Wow, it's been so long since I've posted that it took me a moment to recall my login password. This semester has been hectic, but finals will be over by next week, and I'll have time to relax.
A few weeks ago I moved into a new house with a couple guys. So far it's working out quite well. We just got internet last night, so now I don't have any reason to return to my family's house--well, except to see my family, of course, and maybe for the occasional home-cooked meal. My brother recently moved out as well and is living in a new house a few miles north of my house.
I'll post more in the coming weeks...hopefully.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
School, again.
School started...sometime in August. Dates are once again irrelevant. I wake up, go to class, go to work, do some homework, then sleep. I'm taking five literature classes this semester--a rather heavy load in terms of reading--but everything is going well. I have a few friends and acquaintances in my classes, including a girl I work with at the library.
I'm enjoying all my classes at this point, especially Shakespeare II and Literary Criticism. My American Literature I class is difficult to judge. The professor makes the class entertaining; he's originally from New York and bears a frightening resemblance to Woody Allen in voice and mannerisms. The first day of class, however, he made it clear that he hates teaching literature survey courses and especially hates American literature surveys. Hmmm. The class seems more like a history course than a literature course, since we're reading mostly non-fiction documents, such as the journals of Christopher Columbus and John Winthrop, Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, etc.
Another class that I'm not sure about yet is British Literature III. I love the time periods we're studying (the Romantic period and the Industrial Revolution), but the professor's approach to studying the works we are reading irritates me. She has reduced our reading of the poetry of Coleridge, Shelley, Blake, Wordsworth, etc. to a hunt for Romantic themes. Exclusively. That's all we do. Every class, we "close read" (by our professor's definition) for glorification of nature, the supernatural, individualism, and "the sublime!"--the latter a theme which no one is clear on. Still, when called on in class it's easy to point out a line and yell, "look! This is the Sublime!" That answer always seems to satisfy my professor.
*sigh*
School started...sometime in August. Dates are once again irrelevant. I wake up, go to class, go to work, do some homework, then sleep. I'm taking five literature classes this semester--a rather heavy load in terms of reading--but everything is going well. I have a few friends and acquaintances in my classes, including a girl I work with at the library.
I'm enjoying all my classes at this point, especially Shakespeare II and Literary Criticism. My American Literature I class is difficult to judge. The professor makes the class entertaining; he's originally from New York and bears a frightening resemblance to Woody Allen in voice and mannerisms. The first day of class, however, he made it clear that he hates teaching literature survey courses and especially hates American literature surveys. Hmmm. The class seems more like a history course than a literature course, since we're reading mostly non-fiction documents, such as the journals of Christopher Columbus and John Winthrop, Thomas Jefferson's Notes on the State of Virginia, Thomas Paine's Common Sense, etc.
Another class that I'm not sure about yet is British Literature III. I love the time periods we're studying (the Romantic period and the Industrial Revolution), but the professor's approach to studying the works we are reading irritates me. She has reduced our reading of the poetry of Coleridge, Shelley, Blake, Wordsworth, etc. to a hunt for Romantic themes. Exclusively. That's all we do. Every class, we "close read" (by our professor's definition) for glorification of nature, the supernatural, individualism, and "the sublime!"--the latter a theme which no one is clear on. Still, when called on in class it's easy to point out a line and yell, "look! This is the Sublime!" That answer always seems to satisfy my professor.
*sigh*
Lazy, Lazy
Well, summer is over, and I did not post as much as I had planned to. I attribute this lack of posting to my laziness. Here are a few things that I should have mentioned (or at least elaborated on):
My brother graduated from high school, and I attended the ceremony at the Air Force Academy.
Josh and I attended Yvette's wedding.
I experienced jury duty for the first time.
.... And I went to Nepal. This last event, especially, would have made a really nice post if I hadn't put off writing it. I will eventually post some photos and stuff (once school slows down, i.e. around Christmas break).
Well, summer is over, and I did not post as much as I had planned to. I attribute this lack of posting to my laziness. Here are a few things that I should have mentioned (or at least elaborated on):
My brother graduated from high school, and I attended the ceremony at the Air Force Academy.
Josh and I attended Yvette's wedding.
I experienced jury duty for the first time.
.... And I went to Nepal. This last event, especially, would have made a really nice post if I hadn't put off writing it. I will eventually post some photos and stuff (once school slows down, i.e. around Christmas break).
