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Feb. 21st, 2008 07:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kbkI went and I did the climbing thing! And it was fun! I'd planned on walking round, but I dozed, because I didn't sleep well At All, so I had to get the bus to Braehead and leg it. I got there 5-10 minutes early, and there were a couple of boys there with mother (I assume) and over the next ten minutes a bunch more kids showed up. Like, 10 to 12, maybe? Not sure. Only four of them were for my thing. But I thought I was going to be, y'know, twice as old as anyone else, so I was rehearsing my "Just because I'm technically grown-up doesn't mean I have to act like it," until - just after our guy, Jamie, called us up - three more folk showed up, my age or a bit younger. So that was cool.
Anyway. We got sorted out with harnesses and helmets and climbing shoes, then we went up the stairs. And up. And up. A storey is usually three metres or so, right? Because this is apparently 15m up. Anyway. First we did the Sky Park which is like an assault course kinda thing, but, of course, hanging in mid-air. Start with a zip slide, then a little wooden platform, then little vertical logs that sway when you step on them (more than everything else, that is, because all of it is suspended from the ceiling and all of it sways), then a little wall with climbing holds on, then two tall vertical logs with bits sticking out (which I just failed at, both times I went round - Jamie kept telling us that if it got too hard we could just sit and slide, so I went for that) then horizonal logs (sort of ladder shaped, but too big to get your hand around, and, yeah, I couldn't be arsed with them) then two more wooden platforms, then a horizontal net, then a log with rope handles (like a rope bridge, yeah?) and another with different ropes, and then a vertical net, and that was it! And I went round twice then gave up - some of the others went four times, but, y'know, there was blatant cheating going on. Not that it's really cheating, but it felt like it, to me. So by the end of that, I was shaking and sweating. And that was just the first thing.
Oh, cool thing - the harnesses are attached to this metal track above you, yeah? And there was another alongside that the instructors used, so they could get out to whoever was having trouble. But there was a starting zone, where you got clipped on and safety-talked and what-not, and where the unused harnesses were, and to get to that, there's a switching mechanism, between the main track and the... the siding, just like on train tracks. Maybe it's not that cool, but I liked it.
Next was the Fan Drop. I'd... from the way they described it, somehow I'd been expecting a giant fan at the bottom, blowing up, and I know I'm not the only one because I told a couple of people at choir I was going to do it and they asked what would happen if there was a power cut. But it's really a paddle attached to the winder, so when you go down the paddle goes round and the air resistance to that slows you. Anyway. I walked out. I told Jamie about jumping off cliffs in Mexico - well, "abroad," and he made a comment about warm water and I said it was like jumping into a bath (and did I mention he was kinda cute? I mean, most of it was the tattoo and the arms, but still. By the way, this is another pro on the list for learning climbing - boys (and girls) with good arms and tattoos. Mmm.) Anyway. You're supposed to just step off. And I, uh, didn't really step properly, so I bumped my arse on the way down (he told me, next time, that I'd sat on his toe. Oops.) But, really cool. Doesn't feel exactly like I remember free-fall. Still cool. And I got to the bottom and my knees went so I was on my arse. Anyway, fun enough that I climbed up - and up - to do it twice more. And fall on my arse each time. Once I went all the way down to on my back and just started laughing. Awesome chemicals, man. One of the guys my age didn't do it, was Not going to do it, but after climbing we went back to do it once more and he did! which was cool. I'm not sure how literal the push was that Jamie gave him, though (I heard him say something after). I could have used a push the first time, really. It's weird, because even having done it, and holding the rope, and knowing it's safe and fun and all this... It feels incredibly fucking stupid to be stepping off a high ledge into thin air. Incredibly so.
