One Massive Catch-Up Blog

I haven't blogged in quite some time, but it's not for lack of things to blog about...so instead of sitting here for hours recapping the past month or so, I'm going to just do one massive catch-up blog - for the 4 of you out there that care :)

Books
- I've managed to polish off 2 amazing books to start off 2011, mostly reading on trains and subways here and there:

The Essential Gandhi: Once I saw this book, my long-held-but-never-cultivated interest in the man demanded I read it. The book was a fantastic compilation of some of Gandhi's writings with regards to himself, early 20th century politics, non-violent resistance, race issues, and general philosophy. The book was nothing short of a revelation of a man. The book itself was compiled a bit too much, in my opinion - with paragraphs written years apart weaved together with narrated touches throughout. It was really interesting how many of his thoughts resonate with more modern works I've read. For example, the following quote could have come from Ethan Nichtern himself:

Interdependence is and ought to be as much an ideal of man as self-sufficiency. Man is a social being. Without inter-relation with society he cannot realize his oneness with the universe or suppress his egotism. His social interdependence enables him to test his faith and to prove himself on the touchstone of reality.

A Walk in the Woods - Bill Bryson: I've never read or heard anything about Bryson before Mike "Phattire" O'Hara thrust a copy into my hands one night on the way to BKB. To say I tore through this book would be an understatement. Bryson is the type of writer whose cunning narratives just make pages breeze past. The book is part narrative on his quest to hike the Appalachian Trail, and part historical background about the trail - interspersed with commentary about American's approach towards the outdoors. I felt like I was part of the journey, and the book really brought forth my desire to be spending more and more of my time outdoors. Simply put, this book was awesome.

- I'm currently reading Vector Basic Training by Von Glitschka - which is helping to teach me the finer points of vector graphics - of which I find myself using more and more.

GAMES
- It's no secret I've been busting my ass late at night and on weekends to get mine and Chris' game company up and running - with our first release due to hit shelves in July. It's crunch time for us, and to say there's a lot to do would be a gross understatement. I'm not really at liberty to go into a lot of detail right now, but the update's coming, I promise.

- I was in Toronto two weeks ago, and I got to check out Snakes and Lattes, a board game cafe on Bloor Street. The place was completely and utterly fantastic in every way. I got to play some games with welcoming Toronto locals, and enjoy some hot chocolate. The place has a chill atmosphere, is open all kinds of late hours, and has a wall of 1,500 games!

- Civilization 5 is simply amazing...even though my productivity took a hit when it first came out.

CLIMBING
- On that same Toronto trip, I was able to get my first climbs in another country, courtesy of Boulderz. This place was a small gym focused mainly on intermediate to expert bouldering. The routes were FANTASTIC, and for $14 I got to climb as long as I wanted and they loaned me a chalk bag (not something I was going to put in my carry on bag through the airport). For its small size, there was certainly plenty of challenges. They features some awesome traverse work (something I've been hankering for), a great inverted cave area (with a V2 that was quite simply the more fantastic bouldering route I've done yet), and the main wall featured lots of interesting angles, and allowed you to "top out", something I haven't encountered in a climbing gym. The people were very laid back, and the tunes were fantastic. Next time I'm in Toronto, I'm headed back there.

- Mike and I have been doing some amazing climbing lately, which is great because we're preparing to take on a lot of rock this outdoor season. In the 2 1/2 months I've been back climbing since I had a nasty shoulder separation, we've gone from 5.8's to regularly topping out on 5.10a's. V2's are being hit with alarming success, and we're toying with V2+ and V3 routes. I also completed a V3+ mantle problem on the first, second and third tries.

MMA
- I've been training pretty well, although the aforementioned shoulder injury keeps rearing its ugly head, especially when I'm grappling. I hate using as an excuse not to be able to do some things - but I tend to have my good and bad days with it. Injuries suck.

ENTERTAINMENT
- A few songs I've been hooked on lately:
Defend Atlantis - Flobots
1940 - The Submarines
Kara Remembers - Bear McCreary (from Battlestar Galactica Season 4 soundtrack)

- I'll just come right out and say it, True Grit was only okay. I love Jeff Bridges, but his character just felt really forced, and Matt Damon was not very good at all. The story was good enough, and I was entertained - but it just felt...flat to me.


NYC
- For a few short days, it feels like spring...and not a moment too soon. The city has just felt really gritty, grimy and slightly depressing lately. It's amazing how winter can just grow irritating by January/February.

- There seems to be a Complete Failure of Etiquette plague setting into this city. Nobody seems to give a sh*t anymore, and it's getting to a tipping point for me....I feel a cartooning project coming on...look out for it :)


- Chris