Monday, August 08, 2005
The Dancing of My Soul, or, Life in the Gulag
At work the other night I had an odd experience:
I spent a long time in the audio/video section and noticed a girl wandering around. This rather attractive female approached me multiple times, and each time she hesitated. Perhaps she was unsure whether or not I was an employee, or maybe she was just very shy.
Finally she came up to me, said hello, then whispered so softly that I could not understand her. It sounded like, “Could you help me find a video on sholryplodsm?”
I said, “Sure! Um, sorry, what is the name of the video?”
Still whispering, she repeated more clearly: “Souls of Dancing.” . . . or perhaps she said, “Solzhenitsyn.” I really couldn’t tell.
I had two options: take her to the 792’s (dancing section) or take her to the 891’s (Russian authors section). Either option could have been disastrous. Suppose I had shown her the Russian authors section:
“Well, here we have videos on major Russian authors, Tolstoy, Pushkin, Dostoevsky, etc. I bet Solzhenitsyn is around here somewhere.”
She would have, potentially, given me an odd look and said, “I’m actually looking for a video on dancing called ‘Souls of Dancing,’ not a video on Russian authors.” I would have looked like a fool.
The other scenario could have been equally awkward:
“Here is our dancing section: ballet, belly-dancing, ballroom dancing, and um, other dancing type things. Souls of Dancing will be right here if it’s not checked out.”
She, hypothetically, would have scowled before informing me: “Solzhenitsyn is a Russian author, not a ballet dancer.”
My final option was to act clueless and refer her to a librarian, which I eventually did. Okay, I guess I had a fourth option—to ask her to repeat the name of the video again, which might have averted this whole confused episode, but I didn’t want to embarrass her.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Mt. Elbert
(14,433 ft.)
07-31-05
For our second fourteener of the summer we chose Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s tallest peak, and one of the easier fourteeners to summit.
My dad and I woke up at 2:30 AM, tossed our gear into the van, and drove to Dan’s house. Dan accompanied us on our trip up Gray’s and Torrey’s Peaks last summer.
On the 2.5+ hour drive, I dozed and listened to a book on CD (Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: a Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, by Al Franken—awesome book, by the way). We had a great view of Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive from the highway right as the sun was beginning to rise. At 6:00 AM we started down the trail. The hike was nice and easy at first, if a little cold. A couple hours later we left the treeline and had some great views of nearby fourteeners, including Mt. Massive.
(Dad and Dan, with false summit #1 in the background)
I have nicknamed Mt. Elbert “the Mountain of Vile Deception and Trickery.” Elbert has at least two false summits. Just when I thought, “There’s the top! I can see it! We’re so close!” I realized that we still had a long way to go. Dan attempted to snowshoe up Elbert last year. A few hundred feet from the summit, he and his group had to turn back because the trail became impassable without crampons and ice axes. Because of his last attempt, Dan was able to warn us about the false summits. Even knowing that there were false summits didn’t help me much because I was still fooled by them.
(High-altitude insects bothered us most of the hike. They seemed content
to fly into our ears and nostrils instead of actually biting us, oddly.)
About a mile from the summit we noticed that clouds were rolling in. They did not look especially evil until we were half a mile from the summit and they turned an evil black and coalesced in a decidedly evil manner (oh yes, very evil). Dan, with his altimeter / barometer watch, didn’t think that the clouds would pose much of a lightning danger for at least another hour, so we continued on.
(Noon on the summit with evil clouds)
I was not convinced that we were going to be safe, so I ran on ahead of them. That last sentence sounded a little odd, so let me clarify: Since the trail was very steep at this point, Dan and my Dad had to stop often to rest. I was much faster than they were and desperate to summit, so I went on ahead. I pushed on and summitted about 20 minutes ahead of them. The clouds continued to build as I waited. Finally, they both made it up, we rested for a few minutes, took some photos, then headed back down.
(the actual summit)
La Plata's distinctive side seen from Elbert's summit
As always, we made excellent time on the way down. We rested in a shady area immediately inside the treeline and ate lunch. A few birds watched us as we ate, and one even ate out of Dan’s hand. The rest of the trip down is a blur of intense pain. My left leg did not want to keep going, so it often decided that it would stop for a rest while the rest of my body continued on. Of course, this was a bit of a problem. Without the aid of trekking poles to support me I would have fallen face-first a dozen times.
