you're in the right spot if you enjoy minimalism, visual arts, cars, and tattoos.
hi, my name is brad. this is my creative outlet to share my passions and learnings in life. i’m a minimalist, passionate about street photography, love cars (specifically the older stuff with a manual transmission) and own a modified 2006 acura rsx type s, and slowly getting more tattoos. i look forward to chatting with you in the comments!
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Dope sofa man! Looks pretty comfy and makes it seem like you have a bunch of room when it's in its couch form
Thanks man! Much more comfortable than I thought it would be. And definitely, it has saved so much space in the apartment. So glad I didn’t go with a mattress and frame.
Appreciate this honest, thorough review!
You’re welcome! Thanks for watching.
I'm so glad KZread recommended this video, as my husband and I are selling everything to move abroad in the next two months. I do wish you'd discussed the actual logistics more! In what order did you sell/donate possessions? Are you still working without an office chair or desk? What will you sleep on once your bed is sold? Thank you and good luck with your move!
Appreciate you taking the time to watch! And I hope everything goes smoothly for your move as well! I'm probably going to briefly touch on this more when I get settled at the new apartment, but here's the short overview to answer your questions. Hope this helps! • Didn't sell in any particular order. With Facebook Marketplace you never know how long it's going to take. Posted all my stuff on Memorial Day weekend, so my stuff went pretty quick. • Yes, still working without the desk/chair. I live in a big apartment complex so they have offices downstairs and community rooms that I use to work. I have also been going into the office more recently. • Most likely borrow an air mattress my parents have. I didn't really care about this part too much as selling everything is the most important part; I would have slept on the floor if it came to that.
@@flonought Thank you so much! That’s beyond helpful. I’ve subscribed and enabled notifications so I don’t miss your next video.
@@abigaillarion9365 absolutely, happy to help. And thank you, I appreciate the support!
Welcome to the west coast
Appreciate it. Looking forward to exploring.
New subscriber! Ready to follow you along the ride, Brad! Seattle, here goes Flonought! ✈️
Welcome aboard! Appreciate the sub and support. Bought the plane ticket today. Here goes nothing! 🤪
@@flonought Way to go!!! One way ticket 🎫✈️🧳 How do you feel? Wait, put it in a video! 😉👍🏽
@@hibiscusboy I feel all the feelings, and have been thinking a lot lately. But I’m also the type of person where it won’t fully hit me until I’m there on my own. And exactly! 😆 I like the way you think.
Hi! New subscriber here 👋 it's so courageous for you to just sell everything and change city like that, or maybe 'cause you're 33 and you're kind of used to life, I'm 19 and I've always wanted to do something like this, but I'm not ready nor brave enough to make such change, especially when I'm still living with my family.. I'm really hoping to see you succeeding at what you're doing and make THE CHANGE OF YOUR LIFE, so I could learn from it too.. and, to get the courage to make the change of my life.. great video btw and I hope you the best ❤
Thank you for the support! And I really appreciate all the kind words. Well I feel you on that because there is no way in hell I would have done it at 19 haha I didn't have a clue who I was then, nor did I have the courage. I'm still figuring out who I am every single day. I can say I'm much more confident in who I am today, but there's always room for improvement. Keep an open mind and never stop learning from others (good and bad). You have SO MUCH TIME to figure out your life and what you want to do. Don't take that time for granted. Trust yourself.
Kudos to you for making that big step in changing direction! No change is ever easy, but comfort is definitely scarier!
Thank you! And I couldn’t agree with you more on that, being comfortable definitely scares me more!
Seattle has grown a lot since the last time I was there. The nighttime footage was really cool looking.
Being up there at night was the best part for sure. Such a cool skyline.
I’ve come to realize that a lot of Ktuned stuff is high end junk. I’m about to get an acuity shifter as well just gotta recover some $$ after getting a Haltech Platinum Pro Stand alone ECU
I would agree with that based on reviews I’ve read too. I can only speak to the shifter and cables, but other than eliminating the play from the stock shifter I didn’t enjoy it and should have gone with the acuity from the jump. Nice! Assuming you have an RSX? If so, what year/how many miles you have on it?
