New Blog/Website

Hey Faithful Followers,

I just wanted to remind y'all to point your browsers to www.mikesoltys.com for my new blog and website.

You can grab an RSS feed by clicking: http://mikesoltys.com/feed/

I think the new website/blog combo has some cool posts, including a new tool of the week every monday and other blog posts as i have time. In addition, i'm adding trip reports for past trips, which are pretty good reads.

Thanks for following.

-Mike

New Webpage And Blog: MikeSoltys.com

Ok,

I know this blog has been great, but i'm migrating over to a slightly more professional website and blog at http://www.mikesoltys.com

Please head that way, and feel free to grab the RSS feed! I hope to update that one a little more consistently, and have already scheduled a couple pre-written blogs so there will be continuous content over there over the next couple months.

-mike

Tools Every Student Should Use: Dropbox

Ok, So being in school for most (78%) of my life, I've gotten pretty good at things. If you want to win at school, i'm going to start a series of posts on tools I think every academic should be using. Even if you're out of school, if you want your computing life to be easier, you should check out these tools.

The first one is Dropbox.

Dropbox is like a flash drive that you can never loose. It's simply a folder on your computer, that gets backed up online automatically. So if you spill coffee on your laptop, or simply are in a computer lab without your computer, you can still access your files. Dropbox also is great for collaboration, as it allows easy sharing of files amongst groups. It can also sync your files across multiple computers (so, my dropbox folder on my work computer will always have the exact same files in it that my dropbox folder on my laptop has).

Dropbox is free, and you can get more free space by following a tutorial and inviting friends, so go ahead, and get dropbox today.

From "No Man is an Island"

"It is therefore of supreme importance that we consent to live not for ourselves but for others. When we do this we will be able first of all to face and accept our own limitations. As long as we secretly adore ourselves, our own deficiencies will remain to torture us with an apparent defilement. But if we live for others, we will gradually discover that no one expects us to be “as gods.” We will see that we are human, like everyone else, that we all have weaknesses and efficiencies, and that these limitations of ours play a most important part in all our lives. It is because of them that we need others and others need us. We are not all weak in the same spots, and so we supplement and complete one another, each one making up in himself for the lack in another.

Only when we see ourselves in our true human context, as members of a race which is intended to be one organism and “one body,” will we begin to understand the positive importance not only of the successes but of the failures and accidents in our lives. My successes are not my own. The way to them was prepared by others. The fruit of my labors is not my own: for I am preparing the way for the achievements of another. Nor are my failures my own. They may spring from the failure of another, but they are also compensated for by anothers achievement. Therefore the meaning of my life is not to be looked for merely in the sum total of my own achievements. It is seen only in the complete integration of my achievements and failures with the achievements and failures of my own generation, and society, and time. It is seen, above all, in my integration in the mystery of Christ"

-Thomas Merton

Final Preps

Thursday we woke up and headed towards the airport to pick up shane. All the time in the car with Jeff was much appreciated, because we really got a chance to chat with each other.

As we drive south, we can see the cascades to the left, the Olympics to the right, and Rainier looming straight in front of us. Its huge.

Shane is stoked, and we head to REI to get final gear and plan for the climb. After seeing some of the touristy stuff, we head to Jake's Parents house for dinner and final packing.

Wednesday

Wednesday we woke up for breakfast, and went out to Mt Erie to find adventure. Not being much of a rock climber, and already tired from the previous day, Jeff thought it'd be a good idea to repel down a cliff and see what sort of climbing we could find in my skill level. The spot we were at had gorgeous views of the water, complete with sitings of bald eagles and angry falcons. I "Sent" a couple routes, including a "5-10 a." before being so tired i didn't think i could climb any more. Then, we got out our glacier gear and practiced ascending ropes on prusik knots.

The day wouldn't be complete without dinner with jeffs mom, a visit with jeff's grandma, and some equipment double checking

Seattle Trip: Tuesday

Tuesday after breakfast with Court, i got on the bus to begin my adventure. After an uneventful flight, I arrived at the airport where Jeff was waiting for me.

We went to REI to get a few things, and then met some of jeff's buddies at the local climbing gym, Stone Gardens. Here, I met Jake for the first time. Jake is going to climb mt rainier with us. I can see he's an amazing rock climber, and a super nice guy. After climbing until i'm "Pumped Out," Stefan and I grab a beer and then re-connect with Jeff and more climbing buddies for thai food and Rainier Beta. This guy bill, who sounds like he has a few screws loose in his head, tells us Rainier is solid gold right now, and we should go for it. The other climbers agree, and we decide to call the climb a go.

We finish the night with a 2 hour drive up to Anacortes, Jeff's home town. Anacortes is a sleepy cute northwestern town on the sound with beautiful mountains and cliffs.