(Dad and I on the summit)
An important note: As any mountaineer—or even a casual hiker—knows, water is the remedy for many ailments while on the trail. Headache?—drink some water. Blurry vision?—drink some water. Falling down a crevasse?—drink some water (then get help). Water also prevents all of the aforementioned ailments, excluding falling down a crevasse, obviously, so I always drink as much as I can while on the trail. Unfortunately, that means that I have to go to the bathroom very often. “Find a tree” is a favorite suggestion of my Dad’s. Finding trees is quite easy while still in the treeline, but rocks give very little cover above the treeline. At one point I had to go so bad that I didn’t care if an entire troop of Girl scouts passed by.
Another note (of less importance): Dan and my Dad always use trekking poles when they hike. I used to think that using poles was a sign of weakness—like an old man having to rely on a cane or a walker to move around. During recent hikes, however, I have seen numerous twenty / thirty year olds using poles, so I thought that I would give them a try. Trekking poles can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per pair, depending on how small they can telescope and the number of features they offer. I bought a $15 pair of ski-poles on sale at REI in March for our snowshoe trip up Quandary, and they work very well—even if they can’t collapse for easy storage. The poles help transfer some of the strain off my legs to my arms and shoulders. They were particularly useful on the way down from the summit; I would have fallen multiple times without their support. Poles are also great for poking things. I poked rocks, shrubs, odd-looking objects along the trail, and my Dad (to signal that break time was over). I will never do another fourteener without my poles.
(14,433 ft.)
07-31-05
For our second fourteener of the summer we chose Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s tallest peak, and one of the easier fourteeners to summit.
My dad and I woke up at 2:30 AM, tossed our gear into the van, and drove to Dan’s house. Dan accompanied us on our trip up Gray’s and Torrey’s Peaks last summer.
On the 2.5+ hour drive, I dozed and listened to a book on CD (Lies, and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: a Fair and Balanced Look at the Right, by Al Franken—awesome book, by the way). We had a great view of Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive from the highway right as the sun was beginning to rise. At 6:00 AM we started down the trail. The hike was nice and easy at first, if a little cold. A couple hours later we left the treeline and had some great views of nearby fourteeners, including Mt. Massive.
(Dad and Dan, with false summit #1 in the background)
I have nicknamed Mt. Elbert “the Mountain of Vile Deception and Trickery.” Elbert has at least two false summits. Just when I thought, “There’s the top! I can see it! We’re so close!” I realized that we still had a long way to go. Dan attempted to snowshoe up Elbert last year. A few hundred feet from the summit, he and his group had to turn back because the trail became impassable without crampons and ice axes. Because of his last attempt, Dan was able to warn us about the false summits. Even knowing that there were false summits didn’t help me much because I was still fooled by them.
(High-altitude insects bothered us most of the hike. They seemed content
to fly into our ears and nostrils instead of actually biting us, oddly.)
About a mile from the summit we noticed that clouds were rolling in. They did not look especially evil until we were half a mile from the summit and they turned an evil black and coalesced in a decidedly evil manner (oh yes, very evil). Dan, with his altimeter / barometer watch, didn’t think that the clouds would pose much of a lightning danger for at least another hour, so we continued on.
(Noon on the summit with evil clouds)
I was not convinced that we were going to be safe, so I ran on ahead of them. That last sentence sounded a little odd, so let me clarify: Since the trail was very steep at this point, Dan and my Dad had to stop often to rest. I was much faster than they were and desperate to summit, so I went on ahead. I pushed on and summitted about 20 minutes ahead of them. The clouds continued to build as I waited. Finally, they both made it up, we rested for a few minutes, took some photos, then headed back down.
(the actual summit)
La Plata's distinctive side seen from Elbert's summit
As always, we made excellent time on the way down. We rested in a shady area immediately inside the treeline and ate lunch. A few birds watched us as we ate, and one even ate out of Dan’s hand. The rest of the trip down is a blur of intense pain. My left leg did not want to keep going, so it often decided that it would stop for a rest while the rest of my body continued on. Of course, this was a bit of a problem. Without the aid of trekking poles to support me I would have fallen face-first a dozen times.
