I Use Photography Chicks

Due to the lack of slackliners in the Knoxville area, I have been setting up my line in an area we refer to as the amphitheater, to attract more folks to the sport, and it is close to the art building where the photography classes reside. Slacklining tends to attract chicks with big lenses....on their cameras that is. I coerce my way into their cell phones, and they give me photos of myself to inflate my ego. Here is my personal favorite picture: The Ass shot.


This one is for the ladies


I dig the upside down Fronzie Hairdo.

To Krush or Not to Krush

That is the question, whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the bleeding and scraping of outrageous skin, or to take arms against the sends that give us trouble.

Its been a busy couple of weeks both in the my world of climbing, as well as in my world of Mathematics. I have not been so psyched on the mathematics recently, in fact you could say it has taken a bit of a backseat to my climbing, which raises my level of concern exponentially! The battles we suffer through to follow our dreams, I suppose its hard to always be inspired.

My friend Cat came out from Colorado to visit me, and also to visit Red River Gorge. It was my first trip out there, and the first time I truly felt comfortable on a rope. I may very well become a rope wrangler before the year is over. The Red is an amazing place, its a band of cliff lines that stretch for over 100 miles, but only the portion outside of Lexington, KY has really been developed. The climbs are characterized by steep pocket filled faces from what appears to be wind erosion. The falls tend to be mentally mesmerizing because you constantly question why you have fallen from such big holds. It is the definition of Pumpy. The aspect of the Red I enjoyed most, besides the company of course, is the setting of the entire place. Cliffs are hidden from view until you are practically on top of them. As my friend Alex says: "You can get lost in the vastness of the Rockies, but you can also get lost in the complexity of the Appalachian forests." The South has shown me something new everyday, and I have explored it via the climbing community. And now some pics:


Robert Keeble on Overlord


I give the soft catch.


Cat Carroll on Pogue Ethics


Cat and Yuri preparing to Crush.


This is my favorite picture of the moment. It is taken at the Obed near Wartburg, TN.

Musings of the Past

I was looking for paper to do a homework assignment, and I came upon some old poems I written. I thought I'd share:

I lost someone close to me
And all I have left are my memories.
Oh time, how circumstances have driven me
Back to the edge of insanity.
I miss your face, touch, and silence.
How did I ensnare a goddess to lose her to my insolence?



An a lighter note, my cousin, Sassan, recently had a wedding here are some photos.

Dai Reze, Cameron, and Kevin
Bella and Aryana
Sahar and Mom
Spoons...This looks like trouble!
Siamak and Sahar

Sahar and Arezu

Sometimes We Wage War

Mike Banuelos Battling it out with Tommy's Arete. Fun with Picaso :)

Finally Some Photos

I'm pretty slow about getting my photos developed seeing that I don't have a digital Camera, I'm often behind the Game. Maybe I'll con a photo major into developing all of my photos for free. Here are some of my favorite photos from the last several months I recently Developed.


Mike on Tommy's Arete at RMNP.


Warren at Little Rock City

The Wave

Brian on Ebonics at Grandmother Mount

Camping in the Smokies

The Buddha Riding Shotgun

1:47 AM, Do You Know Where Your Head's At?

Little Rock City and Sendelo Especial (24 oz)

Little Rock City is a nice shady bouldering area just outside of Chatanooga on a golf course. I found it quite interesting to roll up to the club house and find parking areas labeled "climber parking." I would've imagined a lot of access issues since it is not only in a prestigious neighborhood, but also 20ft off the fairway of the 10th hole. In fact 2 boulders are closed due to the fear of climbers getting struck with a 200 mph golf ball. Its an easy 2 minute approach from the parking lot to the boulders, and the sandstone is of classic southeast quality. Extremely aesthetic lines, and unique features. Now I finally understand the inspiration behind so many gym holds I've been pulling on for the last 3 years.
The day was highlighted by my send of a v4 named Dragon Lady, and my friend Warren sent two v6's with ease. We also sent a few Modelo Especial's with ease. It was a nice way to end the day.

On another note, this week my long anticipated, and my I say glorious return to academia has commenced. Graduate school is everything I have hoped for and more. My classes are already kicking my butt. I have never been so excited to do homework. My classes are more in depth than I previously imagined, and already I have made 3 trips to the library to check out extra books to see a full scope of the subjects. I <3 mathematics.

