Changing directions?
Let's talk about the (extended) history of vibracobra.net--
Despite the earliest archive.org snapshot being from 2021, the bottom of my about page says "Since September 2018".
I'm sure most of my followers have read the archive page, but just to recap, >I started this site under a completely different URL on webhostapp. I barely got any traffic, I even had a comment section that no one ever posted in or used. I moved to Neocities in 2021 and purchased the vibracobra.net domain in 2023. Ever since then, my site has been mostly centered around being a personal blog just to throw things up.
I guess as of recent (despite having been doing to show writeups since 2023) I've really revamped what my show writeups meant to me and my site, which is why I have been getting more documentative with them, talking about the culture of the area I live in and being more open about where I am in the world and who I am in the area.
With this recent change, I'm gonna be going through some of the nav pages (about, archival, etc.) and reworking them to how vibracobra.net is changing into more of a documentary of everything local and touring music.
I'm gonna try to be MORE open about moving into freelance photography. Need a side gig. I got a BUNCH of new gear recently (BG-E4 battery grip, 430EX speedlite, Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 aka the poor man's 17-35mm Canon L) strictly for getting more professional with my work. Hoping to also get a Elan 7NE when my wallet stops screaming in pain......... lol
P.S. I am typing this almost asleep at 1:45 AM after staying up for 18 hours awake good night lol
7.20.25Much to think about
Much to ponder
I guess there's some sort of healing power imbued into Summer.
If you've been following my website for a while, you would know how much I love Summer. While I do talk about the constant aspect of 75F+ (22C+ for those who are smarter than us Americans), beautiful sunny days, more outdoor oppurtunities, there's something else about it: A momentary return to monotony and constance.
Every year in mid-May, my schedule returns to a 40-hour-a-week basis, 9-5 every day, in or out of office. I can work from home whenever or come to the office whenever, no set guidelines. I've been working in one of those "people-centric" offices for over a year now, the ones that allow you to work from home or come into the office without the need for your boss's discretion, go for long walks in the middle of your shift, those kinds of things. While yes, I absolutely do take advantage of working from home whenever I feel like it, most of the time I try to come into the office to bring some structure to my workflow.
The work I do revolves around geographic information and dataset management, boring nerd stuff. No overt deadlines, just many many meetings and stuff. I like occupying myself with this degree-related busywork in the Summer and Some of Winter, as I have not much time to do it during college.
Now, some of you may hear this and think to yourself, "Office work? 9-5? And you enjoy doing that shit?" And yeah, I can understand it sounds a little crazy, but you gotta understand a few aspects of this mentality:
9-5 can kind of suck, especially if you miss a nice day out, but I'll take financial security and a guarantee I'll get paid for my day of work. I'll be honest, in the days I worked my supermarket job only on weekends, free weekdays kind of sucked. Everyone's freetime only existed weekends. Going to work straight 5 days in a row brings this sense of mental monotony, it kind of calms the mind down knowing that all work I need to will finish at 5 sharp and I can come home or close my laptop and focus on myself. No homework, no late night studying, just work when I need to work.
Now, like I mentioned before, I do frequently work from home. It's nice to wake up and clock right in. Coming to the office is nice too, and I have always been a fan of the hybrid model. I don't think I want to get into my liking for occasional office work without sounding like a pro-work-from-office shill.
Boring jobstuff aside, taking a step away from college is always a fantastic thing no matter what. Yes, even the social aspect. In fact, I argue the social aspect of college is just as bad as the academic aspect.
So, here I sit, working on this website more and more, picking away at the pages I forgot existed. I have one show from all the way back in April that I haven't published the photos from yet, which will be worked on soon. Of course, I also just went to one last night. That will come later. There's a hiking page in the misc section that I haven't touched in a year, so expect that to finally be live in the coming weeks. I've been hiking again finally! Except the weather just started getting shitty in late June. almost 100F tomorrow. Eugh. Thankfully I crammed some outdoor activities in May and early June.
6.22.25Yup!
Spring is momentous now. No more annoying cold, just rain. And warmth. Yeahahahahaha
Semester is almost over. What can I learn from it? You can't please everyone. Nope. Nuh-uh. You can do everything right in life, however, there will always be someone out there that will unconditionally despise you and do everything they can to ruin you.
Next year is senior year, which means I'm gonna be an oldhead. a veteran. elderly. What's nice about being 21 is drinking alcohol and not feeling like your some kid trying to fit in too much or seem like an adult, and getting drunk feels less "risky" I guess.
I just went a fantastic and very special show last night, which won't be posted until the 4.17 show goes up, which will be very soon.
tis tha updates
5.10.25Summer please come quick
As I type this, it's the beautiful month of April here in the northeast.
March has a special way of fucking us over, granting us 65F+ days on the regular. Hopeful start to Spring. And then April comes, and you know what the Earth does? Below freezing days. They call it "Fools Spring" up here for a reason. Please (early) Summer, come quick. My fatass is sitting here typing this up and I haven't hiked in months.
Weather aside, while I have been to many shows in the past month, I can safely say that for the first time in my life in years there's really not enough going on for me to go on a long tangent about it. Monotony is something you come to thank at this point in your life, as it speeds up days by an insane degree, but I'll admit, I do worry about how that will translate over at the end of college.
