Aaron's Status

5:56 pm

Sends

• Blue V3, fun
• Pink V4, flash, cool problem

I was on the bubble about going today, my back has been pinching all week, but I woke up feeling pretty good and decided to risk it. It did feel less than great, but I was able to climb anyway and I think (hope) I didn’t make it worse.

I only bouldered a little, to warm up, and sent a couple of fun top-out problems. I did take a couple of not fully committed swings at my current V5 project and made some progress on the first moves, which I think I’m just about locked in on now.

Then for a bit I belayed $KID on a 5.9 and 5.10- to try out the new Edelrid Pinch, which is very cool and so far I like it. I haven’t belayed anyone on lead with it yet, which is where I think it should be more different from the Grigri, but it seems really promising.

I took another try at leading the long blue 5.10 traverse and got close but did not get it. I think I worked out the positioning, but my stamina and back were both not feeling 100%. I think on the next attempt I can get it.

Glad to just be able to go and have some fun. I did a “victory lap” on another blue 5.10 that didn’t feel like such a certain send the first time and was able to do it, so, there’s that.

Shady deals

Well, it’s happening. I’m going to buy the OP-1. I mean, unless it is not as advertised, but we’ll see tomorrow between 1 and 2 pm! It was listed for $700 (a fair price) but after I complained about driving into Cambridge (Allston, actually) he said he’d do me a discount to meet him there, so I offered $650 and he accepted.

So, uh, I guess I’m going to be an OP-1 person soon. I mean, hopefully. I’m pretty psyched about it, I’ve always wanted one, and it seems like such a fun way to mess around with music-making. I just want to make some electronic or ambient jams.

Coffee

The new coffee obsession continues to run its course. I got my first six sample bags from Fazenda Coffee Roasters, so today I attempted “cupping” for the first time, which is just an ostentatious term for brewing coffee in a little bowl and tasting it.

I cut $WIFE in on the fun and we tried an Ethiopian, a Mexican, and a Costa Rican coffee. We both agreed that the Ethiopian was too fruity—it tasted strongly of blueberry!—and the Mexican slightly too strong.

Soon we need to cup the other three, and then I have another four sample bags coming in from a second local roaster. Maybe I’ll end up buying an over-priced grinder after all is said and done here.