Cengiz.ilerler.info
Illustration of a desk at night — three monitors full of code, a trading tablet, coffee, a game controller, and a clock reading 4:04.

The illustrated life of

Cengiz Ilerler

Better than yesterday, not as good as tomorrow.

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No. 01 — The Name

Cen·giz

/ˈdʒɛŋ·ɡɪz/ n.

say it “jen-giz” — the C sounds like a J

Video still — Cengiz at his desk, the sea behind him, about to say his own name. Hear it from the source

No. 02 — The Crossings

Sea level

1978 – 2001

Istanbul

a city between two seas

2001 – 2008

New York

the big apple, above the waterline

2008 — today

Boca Raton

the sunshine state, where the sea is warm

No. 03 — The Compass

Travel strategy — high-energy, culinary & coastal

I enjoy destinations with a vibrant atmosphere — active places with a bit of a crowd, rather than anywhere too secluded. Great beaches are a must, but beyond that the local food scene is the priority: authentic street food, casual spots where the locals actually eat, and markets and bazaars to soak up the culture and the energy.

Museums? Not really. Mountains and forests? Also no. The compass points to sun, salt, and supper.

SkyFull sun
HumidityLow
RainZero
Air & sea70°F / 21°C
A Şehir Hatları ferry crossing the Bosphorus at golden hour, Istanbul low on the horizon, sunset light on the water.
The Bosphorus at golden hour — the thing I miss most about Istanbul, after the food.

No. 04 — Above · snow is the sea, asleep

Oil painting of Cengiz standing on skis on a bright snowfield, signed by the artist.
The author, above.

No. 05 — Below · the sea, awake

Oil painting of Cengiz scuba diving in open blue water, signed by the artist.
The author, below.

No. 06 — Marginalia

One at a time, drawn at random from the archive. It turns on its own — stay a while.

Being male is a matter of birth; being a man is a matter of age; but being a gentleman is a matter of choice.

Motto 01 / 19

No. 07 — The Collection

The Kennel — the breeds I love most

Of all the animals, it is always the dog — no other even makes the list. A handful of breeds pull at me hardest, and I would take any of them at any age, though I’ll admit the puppy is the version that undoes me every time.

The ones that call to me most:

Fictional favorites — hierarchy and eras

My all-time favorite character is Superman; I have read and watched almost everything about him — and I am strict about the era: the Christopher Reeve version of the costume, not the older ones and definitely not the newer ones. Spider-Man follows, where I prefer the same era’s costume.

Aside from those two, the childhood favorites, in order:

Portraits — being drawn

The Soundtrack — core artists & essential tracks

My all-time favorite singer is Phil Collins; my absolute favorite song is “The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers — you’ve got to know when to hold ’em.

The other favorite singers follow, in order; the essential tracks below run by release year.

Jukebox — tap a title to listen ↗

The Arcade — the gamer profile

As an adult, I am a long-time fan of the Battlefield series and have been enjoying Battlefield 6 regularly. When I was a kid, I was addicted to Hill Street Blues and Command & Conquer / Red Alert.

The complete list of titles I enjoyed, by machine:

Atari 2600 — the “Ateri” era
Commodore 64
Amiga
Console
PC
Mobile

The Table — the dishes I love

A few of the dishes I love — the rest are on the table.

A few from the table — see them all

No. 08 — In Production

No. 09 — The Sign-off

Until next time, I wish you all a wonderful, healthy, and prosperous day — surrounded by the people you love.

Tekrar görüşünceye kadar hepinize sağlıklı, huzurlu, mutlu, bolluk bereket içinde, sevdiklerinizin yanınızda olduğu, yüzünüzün güldüğü çok şık bir gün diliyorum.

Illustrated avatar of Cengiz, lowering his sunglasses.

— Cengiz