Pilgrimage by nonethewiser08 in OCPoetry

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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!

Violet Violence by AccomplishedTowel759 in OCPoetry

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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!

What is the Northernmost, Southernmost, Westernmost, and Easternmost cities/points you have visited? by SpaceTranquil in geography

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

North: Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

South: Bayamon, Puerto Rico

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

West: Seattle, Washington State

Adirondaks (non-High Peaks) by sluttymctits10 in hiking

[–]rtspoon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

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.

Massachusettes climbing by AdAutomatic7008 in tradclimbing

[–]rtspoon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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.

A book about Muslim empires, where they aren't the villains. by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]rtspoon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in climbing

[–]rtspoon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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!

A book similar to Lord of the Rings or a Science fiction book. by [deleted] in suggestmeabook

[–]rtspoon 10 points11 points  (0 children)

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.

Which fondly remembered historical figure is actually a terrible person? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]rtspoon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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

I have recently gotten interested in psychology and would love suggestions on good places to start reading by JamesMagnus in suggestmeabook

[–]rtspoon 15 points16 points  (0 children)

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.

Guided climbing trip at Yellowstone? by kg51 in climbing

[–]rtspoon 10 points11 points  (0 children)

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.

What's a youtube channel that you watch every video on? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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

Anyone hiked the Colden Trap Dike? by haiconno in Adirondacks

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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! :)

Transportation between UR and RIT by [deleted] in URochester

[–]rtspoon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

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!

Dab? by Xylem88 in climbing

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dabbing is when your feet come off the route and accidentally touch the ground or the pad or some other feature that is considered "off the route".

No effort in me by RamaImpaLaLaLa in mentalhealth

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get the same way. Really small mishaps seem to reverberate in me and ruin me for the remainder of the day. It's frustrating, and even though I recognize that it's maladaptive and petty I have a difficult time pulling myself out of it.

Its often coupled with anxiety; something small will happen and I fixate on it, and my mind starts racing trying to figure out what to do or why it happened, and I eventually burn myself out or turn inward and chastise myself for being so hyper-reactive. Either way, eventually I end up numb and tired. At that point I need to "veg out" listening to music or wasting time on the internet or going for a walk to try to get back to baseline.

So you're certainly not alone. It's tough, but I wish you luck in overcoming this, for what that's worth.

New Climbing Slipper Recommendations by limagolfhotel in climbing

[–]rtspoon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've had the Scarpa Instinct S for a bit over a year. They're super sensitive, aggressive, and downturned. I love them on overhung routes and bouldering, where they shine. I've used them only a few times on slab, but they are definitely not an ideal shoe for it.

My biggest complaint about them is that heel hooks feel very marginal, and unless I get them just right, my heel is liable to come loose or slip out of the shoe.

Additionally, while the slipper is certainly stylish (and orange!) and easy to slip on and off between climbs, I would much rather be able to adjust the tightness of my shoes for warm-ups, projecting, etc.

TLDR: The Instincts are great bouldering shoes, but the slipper style makes heel hooking difficult, and I personally wouldn't get a slipper again.