A Semester Gone..

A semester gone, and another awaits the new year.

The bitter chill of December has brought about many changes. I experienced another wonderful birthday among climber friends with Daft Punk fueling the whiskey shots and dance moves as we all joyfully played a game of poker. I saw real snow for the first time on a spontaneous trip to Burnsville, North Carolina, with Bryan and his character-like roommates. The four day trip included skiing, hiking, snow ball throwing, drinking, cooking, and some climbing in Asheville. (all of which I carefully documented by my Nikon D3000!) I added onto my family tattoo by placing a bare tree around it, with the tree trunk twisting into a delicate teardrop. It's inspired by a quote I found--"Tears water the roots and make them deep; Family is the tree." I found it suiting due to the fact that my family and I have been through so much in the past few years, and it's only made us stronger.

Christmas is quickly approaching as I sit in my apartment, writing away about the joys of the season. I've taken a much needed break from the Bee's to enjoy my free time climbing, doing errands, and hanging out with old comrades who have made their way back to Tallahassee after their first semesters of college. After Christmas, I will find myself journeying to Wesley Chapel, FL, to visit Bryan, his family, and his friends. Hopefully we'll stir up some trouble in some way or another...a few parties, hitting up Vertical Ventures, and meeting some new, interesting people.

As my last blog post for The Fall Of New, I'm carrying some good news. There will be a new blog called The Spring! It will pertain the same casual reflections, but it will be packed with more daily goodies such as pictures, ideas, and anything else I can think of.

To all the people who have kept up with me this semester, I thank you for reading.

To all the people who inspired me to write this semester, I thank you for being you.

See you in the spring!

A Rock-Hard Friendship

Inspiration comes in so many forms. For me, it's mainly people and nature.

Item one of discussion, people.

The Tally Rock gym is the most magically places in Tallahassee. In it's sweaty, powdery establishments is a climbers fantasy- top rope and bouldering routes of all degrees, jammin' music, and of course, shirtless men with extremely strong backs and wonderful manners. Mmm, yummy mountain men.

Before my terrible climbers elbow, I was a complete gym rat. I talked about the gym if I wasn't there, I dreamed up routes that I wanted to send during my classes, and I promoted the tar outta the place. Literally, the tar bits cover my bedroom and bathroom floor.

But besides the amount of finger tearing, body stretching, and endless pursuit to send, send, send, its the people that keep me coming back. I could list them all, each of them and their unique qualities that make them who they are, but it wouldn't even come close to what they mean to me. They are a new family that I will hold onto for as long as possible. My fingers have gotten a lot stronger, so holding on shouldn't be too difficult!

Nature is without a doubt something that connects these people with me. When you go out on a trip, you bring only what you need- a tent, a sleeping bag, your climbing shoes, bag of chalk, clippers, tape, Climb On, food, water, and a change of clothes. It's nature; you rely on it to take care of you.

After packing in a car like sardines and a few hours spent laughing, we finally make it to our gypsy campsite of 20+ tents. Everyone has the firewood going, smoke slowly protruding from the beginnings of a group campfire. There's laughs, drinking, and stories to be told as friendships are being made and deepened. Night climbing consists of head-lights and gentle remarks of encouragement, due to the fact that I am such a baby climber. The most spectacular part, though, is that I'm never scared. My fall would be soften by the reaching hands of several spotters. Most of these people have only known me for a few months, some for only a few weeks. And I trust them with my life.

I even fell 15 feet down Merlin, a beautiful slate in HP40, and landed gracefully on a crash pad due to Gabe's spotting, the coaxing of Caleigh and A.J., and the others watching quietly on the sidelines.

I blame our connection on the rocks.

I blame our friendship on the rocks.

And I thank the rocks for doing so.