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climbingbetty22
Mar 2, 2006, 6:48 PM
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Yes, yes, I am in the pathetic juxtaposition of I just got dumped and I have too much time on my hands. Found this on breakupgirl.net. Thought maybe you guys might find it a bit humerous.
http://www.breakupgirl.net/todo/000412.html
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jumpingrock
Mar 2, 2006, 7:10 PM
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In reply to: Only advanced climbers rely on arm and finger strength, so if you're envisioning yourself hanging by your fingers from an icicle 2000 feet off the ground, you're a bit ahead of the game.
Ooo Ooo I wanna try that! Where is a good Icicle 2000 feet off the ground?!
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shorty
Mar 2, 2006, 8:55 PM
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In reply to: Where is a good Icicle 2000 feet off the ground?! |
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heximp
Mar 3, 2006, 11:10 PM
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I am sorry about your break-up. Me, myself and I are always at loss after such an event. I have to reset my whole life for it to get back to "normal."
As for the website...
It is funny!!!
Women climbing to find boyfriends! Blah!!! Sounds like big city folk. They can't do anything unless it involves some kind of sexual or economic reward.
I think most of us climb to "get away" from the normal pursuits of everyday life such as; money, gossip, social posturing, sex, etc.
Climbing has nothing to do with being sexy and cool. It has nothing to do with dating.
Real women climbers don't care if their pants are so baggy that they don't have a butt. If their pants don't tear, lets them move well and protects from major scrapes, they are happy.
That is why we are not ashamed to be covered in dirt, shaking, snot nosed, and whimpering on a long run out. We are not ashamed to grin like an idiot after the success of reaching the top. This is why we climb...
If we date climbers, it is because we fall in love with men that share commonality with us.
I date a climber because he doesn't mind my scraped up body and blunt nails. He does not get disgusted with the grime, dirt, and swet. He does not mind the hard work on our vacations. He agrees with me upon getting a double portal ledge instead of a new couch. Most of all, he does not mind that I won't be well dressed when we meet our friends in Yosemite.
(Then again unlike the other women in the article, I didn't meet him in a gym... :wink:
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climbingbetty22
Mar 3, 2006, 11:48 PM
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^^^
Yeah, I was talking to a friend of mine today...perhaps the worst part about a break-up is being out there, again. :roll: When I think about the way dating goes these days, its no wonder I don't date mroe often, spped dating, online stuff? I guess what turns me off about that stuff is that most of the men you'd met on those sort of things are looking for a woman to show up looking nice....hair, makeup, maybe some heals. The kind of guys that I like, who would be plenty happy to see me show up wearing jeans and a Patagonis fleece vest, aren't the usually fare on those kind of sites or services. Bummer.
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nola_angie
Mar 4, 2006, 3:42 AM
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In reply to: Suddenly a stranger walks up and asks you if you climb. And perhaps you find this stranger -- shhh (giggle) -- kinda cute.
*groan* what is this, 6th grade??? shhh, (giggle)....like OMG!!!
:roll:
just what we need. But, flipside, hopefully a few girls shopping the meat at the local gym (I know, horrible...but tongue in cheek) will come to realize how great a thing climbing is, and get serious about it!!!
edit to make my HTML not show! :oops:
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warthog
Mar 4, 2006, 4:40 AM
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a female ice climbing partner once asked me why I had never asked her out on a date. I said there are lots of dateable women around here, but ice climbing partners as good as you are hard to find.
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climbingbetty22
Mar 4, 2006, 7:52 AM
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In reply to: a female ice climbing partner once asked me why I had never asked her out on a date. I said there are lots of dateable women around here, but ice climbing partners as good as you are hard to find.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
So true. I've had several male partners in the past not seem to understand why I don't want to sleep with them. They just don't get that a good climbing partner can be hard to come by and ex-boyfriends--- well who needs more fo those???
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lhwang
Mar 4, 2006, 5:11 PM
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In reply to: Climbing has nothing to do with being sexy and cool. It has nothing to do with dating. Real women climbers don't care if their pants are so baggy that they don't have a butt. If their pants don't tear, lets them move well and protects from major scrapes, they are happy. That is why we are not ashamed to be covered in dirt, shaking, snot nosed, and whimpering on a long run out. We are not ashamed to grin like an idiot after the success of reaching the top. This is why we climb...
