Why is Skiing So D*mn Expensive?

Skiers have been complaining about the rising cost of the sport for as long as I can remember. Skiing has always been a beloved winter pastime, but the rising cost of the sport is pricing many out of the slopes.

Single-day tickets that once cost just a few dollars, now exceed well over $300, leaving skiers wondering why their favorite hobby has become so unattainable.

[Figure 1]: Article from 1981 complaining about $20 lift tickets

Whether you’re a weekend warrior on a budget, or an out-of-state enthusiast with a family of five, the perception of snow sports as an increasingly exclusive activity is widespread.

I share the frustrations of the masses, but arrive at a different root cause than most. Media outlets, seasonal workers, and ski-bums point the finger at a host of reasons such as corporate greed, rising operational costs, and increased participation as the driver behind the price hikes.

While these factors may hold some merit, they fail to explain the true underlying cause of rising prices:

the erosion of purchasing power due to inflation, and the mechanics of central banking at large.

Let's dive down the money rabbit hole, and go on an exploration of how monetary policy, inflation, and economic forces intersect, to examine the real reason behind the "increasing cost" of skiing and snowboarding.

The Conventional Narrative

[Figure 2]: Retro ski tickets displayed in the Colorado Snowsports Museum

Articles and news reports across ski and lifestyle publications have highlighted the upward trajectory of skiing costs and proposed various culprits:

• Greedy Corporations: Corporations like Vail Resorts are often accused of prioritizing profit over affordability. Worker strikes and participant boycotts have become more common over time. While corporate consolidation is a valid concern, these companies are simply responding to incentives created by the current monetary system. The detailed reasons behind this dynamic, including the role of cheap credit, are explored further in following sections.

• Fancier Equipment and Infrastructure: Some point to rising costs from state-of-the-art gondolas, high-speed lifts, and luxurious on-mountain dining. Although such advancements enhance the experience, they overshadow the efficiency gains that these technologies bring.

• Growing Participation: Others argue that increasing demand, fueled by newcomers to the sport, has led to "pricing out" middle-class skiers. However, many resorts have expanded capacity with more skiable terrain, larger parking lots, and higher, capacity lifts, mitigating this strain.

These explanations seem reasonable at face value, but they fail to account for a crucial piece of the puzzle: the monetary system itself.

Let me explain.

Measuring Costs in M2 Money Supply

To understand how skiing costs have changed over time, we must measure them against the M2 money supply, a broad measure of circulating money that includes cash, checking deposits, and easily convertible near money.

[Figure 3]: An Aspen lift ticket from March 23, 1948.

This comparison is like adjusting the lines on a ruler to account for it's ever growing expansion; it allows us to see the real scale of changes over time.

By adjusting for M2, we separate the effects of monetary expansion- which drives up nominal prices; from other factors, providing a clearer picture of real price trends.

When viewed in this way, the cost of skiing has remained remarkably stable over the last 60 years, even trending slightly downward.

Here’s what the data shows:

• In 1962, a daily lift ticket cost $5.00. Today, that same ticket is over $300. However, when measured in M2-adjusted terms, the cost of skiing in 2024 is nearly identical to what it was in 1962, even trending slightly downward.

Season passes reveal a similar trend.

• Since 2008, M2-adjusted prices have fluctuated slightly but remained largely consistent; despite the USD value of these tickets going exponential over the same timeframe. The spike in 2020–2021, driven by a flood of new money entering the system during the COVID-19 pandemic, is already normalizing.

This analysis reveals that the apparent “rise” in skiing costs is not due to corporate greed, increased demand, or fancy new infrastructure.

Instead, it’s an illusion created by the Federal Reserve’s monetary policies, which devalue the dollar and erode your purchasing power.

While the M2 money supply reveals the inflationary impact of new money creation, it also illustrates how inflation widens the gap between asset holders and wage earners. Those who own assets see their nominal wealth increase as asset prices rise.

However, this perceived "wealth" only holds water if the assets outpace the overall rise in prices.

For instance, someone who purchased a $25 million home in 2008 and now sees it valued at $100M may appear to have "gained" $75 million. But, if comparable homes have followed the same trajectory, their purchasing power has not truly changed.

This dynamic underscores how inflation distorts wealth perception while eroding the financial stability of wage earners.

The Real Cause of "Rising Prices"

The data is clear: the perceived rise in skiing costs is primarily a symptom of monetary inflation.

[Figure 4]: Vintage photo of a man skiing from Colorado Snowsports Museum

As central banks print more currency, the purchasing power of the dollar diminishes, making everything from groceries to ski passes appear more expensive.

The USD amount of skiing may have risen in nominal terms; but in real terms, the price remained stable. Inflation and money printing are essentially two sides of the same coin: expanding the money supply leads to higher prices, which many mischaracterize as "inflation."

Additionally, the monetary system itself creates incentives that distort competition. The Cantillon Effect explains how new money entering the economy disproportionately benefits those closest to its creation, such as large corporations like Vail Resorts with access to cheap credit.

This dynamic encourages centralization and monopolistic behavior, as corporations can use artificially low borrowing costs to expand operations, acquire competitors, and dominate markets.

While this might seem like a failure of capitalism, it’s actually a product of fiat monetary policy distorting natural market forces.

[Figure 5]: K. Smith (red sweater) and Zane Doyle (on Smith's left) with other skiers gathered around a ski school sign at Brighton.

For example, Vail Resorts’ ability to consolidate and control numerous ski destinations is less about inherent greed and more about operating within a system that rewards access to easy money.

