Monthly Inspiration: November

What I’ve been reading, watching and thinking about lately.

Stoicism

I’ve been returning to Stoicism for years, and lately it feels like the right moment to go deeper. Jason Hemlock’s book is my starting point. What I appreciate about this philosophy is how direct the core ideas are. Focus on what you can influence, accept what you can’t, act with intention, and don’t let emotions run the entire show. It strips life down to what actually matters without losing its warmth. With a fast moving work life, this feels like a solid foundation for the new year.

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Music

Richie Hawtin posted a new live set where the visuals play as much of a role as the music. The way he builds atmosphere through rhythm, pacing and structure feels close to how I think about photography. There is a sense of design in how he shapes a journey, and that overlap between sound and image always inspires me.

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Todd Hido

I recently received Intimate Distance, Todd Hido’s thirty year overview, signed when he joined the release of 1605 Magazine and I interviewed him for that issue. I’m going through the book now, and it feels like opening a long archive of someone who has stayed loyal to his own way of looking. It makes you think about continuity, your own visual language, and how an artist grows by staying curious rather than chasing trends. If you want to read the interview or get the magazine, you can find it through 1605 Collective.

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Design & Sound

Link

I’ve been absorbed by listening cafés, custom speakers and beautifully crafted DJ booths. It is not about equipment, it is about the way these spaces are designed and how they shape the experience of music. There is intention in every detail. That level of focus resonates with the way I build and curate my own creative environment. When a space is built with care, everything that happens inside it feels different.

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Cover Junkie

Cover Junkie has been a great discovery. A Substack entirely dedicated to covers of magazines and books. Seeing so many approaches next to each other makes you notice how much a single image, title or layout sets the tone. It is a reminder that the first impression of any publication already carries meaning. Simple idea, strong inspiration.

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Thanks for reading. I hope something in here sparks your own ideas.

— Bastiaan