Tongue that's sharp like a thumbtack

When I told my boss recently I couldn't work late on Thursday nights because I was starting a rock climbing course, she stared at me blankly.  She stared at me and asked flatly if I was joking.  I was puzzled and told her, no, I really couldn't work late on Thursday nights.  Apparently I joke about things so often and so seriously when I'm serious it's hard to know if I'm being sarcastic -- she said it was like me saying I had a needlepoint class or something.

I take exception to this.  I don't know if the impression people get from me is that I am as unlikely to go rock climbing as I am to go to a needlepoint class, or if she really can't tell what is meant to be serious.  But to me, the two bear no comparison.  but sure, I'm a  funny guy -- if you take funny to mean "strange".

Anyway, this isn't another post about my stupid work.  Instead it's a post about teh awesome that is rock climbing, and how I might be tempted to make Swiss Cottage leisure centre my spiritual home.

Sure, I've climbed before now.  I'm kind of mad at myself for not getting into climbing when I lived in Utah, when it was such an ideal place to be doing it -- along with not getting into all-terrain boarding, and never really learning to snowboard properly.  But I guess it wasn't the right time.  As I say, I have climbed before but only in a couple of relatively brief one-off sessions.  It was enough to know I liked it, obviously, or I wouldn't be doing the course -- however, now after only one official lesson so far I feel confident enough to rank it up there alongside swimming in greatness.  I think if I had the time to do one or the other on alternating days I would be in a lot better shape than I am.  But I think what climbing has in common with other activities I enjoy is the quiet moments of almost zen-calm.

The climbing wall, despite being housed in a leisure centre, was open to the elements -- which last week meant it was cold enough to see your breath in the air, and the ropes were both cold and wet.  The condition of the rope wasn't much of an issue when you were climbing, only when you were holding the rope while someone else climbed -- then you noticed how quickly your hands got cold and numb.  It was also cold enough for my toes to get numb.  I'm going to be better prepared this week, even as I write this I am searching online for the right kind of gloves -- though I suspect serious climbers probably laugh at the idea of wearing gloves on a wall.

In many ways, the wall not being entirely indoors was a good thing -- it felt like I was actually doing something, instead of being somewhere hot and loud and probably smelly.  The real test will be if I continue climbing on my own after my introduction course has finished, though that may involve trying to convince people I know that they want to take up climbing, too.

It's important to fill non-work time -- days and weeks -- with things we enjoy, it gives us something to look forward to and motivation to get out of bed.  It might still be Ah crap when the alarm goes off, but if you then remember there's a great band playing in the evening or whatever then it can get you through. Last year I spent a lot of time going to the gym in the early mornings to get fit for Peru, but that was more of a threat -- if I didn't go to the gym then I would never make it Machu Picchu.  It also has to be said; having someone pretty neat like the girl to come home to always helps, as well -- so I'm very lucky there.

That's the thinking, anyway -- but there's a tightrope between this and wishing your days away.  Let's see how it works.  Until then, though, share with me your thoughts and ideas -- either on the things that you fill in to your days and weeks, or how you manage to not wish away your days while still looking forward to something coming up.  Our operators are waiting for your call.