Too extreme a test drive?

So now that I've become accustomed to the new Subaru on "normal" driving conditions, I think it's time to ramp things up a little. I'm looking forward to taking it on a more "advanced" drive to test its capabilities as a worthy climbing vehicle. Here's what I have planned for it this weekend:

• +300 mile highway long range driving
• Cornering abilities on dusty roads
• Cornering abilities on dusty narrow roads>
• Cornering abilities on dusty, narrow, rock strewn roads
• Torque going uphill on dusty, wide, rock strewn roads
• Possible wind block for campers
• Clearance tests (doubtful we'll go to the Druids though...)
• Potential drives through light rains on said roads
• Potential drive through a "snow shower" on said roads

In other news, I'm not so sure that my shoulder will be ready for the weekend. Nearly all the pain is gone except for when I make two specific motions - one where moving my arm out away from my side, and trying to rotate my shoulder 360. I'm going to do some light rehab exercises the next two nights but... Oh well - I'm still remaining hopeful, but I'm going to look for my old SLR camera and find some film for it just in case.

In any case, it should be a good weekend of fun!

It hasn't hit me yet...

This just in...

Dear James,

Good news. You were the top candidate that I interviewed and
pending the processing of paperwork through HR, we should be able to
make you an offer in the next week or two!

Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Tom

I got the job. I think the information will be processed in 2.7 hours, at which time I will be ecstatic and run around the office naked. Hopefully I will be able to stop myself.

I think I'm going to celebrate by going to Bishop this weekend (oh wait.. that was already planned...).

Bishop, part deux

New Bishop trip planned for this weekend. I've taken Friday off so that Steph and I can leave around noon. Who is excited? ME! MYSELF! And I! Of course, of course.

Hopefully my shoulder will have been rehabilitated by then. It feels fine for the most part, except with very specific motions. At those motions, there's some stiffness and pain. I'm taking this week off from climbing, then moving onto stretches tomorrow before some light rehab work with a theraband on weds and thurs. Worst comes to worst, I'll just be the camera-guy, yo!

:) I heart Bishop. hee hee.

New ride(s)!

This weekend, my family and I did a switch-a-roo of cars (besides that eating thing we always do). The short version of the story: I have my mom's 2003 Subaru Outback wagon which I'll be making payments on, and she got a new S5 BMW station wagon. The Chevy Tahoe is no more and hopefully will find a good home with a good family that can provide it a good gas source. It has a hungry appetite.

I'm excited about the Subaru - it's a car I've been wanting for the last 5 years. It's a 6 cylinder engine (I need to double check to see if it's a in-line 6 or a V6), 3.0 liter engine, a higher clearance than most other non-truck cars, AWD, new tires, and best of all: nearly doubles the gas mileage I was getting in the Tahoe :). I've half a mind to go driving for the sheer joy of it. hee hee. The only thing is it takes 91 octane fuel according to the manual. I'll have to do some reading online to see if I can get away with a lower (and thus cheaper) octane rating.

Ugh... L.A....

I've come to really despise LA. My body despises it more than anything. When I got within LA county, the thick haze / smog of the southland encompassed everything in view. Shortly afterwards, my body started to feel tenser and I'm now suffering from a mild headache. And this was driving on nearly deserted highways and streets.

I'm really glad I live in San Diego. The weather is nicer, the air is cleaner and the people are no where near as superficial.

Speaking of LA, I've been pondering why the rest of the country (especially Northern California) hates LA so much. Talking to my sister's boyfriend, I've come to realize that Los Angelinos have a lot in common with the Borg, hence the mutual hatred and loathing of LA. I mean the Borg fly around space, assimilating entire cultures, force entire environments and peoples into submission, strip mine planets for resources, and individual expression is frowned upon. In comparison, the people of LA are a diverse collection of peoples (who really is a "native" Los Angelino anyway?), are generally fearful of the outdoors and prefer to "conquer mother nature" if they're confronted with it, engages in wanton urban sprawl in favor of natural parks and trails, and will socially shun those who don't fit the "in" crowd (rich, hip, en vogue and a partier).

