If things don’t feel right. If life feels overwhelming. Anxiety, stress, discomfort… how much is your environment. The stress and conflict you are feeling is often just caused by your surroundings, not by you. It’s always good to have a change of scenery.

What does this quote mean to you? How often have things become better in your life after a change in scenery?

Section: Quotey

Tags: Caroline Wagna

The Trail was taken all the way back in 2020. It’s from a trail that I hike quite often. I recently went back to some older photographs from this trail to see how it’s changed over the years. I honestly forgot just how pictures I had taken on this hike. Some of them have already been shared here, and more will come in the future.

The Trail was taken in September 2020 with a Samsung Galaxy S9. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

As a bonus, I also created a black and white version of this image. I really liked how the shadows and contrast comes out with the foliage.

Which version do you enjoy more? Let me know in the comments.

Leave a comment

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: Connecticut, Nature, Hiking, September, 2020

The Hawk is a photograph I have been wanting to capture. This past summer, my part of town was home to three hawks that I would often see circling above. I had attempted to photograph them on my phone and a few times with my DSLR, but none of those photographs came out very well. I was rushed a just trying to capture anything.

But then a rain storm happened, and while sitting upstairs my youngest son yelled that the hawks were on the trampoline.

After a rain, a hawk will shake its feathers, change positions, and spread its wings to dry them off, often "sunbathing" to evaporate moisture and regulate its temperature. Hawks have specialized, waterproof feathers that help repel water, though they still need to dry their plumage to maintain proper insulation and body heat, especially after a heavy downpour.

So there they were perched right in the backyard. We watched them for some time. I tried getting a picture from the window, then from the deck, then slowly walking out in the backyard. As we got closer to the hawks they flew away. I thought I missed another opportunity.

Suddenly two came back and landed on the fence 5 feet away. I quickly snapped as many photographs as I could without daring to get any closer. The photograph above is one from that session.

The Hawk was taken in July 2025 with a Sony a6000 and a 55-210mm lens. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Section: Photography

Tags: Not So Wildlife, July, 2025, Connecticut, Hawk, Bird, Nature

Welcome to the eighth edition of Everything Random. A series of links, articles, notes, idea, and everything random living rent free in my head (and open browser tabs). Hopefully you find something interesting or helpful. Some of these topics will be explored further in future posts, so let me know what you enjoyed in the comments.

📓 Modular Planner System

It’s nearing the end of August and the new years already feels like it’s right around the corner. I’ve been playing with the idea of using a paper planner. Many, many years ago (I’m getting old) I exclusively used a paper planner and enjoyed it. Since moving most my notes, calendars, and tasks to my phone, I’ve abandoned the physical paper planner. Maybe this is the year I switch back.

I really enjoy the idea of being able to disconnect more and not have a planner that is able to send me notifications or make noise when I’m not paying attention to it. There is a certain appeal to the quietness of a paper planner and using one to start the new year.

📰 Do AI Surveillance Tools Violate Student Rights?

This is a commentary post to some news out of Lawrence Public Schools in Kansas. The Lawerence Times reported…

A handful of Lawrence High School journalism students previously arguedtheir files were protected by the Kansas Student Publications Act, legislation that protects student journalists, ensuring editorial independence and shielding them from censorship by school authorities. They argued the Kansas Reporter’s Shield Law, which protects journalists’ confidential notes and sources, prohibited the district from deploying Gaggle and possibly looking through their reporting material. Their arguments have been regularly supported by the Student Press Law Center.

With so much technology used in school and classrooms across the country now, this is a very interesting and timely issue to discuss.

📝 Should we keep AI away from the classroom? from Daria's Tech Musings

Along the same lines as the previous article, I came across this Substack post that goes into some more points of AI being used in schools. From the post…

As a high school student myself, I’ve discussed the use of AI at school, too. These conversations always revolved around academic integrity; we talked a lot about preventing AI cheating, and how to approach work that is clearly AI-generated. The consensus is that using AI to complete assignments should not be allowed, and everyone usually agrees that doing so is unfair and robs students of a learning opportunity. After all, there’s a reason we get assigned work, as much as we hate it sometimes, and completing it is in our own best interests.

Found anything interested you want more of or expanded on? Let me know in the comments.

Leave a comment

I went from working on an Etsy shop to discovering the world of slings. This listing for an EDC Sling - Minimalist Hand-Woven Survival Sling for Everyday Carry and Outdoor Adventures started me off.

I don’t believe I have thought about a sling since first hearing the biblical story of David vs. Goliath.

Digging more I found the type of sling this was and the history of the Balearic Slinger. From Wikipedia…

The Balearic slingers, indigenous to the Balearic Islands, were warriors from ancient times famed for their mastery in the art of using the sling. They also served as mercenaries for both Carthaginian and Roman forces, particularly during the post-Talayotic era.

Eventually leading to a video on how to use a sling

And now to me having to decide if I will order a sling and pick up a new hobby. I admit this hobby has a lot going for my personal preferences; minimal equipment, outdoor activity, can be done just about anywhere, can build your own equipment, and a skill that just takes practice on your own.

