shifting sand

kayaking

i attended the coolest wedding last weekend. it was my boss's wedding. our company took vans to the virgin island beach resort in batangas. everything was great. the accommodations, the ceremony, the food, the fireworks, and the beach. but i didn't take my camera out on the first day so i could really experience the moments.

there were things that troubled me then. like losing my sim card amidst all the sand. on the way to the party after the reception, my cabin mates and i got side-tracked. we soon found ourselves on the white reclining chairs, star-gazing and moon-bathing. it made me ponder on the majesty of the Creator of the beautiful night sky. and i realized just how little my problems were compared to how big He is. the wind was wonderful and i dozed to sleep.

the next day, we took pictures of jump shots and waded in the water. and went kayaking. we signed waivers then we were good to go. we had life vests on so we didn't worry about drowning.

there were three major challenges.

the first is leaving the shore. the second is going in the direction you want. and the third is recognizing progress.

the first had to do with courage and strength. the second with coordination for a beautiful rhythm and perseverance in going against the flow. and the third had to do with hope and truth.

let's just say they have a lot to do with the life i want to pursue, the one found only in Christ. He can calm the wind and the waves to keep the kayak called life from capsizing. He gave us life vests along with the kayaks, but we have a choice whether to accept or not.

God bless! ^_^

let go!

that's what the belayer signals you after you tell him/her that you want to go down.

letting go is wonderful when you're weary from trying to conquer that wall, but it doesn't compare to actually topping out. and it's not a very nice practice when you're not trying hard enough.

anywayz, my muscles hurt. my roommate and i went climbing yesterday. it was my first time in around eight months (thank God for engrams! benj, did i spell that right?). and joan saw me climb. i think the three of us could do it again on some other day. dominic was there, too. we stayed at his house and played "where in the world is carmen sandiego?" i also left my usb device there, which i needed for a presentation today.

i didn't top out anything yesterday. the best i did was go past the russian pump's overhang before letting go. i think my balance is improving. i traverse more smoothly now.

by the way, they were shooting an ad so my roommate and i might have cameo roles. lolz.

benj came to pick me up at 2.45pm to talk then meet the clan.

g'nyt, world! ^_^

bouldering insights

there are things to consider in dyno moves. these include letting go, timing, and commitment.

• letting go can sound scary. you can fall and if there's no one to break it, it hurts and it gives you more reason to fear letting go. but you must remember that the longer you hold on, the more effort it takes to hang on. you probably don't want to be stuck where you are.

• timing is also crucial. you need to wait for the opportune time to reach for your goal. too early or too late and you will come crashing down.

• commitment involves zooming in on your target and banishing all doubts. losing your focus and hesitation, no matter how small, result in failure.

come to think of it, even if you reach the top, you need to return to the ground just the same. and the height of your free fall is, of course, greater. is it worth the effort and the risk?

much afraid

each one of my friends knows how much i love wall climbing.  one thing in particular that drew me to that sport was affirmation.  another is the sense of accomplishment.  but somewhere along the way, i got lost in the training and it just left me exhausted.  i'm no longer the person who came home from class bursting with excitement about how i conquered this or that.  lack of food or sleep was never a hindrance to my climbing in the past.  the difference between then and now is that my will no longer drives me.  perhaps when i finally tire of wishing i were invisible, i will not hold myself back from loving what i do.

chain

this week is all about rest. because there are people who care enough to get others to 'chain' me to bed when i'm too headstrong to listen. and there are teachers who don't check the attendance or hold classes (like today).

i skipped lab last tuesday and lecture last wednesday morning because i was too dizzy. i'm glad my sister cancelled our going to a concert that tuesday night. i listened to bamboo's performance in between my vomit sessions. don't worry, i won't go into detail.

by the way, my advanced sport climbing classes fall on wednesdays. i was in no condition to climb. true. but i was too stubborn. i did pray before climbing the Y/ routes of the final's wall and of the samson's wall. and i topped out the latter. but as for the kiddie wall, i was too arrogant that i didn't pray. i had trouble kicking the wall. it was supposed to be the easiest wall so i was humbled. after the lock-off training, i was ready to crash. but i had to drop by mercury drugstore for drugs. lol.