Under a sound money system such as Bitcoin or gold, monopolies would only persist if they were truly efficient, delivering the most value at the lowest cost to consumers.

This distinction highlights the importance of understanding how monetary systems shape economic behavior and contribute to the illusion of rising costs.

By measuring skiing prices in Bitcoin, gold, or M2 money supply, we can see through the illusion of fiat currency.

While it’s valid to feel frustrated by high prices, understanding the root cause allows us to approach the problem more constructively.

Skiing on The Bitcoin Standard

Sound money advocates understand that the monetary system we use today is inherently inflationary; designed to make prices rise indefinitely. While the Federal Reserve’s target of 2% annual inflation might seem harmless, it quietly erodes purchasing power, halving it every 35 years.

Since the 2008 financial crisis, exponential growth in debt has compounded this issue, with real cost-of-living increases likely closer to 8-14% per year.

Everyone feels the effects of the monetary expansion, whether through higher grocery bills or the soaring price of skiing.

Bitcoiners have responded by adopting a different perspective, measuring the price of goods and services in a money with a fixed supply that cannot be manipulated. This is called living a Bitcoin Standard, and the results are eye-opening:

• In 2013, a single Bitcoin could purchase a day pass. By the 2016/2017 season, that same Bitcoin could buy a full-season pass.

As Bitcoin’s purchasing power continues to grow, Bitcoiners have begun measuring prices in Satoshi’s (fractions of Bitcoin, referred to as sats).

When we apply this way of thinking to skiing, we see that prices have decreased significantly.

• In 2016, a season pass cost $809, or about 100M sats. In 2024, despite a higher dollar price of $1,100 (a 36% increase in USD), the same pass costs only 2M sats—a dramatic decrease in real terms.

• The same trend is true for day passes, having decreased from nearly 40B sats when Bitcoin began trading, to around 400K sats in 2025.

This shift in perspective reveals a stark truth:

while fiat currencies are designed to erode wealth, Bitcoin was engineered to preserve it.

Bitcoin serves as a fixed measuring stick against the world, revealing the true "price" of things without the distortion from inflation.

However, it’s important to note that Bitcoin’s "deflationary" nature doesn’t inherently lower prices.

Rather, technological innovation, unleashed by efficient capital allocation in a sound money system, drives production costs down, leading to lower prices in real terms.

A Hopeful Outlook

Bitcoin offers a solution to the challenge we are all facing. With its fixed supply of 21 million units, it ensures that purchasing power is not eroded by inflation.

[Figure 6]: Park City's new "Town Lift" triple chair will transport skiers from the bottom of historic Main Street to Mid Mountain

As Jeff Booth highlights in his book, The Price of Tomorrow, deflation is a natural force that makes goods and services cheaper over time.

Advancements in technology improve efficiency, reduce input costs, and enhance consumer experiences.

This principle is particularly relevant to the ski industry, where innovations such as high-speed lifts and gondolas are often cited as driving up costs. However, these advancements actually reduce costs by increasing efficiency and minimizing labor requirements.

For instance:

• High-speed lifts can transport more skiers per hour, reducing the need for multiple chairlifts and their associated labor and maintenance costs.

• State-of-the-art gondolas are increasingly energy-efficient, compact, and capable of handling higher volumes, lowering infrastructure demands over time.

These technological improvements should naturally make skiing more affordable, but the inflation of fiat currencies erodes purchasing power. This creates the illusion that these innovations are inherently expensive.

While innovation demands capital, inflation distorts the process by making borrowing cheaper for some and inflating the costs of resources over time.

Under a sound money system, where capital is allocated efficiently, advancements would drive costs down rather than up, ensuring that businesses and consumers alike benefit from the true economic value of innovation.

[Figure 7]: Luft Seilbahn Corviglia- Piz Nair St. Moritz, gondola

For individual skiers and snowboarders, adopting a Bitcoin standard offers the potential to reclaim affordable access to the mountains, not necessarily because resorts will lower prices, but because the money used will hold its value.

Understanding inflation’s impact allows us to see beyond superficial explanations and envision a world where deflation and technological progress can work together to make skiing, and countless other experiences—more accessible to all.

I’m not suggesting you postpone your adventures waiting for prices to drop in Bitcoin terms, but I urge you to take steps to protect your purchasing power.

Storing your savings in Bitcoin can hedge against the effects of inflation, ensuring your hard-earned money remains valuable over the long term.

In the future, who knows? Maybe you’ll be able to afford not just one, but multiple season passes, without worrying about being priced out of the sport you love.

Footnotes:

• Day pass prices are based on historical data from a representative selection of resorts; including Vail, Stratton, Mt. Snow, Killington, Bear Creek Mountain Club, Park City, Squaw Valley, and Stowe.

• Some prices used in this dataset may reflect elevated holiday rates.

• Season pass prices reflect the full-price cost of the Vail Resorts EPIC Unlimited Pass.

• Bitcoin prices are based on the value of BTC on January 1 of each respective year. M2 money supply figures are sourced from the January print of each year.

Sources:

Historical Lift Ticket Prices and Cost Analysis

Lift Tickets Anyone? Lift Ticket Prices Back in the Day vs. Today

New England Ski History: Ticket Prices

When Did Ski Resort Lift Tickets Become So Expensive?

