Climbing, Slacking, Life.

Farewell, But Not Goodbye

2009-12-29T15:58:00.005-05:00

When I started this blog 2 ½ years ago, the intention was to keep my friends and family aware of activities, and my thought process through those activities. This blog has evolved in terms of my readership, my writing, and my content. Honestly, I am no longer comfortable with this blog, and my nature to share thoughts with whoever chooses to land on this page. I feel burdened and pressured to write meaningful posts and as of late it feels forced and contrived.

Recently I had a conversation about ego with a good friend of mine. Blogs, pictures, and video have been stroking my ego in a very stealthy manner, and only recently have I understood my motivations to share such materials on the internet. This blog is a component of my online persona that I have cultivated through the years, and I am no longer comfortable in my online presence. In fact over the last few months, I have slowly been pulling away from social networking sites, and general time spent online. I feel I need to find my roots, spend my time more wisely, and re-evaluate all that I am. Too much time has been wasted grooming this fake persona for the sake of my own ego, so I can receive recognition for activities which are ultimately mine to keep in mind, in body, and spirit. I feel I have devalued those experiences by not only constantly reliving them, but also have not done them justice by restraining how much and how deeply I write about them for the public eye.

Loyal reader, I’d like to thank you for your continued support. It’s not you, it’s me. The doors on this blog are closing. When my motivations are pure, I may start a new blog with a much narrower scope of topic. Life is too big and too personal, and does not align with my values by sharing it with the world.

I will continue to update my photography blog at http://saidphotography.blogspot.com/. I will also update this one with information if I choose to start a new blog in the future.

Always Yours,

Said

Life on the edge.

The Prologue

2009-11-20T02:48:00.002-05:00

I can feel the bubbling up from deep in the depths of my character. An explosion of meaning with profound internal impact. The pursuits that once gave me meaning have fallen off the wayward side, in favor of new passions and purpose.

Like a river the essence of my being seems to constantly be changing. In fact, 5 years from now, the only thing certain is I will have a completely different perspective on life as I have now.

I feel I am slowly but surely pulled away from main stream society. A place I never felt at home in. The friends I have known since before my adventurous pursuits comment with harmless remarks like ‘You are a mountain man now’ and ‘You are always gone.’ The pursuits that bring happiness to my life have in a very real way alienated me from my peers who do not share my passions, and could not understand my motivations. Motivations derived from experiences so powerful, they demand residence in every fiber of your being.

This is a sacrifice I willingly make.

To the desert, it will reveal something bigger.

But our trip was different. It was to be a classic affirmation of everything right and true in the national character. A gross physical salute to the fantastic possibilities of life in this country. But only for those with true grit. And we are chock full of that, man. - Hunter S. Thompson

A Few Photos

2009-11-12T03:17:00.003-05:00

Lunch at the Y

Photo By Scott Rogers

Who you gonna call?

Germ Free Adolescence.

Peace in Penitente

2009-10-06T00:27:00.003-04:00

How beautiful life can be when you choose to surrender yourself to the powers that be. A rather large group of us met up in the San Luis Valley for a little climbing at Penitente. This was my first expedition there, and it is truly a magical place. I describe many places I've experienced through my climbing eye as magical, but the essence of the San Luis Valley is different. Constantly caught up in the clutter and proximity of the city, the vastness of the San Luis Valley captures the imagination. I felt insignificant amongst the open space and beauty there. Who am I to have even a selfish thought when I have the opportunity to experience another Rocky Mountain masterpiece.

The moment when you roll back home are sometimes the best and worst of the trip. Responsibilities you lived free of for a few hours hit you like a freight train, ready to trample your high spirits, and force you to forget the subtle lessons of the day. This time I'm fighting the urge to transition back to the way I usually live. I don't intend to forget my responsibilities, but rather keep the free perspective gained on every trip with good friends. Those moments can be fleeting, but that is why we demand and force ourselves back into the wilderness, back to the simplicity of life there. All we can really do in life is sustain our happiness, even when that happiness is hidden behind a wall of despair and suffering.

"You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing and dance, and write poems and suffer and understand, for all that is life." - Jiddu Krishnamurti

Frank on Bullet in the Blue Sky.

Dean finding peace on How the West Was Won during a 92% full moon.

All That You Need is Within You.

2009-09-30T03:24:00.003-04:00

Life has funny ways of surprising you.

"The Dreamers are the saviors of the world."
-James Allen

Don't ever stop dreaming.

Midnight Rock

2009-09-28T01:49:00.003-04:00

Do we make stories, or do the stories make us? Perception is a funny thing. It can create enjoyment out of the mundane, or make the most interesting and bizarre a ruined experience.

Today we ran into a male nudist while out at Dream Canyon. I'm not one to infringe on how someone chooses to enjoy nature. If you feel getting buck naked, becoming vulnerable to ticks, and molesting a pine cone is your way of enjoying nature, more power to you. But is there a line that can be crossed when you disrupt the enjoyment of others who do not share your passion?

This experience got me to thinking, how often do we as climbers force our experience upon others? Lets face it, we are an obsessed bunch, and when we're in a room together, there is little room for conversation away from our passions. That's all good and well, but there's always a point when those not acquainted with the vertical realm feel uncomfortable because they can not add anything meaningful to the conversation. Does a social responsibility exist to make them feel included, change topic, or inquire into their passions?

...Probly not, they're just not real enough to rock climb.

Ian on Voila at Midnight Rock.

Devestation

2009-09-21T15:51:00.005-04:00

"Our passion are the true phoenixes; when the old one is burnt out, a new one rises from its ashes."

-Johanne Wolfgang Von Goethe

This last week I lost over 12,000 photos and all my music because I made the mistake of not backing up my data. I long to look at my old photos, the digital age is both a blessing and a burden. It puts me in a funny place as I know its an opportunity to start fresh, to look at the world through a new perspective, but I can't help grieving for that which I no longer have access to.

This last weekend, an awfully large group of us went to Vedauwoo and crashed Becca's house. Bodies were all over the place, but this group is an amazing one. Each individual is a blessing, and love is contagious with us. Hugs are had on an hourly basis, and despite the failings of the day, I feel fulfilled around this group of people. We've developed a family this summer, and there is a special place in my heart for each and every one of them.

The climbing at Vedauwoo is interesting, not at all what I expected, and I happened to have the most success on dynamic problems. The setting was perfect, the leaves had turned color, and the atmosphere magical. If you haven't experienced Vedauwoo, I certainly recommend it.

Love Life.

2009-09-09T19:00:00.003-04:00

"We can have in life but one great experience at best, and the secret of life is to reproduce that experience as often as possible."-Oscar Wilde

I can not desribe in words the trip I just took over Labor Day weekend. Click Here for Pics.

Apologies for the lack of updates. Life suddenly has become quite busy.

The Flatirons

2009-08-02T22:36:00.006-04:00

New places with old faces. I had my first sport climbing experience in the Flatirons today, and I was quite surprised. I thought the quality of the rock would be similar to all the bouldering experiences I have had in the same region, but in fact the sport climbs are of a much higher quality, and I was quite impressed. The peak of the day certainly came when Ian managed to climb his first 12c, Power Bulge, a test piece at that grade in the Flatirons. I got on it and flailed around for a few fleeting moments, but psyche was lost, as I don't enjoy bouldering clip to clip. I forgot to Post Produce these photos before I uploaded them on Blogger, so attempt to enjoy the photography.

Ian, Bec, and Tara happy to be in the shade on the hike up.

Bec crushing "Hot if You're Not"

Ian cruising "Power Bulge"

Getting Jiggy With It.

New Tricks

2009-07-29T02:59:00.002-04:00

I just had the most wonderful evening. I met new friends, I did some serious slacklining, did a little Underground Exploration.

With so many pursuits of the moment, I don't often get the opportunity to stop, have an introspective moment, and reflect on the blessedness of my life, my ability, and my relationships. I am truly happy for every one of these. I have some of the best friends I could ever ask for, and I am able to pursue my passions with a fairly capable and healthy body. To everyone out there reading this, I thank you for being a part of my life, whether it is direct or indirect.

Here is a video Charlie took of me slacklining. Althought I'm the only one who appears in the video, I would not have had the smile on my face with out those friends who were around me.