I wish I could say I agree with you but I would say although there are definitely girls who don't care what they look like, in my area, there are far more guys and gals out there in the general climbing community who care about their "image"... you know, the grunting guy at the gym who's got his shirt off for no real reason, or the girl who shows up wearing all Blurr clothes. I think some people do get into climbing because of the sexy, cool image they see in the media.
Are the two things mutually exclusive though? If you care about how you look, does that mean you're not a "real" climber?
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clausti
Mar 5, 2006, 12:10 AM
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In reply to: Are the two things mutually exclusive though? If you care about how you look, does that mean you're not a "real" climber?
gosh i hope not.
i absolutely care what i look like. doesnt necc mean i want it to be PRISSY, but i absolutely care.
and if i have my In reply to: shirt off for no real reason,
dont let us kid ourselves. we are just as proud of our dirt and bruises as anyone is of their Prada bag.
-cla
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granite_grrl
Mar 5, 2006, 1:47 AM
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In reply to: I wish I could say I agree with you but I would say although there are definitely girls who don't care what they look like, in my area, there are far more guys and gals out there in the general climbing community who care about their "image"
I don't know about creating an "image" but I do care about what I look like while climbing. I spend most of my time either working (clothes get dirty, lots of creepy old men around), working out at the gym (gotta strap myself into the unsexy supportive sports bra for those runs), hanging at home in my pjs, or climbing. I like looking pretty at least once in a while!
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climbingbetty22
Mar 5, 2006, 5:52 AM
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I admit it, I care what I look like when I go climbing to a certain extent. Yes, I've been deemed a "poser" for some people for it. To which I say "what-the f*ck-ever." To me, to be a poser is to be someone you're not. I think it would be worse if I tried to be some ultra-dirtbag who never showered, shaved or washed my clothes just so I could be considered a "real" climber, then if I'm just myself. I love the color purple. All my shoulder-length runners are purple. Yes, I know kimmy- from your other post I know you would disapprove of my gear matching ways. Trust me, I've gotten alot of heat for my slighty-neurotic-need to match things, even gear, but if its what makes me happy, what's wrong that? And if looking somewhat nice when I go climbing makes me happy, what's wrong with that? Don't we need more happiness in the world?
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climberterp
Mar 6, 2006, 1:03 AM
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In reply to: we are just as proud of our dirt and bruises as anyone is of their Prada bag. -cla
But, but, my dirt and bruises are so much cooler!!! Can't I feel a little superior for having them instead of the Prada? :D
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livvy
Mar 6, 2006, 11:42 PM
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In reply to: I admit it, I care what I look like when I go climbing to a certain extent. Yes, I've been deemed a "poser" for some people for it. To which I say "what-the f*ck-ever." To me, to be a poser is to be someone you're not. I think it would be worse if I tried to be some ultra-dirtbag who never showered, shaved or washed my clothes just so I could be considered a "real" climber, then if I'm just myself.
What you said. *applause*
In reply to: Real women climbers don't care if their pants are so baggy that they don't have a butt. If their pants don't tear, lets them move well and protects from major scrapes, they are happy. That is why we are not ashamed to be covered in dirt, shaking, snot nosed, and whimpering on a long run out. We are not ashamed to grin like an idiot after the success of reaching the top. This is why we climb...
And now I go waaay off topic on a soapbox ;) I get the sense from posts like these. that some outdoors women who have been judgedall of their lives for being tomboys and not caring "enough" (to some unreasonable external judge) about clothes or whatever are now engaging in the same exclusionary behavior, by snarking about the women climbers who do like their clothes (or painted toenails or whatever). Either group of 'judges' is trying to fit the other group in an artificial stereotype rather than being comfortable enough with themselves to appreciate the diversity in others.
The idea that girls should wear makeup and and have their hair done in a "cute" style is just as silly as the idea that girls who wear makeup and have their hair done in a "cute" style can't be serious about the outdoors.
I love hanging out with women from both camps but I'm sick of people telling me I have to wear baggy torn pants to be a "real climber".
I'm burly. I wear pink. Deal with it.
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superflea
Mar 8, 2006, 9:14 PM
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In reply to: The idea that girls should wear makeup and and have their hair done in a "cute" style is just as silly as the idea that girls who wear makeup and have their hair done in a "cute" style can't be serious about the outdoors. I love hanging out with women from both camps but I'm sick of people telling me I have to wear baggy torn pants to be a "real climber". I'm burly. I wear pink. Deal with it.
