So, I haven’t scheduled my exams yet, it all pivots upon the fulcrum of the sale of my house. I am, however, studying like mad for my General and Biochem, Cellular and Molecular Biology subject GRE exams. Biochemists and biophysicists do it better.

For what? Well, here is the list of schools where my scores will be sent. The board is set and the pieces are in motion. Time to get busy!

1. McGill
2. Columbia
3. Stanford
4. Cornell
5. University of Pennsylvania
6. Duke
7. Princeton
8. Northwestern
9. Yale
10. U.N.C. Chapel Hill

You really can’t beat that list.

There’s some weird-ass planet disalignment going on right now. I dunno what’s happened, but spontaneously everyone (even myself) has scattered a little on the wind. I only have one climb planned in almost two weeks! Dom and Laura and Micah are in Seattle, Nick went home to D.C., I’m working roads. Everybody is off to their own thing. I suppose it’s about time.

It’s a mutual apogee among friends. It’s uncomfortable, but probably a good thing. I just don’t want to get too weak! Perigee will be back soon enough…

The thing that sucks the most is that the Mountain Fest in Squamish that I wanted to go to is going on right now (and I’m missing it!) I’ve written off Squamish for the year. WTF? Everyone else has been a few times already, but those few of us with jobs couldnt get away. We have bigger plans and better funding – so suck it, suckas! Though I don’t think we can get any bigger than Dom’s 23 pitch big wall (but we’re gonna try!).

One of my goals in the next three years:  Gunsights!

Jens Holsten on the crux of the FFA of North Gunsight's west face. Dreams!

just so I can find it again when I need it.

600 feet in seven pitches. Goes at two pitches of 10b, all Leavenworth granite slab.

Condorphamine Addiction

Condorphamine Addiction 2

Condorphamine Addiction 3

fun video of C.A. ascent

A guy’s got to have a goal doesn’t he?

Oh, it’s time to get busy and start proving my identity to the man again. The crew has made plans to do much international climbing this summer and fall; Squamish, Squamish Mountain Festival, Esquimalt, Hissing Bull, Fisherman’s Wall…more maybe??

Big shouts to the boys at TIA for locking down the country to it’s own citizens so tight that you can leave the country to visit beautiful places at will, you just cant get home when you really need to be back in bed with a warm body again. Thanks, guys! Work well done (and I’m sure, paid too).  So, I’ve got a few weeks to scrounge up all my “papers” and present them to the sentry on duty, while I stand at attention of course.

All I really want for Christmas is my Enhanced Driver’s License to be able to prove my identity and show that I really am a fine yankee brother to the guy in the booth on my way home to that warm body.

“Yup! That’s me! See, there…it’s a picture of me…”

Now, forgive me if I seem a little out of line, but what was the unenhanced driver’s licence for again??

It’s appearing as though I’m flip-flopping a little in my head. A long time ago I decided that I would never date a woman who climbs on rock. I would certainly date a woman who climbed alpine I guess, but not on rock. I’ll tell you why in a second.

So, this morning on my way to work I was thinking. It was beautiful out and all I could think of was how excited I am to have climbs booked for every stinking weekend through the end of October. Then I though about what I would be doing on such a beautiful sunny day if my last relationship hadn’t ended. I guess I’d get up, make tea and eggs for the two of us. Then probably go for a walk with the dogs, do some gardening, a house project or two, flirt while making lunch, some more gardening and definitely a little afternoon delight. Then flirt while making and eating a fine dinner before going to watch a movie at my sister’s house. Im not saying that I dont like doing any of that at all – quite the contrary! Our time together was nearly always time well spent, but thats all I did. I dont mind domestic, but I do mind too much domestic.

The reason I said I would never date a woman who climbs is because I want it to be my thing. I want it to be my “not domestic” time; my time to do boy things and grunt and sweat and bleed. I want to do other things with my partner, mostly the domestic things.

That’s all fine and makes perfect sense, but considering the fact that I’m so damned happy and excited to be getting out at least a few days per week for – wow, it’ll be seven months in a row – I cant see how that lifestyle would jive with trying to concurrently maintain a more domestic relationship “in town”, as it were. I have a climbing partner who attributes the end of his most recent relationship to exactly this – wanting to climb more than what was tolerable for her. I only see my dirtbagging abilities inflating for the next few years and I know I wont stay single for too much longer.

There are pitfalls to dating a climber, of course. There’s the lack of boy-time I already mentioned, but we dont always have to climb together. Then there’s the angsty and ever-common, ego-driven competition problem, but I dont think I’d have an issue there. What I need least of all is the golfcart type always whining about the danger and lack of skin and all the junk I’ve heard before…

In all honesty, I suppose it really doesnt matter all too much, but if she does climb I know that she can’t be a noob. Noobs I just dont trust. I dont need some unmotivated twit start to climb just for her shiny new boyfriend and who’s just going to end up becoming a Belay Betty because they dont have the interest, fortitude or commitment to get better.

