espirita

I was warned of this.

A really huge rice crispy thing (with peanut butter) and a sandwich.

You aren't really suggesting that you can replace life's romantic experiences with bullshit postings on a climbing website, are you? GEEZ!! SORRY! I'm not looking to REPLACE anything, just passing the time on my lunch hour asking for people's opinions. Is that really so horrible??

And your asking a bunch of socially inept dirtbag climbers from nerd central USA for advice? Hey, I'll take advice whenever I can get it (heeding that advice is another thing). Actually, on second thought, not looking for advice but insight into this whole whatchamacallit.

Well, it certainly seems like a whole lot of people know a whole lot more than me. While everyone else was getting it on in HS I was too preoccupied with school (yes I am somewhat of a nerd) so I would guess everyone else has at least 4 years more experience in that realm than I do. Plus, I get a lot of feedback like this from my girlfriends: "You said WHAT to him!?" "He said that? I can't believe you didn't KNOW it was a date!" "How come you never told me you dated ____?" (More times than no, according to me we never dated.) "You're so funny!" (in a, wow, what the heck were YOU thinking sort of way)

So... OK, climbing outings have been clarified (for the most part). What about non-climbing outings? Meaning, when is it a date and when is it not? Or is everyone just trying to keep it ambivalent and be non-committal about the whole thing, so if it turns out unfavorably (maybe the other person ends up not liking you) you can say, "Oh it wasn't a DATE" and you don't have to feel rejected? I'm not accusing anyone of anything but just trying to comprehend this whole dating thing... which, I will admit, I know nothing about.

Agreed! And I wouldn't give you any wierd looks for getting the door for me, either. I would give you a cheery, "Thank you!" though. Awesome!! I'd open the door for you any day! ...and then we'd bow endlessly to each other exchanging,"after you" "No, after you." "No, I insist after you." "Oh, please, after you." My dear, after you." "Get through the door." "Don't tell me what to do, YOU get through the fuckin' door." "Don't you use that tone of voice with ME, get your ASS THROUGH THE DOOR!!!" And you continue hurling epithets and spraying saliva at each other until a draw is declared. CORRECTION: Until I win.

While we’re on the subject (sort of), how do you even know when it’s a “date”? I think that maybe a first date could be considered “bad” if I don’t even realize I’m on one until afterward. Unless a guy says, “Let’s go out on a date,” or does something very bold, I figure it’s just hanging out. Like I ask guys to hang out, or climb, or whatever, all the time… do they think I’m picking them up? Because unless I know them well enough to actually like them, I don’t want to date them (yet). And even if I do like them, I won’t necessarily want to date them if that “je ne sais quoi” isn’t there. There’s nothing more awkward to me than being on a “date” (with all its implications and expectations) with a more-or-less stranger.

Agreed! And I wouldn't give you any wierd looks for getting the door for me, either. I would give you a cheery, "Thank you!" though. Awesome!! I'd open the door for you any day!

Ooooh! If you see a big pile up, that's probably due to me looking for you on the cliffs and wishing I was there... daydreaming... CRASH Good tip (city pool) but unfortunately the Weatherpeople are saying it's going to rain all weekend. Then again, what do they know? RED POTATOES YESSSSSSSSSS!!

I've opened doors for guys before, and I get some pretty weird looks sometimes. But I figure whoever is first to the door opens it, right? I tend to not think of it as a guy/girl thing until I do get that weird look.

Marie - will do!

Any veteran STPers with some last-minute advice for an STP newbie? Other than lots of body glide and padded shorts?

What is IMHO?

Actually I was thinking more like cheese than death. Very good, very expensive cheese. Luckily I haven't seen any craters so for now I'll stick with the lysol and freezer/sun treatments (or just get new shoes). Good to know though, thanks!!

chocolate covered frozen banana (no nuts)... maybe two

Thanks, I needed that!

Hey, I'll have to try that freezer thing. THANKS!

When I started climbing around a year ago, I was appalled by the reekiness of some people’s feet at the gym. At one point I thought I was going to pass out from the stench, but just put it to poor personal hygiene or maybe some rare disease. But then one of my regular climbing partners (who, by the way, has very good personal hygiene) started to have the same problem, so I just started randomly spraying her foot area with Oust. (And then she got new shoes - but she keeps threatening to resurrect the old ones.) But now I see it (or smell it, rather) starting to happen to me! Horror! I’ve caught enough whiffs of foot to know that this is not just my problem. How do you all curb the gag-inducing stench of foot? Baking soda? Spray-on deodorant? I need to nip this in the bud before I cause myself to pass out… (Anonymity is grand.)

Well if you happen to witness such tomfoolery, at least you will know who it is and why. What do I do?? Ah yes I remember...

I'm having trouble finding the two-ply, so may have to settle for the regular "sandpaper" edition. OUCH. Look forward to reading in 10-minute increments. Someone actually gave me a copy of ANAM when they found out I was really getting into climbing. I think, fearing for my life, they wanted to discourage me. Interesting read, but obviously I haven't been discouraged. BTW, what does FWIW mean. (Dumb question?)

Sweetness. Those pictures of Ha Long Bay make me want to hop a plane right now! If/when I go I'll be sure to post pics... but it will be a while. RE California. I'd love to go to either of those places but for more than a day. SO MANY PLACES TO CLIMB!! Thanks again...

Hmmm... I guess I must be the only one with this problem. Maybe I can get a bionic hip replacement! I'll be flying up the walls!

Thanks!! I'll check these out.