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So has climbing helped you in other aspects of your life. Having self control,self reliance etc... Whatever's? How does being a climber help you in your everyday life if at all?
In reply to Pj84:
Definitely. Firstly, it gives me a day off from home. Secondly it is great fun pushing yourself. Thirdly, you get to meet all manner of interesting people. Fourthly, it tires you out.
Definitely. Firstly, it gives me a day off from home. Secondly it is great fun pushing yourself. Thirdly, you get to meet all manner of interesting people. Fourthly, it tires you out.
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In reply to Pj84:
I've described myself as a mountaineer since I was eight years old. I am other things as well but a mountaineer first and that influences the way I live. It gives me a broad view of life and the fear and discomfort I have overcome while climbing mountains gives me courage now. It's absolutely fundamental to who I am.
I've described myself as a mountaineer since I was eight years old. I am other things as well but a mountaineer first and that influences the way I live. It gives me a broad view of life and the fear and discomfort I have overcome while climbing mountains gives me courage now. It's absolutely fundamental to who I am.
Post edited at 19:20
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In reply to Pj84:
I can tie a girlfriend to the bed using clove hitches....and I only need to use one hand )
I can tie a girlfriend to the bed using clove hitches....and I only need to use one hand )
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In reply to Pj84:
yep, it led to travelling to places id never have visited otherwise and gave me a whole new outlook on life and how privileged I am in the grand scheme of things.
whenever I find myself getting down or moaning about unimportant stuff I have a look through some of the trip logs and photos ive kept and get a reminder to get a grip.
yep, it led to travelling to places id never have visited otherwise and gave me a whole new outlook on life and how privileged I am in the grand scheme of things.
whenever I find myself getting down or moaning about unimportant stuff I have a look through some of the trip logs and photos ive kept and get a reminder to get a grip.
In reply to Pj84:
Without looking for specific skills which are transferable, I would remark on the aspect of self esteem. After you've been out there and climbed your best (surprised yourself), you're better able to face other challenges life will throw at you.
Without looking for specific skills which are transferable, I would remark on the aspect of self esteem. After you've been out there and climbed your best (surprised yourself), you're better able to face other challenges life will throw at you.
In reply to Pj84:
I think it helps when in scary situations. As climbers we learn to keep our cool when things get scary, and that's a talent that can be used in non-climbing contexts too.
I think it helps when in scary situations. As climbers we learn to keep our cool when things get scary, and that's a talent that can be used in non-climbing contexts too.
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In reply to Ghastly Rubberfeet:
+1
Easy start, good holds, mantelshelf onto flat roof, dyno to the crux squirming through tiny opening, drop to a good ledge, jump off. If bath is full, claim the DWS.
> Getting in through the bathroom window when locked out.
+1
Easy start, good holds, mantelshelf onto flat roof, dyno to the crux squirming through tiny opening, drop to a good ledge, jump off. If bath is full, claim the DWS.
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In reply to Pj84:
I have discovered an important use for the 'likes' button. It measures the audience!
I had considered a rather serious reply to this topic but then I saw the 'likes' tally. Opening jars and tying girlfriends up rated highly. I think my comments would fall on fallow ground.
I must admit however that I did click the opening jars 'like' so I haven't totally lost my sense of humour.
I have discovered an important use for the 'likes' button. It measures the audience!
I had considered a rather serious reply to this topic but then I saw the 'likes' tally. Opening jars and tying girlfriends up rated highly. I think my comments would fall on fallow ground.
I must admit however that I did click the opening jars 'like' so I haven't totally lost my sense of humour.
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In reply to Ghastly Rubberfeet:
I've done the climb through the bathroom window from the garage roof w the vertical window facing away in rubbish footwear,thinking that I would never live it down if I slipped down.Should have just gone to get the keys off my daughter.Yet I could not leave the challenge.
I think that that the climbing reinforces the challenge mentality and helps with not giving in when the conditions are not easy.Yet I learned that mentality in doing tougher exams which meant that I did not give up as easily on some more awkward routes.So it is a self-help experience circle.Climbing helps w real life and the real world experience tells me that I should try for longer when climbing.