Oem gear box has a slight curve in the gearstick. Acuity 2-way is striaght so thats why it feels more forward. 4-way has that off center touch which make it feel more oem without much adjustments. Great vid 👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks for the insight on those! I actually forgot the OEM one had a slight curve to it; it’s been awhile since I’ve had that one. And I appreciate it!
i have the hybrid racing short shifter, are there any differences between the hybrid racing one and acuity?
I can’t speak to that one specifically because I’ve never used it. I would watch some other comparison videos online. But are you having issues with it or are you just looking to change it up?
@@flonought no issues at all and it works great, but i just wanted to know if i’m missing out on the acuity since when i bought mine i was deciding between the two.
@@tame7222 if you’re not having any issues I would save your money and stay with Hybrid; no reason to fix/spend money on something that isn’t giving you issues. I’ve heard the hybrid is pretty good (and the later versions have gotten better). I would have stayed with the K-Tuned shifter if it wasn’t pissing me off so much with sticky shifts (from my personal experience). Being that it is my daily I needed something that gave me more confidence, and the Acuity definitely did that for me.
DC5R parts does a roundup video on Acuity, Hybrid racing and Ktuned. Long story short Acuity takes the win. There are minor differences between them
currently 20 years young. i have my only job and i bring in about 19k per year :(. So far my debt has been my car which is about to be paid off only owe about $3,000.00 on that and i’m debt free. i also am trying to build an e-fund but with such a low income it’s hard to balance that along with investing into my retirement fund. However besides that I hope i can get to where you are someday definitely inspiring! Take care man
I appreciate you taking the time to share! Well if you don’t mind, let’s talk through it. Looking for more context though, so is that about $1400/month? Do you live at home and/or have rent? What’s your car payment and what’s the interest on the loan (if there is one)? Until I hear back from you for the above questions, I’ll start by saying this: you’re only 20. The fact that you are even thinking about this stuff at that age means you’re already ahead. You have so much time! And you’re almost debt free so give yourself some credit.
@@flonought Yes! Apologies for the late response I wasn’t expecting an answer lol. But anyway here is more context I make about $1800 a month so the math for my yearly salary was off a good amount. Currently I have no rent :) i live on the military’s dime for housing wise and my only expenses really is my car bill, car insurance, and a wifi plan, the rest either goes to my investments, e-fund, and golf because that’s my escape from work. So far so good but I truly feel like I can save more but I know it’s rough with such a low income at the moment. I believe the interest on my loan is 6.74%. My main goal is to attack the loan and pay it off ASAP so I can really start building a solid foundation with my e-fund like yours which will take time with how much i make… From there I want to push and be somewhat aggressive with my retirement investments along with personal investments. Yeah man so far so good it just sucks because I am beginning to realize that in my early 20s the pay is very low and your bills take most of it away and I’m left with not that much. So at that point budgeting is crucial right now in my current state but I’m comfortable enough to where if a problem pops up I can still take care of it w/o stress thankfully. However, I do want to be debt free 👊. Also thanks man I am trying to stay on point! I cannot thank my parents enough though because without their advice on finances I would not be where I am. Same goes with content creators like yourself because it creates a whole new perspective on things. Anyway enough of my rambling that’s pretty much it. Thank you again!
@@birdieboys2612 Haha no worries, I try to be as active as I can in the comments. Also me messing that up is not surprising; math has never been my strong suit (I failed multiple times in college 🤷♂). But I appreciate the additional context. Let me put things in perspective for you, I looked at my previous statements and in 2017 I was 26 years old and only bringing in $1,959/month; at that point in my life I also bought a condo that was costing me about $1,200/month; it was risky as hell at the time (and honestly pretty fucking dumb). Had I stayed in my apartment, which was only about $800/month, I would have still been able to save quite a good of money on that income. So the fact that you have no rent right now is HUGE. Personally if I was in your position, again not financial advice just my two cents, I would not be investing anything until that car is paid off. I would aggressively put as much as I could towards the car to pay it off as quickly as possible. If I did anything at the same time I would be putting money towards the emergency fund, but I would hold off on investing until the car debt was completely gone. Investing right now with car debt is slowing you down, especially since you only have $3,000 left on it. True, your pay might be low right now, but again you are only 20. The fact that you are already thinking this ahead financially is huge because most people don’t start thinking about this until their 30s, 40s, and on. And you saying that you can take care of a problem if it pops up is HUGE. Most people are not able to cover a $500 to $1,000 issue, should one come up, so you’re already ahead. I’m glad to hear your parents are open with you about finances, that’s awesome and makes a big difference. And thank you, I appreciate you saying that. Keep it up man, you’re way ahead of where I was at your age! You’ll be surprised how fast it starts building up.
