nifty gift

[cellio]

Some time ago a friend asked me when my birthday is because he had the "perfect" gift for me. (We don't normally send gifts to each other, but this was an exception.) I'd forgotten all about that until a package arrived recently

Comments

[tashabear]

I made sure, when I got a pocket tactical flashlight, that I got one that actuated with my thumb on the butt, that fits in my fist almost perfectly, and that has a "crown" on the lens face called a "strike bezel" in case I needed to pop someone with it. I have no doubt I could do some damage with this thing, but as it's only 5.5" long, I hope I never have to, as they'll be way too close!

I haven't done any self-defense work with it, but I am not surprised that flashlight defense is a thing (and I'd love to try it!). Cane defense is, too, and my sensei taught a young man who used crutches to incorporate them into his martial arts practice. Anything can be a weapon, if you know how to use it. We practice offensive belt techniques a lot. Heck, I got a new CO2 cartridge for my Sodastream today, and I was thinking what an awesome thing it for be for self defense.

I wish more of my female friends lived closer -- I think you guys would really enjoy a self-defense class from my sensei.

[cellio]

From what I've read of your studies, I think you're right that I would enjoy a class with your sensei. It's too bad we live so far apart.

You can see UV light?

[ext_729277]

Are you Geordi La Forge or something? Do you have any other super powers?

Re: You can see UV light?

[cellio]

Probably not very far into the UV spectrum, but definitely some. (Those dark-purple "black lights"? Bright blue.) It turns out that the lenses in your eyes block a lot of it. I have no lenses in my eyes (born with cataracts and implants hadn't been invented yet, not that they could put them in a child's eyes anyway). Glasses lenses block it too, which means I can see some pretty funky effects by looking out over the tops of mine

Re: You can see UV light?

[ext_729277]

You definitely need to become a crime-fighting superhero (assuming you aren't already) at least if only in unlit towns on moonlit nights

[browngirl]

That is an AWESOME gift.

*makes a note to acquire a tactical flashlight*

[chaos_wrangler]

I'm impressed by my friend's ability to combine odd bits of trivia about me in this way. Nifty!

Nifty indeed!

[goljerp]

Cool gift. And, as far as mostly-useless superpowers go, maybe you could team up with a guy I knew whose super power was "prevent the heat death of the universe".

I suppose if you were really going to use your super powers, you'd need to get a custom-made LED which emitted light only in the part of the UV that you see (but most people don't). Then you could see the evil-doers, who would be blind, blind! (Except, of course, that they would be able to tell you were around because of stuff fluorescing... (see, e.g., http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howthingswork/f/blblacklight.htm , for a list)