Have you ever shot a sling? Or would you shoot a sling? There must be a few readers on here that have. Let me know your experience with it in the comments.

Leave a comment

This edition’s living rent free song is Hi Ren by Ren. I found thing song during a doom scroll on Instagram. I have since come to really enjoy his music. Ren has several different genres that his music can fall into, and it’s worth exploring his full collection. Hi Ren is his most popular song and I image, how most people discover him.

On 15 December 2022, he self-released a music video for his song "Hi Ren". This was a breakthrough moment for Ren. It became a viral hit. A clip from "Hi Ren" on TikTok had over 12 million views in January 2023 and the YouTube video received 6.8 million views in two months and charted worldwide on YouTube's trending music video chart. As of July 21, 2025, Ren’s singular video which continues to introduce Ren to his listeners, fans, and the world, has exceeded 56 million views.

More about Ren on Wikipedia.

There is also a pretty lengthy and in-depth Reddit thread on this song at r/Music.

This wraps up Edition #8 of Everything Random. If you enjoyed this edition, there is no better way to show your support than sharing with friends, by hitting the button below.

Share

Tags: Everything Random, AI, Education, Planner, Ren, Music

Lake Rocks was a picture taken during a summer excursion on a small lake in Connecticut. Heading out in a kayak and an inflatable raft with my family, we found our way to small island on the lake and got out to explore. The island wasn’t more than 40 feet across but provided plenty to explore.

As I’ve said before in this series, the best camera is the one you have on you. And I usually have a GoPro with me for water excursions. Although made mainly for video, I’ve found the GoPro to be a very capable still photography camera. The wide angle lens provides some unique perspectives and angles for photography.

Lake Rocks was taken in July 2025 on Lake McDonough with a GoPro Hero 10. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

Full Moon was a picture I didn’t plan on taking, but the moon just looked too perfect not to try to capture it. I saw the moon, grabbed my camera and tripod, and started snapping.

It was a very clear night without a cloud in the sky. The moon sat high enough for me to capture it over the tree line. I’ve been taking more night photography and learning how to take better photographs in the difficult environment. I plan to share more in the future.

Full Moon was taken in August 2024 in the backyard with a Sony a6000 and a 55-200mm lens. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

This isn’t Adobe’s first attempt at using your phone’s camera, but this is the first fully native photo taking app that I’ve seen from Adobe.

From Adobe

As Adobe explores ways to evolve mobile photography, and in order to address some of these gaps, we have developed a camera app we call Project Indigo. Today, we are releasing this for iPhone as a free mobile app from Adobe Labs, available in the Apple App Store - to share our progress and get feedback from the community. The app offers full manual controls, a more natural ("SLR-like") look, and the highest image quality that computational photography can provide - in both JPEG and raw formats. It also introduces some new photographic experiences not available in other camera apps.

I am very excited to see test out this camera app on my iPhone. And see where Adobe takes this in the future. It’s a project I will be following closely.

This post is part of an ongoing series called Perfectly Awesome. Featuring a collation of fun and random products found wandering the internet. If you want to receive more posts like this, please subscribe below.

Subscribe now

This unique rock formation was formed in a steep, rocky hillside at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah. It’s hard to grasp the scale of this rock formation from the picture, but it was towering.

This picture was captured on, what I thought was, a random turn off while highway traveling. Needing a quick break and a leg stretch, I pulled the car over. An hour later, I was still hiking through this trail off the road, taking pictures, and discovering national monuments I never knew existed. This is a plus one for unplanned excursions.

Heart Rock was taken in August 2024 at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument with a Sony a6000 and a 16-50mm lens. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom and Prisma.

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now

"You don’t have to attend every argument you are invited to.”

I remember hearing someone say this when I was a kid and thinking it was funny, and not giving it much thought. I came across this line again recently, as a much older person, and it held a lot more meaning for me.

Every day, week, month, year you are giving obstacles. You have problems that need dealing with. You have people that want to argue, complain, and negotiate with you. But do you have to respond?

I used to think yes. If someone is arguing with me or confrontational, I need to defend myself. I need to prove why this person is wrong or why I am right. As I’ve become older, do I really need to do that?

Not every obstacle needs to be addressed. Sometimes going through the obstacle doesn’t help in away. it just drains more of your energy and time. Energy and time that can be put into actual improvements in your life.

I don’t know who first created this quote. If it was just a funny line or had a deeper philosophical meaning. But it re-entered my work when I was in a more philosophical mind and help a deeper meaning.

What does this quote mean to you? Have you ever been told this before?

It’s finally hiking weather in the northeast, and I recently went for a long hike on one of my favorite trails. While on the hike, I noticed a number of the trail markers has some new writing on them. This one in particular caught my eye and summed up the hike perfectly.

Love Hiking was taken in April 2024 during a hike in Connecticut on a iPhone 13 Mini. It has been edited in Adobe Lightroom.

This post is part of an ongoing photography series on EVRD. If you want to receive more photography like this, please consider subscribing below.

Subscribe now