Said on the RJ2 slackline from Charlie Shannon on Vimeo.

The Sisters Tour

2009-07-19T01:13:00.004-04:00

I took some friends to 3 sisters on Saturday, and it was yet another amazing day. The highlight certainly came when we all sent a tall ball 3 called Guiding Light. It was very inspiring to watch the emotional energy level of the group peak at the end of the day. Despite sore tips and hang overs we overcame and crushed.

Sabrina terrified of sending, but proudly send she did.

Frank continuing to make strides in his recovery process.

Does Dean have any Captain in him. Indeed he does.

Shaolin is For ReaL

2009-07-15T18:51:00.000-04:00

RMNP & Jurrasic Park Highline

2009-07-14T17:32:00.007-04:00

This past weekend was one of those weekends I live for. I didn't sleep in my bed, I didn't change my clothes, I didn't smell the best, but I spent almost every waking moment in the wilderness amongst the prescence of beautiful people.

Saturday was my first foray into Rocky Mountain National Park. We headed to Emerald Lake, and had lots of laughs. Sunday a different group headed to Jurrasic Park to set up a new highline in an old climbing area. It was my first highine onsight, and the adrenaline is still coarsing through my veigns. I have never felt so passionate about slacklining as I have in the last few weeks, and the results are showing themselves.

It was also a great weekend for my camera, For your enjoyment:

Hayley fighting the fierce wind to surmount this classic Jurrasic Park route.

Larkin taking some serious whips on the J park Highline.

Scott, the Chuck Norris of the highlining world, dominating as usual.

David enjoying a serene moment before sending.

Frank proving he can still climb stronger than you with one leg.

Boulder Creek Water Line

2009-07-09T01:32:00.005-04:00

The sweltering heat placed me on the cusp of insanity on this warm July day. Scott and I marched into Eben G Fine to scantily clad boys and girls escaping the summer warmth by way of the Boulder Creek. With gear in hand, we arrived at our designated slack spot to the dismay of the rope swing crowd. We did not carry threatening intentions, but merely wanted to share the art of movement. Quickly rigging the line, many friends came and joined our session.

My turn to approach the line had come. I felt so excited anxiousness took over my body. I longed to be on top of the line, and could not remove my shoes fast enough. The water raged beneath me as I weighed the line on my hands. From this perspective a few feet over the water surface, the outline of rocks could be seen by the whitewater washing over them rapidly. The swiftness and movement was unnerving. This is not the usual experience, I felt hard pressed to find my point of reference, and dizziness came over me. Conscious of the crowd watching, my mind exploring all the wrong areas, I moved into position.

Wet and weary I pulled myself out of Boulder Creek. Humbled by the line, I rose up, pulled myself together, and gave it another go.

Scott Dominating.

The Crew.

Scott Rogers - The Man. The Legend.

2009-07-07T16:21:00.006-04:00

This man needs no introduction. His reputation precedes him. He is a pioneer in the slacklining community, not only building community but also pioneering new lines. He is the definition of a professional slackliner: sharing his passion with anyone even remotely interested, and constantly educating and advocating for slacklining access. Without further ado I present Scott Rogers.

me: So Scott, I understand you just took a trip to Mallorca, tell us a little bit about your trip, and what type of lines you set up

Scott: Yeah I just got back from a slack and relaxation trip in Mallorca. I rigged up some lines on the beach and taught little kids how to walk the line, and I also did the second walk of the arco natural in Cala Varques on the eastern coast of Mallorca

me: Tell us about your set up, I understand you had minimal amount of gear

Scott: Yes, very minimal. In order to reduce the weight of my gear (and consequently lower the airplane fees) I only rigged with a single threaded line. Usually we double up the lines to have sufficient backup in case of a line failure.

So it was a little unnerving, especially because I really didn't have the option of falling on to my leash (the high forces may have crushed the anchors), and the line was long enough to be close to the edge of my comfort level in highlining. So it was a little unnerving, especially because I really didn't have the option of falling on to my leash (the high forces may have crushed the anchors), and the line was long enough to be close to the edge of my comfort level in highlining.

The anchors themselves were really cool, there were natural holes in the rock that I threaded with slings and equalized to the master point on each side of the line. One of the holes was completely crushed when we took the line down and examined the anchors at the end of the day

me: Do you do any sort of training or preparation for highlining?

Scott: not anymore, no

they say the best training for doing something well is doing it

me: Why do you slackline/highline? What is the allure of this sport for you?

Scott: That's a good question. It seems like such a fruitless pursuit to an outside observer, but anyone who has actually stepped onto a line has felt the electrifying addiction that slackline has.

For me it is very meditative. So many people are searching for something, God, nirvana, happiness in general. For me, walking a high slackline is the easiest way to achieve this direct experience that so many are searching for. Step by step in the clouds, or next to a waterfall, or above an ocean. Each moment is limitless and the spirit is truly free. The possibility of achieving that moment is why I slackline.

me: Right now slacklining is a sport in its infancy. How do you feel about the importance of style and ethics (if any) in slacklining?

Scott: It reminds me a lot of skateboarding from back in the day. The most primitive tricks are currently being developed, jumps, spins, flips. One day people will look back and wonder why it took so long to learn all these tricks, but someone has to come up with them first. That is where the sport is currently (at least for the slacklining side)

For highlining, style is not so important. If you can get across, you're a badass. If you can get across without falling, even more so. But now people are throwing tricks on the highline as well. The more ambitious people get up high, the safer the systems need to be. The style is in the rigging systems. There are some really bright people out there innovating the rigging to make highlines safer and safer.

As far as ethics are concerned, that's a whole different debate. We're struggling to get slackline accepted and legalized in towns all over the country. Hopefully soon there will be a mutual respect between city officials and slackliners

me: What is the public image of slacklining, and will it positively or negatively affect access?

Scott: The public image for slacklining is pretty positive though, we're all good people and we all care for the well being of the environment and other people, so there shouldn't be too much resentment between us and the authorities. It isn't like we're all trying to "stick it to the man", we just want to be able to do what we love.

me: What kind of access issues are confronting slacklining right now? Do you see slacklining going the route of skateboarding in terms of illegality in public spaces? Will designated slackline parks be the future of slacklining?

Scott: Right now people are just starting to understand what slacklining is. In Boulder, for instance, there is a pre-existing ordinance saying that you can't attach anything to trees, and after years of slacklining in Boulder, they are only now starting to enforce it.

We're not sure which direction we'll have to go, but it involves two options I think, either making an exception to this ordinance for slacklining (using proper tree protection of course), or creating special use slackline areas in the parks.

me: What do you see in the future of slacklining? Where would you like to see it go?

Scott: It seems to keep growing and growing, with no end in sight. I think that is a good thing. The bigger slacklining gets, the more capable people will be of enjoying it. Right now it caters to a very small community of climbers, but it is recently expanding and now people are learning to slackline who have never climbed before in their lives. I hope it continues to grow to include more people in the sport.

me: What are your thoughts on the 2 inch vs 1 inch line debate?

Scott: 1 inch 4 life

me: Who are some slack liners who have influenced your development or who you look up to.

Scott: I take a lot of my style from Andy Lewis and Said Parirokh, and I also really look up to Dean Potter. Also the original Yosemite cats who got it all going.

me: What advice would you give to someone just starting to slackline?

Scott: It seems so difficult at first, especially highlining, but just practicing with a fun group of people will help you to grow in the sport, almost infinitely.

me: What's in your future? Do you have any big trips or plans coming up?

Scott: There are a couple big lines I'm planning for the Colorado area that I'll rig soon. I've also been practicing my BASE jumping so that I can start baselining soon. That seems like the ultimate crossover activity.

me: Any Shoutouts?
Scott: Slackline Brothers has always helped me out, and they have the best highline tensioning system in the world. Good people.
Also check out the Colorado Slackline Club, we're bringing slackline to Colorado in a big way, and helping people to learn to slackline and highline safely.

You can also check out Scott's blog at Scott's Mild Adventures for an introspective and intellectual perspective on his own life.