(Dad and I on the summit)
An important note: As any mountaineer—or even a casual hiker—knows, water is the remedy for many ailments while on the trail. Headache?—drink some water. Blurry vision?—drink some water. Falling down a crevasse?—drink some water (then get help). Water also prevents all of the aforementioned ailments, excluding falling down a crevasse, obviously, so I always drink as much as I can while on the trail. Unfortunately, that means that I have to go to the bathroom very often. “Find a tree” is a favorite suggestion of my Dad’s. Finding trees is quite easy while still in the treeline, but rocks give very little cover above the treeline. At one point I had to go so bad that I didn’t care if an entire troop of Girl scouts passed by.
Another note (of less importance): Dan and my Dad always use trekking poles when they hike. I used to think that using poles was a sign of weakness—like an old man having to rely on a cane or a walker to move around. During recent hikes, however, I have seen numerous twenty / thirty year olds using poles, so I thought that I would give them a try. Trekking poles can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per pair, depending on how small they can telescope and the number of features they offer. I bought a $15 pair of ski-poles on sale at REI in March for our snowshoe trip up Quandary, and they work very well—even if they can’t collapse for easy storage. The poles help transfer some of the strain off my legs to my arms and shoulders. They were particularly useful on the way down from the summit; I would have fallen multiple times without their support. Poles are also great for poking things. I poked rocks, shrubs, odd-looking objects along the trail, and my Dad (to signal that break time was over). I will never do another fourteener without my poles.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Summer Reading (So Far . . .)
Wedge’s Gamble
Michael A. Stackpole
83%
King, Queen, Knave
Vladimir Nabokov
89%
The Krytos Trap
Michael A. Stackpole
88%
City of Glass
Paul Auster
85%
Ghosts
Paul Auster
52%
The Bacta War
Michael A. Stackpole
81%
Oh, the Things I Know!
A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness
Al Franken
86%
Wedge’s Gamble
Michael A. Stackpole
83%
King, Queen, Knave
Vladimir Nabokov
89%
The Krytos Trap
Michael A. Stackpole
88%
City of Glass
Paul Auster
85%
Ghosts
Paul Auster
52%
The Bacta War
Michael A. Stackpole
81%
Oh, the Things I Know!
A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness
Al Franken
86%
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Quandary Peak (14,265 Ft.)
07-04-05
After a failed attempt to snow climb Quandary in March, my Dad and I were eager to summit the peak for our first climb of the summer. Shortly after 4:00 AM we packed our gear into my Dad’s car and set off. This time we were able to drive right up to the trailhead to park (last time there was too much snow). Surprisingly, the parking lot was not crowded. Holidays are always terrible days to climb if you’re looking for solitude, but we encountered far fewer people than I expected.
(Quandary Peak, as seen from Hoosier Pass)
We were both glad that we had packed jackets and long pants because it was quite cold. My hands froze up after only ten minutes of hiking and did not function very well until we left the treeline and the sun warmed us up. We were able to shed our jackets---for a little while at least.
The trail was much easier to follow this time since it was not covered in a few feet of snow. The most popular—and easiest—route to Quandary’s summit in years past was via the Monte Cristo trail. A few years ago the Colorado Fourteener Initiative closed down the old trail for landscape restoration. We saw the old trail branching off from the new one, and I immediately understood the mistake we made during our snow climb; we lost the new, well-marked trail and followed the old trail until we eventually lost it and began trailblazing up a 45 degree slope. We were, in fact, actually on Mt. Quandary the entire time and not mistakenly on Mt. Wheeler, as I thought when I wrote about our last attempt. So we’re not completely inept hikers, it seems. We did, however, take a much harder route for the snow climb, which is why we ultimately failed.
The trail became more difficult once we entered a boulder field. It was not as long or rough as the boulder field on Mt. of the Holy Cross, but it was still interminable and rough on the feet. I spotted a female mountain goat with a baby by her side, but some hikers in front of us had brought three dogs with them. The dogs began chasing the mountain goats until they dashed out of sight over a ridge. I was irritated with the other hikers and their dogs since I’ve always wanted to take some close-up photos of mountain goats. Another lost opportunity. Oh well.