@@flonought Thank you again for the reply! Had to say this again I mistakenly wrote in a smart ass way which was not at all my intention lol apologize on my end. Thanks again man for your kind inspiring words that I am not taking for granted. Thank you again take care!
@@birdieboys2612 You’re welcome! I appreciate you sharing with me. And no apology needed, it didn’t come off that way when I read it. You take care too!
Super cool place! Right now I’m in a 1300 sq ft place, but there are 2 of us in here. I’d like to go smaller. I live in Portland, OR and we love going up to Seattle. Make sure you’re good with a lot of rain haha
Thank you! That’s about the size and of the condo I had before renting again. I feel like that is a good amount of space for two people. Not huge but enough to have some of your own space too. How small do you think the two of you could go and still be comfortable? Haha yeah I feel ya. Honestly, I just went to Seattle for about a week and a half and I was really starting to dig the moody, rainy days. Definitely enjoyed them more than a rainy day in St. Louis, mostly due to the walkability of Seattle.
Great info, thanks! My parents were the same with the credit card at young age and I established good credit early on and grew up paying it off in full. After losing my job due to covid, I decided to contribute a lot more to my emergency fund. I’m now at about 50% of income to investing and saving.
Thanks for sharing! That sucks that happened, but I’m glad it adjusted the way you save. Sometimes it takes something like that happening or some kind of different perspective for changes to be made. I know I was the same way after being somewhat House Poor, spending on dumb things like furniture I didn’t need, and other unnecessary spending. That experience - mixed with books and people’s perspectives that were better with their money - really changed my view of money and my saving/spending habits.
Best advice I’ve found on KZread thank you!
Wow, really appreciate the kind words! My goal with this was to make someone else’s first time easier because I know it was overwhelming for me the first time.
New sub here! Enjoy transparency.
Appreciate your support!
Love being open about the details, honestly would of saved my wife and I from making so many stupid mistakes when we were younger in our 20s if we had it broken down like this and understood the details. And honestly we still make a ton of silly mistakes Here’s our breakdown: I’m 34, my wife is 32. We make approximately 440k a year in total comp. The way we budget is: 15% high interest savings 8% bitcoin And the rest just goes towards living expenses + investments to make more cashflow (for example I have a side business and my wife is writing a book) We operate under the principle that investing in ourselves and focusing primarily on increasing income pays off in the end. We probably have gotten really lucky with this strategy though ( although we for sure put in the work over the years!)
I totally agree with that, I wish I had it broken down like this in my 20s too and/or took the time to research more. Thanks for the breakdown! That seems to be a very high combined income. I’m curious, with investing in your side business is that something you plan to turn into a full time thing? Or when you say “other investments” is that in any 401K/Roth IRA/Stocks (and if not, what’s the reason? Just curious) or is it all in the side business?
@@flonought yea that’s the plan. Biz partner and I make similar comp. We could probably have raised money, but we are choosing to self fund to keep equity and most importantly control of our time. Yea we both contribute to our 401Ks but just to the match. We could choose to max it out which would make more sense tax-wise and long-term investment. However, we aren’t planning on banking retirement on our 401ks and would rather invest it in things that save us time or build opportunity. I have some individual stock holdings but it’s probably like 5%ish nothing crazy. I have friends who do the whole IRA conversion trick, but we don’t do that
I just installed the 4 way, sooo much better than the stock shifter!
That’s awesome to hear! I know, it’s such a dramatic difference.
It’s honestly crazy to see how similar we live. I’m 20 years old and work as a Fire Alarm Technician/ electrican making about 80k a year in Miami Fl. I never went to college and used my parent funded savings account to buy a house and move out of there’s in NY.
About 80K/year at 20 years old, well done!! That is awesome to hear. So that was a savings account they set up for you early on to use for and/or instead of college? And you're able to save a good amount on that salary currently?
