Archive for January, 2009

Sonic Screwdrivers

About two months ago, R and I finished watching all of Babylon 5.  So, we switched to the new “Dr. Who”.  It’s a great show, and we’ve gotten halfway through season 3 on DVD.

For those few readers who aren’t geeky enough, some Dr. Who background:

One of The Doctor’s favourite tools is a gizmo known as a Sonic Screwdriver.  It has a little blue light on the end, and is used to open doors, reprogram computers, scan things, and many other nonviolent tasks.  It’s kind of like a pocket MacGyver.

It took me two months to realise that a “Sonic Screwdriver” is the best name ever for a blue alcoholic drink.  I feel kind of slow, actually, since the internet seems to indicate that this is the first thing most people think of after watching more than five episodes of the show.

So, I’m experimenting with various recipies from the web.  The vodka, OJ, and blue curaco mix is a bit too green, but tastes okay.  I plan on trying again with vodka, lemon-lime soda, and blue curaco.  Maybe experiment with some Bombay Sapphire to stay on-theme.

Unfortunately, the most common online recipie involves mixing vodka and blue Gatorade.  I refuse to try this one on general principles.  The Doctor has channeled the Time Vortex through himself; he doesn’t need to put up with bullshit about electrolytes - and neither will I.

4 comments January 22nd, 2009

The numbers are now broken

I completed a 5.10(-) rock route today, at the rock climbing gym.  Woo!  It’s a new personal best!

I told Rhiannon I was trying to move from 5.9 routes to 5.10 routes, and she asked me, “Aren’t you trying to do sixes, then?”

I seem to have left numeric consistency behind, but it isn’t my fault.  See, the local gym uses the Yosemitie Decimal System, which grades the difficulty of climbing trails.  When they first set the YDS up, they decided that the number before the decimal would refer to the class of climb, and the trailing number represents the difficulty of that climb, in that class.  So, a 1.x would be a bike trail, 2.x would be a hiking trail  …  A 5.x is a rock traversal requiring ropes for saftey.

What I think happened was that they graded all the trails they could find using this system, with 5.1 being easiest and 5.9 being hardest.  Subsequently, they found harder trails, and the term 5.9 had to cover them all, so they… incremented. That’s just a guess, though.

I think they’ve established 5.14 courses, or somesuch.

Anyway, wooo!  I think I’m going to reward myself by getting some climbing pants.  They’re stretchy, with a reinforced crotch.

Add comment January 5th, 2009


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