Which I suppose brings me to this next point-- I am almost done with my spring semester. Yes, that will mean no more B/W shots for a while (hoping I secure advanced in the Fall), but more importantly, it'll mean I am done with Junior year. I've already hit the age of 21. Now it's just downhill from here. No more milestones. Just riding shit out.
I'm worried for senior year. It'll be weird that the youngest people that I would go to school with will be at least 3 years younger than me. It'll be weird to think that I'm almost done with undergrad studies. If I don't get approved for the masters program, it'll just be pure adulthood. I don't really like how quick it's going now.
Enough existentialism.
I went to a show on 3.28.25. Be on the lookout for when that writeup/gallery (whatever I choose to do with it) goes up. There's awesome photos I want to share from it!
Also, not to brag, but I just secured a pair of made in USA Converse All Stars in my size for a very reasonable price. Perhaps I should do a page on my site solely dedicated to Converse collecting? Hmm...
4.8.25Exciting things are happening on vibracobra.net
This is something I wanted to do for a while...
I added a new photo gallery displaying my darkroom work from 2021-2025! Go to the 2025 tab to see some of my new work. I've been back in the darkroom again and I am sharpening my craft. One of those photos shows my face... oooo. Face reveal of the webmaster. If you had an image of me in your head, you'd be correct.
Of course there's a gap between 2023-2024 because I did not have access to a darkroom in that time. :<
More works to come in the future. I've only developed 4 rolls thus far but hope to take my setup to a show and get some exciting photos. Stay tuned!
3.6.25It's fine
I think that in life things happen and you got to learn and move on
Moving on as a concept can seem passive-aggressive if you're being told to do so but in a way it's the best possible way to let the water flow under the bridge
The past month has been rough for me, lots of severed ties. The one thing I leave with it all is the fact that I can further focus on myself, my pursuits, my ambitions.
Breakups are tough. But after a few days, you kinda forget that they happened. It's just life
I would frequently talk on this little blog about how terrible university is going for me, how I'm constantly 'mentally drained'... For the first time in a while, my academics are looking up. Perhaps this will be the semester I can above a 3.5 in? Alongside that, with my sudden departure from my massive college club as an administrative member, Life is quiet in a good way. No more needless responsibilities
My site has a heavy emphasis on photography, but for the past year, there had been times where I was genuinely not dabbling in photography because of my busy busy life. I could make a site dedicated to college-run radio stations, geography, urban planning... but who the hell wants to hear about my jobs? Respectfully I do love my internship in geography and in some ways still have a soft spot for college radio stations, but those are supposed to take up a different part of my headspace, and not some section on my little website.
2.25.25It's terrible again
So uh. Yeah
My relationship fell through, sudden break up. Don't know how I can respond. She just dropped it on me. She had her valid reasons I suppose, pleading to me that "it's not you it's me. you deserve someone better. I don't think I have enough time" I've had this happen to me before.
Which is why I am tired of it, drained of energy, and hopeless. I don't think I can tell her anything after her sudden message.
I will crawl back into my hole, get away from people, focus on myself more. It's miserable. The college station has already ruined me. I don't know who to lean on now.
Anyways, I have gotten rid of my PDX-10 and replaced it with a HVR-A1U. Little funny guy! I talk a lot about my video gear but I've never actually uploaded any of my work to here. I'll be placing some Vimeo links up soon in a new page once I create an account.
2.21.25Moving on
2025 so far has been a lot of changes, mostly positive.
After a couple failed relationships, I'm finally in one where it feels so genuine that I've never realized how much I needed it... :')
I've decided to forever part ways with the college radio station I was a part of. I talked about it much in 2023 when I was at my most active, but in recent months I was being actively mistreated and disrespected in my administrative role in the station, and decided that it was not worth it. Since I've left I've been in a much better mood overall. Thanks for the fun times and for wasting the first half of my time in university, I guess.
Some of my recent videography work got a lot of publicity and was praised by many people. Feels nice upgrading to the HVR-Z1U now, and I'm hoping to go exciting places with my much better set up. Purchased an HVR-A1U as a secondary HD camcorder and a capturing deck (wouldn't really want to use the Z1U strictly for field work and capturing). If you still use DV tape in the field, you'd understand the importance of having a deck as opposed to your main camera being your deck.
Positive things happen in your life and you feel like you have lots of control over the trajectory of things... like academics, job stuff...
Despite 2025 feeling globally like the U.S. is eating its own tail, so far the year has been good to me personally. Hopefully the year will be great for all of you as well. :)
2.10.25Yeah!!!
Everything is going very well!
Lots of good things are happening in my life. My birthday is tomorrow, turning 21 finally.
Getting new camcorder right now. PDX10 broke after 3 months of use. 0 hours on all of the use, only 50 threads on the settings.
I am getting a Sony HVR-Z1U (HDV) as a replacement. Finally moving onto HD in 2025 LOL
1.23.25New year... Kinda terrifying to think we're now mid way through the decade. Anyhow, wrote up a whole ass essay here. Read it if you want to waste your time!
nothing much to say
unrelated, but I got some cool records from constellation up in montreal. kicker in tow, hrsta, and dmst. they left me a thank you note but I cannot find it :<
1.3.25