There's a few other points too - but at least this is from our point of view.

If anyone needs me, I'll be holed up at my parents' house, cowering from fear of the populace of L.A. and waiting for the end of the weekend.

Bishop Pictures

Some Bishop pictures were taken by photographer Jimmy Liu (who incidentally can cruise up V4's like they're a warm up problem)

follow this link: http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/jimmyliu/bishop2005

then click on the "11-20-2005" album. Pictures of our crew should be #699 - #786.

hopefully steph and I can upload some more pictures in the next day or two.

Bishop takes shoulder - Checkmate?

Returned from bishop late last night - a WELL WORTH trip. I think most, if not all, of our 5 person crew were glowing with joy and happiness at our pilgrimage to California's bouldering Mecca.

Quick synopsis: our 5 man Beach house crew met the rag-tag 3 man the Northern Rioting Rats crew for 2 days of intense bouldering. No one was prepared for what awaited them (no really... no one did any training or preparation for this trip). Our two crews combined into the uber-crew of doom and went out to the Happy's, Sad's and Buttermilk boulders in Bishop.

We all cranked, and cranked as hard as we could. Steph pulled down on many a problem that shut her down on her last trip (17 problems went down in all this weekend), Taryn pulled down and onsighted multiple problems during her first trip to Bishop, Jeff redpointed boulder problems after multiple months of a hiatus from climbing (2nd bouldering trip ever), and Elise threw down at the Happy's and the Buttermilks during her first bouldering trip *ever*. I myself tested myself on past-sent problems to see where my post-recovery climbing status was. I also looked at new projects - specifically Hot Pants (V5) and Action Figure (V5) to try next time we go.

Some personal accomplishments: redid the Solarium, and Mothership Connection. Sent Hauck a Loogie, and some warm-up boulder problems (names unknown). Attempted: Hot Pants, Action Figure.

Unfortunately, we did come away with a few injuries. Nothing serious - just battle scars of sorts. Jeff nursed several wounds from trying the Birthing Experience bare foot, as well as a couple flappers on his hands after throwing to some sharp crimps. Steph and Taryn (and presemably Elise) came home with multiple bruises and a tweaked ring finger from the Mother Ship Connection (a painful ring lock keeps you on the wall). I think I had the worst injury - I re-injured my shoulder (rotator cuff?) and am having problems moving it in certain ranges of motion.

I'm going to be on a diet of ibuprofen and glucosamine tablets for awhile. I'm going to try to nurse this shoulder back to health for my next trip to Bishop. I did it once, I can do it again. I really want to have fun out there again... sooner than later.

found them!

never mind - found the stove. Disaster averted.

that missing item

It seems to be a cosmic rule that whenever I go camping / climbing, I inevitably forget / leave something behind.

For example, I've gone climbing only to find that I forgot my climbing shoes. I've gone sport climbing with some friends, only to spend 10 minutes looking for my climbing rope (we ended up bouldering instead). There was one time where I promised my exhausted and hungry climbing partners a lunch of soba noodles. I think I forgot to bring the noodles in the first place. They were upset. I lived. After some substantial punishment.

Today, I'm trying to get things together for a trip to bishop. To avoid this mishap, I've created a checklist of things to bring, looked over it with Steph and have been meticulously assembling our camping goods.

'Cept I have no clue where my camping stove is. And I think that's the only stove between the 5 of us. Yeah... not good. I still have 7 hours to find it though.

I'm getting desperate. I think I'm going to start looking with some dowsing wands soon. The maddening part is that I've found my bottle of fuel - just no stove!!!! Grrrrrr!

Bishop, CA!

This weekend marks a momentous event - ROADTRIP TO BISHOP!!!!!

Too bad it's only going to be a normal weekend (as opposed to a 3 or 4 day weekend).

In any event, it's going to be rad! different rock formations, different angles, expecting prime temp's for rubber to rock stickiness... totally awesome.

• Primary Goals: to climb (what can I say... I'm easy to please...)


