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What a difference a week makes.

No, I’m not talking about US politics — but also, holy sh*t! —I’m talking about how I’ve long since stopped feeling guilty about taking a much-needed break. It’s amazing how a change of scenery and a few new experiences can be a palate-cleansing salve. It’s wonderful how nice life is when you get out and enjoy it.

Kurt Vonnegut described happiness as “the feeling that something, somewhere, wants us to like it here.” He very well could have been describing Oregon though.

I spent last week exploring Portland’s neighborhoods, parks and playgrounds, Powell’s bookstore, a handful of great meals, the coastal beauty of Oceanside, some amazing hikes, waterfalls, and swimming spots along the Columbia River Gorge and the Washougal River while on vacation with my family.

It also was the perfect excuse for unplugging.

I spent more time outside than in, caught up with old friends, finished Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go (thanks for the recommendation Pete!), and decided to take a vacation from Substack as well. It was a much-needed mental break.

I came back to find some wonderful work in my inbox and my social feeds.

Here are 5 things I was looking at and loving:

I enjoyed seeing James Baldwin’s life in pictures and also these amazing collages.

Too bad we can’t give out gold medals to some photographers covering the Olympics. There’s been some incredible world so far from: Jerome Brouillet’s surfing celebration to Elsa Garrison's work but especially that gymnastics podium pic to all of Adam Pretty’s swimming images to everything Patrick Smith has shot, to all of Steph Chambers’ terrific moments and, of course, that timeless 4x5 image of beach volleyball and the Eiffel Tower by David Burnett. (NOTE: I’d also give Snoop Dogg a gold for making these Olympics so much fun.)

I love hearing about artists peaking later in life. This week I was inspired by An Artist Flowering in Her 90s and learning about painter Alma Thomas.

Haruka Sakaguchi just announced that after two years of research and fieldwork, she has officially completed photographing at all 10 War Relocation Authority concentration camps for her epic and important project Campu: An American Story. (You sign up for updates at the bottom of that link and see more on IG.)

Brooke DiDonato’s photography is mind-bending and surreal. I love it.

BONUS: I’ve used the hashtag #FreeEvan on here multiple times, to highlight a journalist wrongfully detained in Russia for doing his job. So I’m thankful that Evan Gershkovich was included in the prisoner swap last week. These photos by my buddy Kent Nishimura, on assignment for the WSJ, were really nice to see.