New Year, New Plans, and a Triple X rated goal

Weird. I'd been in this odd funk for the past couple of weeks, battling this whole malaise of physical sickness, impatience, and dissatisfaction with where I was at the moment. It's weird to think of life's natural rhythm sending you sideways with little control of the situation, but for a while, I'd certainly not been the same self I remember being from the past year. I needed to shape up, make some plans, remember what's right, and get out of the ditch. If I left it up to coincidence and chance, I could be bummed out for months!

Some of the main reasons I felt like 2010 was so successful were because I'd been focused on building a relationship with Julia, climbing tons of cool, inspiring, and intimidating routes, and trying to avoid wasting much time. When I was working, I'd focus on work. I wanted to ask the smartest questions possible, and give time to thought about what I could do to best utilize my clients' time (and thereby money). I was trying to get better in my career.

When I wasn't billing hours, I tried to either spend the time with JK with the greatest presence of mind possible, or get out and climb as hard as I could imagine. I found a place where I could tell my girlfriend that I loved her while not giving up a dream to climb The Capitan, spent a month in the Red, sent more hard sport routes, and generally have a blast. I was getting everything finished that I wanted, and still working, making money, and advancing things with clients.

At the start of 2010, I was letting things get routine with Julia, having trouble getting motivated by outdoor climbing projects, and in a slow patch with work. I was monitoring Rights-of-Way, but not working on new projects. Then I got the flu, and totally lost patience. I wasn't getting stuff done regarding work with a new client on a project I'd hoped to court, the sky was gray and after recently finishing The Bone Collector, had nothing new to motivate me to get outside.



It's a simple game of alligator. Remember that old teaching method Ms. Stokes (or your elementary equivalent) implemented to teach us "greater than, less than?" The alligator eats the bigger number. 10 pies are tastier than 2 pies, and, just like our reptilian brethren, I like the preferable situation a whole lot more. I'd rather like my job and do well at it. I want to do a job at work that makes them say, "I'm glad we have that guy." I'd rather crush it with my girlfriend. I'd rather send every route out there that inspires me. Further, I want to be inspired to go try really hard, and remove self imposed achievement limits.

My friend Alex has a theory about the triple send. Women, climbing, and school. He's a standout academic gunning for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from CU, and wants to develop the better solar panel. With that sort of intellectual aim, I'm blown away. Alex makes me want to be smarter. He performs at a truly high level, but aims for results in his research that realistically have a chance to redefine the energy landscape.

Alex is also a flaming heterosexual. He's single, but would like to meet a girl to lavish with affection. He's a good looking guy with a nice sense of humor. There's no reason he won't be successful in that pursuit.

And finally, Alex is, like so many of my buddies, a rock climber. Rock God, I should say, as I watched him drag me up The Diamond this summer. Back around the Front Range, he'd make quick work of many hard rock climbs that had previously dealt many strong climbers a swift defeat.

Alex wants to send those three things, and it equals out to the Triple Send. I love the idea.
All I want to do is send those things, too, and I'm verbalizing my desire to jump on his bandwagon.

I shook off the cobwebs and made a solid plan for Valentine's. Even before I was told to up the romance by Hallmark, I booked us to another, separate dinner at a new place in Boulder called The Pinyon, a nod to their bartender (and a good friend of mine) for a monster dinner they're throwing in conjunction with Avery Brewing. JK and I have been talking plans about a trip to New Orleans in early April, too. Send the woman. Check.

I own the world's coolest fucking van. Captain Walter C. Lewis, US Navy (Ret.) sports a turbo diesel engine, a hotel room in the back, and a sound system that leaves the elderly frowning. I want Wally to take me there. Where? Anywhere! We went to Hueco just the other day, and now I'm planning on taking him to Indian Creek over President's Day Weekend. I want to prep for another big sandstone finger crack out in Zion this Spring, and then set my sights on more big routes in Wyoming, Colorado, and California. I sent a ton of rock climbs in 2010. 2011 is going to be more of the same. Hell, I'm off to a great start. My hardest trad pitch to date went down a few weeks ago! Climbing. Check.

And work is moving forward. I've been realizing that there are specific ways I can interact with people that will give them greater confidence in processes that are going on around the office. I can listen to what people really need in order to accomplish tasks, and then deliver them that information with the understanding that they are now no obstacles from our goals being achieved. Push them forward as a friend and colleague. I can think about the bigger overall picture with clarity, and customize my efforts to move an organization forward. Sometimes it is in advance of a company's priority to receive a Right of Way from the Federales. In the future, it might be something else. Win, Win! Whatever the goal, I'm going to send work, too.

And 2011 is shaping up to be the year of the 3x Send!