About Location: Vermont, USA Navigation current Enjoying: In the Flesh: The Cultural Politics of Body Modification by Victoria Pitts: fairly self-explanatory, really"Since I spend my working days studying trends, many of which are downright disgusting, I feel it's my duty after work to encourage the trends I'd like to see catch on, like signaling before you change lanes, and chocolate cheesecake." --Connie Willis, Bellwether Archive
Old teenage hopes alive at your door
No one likes a girl who won't sober up
Why am I able to waste my energy to notice life being so beautiful?
He doesn't see the danger dawning
What in the world ever became of Sweet Jane? Credits template concept & |
September 12, 2007Shine on, Harvest MoonI've seen all these entries in people's blogs lately where they're apologizing for not posting in awhile, and I am no stranger to posting those entries myself, but I've finally figured out why there's been such a glut of them: it's summer! No one's home! We're all outside, just jumping around....doing things! And I'm no exception.Last Friday I headed out from work with a borrowed rope, a smattering of locking carabiners and a couple of slings, and promptly got lost somewhere between Burlington and Lower Bolton. I'm really lucky my climbing partner was patient, and willing to just snack until I got my act together. I was really lucky with my climbing partner in general, as she was not only safety-conscious (big points with me) but also free with the beta and talky in general, so we each wound up talking through all the climbs, belayer and climber both. And as we had Lower Bolton ALL TO OURSELVES, the acoustics were fabulous. We were the only people there, everyone else having been scared off by the threat of heat and humidity, or lured by the siren song of beer, or whatever. The forest was fabulous, the light was gorgeous, and it was overall one of my favorite climbing days ever. I finally got to try the vaunted Harvest Moon (5.7), and found it to be just as satisfying as advertised, all sassy quartz crack with lovely deep holds and lots of flat sweet face to plonk your feet on, if you roll that way, and lord knows I'm a plonker. Plus because it was late afternoon of a hot September day, the rock was even nicely warm to the touch. And this time I was able to recognize ferns on the first try. I'm a learner! (Btw, I took the accompanying photo in my office while waiting for the workday to be over. I have exactly one photo from the climb itself, from when my partner was rappelling down. One picture. Why? Because I'm a rock star belayer, is why--I belay with both hands. Also, it's a picture of a lot of rock with a little tiny butt in the middle.) I also tried an unnamed 5.9 project right next to Harvest Moon and I feel like I acquitted myself well on it, even though I didn't make it all the way to the top. I got to a spot at the base of a big blank slab where I could rest, and just stood there, boggling. Maybe if I could have crimped harder... or instantly grown to 5'11". Well, there's always this Friday. |