The final 150 to 200 feet of the ascent to the summit slowed us down. Slushy snow covered the rocks and made us slip around, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable since slipping a little to far to either side would mean a three hundred foot tumble down the side of the mountain. The wind began to increase at that point, which did not help anything. My Dad had his trekking poles, so he negotiated the snow almost effortlessly. I had a harder time but eventually made it to the summit after a few minor slips.
From the summit we had a beautiful view of three peaks we climbed last summer: Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Bross. The wind on the summit was some of the strongest I’ve ever encountered. We ducked behind some boulders and rested for a few minutes before heading back down.
(From left to right: Bross, Lincoln, Democrat)
(View from the summit)
As always, the descent goes extremely faster. For a while. The boulder field killed my feet on the way down, and by the time we reached the treeline my legs were trembling. We were back into the trees before noon right as dark clouds began to cover the summit. Despite the obvious presence of storm clouds about the summit, we still passed numerous hikers just beginning their ascent. Good luck to them all—I thought. I prefer not to screw around with storms.
Quandary is one of the easier fourteeners to climb, but it was still a challenge. I felt terribly exhausted afterward and was still sore two days later. It showed me that I can climb fourteeners when not in the best of shape, but being in better shape allows me to enjoy the experience more. I will work hard to get ready for our next climbs.
07-04-05
After a failed attempt to snow climb Quandary in March, my Dad and I were eager to summit the peak for our first climb of the summer. Shortly after 4:00 AM we packed our gear into my Dad’s car and set off. This time we were able to drive right up to the trailhead to park (last time there was too much snow). Surprisingly, the parking lot was not crowded. Holidays are always terrible days to climb if you’re looking for solitude, but we encountered far fewer people than I expected.
(Quandary Peak, as seen from Hoosier Pass)
We were both glad that we had packed jackets and long pants because it was quite cold. My hands froze up after only ten minutes of hiking and did not function very well until we left the treeline and the sun warmed us up. We were able to shed our jackets---for a little while at least.
The trail was much easier to follow this time since it was not covered in a few feet of snow. The most popular—and easiest—route to Quandary’s summit in years past was via the Monte Cristo trail. A few years ago the Colorado Fourteener Initiative closed down the old trail for landscape restoration. We saw the old trail branching off from the new one, and I immediately understood the mistake we made during our snow climb; we lost the new, well-marked trail and followed the old trail until we eventually lost it and began trailblazing up a 45 degree slope. We were, in fact, actually on Mt. Quandary the entire time and not mistakenly on Mt. Wheeler, as I thought when I wrote about our last attempt. So we’re not completely inept hikers, it seems. We did, however, take a much harder route for the snow climb, which is why we ultimately failed.
The trail became more difficult once we entered a boulder field. It was not as long or rough as the boulder field on Mt. of the Holy Cross, but it was still interminable and rough on the feet. I spotted a female mountain goat with a baby by her side, but some hikers in front of us had brought three dogs with them. The dogs began chasing the mountain goats until they dashed out of sight over a ridge. I was irritated with the other hikers and their dogs since I’ve always wanted to take some close-up photos of mountain goats. Another lost opportunity. Oh well.
The final 150 to 200 feet of the ascent to the summit slowed us down. Slushy snow covered the rocks and made us slip around, which made me feel a bit uncomfortable since slipping a little to far to either side would mean a three hundred foot tumble down the side of the mountain. The wind began to increase at that point, which did not help anything. My Dad had his trekking poles, so he negotiated the snow almost effortlessly. I had a harder time but eventually made it to the summit after a few minor slips.
From the summit we had a beautiful view of three peaks we climbed last summer: Mt. Democrat, Mt. Lincoln, and Mt. Bross. The wind on the summit was some of the strongest I’ve ever encountered. We ducked behind some boulders and rested for a few minutes before heading back down.
(From left to right: Bross, Lincoln, Democrat)
(View from the summit)
As always, the descent goes extremely faster. For a while. The boulder field killed my feet on the way down, and by the time we reached the treeline my legs were trembling. We were back into the trees before noon right as dark clouds began to cover the summit. Despite the obvious presence of storm clouds about the summit, we still passed numerous hikers just beginning their ascent. Good luck to them all—I thought. I prefer not to screw around with storms.