Amen sister. I don't necessarily look pretty while I'm climbing, but I fancy my pink flowery chalk bag!
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heximp
Mar 9, 2006, 12:34 AM
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Hey,
What is a real climber? It is the person that climbs for fun...
I never said looking pretty on the rocks is a sin. If you feel good wearing make-up on a climb, more power to you. You are a climber because you climb... If it is a 5.2 or a 5.13; you qualify as a climber...
The issue is that for "me, myself, and I" what my appearance looks like is the last thing I am thinking about during a climb. This is especially true when I am doing a big wall. This does not mean I don't like looking pretty, that I don't like being attractive. That somehow I really like smelling bad while coming down Half Dome...
It means that my priorities are different when I climb. I am more worried about the comfort and durability of my clothes then beauty. I am more worried about gear placement, anchors etc... Since duct taping my pants during a climb is a pain, I try to avoid it. The most durable pants I have are Dickies. I keep them baggy for movement. (They are not flattering.)
*I also use to have long hair past my waist. Since it got caught in everything despite being braided and bundled. I cut it short enough to not bother my jumars. It broke my heart to cut it, but safety first.
I still brush my hair and take a shower before getting on a wall. I still wear clean clothes and brush my teeth before a wall. I even pluck my eyebrows and put on sunscreen... I just don't worry about perfecting my look for a climb.
I choose to wait for when I get back into civilization to worry about the perfect shade of lip color. Also, when I was "single," I did not worry about men during climbing. Dating is something I thought about after a climb. I found out through time that the best partners are either married or female. Now that I am dating a climber, nothing has changed except that my partner is easier to track down. Our actual relationship does not exist when we climb. There is so much that can go wrong that it takes everything we have to work the route . We are too busy being effective partners then to worry about our sex life. Seperating the relationship from climbing keeps thing simple.
I do think my focus on climbing is more extreme then others. It does not make me more "real" as a climber or less of a "woman." I am just trying to climb the best of my ability.
Does it make me feel "different" then many gym climbers? It does... "I feel like a visiting alien." I don't need to catogorize people into groups such as poser, extreme, granola girl, barbie, etc. People keep asking me what is my rating and what have I climbed. The most famous is "why is everything you own covered in duct tape?"
The fact is my route is up and I rate human... Does that qualify as a climber?
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heximp
Mar 9, 2006, 12:35 AM
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Hey,
What is a real climber? It is the person that climbs for fun...
I never said looking pretty on the rocks is a sin. If you feel good wearing make-up on a climb, more power to you. You are a climber because you climb... If it is a 5.2 or a 5.13; you qualify as a climber...
The issue is that for "me, myself, and I" what my appearance looks like is the last thing I am thinking about during a climb. This is especially true when I am doing a big wall. This does not mean I don't like looking pretty, that I don't like being attractive. That somehow I really like smelling bad while coming down Half Dome...
It means that my priorities are different when I climb. I am more worried about the comfort and durability of my clothes then beauty. I am more worried about gear placement, anchors etc... Since duct taping my pants during a climb is a pain, I try to avoid it. The most durable pants I have are Dickies. I keep them baggy for movement. (They are not flattering.)
*I also use to have long hair past my waist. Since it got caught in everything despite being braided and bundled. I cut it short enough to not bother my jumars. It broke my heart to cut it, but safety first.
I still brush my hair and take a shower before getting on a wall. I still wear clean clothes and brush my teeth before a wall. I even pluck my eyebrows and put on sunscreen... I just don't worry about perfecting my look for a climb.
I choose to wait for when I get back into civilization to worry about the perfect shade of lip color. Also, when I was "single," I did not worry about men during climbing. Dating is something I thought about after a climb. I found out through time that the best partners are either married or female. Now that I am dating a climber, nothing has changed except that my partner is easier to track down. Our actual relationship does not exist when we climb. There is so much that can go wrong that it takes everything we have to work the route . We are too busy being effective partners then to worry about our sex life. Seperating the relationship from climbing keeps thing simple.
I do think my focus on climbing is more extreme then others. It does not make me more "real" as a climber or less of a "woman." I am just trying to climb the best of my ability.
Does it make me feel "different" then many gym climbers? It does... "I feel like a visiting alien." I don't need to catogorize people into groups such as poser, extreme, granola girl, barbie, etc. People keep asking me what is my rating and what have I climbed. The most famous is "why is everything you own covered in duct tape?"