Historic Epic Lift Pass Prices

Contemporary Pricing and Corporate Actions

Vail Resorts Official Website

New Lift Ticket Price at Vail: $299 for One Day

Vail Expensive Lift Tickets

Broader Economic and Inflationary Analysis

M2 Money Supply Data

Economic Factors Affecting Ski Resort Pricing

Alternate Inflation Charts

The Real Cost of Living Increase Index

Socioeconomic and Labor Dynamics

Ski Patrol Union Strike at Park City

Historic Newspaper Coverage

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from these photos, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard

Bullshit Jobs Exist Because The System Needs Them. A Bitcoin World Would Not.

In his 2018 book Bullshit Jobs, David Graeber described a strange modern affliction that hits all too close to home: millions of people—often well-educated and decently paid—secretly believe their jobs are meaningless. Not just boring or repetitive, but completely pointless. Entire sectors, he argued, exist to keep people busy doing tasks that make no real contribution to society. It’s a damning critique of how modern economies misallocate time, capital, and human energy.

While Graeber diagnosed the symptoms brilliantly, he misidentified the heart of the disease. His conclusion—that capitalism itself is to blame—confuses the free market with the manipulated atrocity we find ourselves living under today. In truth, we haven’t had real capitalism for decades. What we have is a fiat-driven system of cronyism, central bank interventions, and artificially inflated bureaucracies. It's not capitalism creating bullshit jobs—it’s a monetary system that not only rewards them, but requires them, in order to survive.

Graeber’s Core Insight: Meaningless Work in a Sick System

In Bullshit Jobs, Graeber categorized five archetypes of pointless labor—roles that feel fake not just to outsiders, but to the workers themselves. He correctly argues that these jobs exist not to produce value, but to preserve appearances, inflate hierarchies, or smooth over problems that shouldn't exist in the first place.

Each category speaks to a different failure of the system—not a failure of the market, but a failure of the bad incentives created by debt-fueled fiat economies:

Go-Betweens

Intermediaries who exist only because systems are needlessly complex or fragmented.

Examples:

• Corporate “liaisons” who simply pass emails between departments with incompatible software.
• IT consultants hired to manage integrations between bloated, outdated legacy systems.
• Sales coordinators whose job is to facilitate calls that would be unnecessary if pricing were transparent.

In a fiat economy, complexity isn’t punished—it’s rewarded with bigger budgets, more headcount, and greater organizational sprawl. Go-betweens thrive when layers of opacity are preserved for the sake of power, not productivity.

Flunkies

Employees hired to make their superiors feel important, often performing ceremonial or status-enhancing tasks.

Examples:

• Personal assistants to executives who insist on being shielded from their own calendar.
• Interns hired solely to greet guests, refill coffee, or be seen in meetings to validate a sense of importance.
• Staffers in large bureaucracies whose only function is to echo or flatter leadership talking points.

In hierarchies where status is everything, appearances matter more than outcomes. Fiat systems allow unproductive prestige roles to persist because they’re paid for not with earned revenue, but with cheap money and inflated budgets.

Box Tickers

People hired to fill out forms, compile reports, or meet compliance requirements that don’t actually improve outcomes.

Examples:

• Diversity officers required to generate DEI metrics, regardless of any cultural change.
• Corporate social responsibility managers producing annual reports no customer reads.
• Teachers forced to spend hours documenting lesson plans to meet administrative quotas.

In a heavily regulated, fiat-backed economy, the optics of accountability matter more than actual impact. Compliance becomes a job category in itself, rather than a byproduct of good practice. Box tickers serve systems that measure inputs, not results.

Duct Tapers

Workers who are constantly fixing or compensating for systemic problems that shouldn’t exist in the first place.

Examples:

• Customer service agents apologizing endlessly for broken products or poor policies they can’t change.
• IT help desk workers who spend their day resetting passwords and restarting machines because the core tech is outdated.
• Administrative staff who manually transfer data between platforms because software isn’t interoperable.

When companies are incentivized to maximize short-term profits over long-term fixes, they’ll paper over problems rather than address root causes. In fiat economies, cheap labor and abundant capital make it “easier” to throw people at the problem than to solve it systemically.

Taskmasters

Managers who create unnecessary layers of oversight, meetings, and control over people who could function independently.

Examples:

• Mid-level project managers whose main function is to schedule daily stand-ups and report to other project managers.
• Executive VPs of “Strategy” whose deliverables are vague decks, vision statements, and memos that lead nowhere.
• Bureaucratic supervisors whose main task is to track productivity metrics in systems where trust is absent.

In a fiat economy bloated with credit and managerialism, tasks multiply to justify salaries. When failure is subsidized, leadership structures grow horizontally rather than vertically—layer upon layer of oversight, all afraid to relinquish control.

The Fiat System: A Bullshit Job Generator

Graeber’s classification of bullshit jobs—while often humorous and sharp in its critique—unveils something far more tragic than absurd: that millions of people quietly know their work is unnecessary, even fake. These jobs do not emerge from organic market demand. They are not expressions of entrepreneurship or voluntary exchange. Together, these five categories describe a world where labor is not a measure of value, but of institutional inertia. These roles flourish in both public and private sectors—not because consumers demand them, but because inflated budgets, compliance culture, and fiat financing allow them to persist.

These jobs aren’t sustained by market forces. They’re sustained by a system where prices lie, failure is subsidized, and truth is distorted by monetary manipulation

This is the core of the illusion: we assume that because people are working, value is being created. But that assumption breaks down under the slightest bit of scrutiny. People spend entire careers producing reports that are never read, sitting in meetings to justify other meetings, correcting problems that were only created to support a job that didn’t need to exist. The machine feeds itself. It doesn’t matter if the work contributes to the well-being of others—it matters only that the system keeps spinning, and that workers continue to receive enough compensation to remain dependent.