@@flonought the savings account was set up specifically to be used for education so I had to pay a large percentage to withdraw it for non education. Only reason I was able to do this was because my high school offered a free trade school program. Right now I pay $900 in rent spiting a condo with my friend from home that goes to umiami. I can comfortably save around 2k a month but your perspective just stopped me from leasing a Mercedes so I thank you for that!
@@BoatMan_ Damn, that's pretty cheap rent too for your salary. Good for you! Well I can't tell you how happy that makes me that this stopped you from leasing the Mercedes. You're welcome! And props to you for following through and changing your perspective on that decision. Do you have any other debt? You are so far ahead right now with what you're making and saving. Be smart, especially for the rest of your 20s. All the work you do now will start compounding like crazy later on.
Love the video! Another great book on money is The Millionaire Next Door. I recommend it to all my friends that are looking to gain knowledge on the topic.
Thank you! And thanks for sharing that book. It's been awhile since I've read that one but I know there were some great takeaways from it. Good recommendation.
35k. 90k seems like alot :D
May I ask how old you are and/or what’s your biggest struggle with your current salary? Yes, it seems like a lot to me too but it’s also all relative to your spending habits; someone who makes $200K/year could still be living paycheck to check. It is the most I’ve made so far in my working career. But to give additional context, my starting salary at my first job out of college was $29K (this is now my 3rd job since graduating).
Married here in a medium cost of living area (ages 29 and 31). Gross income is ~$180k after health premiums. Net (after taxes) is ~$143k. From that net, we are currently at: 7.0% charitable donations 33.3% needs 50.7% savings/debt 9.0% wants We're aiming to retire early or at least have that option. Our net worth is right around $517k currently (~45% of that being inheritance from my dad passing away in 2021). We have 3 cars, 2 are 2013 models, and the fun car is a 1999 turboed Miata (all paid off). We live in a 70s rambler with a low 2.125% 15-year mortgage. It's not the best, but it helps with our financial goals and let's us travel across the pond once a year.
Very nice, there is some degree of luck when it comes to it.
Your comment is exactly why I made this video. I really appreciate you sharing! If you don’t mind sharing additional context, may I ask what your goals are for retiring early? And by that I mean your desired retirement age, estimated $ amount needed, and main reason for the goal of wanting to retire early (how will you spend your time).
@flonought for sure! I'm anticipating around age 55 with a total balance of ~$4.8 million in investments/retirement accounts. Assumptions are 3.09% inflation going forward, needing 70% of our current income at a 4% withdrawal rate with 78% from our investments, and 22% from social security (I dont have everything completely broken out). These numbers are bound to change as is a long way out yet, and we could probably survive on less. The biggest concern is health premiums if we do fully retire. Our main goal would be to travel around the US in a motorhome or something and possibly travel more outside of the US, too. Also, just not being tied down to a 9 to 5 job is really the goal, so if we find something we both like that earns some income, we may change plans. My wife would love to start a gardening business. We're both in finance currently. I like my job, but again, would love reduced hours for more free time to do whatever. Possibly photography for fun on my end.
I appreciate the thoughtful responses/context. That sounds like fantastic goals to set for yourselves, and seems like you're well on your way to achieve it! And I agree with you on not being tied to a 9 to 5. That's why I asked about the retirement piece because sometimes people say that without having a true vision of what they actually want that to look like; it's a lesson that I learned and love from Ramit Sethi to truly picture what that "rich life" looks like down to the little details. I wish you both the best in your journey to achieve them! Also, I saw on your channel you had your Miata 0-60 video; the turbo noises sound good! I'm sure that thing is a blast to drive. I've only driven one Miata (late 90s), it was non-turbo but still super fun to drive with the top down.
@flonought Thank you! I hope you reach all of your financial goals! It's a blast! I've had one faster car, but it was nowhere near as fun to drive. The Miata is just so easy to throw around and makes all the right noises! 😁👍
Great video 👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed it!
This is the best financial advice ! Cuz it’s real
Thank you! I’m glad you found it helpful. My goal for the channel is to keep it genuine.
Straight to the point, nice
Much appreciated!
It's a shame they didn't put a slight bend in it to put the knob in the stock position.
Yeah I think that would have been a nice addition too, but really it just took some getting used to. I don’t really even notice it anymore and it has made the driving experience so much better.