Leaving is Not The Easiest Part

A good friend of mine said "isn't it ironic that once you find you are leaving the mountains you become passionate about them." Its all too true, but its even more true for your friends and family. What is it you live for? I live for relations with people, my friends, my family, my girlfriends, when I'm lucky enough to have them. Perhaps its the fact that I've had some of the best hugs of my life this last week from both guys and gals, but I've become overly sentimental of every moment I have left in Colorado.

Top 5 things I'll miss living in Colorado:

5. Secluded Wilderness

4. Dry and Arid Air

3. "The Local Knowledge"

2. Colorado Micro Brews

1. My Friends' Mothers

And now a picture for you viewing enjoyment:

My Year in Climbing

I recently downloaded Picaso, and was messing around with some of my pictures. I created this collage of all my climbing since November 2006 when I returned from my 1 year sabbatical thrust upon me as a result of one hairline fracture in my Talus bone.

Cyclic Numbers

142857 is a cyclic number — you can find its multiples by just rotating its digits:

• 142857 x 1 = 142857
• 142857 x 2 = 285714
• 142857 x 3 = 428571
• 142857 x 4 = 571428
• 142857 x 5 = 714285
• 142857 x 6 = 857142

CooL!

My Connective Tissue Hurts

I climb to the heavens
I jump to the seas,
Sometimes when I climb
I cut the cheese.

I climb till it hurts
Flirt with danger in spurts,
My Friends give me Pert
Cause my hairs smells like dirt.

Exploring Colorado Wilderness

Setting up the Line

Dylan walks with hands behind back

lever on the line

Scott Lays it down.

This Weekend was one of the most amazing weekends of my life. I spent it all outdoors, and now my body hurts. On Saturday Joe Varela, Bradford, and myself cruised to Rocky Mountain National Park and did some climbing. We were there from 9 am to 9 pm, and were forced to run down the mountain to make it to the parking light before twilight shut its dwindling light from us. Joe got very close sending his project, The Kind Traverse. I was successful in sending one of the best v5's in Colorado, The Kind. It was a blast.

On Sunday Scott, Dylan, and I made the grueling hike to Monastery where we setup a high line with Long's peak in the background. It was sent by all, and thrilling to the nth degree.

This week I prepare for my arrival in Dallas, then off to Tennessee to check out Knoxville, TN the 17th best rock n roll city. Look out for posts and pics of the trip here in a few weeks.

Life could not get better right now. Zero Drama for your Baby's Momma.

Highlines are Hazardous (part II Pictures)

Scott Sending


Taylor Sending


The Anchors


Jeff Taking a Whipper


Contemplating my Future


Living the good life


Scott making the Leap of Faith

Highlines are Hazardous

You may ask, Said, what the begeezus is a highline. And I would retort, Living!

Scott, Jeff, and I went up to Castlewood Canyon and set up a high line on some cliffs out there. We didn't scope out the spot before cruising up there, aside from hasty looks on google earth, so there could have def been some improvements on the line. But we are chock full of adventure, and nothing was going to get us down on this day. It took 4 hours to set up the line. We set up 7 anchors to each side, so that if one broke, we'd have 6 others to rely on. After much watching, waiting, and rigging we finally got the line set up.

On to the walking...or lack thereof. Scott was able to send on his second try, which is amazing considering he has never had highline experience before. In addition, our friend Taylor joined us after we set up the line, and quickly sent as well. He's got some skills. Of course success does not come with out a little bit of failure. We took whippers. Big ones.

Overall, the day was amazing. This experience is like nothing else in life, I can't even begin to explain it to you. Its like every fear within in you wells up inside your chest and tightens its grip on you until you are unable to move even one muscle. Rationalization is not an option. But when you are able to seize that moment, and move past your fear and attempt to function. That feeling is ridiculously amazing, and can not be replaced, or redirected with out placing yourself in a situation which draws the fear out of you. Ultimately it is a new experience, and I could ask nothing more of life on this day.

Cover Letter For Graduate Assistant at Tennessee

Dear Mr. Adams:

I am inquiring regarding both the Assistant Hall Director position as well as the Assistant Resident Manager position. I have recently been admitted into the graduate program at University of Tennessee where I will be studying mathematics. After a careful review of these positions, I can see where my background and skill set would be a good fit for the department of housing.

