knotzen

I'm getting an uncomfortable feeling about this.

WTF is a ball gag? Do I need one?

Why, thank you.

On the other hand, maybe I should just be out climbing or somethin'.

Amateur words of wisdome from my favorite Spraysage Yes, but *proportionately* I'm right up there. For example, Muffy's ~6,000 posts spread out over the 3 years she's been on cc.com = 2,000 per 12-month period. I reged 6 months ago, so at 1,00x posts to date, am on target to meet the bar set by the Queen of Spray.

I'd rather spray than argue about bolting any day.

Approximately 3. That's why I said "spraying."

P.S. Are you sure you can't get a job spraying? Cuz I have valuable experience (see above post) in the field.

I just hit 1,000 posts (OK, so now it's 1,001) and MisterE is at 6666 (would that be the SUPER sign of the beast?). Cool. Anyway, carry on, then.

Nice to bump into you at the bonfire, Mr. Layton. You were one of the few people I recognized (of course, it was dark). Too bad you had a head cold. Head colds suck snot.

What a team! In a matter of minutes we have successfully: 1. Identified a problem (TREETOAD feels guilty and needs punishment) 2. Identified a solution (knotzen will send someone over to punish TREETOAD) 3. Implemented the solution (Greta is on his way to Kapow!ie TREETOAD) (Why, yes, I am in the process of updating my resume; why do you ask?)

Well, probably we could find someone to come over there and beat you up.

Thanks, all, for weighing in on this. There are varying ways of looking at climbing, life, and death, as I thought there would be.

Don't be too hard on yourself.

I kinda like living. It's the only life I've ever known.

My mother has been saying that to me for years...

Gear Notes: .5 to 2.5"

I actually went, but I was feeling crappy, so I came home early. Driving 700 miles in 24 hours--more fun than any person should be allowed to have! Actually, with all the semis I passed going up and down 97, I probably was at quite a bit more risk for my life and limbs than if I was climbing the whole time.

By the time it took me to compose that post, most of what I was saying had already been said.

That line of thinking has never resonated with me. I just can't picture some god or "force" sitting up in heaven, or wherever, with a list, and a date and time of death next to every individual's name. I think of the human being as having an average lifespan, just like a dog, a whale, or any other creature. Sometimes a creature dies "early" (meaning before their body dies from the effects of aging), by being in the wrong place at the wrong time (getting struck by a car), etc., or by disease, causing the body to malfunction and die early, or by killing themselves. Despite the oft-quoted belief that you are more likely to die driving to a climb than on the climb itself, I've always thought of climbing as putting your body in places and situations where there is inherently more danger than most places humans hang out. Same with paragliding, BASE jumping, etc. We have developed tools to keep our bodies safe, for the most part, but still, the human body is like an eggshell against rock and ice. I guess that driving or riding in a car is about the same. Most of us have just determined that the risks outweigh the benefits. I guess that's what it boils down to with climbing, too. For most of us the benefits outweigh the risks. The risk of dying from the activity is fairly remote, and the risk is worth what is gained.

I want to clarify that I am not criticizing the choices of those who have died climbing. I climb, and I don't expect to die climbing (of course). I understand the passion involved. I guess I'm going through my annual review period of how a person weighs that passion with possible outcomes.

If you knew you would die climbing, would you continue to climb? Would living your passion be worth the cost of dying prematurely? I'm thinking of this in terms of the many people I've known who have died climbing. I wonder, if they knew they would die earlier than they otherwise might, if they would have continued doing it? Or would they choose to live a longer life (not taking into account the possibility of dying early by other causes), foregoing their passion for climbing and being in the alpine environment. Maybe find some replacement activity or passion to pursue. I wonder if, supposing some sort of consciousness, they would have had regrets, and if they had known they would die climbing, might have chosen to give that up in order to continue living, to be with their families, their girlfriends, whatever else their future might have been. (I'm thinking specifically of a friend of mine who died on a winter climb of Guye Peak several years ago. He had so much else going for him; the tragedy is that he lost all of that for a climb. And yet, climbing was one of his passions, and what brought him and his girlfriend together.) I'm also thinking of how people often say, "At least s/he died doing something s/he loved." I wonder if the deceased would have thought about it that way. Quite possibly. I guess that gets to the root of being willing to accept the risks of climbing. On the other hand, I think most of believe we won't be the one to die climbing, so we don't necessarily think about it in such black-and-white, either/or terms.

Oh, right. I was just happy to have a kegful of good beer coming. Golden would be my choice. Thanks very much!