i am thankful that benjie wasn't my belay partner that day or i wouldn't have been granted permission to climb. and that he's such a blessing. we had a tuna sandwich session at their house. paolo, his twin, was also there. their love languages vary so i experience "love in every language" when they're both around.

me and my chain say thanks. ^_^

happy melancholic

yup, that's me! i finally climbed again after n months. benjie was my belayer and vice versa. it was quite a refresher for us. i finally mustered the guts to climb a wall with an overhang. um, i fell. benjie, on the other hand, topped out. we also did traversals but neither of us went very far. it's funny how we both have similar weaknesses including balance. we can't swim or ride a bike. etc etc. one humbling experience today was not finishing the Y\ route in samson's wall which was of the same difficulty to my first climb during the competition we won back then. maybe it's just melancholic of me to long for past victories. but i'm not sad at all. quite the opposite, in fact. maybe we could attribute that to the L of coke and the muffins. or the hill. or the long hike home. or jericho's walk.

monica also dropped by earlier and we had lunch at chocolate kiss with kuya jan. maybe that accounts for my being more than a little crazy today. we bring that out in each other. maybe getting left behind is not so bad when good friends make it a point to spend time with you when the opportunity arrives. even if they're working like dominic. or living far away like joan. i'm out of mush... ^_^

limestone

i must have been crazy to hope my parents would allow me to go rock climbing at pugaan on sunday.  my dad's scared of an accident or a landslide...  my mom thinks i need to recover.  i'm weak 'coz i'm sick.  she says not to go climbing until she returns from cebu.  that means i'm staying in iligan.  besides, i don't think that includes wall climbing so it's not really a problem.  the thing is, i want to experience outdoor climbing here.  what are the chances that it's going to happen during this break?  the timing's just off...

revelations

when your climbing experience is reduced to a wall with 6 panels, creativity is enhanced.  and when your direction ceases to be vertical, training focuses on balance and dynamic moves.  the reason behind today's pretend climb is... the lack or equipment.  where does one borrow in this place?

philippians 4:13

when i arrived at power-up this morning, they somehow convinced me to be part of our section's team in the interclass competition.  thanks to my partners and their friends...  that was really crazy of them, suggesting me and all.  i filled up the forms and i felt there was no turning back.  we had a few problems...  no harness nor rock shoes.  the instructors called the teams to the front (or whatever you call the space near the belaying devices) and announced the rules.  it turned out we could borrow from other teams that are not yet climbing.  they demonstrated how to climb each route.  i wanted to do mollie's wakk, but no two team members can climb the same route in the same round.  i had to choose between finals and poise since these were the walls i had been climbing recently.  i saw some friends arrive... glenda, apple, jacq, quine, and jason.  i also spotted lucky who turned out to be the first team's leader.  aika, my only female teammate, and i played rocks and scissors to decide which of us was to climb the mollie's wall.  she won.  uh-oh!  i had to decide soon!  having seen people fall from the finals wall too often, i scrapped the idea of climbing that one.  i hate the transition from the inclined 6th panel to the upright 7th panel.  i considered poise carefully then put on a harness and borrowed rock shoes.  it was our turn to belay for the sixth team.  i belayed for a girl who topped out samson's wall.  i hadn't climbed that one in a while, but she did it, so why don't i?  the decision had been made.  when i reached the final hold, i heard a thunderous applause. =) i was so thankful i didn't let team cura 34 down.  i watched the remaining teams climb and marvelled at their skill.  the kids invited me to have lunch.  i was left behind because our team somehow made it to top 5.  second round.  our team went first.  i had 3 attempts before i finally succeeded in wearing a harness.  with the help of my partners, of course.  i seemed to have lost the ability to wear one by myself.  my teammates, the belayers, everyone.  they were all waiting for me so we could start.  i heard a whistle and reached the 2nd panel of mollie's wall in 2 seconds.  it turned out to be a practice whistle.  i had to go down again.  then the real signal came and up i went.  another flash.  i even got to watch my other teammates climb. =)  then it was time for the awarding ceremony.  they had really cool prizes... medals, posters, stickers, free climbing sessions, and the highest possible grade.  who won?  we did.  no one was more surprised than i.  no one bounced like i.  =)

thank You, Jesus!  i love You, Lord!