• Secondary Goals: Pope's Prow (if my shoulder will allow it), Solarium, any other problems that look cool, not to freeze to death (upper 20's at night), Shat at Schat's Bakery.


• Tertiary Goals: Find a campsite. Don't die. Eat at Schat's Bakery

Expectations by the end of the weekend: lack of finger tips, lack of pride, lack of ego, lack of self-worth as a climber. I should be bloody and bruised, exhausted and physically drained to near death (see tertiary goal). Yup - it'll be awesome.

Personal Koan

A Zen Koan is a riddle of sorts, meant to provoke insight into enlightenment (aka satori). Usually koans seem outright illogical on the surface - indeed, they're meant to destroy the mind's use of logic as a crutch and bring the user into experiencing the moment, or reality, as is. Koans are primarily used by the Rinzai sect of Zen - up to this point, I have mostly been following Soto Zen style meditation (counting of breaths without the use of any Koans).

I've been reading a new Zen book and somewhere in the back of my mind, I was struggling with a very dire issue. This morning, I realized that it was a koan of my own making - created quite unintentionally:

The path of Zen is one that is free of desire. One's actions and thoughts should be free of what one wants or the possession of goals. But then why study Zen? To desire enlightenment, freedom from life's sorrows, or even to wish to continue meditating are all desires themselves. In other words, to attain enlightenment, one must free themselves of desires. But to have the desire of enlightenment prevents attainment.

There is a story in Zen that touches this very issue. A disciple once asked the founder of Soto (Dogen Zenji) what the purpose of meditating was. The answer? "Nothing what so ever".

Koans are life-and-death riddles, according to some authors. Questions that touch the very core of the person trying to answer to the point where they try to find an answer day and night. I feel like this issue is very important to me and needs to be answered... looks like I have a project for a while.

Taryn is cooking!!!!!

Taryn is cooking tonight... she has planned a multiple course meal, and is working hard to get things ready for our guests (time = T minus 54 minutes). This is someone who lives on a steady diet of smoothies and canned tuna. I can hear her squeals of delight at buying ingredients and her stresses in trying to determine specific measurements of said ingredients (i.e. a "clove" of garlic)

Well, I should say that she's finding containers for her multiple pureed, minced, mashed and heated foods that her Vitamix is creating.

In any case, I'm excited - her menu was chosen for it's originality and amazing ability to be made from her beloved (and only) kitchen appliance. Case in point: Tomato and something-or-other ice cream. This should be awesome!

The funny thing about Zen...

I got a another Zen book last night from a late night escapade to Borders with Steph. Partly because of the pretty pictures, mostly because it was 5 dollars from the Bargain shelf, I decided to get it. While reading it this afternoon, I found the following passage quite fascinating:

One of the famous German thinkers, Count Keyserling, has written that health is irreligious. Illness has a religiousness about it because an ill person is sad, desireless - not because he has become desireless, but because he is weak. A healthy person will laugh, wants to enjoy, will be merry - he cannot be sad. So religious people have tried in many ways to make you ill: go on a fast, suppress your body, torture yourself. You will become sad, suicidal, crucified on your own. -Zen, its history and teaching by OSHO

I don't necessarily agree with the passage per se, but it's an interesting observation. Not that I think Zen is free from "self-crucifixion" either. In any case, it's food for thought.

In other news, I laughed at myself today about how "Zen-like" I am. Or rather, how Zen-like I am NOT. I think I can only truly enjoy a Zen-like attitude once I stop focusing on trying to be Zen-like, and instead just be Zen. I hope that made sense... I don't mean to sound mysterious in that Zen-like way... err... umm... never mind...

The irrelevance of a job

"Advertising has us ... working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need." -Tyler Durden

Lately, I've noticed that the vast, vast majority of my friends hate their jobs - myself included. I knew that people hated their jobs, but it didn't dawn on me the extent of the quantity of people or the quality of their hatred/disgust/malign emotions towards their means of income. Why is that?