As an undergraduate, I immediately had access to the inner workings of the housing department at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I began as a Community Assistant for the front desk at Farrand Residence Hall, and I was exposed to not only the clerical side of the front desk, but also to the inter-university judicial process for undergraduate residents. As I moved out of the residence halls into off-campus housing, I adjusted my professional position to that of a student assistant for Off-Campus Student Services, where I stayed for the majority of my tenure at CU. Although our focus was on the rights and responsibilities of student-tenants off campus, we heavily corresponded with the Residence Halls including joint presentations to undergraduate students living in the dormitories. Through this experience I learned quite a bit about the overall attitude and growth of students as they moved through their undergraduate occupancy at the university. My interest in the judicial process did not wane, and it led me to become a student member of the Judicial Affairs Hearing Board for the inter-judicial process at the University of Colorado. I was exposed to cases both on and off-campus, and we evaluated with respect to the Student Code of Conduct, and the notion of building community not only with the university community, but the greater Boulder community as well. As an Iranian-American, this point was especially important because we strive to welcome folks of all races, colors, and creeds. I feel these positions and experiences make me a well qualified, diverse candidate who can deal with students in not only an efficient, professional, non-confrontational manner, but also my enhanced perspective of the university experience as a whole will allow me to connect, coordinate, and improve the lives of tenants in the Residence Halls.

Enclosed is a copy of my resume for your review. I would like the opportunity to discuss my interests and qualifications with you. You can most easily correspond with me at 303-918-8187 or at my email address listed above. I will contact you soon to confirm you have received my credentials.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,



Said Parirokh

My Quarter Life Crisis

Why is it so incredibly hard to write the closing lines of a chapter in life, and move onto the uncomfortable first steps of a new chapter? I hate transitions, despite the fact I know it forces me to grow as a person. Life was much easier as a five year old, when the only worries I had was where I would place the Police HQ in my Lego Town. Now my major worry is how do I not end up in the real Police HQ.
For the first time in my life, I am losing friends to the real world. The responsibility monster is corroding my friends personalities, and I feel I'm the only one who wants to kick it with Geoffrey the Giraffe.

In a Jam, No I'm in a pickle

Game night last night. It was a blast. Emilia, Aldo, and his 2 Bloomer buddies, Becky and Caroline, came over and we played this great new game called In A Pickle. It is a good time because the more messed up you are, the better the game becomes. The object of the game is to win a stack of cards, and the way you do this is by putting down the last card. To stack the cards, they must have a certain relationship. That is it must fit inside the description of the next card. For example, juice is in a pickle, which is in the supermarket, which is in the parking lot. Don't play this game with people who love to argue, you will get nowhere. After 5 Tequila shots this game got extremely interesting.

Trans(disfunct)ions

I found this photo on my mom's computer the other day. Its from my departmental graduation ceremony at CU. I received a grey diploma cover sans diploma. It was not a very rewarding day. I got to thinking--a very dangerous activity if you are not fully prepared for its ramifications-- what do I do now? For the past 19 years the only institution I've known well is school. You are told what to do, and when to do it by, and although stressful sometimes, extremely comfortable. Naturally I find myself compelled to drift back towards that environment. (i.e. the decision to apply and go to graduate school). So maybe this post is addressing that concern in my own life. Am I too scared to enter the "real" world, or is the pursuit of knowledge and truth enough of a justification to continue living the comfortable life. I guess my debt and myself have some growing to do.

On another note last night I sent my first indoor v7. It was all slopers, my climbing mitts are finally coming in handy. This weekend plans seem to be shaping up nicely with respect to the climbing trips. I met some new folks at the gym close to my mom's house, and we will be crushing rocks at Carter Lake on Saturday. I love Spring time Colorado.

The Introspection Connection

Why do we choose the paths we choose? Do Humans move as electric currents through the path of least resistance, or do we deliberately make it hard on ourselves? I understand few things, but one I do know is the fact we tend to do what we are good at. It is fun to be great at anything. A sense of accomplishment. General productive behaviour. From this moment on, it is time to live with excellence. To perfect every action and inaction in daily living. To journey down my path with mindful movement.