@@flonought I"ll think about getting it. I'm dealing with something broken in the transmission at the moment. Seems to be a broken shift fork. Car is stuck in 3rd hear even though the shifter moves and I can select other gears. I think the forks were damaged when the clutch hydraulics went last year and I had to be harder on the shifting to get the car home. Looking into k-tuned cables and this shifter after the the transmission is fixed to have precise shifting when it's done.
@@Caliber1077 shit, sorry to hear that. Hopefully you get it all worked out. Yeah if you think it’s gonna be an issue for you maybe spend the little extra and just go with the 4-way adjustable. Gears 2 through 6 were not really an issue to get used to. For me, it was going into 1st that took an adjustment period initially since it was positioned different than the K-Tuned.
So get the 4 way adjustable one then if you want the bend
WOW this turned out great, awesome shots man. Thanks for capturing it 🍒
Thank you! And you’re welcome. Such a fun event.
By cover it up you just mean, baggy clothes right? Just protecting it from the sun right?
Correct. Preferably baggy clothes to avoid irritation/pulling at the tattoo.
@@flonought thank you. I just got my first big piece, I appreciate your advice.
@@AiridWilliams you’re welcome. If you have other questions feel free to ask and I’m happy to answer to the best of my knowledge. Congrats on the first big piece!
Are the click as loud when driving, as when listening on video? I feel like that would get on my nerves a bit😁
With me having the K-Tuned shifter for about 2 years prior to the Acuity, I really don’t notice it at all when I’m driving. I also don’t have a shift boot, so I’m sure having one would also help. Do you have a stock shifter currently and you’re looking to make the switch?
I’m going for my second tat on my forearm and going for a sleeve and for the second tat I was gonna do a background with it to even out my first one cuz I did my first one without a background and want a background pair with it any advice?
I appreciate you even asking, but your artist is most likely the best person to ask and should know what will look best. Are you going to the same artist for the 2nd one or is this someone new? I'm happy to give you my opinion if you want but I would need to see it because I don't have much context based on your description. If you want to drop me a picture of your tattoo and the new tattoo idea you're getting I can take a look. Send me an email (in my bio) or if you use Instagram send me a DM.
Very high quality video man!
Appreciate it! Tried hard to document an easy step by step.
This video deserves more views 😢 thanks for the tips, man!
I really appreciate that! Honestly, I love making these videos. Gives the creative part of my brain a great outlet that I don’t always get to stretch at my 9-5 job. If it helps a couple people that makes me happy. I remember really struggling with this tattoo process when I first started. I really appreciate you watching and glad it was helpful! 🙂
We appreciate the love, awesome video 🤘🏼!
Thank you! You made my car much better 😎
What’s on your pants?
The shadow?
I would love to get my hands on a Datsun 240Z. I learned to drive in my grandfathers 280ZX with my mother. It was great. I think I would like to do more of a track build rather than a street with the 240Z.
Nice! That would be a fun car to learn on. And I love the lines of those cars, they have a lot of character. A track build would be pretty sweet.
I 100% agree. The Acuity shift is so smooth and makes every shift with confidence it's in gear. I've had the 4 way in my base model for 2 maybe going on 3 years. I recently bought another RSX (Type S), and the stock shifter is so loose, I sometimes pop out of 3rd or even grind it. That may be because I'm so used to the short shifter that I am making the mistakes myself. I will be buying another Acuity shifter, but may be going with the 2 way this time. Just a week ago I had the set screw for the shaft that the knob connects to come loose and the shaft slid all the way down while driving. Not fun. It was causing me to have troubles getting into some gears. Easy fix took about 5 mins. I would advise anyone who is looking into getting a short shifter to go with Acuity. (Not sponsored either)
That's cool to hear! And I totally agree, I had issues with the stock shifter as well because the knob didn't have any weight to it and the shifter itself seemed so loose (like you mentioned). You definitely won't regret the 2-way, it's really just getting used to the positioning which just takes a little time after having a shifter with more adjustability. I'm fully used to it now and it's smooth as butter every time.
6th
It does have 6th too this was just a clip I pulled from the full video (I go through all the gears in that one).
great video. i hope i get a rsx soon!
Appreciate it. Good luck in your search! What year are you looking for?
