I watched a video featuring Toshiyuki Ueno discussing the Japanese luxury menswear label Visvim’s design philosophy using his vintage 1968 Porsche as a metaphor. He uses his cherished Porsche regularly, despite its aging appearance with peeling paint and rust. Yet, for him, these dents, scratches, and blemishes contribute to the charm of the vehicle.
He explains that it’s this same philosophy that they aim to design their clothes with. Make something that people get attached to. And attachment comes from using it, caring for it, and loving the imperfections.
With the second season of the Olive Tree Writing Club approaching, I thought I’d share a few thoughts on organizing a writing club:
I never thought I’d be organizing a writing club in NYC. I’ve never really thought of myself as a community organizer either. I still don’t. I was simply trying to figure out a way to regularly see my writing friends.
I attended a few writing clubs in NYC before hosting the OTWC. Most felt cliquey, intimidating, and focused on older mediums of writing. I wanted to change that with the OTWC.
I love meeting other writers. Writers are curious, clear thinkers, open-minded, and empathetic. Writing attracts these sorts of people but writing also transforms you into a more curious, clear-thinking, open-minded, and interesting person. Beautiful things happen when you gather people like this together.
Consistency builds loyalty.
This is by far the most fulfilling thing I do. One of the most rewarding parts is when people tell us they started a Substack or they’ve started writing more because of the OTWC community.
Communities aren’t built for people, they are built with people.
If you don’t feel anxious or scared about hosting an event, then is it even worth hosting? Even after running writing events for nearly two years, I still find myself getting stressed even over the recurring events. But that just means I care.
You can’t please everyone. Even if only a small fraction of those that attend become repeat members, that’s all that’s needed to create a sustainable community. Realizing this was a weight off my shoulders. It puts less pressure on me to please everyone because you can’t please everyone.
OTWC Season 2 kickoff is this Sunday @ 10am! RSVPhere.
After my birthday party last Saturday, I received texts from friends saying I’ve got a great group of friends around me. It’s one of the best compliments I could receive. I feel lucky to have made many incredible friends, many of whom are here in New York.
I remember how lonely high school was. Although I had friends, I didn’t feel a deep connection with most of them. We didn’t hang out after class and I often spent my free time alone playing video games in my room.
I realize that it’s quite common for many people to not have a supportive group of friends. I overheard a friend recently talking about her creative journey and how her “friends” thought that her posting videos on Instagram were “cringe”. She cut them off shortly afterward. Or I’ll hear about another friend not vibing with their significant others’ friends, which can stress the relationship.
Today, I’ve made friends who share my values, inspire me, and bring me joy. While I value my alone time for writing and creative work, it has also raised my standards for the people I allow into my life. I also find that being genuine, having a strong sense of self, and pursuing bigger things create a magnetic quality that attracts others.
Ambrose Kingsland, the 71st mayor of New York City, is best known for proposing the development of Central Park. In this letter he penned in 1851, he’s writing to the Common Council of NYC to persuade them to buy the land for Central Park. He believes the cost will be repaid four times over and the park will be a “lasting monument to its founders, earning the gratitude of future generations.”
Reading this letter, I can’t help but think about what would NYC be like without Central Park. Without Central Park, there is no Upper East Side and Upper West Side, subway lines would be much different, there would be no Columbus circle, the inequality in an already divided city would widen. Central Park is one of the crown jewels of NYC, one of its largest attractions, and an oasis in the concrete jungle.
If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. - Bruce Lee
Love this quote from Bruce Lee. Recently, I feel as if I plateaued in certain areas of my life. This is a reminder that plateaus aren’t limits. And I must move past them.
A few weeks ago, I went on the Verci retreat to upstate New York. During the car ride, one of my friends took control of the aux and played trap music from artists like Playboi Carti, Future, and Lil Baby. Most of us in the car, including myself, did not enjoy his music choice, so we took away his aux privileges after a few songs. He wasn’t good on the aux because he was playing music he liked without considering others’ music tastes.
Whether it be a car, a cafe, or a party, the person who controls the aux sets the vibe. It’s important to be considerate when you’re on the aux. You’ve got to know what vibe you’re trying to set and gauge how people react to it.
When I’m on aux, I first try to understand who’s in the room. What’s their age? What’s their background? If I’m in a Gen Z crowd, maybe I’ll play some pop music. If I’m with a millennial crowd, I’ll throw in a few 2000s throwback tracks. Or if I’m with a crowd with older tastes, I’ll play some throwbacks like the Beatles or Michael Jackson.
Then I’ll understand the setting. Is it a car ride? A party? A writing event? For example, at the writing events that I host, I’ll exclusively play instrumentals. Maybe something jazzy or a lofi beat playlist.
Some songs are crowd-pleasers that will always get the crowd growing. In NYC for example, no matter how many times we hear Empire State of Mind, we’ll always turn up.
But I also enjoy sharing my personality and unique taste when I control the aux. I like to play lesser-known or older songs that might be a bit risky. It can either be a hit or miss. A good indicator of success is when people use Shazam or ask about the song I’m playing. There’s no better feeling when someone asks, “What song is this?” while I’m in control of the aux.
During elementary school, birthdays were mentioned during morning announcements so that no one’s birthday was forgotten. On my birthday, my dad would buy two dozen Krispy Kreme donuts for everyone in my class. I remember one of my popular classmates reacted with a big, “Yes’ when he saw the donuts enter the room. In retrospect, he was more excited for the donuts than my actual birthday, but it still felt great to celebrate with my classmates.