Then, the climbing wall. I only got up to about half-height. And I had a few goes then stood there a bit, because my legs had been shaking before I got there and my arms were going as well, and, y'know, whatever. Oh, in the instructional talk, Jamie said not to just use your arms, like in 'Cliffhanger', and the kids looked at him blankly. And he made this face - the "I am too young to feel so old" face, you know the one - and continued on. And I had a wee chat with him while I was resting; I asked how he could stand the kids, and he said he couldn't, really, he was thinking about ear-plugs, because nobody could see them under his hat. They were, um, boisterous? They talked, a lot, and loudly, about inconsequential things, while he was trying to do instructor things. And - because the rule on the climbing wall is that he has to clip you and unclip you - if you want to change places, you have to call him. So you have this kid going, "Jamie! Jamie! I want to do that one! Can I do that one? Jamie!" while he's, y'know, unclipping and reclipping other people. Hello, small child, you are In No Way more worthy of his attention. And he told me that usually during the day it's groups from companies, or whatever, doing team activities, which is pretty cool, but during the weekends it's quite often all kids, which is, uh, not so cool.
And then, like I said, we did a final drop. Whee! When I took my helmet off, the front of my hair was wet with sweat. Ick. And my T-shirt was pretty damp - and my upper thighs, come to think of it, where the harness sat (oh yeah! on the guys? especially on one of them, the harness was just obscene. Because it pulls in at upper thigh, so the groin area is somewhat highlighted. Heh.) And it was great fun! But I don't think I'll do it again any time soon. But I might try climbing somewhere else - there's a place in Glasgow, and the course seems a bit expensive, but, well, maybe.
And then called Mim and babbled at her a bit. And then I went shopping and bought juice and cut-price candy canes and lipstick (which was supposed to be whorish - it is darkish red - but actually might end up being used for interviews, if I ever have any, because it suits me quite well). And I went to Lush, and I walked in and grabbed a couple of bags and started getting the stuff I decided on days ago, and the girl from behind the counter came over to ask if I needed help, and then said I didn't look like I needed it, and I smiled and she went away again, and she seemed nice; anyway, I got shampoo (Squeaky Green and Godiva) and a Happy Pill and deodorant (The Greench) and perfume (Go Green (and I kind of have a colour theme going here, don't I? But that is their fault) which is a bit much on first sniff but then calms down and is nice) and I went to MacD's and had food. And then I walked home in the rain and dad called me, like, three minutes before I got there, and then there was food for me because they hadn't found my note (which maybe I should have put on the fridge instead of by the phone in the hall? but that is, like, standard note-leaving place, for me anyway) and I ate that too because I only had rice for lunch. Mmm, food.
Most/all of my icons are angsty. Apart from the 'factual' ones. Maybe one day have happy icon? But maybe it not used much. But then I not use icons, half the time. My default is like my online face.
Dude, I just spent, like, forty minutes writing this. And looking back, I probably made far too much use of certain phrases and rhetorical conventions, but who gives a damn? Not I.
Anyway. We got sorted out with harnesses and helmets and climbing shoes, then we went up the stairs. And up. And up. A storey is usually three metres or so, right? Because this is apparently 15m up. Anyway. First we did the Sky Park which is like an assault course kinda thing, but, of course, hanging in mid-air. Start with a zip slide, then a little wooden platform, then little vertical logs that sway when you step on them (more than everything else, that is, because all of it is suspended from the ceiling and all of it sways), then a little wall with climbing holds on, then two tall vertical logs with bits sticking out (which I just failed at, both times I went round - Jamie kept telling us that if it got too hard we could just sit and slide, so I went for that) then horizonal logs (sort of ladder shaped, but too big to get your hand around, and, yeah, I couldn't be arsed with them) then two more wooden platforms, then a horizontal net, then a log with rope handles (like a rope bridge, yeah?) and another with different ropes, and then a vertical net, and that was it! And I went round twice then gave up - some of the others went four times, but, y'know, there was blatant cheating going on. Not that it's really cheating, but it felt like it, to me. So by the end of that, I was shaking and sweating. And that was just the first thing.
Oh, cool thing - the harnesses are attached to this metal track above you, yeah? And there was another alongside that the instructors used, so they could get out to whoever was having trouble. But there was a starting zone, where you got clipped on and safety-talked and what-not, and where the unused harnesses were, and to get to that, there's a switching mechanism, between the main track and the... the siding, just like on train tracks. Maybe it's not that cool, but I liked it.