I've done the climb through the bathroom window from the garage roof w the vertical window facing away in rubbish footwear,thinking that I would never live it down if I slipped down.Should have just gone to get the keys off my daughter.Yet I could not leave the challenge.
I think that that the climbing reinforces the challenge mentality and helps with not giving in when the conditions are not easy.Yet I learned that mentality in doing tougher exams which meant that I did not give up as easily on some more awkward routes.So it is a self-help experience circle.Climbing helps w real life and the real world experience tells me that I should try for longer when climbing.
In reply to aultguish:
+1 to tying up girlfriend(s)
On a serious note, I would say climbing has made me more of a 'tougher' person, I'm more okay with difficult/dangerous situations, and I'm better at managing fear generally. I can also put up with alot more suffering than I used to before I climbed and started going on long trips etc. I think going on the trips etc has made me alot better at planning things and dealing with unexpected situations etc.
+1 to tying up girlfriend(s)
On a serious note, I would say climbing has made me more of a 'tougher' person, I'm more okay with difficult/dangerous situations, and I'm better at managing fear generally. I can also put up with alot more suffering than I used to before I climbed and started going on long trips etc. I think going on the trips etc has made me alot better at planning things and dealing with unexpected situations etc.
In reply to Pj84:
Its helped me at a couple of job interviews. Employers think it makes me a strong, determined team player and an asset to the organisation.
I don't disabuse them of this as actually I'm a selfish individual seeking my own goals and planning my escape every weekend....
Its helped me at a couple of job interviews. Employers think it makes me a strong, determined team player and an asset to the organisation.
I don't disabuse them of this as actually I'm a selfish individual seeking my own goals and planning my escape every weekend....
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In reply to Pj84:
Gave me something relatively interesting and difficult to occupy my mind with while I worked a white collar job in the first world.
I think we evolved as a species to be this creature that can engage in physically and mentally demanding dangerous circumstances. In the first world, as a society we spend our time removing all risk, sanitising all the dangers. Making life predictable, devoid of sudden death, fair. Removing all the adventure. Instead of the old stresses we had, of staying alive, staying warm, staying well fed, we have new stresses - office politics, mortgage repayments, traffic tickets, keeping the boss happy come performance review time.
It's IMHO too much of the wrong sort of stress, the time frames are too long - a mortgage with high repayments is going to stress you out for years. I'd much rather than "did I rig this abseil right?" stress that lasts a few seconds, depending on how far the fall is.
For many of us, our modern work life can be too damned boring. We need something to balance it out. We need the adventure that living in civilization has robbed us of.
Gave me something relatively interesting and difficult to occupy my mind with while I worked a white collar job in the first world.
I think we evolved as a species to be this creature that can engage in physically and mentally demanding dangerous circumstances. In the first world, as a society we spend our time removing all risk, sanitising all the dangers. Making life predictable, devoid of sudden death, fair. Removing all the adventure. Instead of the old stresses we had, of staying alive, staying warm, staying well fed, we have new stresses - office politics, mortgage repayments, traffic tickets, keeping the boss happy come performance review time.
It's IMHO too much of the wrong sort of stress, the time frames are too long - a mortgage with high repayments is going to stress you out for years. I'd much rather than "did I rig this abseil right?" stress that lasts a few seconds, depending on how far the fall is.
For many of us, our modern work life can be too damned boring. We need something to balance it out. We need the adventure that living in civilization has robbed us of.
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In reply to Dandan:
not to be underestimated, nobody likes a limp lettuce or a hand of rubber!
> Firm handshake.
not to be underestimated, nobody likes a limp lettuce or a hand of rubber!
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In reply to needvert:
you sum it up well, any sport that offers physical and mental challenges, away from the work and home life, is worth it's weight in gold.
> For many of us, our modern work life can be too damned boring. We need something to balance it out. We need the adventure that living in civilization has robbed us of.
you sum it up well, any sport that offers physical and mental challenges, away from the work and home life, is worth it's weight in gold.
In reply to Babika:
Several of my previous posts of employment were obtained through climbing social circles / networking.
