updates

There are several things I've been remiss in not reporting- well maybe not several but definitely two.

Thing 1:I have a new job

Thing 2:I bumped in to Jaap

Thing 1
I mentioned previously that Jon, the designer for DIVE had left. What I neglected to mention was that I applied for his job. This was for a multitude of reasons but basically, I didn't want to jinx it. This was also the reason for my few-and-far-between blogs for a while- I was working more, trying to prove myself to be a multi-tasking Goddess worthy of the job and was also putting together/updating my portfolio. (Which is now done, but not the website, I didn't have time for that.) But to cut a long story short, they gave me the job. Hoorah! [insert appropriate football touchdown victory dance now] Unfortunately I don't get to start until they find a new me so that could be even a month away. Not fair! I want to start now!!! I'm very much looking forward to be back in the design saddle and back on my chosen career path. It only took me a year...

Thing 2
For most people, me bumping into Jaap will mean nothing at all. In fact I think the only person as blown away by it all as me (in fact maybe more) is Julie. Years ago, I did fencing (as did J) and Jaap was a fencing buddy in Chch. I haven't fenced in over 5 years (at least, I refuse to count in case it makes me feel old) and it's been about that long since I've seen Jaap. About three weeks ago (this is how bad I am with updating you folks) I went to the climbing wall for the ladies' climbing evening but no ladies showed so I was hanging around, watching people climb when I turned around and this person waved at me. It was Jaap. Lots of, "Oh my God!" "How surreal!" and "can you freakin' believe this?!!" ensued and I ended up climbing with him and his friends. And now Thursdays are my regular Jaap (and whoever turns up) climbing night. Who would have thought I'd be travelling across the world to go climbing with someone it'd've been surprising/cool enough to bump in to back home?

I do honestly believe that taking up climbing again is the best decision I have made since I've been over here. I love it and it makes me feel great. Even when I don't have a very productive night and feel like I haven't climbed very well, I still come away feeling great and if it's a night like last night, well then I'm floating on a cloud of endorphins all the way home. Last night, with the help of Jaap, I managed to finally get up a climb that I've been popping off for weeks. It is the greatest sense of achievement when you finally get past something you haven't been able to do. And then (because that's not all folks), I climbed my highest grade yet. For those who know anything about climbing grades, here is a link to comparisons for UK/Aus grades. I don't know what I was up to when I last climbed in NZ. I was climbing 14 outdoors and couldn't get up an 18 at the indoor wall but here I can fairly consistently do the equivalent of 16 and last night I did a 6a which is the equivalent of a 22-25 in NZ terms. Call it a 22 or maybe just a 20 to be modest but still, I did it and it's the highest grade I've done yet and I didn't cheat and I am so bloody proud of myself. And this is not a blowing my horn kind of thing, I'm just stoked and want to share. There was also another climb that I did and a lady was doing if after me who was shorter than me (yep, they do exist) so I was fascinated to see how she did it. I watched the beginning and thought she looked really elegant doing it. I then clambered up another route but Jaap, who was belaying me, gpt to watch the whole thing and he said that he thought I did it better. And I said, "But she looked so graceful!" and he said, "She made it look hard." YEAH! So now I know that I don't look like a beached whale scrambling up the wall- a thing that is always nice for a girl to know. Also Jaap is good at climbing so his opinion means something to me. Climbing with him also means that I'm constantly being pushed to try harder stuff and do more which can be exhausting and demoralising but when it works- endorphin central. ;-)