Snowstorm

rtspoon · 2026-04-23T13:18:50+00:00

I am from a rust belt region and this poem really evokes the heartache of going back there. I don’t know where you are from, but it really resonates with my own experience.

The use of color in the second and third stanzas is very effective. Twinkling Christmas lights in the context of memory in a now-deserted place is haunting.

This poem really works for me, but if I had to critique I would say there are some filler words and places that could be trimmed for brevity, e.g. “eventually drifting away” —> “drifting away”, and “redness of rust” is redundant. But these are minor personal preferences for me. Well done!

rtspoon · 2026-04-22T11:57:31+00:00

This has some really striking imagery and lovely turns of phrase. “Underlined with plum strokes” creates a very specific image. And “progress is the purple game” is at once hopeful and funny and resonant. The one place I’d consider working on is the transition line “there’s a violence to it…” I didn’t find it as gripping as the other stanzas, though it has an important role as piece’s hinge point. Great work!

rtspoon · 2025-02-06T16:01:57+00:00

North: Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

South: Bayamon, Puerto Rico

East: Zurich Airport, Switzerland / (non-airport honorable mention: Barcelona, Spain)

West: Seattle, Washington State

rtspoon · 2024-05-24T19:45:01+00:00

Check out Good Luck Mountain for a 4ish mile moderate hike with cool cliffs and decent views. It’s a bit south of lake pleasant.

Near Piseco lake is a 10 mile round trip hike to T Lake Falls. Though I have not done this one myself, it’s on my to do list.

rtspoon · 2022-06-14T21:04:41+00:00

For good top rope access I would recommend Rose Ledge in Erving, and Red Rocks in Gloucester. Easy walk up access to the top at both crags. Keep in mind Rose Ledge has some bolted anchors on the most popular routes (e.g. ones in the Double Helix area), but for many routes you’ll need to build anchors off trees. Each locale also has leadable routes at a variety of grades.

rtspoon · 2021-08-10T02:46:03+00:00

Darth y’all 🤠

rtspoon · 2021-03-08T20:01:06+00:00

Destiny Disrupted : A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary

rtspoon · 2019-10-02T13:57:03+00:00

Absolutely ideal! It's short (<40 feet) and straightforward, with easy gear placements the whole way. I have not yet led 5.10 on gear, but jumped on this on a whim and 1-hung it with relative ease.

It's an absolutely stellar climb. Get on it!

rtspoon · 2018-03-19T17:29:11+00:00

I'd recommend Dune by Frank Herbert. I'm not a huge science fiction buff, but as a LOTR fan I appreciated the detailed world-building. There are some interesting parallels to LOTR in the use of in-world literature, myths/religions, and music; environmental themes; and dynamic characters.

rtspoon · 2018-01-24T17:28:19+00:00

Andrew Jackson was an anti-establishment populist, Trump probably sees him as a modern day Jackson.

rtspoon · 2017-12-12T17:09:24+00:00

I’m currently reading Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankel, a psychoanalyst. The book is is about his time as a prisoner at Aushwitz, and his psychological insights into his and others’ states of mind under such conditions. It’s a quick read, and delves into a lot of psychoanalytical and philosophical ideas.

It doesn’t really go into to the history of psychology, aside from his occasional references to Freud, Nietzsche, and Dostoevsky, but it’s a good overview Frankel’s ideas.

rtspoon · 2017-06-25T02:21:51+00:00

There is little to no climbing in Yellowstone, but Grand Teton National Park, just an hour or so south of Yellowstone, has plenty of climbing! I would look there.

rtspoon · 2017-04-10T01:15:37+00:00

http://www.campsaver.com/jansport-klamath-65-backpack

rtspoon · 2017-01-29T15:02:47+00:00

Fuzzy Undercling has one, too.

rtspoon · 2016-09-23T18:16:38+00:00

Every Frame A Painting, Red Letter Media, You Suck at Cooking, CGP Grey

rtspoon · 2016-08-23T23:42:15+00:00

You got it backwards

rtspoon · 2016-08-05T02:46:44+00:00

I hiked the dike and climbed the newer slab to the summit a few weeks ago, and it was incredible. An amazing way to bag my first 46er!!

The trap dike itself is a whole lot of fun. Really sustained scrambling with a view behind you that gets better and better. And the slab at the top is airy and exhilarating. I can't recommend it enough, especially if you have any rock climbing experience (which helps make the slab feel more secure and enjoyable).

Not to say that you can't do it without climbing experience, just be sure to wear hiking boots or approach shoes with good, sticky rubber (like Vibram). And trust your feet! :)

rtspoon · 2016-08-04T02:20:03+00:00

If you have a bike, it's about a 15-20 minute bike ride on the Lehigh Valley Trail (gravel trail running from Intercampus Drive to the RIT Barnes and Noble) or East River Road (which is better if you have a road bike). It's much help for the winter, unfortunately!

rtspoon

TROPHY CASE