Dunno, it’s not a huge quandary mind you, but I’m just throwing it out there. Comments and thoughts are encouraged.

Adios, I’m going to Little Si now.

[on edit - 20090601] Upon reflection, this subject might be a little sensitive for some readers, so let’s not comment on it. I think I’ve made up my mind already – or let’s just say my mind was made up for me… heh.

I was up and on the road this morning at 4am. I told mom that I was going to stop by her campsite in Ellensburg around 8. Im posting this from her computer. She is in bed taking a damned nap. Haha! So much for that extra 50 miles on my trip!

The weather is terrific over here, its 8am and already 65 and suuuuuunnnny! I watched the sun come up over Ewash from the East Summit of Snoqualmie pass. For all the desert-haters out there, you wouldnt believe how green and beautiful it is.

Oh well, time for me to hop to it and book it to Leavenworth.

Bah!

Nearing the end of this Friday it was looking as though my plans were becoming as bleak and dismal as the potential for grass to grow well on icepack, but things change, dont they?

Out of the blue I have plans to visit a girl I met in Wenatchee on Sunday and stay with my dad for the night, then meet up with Micah, Dom and the guys to climb Leavenworth all day Monday. Saturday my good friend Charlie and I are going to hang out and talk about science and Matterhorn attempts, after which I’m going to hang out with another friend and perhaps go for a walk or something else exciting and fun.

It’s turning out that all is well in the world and right in my life. Here’s for other people’s karma treating them exactly the way it should – and I honestly hope it’s for the best.

I hope you all are blessed.

It’s been a great day today! So far, one brick has been removed from the heap of troubles on my back, and possibly even two by this time next week. Just returned from a budget meeting with my division, the deans and administration. You all know that the State has a $9Bil shortfall this year and that means budget cuts. In the beginning it looked as though my pinkslip delivery was inevitable. For the last month, it appeared as though my division would all take permanent reductions in contract and we’d be forced to take an additional month off work, which for me would equal two months off. That equates to 60 days of road construction – something I really don’t want to do anymore.

Luckily for me and my division, the Legislature agreed that postsecondary science and engineering education was of the highest priority and the college agreed that laboratory instruction was crucial. This equates to the fabulous news that not only is my job locked-in-stone secure, but also that we take no cuts whatsoever! That means that I’m only required to take my contractual furlough for 30 days, but if I sell my house before then Im not going to work roads at all; I’m going to take some Greg time!

As for that second brick, it has to do with the house. Last week an agent representing some folks from California stopped by my house to preview it. She said they loved the listing and it appeared perfect for them. Today, one of the interested buyer’s sisters was showed the house and evidently the folks will be flying up here this weekend to view it themselves. To me this indicates that they are interested! *sighs*

Now, not only are today’s events representative of the certainty of one brick being removed and the potential for the second to be removed, but the possibility that if both are taken off my shoulders the third and last brick will go away too. I mean, If the house sells it means that I’m free of Kalie for good (the third brick).

After that, there’s no stopping me. The only things left on my shoulders are tiny little pebbles, simply concrete dust to wash off in time.

It’s been a great day.

On Wednesdays My coworkers and I meet and discuss departmental, safety, procedural and other issues surrounding our collective work at the college. It’s just a meeting where we bitch and moan about the latest safety faux pas or engineering mistake.

This meeting I announced to everyone that I intend to make next academic year my last year at the college so that I can pursue a graduate degree.  I pretty much committed to the venture with the announcement, which is probably the best commitment I could make at this point in my life. I’ll take the MCAT as soon as I can (August) and apply to the OHSU MD/MPH program in Portland where I’ll spend the following six years training as a medical doctor and epidemiologist.

As of a month ago, those weren’t my plans – I was totally convinced that I’d found my place with a beautiful woman as my partner and was extraordinarily excited about it, too. Things change – sometimes out of the blue – and now I guess this gives me the perfect opportunity to pick my life back up and achieve my own goals before (or concurrent with) meeting my real partner, if she exists.

For now I think I’ll just sell the house,  hunker down, punch cash into savings, prepare for becoming a student again and have a good time living.

Last night I went out with friends for drinks and let other people buy me a few beers, then I went out for dinner with a girl who owed me dinner from last week and then we went for a walk around the lake. I really needed to continue to do this stuff, so it was good that I did. By the time I got home at 9:30 I was so tired I fell into bed and fell asleep in my clothes. It was nice because I havent been able to sleep without turning a movie on to distract me in nearly a month since Girl and I split. Progress I suppose. Today is a much better day than any I’ve had since then so life is moving in the right direction.

Tomorrow I’m going to visit with another friend and we’re going to plant a quince tree. Symbolic? Nah, not really. I spent money on it and I want it to live.