HOMEWORK

I think I have to tell you about the climbing.

It's been almost a week of very mixed emotions. I made a big mistake by choosing the problems I wanted to try after watching them on videos, instead of in reality. The result was that, if the climber in the video is a demon crimping machine, you're up to a big big ego bashing. My desire to score drove me far away, and the last thing I remember of day one was myself hitting the crashpad with my metal stick brush one hundred times. Girlfriend was puzzled.

I owe so much to her. Without her, I wouldn't have been climbing so much abroad lately. No one here wants to go climbing for one week straight, everyone has something else to do, usually silly things like work or family.

This time, though, I realized how difficult it is to always go climbing on our own. I have to bear all the pression of my climbing goals, and can't ask her to help me, even if she always tries to keep me focused but relaxed.

Sometimes, you really have to absorb energy from your climbing partners, maybe just by watching them doing one move you couldn't do, or maybe just by having a big big laugh at yourself after a poor try.

It's no wonder, so, that day two saw me very calm, after meeting a few friends in Cresciano. Spirits were high, the girls were cranking at their limit, and finally I was happy, without the two mighty signs (8a) completely closing my mind.

Monday and Tuesday we climbed in Chironico, and the last day was also my best one. After three days of pulling holds down to no avail, I fucking crushed. I felt so good I don't even care about the grade I did. I left the ground feeling heavy, and had to really squeeze to get the good holds, feeling quite tired. Then, with every move, I gained energy and confidence. I dangled and got the crimp. I heel hooked as to pull the block from the roof, and was conscious of nothing except putting every gram of by body in the right place.

Girlfriend said I scared her.

That night, at the campsite, I finally could lie in the jacuzzi with also my hands in the water.

I love bouldering, I love my girlfriend, I love to try and rip holds from the rock.

Peace.