The fact is my route is up and I rate human... Does that qualify as a climber?
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heximp
Mar 9, 2006, 12:35 AM
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Hey,
What is a real climber? It is the person that climbs for fun...
I never said looking pretty on the rocks is a sin. If you feel good wearing make-up on a climb, more power to you. You are a climber because you climb... If it is a 5.2 or a 5.13; you qualify as a climber...
The issue is that for "me, myself, and I" what my appearance looks like is the last thing I am thinking about during a climb. This is especially true when I am doing a big wall. This does not mean I don't like looking pretty, that I don't like being attractive. That somehow I really like smelling bad while coming down Half Dome...
It means that my priorities are different when I climb. I am more worried about the comfort and durability of my clothes then beauty. I am more worried about gear placement, anchors etc... Since duct taping my pants during a climb is a pain, I try to avoid it. The most durable pants I have are Dickies. I keep them baggy for movement. (They are not flattering.)
*I also use to have long hair past my waist. Since it got caught in everything despite being braided and bundled. I cut it short enough to not bother my jumars. It broke my heart to cut it, but safety first.
I still brush my hair and take a shower before getting on a wall. I still wear clean clothes and brush my teeth before a wall. I even pluck my eyebrows and put on sunscreen... I just don't worry about perfecting my look for a climb.
I choose to wait for when I get back into civilization to worry about the perfect shade of lip color. Also, when I was "single," I did not worry about men during climbing. Dating is something I thought about after a climb. I found out through time that the best partners are either married or female. Now that I am dating a climber, nothing has changed except that my partner is easier to track down. Our actual relationship does not exist when we climb. There is so much that can go wrong that it takes everything we have to work the route . We are too busy being effective partners then to worry about our sex life. Seperating the relationship from climbing keeps thing simple.
I do think my focus on climbing is more extreme then others. It does not make me more "real" as a climber or less of a "woman." I am just trying to climb the best of my ability.
Does it make me feel "different" then many gym climbers? It does... "I feel like a visiting alien." I don't need to catogorize people into groups such as poser, extreme, granola girl, barbie, etc. People keep asking me what is my rating and what have I climbed. The most famous is "why is everything you own covered in duct tape?"
The fact is my route is up and I rate human... Does that qualify as a climber?
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livvy
Mar 9, 2006, 2:55 PM
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In reply to: I never said looking pretty on the rocks is a sin. If you feel good wearing make-up on a climb, more power to you. You are a climber because you climb... .... I do think my focus on climbing is more extreme then others. It does not make me more "real" as a climber or less of a "woman."
I'm glad to hear that your initial post:
In reply to: Real women climbers don't ...
was more a reflection of your irritation at feeling like an alien at the gym because you are wearing torn pants (or whatever) than a judgment on women who climb looking differently than you.
I find it just as irritating when I go to the crag wearing clothes that are not torn and match and might (gasp) even be trendy and people assume I can't climb or I don't lead or I don't know what I'm doing or that I can't be serious about climbing because I like clothes. To be clear, I don't believe in form over function and everything MUST be functional and safe, but I choose items with both form and function.
It's hard enough to have people suprised you can lead 5.whatever because you are a woman for women to be squabbling amongst themselves about their clothes and what hidden meaning an outfit contains.
The point is that I don't know anything about how someone climbs based on their clothing (or whether or not they have ovaries) and they don't know anything about how or what kind of climbing I do based on mine.
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acacongua
Mar 9, 2006, 3:51 PM
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People who are judging women based on what they're wearing or whatever has something stuck up their ass and should be decked next time they fall. Hell, I bet they don't fall because at the bolt they contemplate too much and resort to "take!"
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acacongua
Mar 9, 2006, 3:53 PM
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People who are judging women based on what they're wearing or whatever has something stuck up their ass and should be decked next time they fall.
\Coming from someone who grew up poor and now loves to reward herself when she works 11 hours at the office to complete a project - or hell, when I send a project, I reward myself.
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acacongua
Mar 9, 2006, 6:18 PM
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Instead of sizing up people or what they may think about your 'drobe, climb and surprise them. I can't imagine someone saying, "No, I'll hang the rope, you look too nice today or you're too gumby."
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heximp
Mar 10, 2006, 10:24 AM
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...was more a reflection of your irritation at feeling like an alien at the gym because you are wearing torn pants (or whatever) than a judgment on women who climb looking differently than you.