God bless y'all!

barely breathing

we conducted our post-test today.  we first performed the traverse.  i only went as far as the right side of the woods.  the russian wall was too far...  then the dreaded sit-ups.  my prof said i improved since the pre-test.  then eliminations.  Y- route... it was torture!  the last hold i reached was slippery and i fell. =(  no chalk available...  sad.  no-interclass competition for me.  i'll just be cheering on my classmates on wednesday.  i claimed my pink shirt.  yey!  pink is so nice...  yeah, right!  at least the design was cool... anywayz, the only outstanding thing i did were the push-ups.  i thought i couldn't get past 34, which was my pre-test score, because i was disoriented and experiencing chills even before going to class.  i made it to 43.  =)  i slept at 5am, crammed a paper.  did some magic.  poof!  3 film reviews instead of just 2.  i missed the first one...  how could you react to something you've never experienced?  that was my dilemma.  but i'm past that.  i was supposed to have an 8.30 class.  but an announcement was posted outside the door.  then i grabbed some sleep.  i woke up just in time for my pe class.  i also realized that i have completed the required 24 climbs.  i basically spent the whole afternoon trying to catch my breath.

yahoo!

i descended the finals walls with a triumphant smile. =) thank you, Jesus! i lift up this victory to You.

the heavy traffic and the heat was really frustrating. i found myself walking home from tandang sora with apple. i was dizzy by the time i reached the dorm. (that's what i got for breaking the rules i set about proper meals and sleep.) i stepped into the shower and when i finished, the world seemed to spin faster. i took small steps to the cafeteria and bought a dougnut and mocha freeze. then dominic texted. he was at oz cafe (again) by himself. the poor guy was desperate to break the monotony of staying at home all weekend. he wasn't impressed by my project route. so i told him about my Y/ red point at poise. ^_~

yey!

countdown to a flash... i wish! *fingers crossed*

on fire

my muscles feel like they're burning. i visted power-up tandang sora again today to practice for next monday's practicals. i tried several routes on the left half of poise. but i didn't get very far. by the time i attempted climbing the finals wall (Y/ route), i was tired and my right arm was aching. i went as far as the 6th panel, just like my first two attempts. but i added a couple of holds this time (then i topped out the finals wall without following a route). my partner says if i stood up, i would have reached the next one. next time, i vow. next time. what are project routes for if you don't work on making progress? last monday was more fulfilling. i was apple's partner(in glenda's place) that day. she was working on a yellow route at the right side of poise. we reached the 5th panel. it required mostly dynamic moves. climbing mollie's wall after was much smoother in comparison. and finally, the finals wall. upon reaching the 6th panel, pain shot through my left leg and i could not move it. i had to get down then limp my way to the belaying device. 

rules

• eat breakfast AND lunch on mondays.
• sleep early on sundays.

by the way, i'm watching the national sport climbing championship in paranaque on sunday @ 10am-3pm. anyone wanna come? mickey? pleeez...

anywayz, i'm injured from hitting the finals wall and mollie's wall at least twice. my right knee is bruised.  no flashes today.  no progress with the R\ route at mollie's wall.  still can't go beyond the 5th panel.  i reached the 6th panel of the finals wall, Y/ route.  i could reach the next hold but i was tired.  and weak.  either from not having a proper meal before climbing.  or from experiencing defeat in real life.  this calls for discipline.  hence, the rules.

poise & points

i climbed that wall for the first time today. it's really steep and slippery. i topped out both left and right halves of the wall. no routes for me today. i feel so refreshed after pouring all my frustrations in life into conquering that wall. i just wanna share something... i pray to God before each climb that i might excel and glorify His name. i am so thankful for all the people who inspired me to conquer my fears. i need to rest now. i only had a few hours of sleep. by the way, glenda, thanks for the milo drink. =) mickey, you'll be so proud of me. God bless! 

learn to fly

my fingers are numb from climbing. that's why i'm having so much difficulty typing. but i want to take into account today's events while they are fresh in my memory. my muscles are starting to ache. i am beginning to feel the aftereffects. but i would have climbed one more wall if my partners stayed a little longer. so there, no belayer.

