Wednesday, April 23, 2008

climbing

so this last week I went rock climbing for the first time. it was pretty much what I expected- and yet some parts exceeded my expectations. visually it was quite over stimulating with the 35’ walls and coloured pieces all the way up and coloured ropes hanging down and what looks like crowds of people on the ground. we took a lesson, which was so informative and really interesting…and within the first hour I was already up at the top of the wall (ok I was about 4 feet short, but when all you’ve got is a rope like an umbilical cord, and its only the third time you’ve been on the wall I figure that’s pretty good). our instructor was awesome, not only info about climbing, but also about the equipment we were using, communication and little lessons... and they had us climbing on this sort of back wall where for lack of a better description, its private…so you can focus on the task at hand and not worry so much about looking like an idiot, or having your ass get stared at.
I will be going back- which in some ways surprises me, but I think rock climbing fits my non-competitive sport criteria: I just have to focus on me, not falling, being strategic, pushing myself, and I can stop when ever I want.
It was not so much like the gym with the multitudes of meat-head guys, but there were still a few of those jock dudes. lucky I just have to look at the wall.

Friday, April 11, 2008

next stop...

I was meeting miss B for a drink and a bite after work. I was also going to 'help' or at least observe at a project she is working on for an art show. audio needed to be recorded... now as I am no audio expert- she gives me jobs like "personal assistant" and "moral support" so I can be on set with her. this is enough responsibility, both real and imagined.
what was funny is where we went: miss B has a friend who is a character, and dables in almost everything. he was doing the audio at his studio. and his studio is a bus.
this is an old bus, picture greyhound charter...parked in an empty industrial lot and has a long extension cord, one of those 100' (at least) snaking across the parking lot from a warehouse as the power source. I was told it was a bus, in a parking lot, and yet it was still not what I pictured when I arrived. its ridiculous. there are only about 5 seats still in it and there are a couple of desks and 2 old style orange hairsalon seat/hair dryer things. and then sound equipment. one of the other people there said it was still better than a trailer park...which part being 'better' I do not know. He has saved this bus from demolition, and scavengers by buying it and wrangling a deal with the property landlord. it is not road worthy and it will stay there. and while the sun was setting on this beast, he wistfully spoke of putting a picket fence around it and getting a bbq.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

art imitates art

a while ago I saw a post on a website with a youtube clip featuring a 2 or 3 year old belting out "Apologize" by OneRepublic while sitting in her car seat in the back of a minivan. She pretty much had it word for word with the exception of a couple fast paced lyrics where she substituted and hummed mmm hhhmm lllaaa to make up the missing parts (same as any self respecting adult sitting in a car with the music jacked would do while at a stop light to save face).
so I found it funny then today when little miss K was here making art with me and the song came on my laptop. she is all of 7, and pretty much did the same thing: sang the song to the best of her knowledge, with real emphasis on the "its too late...I said its too late apologize... its too late!" chorus. and she also did this without once taking her focus from cutting and pasting her craft project.
is there something about this song? is there something about the words? is it because its something that children are used to being told: apologize to your mother, apologize for hitting your brother, tell daddy you're sorry. or is it simply because the song has a lot of airtime and the words are easy to follow? and everyone can relate on some level.
I know for both her and I, it means different things about different people... and its kind of true.