Insomnia

2009-06-26T04:08:00.005-04:00

Its 2 am, and I have no idea where my head is at. It seems to me that 2009 has not been a good year physically. I have sustained multiple injuries to my left hand this year, none of them from climbing, yet they continually are re aggrevated from climbing. It makes me want to scream. I'm looking at another month of 'rest' and it upsets me because all my goals have been derailed. In November I'm coming up on the end of my 5th year in this wacky sport, and everyday I feel more psyched and ready to push myself beyond my current limits. However at 26 I feel as though I am leaving my youth behind me, as well as the potential to build power. But that brings me to what's keeping me up this evening.

It is a wonderful feeling when the mind and the body exist on the same wavelength. Act as one, living within the moment, in the breath, free from distraction. These moments are rare, and in my experience tend to move in phases. Occasianaly these phases can be extended into days, sometimes weeks. If you have great mental strength, perhaps you always live in this phase. I have always been a realist; lets say this is the optimistic point of view of a pessimist. Self doubt has long been a resident of my thought process degrading my ability to hold onto that killer instinct in every sport I've participated in. The interesting bit is it only applies to activities which I care deeply for. For example, my love of rock climbing far outweighs my love of slacklining, but I am a much more accomplished slackliner than I am a rock climber. It is easy for me to find my ebb and flow on a line. Immediately before I even mount a line do my mind and body connect on the same frequency. It is because I always let go. I have no emotional ties to slacklining. The outcome from a day of slacklining has no affect on my emotional well being. Rock climbing on the other hand lends itself to obsessiveness. I spend many nights lying awake rehearsing sequences in my mind preparing myself to ascend lines that stand out. My ego is so intrinsically associated with rock climbing it has created a emotional void that can only be filled via send.

The re aggrevation of my collateral ligament occured only 3 days ago, but I am on the brink of insanity because I feel as if I'm withering away with out the one physical activity that makes me whole. As I grow older I fear I will need to create a new approach to all physical activities in my life. For now, I am at the peak of my physical prowess, and it is hard to be forced to rest. How does one mentally deal with such strife? I've tried all the usual distractions, but the aggregation of multiple injuries teasing me with full health aside from one joint and one ligament are killers.

Feeling vulnerable while seeking my flow. Don't take your health for granted, enjoy the shit out of it.

Corwina Park

2009-06-23T14:25:00.005-04:00

Chris took me to a 'secret' boulder off of 74 before the town of Kittredge in Corwina Park. It is hardly a secret as it is less than a 2 minute hike from the trailhead, but I had never heard of anyone climbing this boulder before. Perhaps it is the lack of hard problems that exist on it, but there is a nice highball in the v3-v5 range. Matt and I got on it, but neither of us were psyched enough to send. It is interesting that it is the same quality of gneiss that is found in the park. If there weren't more diverse destinations close by, I would probably frequent this boulder often.

Matt Climbing. Chris spotting in the classic Hunchback of Notre Dame Style.

3 Sisters Guide Book

2009-06-19T22:41:00.005-04:00

Bouldering has always been my first love in climbing. I began bouldering, and I will always boulder. I remember many trips J russ and I would take into the front range. We were complete noobs, rocking Umbro shorts, and placing climbing stickers on everything we owned. We were obsessed, and loved it more than anything. When we finally got sick of the sharp conglomerate of Flagstaff Mtn, we decided to venture into the unknown armed with Benningfields Colorado Bouldering, and Horan's Best of Boulder Bouldering. Boy did we ever get lost....constantly. J russ and I had an epic at least twice a week looking for boulders. Often we wandered around aimlessly finding nothing to climb, resorting to putting up some dirtbuglar on the closest chosspile we could find to make the trip "worth while."
Perhaps part of it was the fact we weren't very good at exploring for new boulders, but I feel a much bigger hand in our aimless wanderings was the poor description of boulder locations, and the lack of a proper map to get us there. Now we are much older, much more experienced, and I like to think we're much wiser, but that is always up to debate. Now I armed with education in the field of Geographic Information Systems, and it is time climbing guides on the front range are revolutionized in terms of accuracy and precision. I've decided to take it upon myself to create a guidebook for the 3 Sisters area in Evergreen in an attempt to create a guidebook which focuses on getting climbers to the boulders they desire with minimal knowledge of the area.
Today I hooked up with Luke Childres a 3rd generation First Ascentionist that has developed a great deal of the 3 Sisters area in the last 10 - 15 years. He is truly a legend in his own right, and he gave me the pleasure of working with him today. We gathered all sorts of data for the guidebook, and I am very excited to see the distribution of areas and boulders from a cartographic perspective. Here are a few pictures from our day.

Parking Lot 2

The First Ascentionist Taking Flight.

The Author on the Prince.

Gaining wisdom on Wisdom.

More 3 Sisters

2009-06-11T17:12:00.007-04:00

Matt K. and I went to 3 sisters despite the weather channel's call for scattered T Storms. It turned out to be a beautiful day. We experienced one short 15 minute shower, and blue skies the remainder of the day.

Matt making the bump on Thievery.

Rainbows

The view from on top of the middle sister. (Enter dirty joke of choice here)

Baby You, You Got What I NeeeeeD.....

2009-06-09T14:16:00.004-04:00

The last few weeks my house has turned into a hostel for rock climbers from Tennessee. It seems half the climbing community from Knoxville currently resides in Colorado for the summer, and I can't blame them. It has been really nice to catch up with old friends, and show them some Colorado Hospitality.
The more I mingle with climbers, the more I realize that we are actually quite a worldly bunch. There are few other sports which encourage a lifestyle of travel the way climbers experience travel. Traveling to destinations in remote regions away from the hustle and bustle of the 'tourist' experience, we see, feel, and understand culture better than most. For a long time I felt as though climbing was going to be another sport I'd fall out of after a few years, but I know now the draw is more than just movement and physical activity. There is an intrinsic association with the way we choose to live as well. I love climbing for everything it is off the rock as much as it is on the rock. Next time you go out, and get frustrated by your failures on the rock, remember everything you've learned from climbing off the rock.

Alex F. on Re-Entry Burn at Satellites.

Charlie on Slabrina at 3 Sisters

3 sisters/Alderfer Park

2009-05-31T13:49:00.006-04:00

I fell in love with quartz granite on Saturday. My first foray into 3 sisters was absolutely amazing. This area is an overlooked gem in the front range bouldering destinations. We had the boulders to ourselves in a pristine and gorgeous environment. At 7500 feet I will be heading to this destination plenty this summer. The rock quality is superb, and suddenly my psyche is back.

OMG BLOG UPDATES!

2009-05-15T13:23:00.005-04:00

I have nothing to say except this: TBA - Total Bad ASs.

Kyle cruising this crack for the 100th time.

Kyle Crushes Again.

Tasha hiding behind the bee.

Pictures Knot Words

2009-04-26T17:32:00.003-04:00

Sabrina on a fun but grovely v4

Matty on a neat v9

Ninja Night Sesh

2009-03-26T12:34:00.006-04:00

I stare out my window watching the snow hurl itself towards the ground debilitating the city. These are my favorite snow storms as long as I am not forced into the brutal world to deal with the stresses of transporting myself. Old Man Winter rears its ugly head hopefully for the last time this season, humbling and reminding us of his capabilities. A saving grace for some, and possible death for others.

Last night Scott, Josh, Larkin, and I rigged up a highline in the peaceful calm before the ensuing storm on North Table Mountain at the Golden Spire. It was only my 4th line, and it was in the dark. The weather was unusually cooperative after its inital bouts to boot us off the mountain. We strapped on our patience pants and set up in a timely fashion. By we I mean Scott because I have a limited idea of what I'm doing. I did take the opportunity to set up my tripod and take some pictures however.

Larkin joined us as I was flailing about on the line. I had sent the downward direction, and was having trouble cruising the uphill direction. Luckily Larkin brought a few powerful portable lights, and the pictures turned out great..when we used them. Police cars flashed their lights on us from below in Golden, so we decided to forgoe the lights for the 2nd half of the session. However the ambient light from the storm and glow from the lights reflecting off the clouds were more than enough to allow us to see the short line.
It was a really great time. Scott and I reflected on how much fun these mid week excursions were, and agreed much more of these shenanigans would take place in the coming months. Here are a few pics of the Ninja Night Sesh.

Scott sorting his many lines to find the right one.

Scott and Josh kicking it at Dusk.

