2024 11 09
Came across an interesting discussion with author Cormac McCarthy (shown below) in which he discusses his thoughts on the subconscious (it speaks in code because language is, evolutionarily-speaking very new). They also discuss “The Night Shift” being the time, while sleeping, when your brain is working and processing thoughts and problems.
The Night Shift is fascinating to me, and I do my best to stay in touch with it (though admittedly I’m not very well connected to it and want to get better). I’ll remember dreams only if I’m awoken during them (normal, I think). Maybe it was Dali who would set elaborate contraptions to wake him up mid sleep at varying times in order to allow his waking brain to capture buts of what his sleeping brain was working on. This is fascinating!
This morning, I woke up to a dream I often have but with a twist. I regularly have what I call “set dreams” which are basically just me working on a photo production. The difference this time was that the set was a motion set, signaling to me that I’m finally embracing my reluctant pivot to video. These dreams are usual banal, however, I love the idea that I’m running scenarios and gaining “experience” while I sleep to better prepare myself for the often stressful days that I go through in my day job as a professional photographer.
Last night, I was awoken in the middle of the night by a song I had been creating(?) in my sleep. This is another reoccurring dream scenario I have, which makes me wonder if perhaps I do have worthwhile music in me that wants to get out (I’ll often have the urge to start a band despite the fact I can’t play any instruments). I’ve never been able to remember one of these dream songs well enough in my waking hours to know if they are any good, however, the same sort of thing happens with movies I am “creating” in my dream state and those are typically far less amazing in the sobriety of the waking life.
-Clayton
Mysterious alley. Cleveland, Ohio. August, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
Came across an interesting discussion with author Cormac McCarthy (shown below) in which he discusses his thoughts on the subconscious (it speaks in code because language is, evolutionarily-speaking very new). They also discuss “The Night Shift” being the time, while sleeping, when your brain is working and processing thoughts and problems.
The Night Shift is fascinating to me, and I do my best to stay in touch with it (though admittedly I’m not very well connected to it and want to get better). I’ll remember dreams only if I’m awoken during them (normal, I think). Maybe it was Dali who would set elaborate contraptions to wake him up mid sleep at varying times in order to allow his waking brain to capture buts of what his sleeping brain was working on. This is fascinating!
This morning, I woke up to a dream I often have but with a twist. I regularly have what I call “set dreams” which are basically just me working on a photo production. The difference this time was that the set was a motion set, signaling to me that I’m finally embracing my reluctant pivot to video. These dreams are usual banal, however, I love the idea that I’m running scenarios and gaining “experience” while I sleep to better prepare myself for the often stressful days that I go through in my day job as a professional photographer.
Last night, I was awoken in the middle of the night by a song I had been creating(?) in my sleep. This is another reoccurring dream scenario I have, which makes me wonder if perhaps I do have worthwhile music in me that wants to get out (I’ll often have the urge to start a band despite the fact I can’t play any instruments). I’ve never been able to remember one of these dream songs well enough in my waking hours to know if they are any good, however, the same sort of thing happens with movies I am “creating” in my dream state and those are typically far less amazing in the sobriety of the waking life.
-Clayton
2024 10 29
There’s an evolving observation I have that so many of us are doing our best job focusing on filling up our daily schedule, thinking that equates to being productive. It’s not a new idea, The Busy Trap. But my observation is more recent and revolves around talking with people. Nobody picks up the phone and calls each other anymore. Instead, we send out a message and spend the time we would’ve spent simply talking on the phone, going back and forth figuring out a mutually-agreed upon time to then pick up the phone and call each other some hours later.
I resist this approach the best I can. My brain works best when it’s free and clear to think whatever thoughts pop into it, without the constant stress and anticipation of preparing for an upcoming engagement, as big or small as it may be. I long for the days of my childhood, a free and open calendar, allowing me to live in the moment and navigate with ease. Improvise. Go with the flow. Instead, I have a constant barrage of push notifications informing me of an upcoming meeting or conversation. Some days, when an afternoon meeting is an important one, I can hardly function throughout the morning just knowing this future event exists and is approaching.
Time is an ever-flowing river and the journey is more enjoyable when it’s a lazy river, not roaring rapids (this sentence might be the nerdiest I’ve ever written for reasons I refuse to explain).
-Clayton
Dancing in the streets of Cleveland, Ohio. August, 2024. © Clayton Hauck
There’s an evolving observation I have that so many of us are doing our best job focusing on filling up our daily schedule, thinking that equates to being productive. It’s not a new idea, The Busy Trap. But my observation is more recent and revolves around talking with people. Nobody picks up the phone and calls each other anymore. Instead, we send out a message and spend the time we would’ve spent simply talking on the phone, going back and forth figuring out a mutually-agreed upon time to then pick up the phone and call each other some hours later.