I never said I wore torn pants... I said that clothes are not what I am worried about, it is the climb itself that occupies my mind.
I must be self-centered with my thinking that being an a wall takes the full focus of every climber. I must be very dull for being unable to to be thinking about other things such as looking good while placing my copper heads... (I am sorry for saying that this is what real climbers are all about... It is just a bit of my reality that I don't share with you.)The point is that I don't know anything about how someone climbs based on their clothing (or whether or not they have ovaries) and they don't know anything about how or what kind of climbing I do based on mine.
Very true... Trust me, I do not care what you wear... I don't even care about how good of a climber you are...
Climbing skills and appearances change daily. (During my cancer treatments I could not even stand on one leg let alone climb well. Yet, I knew I was a damn good climber.) People have bad days, good days and everything in between. That is why gyms are different. People are rating each other as if it is a defined truth... (We must define and view ourselves instead of others...) Gyms are another world. When I took the time to recover in a gym, I had people treat me as if I was an idiot. (I never bothered to tell them about my situation.) I never was treated that way at JTree, Stoney Point or Yosemite. It is another world...
Gyms are great... They are wonderful places for building strength, learning sport climbing and finding a date... It is just very different from the climbing world I grew up in.
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heximp
Mar 10, 2006, 1:02 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: I never said looking pretty on the rocks is a sin. If you feel good wearing make-up on a climb, more power to you. You are a climber because you climb... .... I do think my focus on climbing is more extreme then others. It does not make me more "real" as a climber or less of a "woman." I'm glad to hear that your initial post: In reply to: Real women climbers don't ... [quote="was more a reflection of your irritation at feeling like an alien at the gym because you are wearing torn pants (or whatever) than a judgment on women who climb looking differently than you.
You must really know me better then myself... I am feeling uncomfortable in a gym and somehow this is a sign that I hate well dressed climbers... This leap of logic shows your ability to be non-judgmental over others...
I only said that clothes are not what "I" am worried about when I climb. It is the climb itself that occupies my mind.
(I actually wear a few of my "new" Patagonia and Prana outfits since they won't get ruined there. *Big wall would destroy the very same stuff in minutes.)
I agree with you that I must be self-centered for such a casual statement; "real climbers don't..." I am sorry for thinking that being on a wall takes the "full focus of every climber." (I am sorry that I had the perception that every climber pushes their limits and thinks full time about the climb instead of their clothes...) I must be very dull for being unable to multi-task about other things such as looking good while placing my protection... I am sure you are a much better dressed human being then I during such events. Kudos to you...
[quote="The point is that I don't know anything about how someone climbs based on their clothing (or whether or not they have ovaries) and they don't know anything about how or what kind of climbing I do based on mine.
Very true... I can not judge you by your clothes, ovaries ,etc. Trust me, I do not care what you wear or look like... I will even take this one step further... I don't even care about how good of a climber you are.. Isn't that shocking?
I pick my partners upon their passion for climbing. Everything else usually works out. (I can lead/teach.)
The fact is "climbing skills/ appearances" change daily. (During my cancer treatments, I could not even stand on one leg let alone climb well. I also looked horrible, yet I knew I was a damn good climber and an attractive female.) People have bad days, good days and everything in between.
The fact is; whatever I perceive someone to be, I will always be wrong for they are always changing. The question is; do you give yourself and others a chance to change/grow?
So what makes me uncomfortable in gyms?
My discomfort in gyms comes from how masses of people need to form exclusive packs. They first categorize each other by creating a value system to judge each other with. Since the majority fail except for people just like them.... They often reject a few good choices as having lesser value. (No one lacks value!) This leaves the pack to be responsible for the few instead of the whole community. (Categories of the past have been; race, rank, wealth, gender, etc.)
I am just afraid of the categories that climbing gyms are coming up with.
Someone always loses...
When I feel a pack focusing on me. I always worry about the implications of what it means to all of us... Plus, I hate being singled out... "The world can be a very mean place."
(As you can see, it has nothing to do with clothes.)
In other climbing locations; I never had to deal with people in packs. Since I met them as individuals, I was allowed to define myself at that moment, I was allowed to grow and redefine myself as need be. There was no judgment scale to work with...
I miss that....
Gyms are great... They are wonderful places for building great strength. They are perfect locations for lessons in sport climbing and to find a date...
They are just very different from the climbing world I come from.
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