I asked Scott to hold still for 15 seconds for this shot. The ambience of the sky did not show up in the pictures unfortunately.

Scott sends in "Full Man" Style

Hero Picture on top of North Table Mountain.

Slacklines & Senitas

2009-03-03T13:37:00.005-05:00

The weekend was good for being a local one. Lately partners have been injured, or more ambitious in terms of weekend trips (Read they have more time and money than I currently do).

On Saturday I attended the Slackline party at Chataqua Park hosted by Scott Rogers, a strong advocate of the slacklining community. A man who is a pioneer and pushes the boundaries of the sport. It turned out great. There were at least 50 people who showed up while I was there, and the ability of the slackers was quite unexpected and impressive. There were numerous people with the ability to do flips line to line, as well as a number of other hard tricks. There were around 12 - 15 lines, with the ~160 ft line taking center stage. I only tried to walk it once, and chickened out near the middle. I wish I had given it another go, long lines are something I don't get the opportunity to walk very often as a result of my laziness in rigging them.

On Sunday I took a few folks out to climb at Senitas. Amongst them we had some first timers, and it was a joy to watch them tackle the outdoors with such enthusiasm. It reminds me of the bliss I experienced when rock climbing first discovered me, and I absolutely love to share this great sport with those who are open minded enough to enjoy it. Lets face it, rock climbing is not for everyone, but experiencing the unbridled enthusiasm of noobies gets me really psyched. I posted the pictures I liked the best. You can find more pics of the day here on my lamebook.

Mike B enjoying himself thoroughly.

Mike B on Lower Fin.

Publish Post

Charlie on Lower Fin.

Carter Lake

2009-02-23T16:41:00.004-05:00

We went to Carter Lake on Saturday with a great crew. There were about 6 of us there, and almost all the boulders we visited were new ones to me and the majority of folks in the group. It was a brilliantly smashing time. Ian and Matty G got quick ascents of this highball 3 near the cliffline, and I had a few proud onsights. This area of my bouldering is finally starting to come to fruition after much hard work. You can find some more pics of the day here on my lamebook with some ghetto fab commentary inspired by Joe Kinder.

Ian gives this lowball traverse a go at the end of the day.

Desmond Tutu

2009-02-19T12:41:00.002-05:00

Desmond Tutu recently wrote an article for the BBC concerning Barack Obama. I have always been a fan of Desmond Tutu. He is well spoken and well thought out, and I believe this article is worth reading. You can find it here.

The Volleyball Problem

2009-02-18T01:23:00.005-05:00

My friend Koa, a volleyball coach, called me up today and asked me a question to help him coach his team. He has 14 players, and wants to create groups of 3 such that every player plays with every other player at least once. How does he go about creating those groups?

My first thought was to create a circle with each players name around the circle and draw lines which indicate who'd they'd be playing with.

But this creates problems because as you can see that means there are 364 different ways of grouping 3 people together amongst the 14 so that every players plays with another player at least once. (or so I think, I took Combinatorics too many years ago). I thought to myself, there must be some mistake, perhaps this model doesn't take into account duplicates. So I worked out an easier case: 2 person groups amongst a pool of 4 people.

Since order doesn't matter, all we are worried about is the fact that player 1 plays with player 2 at least once, duplicate entries do exist. moreover, this seems to be a horrid way of grouping folks together.

Perhaps a better method would be to have the 14 players count off to 5's, and group the 3 1's together, the 3 2's together, and so on. But how would you mix the players after they've played one set so that every player plays with every other player. The problem still stands. Any thoughts, ideas or solutions?

Motivation

2009-02-14T23:16:00.004-05:00

Recently I have felt a lack of motivation with respect to climbing. Since I have moved from Tennessee back to Colorado, there have been very few lines which have caught my eye and excited my mind. There have been very few lines which keep me up at night while I dream of their movement, texture, and surroundings. The shape of the holds, the grittiness of the stone, the subtle movement of the hips. It's a shame. Is it that I'm slowly falling out of love with climbing? Although, to me, it feels funny to communicate those thoughts, that is the nature of my relationship with climbing. I am constantly itching to go, but I have no singular focus like other climbers seem to have. I have never been one to go out with an agenda. I am here today to tick this, this, and this. In fact on days I do go out with an expectation of sorts, I fail miserably. However, I do have an innate desire to improve, to form a larger schema of climbing movement, to climb more fluidly and with greater control, style and flair. But that is a result of human nature more than a reason to undertake climbing. Show me a climber who does not want to improve, and I will show you the exception to the rule.

There once was a lot of stability in my climbing. I don't mean in terms of movement or technique, but rather the atmosphere of my climbing. I had my partners, my gym, and my favorite pair of shoes. Now it seems as if my climbing constantly tends towards entropy. I don't necessarily feel as though sharing moments outdoors with a variety of people is a bad thing whatsoever, but it certainly does affect my level of motivation and psyche. Considerations such as will my partners give me a good belay, a safe spot, and friendly smile come into play in my mind, and very much determine my level of climbing. In the end it is a weakness, because I understand the root cause comes from insecurity. Occasionally the opinions of my partners matters, even though I know it never should. Climbing is an individual pursuit.

Tomorrow I boulder with a good friend of mine, a partner I trust, a partner I have built a connection with, and who motivates and keeps me in a zone where I can have a singular focus. Tomorrow, I shall return to what brought me in the first place.

An image from the early days. Backside of Senitas.

Best of Hueco Tanks 2009

2009-02-03T00:37:00.011-05:00

Okay Okay Okay. By now most of you probably know I just returned from a trip to the Hueco Tanks. I went on this journey with Adam and Danny. All 3 of us brought our nice SLR's, and the other two brought video cameras as well. We were media whores for the majority of the climbing. In short it was a well documented trip. If you want to get an idea of the story of our trip you can check out my lamebook album here.
So instead of boring you with details I'll just post the pictures I enjoyed the most.

You can also check out Danny's Blog here and here.

And Adam's website here. I'll let you navigate to the blog for the story and the pictures section for the visuals.

Danny on Daily Dick Dose

Old School Rock Graffiti.

The marquee picture of Nobody Gets Out Of Here Alive.

Danny Crushing Paleozoic.

Hueco Vegetation.

Ian on Power of Landjaeger. So close to sending.

Adam on Sarah

Mike's 4 Star Upper Flag Circuit of FunK

2009-01-24T22:16:00.005-05:00

What a day! It began with rain and ended with rain, but everything in between was perfect. Mike B suggested we do his 4 star workout circuit, and if you have ever bouldered with Mike B, then you know in his eyes, a problem isn't 4 stars unless its at least 20 feet tall.
We began in an area of upper Flagstaff I didn't even know existed. It is above the Upper Y and consists of almost all overhanging boulders. We warmed up on a few classy highballs, then went over to Pat Arment's "The Stand." Perhaps the best at its grade on Flagstaff. We then worked our way down, and ended this brilliant day on Big Overhang, in my opinion the best V2 I've been on in Colorado.

Dean working his way up The Stand

Charlie has such great climbing faces. Wish this photo had turned out a bit better.

Mike floating up Standard Route. Supposedly a V0. Yeah Right Mikey.

More pics of the day here.

Sat-o-lites

2009-01-22T02:39:00.005-05:00

It was far too gorgeous to not be outside today. Here are some different perspectives of Turning Point.

Matt Whipping up a storm.

Danny loooking constipated

The Hold we are not getting to.

The turning of the point.

I really enjoy climbing with other photographers, not only do we nerd out and talk photography, but I also get to see myself in action. Danny's side here.

Blob Rock

2009-01-19T02:11:00.004-05:00

We headed up to Blob Rock in Boulder Canyon on Saturday, and I have never felt so worked as I have on Sunday. There is something different in the way Blob Rock climbs compared to my other experiences in Boulder Canyon albeit a limited amount of experience.

Tara and Ian figure out where the blob we are going.

Ian entering the first crux of Jolt Cola.

Best of 2008 Photography Installment #1

2009-01-16T13:36:00.013-05:00

I began looking back through my photographs from 2008. In terms of photography it was a big year for me. I bought a digital SLR, and I truly began to learn much more regarding the technical aspects of photography, and my camera tells me I took over 7400 photographs. It is a confluence of science of art, technical know how, and a compositional eye. I still have much to learn. Some of these photos are placed in this category because I thought they were great photos, some because they have sentimental value, and others because It was the first time I took a good picture using a new technique. I suppose it is hard to really critique your own photos because there is certainly a level of attachment that exists. Here is the first component of the best of 2008.