What Graeber sees as a failure of capitalism is more accurately a distortion caused by fiat money. Capitalism, at its core, is a system of voluntary exchange based on real prices, risk, and reward. When practiced under sound money like Bitcoin, it eliminates inefficiency through natural selection: bad businesses fail, waste is punished, and success is measured by the satisfaction of others. Fiat breaks this feedback loop. When central banks can create money out of nothing, prices no longer reflect scarcity or human preference. Instead, they reflect proximity to the monetary spigot—cheap credit, government subsidy, or regulatory protection. What we’re actually living under is fiat statism: a fusion of centralized money and bureaucratic economics, where survival depends not on serving others—but on staying close to that spigot of freshly printed money.

The result is an economic environment where failure is propped up and fake work can thrive. Bureaucracies multiply not because they’re needed, but because they’re budgeted. Managers manage people who don’t need managing. Employees fulfill procedures written not for function but for liability. Industries flourish around complexity that ought to have been simplified—compliance departments, endless back-office layers, entire consultancies devoted to navigating the very red tape that sustains them.

The absurdity compounds. But the money keeps flowing, so the jobs stay alive.

Austrian economists warned of this dynamic. They spoke of malinvestment—capital flowing into unsustainable ventures not because of actual demand, but because artificially low interest rates signal false opportunities. In a fiat system, companies grow bloated on debt and subsidies, not on efficiency or innovation. Their labor force is not trimmed to serve a need but expanded to justify the illusion of growth. These bullshit jobs are not side effects—they are symptoms of the disease.

Jeff Booth, in The Price of Tomorrow, takes this a step further. He points out that exponential technological advancement should be driving massive deflation. We should be working less, owning more, and watching our cost of living fall as tools become cheaper, faster, and more powerful. We’ve been taught to fear deflation. But why? Under a deflationary system, prices fall as technology improves. That’s good. It means we’re getting more for less.

As Booth argues, technological deflation is the natural state of progress. Software eats costs. Automation replaces labor. Machines don’t just augment human effort—they replace entire industries. That’s not a crisis. That’s success. Why did calculators, cameras, and GPS units become free inside our phones? Because capitalism, unimpeded, drives marginal costs toward zero.

The fiat system fights this progress.

It needs people to work more hours each year to sustain consumption. It sees abundance not as a triumph—but a threat to employment statistics. We print more money to simulate growth, forcing people to work longer hours to maintain the same standard of living. We don’t celebrate efficiency—we subsidize redundancy. We don’t liberate the worker—we invent more work to keep them occupied. Booth’s insight aligns with the Austrian warning: our system can’t tolerate real progress, because its foundation is debt. And debt must be repaid—either with inflated currency or with your time.

That’s why we invent bullshit jobs: to mask the fact that we no longer need as much labor. Instead of letting people benefit from deflation, we chain them to fake work just to scrape by.

Bitcoin as Economic Truth

When the system is honest, the jobs that existed to game it disappear.

Bitcoin is the answer to the madness—not because it fixes labor directly, but because it fixes the signal. Under a Bitcoin standard, jobs must justify themselves. There is no central bank to fund pointless initiatives. There is no inflation to subsidize fake productivity. Scarce money forces honest decisions. It enforces efficiency through economic gravity. With no way to counterfeit capital, companies must produce real value to survive.

Because Bitcoin is deflationary by nature, technological progress no longer needs to be masked or feared. Prices fall naturally, and people gain time instead of losing it. Bitcoin embraces deflation. It lets prices fall. It lets time be reclaimed. It rewards productivity, not motion.

That shift is monumental. In a world where money gains purchasing power over time, the need to work simply to stay afloat disappears. People can save. They can rest. They can walk away from meaningless jobs. They are no longer required to “stay busy” just to maintain purchasing power. Instead, they can focus on work that matters—or no work at all. Automation doesn’t have to be a threat to employment. It becomes a gift. It liberates time. Bitcoin allows that liberation to be economically viable.

This is where time preference enters the equation. High time preference—prioritizing the now at the expense of the future—is incentivized by fiat. Why save when money melts? Why build when consumption is easier? Bitcoin reverses this. Its fixed supply makes future value meaningful. With a low time preference, individuals can plan. They can invest in projects that may not pay off for decades. They can work less, save more, and spend time on family, health, or creativity. The bullshit job dissolves not because it is outlawed—but because it no longer makes sense.

Even the social fabric frays under fiat pressure. Graeber noted how dual-income households have become the norm, not because families want two full-time jobs, but because one income is no longer enough. And when both parents are gone, more jobs are created to take their place—childcare, food delivery, after-school programs—more economic activity, but less connection. Bitcoin begins to restore sanity here too. With real savings and lower cost of living, families can reclaim their time. One parent might choose to stay home. Or both could work part time.

It’s not just economic reordering—it’s civilizational repair.

And underneath it all lies the most important piece: cryptography. The real innovation behind Bitcoin isn’t some abstract “blockchain” (a term captured by marketing departments and crypto scams). It’s the cold, uncompromising certainty of math. Cryptography enforces the rules. It makes fraud impossible and favoritism obsolete. In a world built on code as law, no one gets to cheat. No one can print more Bitcoin. No one can override the protocol at will. It is a trustless system—not because it lacks trust, but because it removes the need for it.

