Playing Doctor

Real Rock

I experienced climbing on real rock for the first time today. Some friends from up the street and I went bouldering out at the sleeping giant park.

The appeal of rock climbing for me has always been the combined mental and physical challenge: what is the best sequence to get up the route and can you physically complete it? Not to mention avoiding freaking out on the rock, getting 'gripped' and managing the adrenaline along the way.

The physical aspect is largely ameliorated in the rock gym, at any stage you can relax and it is not a problem you either fall onto a soft mat or can just lean back on the rope. This is not the case when you are bouldering proper. This fact definitely hits home when your feet are maybe six feet off the ground and you really do not want to fall, but are not totally sure where you are going to put your hand next. Then you feel a little adrenaline, a little fear. It is a bit more intense than working the gym. It makes you more conservative about advancing. In the gym you can just throw yourself at something and if you fail it isn't a big deal, not always the case bouldering outside.

Another contrast between the real and the gym: The routes that are available are basically up to you on the real rock and are often times less defined, if you can find a hold and use it, then great. Nothing is marked except by other climbers' chalked hands. This is great for getting used to looking for holds in real rock. It isn't so great when the diversity of routes available in one spot are limited. The climbing gym is really great in that regard: many varied and rated problem sets in one small space. You do not necessarily get that on the rock.

There are practical things to consider too, the mud, moss and weather. Bringing jandals to put on after you top out on the boulder to avoid having to walk around in the dirt with your climbing shoes on. One or more crash pads to keep your ankles intact if you fall off, and some observant friends to spot you and stop your head hitting the ground in the event of an uncontrolled fall; some chocolate is nice too.

Overall climbing outside is fun, but at the moment I don't necessarily see it as superior to the rock gym itself. Perhaps with time my mind will change. I'd like to see what top roping outdoors is like...

Craft Brew Fest, Naugatuck CT

Over 40 breweries, with more than 150 brews, several hundred people, in three and a half hours on one lightly rainy afternoon. A determined team of four New Haven residents set out to sample, compare, and critique. It was bliss.

There were some definite stand outs. Otter creek's Imperial IPA and Imperial Stout, Brookyln Breweries' Local #2 (and perhaps coffee stout). Sam Adams had an expectedly competent showing as well (again with stout, and a double bock that rubbed me the right way). Farmington River had some interesting brews too their blonde did not taste like a blonde, but was still fine; Their mahogany was interesting as well. A seemingly curious approach to hopping was employed.

At the other end of olfaction's limits lurked Magic Hat's Wacko. Beets in the brew? Sure why not? but it only resulted in a pink colour and very little flavour. Summer brews are apparently an invitation to do something crazy. There is novelty there but it wears off quickly and if not iterated each season they become uninteresting. I won't be back for any of last year's range and these new attempts are merely dull. Anything from SBC (too sweet stout or too bland and oddly grassy attempt at brown ale).

The serious tasting became quite difficult but not completely impossible after a while. It was clear that this event did not encourage, not had even considered that people might sample and spit. So opinions may vary down the line.

The real tragedy is that East Rock liquor outlets seems to be unawares of all of this finery. Perhaps an arrangement can be met with the breweries directly?

In addition to the wide range of beers on offer, I staunched the alcohol's march to my frontal lobes with a pulled pork sandwich, a cheeseburger and a steak tip sandwich in addition to a many bottles of water. It was definitely meat day.

Somehow after all this we managed a short trip to Delany's Tap Room where we were somehow able to eat and drink yet more! For me, dinner was a Reuben sandwich paired with a Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Imperial IPA.

A co-attending friend had manage to win the biggest prize in the raffle ticket draw that afternoon. This included many large sized brewery company t-shirts and the odd pint glass. What a great day out.

Straight Postdocin'

I have secured another year's employment, and this month marks the beginning of that second term. I am particularly happy about this because Yale is going though some budgetary restructuring due to endowment shrinkage. The subsequent laceration of the operations has not extended into research thus far it seems. Additionally, I am now a postdoctoral associate for real, having my PhD proper now.

I was really stressed a little while ago about getting my J-1 status renewed here. This was not a problem to fix, but I will have to get a new Visa if I leave the country so I can get back in on my return. How long might that take? Perhaps a good excuse to get back to NZ. But long story short: Immigration issue resolved.

Currently research is at it's frustrating best. Experiments don't yield the expected (previously published) results so what could I be doing wrong? Reading upon reading with a side of reading is a sure prescription! I am feeling a particular impetus to get on with these things so I can get to a conference!

Also some how it is May already, and I am still trying to get on with work left over from my PhD! Cripes.

Yes indeed, this is the (glamorous) life of a postdoc.