Saturday, April 15, 2006
Matt and Tim finally convinced me to climb the rock wall. I had to sign a sort of accident release form, and then the person having me sign in pointed at Tim and said,
"He's gonna belay you, right?"
I looked at the guy, thoroughly confused, thinking, He's gonna be-what me?! ...and why does that require a harness?
My apprehensions were subsequently allayed, however, as Tim explained this only meant he would be the person at the other end of the rope to check my falls. Twice he showed me how to tie a figure-eight knot, the mastery of which would prevent me from falling to my death, but I must practice this complicated skill further.
Different sides of the wall are set to train particular skill levels, so Tim had me choose between a couple he thought I might best begin with. I went up the first side two or three times, perhaps between a third and a half of the way, but grew weary and let myself fall back. The last time my hand cramped up (I had only imbibed soda pop all morning) and would not be fixed, so I had Tim let me down.
He then suggested I might try a second portion of the wall, built with a crack in which I might rest my body. This I did with fairer success, ascending all the way to the top without falling back once. Tim was infinitely patient and usually let me work my own way through areas at which I found myself awkwardly positioned. Before we began, Tim told me I would have to let my feet do most of the work and keep my hips to the wall. At this I laughed:
"This could turn out interesting, then, because I don't press my hips to anything too often. I'm a very distant person."
Despite every determination not to, I did enjoy myself, and will probably allow someone to belay me again next week, time permitting. Besides being stressed about upcoming papers and finals, I am saddened by the recollection that Tim, Matt, and Sharada all wrote their graduate theses this semester and will henceforth vanish forever. Jan (one of the German graduate students who arrived along with Eike, Berna, and Anke) finished his thesis as well and will return to Deutschland during the summer.
In both departments the remaining graduate students I either do not see often enough or have no desire to talk to. Everyone is certainly very nice, but just as certainly are we all very busy. Sharada I shall miss especially, for she is one of the few girls I could ever stand long enough to befriend. Most girls are icky.
[Lauree Frances Keith concluded this diatribe at 5:34 PM]