- How was your trip?
- What are your plans now?
- What is it like being home?
How do you have small talk over such questions? “Trip was good. Don’t have plans. Being home is nice”. But really, there is so much mumbo jumbo going on in my head right now!
I had grand plans for when I would return. I would settle in for a week or so. Do some easy routes. Then I would activate crush mode, crushing everything in the Grampians and Arapiles. In addition to being turbo, I would be earning huge wads of cash through some unknown brilliant scheme- saving for my next massive road trip. I would be so happy! Climbing in perfect crisp conditions. Earning tonnes of money. Seeing my friends. Sleeping in my own bed.
Ah. But alas, this was not the case.
Job was nothing. I still have not discovered how to find a job flexible enough for me to climb when I want. Long story short- I got on the dole. Or “Newstart Allowance” would be its politically correct name. Very depressing moment in my life, queuing up in the line at Centrelink. But, yay! Money while looking for jobs, which I was going to do anyway. Not without attending half a dozen interviews and filling out a whole trees worth of forms first though.
Seems like I lucked out on the job hunting last week. One of my best friends from University quit her job, and her replacement broke his foot! Bad for him, good for me! Temporary, casual job doing Exercise Rehab! Amazing. Only a couple hundred hours more and I will become an Accredited Exercise Physiologist. Now doesn’t that sound fancy compared to a dole bludger! Hopefully it can lead into a more permanent position. The work is interesting (most of the time), super close to my house, and everyone is lovely! It’s nice to have money put in my bank account for the first time in 14 months. Stress relief.
As for climbing. That has not been so good. I feel a bit tired. And my motivation fluctuates immensely from day to day. Sometimes I am so psyched I could burst from every orifice of my body! I think about climbing all day and my hands get all sweaty and my tummy gets all tingly! I have moments where I scare myself as to how obsessive this hobby is for me, and I think I should get something else in my life for balance. I just can’t help how much I love it. But then, after last weekend I was done. The more I thought about climbing, the more I beat myself up over how I am not satisfied with my climbing at the moment. Not technical enough. Not strong enough. Not fit enough. Bad headspace. Haven’t climbed or bouldered anything in over a month. Fail.
But then my sensible self (and KP) says- “Don’t worry. It will come”. I have started work so haven’t got out much. And I have had pretty terrible weather conditions (6 out of 7 wet days) at the Gramps (KP says I have become a conditions snob). People in Melbourne work so I have less partner options. I have had a cold on and off since returning (which makes me think I might need a break). And, reality is, I am not on a climbing trip anymore and I need to suck it up. Change my expectations. Make the most of the time I have....and go to the Blue Mountains for two weeks! Psyched!
So I am off tomorrow for two weeks of crimping on razors (so I’ve heard, I’ve never been). Let’s see if I can get one route done! If not, I am pretty sure I will successfully have a good time drinking coffee and wine with my friend, Helen, who left me in Melbourne, what seems like a lifetime ago. Oh, and my imaginary friend flies back to Australia tomorrow. After successfully selling our Renault Kangoo (so sad!) he is on a four day epic journey home. Exciting stuff! Looking forward to two weeks of regaining confidence on rock, and more importantly, enjoying life!
I managed to unsuccessfully blog about Christmas in Poland, Fontainebleau, Switzerland and Round Two of Spain, but oh well. It was all AWESOME. How’s that for being succinct.
Quote of last weekend:
“Take that” KP while falling on Spankin’ the Monkey Bars at Kindergarden.
Dre.
My new life as a home renovator.
Roo at Stapylton.
Sunset from Centinal Cave.
KP in awe of the light on Centinal Cave.
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