This is the cypherpunk revolution. Not through protest or policy, but through protocol. Not through persuasion, but through code. Bitcoin doesn’t appeal to power—it routes around it. And in doing so, it renders entire categories of bullshit jobs obsolete. There is no need for compliance departments when the rules are enforced mathematically. There is no room for rent-seeking middlemen when value moves peer-to-peer. There is no demand for bureaucratic managers when coordination happens through open protocols. When the system is honest, the jobs that existed to game it disappear. This is how freedom scales: not by politics, but by cryptographic enforcement.

In this system:

• There are no subsidies for zombie corporations.

• Bad businesses fail—and their resources are reallocated.

• Jobs must create value or they disappear.

The question is no longer “how do we create more jobs?” but “why are we still working so much?” If the goal of civilization is to increase leisure, abundance, and freedom, then bullshit jobs are a betrayal of progress. They are not signs of a healthy economy—they are symptoms of one in decline.

This is how bullshit jobs die: not by legislation, but by exposure to reality.

Bitcoin is an Exit from the Bullshit Economy

David Graeber revealed a deep dysfunction in the modern economy: millions of people doing work that neither inspires them nor benefits others. He saw clearly that millions are trapped in labor that feels hollow—labor that exists not because it’s needed, but because the system would collapse without the illusion of productivity. His instinct was to blame capitalism. But the deeper truth is more radical: this isn’t capitalism at all. It’s fiat deception masquerading as a market.

Bitcoin clears away the fog. It restores price integrity. It aligns incentives. It rewards value, not velocity. In a Bitcoin world, we don’t need to create fake work to keep people fed. We let prices fall. We let time be reclaimed. We let people walk away from bullshit.

Bullshit jobs exist because the system needs them. A Bitcoin world would not.

In that world, we work to create—not to comply. We build what lasts. We pursue freedom. And we remember that the goal of progress was never more jobs—it was less work for a better life.

That’s not just a better economy. That’s a better life.

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my work, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Introduction

Tucked into a quiet forest park on Chongming Island, Chongming frames a view of a canal and a small alluvial landform that mirrors the island itself. This lens reflects the constant interplay of land and water, inviting viewers to contemplate the delicate balance of nature and the forces that shape it.

Site & Placement

The lens is hidden along a forest path, directing attention to the canal’s subtle currents and the land it divides. The bench, situated 12 feet from the lens, encourages visitors to pause and immerse themselves in the tranquil rhythm of the scene.

Impermanence & Integration

As an alluvial island shaped by shifting waters, Chongming is a fitting location for this ephemeral lens. Constructed from branches, the lens will eventually return to the land, echoing the natural processes that formed the island and continue to shape it.

Reflection

Chongming offers a meditative space to reflect on the impermanence of land and the forces that transform it. The work’s fleeting existence underscores the beauty of change, inviting viewers to appreciate the subtle, ongoing dance of nature.

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Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works

"Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)

"Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)

"Sanctuary" (Earth Lens 003)

"Platte" (Earth Lens 004)

"Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Introduction

Situated on Myanmar’s Grandfather Beach, this lens captures the dramatic shape of a steep, rocky hill that mirrors the arduous road leading to this remote location. Grandfather invites viewers to reflect on the connection between journey and destination, highlighting the tension and beauty of paths less traveled.

Site & Placement

The lens is positioned at the west end of the beach, focusing on the sharp hill rising above the shoreline. Its teardrop shape accentuates the rocky prominence, emphasizing its similarity to the road that winds toward the beach. A bench, placed 12 feet away, provides a place for viewers to absorb the rugged beauty of the scene.

Impermanence & Integration

Crafted from driftwood, branches, and stone, Grandfather is a fleeting presence in this timeless landscape. Its brief existence reflects the challenges and ephemerality of the journey it highlights, blending into the environment as it gradually succumbs to the elements.

Reflection

Grandfather invites viewers to consider the parallels between the physical journey to reach the beach and life’s broader paths. It stands as a reminder that even the most challenging routes can lead to moments of profound beauty.

Photos

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Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works

"Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)

"Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)

"Sanctuary" (Earth Lens 003)

"Platte" (Earth Lens 004)

COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Introduction

Platte captures a tranquil bend of the South Platte River, where the steady flow of water meets the rugged backdrop of Waterton Canyon. This lens offers a moment of respite, encouraging visitors to step away from the river’s busy recreational activities and focus on the quiet beauty of this secluded scene.

Site & Placement

Positioned on the west bank of the South Platte River, the lens directs attention to the water’s gentle curves and the canyon rising in the background. A bench placed 12 feet away provides the perfect spot for reflection, emphasizing the interplay of movement and stillness in the landscape.

Impermanence & Integration

The lens, constructed from branches and stone, mirrors the ever-changing nature of the river itself. As it stands, it frames a single moment within the flow of time, but its materials will soon be reclaimed by the earth, echoing the river’s constant reshaping of the land.

Reflection

Platte invites viewers to contemplate the river’s journey—its constancy in motion and its quiet persistence. The work becomes a metaphor for life’s flow, urging us to find beauty in the transient and the enduring alike.

Photos

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"Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)

"Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)

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COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

This project was exhibited in 2015 in Boulder, Colorado.

Artist Statement

“A Line Made By Walking” (2015) is a site-specific piece created in Boulder, CO, where my body weight etched a temporary line into the earth. This work pays homage to Richard Long’s seminal 1967 piece, where a simple act of walking through the landscape left a profound trace. In my version, the line created by my movement forces the viewer to engage with the impermanence of human intervention on the land. The project prompts a reflection on the subtle yet lasting impacts we have on the environment, even through seemingly minimal actions.

