Shift of the Day #2221

Leave a place for as short a time as two months, and when you return the changes will astound you – at least a little. Bridges has had this slow accumulation of changes, from the restyled route labels to a new set of floodproof crash pads (still being installed – hence the array of plywood). Kotaro has even cut his hair; it took a few moments of mental reconfiguration to recognize him.

Life always has this slow procession of changes. You notice them more when you look away, like astonished rarely-seen relatives with their my-how-you’ve-growns.

Kotaro is leaving for far-off climbing adventures soon, so my climbing company will continue to flow onward. People come and go, but it is lovely while they’re here.

white and green and grey

Farewell of the Day #1887

Julie is leaving the bay tomorrow, headed off to adventure in Uganda in a month or two. She was hoping for a farewell bonfire tonight, but the wind is far too ferocious; if we tried to huddle outside we’d likely be crushed by a falling tree. But the Albatross is always there, cozy with drinks and popcorn and darts, and at the last moment we decided to hide in its wings instead. This is the second time the Albatross has hosted a goodbye for me – I wonder how many it’s seen.

I only know Julie from climbing, but I”ll miss her. Julie’s departure is even harder for her friend Adrienne, and from a short sentimental distance I can see that both of their lives are going to be very different after tonight.

Julie will do brilliant things, to be certain. I wonder if I’ll see her again.

I hear the wind blow

Collaboration of the Day #1845

This is the first time I’ve met with people from Bridges outside of the gym, and it was great to see what their home life is like. Julie and Kotaro invited me to their game night, where I introduced them to Once Upon a Time. Everyone took to the game so well; the story hung like a web between us, and we each used the cards to try and tug the plot in our direction without tearing it apart. Our ideas conflict and interact almost chemically, and the result is something independent of everyone’s mind.

I had an element I wanted to introduce to the story, using the cards giant, axe and old woman: our protagonists needed to build a palace and, needing lumber, I had them visit the old woman, who I decided was a lumberjack. This was possible, of course, because in this world lumberjacks were of kindred spirit with the trees, and continuously grew larger with age; this woman could be tall as a redwood, working the forest like a garden.

But per the nature of the game, storyteller status was wrested from my grasp, and she was made out to be a witch instead (and a rather bitter one, who had mastered magical chemistry). So the story flowed on, in and out of dreams, and finally came to an end that no one had really planned for.

Very soon Julie will be leaving on a grand adventure, which means Kotaro will be moving out as well, and so this household may dissolve – and just when I’m getting to know them! Hopefully that won’t be the end of things with this crew; they’re lovely people, and I’d like to see them more.

build it bigger than the sun

Ponder of the Day #1842

Sometimes, before making a serious attempt at a climb, we have to cast our ghosts upon the wall, watching their careful placements of hand and foot so we can follow in their wake. Some people mimic the movements as they do this; some make little pawing motions, like squirrels digging in the soil; others become statues as they imagine the climb, like Julie and Kotaro here. It’s the rock climbing analog of moving your lips while you read, and it’s always interesting to see the different ways people think through the problems.

I see these two at Bridges fairly often, and it’s always lovely to climb with them and work out whatever riddles the staff have drilled into the mountains. They’ve taken to calling me Pterry (in reference to my wingspan), and having a nickname with just this particular group makes for a little extra cheer when we greet each other.

There are a lot of brilliant people at Bridges, but I’ve been rather shy with the camera until now. I’d like to change that a little – these are people I want to remember.

look up