Productivity

"I am soooo frikin' productive today."

That is what I felt after I spent the entire morning doing something I have been procrastinating for weeks... shopping. Yes, that's right. The only thing I "produced" was waste.

I had been putting off the shopping for my up-coming "Great Adventure" ever since I was told that I need sooo much stuff. Partly I put it off because I hate being in Shinjyuku for more than 30 minutes unless I am sitting in a cheap izakaya. Partly I put it off because I can't mentally justify spending the money, and partly I put it off because I can't justify the waste.

In my defense though, I have the money, and spending it on this will make me happier than spending it on, say, a cell-phone. And if things go well, it will not be a total "waste", because I will get a lot of use out of what I have purchased. Still, buying things feels bad and annoys me. (Note: it is not spending money that annoys me so much as spending money on things. I freely spend more than I should on food, travel, video rental, Internet and other "services" that do not accumulate in my apartment.)

So, I'm sure your dying to know - "What did I buy?", and more importantly, anthropologists of the future will be thrilled to have this record of the consumption and waste-production habits of people in 2006 who are getting ready to go on a two month out-door leadership training course.

Hiking boots. I had been resisting this for a long time, because I already have a pair of (kind-of) hiking boots that have never caused me problems. I even contacted the course adviser who said "You should be OK." Somehow, I don't trust people as much as I would like to though, and I decided to be safer than sorrier by getting some boots that wont make my trip hell (I have never spent 18 days in a row hiking in the mountains, so I have no idea if my current boots are up to it). Of course, I now have only one week to break them in - so I guess I am screwed either way. (I have a lot of walking to do this week! I think I will take both and ask for advice - wear the flimsy low-top ones? or wear the un-broken in ones? Or carry both and mix it up?

So anyway, I bought a pair of spiffy Columbia Goretex lined boots for only about $90 (last-year's model). I was totally willing to spend up to $200, since I will have them until I die, but these actually felt the best and quality-wise I doubt there is much more difference.

I also bought - and this is what I am most excited about - a pair of BB VeeStop "refillable" break shoes and pads to replace the worn-to-the-bone breaks I have now. (While I am gone I will be lending my bike to a friend's son who was "inspired" by Tomoe and I riding around Japan. He wants to try it as well, and I would hate it if he flew off a cliff while listening to G-Love and cruising down a vol canoe.) These allow me to replace just the cartridge pads, and keep the old shoe. I know it is such a *small* thing, but at least least relieving some of the pain I feel every time I buy a whole new set.

I also bought (and this pissed me off the most), a new headlamp. My trusty old head-lamp-for-the-rest-of-my-life was stolen a few months ago out the pocket of my bike bag. After much humming and hawing, I decided on the Petzl Tikka Plus. I really liked my old Tikka (one model down on the chain, and bout $10 cheaper), but that one only had one setting, and this one has an "Economic" setting as well - less intense, and (According to the box) 30 hrs more battery life. Considering that 90% of the time I had my old lamp on was for doing something close up - making camp, looking for a beer in the dark, reading a book as I walk down the street, etc., I figured this would be worth it in the long run - assuming it is not stolen.

I also bought a pair of bike gloves. The feeling still has not returned to my ring and pinky fingers since my last trip. These gloves are designed to relieve pressure on the Ulnar nerve. I hope that this does the trick, and that I don't need surgery. - at least it's not a brain tumor.

Finally, I got a few cheap synthetic shirts and a pair of shorts to "whisk" the water away. Although I have never needed them before, I am hoping I will notice the difference after using them. Although, I am pretty sure my skeptisicm and cynicism will ensure that I won't notice as big a difference as people who actually believe that outdoor sports just aren't even possible without the latest North Face gear.

How did people ever make it out of Africa without all this gear anyway?

Oh yeah - I almost forgot. I was wondering what to do about a camera, since there is no way I am taking my mammoth D70 and mammoth lens with me for 2 months of kayaking, climbing, and hiking. I was considering getting some disposable cameras, but Tomoe reminded me that she had an old Canon point and shoot film camera from ten or so years ago. So today I bought a new battery and a role of film to "test it out". That is where I am headed next. (What if I find that I don't even need the D70? - it's dangerous territory I'm getting into)