The odes, oddities, and O Deities of a world traveler

Ode to Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is my favorite exercise. It requires a great combination of strength and intelligence. In order to rock climb, you need to lift your own body, so you have a more intimate sense of the strength and power you possess. It rewards you for being maximally efficient with your own body and strength. The…
Did you know: the 13th zodiac

most Scorpios are actually Ophiuchus? The Sun is only in front of the constellation Scorpio for about four days.
Ode to the Smell of Chocolate Chip Cookies

The smell of chocolate chip cookies is domestic. It is the smell of having the time and leisure to mix up a batch of cookie dough or two because you will have eaten the first before it hits the oven. The combination of simple ingredients to make something sweet and delicious is one of the…
Did you know: Astro-sign

your birth sign is actually determined by which constellation the sun is apparently in when you were born? You will never see your constellation on your birthday unless there is a solar eclipse.
In which I literally throw my keys and identity at a stranger

For my first Colorado fourteen-er, I joined a friend in his third attempt at Snowmass, which lived up to its name on July 19th. Two days previous, however a coincidence of faster road-tripping due to glorious 80mph speed limits in Utah on my part and slower arrival of my friend due to the appalling traffic…
Did you know: Tropical Degrees

the tropics are determined by the maximum distance from the equator that the sun will be directly overhead on a given day of the year? 23.4 degrees, which is conveniently the tilt of the Earth’s axis. It’s like it all fits together!
Ode to Pillows

Pillows are soft. They support your head when sleeping, but you have to pick wisely. Not just any pillow will work for people, and the wrong height and softness can cause aches, bad dreams, and sleeplessness. However, a good pillow can be the ultimate comfort. To protect your head and brain with something so soft…
Did you know: Sundogs

sun dogs (rainbows next to the sun caused by ice crystals) are most often 22 degrees away from the sun?