Next was the Fan Drop. I'd... from the way they described it, somehow I'd been expecting a giant fan at the bottom, blowing up, and I know I'm not the only one because I told a couple of people at choir I was going to do it and they asked what would happen if there was a power cut. But it's really a paddle attached to the winder, so when you go down the paddle goes round and the air resistance to that slows you. Anyway. I walked out. I told Jamie about jumping off cliffs in Mexico - well, "abroad," and he made a comment about warm water and I said it was like jumping into a bath (and did I mention he was kinda cute? I mean, most of it was the tattoo and the arms, but still. By the way, this is another pro on the list for learning climbing - boys (and girls) with good arms and tattoos. Mmm.) Anyway. You're supposed to just step off. And I, uh, didn't really step properly, so I bumped my arse on the way down (he told me, next time, that I'd sat on his toe. Oops.) But, really cool. Doesn't feel exactly like I remember free-fall. Still cool. And I got to the bottom and my knees went so I was on my arse. Anyway, fun enough that I climbed up - and up - to do it twice more. And fall on my arse each time. Once I went all the way down to on my back and just started laughing. Awesome chemicals, man. One of the guys my age didn't do it, was Not going to do it, but after climbing we went back to do it once more and he did! which was cool. I'm not sure how literal the push was that Jamie gave him, though (I heard him say something after). I could have used a push the first time, really. It's weird, because even having done it, and holding the rope, and knowing it's safe and fun and all this... It feels incredibly fucking stupid to be stepping off a high ledge into thin air. Incredibly so.
Then, the climbing wall. I only got up to about half-height. And I had a few goes then stood there a bit, because my legs had been shaking before I got there and my arms were going as well, and, y'know, whatever. Oh, in the instructional talk, Jamie said not to just use your arms, like in 'Cliffhanger', and the kids looked at him blankly. And he made this face - the "I am too young to feel so old" face, you know the one - and continued on. And I had a wee chat with him while I was resting; I asked how he could stand the kids, and he said he couldn't, really, he was thinking about ear-plugs, because nobody could see them under his hat. They were, um, boisterous? They talked, a lot, and loudly, about inconsequential things, while he was trying to do instructor things. And - because the rule on the climbing wall is that he has to clip you and unclip you - if you want to change places, you have to call him. So you have this kid going, "Jamie! Jamie! I want to do that one! Can I do that one? Jamie!" while he's, y'know, unclipping and reclipping other people. Hello, small child, you are In No Way more worthy of his attention. And he told me that usually during the day it's groups from companies, or whatever, doing team activities, which is pretty cool, but during the weekends it's quite often all kids, which is, uh, not so cool.
And then, like I said, we did a final drop. Whee! When I took my helmet off, the front of my hair was wet with sweat. Ick. And my T-shirt was pretty damp - and my upper thighs, come to think of it, where the harness sat (oh yeah! on the guys? especially on one of them, the harness was just obscene. Because it pulls in at upper thigh, so the groin area is somewhat highlighted. Heh.) And it was great fun! But I don't think I'll do it again any time soon. But I might try climbing somewhere else - there's a place in Glasgow, and the course seems a bit expensive, but, well, maybe.
And then called Mim and babbled at her a bit. And then I went shopping and bought juice and cut-price candy canes and lipstick (which was supposed to be whorish - it is darkish red - but actually might end up being used for interviews, if I ever have any, because it suits me quite well). And I went to Lush, and I walked in and grabbed a couple of bags and started getting the stuff I decided on days ago, and the girl from behind the counter came over to ask if I needed help, and then said I didn't look like I needed it, and I smiled and she went away again, and she seemed nice; anyway, I got shampoo (Squeaky Green and Godiva) and a Happy Pill and deodorant (The Greench) and perfume (Go Green (and I kind of have a colour theme going here, don't I? But that is their fault) which is a bit much on first sniff but then calms down and is nice) and I went to MacD's and had food. And then I walked home in the rain and dad called me, like, three minutes before I got there, and then there was food for me because they hadn't found my note (which maybe I should have put on the fridge instead of by the phone in the hall? but that is, like, standard note-leaving place, for me anyway) and I ate that too because I only had rice for lunch. Mmm, food.
Most/all of my icons are angsty. Apart from the 'factual' ones. Maybe one day have happy icon? But maybe it not used much. But then I not use icons, half the time. My default is like my online face.
Dude, I just spent, like, forty minutes writing this. And looking back, I probably made far too much use of certain phrases and rhetorical conventions, but who gives a damn? Not I.
