Inc! Issue 10
Decagon Tattoos, AI Surrealism, a '74 VW Super Beetle, Tom Hanks Love Fest, and Lots of Photos
Readers - we made it to ten issues. Let’s all get Decagon tattoos! Thank you for continuing to read and remaining subscribed.
I know you’re all dying to get to this issue, so let’s not beat around the bush. “Thank you for joining me” which in Korean is: 함께해주셔서 감사합니다.
Surrealism
“Everything is always a little surreal.” - Paula Abdul
I recently read about DALL-E. Dali meets WALL-E. Artwork generated based on a text description. Here is a more detailed, nerdy explanation.
DALL·E is a 12-billion parameter version of GPT-3 trained to generate images from text descriptions, using a dataset of text–image pairs. We’ve found that it has a diverse set of capabilities, including creating anthropomorphized versions of animals and objects, combining unrelated concepts in plausible ways, rendering text, and applying transformations to existing images. - OpenAI
Type in some keywords and DALL-E creates images that are surreal to say the least. The results are….interesting. This article says it all People are using DALL-E mini to make meme abominations — like pug Pikachu. ‘nuff said.
I gave it a shot. I think we can agree that final result is indeed art, albeit truly terrifyingly surreal.
Like a scary movie, you often have to watch something very different right after. Here is another, less jarring work of art to wake you from the previous collection of nightmare images.
Much better.
I have also joined the waitlist for DALL-E 2, so expect some more work in much higher resolution.
Reluctantly back socially
I’m back on Instagram (this will be my 4th time), but not in the way I intended. What started out as a burner account has turned into a bit of a fiasco. I set up the account all wrong. Some friends found me. So I’m now going to keep it and see how it goes. If you’d like to follow me on the interwebs, here is what I’m on these days, with no promises on actual quality: Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Friendster.
Be the brand you want to be
I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with some wildly creative and talented human beings to bring my ideas alive. I’m especially proud of my personal website, danielincandela.com, which houses the majority of all the content I have written/produced and showcases me as a brand. Jonathan Foerster has been an incredible collaborator and is responsible for my site, this newsletter and the adorable Lil’ Inc.
Personal branding is about as fun as it gets, because it allow us to be the final approver. Personally it allows me to portray myself as authentically as possible to the outside world (I talk a lot about authenticity). My brand is to simply be me. If any of you follow Katie Martell, she is one of the best examples of this and great inspiration if you are considering creating your personal brand.
As part of my website refresh last year, I reached out to an old friend from my racing days, Daniele Sanfilippo to help create some visuals that honored that connection. He took my name and some of my favorite colors to create my own IndyCar. I love it because it’s a nod to the past, aesthetically pleasing, and a little quirky.
Your brand is a gateway to your true work. - Dave Buck
Anyone reading this newsletter has the capacity, skill and creativity to cultivate a personal brand. Your brand is the personal, professional and in-between you. It encompasses your values, passions, talents and the opportunity to demonstrate your fun, quirky, or serious side. And I’m all about the quirky.
Intrigued by personal branding? I’m always happy to chat. In the meantime, here’s a useful article from Forbes: 10 Golden Rules of Personal Branding.
Behind the Lens
Let’s go back to 2008. I barely had any gray hair. I drank with lots of merriment and abandonment. I was not yet a father. I worked at an art museum. And I drove a 1974 VW Super Beetle.
This car. My father found it in Vegas and I had it shipped to Indy. It frequently ran out of gas because the odometer and fuel gauge did not work. The brake pedal often stopped working because of air in the brake lines, which required me to estimate stop signs and lights by down shifting, coasting and utilizing the emergency brake. It was terrifying in the rain but provided a toasty interior in the winter. I might have thanked god after safely arriving at any destination in the snow.
I sold it when Oliver was born, which was a wise decision. But part of me sometimes misses the thrill and fear of driving this thing. I think we all have a car in our life that means something to us. This one always makes me smile. I’m also thankful to still be alive. 😅 Oh nostalgia.
Consumption
Feeding the brain.
Links
Old Spice and Arby's Create Epic Collab to Defeat the Meat Sweats
A 3,252-track playlist from Haruki Murakami’s personal vinyl collection
U.S. Tourist Falls Into Crater of Mount Vesuvius After Trying to Take Selfie and Losing Phone
Nintendo Japan Says It Recognises Same-Sex Marriages, Even Though Japan Doesn't
The Guys Who Took Their Paychecks in Crypto Are Feeling the Burn
Music
The Dandy Warhols.
The Beach Boys.
Reading
I am loving this newsletter The Drip - hip hop meets art history. Creative, thoughtful and brilliantly written.
Shows
Colin in Black and White. This was really powerful and I ended up binge watching it.
Alone. I love this show because it is everything I am not.
Movies
My eldest son and I bond by watching movies together. Lately, we’ve been on a Tom Hanks kick, so this month we have watched: Forrest Gump | Cast Away | Catch Me If You Can | Saving Private Ryan. Movies have played an integral part of my life, so watching movies with Oliver is pretty cool.
Independence Day. Quintessential 4th of July viewing.
13th. A necessary but evil look into what the US 13th Amendment really means.
12 Years a Slave. I watched this after 13th and it is a horrifying but incredible film.
1917. I rewatched this again mostly for the opening scene. Over 9 minutes of what appears to be one continuous shot. Stunning.
Thank you for joining me for another issue of Inc! This is also an anniversary of sorts. Last July, I announced this newsletter with a short post. Here we are one year on. We’ll celebrate more next month.
Ain’t life grand?
Much love, Daniel