I love Car's!! And I own an 04 Type S that has been a huge inspiration for me. Just as you mentioned, all smiles when behind the wheel rolling in my Tpe-S !!!!
Hell yeah, love hearing the enthusiasm! Is yours modified at all or stock? And how many miles you up to?
Also, get good sleep the night before, avoid drinking alcohol, and stay hydrated. You got this! Drop a comment about something that helps to make your tattoo experience better.
this helped thank you
Glad to hear it! You’re welcome.
bro you scared me being that close to the camera in the first shot
😆 well that was not my intent, but I’ll take it. More so wanted to grab your attention. Gotta keep you on your toes.
Amazing video you are gonna go big for sure
Much appreciated! I’ve been having a lot of fun doing it and have a lot of ideas for other stuff that I’m looking forward to create. Always thankful for the support.
Question which may have already been covered but I'm writing this at the beginning of the video: What if you draw your OWN tattoo? OFC I used a program with layers so things can be changed but I want to know if it's a good idea or not
I think there’s nothing wrong with drawing your own tattoo to get the idea out. I’m shit at drawing which is why I use Instagram to find my inspiration for the initial idea, so if you’re a good artist it just makes that step of getting that idea out of your head easier. But find a reputable artist that matches the style you’re going for. You should be able to see this pretty easy from their portfolio on their website or through something like Instagram. However, don’t get so attached to your idea that you don’t welcome criticism or feedback from the artist if parts of your idea may not translate well to skin (I’m going to be talking about this in my next video). Meaning, you’re choosing that artist for a reason so make sure to hear them out if they have feedback or ideas to make your idea better. Finding the right artist for you is so important, so definitely take time to do your research. You’re putting a lot of trust in that person so this is not someone you just want to pick randomly and hope for the best.
@@flonought Thanks man, I appreciate it!
@@Luna-ej4mi You're welcome!
dude the production qaulity of your videos are crazy! Your channel is definitely gonna take off one day so keep it up! Also thanks for the tips I never really thought of where my other tattoos were gonna go after getting my first lol
Hey thanks so much! I really appreciate that. I was trying to give this one a more cinematic look; just started experimenting with lighting/lamps I have to get a better look when recording at night. 😆And I'm glad to hear you say that! I feel like I have met a good amount of people where that is the case. They got a small first one and then had to work around it for a later idea. I think it's easy to do when you get super excited about getting the first one.
pls continue to upload content about ur car journey loving the vibes here!
Thanks so much! I don’t plan on selling it so I’ll definitely keep making videos as I continue to modify and put my own style into it.
I got a black 03 type s, but I did the 05/06 front end swap. Cant get enough of this car its too much fun.
Oh nice! How many miles you have on yours? And I totally agree, this car is amazing and I'm sure people will show them more love/appreciation as time goes on and these are harder and harder to find in good condition.
@flonought I am almost at 200k, I've owned it since 60k miles. Body is super clean, I got it re painted, and I bought oem honda headlights from Japan.
@@vilhelmstein2091 sweet, that’s super cool to hear the long term ownership too. Hopefully it keeps treating you well for many miles to come!
You got the best year and color. Oh and good choice going with spoon. If you want a really good intake go with the GruppeM, the thing has a mini hood scoop that you mount below the windshield. The thing is like a damn high powered vacumm and gives the car a nice growl.
Thanks! And I have seen that before, probably in a KZread video at some point, and they look pretty badass. I'll keep that in mind. Yeah I remember when the Injen CAI first got installed and hearing that VTEC crossover for the first time. Really woke it up.
car looks amazing with some tasteful mods brother, well done
Much appreciated! She has come a long way and it’s been pretty cool to see it go from stock to where it is now.
Your videos are getting better 👍. Maybe consider a POV angle. Auto journalists Tedward and Topher discuss their setups. The Spoon B-pipe & muffler sounds excellent! I really should have spent the cash on it - buy once, cry once!
I’ve been thinking about that for sure. Funny enough I just had a conversation about that yesterday. Maybe a GoPro or something small that I could put inside or outside of the car without as much worry compared to my bigger Sony. And I really like watching both of those guys, their content is pretty entertaining especially from that POV. Agreed! I really love the tone too. But yes, definitely pricer than most exhausts out there, but worth it.