Quandary is one of the easier fourteeners to climb, but it was still a challenge. I felt terribly exhausted afterward and was still sore two days later. It showed me that I can climb fourteeners when not in the best of shape, but being in better shape allows me to enjoy the experience more. I will work hard to get ready for our next climbs.
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Library Adventures, Episode 342: The Rare Book
While reshelving some fiction books this morning at work, I came across an interesting novel: an ancient hardcover book, smaller than a paperback. I flipped to the publishing info page and discovered that it had been published in 1892 in the Pikes Peak region. I can't recall the name of the author nor the title of the novel, but I had never heard of either. Stamps covered the first few pages reading "Property of the Public Library of the City of Colorado Springs"---the single library that existed long before the Pikes Peak Library District and its many branches. Not only was the book 113 years old, it was a first edition signed by the author to a friend named "Mrs. Clarke."
I immediately showed the book to a coworker who seemed unimpressed and told me that the library has plenty of rare books on the shelves. She showed me a particular first edition book that she claimed was worth a small fortune. I asked the obvious question: how can rare books such as these be available to the public?! The drooling, vulgar masses! The coffee-spillers who let their dogs trample and gnaw books as if they were chew toys! (cynical, I know). The only other option, she explained, would be to place rare books in the Archives at the Penrose library downtown where very few people could ever see them, much less read them. I thought that that sounded like an excellent idea and told her as much. She then made up a ridiculous hypothetical story to prove her point: a mother puts her children to sleep after a long day at work, makes herself a cup of tea, sits down on her couch, and reads a rare novel she checked out from the library. If the book had been in the Archives, this same woman might have been able to read the book---under supervision in the stuffy archives room where no comfortable furniture exists. My coworker was satisfied with herself. I tried not to laugh.
Soon after, I brought the book to my supervisor. Her reaction surprised me. She flipped through the book excitidedly, saying things like, "oh my!" and "this is amazing!" over and over again. The fact that a signed first edition was available for checkout shocked her as well (although she didn't mention anything about the vulgar masses). After a few more minutes of examining the book, she told me to send it off for review. Someone knowledgeable about rare books will examine the novel and decide what to do with it. Granted, it's not a first edition Hawthorne or Poe novel or anything, but it was published locally and is a part of Colorado Springs history. I'm betting that it will end up in the Archives.
While reshelving some fiction books this morning at work, I came across an interesting novel: an ancient hardcover book, smaller than a paperback. I flipped to the publishing info page and discovered that it had been published in 1892 in the Pikes Peak region. I can't recall the name of the author nor the title of the novel, but I had never heard of either. Stamps covered the first few pages reading "Property of the Public Library of the City of Colorado Springs"---the single library that existed long before the Pikes Peak Library District and its many branches. Not only was the book 113 years old, it was a first edition signed by the author to a friend named "Mrs. Clarke."
I immediately showed the book to a coworker who seemed unimpressed and told me that the library has plenty of rare books on the shelves. She showed me a particular first edition book that she claimed was worth a small fortune. I asked the obvious question: how can rare books such as these be available to the public?! The drooling, vulgar masses! The coffee-spillers who let their dogs trample and gnaw books as if they were chew toys! (cynical, I know). The only other option, she explained, would be to place rare books in the Archives at the Penrose library downtown where very few people could ever see them, much less read them. I thought that that sounded like an excellent idea and told her as much. She then made up a ridiculous hypothetical story to prove her point: a mother puts her children to sleep after a long day at work, makes herself a cup of tea, sits down on her couch, and reads a rare novel she checked out from the library. If the book had been in the Archives, this same woman might have been able to read the book---under supervision in the stuffy archives room where no comfortable furniture exists. My coworker was satisfied with herself. I tried not to laugh.
