Casualties of Fun

We had grand plans for a five day winter traverse of the Presidential Range. Two days of breaking trail through chest deep snow got us to the ridge, a scramble nearly killed Brett and me, and a stranger lectured us on our campsite. The first four miles are great.

Don't Forget

Leah, do not forget to re-dye your hair today. I know you said you weren't going to, but Past Leah would be disappointed in Present Leah for that defeatist attitude. And here is Leeloo, demonstrating one possible color.

Netscape Navigator

One year ago today, the nearly fourteen year old Netscape Navigator was finally killed off. It was a Giant in its day, before the Great Stagnation of the Internet Explorer era set the Web back by years. Rest in peace.

Presidential Traverse

All my gear is in a pile on the floor and a car comes at 6am to haul it to the airport. On this trip we brush up on crevasse rescue, roped travel, and half-forgotten knots. Also, US Airways and I are not friends; ask me about their baggage fees.

Street Fighter IV ... I might just cry

It is beautiful. It is not stupid like pretty much everything post-Street Fighter 2, it has all the good characters, and it seals my fate: I am going to have to buy an Xbox 360 one day. Bummer.

Life sucks...

And then you die. I am going to sleep now. I hope tomorrow is better. It needs to be.

Challah-Challah-Bo-Ballah

Vacations leave me with no desire to get back to work, so today I fed that desire by making challah bread. Flour, an eternity of kneading, braiding by magic, and one mysterious extra egg. This has been Chef Master Curtis.

Vicious Raccoon

Near midnight I tuned my new two-way radio to a local police precinct, one of the perks of a densely populated area. The dispatch call that night: investigate a report of a vicious raccoon. Apparently there is no 10-code for that scenario.

On-the-Mountain Entertainment

The plan was an iPod Touch loaded with movies for the long storm-bound days in a tent. Then Amazon released the Kindle 2 and complicated everything. Somehow this leads to fat pictures of William Shatner.

A Week of Ice Climbing

A full week of ice climbing, eight hours a day, and it is just as fun (and hard) as I remembered. Corey and I found our limits on some WI-5 climbs, each dropping into the harness when a desperate pick placement let go. A brutal hobby that does wonders for your forearms.