In regards to myself, I'm working in a position where I'm paid very little, I'm rarely challenged, I'm bored 90% of the time, the work environment is too draconic and I have no benefits (no vacation, sick leave or other financial benefits). I'm sure most others feel similiarly towards their own jobs. One of the benefits of my job is that I have a pretty cool supervisor - unfortunately the fact that she can empathize results in poor morale... but that's another blog for another day.

In any case, I realize that I don't *need* this job. I work at it because it's the highest paying job I can get at this moment in time. Half the time, I'm hoping I'll get fired so I can collect on unemployment. I have no debt, nor do I plan on getting any. In fact, I think part of my hesitation in getting a new car is because it means it enslaves me to an activity I don't enjoy. And life is too short not to maximize your time enjoying your youth, health and life in general.

I've grown less miserable since I've come to this realization. I've felt less trapped since I understand that my job does not define who I am - I'm not the contents of my to-do list. I'm less depressed once I realized that it is my choice to do what I am doing for money... and for how I spend it.

This entry is in no way meant to tell people how to live their lives; rather, it's just food for thought. An offering, if you will, of my point of view on the things that many of us believe we "need" to survive. If you feel like I'm full of shit, leave a comment and share your thoughts. That's what my Musings space is for. I freely offer myself as an undefended target to focus your frustrations. For those of you who feel I am wrong: I have attacked your way of life - now retaliate and bring me down!

Now, if you don't mind me, I have a Project Mayhem meeting to attend to...

So much stuff

The unexamined life is not worth living

So many thoughts - so little time. :)

First off, this mountaineering weekend is getting me so excited. I'm nervous, anxious, excited and giddy all at once (maybe that's just my allergies...). It's like looking forward to losing your virginity. Yes, it's that awesome.

Second, interesting observation today - I immediately went from good mood to a terrible dark mood when I drove into work. It started the moment I was on the property and I was overcome with the urge to "destroy something beautiful". I'm kinda surprised my antithesis of my job is so strong in so short of time. I wonder if others have the same Pavlovian conditioning so quickly...

Third, I had a wonderful evening last night. Not that I didn't miss Steph (in fact, it was utterly wonderful to have her return from her climbing trip - like falling in love again), but I had a nice dinner of orange chicken and rice, with a bottle of gatorade and some Bach's toccata en fugue playing in the background, all the while reading "The Freedom of the Hills". For some reason, I experienced a heightened sort of perception (no, I wasn't doing drugs). The rice tasted sweet and I reveled in the texture of each individual grain. The chicken was slightly too sweet but I thoroughly enjoyed the contrasting texture of the fried surface. And Bach (ah, Bach!) was a genious. His melodies are melodies within melodies. I could hear subdivisions within the whole. Each crescendo had was timed so well to a background of organic instruments, and each moment was a flurry of intertwined and overlayed patterns. I think I'm going to look into symphony tickets if Bach's work is going to be played - it was simply awesome.

Finally, I had a vivid dream last night of LA being utterly destroyed in a nuclear attack. I did watch "Chronicles of Riddick" a few days ago - maybe I was incorporating LA with some of the events from that movie...

In any case, I'm going to listen to some Crystal Method now (the music group or the drug? you decide). This could get interesting...

Stressful boredom?

I find it amusing that sometimes absolute boredom, aka the absolute lack of having anything to do, can be just as stressful as a complete overwhelming load of work, aka the absolute abundance of having things to do.

I do remember my prof's in Cog Sci saying that the healthiest mental activity level for the mind/brain is to have a moderate amount of stress periodically - much like how nutrionists suggest eating small meals throughout the day.

Maybe that's why I enjoy bouldering so much. It's all short spurts of moderate physical / mental stress punctuated by long durations resting, thinking and socializing.

I think tomorrow I'm going to cogitate on the traffic laws of Alabama instead of these moderately deep thoughts which are punctuated by periods of utter boredom.

To the Battlefront!

It's Nov 1st. It's a momentous, glorious day.

Star Wars Ep 3 DVD and (more importantly), Battlefront II comes out today.

After my usual jaunt to the climbing gym with Steph, Best Buy will be my destination. When I left the house this morning, I was but the student - but by tomorrow, I will be the master!

muah ha ha ha ha