now, let's go to my accomplishments...i reached the 5th panel of mollie's wall using the R\ route. i got 2 flashes...one for Y\ in kiddie wall and another for Y- in samson's wall. i also tried the R- in kiddie wall. but the result was just so embarrassing, i asked them not to record it. the sad fact is: i don't know how to fly. i couldn't envision climbing it, so i couldn't do it. as for mollie's wall, i couldn't reach the other wall. just this once, i wish i knew how to split...

things to do...keep on doing inverted push-ups every morning in bed and find a bar or something i could use to stretch my legs...i really need to work on my flexibilty. anywayz, i wish we could use the chalk bag while climbing, not just before or after because it gets slippery up there.

did i mention i'm allergic to chalk? =)

she's so high

...exhilerated, in fact. she changed from her oversized shoes to undersized ones. the difference... price (20php per session) and performance. forget comfort for a couple of hours...

at lunch time, she found out that one of her groupmates for the cs 140 suffered a heart attack before daylight. then she had lunch with her buddy. they prayed that they may excel during the day or sumthing like that. he also prayed for a storm. and He heard them.

she accomplished a YX flash in the kiddie wall and a YL flash in mollie's wall. she also reached the 6th panel of the finals wall. she learned to use the rock shoes in scaling the wall, but she has yet to learn to climb quietly when in difficulty.

*a flash refers to a top out in the first attempt to follow a route. Y stands for yellow or 5.5-5.6 in the level of difficulty.

she thanks her God for sustaining her in spite of an injury the day before. they had a field trip to banahaw. they went to see wannabe waterfalls. she was bored so she stepped on the stones. one of which was too slippery and down she fell, huting herself. then it was time to climb back up the 260 steps. yes, she counted them... but only until 200. her friends estimated the rest. then they went to see one cave after another. barefoot, they followed the guide up the mountain. she only entered the second cave, which was not really a cave but a crack that was just wide enough for a person or sometimes two to fit into. she did the moves in the darkness illuminated by the candles. acrobatic twists and turns... but there was no one to applaud her. upon exit, she was called to join the top ten sexiest. ;)

she may have gone to two churches that day, but those were of cults that believed in salvation through works. that night, she planted a seed of truth.

nice one

last monday, i topped out samson's wall and mollie's wall. then i climbed the finals wall. i reached the 5th panel. i tried again today and was shaking by the time i reached the ground. one more panel to go. that's what i should have kept in mind. today i lacked determination. i thought i was a total disappointment but i redeemed myself when they tested how long we could hang on to the grips. 1 minute and 7 seconds. =) then i heard them say my favorite phrase these days... "nice one."

an adventure

we did our first climb in PE 2 this afternoon and i was very excited.  i had trouble looking for the jeepney i was supposed to ride.  it turned out i was in the wrong terminal. thanks to dominic, i reached power-up.  =)  by the way, he has a place nearby so it was logical to ask him.  we first traversed the walls. sadly, i couldn't get past the second wall... but hearing the assistant instructor say "nice one" thrice was encouraging.  then we did push-ups, 34 of which in a span of 60 seconds drained me of strength resulting in an embarrassing number of push-ups after.  =(  we were then taught how to equip three kinds of harness and how to belay.  i topped out two walls today. one was called the kiddie wall and the other one had a name that started with 'm'.  then i tried climbing samson's wall and gave up at the 5th panel and my head hit the wall upon descent.  (i forgot to signal my belayer 'TENSION'.)  i obviously lacked the strength to finish it after almost 3 hours of nonstop activity.  most of my classmates left much much earlier.  did i mention that i did all those wearing oversized shoes?  ma, if you're reading this, i think i need a new pair.  anywayz, i really hope they would provide chalk bags next time and that they would have rock shoes in my size.  i wish i had my own... 

i can't believe i never climbed a wall since i tried wall climbing 6 years back.  i also realized how blessed i am to be alive.  bouldering and traversing should not be done above 12 feet without a spotter (or at least for beginners).  we climbed mt. samat on an impulse and unequipped two summers ago and my foot slipped. i am grateful that kuya ram caught it and some cute guy pulled me up by the hand upon reaching the top.  i was injured at that time.  i skinned my elbows and knees when playing patintero the day before.  i was so intense in playing that i did a dive... see how fun the navigators' nat'l summer youth conference was?  i can't wait for the next one and for my next climb in the next week.