This is actually me climbing. My cousin, Siamak, took this photograph. I think it is amazing. As my good friend Matt Kerr says, this should be on the cover of climbing magazine IMHO.

I soloed half way up a sketch 5.7 trad route at T wall to get a photo of my friend Kyle on an adjacent route. To my dismay, I could not even see him climb. I felt obligated to take a photo, and this is the product. A nice perspective of T wall.

Photoneering

2009-01-16T01:52:00.006-05:00

It seems Danny and I have been trying to get up to the Satellites for weeks, but the weather or other activities seem to stand in our way. We attempted to head up there today, but after eying the amount of snow and lack of sunlight we decided on a Flagstaff session. Who drives 45 minutes for a Flagstaff session?!?? Apparently we do.

Pre Warm Up Warm Up.

Nearly a great picture on the Amphitheatre.

Southwest Arete Face.

A little Scary, but how could I not post the glory of Danny's white stomach?

Danny's side of the story here.

The List

2009-01-09T00:44:00.004-05:00

It seems posting the goals of the upcoming year is quite en vogue right now, so I'm jumping on the bandwagon and posting some of my goals. It also forces me to hold myself accountable for the production or lack thereof in the next year with respect to climbing. Here are just a few problems that really stick out in my mind that I would like to tick, and their respective grades.

--v4--
Spewbacca, Flatirons
--v5--
Lobster Claw, Hueco*
Germ Free Adolescence, Eldo
--v7--
The Ineditable, Independence Pass
Doughboy, Carter Lake
Baby Face, Hueco Tanks*
--v8--
Turning Point, Flatirons
Skipper D, RMNP
The Orb, Rocktown*
--v9--
Handicapps, RMNP
--v10--
Tower of Power, Flatirons

--5.7--
The Bastille Crack, Eldo
--5.10--
Rock Wars, RRG*
--5.11--
Purple Toe Nails, Shelf
--5.12--
Sargasso Sea, Dream Canyon
Tell Tale Heart, Boulder Canyon

* If I can make a trip out to said destination

Taming Infinity

2009-01-07T02:05:00.002-05:00

Mathematics is the most beautiful, creative art that exists. Unfortunately it is lost on most. This lecture given by Manil Suri doesn't require any formal mathematical training, and if you have an extra hour of time, and interest in the existence of different sizes of infinity I implore you to watch this.

My Great Climbing Debate

2009-01-06T20:51:00.003-05:00

In my relatively short career as a climber I have always been able to easily identify my strengths and weaknesses with respect to climbing. Of course as the disparity between my strengths and weaknesses grew, I tended towards my strengths because that is human nature. We enjoy what we are good at simply from the success achieved. As a result I labeled myself a boulderer, bought a membership to the spot, and made gains in contact strength, maximum power, and the mental thought process and problem solving associated with bouldering. I vehemently resisted moving out of this description. It became a part of my identity as a climber, as a person.
Then I moved to the South, and was forced to maneuver out of my bouldering persona because of the weather, but more importantly because of my passion for climbing movement. During the summer months, the sandstone sweat too much and the friction hardly existed for "hard" bouldering to take place. I began learning the art of sport and trad. Oh it was too easy to make excuses why I didn't excel at these disciplines. "I'm a boulderer at heart, I have no endurance!"
Now it is the midst of winter in Colorado. I imagined I would be doing nothing but bouldering this time of year simply for the fact it is miserable climbing and belaying routes in the bitter cold. Lo and Behonld, I have crossed the threshold into a rope wrangler, albeit a bad one....for now. My thoughts are consumed by routes I'm dying to crush, and the process involved. The epiphany which struck me is climbing is climbing, and it is dangerous to limit and label yourself in one discipline of climbing. Perhaps this seems like common sense to most climbers, but Its something I'm just beginning to discover.

Ian's proud onsight of Lats Don't Have Feelings at Shelf.

Said and the case of the mistaken Mullet

2008-12-23T18:43:00.005-05:00

I googled a barber shop today in hopes of getting a great haircut after multiple bad experiences from franchise shops such as Great Clips and Fantastic Sams. I was in for quite a surprise. My stylist, a nice older lady who has been cutting hair for the past 3 decades, gave me possibly the best (and worst) haircut I've ever received. She told me she loves to cut hair, and it is her creative outlet. After hearing such enthusiasm and passion I thought I would allow her free reign with my hair. She buttered up the deal by constantly complementing my great hair. I think she was thankful I wasn't bald like most of her clients.
I asked her for something short and easy to maintain. I was in desperate need of taming my rambuncious curls. This was my first haircut since Lasik, so I was a bit ackward with my eye contact. Where are you suppose to look during a haircut anyways? I've always had the blind experience, and never knew such ackwardness at the barber shop before. Regardless, this is the haircut I received:

Business in the front.

Party in the Back.

Being an unemployed, poor student I can not afford a second haircut, so I shall rock the mullet, perhaps indefinitely.

Back To Basics

2008-12-19T20:15:00.007-05:00

Went to Cherry Creek Reservoir for the magic hour today. It was cold.

I was reminded of the following poem.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by: Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of the easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Werd Birds.

I wanted to go out on the ice, but got scared.

Modeling Photos

2008-12-15T15:45:00.003-05:00

Because I just love to blow up my ego. Plus Mike, the photographer, did a great job so they are worthy of internet publication.

Rest Week

2008-12-14T18:48:00.003-05:00

The fact that I don't remember what it is like to not be sore coupled with the microinjuries in my tendons and hand joints pointed me in the direction of rest. Today is my 9th day of rest 2 more days than I would've liked, however it has been refreshing to not be completely immersed in climbing, the climbing community, and everything climbing related. Balance is something in which I am trying to attain, although rarely achieved. In lieu of climbing I've decided to model, amongst other activities, but also mainly to give moral support to my sister, and her budding startup fashion design company, Freedom Star.
On Saturday the 13th of December Fashion Denver put on a fashion market aptly named Holiday. It was a pleasure to meet so many new interesting, dynamic, and open people. All of my preconceived notions regarding folks in the fashion industry were completely shattered as I met the players in Denver's fashion industry. It was an incredible time, and as the only male model, I got more cheers than the girls did, although they were much better looking than me. So, here's to being and looking Fabulous.

Carter Lake Episode

2008-11-30T21:50:00.008-05:00

Frank, Emily, and I were able to enjoy Colorado weather before it turned stormy on Friday. Our original plans of bouldering at Eldorado were nixed in favor of getting Frank and Emily acquainted with Carter Laker. I couldn't believe they hadn't been to this classic front range bouldering destination. Plus I had unfinished projects here from before my move to Tennessee. Pristine conditions with little to no crowd. It was a great day.

Emily crushing the crux of the warm up.

Frank sending Kahuna Roof.

Hole in Pants Dab.

Emily's hands reflecting on the start holds to Kahuna.

Storm clouds rolling in, hot sports action long hair photo.

Frank barn dooring off Doughboys.

Old Stuff

2008-11-26T01:54:00.003-05:00

Really super psyched on bouldering right now. Here's an old photo from a trip to Independence Pass.

Population of Crushtown: Ian

A Tango with Terrain Boulders

2008-11-24T15:26:00.006-05:00

Not feeling very eloquent nor articulate today. Just pictures:

Ian on some crazy tall lichen filled slab problem, cleaning as he goes.

Mike on Spewbacca.

Myself on What about Bob? Photo by Mike.

Joe's Valley...Again

2008-11-17T23:24:00.009-05:00

I once again felt the need to scratch the Joe's Valley itch, and went on an impromptu adventure with Frank, Emily, and some other new friends. Here are the pics. You can find more pics of the trip here.

