Home Check-In: Brian Alcazar

Tell us a little bit about yourself…

My name is Brian Alcazar, I'm a native New Yorker, born and raised in Queens. I'm a street photographer and video game developer at Rockstar Games.

What has been your daily quarantine routine?

I wouldn't say I have a daily routine. Generally, I just try to maximize my time at home as much as possible. In the age of technology, it's possible to stay very productive, especially at home. No excuses. While I haven't been able to shoot the streets as I normally would, I've been able to catch up on a lot of things I may have fallen behind on. Even though I'm stuck at home, I find myself more focused. The one routine I may stick to somewhat is daily exercise. I try to run 4 miles every other day, mask on of course (not easy), and when I'm not running I focus on calisthenics.

What activities have you been doing during these times?

As mentioned above, I've been running a lot. Staying fit while locked down has been a bit of a priority. I've also been working on my photo editing, perfecting my workflow, and researching a ton of stuff on the internet. I'm always plotting the next move and I'm trying to stay a step or two ahead coming out of this pandemic.

What kind of food have you been cooking?

Personally, I'm a seamless person. Anything I cook is usually in the microwave (don't judge me - I prefer speed and efficiency if I'm not dining out). My fiancée handles the actual cooking. When it comes to actual cooking, we keep it pretty lean generally: meats, veggies, and fish for the most part. We made some really good cauliflower pizzas recently, too.

What are you currently watching/listening to?

Like everyone else, I've been watching a lot of Netflix, Prime, Hulu etc. I re-watched the Matrix trilogy, Cloverfield, and a lot of pandemic shows recently. Crazy how so many shows basically predicted this whole Covid-19 thing. I've also been watching The Last Dance, of course. MJ is the GOAT and that is not up for debate. For music, I've just been bumping a lot of Reggaeton and Hip-Hop, especially when running.

Any advice to someone who is having a hard time being productive?

Everyone's situation is so different. What I say may not apply to everyone, but if you have some type of mental/creative block, it's okay to take a breather. Get on a facetime or a zoom call with some homies and just chat it up. Friends and family are always a great source of motivation and inspiration.