Several of my previous posts of employment were obtained through climbing social circles / networking.
In reply to Pj84:
I can probably get in and out of the loft without a ladder. In practice I use a ladder which may also be something climbing taught me: finding the right sequence.
jk
I can probably get in and out of the loft without a ladder. In practice I use a ladder which may also be something climbing taught me: finding the right sequence.
jk
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In reply to Pj84:
Rigging rope swings for my children in the park.
Climbing into loft without having to bother getting ladder.
Opening tight jars.
Rigging rope swings for my children in the park.
Climbing into loft without having to bother getting ladder.
Opening tight jars.
In reply to Pj84:
Only in as much its what I like to do ans therefore makes me happy. As for all the self-reliance, coolness under pressure (or not!) etc things no, I can't see that they carry over particulalry
Only in as much its what I like to do ans therefore makes me happy. As for all the self-reliance, coolness under pressure (or not!) etc things no, I can't see that they carry over particulalry
In reply to Jon Stewart:
Regardless of strength a small sheet of rubber is the most uesful thing to help open jars.
> Opening jars.
Regardless of strength a small sheet of rubber is the most uesful thing to help open jars.
In reply to Bulls Crack:
Whenever I've had a very serious problem in life/ disaster etc. I've said to myself 'treat it as a mountaineering epic', and that's definitely helped me.
Whenever I've had a very serious problem in life/ disaster etc. I've said to myself 'treat it as a mountaineering epic', and that's definitely helped me.
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In reply to mountainbagger:
Yes, there have been numerous occasions Al getting through 'inaccessible' windows has been a huge help. Also, wherever I've lived I've always worked out an escape route that would work in an extreme emergency, involving climbing down drainpipes, jumping down on to flat roofs, etc.
Yes, there have been numerous occasions Al getting through 'inaccessible' windows has been a huge help. Also, wherever I've lived I've always worked out an escape route that would work in an extreme emergency, involving climbing down drainpipes, jumping down on to flat roofs, etc.
In reply to summo:
The only time climbing has been useful to me at work was at a meeting where a big fat American manager from a well-known company decided he was going to do the alpha-male thing and administer a crushing handshake. It took a second to register he was actually trying to squeeze hard enough to hurt with his big soft, flabby hands.
> not to be underestimated, nobody likes a limp lettuce or a hand of rubber!
The only time climbing has been useful to me at work was at a meeting where a big fat American manager from a well-known company decided he was going to do the alpha-male thing and administer a crushing handshake. It took a second to register he was actually trying to squeeze hard enough to hurt with his big soft, flabby hands.
In reply to Pj84:
The amount of shopping bags you can carry from the car to the house is much improved with strong fingers. its only one trip with 10 bags in one go.
The amount of shopping bags you can carry from the car to the house is much improved with strong fingers. its only one trip with 10 bags in one go.
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In reply to tom_in_edinburgh:
but that in itself is worth it's weight in gold, just putting somebody like him back in their box!
> The only time climbing has been useful to me at work was at a meeting where a big fat American manager from a well-known company decided he was going to do the alpha-male
but that in itself is worth it's weight in gold, just putting somebody like him back in their box!
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In reply to Pj84:
I tend to have a very limp handshake, which surprises those who know me.
My way of dealing with handshakes from the 'I am man, hear me roar' types, is on feeling the crush, I reach out with my other hand and cover their shaking hand but still keeping it gentle....the old double handed shake totally throws them off guard.
The first person to shake my hand like that was a vicar at a friends funeral and I remember it having such an impact.
I tend to have a very limp handshake, which surprises those who know me.
My way of dealing with handshakes from the 'I am man, hear me roar' types, is on feeling the crush, I reach out with my other hand and cover their shaking hand but still keeping it gentle....the old double handed shake totally throws them off guard.
The first person to shake my hand like that was a vicar at a friends funeral and I remember it having such an impact.
