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jsj42
Aug 12, 2003, 2:24 AM
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Am I going about this all wrong - posting to a climbers' forum? OK. Bring it on.
Here's the situation: In the past two years since I started climbing I've achieved quite a bit. But... I've also gone from someone who was extremely ambitious and excited about life to someone who is simply ambitious and excited about the next line, from someone who had tons of friends to someone who has all but none (except partners of course), from someone who had a healthy dating life to someone who "just doesn't have time for that game," and from someone who's life was wonderfully balanced and fulfilling to someone who's life is just plain lopsided.
So, I've reached a point where, as great as the experiences of climbing are, I've become painfully aware that they are just not sustaining. It's a nasty cycle: The more I climb, the more I neglect the rest of my life. The more I neglect the rest of my life, the uglier it gets. And, the uglier it gets, the more I, for lack of a better word, "medicate" by climbing.
I've already gotten the advice that "quitting isn't the answer - just cut back." Come on people! That might be good advice if I really sucked at climbing or was more into the climbing "scene" than climbing itself, but I don't and I'm not. I need some burn-the-guidebooks, ebay-the-gear, disappear like Layton Kor and Katie Brown kinda advice here!
***
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anothertucsonclimber
Aug 12, 2003, 2:34 AM
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Registered: Jun 2, 2003
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Rent a steam roller and ride right over your gear....GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!
I don't think the problem has anything to do with your "amazing" climbing resume.
Dale
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blotched
Aug 12, 2003, 2:35 AM
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Registered: Aug 8, 2003
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Hmm, I don't know what to tell ya man.
Maybe you could take up chess? :)
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gideon
Aug 12, 2003, 2:41 AM
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I have one for you, I'm on my way to Iraq, therefore I can not climb for at least a year, most likely 13 or 14 months. Send me your gear, I will store it in plastic with mine. My wife will take care of it and when I get back either your cured and I keep your gear :D or your having a horrible addiction fit and I send it back. Well, Its an option. ( I can even have my wife send you digital pictures of it to ween you off )
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no_limit
Aug 12, 2003, 2:42 AM
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Who needs a lot of friends. If you are enjoying yourself just keep doing it, if you aren't enjoying yourself then it shouldn't be hard to stop.
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epic_ed
Aug 12, 2003, 2:43 AM
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Hang out with this guy:
http://www.rockclimbing.com/...p.cgi?Detailed=15582
He'll have you suicidal in a matter of days! :P Several phases beyond just wanting to quit, but hey, it'll do. Please will me all of your gear.
Epic Ed
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crackaddict
Aug 12, 2003, 2:45 AM
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All or nothing! Huh!!
Sounds like your overly driven and have to sort out some priorities. Well I have to say that you can turn your back on it but its still not gonna make you happy. Climbing is something that you love and it will haunt your thoughts if you leave it.
My advice is to find some balance and enjoy all things in life. You can still climb hard and have a life.
Peace!!
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philbox
Moderator
Aug 12, 2003, 2:55 AM
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I used to be addicted to watching TV. I found that by replacing that need to sit and veg with another activity that interested me (read climbing) I was able bring balance into my life. Ok so you`ve really got it bad eh, climbing that is. Ya wanna bring balance into your life, look around, what else are you interested in, try out a few other extreme sports that will break the cycle of habit in your life.
I don`t believe you can have two exclusive obsessions and three is even more remote. You`re putting all your life into one thing, this can be a good thing but you are recognising that you need some balance brought into your life.
The first step is the one which you have already taken and that is to admit that you wish to change. You can now use that as the hinge to swing yourself in a new direction. I wouldn`t suggest you simply go cold turkey just keep it in mind to try for some small change and build on that.
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bandycoot
Aug 12, 2003, 3:05 AM
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Registered: Nov 25, 2002
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sack up and mail me your gear...
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frankfurter
Aug 12, 2003, 3:09 AM
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Registered: Jul 30, 2003
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There is no solution for something that isn't wrong.
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gideon
Aug 12, 2003, 3:19 AM
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I'm with frankfarter...
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janiszewski11
Aug 12, 2003, 3:22 AM
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what gear do you have and how much? :D
Of course you could always go talk to a guy while laying on a couch.
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gravitysucks
Aug 12, 2003, 3:40 AM
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Registered: Dec 11, 2002
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OK, first you're in Boulder...that's like an alcoholic in Munich asking how he can quit drinking...
:roll: :? :shock: :wink:
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dymondbak37
Aug 12, 2003, 5:19 AM
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Registered: Aug 29, 2002
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Send ALL your gear to me, that will stop you cold turkey, and you'd be helping out a fellow climber. I'd much appreciate it.
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neph
Aug 12, 2003, 5:36 AM
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Registered: Aug 29, 2002
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For a small fee, I will follow you around and kick your ass whenever you try to climb something. :)
(and I'll take your gear off your hands for cheap :P )
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neeshman
Aug 12, 2003, 5:43 AM
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Registered: Apr 12, 2002
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LOL!!!!!!!!!! This thread is absolutely amazing, I am stunned. Everyone keep up the fun.