Frank on Jitterbug Perfume

Matt on Resident Evil Stand

Adam on Resident Evil

Isaac on Spam

Frank on Big Boy

Annie on Big Boy

Dylan feeling out The Comedian Sit

The Bell - Lee (Belly) Wedding

2008-11-09T21:39:00.004-05:00

If life is made up of moments, what is it that we do with ourselves between moments? I recently had a conversation with a friend of mine regarding our perception of increments of time. We came to the conclusion that increments of time seem to move faster and faster as we hurtle through our lives. Is it that as children we take granted the special moments of life and give each moment the same value; each moment is just as important as the last? Or is it that as adults we don't find value in the time between moments? Maybe these are just different ways of expressing the same thought, but in the last 3 to 5 years, it seems my life has been thrown through time faster that the first 20 years. Perhaps its a testament to the amount of fun that I'm having, but I seem to remember more hardships recently than in the past.

With that said, My good friends had a wedding, and embarked upon a journey with each other that I hope is never ending. As a group of friends, we had not all been in the same state, let alone the same room with each other in over 2 years. We have grown in many different ways, but are all essentially the same. Collectively we've grown into an eclectic, diverse group that apparently was both the life and demise of this party. Lets just say golf carts and my friends don't mix well. This wedding not only signifies a great event in Mr. and Mrs. Jake Lee's life, but also that of my own life. This is certainly a moment. An important moment. Jake and Heather are the first of my friends I truly consider adults. They've taken quite an adult commitment, albeit to each other. It reflects upon my own life because now I'm afraid my time to take the plunge into adulthood is coming even though I've spent the better part of this decade fighting that urge. I guess I better strap on my arm floaties.

A Transitional Moment

A couple of 62 seconds

A couple of 62 years

Congratulations Jake and Heather. I love you guys.

Pumpkin Patch Kids

2008-10-30T23:26:00.004-04:00

The making of 2 Jack - o - Lanterns.

Untouched Pumpkins

Pumpkin Seeds and Sauce...appetizing.

One sexy lookin pumpkin

Halfway there!

3 Wolves and 1 Black Cat. Note the toothpick through howling wolf's ass.

2 for 1 special

2008-10-28T23:14:00.004-04:00

First time I've posted twice in a day. So all you addicted blogophiliacs get a special treat today.

Frank and I went down to Morrison and met my friend Chris at the Black Hole. It is the first time I've been to this area, and its much smaller than I had anticipated. Luckily I was warned of the contriving nature of this area, and was ready to mentally deal with the lack of pure lines, and accept them for what they truly bring: gymnastic climbing movement. We busted out the headlamps and climbed well into the dark, stuffing our hands in places they probably shouldn't have gone, and saying things that shouldn't have come out of our mouths. This girl Katherine today told us "climbers are an 'interesting' bunch." The level of raunchiness always exceeds expectations, and usually I love it.

Frank on Helicopter

A computer beat me at chess once. But, it was no match for me at kick boxing.

2008-10-28T13:14:00.002-04:00

Felt a bit introspective the other night. Went out and took some shots. I liked this one.

Fall at night

I may never be a Germ Free Adolescent

2008-10-27T15:51:00.007-04:00

Anyone who has known me for the last 3 years, also knows of my harrowing tale with the Germ Free Boulder. On a fateful November day, I stepped up anxious to climb this front range classic with the knowledge that the giants of early Colorado bouldering had ascended this line before me. John Sherman and John Gill are a few names that come to mind. As the session progressed so did my uneasiness and anxiety. Egged on by my friends, I commited to the movements, that is of course until I looked down. Struggling to find my breath, feeling the lack of chalk on my hands, I moved to the next hold. I did not make it, and fell hard. The 5 pads and spotters did not do much for my angle of descent. One hairline fracture later, and that was the last day of climbing for almost 12 months, and the first day of Das BooT.

3 years later I returned to this boulder. Still Uneasy. Still Anxious.

At this point I wish I could relay the story of victory and accomplishment, but for me that doesn't seem to be the nature of bouldering. It is filled with more days of crushing defeat than plain crushing, but that is why it is a sport for the headstrong and the will of the heart. In short I will be returning soon to this boulder...Ultimatly to conquer my fear, but also to climb in the footprints of the greats.

Regardless, Matt, Katy, and I had a great day. Perfect temps, good laughs, and stout sandbagged problems. As always, they were followed by beers. And now the pics....

Matt working out the move on the right sit start of GF.

Matt flailing with a foolish face.

Katy allowing me the pleasure of her portrait.

Crossing the river is always a debauchle. Hilarity usually ensues.

I Found My Psyche Under a Rock

2008-10-25T23:25:00.004-04:00

Its a full house. My sister moved in, and now we are the perfect American family I never had growing up. Life has become considerably more hectic, and I don't even have homework or deadlines. My world is both being built up and crumbling like dry cookies at the same time. But as the Beatles say, "I'm not sad at the end of the day cause I'm not alone, I get by with a little help from my friends."

I began a new climbing regiment, and this time I'm going to stick to it.....for at least 2 weeks. However, having goals, set climbing and resting days, and realistic expectations has given me a new level of psyche previously not found. Saying that, it was nice to go out today and have a relaxing, confidence building day on Flagstaff. It is the first time I have visited this area since I moved back to Colorado, and it is evident I have become stronger. Now if only my resume was looking a little stronger. Here's a photo for your viewing pleasure.

Jessica wondering where all the holds have gone.

Mt Evans

2008-10-01T22:34:00.005-04:00

Fall has most certainly arrived. The Aspens are changing their colors, and Mt Evans looks nothing like it used to earlier in the season. Frank and I went out on a weekday, and basically had Area A all to ourselves.

Stars, Bars, and Shot Up Cars

2008-09-29T15:03:00.016-04:00

Other possible titles for this post:
1. Star Search
2. Starrosis - an inflammation of the star seeking frontal lobe.

Right Fork in the Morning.

As I lay in my tent staring at the star strutted night sky devoid of any clouds I couldn't help but truly feeling the magic that lies in Joe's Valley. It's more than just the gorgeous black and tan streaked boulders, the turquoise laden river, or the marvelous sunrises and easy going pace of life in the valley. It's something intangible that you could never over experience, and always find hard to communicate in words. In short Joe's Valley is magical.

The first of many "freak outs"

The C A M R. post dirt road short cut. Now at 198,000 miles and still building character!

Friday morning Garvin and I strapped up and did the long drive into Joe’s Valley, not getting lost once; but nearly running out of gas twice. We made the mistake of stopping in Grand Junction to grab food and booze before heading into the land of Mormon, 3.2 beer, and Sandstone. We drove in circles attempting to find grocery stores, in place we only found super targets and liquor barns.

Garvin on The Comedian

Finally we arrive at our destination, and quickly made our way to Man Size Area to relieve the itchiness of our fingers, and soothe the sweating of our palms with chalk. We began our reintroduction to the area by climbing the tallest face we could find, a gorgeous highball named Michelangelo; undeniably a work of art. We also played around on a few moderates before running into a friend from the South, Jill. A pleasant surprise to say the least because we ended up spending the rest of the weekend with her, her friend, Anna, and the Canadian staying in a movable aqua “loaf of bread” (read van), Ira. All was well in the world.

Ira and Jill

Katy, Garvin’s girlfriend, was to meet us there Friday evening, but due to complications arrived late in the evening. However it did provide us with entertainment…as we began to get further into the bottle of Chossy Rossi, we also began to dance at every car that passed our campsite.

Saturday, we got on a really cool problem called Worst Case Scenario. Jill sent with impeccable style.

Photo by Katy Scott.

Sunday saw ascents of the remaining proj’s and the long journey back home. Beat and broken, the trip was a huge success, and now I have dreams of returning as soon as possible.

Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

My new Favorite Photo.

Katy excited about squeezing out her bananas

Garvin coming up with something mischievous

Katy over the water on The Angler

Shot Up Slug Bug

Sundays @ Chaos

2008-09-23T01:38:00.006-04:00

We got the alpine start in order to avoid the crowds, but also to snag one of the parking spots at the Bear Lake Parking Lot. To our dismay the clouds burst open and spew its watery opinion upon our arrival at the park. we quietly waited at the pavilion waiting for the storm to pass, or at least a calm to the barrage of rain so that we could make the hike to Chaos Canyon. A few short minutes later we were greeted by blue bird skies, the blessing of old rangers and a timely patch of sunshine. Much needed rays of vitamin D to jump start our weary heartbroken souls.
We made our way into Chaos only to find the potato chip boulder soaked and hopes of our day lost, luckily we were a resilient crew vehemently pushing on into the unknown weather patterns of the Rockies. We parked our pads and derrieres under an unknown overhung problem near the beginning of the talus field and explored the definition of chillin'
Anxiously I perused lower chaos in hopes of finding dry holds, sunny weather, and good vibes. My expectations were exceeded when I came upon a dry Autobot and Mcala (sp?). We seshed....hard. The day turned out to be a gorgeous one, and we were the suckers for coming out early. None the less, I always enjoy the solitude and early morning crispness of Chaos Canyon before the hung over zombies come out to play, and pollute with noise.
A special congratulations goes to Garvin for sending his first 9, Handicapps, to Charlie for his first foray into the canyon, and to Jessica for making serious headway on her super proj.