Soon after, I brought the book to my supervisor. Her reaction surprised me. She flipped through the book excitidedly, saying things like, "oh my!" and "this is amazing!" over and over again. The fact that a signed first edition was available for checkout shocked her as well (although she didn't mention anything about the vulgar masses). After a few more minutes of examining the book, she told me to send it off for review. Someone knowledgeable about rare books will examine the novel and decide what to do with it. Granted, it's not a first edition Hawthorne or Poe novel or anything, but it was published locally and is a part of Colorado Springs history. I'm betting that it will end up in the Archives.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
Movie News
Kingdom of Heaven
2005
80%
(I watched the following movies on a flight from
Hong Kong to L.A. after a dose of sleeping medication --
ratings may not be accurate):
Melinda and Melinda
2004
59%
Hitch
2005
51%
In Good Company
2004
79%
Robots
2005
62%
Kingdom of Heaven
2005
80%
(I watched the following movies on a flight from
Hong Kong to L.A. after a dose of sleeping medication --
ratings may not be accurate):
Melinda and Melinda
2004
59%
Hitch
2005
51%
In Good Company
2004
79%
Robots
2005
62%
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Return
My Dad and I made it back home safely from Nepal late Sunday night. Since then I've been working in the evenings, cleaning up the house in preparation for the arrival of a few relatives, and trying to get over my jet lag. Kathmandu is 12 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Colorado, so I've had my day and night cycles reversed too much these past two weeks. I keep waking up at 2 AM and having trouble falling asleep for a few hours. In addition, I keep getting hungry at odd times during the night. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. In the next week or so I will post a trip report along with some photos.
My Dad and I made it back home safely from Nepal late Sunday night. Since then I've been working in the evenings, cleaning up the house in preparation for the arrival of a few relatives, and trying to get over my jet lag. Kathmandu is 12 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Colorado, so I've had my day and night cycles reversed too much these past two weeks. I keep waking up at 2 AM and having trouble falling asleep for a few hours. In addition, I keep getting hungry at odd times during the night. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. In the next week or so I will post a trip report along with some photos.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"
Whew. It's been a tough week, and it's only going to get tougher--tomorrow my Dad and I leave for Nepal. We'll return Sunday the 12th, exhausted from jet-lag and ready for a few days of sleep (we'll both have to head back to work right away, and some relatives will be visiting a few days after we return, so we won't get too much rest). I've borrowed a nice, brand-new digital camcorder from my Mom's boss, and I'll take my digital still camera as well, so I'll be sure to get plenty of footage. Of course, I will post a trip report as soon as I can upon my return.
I wish I had time to post some news. In the past few weeks I've attended my friend Yvette's wedding, dozed through my brother's high school graduation ceremony (with a few surprises along the way), and experienced the drudgery and pain of jury duty for the first time. Before this month is over I will post about these events--they really are exciting, I swear!
Good luck to you all, and . . . stuff.
Movie News
My brother and I saw Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on opening day, May 19th, at the 10:40 PM showing--the earliest showing we could attend since we both had to work in the evening. I enjoyed the movie very much. Although it cannot compete with the original trilogy, it is certainly the best of the recent prequels. My rating: 90%. For a well-thought-out, comprehensive, and at times entertaining review, check out Jared's site. We share the same opinions, overall, so it saves me from rehashing what he has already said (I'm lazy, I know).
Whew. It's been a tough week, and it's only going to get tougher--tomorrow my Dad and I leave for Nepal. We'll return Sunday the 12th, exhausted from jet-lag and ready for a few days of sleep (we'll both have to head back to work right away, and some relatives will be visiting a few days after we return, so we won't get too much rest). I've borrowed a nice, brand-new digital camcorder from my Mom's boss, and I'll take my digital still camera as well, so I'll be sure to get plenty of footage. Of course, I will post a trip report as soon as I can upon my return.
I wish I had time to post some news. In the past few weeks I've attended my friend Yvette's wedding, dozed through my brother's high school graduation ceremony (with a few surprises along the way), and experienced the drudgery and pain of jury duty for the first time. Before this month is over I will post about these events--they really are exciting, I swear!
Good luck to you all, and . . . stuff.
Movie News
My brother and I saw Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on opening day, May 19th, at the 10:40 PM showing--the earliest showing we could attend since we both had to work in the evening. I enjoyed the movie very much. Although it cannot compete with the original trilogy, it is certainly the best of the recent prequels. My rating: 90%. For a well-thought-out, comprehensive, and at times entertaining review, check out Jared's site. We share the same opinions, overall, so it saves me from rehashing what he has already said (I'm lazy, I know).
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Reading / Movie News
The Book of Illusions
Paul Auster
94%
The Life & Times of Michael K
Michael Coetzee
86%
------------------------------
The Stranger
1946
92%
They Drive By Night
1940
83%
American Movie (again!)