In high school, there were no announcements about birthdays, and I didn’t have Facebook to share mine. As a result, it was difficult for my friends to know when my birthday was. I didn’t make an effort to inform anyone either. Back then, I didn’t anticipate my birthday because not receiving any birthday greetings, even from my closest friends, made me feel invisible.
Last year, I had a small birthday dinner with three close friends. While I enjoyed it, I also wished I could’ve celebrated with more friends in the city. I love the food, energy, and creativity of NYC, but it’s the people who made my time special. I wanted to share this incredible experience with more friends who have made my time here so memorable.
Today was my first time hosting a birthday party in my small apartment. Although space was limited, it was awesome to celebrate with many of my friends.
One of the main reasons I revamped my wardrobe is because my old wardrobe didn’t represent me anymore.
But now my new wardrobe reflects my current self. I enjoy dressing up each morning, considering factors like the weather, occasion, people I will see, and the story I want to tell through my outfit. And I can shape my narrative by choosing how to dress.
My favorite menswear store in the city, Rugged Road, is a vintage shop specializing in Americana fashion like military wear, Ivy League styles, and denim. It’s run by a Japanese owner and located just 5 minutes from my house. The store, though small, offers a highly curated selection, all of which fits me perfectly, unlike most other stores. The owner, initially reserved, has become a good friend after several visits. He has a great sense of style and a passion for the craft. I often visit his store during my lunch break to ask him questions about clothing, style, and fashion. I think of him as my menswear mentor.
This vintage shop embodies the charm of small businesses. The owners work tirelessly to bring their dreams to life, sharing their unique stories and passions with the world. The store itself exudes character with its vintage smell, carpet flooring, and old-school jazz ambiance, unlike bigger franchises that have their standardized, duplicate locations.
As soon as you enter any store, you can tell if you’re talking to the owner or employee. Owners carry themselves differently. They want to be there and they love sharing their passion for their products. For example, I stumbled on this menswear store near my house called Javelin. During my visit, I enjoyed speaking with the designer and curator, Fulani. He shared with me the story behind a particular piece—a pair of trousers. He explained how this item holds a special significance, reminding him of his humble beginnings as an African American in the Midwest. Despite limited financial resources, he learned to be resourceful and learned how to sew from his grandmother.
NYC is the place to chase your dreams and the high amount of small business located here despite the high cost of rent is a testament to its gravity.
Lately, I’ve had some struggles moving on from a past relationship. My writing, building community, and my friends and family is what makes my life so rich. But during this relationship, my focus shifted from my passions and friends to this girl.
That’s when the relationship begins to stem from a place of insecurity. Through this experience I learned that even when I meet someone special, I need to double down on what gives me meaning and joy, not lean away from it. If someone doesn’t want to be part of my life, then that’s okay, my life is already rich as it is.
Any non-US citizen understands that the US immigration system is a nightmare. I hold a TN visa, a special employment-based visa for Canadians. While it’s relatively easy to obtain, it’s tied to your employer, restricts earning additional income outside of your job, and it’s not a path to citizenship.
My goal this year is to transition from my current visa to the O1 Visa, which is known as the extraordinary persons visa. It offers more flexibility in earning income from various sources. Contrary to a common misconception, achieving the O1 Visa doesn’t require reaching a Cristiano Ronaldo level; meeting specific criteria from a checklist is all you need. The first step is understanding the O1 Visa checklist and then I can build my case over the next year or two.
Here are a few relevant resources shared by a few friends:
While on a recent business trip to Salt Lake City, a design colleague ranted about the bland and uninspiring paintings in the hotel we were staying at.
A few days later, as I strolled through East Village, I came across a hotel with a striking charcoal painting displayed in its glass front. The artwork depicted a large man jumping off the top rope and body slamming a baby. The painting is amusing, it’s edgy, it’s controversial, and I love it. The picture’s polarizing nature has created tension, causing me to think about it for several days.
Since starting annual reviews in 2021, my life has been continuously improving. Just as a rollercoaster has its ups and downs, I have experienced external perceptions of both highs and lows.
However, I do not view these perceived “down” years as setbacks. I often reflect on an Oscar Wilde quote that resonates with me: “There are two tragedies in this world, you either don’t get what you want or get what you want.” It is through losses that I learn and grow, shaping my perspective to see the glass as half full.
I recently attended a customer advisory board in Salt Lake City with my colleagues and customers. I was the youngest person at the event, with the average age being at least 10 years older than mine.
I often find myself as the youngest person in the room at work, making me feel insecure at times. Despite being asked to lead various discussions and roundtables at the event, I sometimes doubt my qualifications and experience especially since my experience and qualification pales in comparison to everyone else’s.
But I enjoy being the youngest in the room because it allows me to be curious, naive, and energetic. It also means I’m surrounded by people to learn from, I have ample room for growth, and my company believes in me regardless of my age.
I’ll cherish these moments, as I won’t always be the youngest and that window is beginning to close. Perhaps one day, I’ll write about being the oldest in the room.
Learning art is more than designing a garment, writing a story, or taking a photograph.
To learn art is to learn to see.
Writing every day has changed how I view the world. I’m more observant, I’m more curious than ever before. I’m always seeking inspiration, and when I learned to see, I discovered that stories are everywhere.
Many people move to NYC asking what can this city offer me?
Many people join a community asking what can this community offer me?
Many people enter a relationship asking what can this person do for me?
Instead of asking what they can offer you, ask what can you offer them. There are very few people with this mindset. Yet, ironically, this is the mindset where you get the most.
