Team A++

I promised Nuno I'd study for my GRE test, but frankly, I'd rather write about rock climbing. Last weekend was as fun a time in Rifle as I'd had all year. The Boulder All Stars: Brian, Jesse, Dan, Kelli, Blake, Erynn, Casey, Greg, and, minding the towels and handling the belay bitch duties; Yours Truly. We had weather reminiscent of autumn with its faint breeze and withering leaves. Everyone is starting to show the effects of climbing hard for an entire season. It seems like the whole team is progressing through grades and sending harder routes than ever, and watching my buddies have success makes me really motivated to push myself.


This weekend, Brian was getting close to doing his first 13D, Jesse has been one-hanging his first 13A, Dan DID his first 13A, Blake's trying several new solid 13's, Erynn is figuring out some new benchmark 12's, and I have gotten close to breaking into new ground, myself. I've one-hung the route I'm trying, Apocalypse, several times and feel like the next time I get on it could be the last.

Bluntly, the fall is the best time to be in Rifle, and I'm looking forward to finishing the season with a flurry and then heading to Kentucky for some climbing in the Red River Gorge. I spoke with my boss about doing some telecommuting in November, and he's friendly to the idea. This has got me going in two different directions. First, I'm thinking I should work more in September and October in order to make a little extra money, and second, I'm getting more serious about van shopping.

Aside from climbing, I keep studying for the GRE in the hopes that I'll get motivated to get my carcass to graduate school. The GRE is the required entrance exam that basically mirrors the SAT's that we all took before heading off to college, but with one crucial difference. The SAT's never told me I was an abject moron suitable for a career in plumbing and a likely candidate for deportation. The GRE's tell me that on every practice test. Why do I keep doing this to myself?

I had a moment the other day when I was talking to someone about work, and they asked me what I really wanted to do. I keep hoping that graduate school is the direction I should be going, but I've got no evidence for why I should be there other than a faint glimmer of expectation. I expect that a graduate degree will funnel me further down a career path and into a work environment that feels more personal and custom tailored. (All the adults reading this are all shaking their heads) Deep down, though, I really feel like some time climbing, traveling and writing is what I need to do before I can figure out any of this work stuff.

A buddy of mine, Dan Mirsky, keeps promoting the idea of life on the road. He took to his Toyota Tacoma for over a year on an extended climbing trip, and has pushed and prodded me in that direction since his trip ended with him moving into an apartment in Boulder. At first, I told him I wouldn't like to do it. I had shaken off the urge for long enough, and it made no sense to quit a job that lets me climb nearly full time, anyway.

But maybe it's not just about the climbing. Maybe it's the adventure of being out in the world without a plan. The ability to wander around, and the chance to write and allow fate to work itself out. The longer I stay in Boulder, the less tolerant I'll become to a change in the routine. I need to shake my life up and introduce some fresh air into the conversation as much as anything else. I might as well go climbing while I'm doing it, eh?

Maybe I'm just rambling on about some desire for a Peter Pan existence and an invincibility of the childhood ideal of play. But I did spend a weekend in a Eurovan, and I was sufficiently intrigued by the experience to test drive one this evening. You only live once, right? And hell, it would give me some INCREDIBLE fodder for Abaluba. What Say the readers? Post some comments and lemme know what you think I should do.

Back to Nuno for a second. He might well be taking some time off this fall/winter/spring to climb and travel before he starts a new job this fall. This all assumes, of course, that he gets the job. But good intentions and plans being what they are, let's all assume things pan out. He's trying to have something lined up for after he's finished traveling, and that's where the GRE's come in. I need to get a decent score so I can try to get myself a reintegration plan.

Off to the books.