As part of my larger “Rockway” project, this case study explores the concept of ‘line’ in both literal and metaphorical ways. The line is not just a physical mark, but also a representation of time, movement, and the dialogue between the body and the land. Walking, in this context, becomes a way of marking time—an act that is as ephemeral as the mark it leaves behind. The work questions the tension between permanence and transience, asking the viewer to consider how we interact with the land, both intentionally and unknowingly, and how those interactions leave traces that may soon fade but never completely disappear.

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For the first installment, I’m diving into npub.pro, an incredible service that lets anyone on Nostr create a fully functional website using their already-published notes.

What is npub.pro?

npub.pro is a simple—yet powerful— tool that takes your Nostr content and turns it into a website instantly. By filtering through hashtags or keywords, or hand-selecting which notes to feature, you can curate what appears on your site.

This allows for highly customizable and dynamic websites that anyone on Nostr can deploy. Whether you’re a blogger, photographer, journalist, artist—or just want to organize your notes into a cleanly setup website—this service opens up endless possibilities for showcasing your notes.

Who Should Use npub.pro?

This service is ideal for:

✅ Writers and bloggers who want a frictionless way to publish content.

✅ Artists and photographers looking to showcase their work.

✅ Journalists and researchers who need an easy way to organize articles.

✅ Anyone who wants a personal website without dealing with hosting or technical setups.

Why I Love npub.pro

I’ve personally deployed several websites using npub.pro, each serving a different purpose:

HesArt – My personal art portfolio.

Hes – My main long-form writing site, featuring artist statements, travel guides, photo series, tech reviews, and economic essays.

HesCooks – A collection of curated recipes.

HesCreates – A categorized and searchable archive of my notes.

The ability to filter my Nostr content and instantly publish it as a website has made organizing my notes seamless and efficient. The opportunities are endless and I have several ideas for other websites I plan on deploying.

How to Get Started

1.Visit npub.pro.

2.Enter your Nostr private key (nsec) using an extension of bunker.

3.Choose your filters (hashtags, keywords, etc.) to curate what appears and select a pre-made theme.

4.Publish instantly – no extra setup needed!

It’s that simple.

Final Verdict:

5/5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

npub.pro is an outstanding tool that makes publishing on the web effortless for Nostr users. It’s intuitive, versatile, and packed with potential use cases. Whether you need a blog, portfolio, or curated archive, this app delivers.

Highly recommended!

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Note: This spotlight is not sponsored. I thoroughly enjoy the service and have received outstanding customer service from the team at npub.pro!

Stay tuned for more Nostr App Spotlights as I explore the best apps in the ecosystem!

I stumbled upon the Elgato Stream Deck while aimlessly browsing the web, and I was instantly intrigued. But one question kept nagging me—how would I use this, and why do I even need it?

I don’t stream.

At first glance, it seemed like just another gadget to clutter my already cramped desk in my tiny Shanghai apartment. But curiosity got the best of me. After some research, I decided to give it a shot and see what all the hype was about.

And wow—was that hype justified.

This isn’t a deep-dive review covering every feature (there are plenty of those online). Instead, I want to share some of the workflows I’ve set up and hopefully get you thinking about the endless possibilities you could create with a Stream Deck.

If you’re someone who loves making computer tasks easier but struggles to remember keyboard shortcuts beyond Ctrl + V, this little device might just change the way you work.

Launching Apps and Websites

I won’t lie—my favorite use for the Stream Deck is the sheer convenience of pressing a button and instantly launching what I need.

Want to watch YouTube? Button.

Open Photoshop? Button.

Play a game? Button.

Check Bitcoin prices? Those are always on the display.

Sure, it’s a small thing, but the speed and ease of launching apps or navigating to websites make a surprising difference. What used to be a few clicks and keystrokes is now a single tap.

After using the Stream Deck for a while, my laptop feels... clunky. I’ve genuinely noticed an increase in my productivity and focus.

Custom Application Profiles

One of the most powerful features of the Stream Deck is its ability to switch profiles based on the application you’re using.

This means that every time you switch programs, the buttons automatically adjust to show relevant shortcuts and commands. It’s a game-changer for software with hundreds of keyboard shortcuts, making multitasking seamless.

I’ll admit—setting up custom profiles can be a bit time-consuming. The good news? You don’t have to start from scratch. There are tons of downloadable third-party profiles for popular programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Microsoft Office, and Ableton.

If your favorite app doesn’t have a pre-made profile, you can always build your own. It takes some effort, but once it's set up, the workflow improvements are worth it.

Music and Audio Control

I use an audio interface for lossless wired playback and external microphone support. The Stream Deck makes switching between my computer’s default mic and my studio mic effortless—no more digging through system preferences.

Even if you don’t use external audio gear, the Stream Deck still has plenty of value for music lovers.

It integrates with Apple Music and Spotify, letting you control playback, skip tracks, like songs, and add them to playlists—all without switching apps. Elgato is constantly adding new third-party integrations, which gives the device even more longevity.

Lighting and Smart Home Control

If you have smart home devices, the Stream Deck can act as a command center. It integrates with platforms like Philips Hue, LIFX, Nanoleaf, and IFTTT, letting you control lights, scenes, and colors with a single tap.

Want to set the mood for gaming, reading, or watching a movie? Done.

You can even use it to trigger other smart devices, like cameras, thermostats, or speakers, using IFTTT applets. The possibilities here are endless.

Finder and Document Shortcuts

One of the most unexpectedly useful features for me has been quick access to folders and files.

I’ve set up buttons for my most frequently used folders—Downloads, Desktop, and Documents—so I can access them instantly. I’ve also created buttons for specific files like spreadsheets and PDFs, so I don’t have to dig through folders to find them.