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In reply to Pj84:
My boss is a noisy boisterous alpha male type who shakes hands patronisingly by holding out his hand with the palm downwards, forcing you to hold out your hand with the palm upwards, which according to anthropologists has deeply submissive meanings. The same anthropologists say that the way to deal with that kind of hand shaker is to place your hand on top of theirs, which will upset the hell out of them but they won't understand why.
My boss is a noisy boisterous alpha male type who shakes hands patronisingly by holding out his hand with the palm downwards, forcing you to hold out your hand with the palm upwards, which according to anthropologists has deeply submissive meanings. The same anthropologists say that the way to deal with that kind of hand shaker is to place your hand on top of theirs, which will upset the hell out of them but they won't understand why.
In reply to Pj84:
I'm finding there are surprising parallels between the thought process used in building sound belays (equalisation, redundancy etc.) and reliability calculation of aerospace component failure rates.
I was talking it over with a guy from work and the principles of arranging failure critical items in parallel versus series, and the mathematical approach using probability addition / multiplication was uncannily similar.
Useful life skills....
Dom.
I'm finding there are surprising parallels between the thought process used in building sound belays (equalisation, redundancy etc.) and reliability calculation of aerospace component failure rates.
I was talking it over with a guy from work and the principles of arranging failure critical items in parallel versus series, and the mathematical approach using probability addition / multiplication was uncannily similar.
Useful life skills....
Dom.
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In reply to Pj84:
Climbing gives me a sense of perspective on life. When making a stressful decision at work, I can step back and think 'If I make a mistake what's the worst that can happen?'
Climbing gives me a sense of perspective on life. When making a stressful decision at work, I can step back and think 'If I make a mistake what's the worst that can happen?'
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In reply to aultguish:
or move in for a man hug!
> the old double handed shake totally throws them off guard.
or move in for a man hug!
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In reply to Pj84:
its let me accept failure isnt the be all and end all. its often part of the climb, part of the learning. Useful everywhere in life and means I dont beat myself up as badly as I used to if something doesnt go to plan.
its let me accept failure isnt the be all and end all. its often part of the climb, part of the learning. Useful everywhere in life and means I dont beat myself up as badly as I used to if something doesnt go to plan.
In reply to Pj84:
Climbing has provided with me in-depth, fascinating conversation topics with which to captivate and enthral non climbers. Topics such as grade discussions, the bolting debate, favourite holds from climbs etc. Such conversations are usually best carried out loudly and in a monotone, without giving the victim, sorry, fellow conversationalist a chance to speak or escape.
Cheers,
Lex
Climbing has provided with me in-depth, fascinating conversation topics with which to captivate and enthral non climbers. Topics such as grade discussions, the bolting debate, favourite holds from climbs etc. Such conversations are usually best carried out loudly and in a monotone, without giving the victim, sorry, fellow conversationalist a chance to speak or escape.
Cheers,
Lex
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In reply to hipyhop:
*Did you use chalk ha-ha
*If you had failed free would you have used bolts to save the kitty ha-ha-ha
*What cats have you rescued on grit ha-ha-ha-ha
Seriously though I liked your post. So I "liked" it.
> I recently performed a cat rescue that went at about font 6A
*Did you use chalk ha-ha
*If you had failed free would you have used bolts to save the kitty ha-ha-ha
*What cats have you rescued on grit ha-ha-ha-ha
Seriously though I liked your post. So I "liked" it.
In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
I just bought a bungalow...
> Yes, there have been numerous occasions Al getting through 'inaccessible' windows has been a huge help. Also, wherever I've lived I've always worked out an escape route that would work in an extreme emergency, involving climbing down drainpipes, jumping down on to flat roofs, etc.
I just bought a bungalow...
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In reply to Pj84:
An excuse to be completely unreachable over the weekend.
'Sorry I didn't pick up the phone/answer email/text at 7.30am on Sunday morning boss, I was away climbing, no signal'
There's a good chance I'll actually be sat at home in my pants watching the rugby, but hey ho.
An excuse to be completely unreachable over the weekend.
'Sorry I didn't pick up the phone/answer email/text at 7.30am on Sunday morning boss, I was away climbing, no signal'
There's a good chance I'll actually be sat at home in my pants watching the rugby, but hey ho.
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