End of the day cheese sesh by Lake Haiyaha.

Jessica

Matt

Crushtown, population: 1 (Jessica on Mcala)

Charlie getting gangsta' on Mcala. Almost magical framing on the photo.

The Roots.

Matt on Mcala.

R.I.Px (tks Tony)

2008-09-20T11:52:00.003-04:00

On Friday, I participated in an elective surgery known as Lasik. Now this "surgery" only takes a few fleeting moments, but under the laser it feels like a lifetime. Luckily my Somalian Dr., Dr. Ali straight hooked it up. And contrary to popular belief he was well fed. (I profusely apologize for my stereotyping so save yourself time on the hate mail). They asked me, "Said, are you anxious, would you like a Valium?"
At this point I had no reservations about the procedure, and I'm not usually one to pop pills. Well immediately afterwords they gave me paperwork to sign which states all the risks and possible sideffects of Lasik.

You may completely lose vision.
Corneal Abrasion.
Loss of Night Vision.
Halos.
You may be attacked by man eating tigers of the Sonderbon.

To say the least I became anxious, and immediately asked for the Valium.
They numbed my eyes with some crazy drops, gave me a stress ball that took the shape of an eyeball with cornea, iris, and all and told me not to blink.

The ticking of the laser, the cutting of the corneal flap, and the claustaphobic nature got my heart racing. I was extremely uncomfortable, and didn't understand a word of my 3 surgeons as they went on with their eye jargon.

But in the end it was all worth it solely for the cool sunglasses they gave me.

What does a dyslexic pirate say?

2008-09-19T14:09:00.000-04:00

RAAAAAAAAAAAA!

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Boulder Canyon & The Park

2008-09-19T13:37:00.005-04:00

I have zero excuses for the lack of updates recently. Here are some of the best photos to go along with the recent adventures.

Funniest Upper Chaos Landscape photography..ever

Chris self repel at Easter Rock

Lil' Morning stretch.

Ian crushing.

F#@k em up F#@k em up GO C - U !!!!

2008-09-04T15:27:00.001-04:00

I recently received my Septemeber 2008 Alumni newsletter from the University of Colorado at Boulder. The headlining article is about CU's beloved mascot Ralphie. It laid out the illustrious history of Ralphie, which I won't bore you non CU fans with, but also had a tidbit about Ralphie V, the newest buffalo to stampede across Folsom Field. In her first running, the Spring game in Boulder, she bowled over 1 of her handlers, and of the other 4, only 1 was fast enough to hang on to her. The video is here.

Phun With Paint

2008-09-02T02:52:00.003-04:00

I know these aren't great. But its the best I can do with paint and without photoshop. Ian, Nikki, Mike and I went to Rifle, then Independence pass this weekend. This was certainly a highlight of the trip. We all sent this highball named Jaws with one pad. Mike and Ian gave it the true flash, I got it second go. Here are the photos of this send. Unfortunately my battery ran out of juice mid sequence of Ian's go, but look for a post shortly regarding the rest of this amazing weekend. I'm tired. But not tired enough to untie her. ;).

Mike on Jaws # 1

Mike on Jaws #2

LOCAL HOMELESS MAN SELLS THOUGHTS ON EBAY

2008-08-27T15:11:00.002-04:00

Applying for jobs is about as much fun as bobbing for apples in lemon juice after having been shaved by a blind barber with a rusty blade. Clearly the raucous effects of the hunt have not had healthy nor positive effects on my personal appearance. My days are filled with wearing my mother's old scrubs and perusing the Internet for tidbits of entertainment, most of which fail in keeping my mind interested for more than a few fleeting moments at a time. Boredom is the word of the day folks, brought to you by the letter 'B.'
In fact in these times of desperation, I have succumbed to the dreaded career aptitude test which tend to be as random as a family guy episode. The latest test asked me to click on my favorite colors amongst a graph of 20 colors until there were no colors left. Huzzah! I should be a financial analyst! How depressing, the perfect job is the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
Perhaps my experiences have left me slightly cynical of this whole proposition known as a career. I just want enough money to go rock climbing and learn mathematics.

Road Trips are Epic

2008-08-25T13:25:00.006-04:00

Denver to Chicago to Knoxville to St Louis to Denver in 5 days. Lets just say I don't want to be in the drivers seat of a car for the next couple of days. It was good to catch up with old friends, not a beat was missed. We spent 14 hours straight to get to Chicago, it was not so bad seeing how we split it up into 4 shifts. We then forced Bob to stay up the majority of the evening playing Durak, the Russian drinking games until an hour before he had to be at work. What else are friends for?
Chicago is an interesting city, a solid mix between the concrete jungles known as the Burroughs of NYC, and the park infested cities on the west coast like San Diego. The one thing I did not do was experience the deep dish while I was there.
Aldo and I continued to Knoxville, while John left on a plane for Denver. The solo mission ensued where exorbitant amounts of coffee, beef jerky and small conversations with gas station attendants were consumed. Indeed, it does get lonely on the road, but not enough to be caught dead in a rest stop with no doors on the stall.

Aldo and John in Denver.

Chicago

John and Aldo at a local bar in Chicago. There was money from many different countries tacked to the wall including Peru, Switzerland and Germany.

On the way to Knoxville.

A Lovely Day to Leave

2008-07-30T23:44:00.005-04:00

I leave for Colorado in less than a week, and as a result I have been working intensely hard, but I've also been playing hard, procrastinating my chores of cleaning and packing for my move back out west. I feel as though I must take advantage of the wilderness in E Tennessee before my time in this place is up. Too little too late as usual, but that's my style.

Today Sarah, Taryn, Joanna, and I went to Great Smoky Mountain National Park and hiked up one of the most popular trails: Ramsay-Cascade Trail. It was a wonderful trip, 4.2 miles up a grueling hill, and 4.2 miles back down. The girls ran me at a hard pace, and I had much difficulty keeping up. Those Blue Ridgers are hardcore!

the victory picture

Messing around with shutter and aperture. I opened her up on this one.

I like the first one best, but thought it would be nice to see all 3.

Sunset Park (sans sunset issue)

2008-07-21T21:10:00.007-04:00

Ryan, Rachel, and I made our way to Sunset Park today to plug some gear and have some good times. It was quite the learning experience as I am quite a novice when it comes to traditional climbing. The setting was exquisite, and we hardly saw another soul the whole day. The pictures tell a better tale than I could.

Rachel crushing up a storm.

The storm.

From the top of Lookout Mountain.

Looking over the Tennessee River

Yours truly giving the best belay ever!

Little River Canyon

2008-07-10T21:16:00.002-04:00

Little River Canyon

Brian Hanging out Underneath a cave of hard problems.

Solitary Moments

2008-06-28T21:33:00.003-04:00

All work and no play, will make you a manager

2008-06-26T00:53:00.002-04:00

Kyle on Unknown 11a

Admit nothing, deny everything and make counter-accusations

2008-06-23T00:27:00.002-04:00

Kyle on The Invisible Man

Everyone Needs Something To Believe In.

2008-05-23T12:05:00.004-04:00

I Believe I'll grab another Beer.

You laugh because I'm different...........

2008-05-23T11:34:00.007-04:00

I Laugh because I just farted.

Kyle on the Wave.

Tom topping out the Crescent.

Kyle on GoldenLocks, Alex giving the Belay.

6:45 am.

Another Day Another Dolla'

2008-04-18T13:55:00.004-04:00

Another year, and I once again got shafted by the IRS. Surely I thought would qualify for the tax credit. Goodbye Middle Class. Here are some pics from recent dayventures I've had with some great friends.