1999
82%
The Book of Illusions
Paul Auster
94%
The Life & Times of Michael K
Michael Coetzee
86%
------------------------------
The Stranger
1946
92%
They Drive By Night
1940
83%
American Movie (again!)
1999
82%
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Excuses
It's been a long time since my last post. Yes, it has. Now I offer an excuse: I've been really, really busy. After all, college professors usually save the major assignments for the end of the semester, so I suppose that it's no real surprise. As the wonderfully entertaining stand-up comedian Brain Regan says in his "Stupid in School / Science Fair Project" sketch: "Oh no, that's due today! I had nine months to work on it and did nothing!" I've been having that feeling at least twice every day for the past three weeks. I have two more papers to write before finals week and then I can rest.
This summer will (hopefully) be extremely fun: my friend Yvette is getting married on May 20th; my brother will be graduating (. . . sometime); I'll spend a week in Nepal in early June; Jared and his girlfriend Rachel will come to visit (or so he says, but I've never completely trusted that shady fellow . . .); and I'll climb some fourteeners (of course).
I'll have to work all summer. I am now applying for a couple more jobs in the hope that I can make enough money to . . . keep working and making more money so that I can keep working and making more money (is there a point to this?!). I hate work, it's true.
It's been a long time since my last post. Yes, it has. Now I offer an excuse: I've been really, really busy. After all, college professors usually save the major assignments for the end of the semester, so I suppose that it's no real surprise. As the wonderfully entertaining stand-up comedian Brain Regan says in his "Stupid in School / Science Fair Project" sketch: "Oh no, that's due today! I had nine months to work on it and did nothing!" I've been having that feeling at least twice every day for the past three weeks. I have two more papers to write before finals week and then I can rest.
This summer will (hopefully) be extremely fun: my friend Yvette is getting married on May 20th; my brother will be graduating (. . . sometime); I'll spend a week in Nepal in early June; Jared and his girlfriend Rachel will come to visit (or so he says, but I've never completely trusted that shady fellow . . .); and I'll climb some fourteeners (of course).
I'll have to work all summer. I am now applying for a couple more jobs in the hope that I can make enough money to . . . keep working and making more money so that I can keep working and making more money (is there a point to this?!). I hate work, it's true.
Monday, April 11, 2005
WoW News (Only Incurable Nerds Need Read Beyond This Point)
Since my first post about World of Warcraft way back in November 2004, I dropped my dwarf paladin character and experimented with many other classes until I finally decided to stick with an Orc shaman. At the beginning of March, I hit level 40 with my Orc, and I prepared a post about it but never got around to actually posting it. As I write this, I am now at level 51 and hope to hit the level cap (60) within a month. To any of you thinking about playing WoW, I'm on the server "Dragonblight" (and if you want to play with me, you'll need to start a Horde character. The Alliance isn't cool, anyway). So, here is the post that I should have posted long ago (along with some screenshots):
-------------
After a few months of playing as an Orc shaman in World of Warcraft, I have hit level 40. I've been a member of the Kodo Clan guild since about level 19, an experience that has greatly enhanced every aspect of the game for me (and as of 04-12-05 we have a website: www.thekodoclan.com). My guild members are cool guys (and a few girls), and the higher-level people help me quest, share items with me, and raid Alliance towns. I have recently become an officer in the guild (basically the step below the guildmaster). Only 6 other people out of the 100 or so in our guild are officers, so it's pretty cool that the guildmaster and the other officers selected me to join their ranks.
The coolest thing about hitting level 40: I got to buy a mount. I had to save up my money even from level 1 to buy a Dire Wolf (it cost 90 gold), but the extra 60% boost in speed and the prestige of riding around on a wolf is well worth it. I followed this simple advice from the online comic Penny Arcade:
Foxtrot, one of my favorite comics, has also run a few strips recently about WoW (and please don't ruin your eyes! Click on a strip to make it larger!):
And now, for some random WoW screenshots:
Water walking is fun!
It's not a dress! I swear!
The Kodo Clan assembles for a raid on an Elf town
. . . Elves are no match for us
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Spring Break Movies
Raiders of the Lost Ark
1981
91 %
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1984
95%
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1989
93%
Dead Ringer
1964
90%
American Movie
1999
82%
Raiders of the Lost Ark
1981
91 %
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
1984
95%
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1989
93%
Dead Ringer
1964
90%
American Movie
1999
82%
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