The Lamb that was my Career…

posted by broncocloseAuthor: bronco Name: adam
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Sacrifice: an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy OR an act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure

Chances are, if you’re in this game we like to call climbing, then you’ve sacrificed something along the way. Whether it be a relationship, career, chocolate glazed donuts, or your dignity, you’ve gotta face it, climbing on rocks consumes your time, money, and dedication. Granted, there are a few freaks out there that seem to have their shit together like this ladie. But for the lesser of us it seems that sacrifice becomes a part of the game in pursuit of these little stone dreams.

For example, take my household, which has recently been dubbed mancamp. Limit: Physicist scholar extradonaire, genius at most things that involve using your brain, and general bad-ass at smart kid stuff. Wig: literary mastermind, networking and social playboy, model of all things cool. Bronco (that’s me): Law School intellect/Bar Exam slacky, abnormal aptitude for linguistics, and friend to all. We represent a pool of people, which, by all means, should be taking the world by storm! I can almost envision Limit in a white lab coat with lapel pockets filled with pens and other shit, Bronco (Yes, Bronco just used third person) in a three piece suit, bow tie and briefcase (with actual briefs in there), and Wig, well, basically looking the same, just a lot wealthier. Whatever, here’s the point, at what time did we consciously or unconsciously decide to slip through the cracks of cookie-cutterness and feel the need to gravitate toward this life of climbing?

As some of you may or may not know I recently spent a stint in Oklahoma City while preparing for the Colorado bar exam. I figured the change of scenery, and by that I mean not drinking with Wig every night, would be a good way to buckle down and impress all the nuiancey law shit into my backsliding noggin. I don’t know if it worked or not, but I did have a little revelation of what life’s like on the other side. By “the other side” I mean the “I have a career, mortgage, SUV, child(ren), and a serious case of overeating,” lifestyle. It was if I crept up to a massive fence that housed the rest of the world, climbed up and peered down on all the “normal” people. The zombie like creatures below walked about arms outstretched moving about in zig-zagging single file lines from college to career to retirement without blinking. Not daring to step out of queue for fear that, well, I don’t really know what they were scared of, but they just kept pushing on.  (disclaimer:  to all the oklahomies who are reading this, you know who you are, this is not you.)

I recognized that this very well could’ve been me. In that moment I was relieved and frightened, but mostly relieved. Although, I’ve got to say that the comfortness of which I was in store for has a certain appeal, mostly financial. I thought a lot about becoming more stable, whatever that means. In fact, I even had a mini break down crisis one day thinking, “Oh shit, what AM I going to do with my life?” I emailed a friend of mine and got this response, “Oh dear. It sounds like you might be having the ‘oh my god, I’m almost thirty and what the fuck am I doing with my life/existential meltdown too. Don’t worry though. Everybody’s doing it.”

Sigh; at least I’m not the only one, apparently. I’m almost thirty, but my life’s not over! Even though I slew my legal career for the past few years, I had a helluva good time doing it. While most of my classmates were in neckties, shopping, eating and eating, I was visiting more crags across the U.S. then I ever thought I would see, climbing harder than I ever thought I could, seeing some of the best looking landscapes that you can imagine, and meeting all you crazy monkeys that do the same.

So, for now, I’m gonna keep on keeping on! In fact, I’m headed to the Creek for two weeks and I haven’t paid my property taxes, oh well, there not due till sometime later. I’ll deal!

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Tags: Sacrifice, slew, social playboy, third person

7 Comments to The Lamb that was my Career…

1. 

   you guys sound the like the Power Rangers of the climbing world….by day you’re each doing what you do. then some big light in the sky or a mysterious phone call..and you leap into action. quickly change into your respective coloured leotard outfit (complete with mask) and you’re at the crag!

   btw…your friend is right. Everybody IS doing it.
   Tomb on February 28th, 2009
2. 

   “Not due til some time later.” I like that. My brother has not registered the new car he bought and it’s probably coming up on 2 years now. I guess he too will do it some time later.
   Much respect for you Bronco, you know how to button down and how to let it hang out. You’ll find that spot where the two collide and you’ll be as happy as a lamb in a clover patch.
   Lucass on March 1st, 2009
3. 

   “Not due til some time later.” I like that. My brother has not registered the new car he bought and it’s probably coming up on 2 years now. I guess he too will do it some time later.
   Much respect for you Bronco, you know how to button down and how to let it hang out. You’ll find that spot where the two collide and you’ll be as happy as a lamb in a clover patch.
   Lucass on March 1st, 2009
4. 

   I hope you pass so we can start a firm that requires a MAXIMUM of 800 billable hours.
   furry on March 1st, 2009
5. 

   aren’t you just going to help all your dirtbag friends out of their messes pro bono and remain broke too? i mean, that’s what i’ve been expecting. !
   steph davis on March 2nd, 2009
6. 

   as time goes on, i’ll be keen on seeing updates/thoughts on the struggle between the billable hour rat race and psych for stone. it’s a constant battle for me, though i’m certainly willing to fight for my playtime to say that climbing has not come at the expense of bonuses and rapid partnership would be untrue.

   seems like mike beck balances everything really well in SLC, but with thousands of granite blocks within 15 minutes of the city, i’m not certain it’s a completely parallel situation. seems like the p&c crew spends a lot of days at rifle and on the road.

   god speed and if you figure out the secret to maximizing crag time, let me know.

   word
   sock hands on March 2nd, 2009
7. 

   dude. right on. every climbing trip i have those same thoughts of ‘what the hell am i doing’!? this is not what i thought i would be working my life around when i was 26. those okies you spoke of - totally what i expected for myself. but i’m dif now and trying to figure out how to be responsible and follow the psych of climbing is my struggle. quitting, working whatever, moving, everyday thoughts man. let me know if someone tells you the secret.

   agony in awareness - bah!
   cheers!
   allison on March 4th, 2009

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