Spring Break Oh Ocho.

2008-03-27T13:37:00.007-04:00

Lots of great shots, and lots of great fun. My destination: Colorado. My Purpose: Eat as much of mom's Persian Cooking in 10 days as possible. Mission Status: Successful. Surely I came home a little heavier.
Upon arriving in Colorado, we immediately leave for Moab, Utah. The place is magical and aestethic. David, my Mother's Boyfriend, did the dirt biking, and Siamak, my cousin, and I did the climbing, and my mom worried for both of us. The Big Bend Bouldering area was across the road from our camping site, and it made it easy. I didn't bring a pad, so I had to find some friends. The Big Bend climbing scene is chill, and everyone was very friendly to me.

Siamak on Circus Tricks

Siamak crushing in style.

Of course, no weekend in Moab is complete without a trip to Arches National Park. It was a gorgeous overcast day, and it made my mom happy to be there.

Apparantly these are some of the oldest trees in the states.

Rest Day Shennanigans

David being badass.

The Open Road

I have serious issues....

2008-03-13T00:53:00.003-04:00

I slackline for the ladies. I don't even get so much as a hug or kiss from these delectable sirens. But the full attention of floozies can be priceless, even if it is for fleeting moments. We set up a line at Circle Park today, It pulled a different crowd than usual. Instead of mesmorized jocks, and impressionable freshman, we got the attention of Sigma Kappas and production company interns who do bad magic tricks.

Been Ballin' Since The Womb

2008-03-06T21:16:00.004-05:00

I mean HighBallin..... My mother gave birth to me on a very tall table. Today we re-enacted the event by climbing a couple highballs at LRC. We began by climbing Kaya, a beautiful highball that climbs a clean white face. There are a few tenuous moves high, for maximum drama. We then moved on to Deception, which is deceivingly hard, and slightly tall. The movement is sustained and 4 star.

Cody on Deception.

Matt on Deception.

Matt on Kaya.

Cody on Kaya.

I got a bad case of Wrenchitis

2008-03-05T16:50:00.004-05:00

To say I've been setting a lot recently is an understatement. I donated my services to the Vol Wall for their annual semester comp. I think the name of this comp was crankfest or some derivation of that. UTOP hired a young gun named Grady who stayed with my roommate and I for the week, and showed us the true meaning of setting. It was refreshing to watch an 18 year old take something so seriously. Despite our best efforts we did not get Grady to go crazy until all the "work" was done. The comp turned out to be a huge success. Roses were thrown from the stands, and we were considered Heroes. Well not so much, but I have recently played Contra, so I feel as if I have saved the universe.
I also got outdoors recently, went to a new area called Horse Pens 40. I don't believe it needs an introduction since it is probably the most infamous bouldering area in the Southeast.

Sam on some v4 at Rocktown.

Rob and Grady getting their NBA Jam on.

Me on the First Natural.

Chris on Landslide.

Mondays @ LRC

2008-02-13T12:38:00.003-05:00

Man do I love my class schedule. I finish at 11:00 am, my friends finish around noon, and then we climb until dark or when our fingers bleed. It was a beautiful day, blue bird skies. We've truly been blessed with great weather recently. Of course as I write this the temps outside have dropped from 35 to 30 degrees F, and it looks as though it may actually snow.

We warmed up, and got on one of the cooler moderates I've been on at LRC called Mystery Groove, then tried a crazy dynamic problem called Spyro Gyro. Here are some pics from that day:

Santi on Spyro Gyro

Jon on Mystery Groooooove.

My Birthday Bash

2008-02-13T00:20:00.004-05:00

Saturday was my birthday, and I spent it the best way I could think of...on some rocks. The day was full of psyche, hard laughs, and it was return to my roots, climbing hard with the boys. I believe heaven is similar to days like this past Saturday. Collectively, I don't think we sent anything besides warm ups, but that is also what made it so great and laid back. Good Friends and good fun. I treated myself to a new digital Camera, hence the increased activity on my blog recently. I hope you enjoy.

Classic Southern top outs.

Some Strong guy on the Orb.

Spyro Gyro at LRC

Santi on Fatigue Syndrome.

Nostalgia

2008-02-11T01:30:00.000-05:00

I miss my friends in Colorado.

Contemptible Confusion

2008-02-07T19:46:00.001-05:00

What is it that we seek in this life anyway? For some the answers seem to pop into mind immediately. Mine is often overwhelmed with a million desires leading to utter confusion. I don't understand how life can be so complex, and so simple at the same time. It is all dependent upon what the desire of the moment is. Life is fleeting moments, moments that can not be captured except in the memory, and even then, we skew and change them to what our perception craves. I suppose that is why I am so enthralled with activities that force you to live the moment. Climbing, mathematics, and slacklining transform my thoughts into simplicity. But there is a dire side effect : it has turned me into an insomniac. I spend late nights lying in bed wishing I could fall into dream land worrying about my next move, how to fulfill my next temporary desire. It leaves me angry and sleepy.

And now some old pictures for your reminiscing/viewing pleasure:

Bicky and Jake

The Mathemagician (it didn't go over well as a Halloween costume)

How I feel.

Glamour Shots at LRC

2008-02-06T18:41:00.000-05:00

Another Beautiful Saturday, with a beautiful bunch of people. There were good times had by all. Some of us sent, some of us battled with the sandstone. But in the end we all came a little stronger and a little closer. I just received my new digital camera in the mail. I am super psyched on taking more photos with this camera, however there are so many function on it, I'm afraid my quality of photos will diminish for some time until I master all the gadgets on it. It is the classic Cannon Rebel Xti. Here are the first batch of photos, with some of my favorite climbing partners.

Lindsey on Sternum

Mitch workin Scarecrow

The Glamour Shot

Matt on The Crescent. Possibly the best climb in LRC.

The Grotesque Ego Post (As Seen on TV)

2008-01-26T15:34:00.000-05:00

I'm Sooo Awesome.

I received some of these photos courtesy of Isaac from the Hueco Tanks.

Fight or Flight.

Jingus Bells

Lifestyles of the Poor and Witty

2008-01-18T12:24:00.000-05:00

"It's been a while man, Life's so Rad!"

The last 8 weeks has been a whirlwind of activity for me. After a horrendous week also known as Finals, I was slightly burnt on mathematics. But don't worry folks, the passion still blazes like a freshly lit scented potpourri candle. I spent my Christmas Break climbing as much as physically possible in as many different location as I could find with as many partners as I could call. Sometimes I feel as though I am a climbing slut. Whoring myself to spotters who may cross their arms and braid their hair while I climb to unimaginable heights rope-less. None the less, many laughs were had, much skin was shredded, and more chalk was mistakenly digested. Here is a brief expose of my recent misadventures. Flatulence smells not included.

Bradley at Rocktown

Alex at Laurel

The Setter's Lock - in at The Climbing Center

Brian on Crock Block

Another Hueco Sunset

Feel The Rhythm, Feel the Rhyme, Let's get Ready, its Climbing Time

Tom on Jerry's Kids

Expanding my Photographic Horizons

John Sherman deciphering Diesel Power

The Author flailing on Crack of Doom

Mark on Celestial Mechanics

First Sighting of The Hueco Tanks

Abbey on The French Tickler

Brion on Purple Flowers

I Use Photography Chicks

2007-11-13T01:31:00.001-05:00

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

2007-11-02T20:27:00.001-04:00

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

2007-10-12T13:49:00.000-04:00

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

2007-09-26T22:17:00.000-04:00

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

Finally Some Photos

2007-09-19T22:28:00.001-04:00

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?

2007-09-04T01:46:00.000-04:00

Little Rock City and Sendelo Especial (24 oz)

2007-08-27T00:09:00.000-04:00

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

2007-07-27T13:53:00.000-04:00

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

2007-07-14T20:02:00.001-04:00

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

2007-07-13T20:54:00.001-04:00

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

2007-07-02T13:18:00.001-04:00

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

2007-06-12T01:20:00.001-04:00

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)

2007-05-30T19:26:00.001-04:00

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

2007-05-30T19:02:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-17T15:43:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-16T14:09:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-05T14:32:00.000-04:00

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

2007-05-03T15:18:00.000-04:00

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.