I resist this approach the best I can. My brain works best when it’s free and clear to think whatever thoughts pop into it, without the constant stress and anticipation of preparing for an upcoming engagement, as big or small as it may be. I long for the days of my childhood, a free and open calendar, allowing me to live in the moment and navigate with ease. Improvise. Go with the flow. Instead, I have a constant barrage of push notifications informing me of an upcoming meeting or conversation. Some days, when an afternoon meeting is an important one, I can hardly function throughout the morning just knowing this future event exists and is approaching.
Time is an ever-flowing river and the journey is more enjoyable when it’s a lazy river, not roaring rapids (this sentence might be the nerdiest I’ve ever written for reasons I refuse to explain).
-Clayton
2024 01 28
In another life, I’d love to be a hobo.
In this life, I’m too old and comfortable to be a hobo.
I’ve spent many hours watching train hopping videos and train point-of-view videos on youtube.
Stobe the Hobo is a favorite of mine. He was killed by a train. RIP Stobe.
Stobe left behind a nice lil gift of videos for us, which can be found here on his youtube page.
I have a short playlist of various train-themed videos, which I will likely continue to upload over the years. If curious, you can find that here.
Choo-Choo!
-Clayton
The Ohio River as it snakes through Steubenville, Ohio on the border with West Virginia. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
In another life, I’d love to be a hobo. Wandering the lands with little rhyme or reason. Discovering things as they came my way, blowing in the breeze.
In this life, I’m too old and comfortable to be a hobo.
I’ve spent many hours watching train hopping videos and train point-of-view videos on youtube.
Stobe the Hobo is a favorite of mine. He was killed by a train. RIP Stobe.
Stobe left behind a nice lil treasure trove of videos for us, which can be found here on his youtube page.
I have a short playlist of various train-themed videos, which I will likely continue to upload over the years. If curious, you can find that here.
Choo-Choo!
-Clayton
2024 01 27
Be the Mysterious Artist.
I am not the mysterious artist. I am the oversharing, throw it all against the wall and see what sticks, just happy to be here artist. I’m not sure I’ll ever be the mysterious artist but I do see the appeal. Anyway, enjoy the daily photo!
-Clayton
PS in college I worked at a local video store and, as the youngest employee at the store (that was 85% porn), I was always intimidated by what the other employees liked or listened to. Don’t get me wrong, my Employee Picks section was pretty fire, but in terms of music I typically let the others lead the way. One guy would listen to Tom Waits a lot and this track always stuck out to me as being so moody and cool.
Steubenville, Ohio. November, 2023. © Clayton Hauck
Be the Mysterious Artist.
I am not the mysterious artist. I am the oversharing, throw it all against the wall and see what sticks, just happy to be here artist. I’m not sure I’ll ever be the mysterious artist but I do see the appeal. Anyway, enjoy the daily photo!
-Clayton
PS in college I worked at a local video store and, as the youngest employee at the store (that was 85% porn), I was always intimidated by what the other employees liked or listened to. Don’t get me wrong, my Employee Picks section was pretty fire, but in terms of music I’d typically let the others lead the way. One guy would listen to Tom Waits a lot and this track always stuck out to me as being so moody and cool.
2024 01 03
Steubenville, Ohio topped out around 38,000 people in the 1940s. Today, roughly 18,000 people live here — a loss of over half the population from its peak almost a century ago.
I have no magic takeaway from these stats but a desire to see America’s Rust Belt re-filled with people. Trends, however, are tough to fight against. To succeed in business you have to go to where the people are. To run a city you have to maintain your infrastructure. With a shrinking tax base, this math becomes impossible to manage very quickly. Its hard to blame people for moving to new southern cities, where budgets are flush and the crafty and connected are able to more easily fill their coffers.
Cheap home prices help, but there needs to be an additional catalyst to get enough people motivated to move back to these rusty towns and refill their full potential.
If elected mayor, I pledge to Make Refurbishments Exciting Again. A ribbon cutting for every alley repaved. A fish fry for every sewer line replaced.
Enjoy.
-Clayton
Downtown Steubenville, Ohio. November, 2023. ©Clayton Hauck
Steubenville, Ohio topped out around 38,000 people in the 1940s. Today, roughly 18,000 people live here — a loss of over half the population from its peak almost a century ago.
I have no magic takeaway from these stats but a desire to see America’s Rust Belt re-filled with people. Trends, however, are tough to fight against. To succeed in business you have to go to where the people are. To run a city you have to maintain your infrastructure. With a shrinking tax base, this math becomes impossible to manage very quickly. Its hard to blame people for moving to new southern cities, where budgets are flush and the crafty and connected are able to more easily fill their coffers.
Cheap home prices help, but there needs to be an additional catalyst to get enough people motivated to move back to these rusty towns and refill their full potential.
If elected mayor, I pledge to Make Refurbishments Exciting Again. A ribbon cutting for every alley repaved. A fish fry for every sewer line replaced.
Enjoy.
-Clayton