It’s spring break and I haven’t been on my computer much as I’m in Mammoth Lakes, California, visiting my brother, Matt. I’ve been snowboarding, bouldering, rock climbing, and also just hanging out and doing nothing, and sleeping!

My brother has been totally impressing me with his climbing skills. When I arrived last weekend, he was working as an ice climbing guide. And this week we’ve gone to the Owens River gorge in Bishop a couple times for some rope climbing, where I have received private lessons.

Matt

Apparently climbers like to name their climbs with bizarre names. Matt finally conquered Sex yesterday. Here are the climbs I’ve done:

• Stella
• For Patricia
• It’s a Gaaazzzz
• Crotalulsley Challenged
• Silence of the Poodles
• P.D. Time

Silence of the Poodles was my first crack climb and removed a lot of the skin on my hands. Evidence of effort and accomplishment.

I’m heading back to the ‘Burgh on Sunday night. Madness continues on Monday.

Spring break! Spring break!

Who would have thought that at 32 I’d be chanting those two words. But thank goodness for it, because I definitely need a break.

While I haven’t been stressed out in the same way I was last semester (probably because I kind of feel like I know what I’m doing, maybe, probably not), I’ve been working non-stop since January. Not one day off.

I was describing the feeling to a fellow grad the other day. It’s like I’m swimming in front of a huge wave that’s about to crash down on me. I keep waiting for it to hit, but it just lingers there above me, threatening.

I’m at Pittsburgh International Airport waiting for my flight to board. I’m going back to California to visit my brother and his wife and their dog in Mammoth Lakes. I’ve heard good weather reports, and excellent conditions for riding and climbing. We’re planning a couple day trip to red rocks outside of Las Vegas early next week.

I will, of course, also have work to do (generative research for Motorola; Emergence website updates). But the fact that my bro doesn’t have Internet will keep me in check. And the trip to red rocks should keep me off line altogether for a few days.

I can’t wait.

I finally uploaded all the climbing photos I took while visiting my brother Matt in Mammoth Lakes, California. We went rope climbing at the gorge in Bishop, and bouldering at the Happies in Bishop. We climbed with his wife, Ericka, who is also a rock star climber, and their dog Zoey, who is quite a climber herself.

I had so much fun that I decided to take up climbing. Tonight I climbed indoors for the first time at The Climbing Wall in Pittsburgh’s East End, which is conveniently a mile down the road from where I live.

I spent the past 10 days before the semester began visiting my brother, Matt, and his wife, Ericka, and their dog, Zoey, in Mammoth Lakes, California.

They didn’t have an Internet connection, so I had to rely on a local coffee shop, which provided free wireless—a beautiful concept. However, I only checked my email every few days, and obviously, did not blog at all.

Sometimes you just have to live life and say nothing of it.

But in case you’re curious, I did a lot of snowboarding (photos), managing to nearly kill myself only once. I fell and slid 300 feet down a steep slope before being able to stop myself. A shot and a beer immediately followed.

I also went cross-country skiing (photos) a couple times, once at night, where we found ourselves, and the two dogs with us, surrounded by a pack of coyotes. Fortunately, no dogs were eaten.

Also, since my brother and his wife are rock climbing fiends, we traveled a half hour south to Bishop for top rope climbing and bouldering. I’ll post these photos later.