It sounds simple, but when juggling multiple projects, these little time-savers add up fast.

Final Thoughts

The Elgato Stream Deck is a surprisingly versatile tool that enhances productivity, creativity, and entertainment. Whether you’re launching apps, controlling music, managing smart devices, or creating complex workflows, it streamlines everyday tasks in a way that’s hard to go back from.

At first, I thought it was just for streamers. Now? I can’t imagine working without it.

I hope this post gives you some ideas on how to make the most of a Stream Deck. If you have any questions or thoughts, drop a comment below.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to support me by grabbing one through my affiliate link below:

Purchase a Stream Deck

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Originally published in 2022. All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Other Photo Series by Hes:

City Series

Structural Reflections

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from these photos, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Introduction

Sanctuary offers a layered view of resilience, juxtaposing the green expanses of the Sanctuary Golf Course with the majesty of Pikes Peak and the scars of past destruction. Framed by the lens, this work explores the tension between human intervention and nature’s cycles of renewal.

Site & Placement

Perched at Daniels Park in Castle Pines, the lens focuses on the rolling terrain of the golf course, leading the eye to the distant peak. The surrounding brush, which once burned in a major fire, adds depth to the narrative of renewal. A bench, positioned for an unobstructed view, invites visitors to sit and reflect on the land’s capacity to heal and endure.

Impermanence & Integration

As an ephemeral installation, Sanctuary embodies nature’s cycles of destruction and rebirth. The materials—branches and rock—will eventually decay and return to the earth, a process that mirrors the recovery of the landscape itself after fire. This impermanence underscores the delicate balance between human influence and natural forces.

Reflection

Sanctuary serves as a reminder of both the fragility and resilience of the world around us. It invites viewers to pause and consider the interplay of destruction and growth, human and natural, as they gaze upon a scene shaped by both time and transformation

Photos

More from the 'Earth Lens' Series:

Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works

"Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)

"Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)

COMING SOON: "Platte" (Earth Lens 004)

COMING SOON: "Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)

COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Introduction

From atop Flagstaff Mountain, Folsom frames Boulder’s iconic Folsom Field, a symbol of youth, learning, and community. This lens offers a moment of reflection on the brevity of the college experience and the transient nature of life, inviting viewers to connect with the campus and its fleeting but impactful moments.

Site & Placement

The lens is strategically placed to frame the stadium, blending the vibrant life of the campus with Boulder’s vast and enduring natural landscape. The bench, situated 6 feet from the lens, offers a space to sit and contemplate the juxtaposition of permanence and change, of structure and wilderness.

Impermanence & Integration

Constructed from branches and rock, Folsom is designed to fade into the mountain landscape after only a short time. Its impermanence echoes the fleeting nature of the college years, reminding viewers that growth and transformation are rooted in moments that pass all too quickly.

Reflection

Through its brief presence, Folsom captures the delicate interplay between human experiences and the enduring landscapes that frame them. It invites viewers to celebrate the vibrant present while acknowledging the inevitability of change.

Photos

More from the 'Earth Lens' Series:

Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works

"Looking Glass" (Earth Lens 001)

COMING SOON: "Sanctuary" (Earth Lens 003)

COMING SOON: "Platte" (Earth Lens 004)

COMING SOON: "Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)

COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)

More from Hes

Portfolio

Online Store

Artist Statements

Travel Guides

Photography

Writings

All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Previous Works in the Series:

TAIPEI

TIANJIN

KYOTO

More from Hes:

Art

Store

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from these photos, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Introduction

Nestled deep in the forest near Boulder, "Looking Glass" invites viewers to rediscover the quiet beauty of overlooked natural details. By framing the play of light, texture, and shadow through a 4-foot circular lens, the piece shifts focus to the microcosms of the forest, drawing attention to a small and overlooked waterfall.

Site & Placement

The lens is perched amid a cluster of trees, emphasizing a quiet patch of the forest that often goes unnoticed. Positioned 22 feet from the lens, a carefully placed bench offers a perfect vantage point, guiding visitors to linger, observe, and absorb the layered simplicity of the scene.

Impermanence & Integration

True to the ethos of the Earth Lens series, Looking Glass exists only briefly. Its natural materials—branches, wood, and rock—blend seamlessly into the forest and will eventually be reclaimed by it. The fleeting presence of the lens reflects the transient beauty of life, encouraging viewers to appreciate the details that often escape notice in the rush of time.

Reflection

In its short life, Looking Glass offers a moment of stillness and clarity, a chance to peer into the intimate world of the forest. The work becomes a lens not just for the environment but also for introspection, reminding viewers of the quiet wonders that surround them every day.

Photos

More from the 'Earth Lens' Series:

Earth Lens Series: Artist Statement + List of Works

COMING SOON: "Folsom" (Earth Lens 002)

COMING SOON: "Sanctuary" (Earth Lens 003)

COMING SOON: "Platte" (Earth Lens 004)

COMING SOON: "Grandfather" (Earth Lens 005)

COMING SOON: "Chongming" (Earth Lens 006)

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

For the Official Stooki Sound Afterparty in Boulder, CO, I took the unconventional venue of a kitchen on The Hill and transformed it into an immersive environment for Toybox and Tesfa’s performances. The space was custom-mapped with projections that interacted seamlessly with the surroundings, turning the kitchen into a dynamic, visual landscape. I added retrofitted props to deepen the visual experience, giving the projections a multi-dimensional quality. This innovative approach created a unique atmosphere, enhancing the performance while blurring the lines between physical space and digital art.