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hatice
Aug 12, 2003, 5:59 AM
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In reply to: LOL!!!!!!!!!! This thread is absolutely amazing, I am stunned. Everyone keep up the fun.
lol i agree
Cheers, Graham
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canadian_usc
Aug 12, 2003, 6:08 AM
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My mom always told me that everything is good as long as it is in moderation. Chances are if you know that you are neglecting the rest of your life, it is probally by choice. If you didn't know your social life was suffering you wouldn't be able to write a post about it. So since you are climbing to the point of your own not-well being, you should probally chance that choice and cut back alittle. If you really love it don't quit.
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ptone
Aug 12, 2003, 6:16 AM
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Registered: Mar 5, 2003
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I was in much the same boat as you at one time. My life was falling apart...(typical addict consequences, loss of job, girlfriend, apartment, pawning my stuff for gear, sleeping at the crags. I even had 7 partners for a bit, I'd climb with one each day, so no one knew how much I was really climbing, cause they only saw me once a week!!!) and I had lost touch with reality...
Problem was, I was so awesome that I just couldn't justify quitting, regardless of my own personal pain. And also, I wasn't really into the climbing scene. Like a heroin addict jonesing in a group of social pot smokers, I knew they could never understand real sickness...
Oh, I tell you, it was so hard, and so lonely, in the end, none of my friends even wanted to hear about how nice the lines on the coffeshop we were at looked anymore...
Here is the solution that worked for me, don't know if it will work for you, but I'll tell you, climbing is now a wonderful and fulfilling part of my life, a pursuit that enables me to live amongst the teeming masses without fantasizing about installing sterilizing beams in the electric eye door openers at the mall in an attempt to salvage the dying remains of humanities gene pool....
(drum roll please...)
I took my head out of my ass, had a look around, and started looking for what I liked in the world rather than obsessing about what pissed me off.
Cut the elitist expectations and have some fun!
Take some bud who flails on escalators, who wouldn't climb if you didn't take him, and make sure he has a great time.
I promise you will too.
If you don't, the wait til you get done feeling sorry for yourself, then come back here and flame the living daylights out of me!
peace,
-p
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epic_ed
Aug 12, 2003, 6:18 AM
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Registered: Jun 17, 2002
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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Not a bad suggestion, Ptone.
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meingh
Aug 12, 2003, 6:19 AM
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Registered: Jul 23, 2003
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OK, seriously, this can be a problem. I have seen many people become addicted to the point of serious injury, I have seen others neglect everything I there life because they can't stop climbing. Nothings worse than wake up 40 years old, cashing our McDonald's paycheck, nursing you joints and tendons and realizing you can only climb 5.6.
Gary
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enigma
Aug 12, 2003, 7:06 AM
Post #22 of 57
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Registered: May 19, 2002
Posts: 2279
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---If you really want to quit you'll have to find an replacement something else that will make you feel great, empowered, strong,happy,tired, scared, invincible,exhausted, sore, nirvananic, self-reliant, powerful, exhuberant, playful, dirty, ambitious,satisfied, weak, satiated, craving, focused, lightheaded, dizzy, silly,different,nonconformist,independent,extreme,selfish,friendly, striving, and being the best. :P
btw--good luck
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aznrockclimber82
Aug 12, 2003, 9:40 AM
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Climbers hate falling right? Take trip to a bungie jump and have a go, maybe with alot of luck you'll scare the livin bejesus outta ya and never wanna leave ground again. :) Peace.
Steve - Gecko
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redpoint73
Aug 12, 2003, 11:10 AM
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Registered: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 1717
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Life is what you make it, not what others tell you it should be.
If you are happy with what you are doing, are healthy, and are being safe then I say "climb on!" Now if you have to do drug-addict stuff like steal or pawn stuff to finance your habit, then thats a different story. Are you making a decent living? Not everyone needs to be a career-focused CEO, making 6 figures and driving a BMW. Even if you are working odd jobs and just getting by, that's all cool. There's nothing wrong with being a climbing bum, as long as you are doing anything to hurt yourself or harm others.
Sure, society says that you have date a chick and marry her and be happy-ever-after or some crap like that. So what? I know plenty of people (some not even climbers) that just aren't all that interested in dating or relationships right now. That doesn't mean that you won't feel like settling down later on. You should do what makes you happy, it doesn't have to be chasing girls.
I have a friend-of-a-friend who quit her fancy well-paying office job in Boston and now does ski patrol and climbing SAR in New Hampshire. She has a little tougher time paying the bills. But this is the happiest she has ever been, and I hear she just has a huge grin on her face all the time now.
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joshklingbeil
Aug 12, 2003, 11:14 AM
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Registered: Jul 6, 2002
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Send Your gear out to all of us so then it would be to hard to get it back. Why quit now you dont have any friends.I thought climbing partners are friends. So all you would do is sit at home and think abought all the fun times climbing.Maybe your one of those guys that need a climber chick as a partner. I'm off for a few hours of rest so I can go climbing when I wake up.
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