Foretaste Nº 7
An occasional newsletter as a deep dive into the minds, habits, obsessions, affairs, and influences of our friends and fam.
Together & Thomas Traum
Our first connection goes back to early Another Something days (if I’m correct) and our digital paths crossed multiple times over the past century. Thomas Traum, maker of ‘new images for a new world’, is one of our inspirators to keep fuelling and chasing side projects. With initiatives like anything.io and Traum Athletics he’s always on the explorative forefront of what’s next, with an amazing eye for detail and aesthetic (at moments very dystopian, as we like it). Honoured to have him in our Together& community he shares a strong pro-crypto voice and learns us the good nuances in a new world. Foretaste Nº7 is no different to that. Enjoy!
Currently reading
What a book. I never read anything like this. I am trying to read most nights 2-3 pages before falling asleep. I struggle to understand his writing style as English is not my 1st language. However, I am 100s of pages in am I am still completely perplexed by the beauty and weird rhythm of his writing. It’s so visceral and I love how it’s sometimes more of a hallucination.
Currently watching
Most times, I am trying to watch nothing, at least nothing like a series. The time you lose is massive.
I do have a good system of watching movies on the side on my iPad, which I then can screenshot quickly by pressing the physical shortcut buttons. Certain CG work (what I do mostly) allows you to watch a film at the same time, without a loss of concentration. I love taking screenshots of movies.
I download a lot of movies, mostly older ones. I might see one film I like a certain aspect of then I go out and download everything this director has ever made.
As an example, I watched “Limitless” last night. Some cool camera and transition ideas. The 360 type lenses showing up in videos recently are used a lot in the film to great effect. It’s not a standout movie, but there are interesting aspects.
I think I watch movies now mostly just as much for research.
Torrents to Plex forever.
Currently listening
Currently mostly pure classic techno to work to honestly. I rediscovered an old habit I had as a kid, falling asleep with music on headphones. My mind starts drifting away, half awake. I really like this EP right now:
Other than music, I am mostly listening to podcasts probably. I think the last 4-5 years of my life have almost been defined by podcasts. One I really enjoy but most of the people dislike is these guys here, they just chat about business ideas, with very very shaky morals!
Currently eating
Doing another six weeks of no carbs and no alcohol at the moment. I eat generally quite well, really into food in a non-signaling way which is hard to do these days. I was lucky to grow up on good food.
Currently drinking
Coffee Coffee and more coffee.
Currently obsessed about
Mostly crypto and web3 at the moment. It’s insane. I have never seen a worldwide community whose output is so high and so focused. You have a lot of talented and smart people who don’t have to work any normal jobs for the rest of their lives and only want to build more, who believe in what they are building with really long time horizons.
It would be my dream as a creative to be in such a situation, imagine just making things all day and get paid for it so handsomely.
From what I see all the people building and creating in crypto seem not motivated by money or don’t need to be anymore. How will anyone be able to compete with that?
Besides that its images, always and forever.
Currently distracted by
Crypto I guess too.
Currently trying to avoid
Honestly, what I feel the most estranged from is the world of “creatives”. “Together-and” is a nice exception and I am learning a lot.
Currently frightened by
I am an optimist when it comes to the future, I am not a worrier at all, but two things come to mind.
The influence media now has over intelligent friends and peers and the will of the media to influence thinking so they can have a story. For example, friends getting worried about the vaccine when the probabilities of being hit by a lightning strike are higher than getting a blood clot.
If you don’t have a social “following” you are as good as dead. I think even before covid, it was ok, there were other channels. Now it’s pretty deadly. You will get no work and you won’t be able to grow. The “creator economy” is great, but it only works if you have a following.
Currently transcended by
True love I somehow miraculously receive by my wife and daughter without ever having to work for it. The best things in life are free but it’s still a miracle.
Currently fulfilled with
Making progress, working hard, learning, improving. 1% better every day!
Thomas Traum
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Quick highlights from the Slacks:
Heliot Emil, via Kimberley
Rimowa to Launch NFT Collection, via Saba
Sameness of Art Writing, via Jess
NFTs, Intellectual Property, via Joachim
Oakley Kato release, via Toon
Meet Adam Katz Sinding, by Kimberly
A Theory of Digital Hygiene, via/by Jess
Designing for inclusion: An interview with Nancy Douyon, via Adriana
Hymn, via Daniël
Super Sapiens, via Thomas B
Guestmoods by Nicolas Poillot, via Joachim
Looking for:
Web designer specialized in UI/UX
Talented graphic designer
Freelance infographic illustrator
Strategist (in Paris)
If you know someone, please reply this email.
Hope you enjoyed this one - And let’s get Together soon IRL!
PS. There are enough bots and ghosts in our lives. We’ve always seen Together&, human and alive, so please enjoy, share and forward this. And we'd love to see you in Slack to discuss things often. If you know people who should join, let us know!