Event Photos

Recap Video

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Other Immersive Experiences by Hes

Light Pollution [2015]

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

This project was first exhibited in 2015 in Boulder, Colorado.

Prints available on request. DM for inquiries on the sculpture.

Artist Statement

Organimetal: Where Industry Meets Nature

Organimetal examines the paradoxical relationship between human industry and the natural world, reflecting on humanity’s dual role as both creator and disruptor. This work fuses bold industrial materials, such as sheet metal and rivets, with an organic form, evoking the tension between the rigid, mechanical qualities of human innovation and the fluid, unpredictable patterns of nature.

At the heart of this sculpture lies a critique of the way human industry often seeks to dominate the natural world while still drawing inspiration from it.

The form’s flowing, natural curves juxtapose the cold, utilitarian surface of the metal, highlighting this inherent contradiction. The industrial materials, traditionally associated with mass production and control, are reimagined here as part of a delicate, organic structure, prompting viewers to question the impact of industry on the Earth.

This sculpture serves as both an artistic exploration and a personal milestone. It represents my second foray into metalworking and the first piece to ignite my love for the medium. As viewers engage with Organimetal, they are encouraged to reflect on their own perceptions of progress, balance, and the unintended consequences of our attempts to shape the world around us.

Photos

Other Sculptures by Hes

Quarantine [2016]

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

This project was created and first exhibited in 2015 in Boulder, CO.

Artist Statement

Untoward Equilibrium is an experimental short film that delves into the complex and often strained relationship between humans and the natural world. Through a dynamic interplay of visuals, sound, and digital manipulation, the film investigates themes of migration, cultural destruction, and the often futile efforts to rebuild in the face of inevitable change. Utilizing tools such as VDMX 5, iMovie, and the APC40, I aimed to weave a narrative that reflects the cyclical and untidy balance between human intervention and the forces of nature.

The film’s abstract visuals and layered soundscapes evoke a sense of unease, suggesting that the equilibrium between the two is never quite stable. It examines the patterns of regime changes, revolutions, and war, exploring how these human conflicts mirror the predator-prey dynamics of the natural world.

Just as predators and prey shape ecosystems through cycles of survival and dominance, human societies grapple with cycles of power, upheaval, and renewal.

Through this lens, the work considers ongoing processes of disintegration and reconstruction, drawing parallels between societal collapse, cultural upheaval, and the relentless forces of nature. By blending the organic with the synthetic, Untoward Equilibrium reflects the fragility of human civilizations and the environments we inhabit, questioning whether true harmony between the two is ever achievable, or if we are destined to remain in a perpetual state of imbalance. This film seeks to provoke reflection on how the forces of war, revolution, and ecological interplay shape our understanding of the world and our place within it.

Stills from the film

Watch ‘Untoward Equilibrium’

nostr:naddr1qqrk5vj8v45xkagpzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsygquk99txdv8dly7lsmasw969p70zlj6mnxtyzlk6j0em2tft4fyvgpsgqqqskasumlfl9

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All images and video are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from my art, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

Previous Works in the Series:

TAIPEI

TIANJIN

More from Hes:

Art

Store

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All images are credit of Hes, but you are free to download and use for any purpose. If you find joy from these photos, please feel free to send a zap. Enjoy life on a Bitcoin standard.

No. 11 - Evenings in Pujiang Town

A laid-back vibe in the heart of Shanghai. The area is packed with fantastic restaurants and offers serene views of canal reflections. It’s super easy to get there via the metro, making it a perfect evening escape. The charm lies in its simplicity; it’s the kind of place where you can take a leisurely stroll and truly unwind. If you’re lucky, you might catch a gorgeous sunset mirrored in the water.

No. 12 - Sunbathing at Jinshan Beach

Okay, Jinshan Beach isn’t winning any awards for “World’s Nicest Beach” (it’s man-made and, well, it’s China), but there’s something unbeatable about a sunny day by the water. Grab a towel, soak up some rays, and embrace the experience. There’s also a variety of beachside snacks and vendors that add to the laid-back vibe. While it’s not luxury, it’s a solid way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

No. 13 - Rooftop Chasin’

The best sights of the city are often in places you’re not supposed to be. Feeling adventurous? Try finding your way onto the roof of an apartment or office building. It might take a little finesse, but the reward is worth it: breathtaking views few others have ever seen. The city feels different from up high—quiet, sprawling, and almost surreal. Just make sure to stay safe and respectful; not every rooftop adventure is worth the risk.

No. 14 - Shanghai Disneyland

This might not count as a classic “expat spot,” but skipping a trip to the happiest place on earth while in Shanghai would be a mistake. The Tron and Pirates of the Caribbean rides are next-level—just prepare to wait. The long lines and bustling crowds are part of the adventure, so make the most of it! Pro tip: get there early to maximize your day and snag a good spot for the evening fireworks. It’s a little slice of magic you won’t forget.

No. 15 - Insanity on the Maglev

In five years of living in China, I somehow only rode the Maglev once. If you haven’t yet, don’t miss out! There’s something surreal about flying at 368 km/h as the world blurs past your window. It’s a feat of engineering that makes you appreciate just how far technology has come. Even if you don’t need to catch a flight, the ride itself is worth the experience.

Additional Photos

Previous Guides in the Series:

An Expats Guide to the Best Spots in Shanghai: 001

An Expats Guide to the Best Spots in Shanghai: 002

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All images taken by Hes. Published 01/02/2025

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