Let me start by saying that I love climbing. That much is obvious. Climbing is central to my life and has played a large part in almost every decision I’ve made for the past twelve years.
I love climbing, but in the recent months climbing has had to take a backseat to “life”. I’m always amazed by how quickly “life” can swoop in and consume all of my time and energy. In the last few months work has taken it’s toll. As a teacher I always feel like I’m never done, or ready, or caught up. The days just keep coming and I just keep doing the best I can. Everyday someone asks me, “How’s it going?” and everyday I answer, “I’m here and I’m giving it my best”. I love that my job is never boring, but I always find myself wishing I had time to do more and be better. I’m always wishing for more hours in the day to get stuff done.
A few weeks ago I bought my first house. A process that started in July finally ended with a successful closing. The following weeks were spent packing, painting, and moving. I don’t know if everyone agrees, but for me moving is one of the most exhausting and stressful endeavors EVER!
With boxes everywhere, mountains of school work, and numerous home improvement tasks on my to-do list I was a little shocked when my boyfriend suggested we go on a weekend road trip. Climbing was the last thing on my mind but when he said that I could sleep in the car, I agreed.
The further we drove from home the more relaxed I became. I quickly fell into the once familiar routine of watching the landscape roll by as I caught up on my favorite podcasts. We were headed to Lander, WY via single lane highways and wide-open spaces. Rarely did we see another car.
We arrived in Lander mid-day on Saturday and met up with our good friend and weekend host, B.J. Tilden. Sinks Canyon was the destination. The walls of the canyon bask in the sun for most of the day and by mid afternoon I was climbing in a tank top and feeling great.
I do not have any impressive sends to report. In fact, I managed to fall repeatedly on a route that I onsighted a few years back. I didn’t do a million pitches. I didn’t even try all that hard. I just went climbing with my friends. I met new people, read a book, drank some beers, and climbed in the sun. I let go of the anxiety and the stress that “life” had thrown at me and I stopped wishing for more time to get stuff done. I just enjoyed what I was doing while I was doing it.
My weekend road trip reminded me that climbing is central to who I am. Climbing outside, that’s what keeps me sane. That’s what makes “life” worthwhile.
~Jen Vennon, prAna Ambassador
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Functional Apparel for the Unconventional Spirit
Why on earth might I have an old 
How could a hamburger be left out, unrefrigerated, for over a month and not smell or have any signs of mold or bugs? My dog came in the room when I had the hamburger sitting out, and she didn’t even notice it was there. Huh?
Enriched flour (bleached wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, enzymes), water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, yeast, soybean oil and/or partially hydrogenated soybean oil, contains 2% or less of the following: salt, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, wheat gluten, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, dough conditioners (sodium stearoyl lactylate, datem, ascorbic acid, azodicarbonamide, mono- and diglycerides, ethoxylated monoglycerides, monocalcium phosphate, enzymes, guar gum, calcium peroxide, soy flour), calcium propionate and sodium propionate (preservatives), soy lecithin.
This experiment was done out of curiosity but the impact on my eating habits has been tremendous. I wonder what happens to fast food that isn’t eliminated from the human body? Does it sit there for the rest of your life? I look at processed, chemicalized foods and know that my body probably cannot digest them fully. Our bodies weren’t made for this stuff. We haven’t had enough time to evolve into bodies that can fully process these chemicals. Maybe, in a thousand years, our bodies will know how to handle a McDonald’s burger, but not today. We need to eat whole, natural foods – fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains. We need food that our bodies know how to digest.
Say something specific and nice to someone you come across. For extra credit, remove the first-person “I like” or “I love” from the statement, and instead make it totally about the recipient of the praise. Thus: “You look wonderful in that color; it sets off your beautiful eyes,” rather than “I like your shirt.”
Stellar Reviews
Write and send a letter—on paper, with a pen, and a stamp—to someone important to you. It can be a family member, a former teacher, or a mentor. Include specific appreciation for the role this loved one has had in your life. It’s a joy to receive such a letter unexpected, and the time it takes to write by hand, to seal the envelope, and to get it into the mail underscores the appreciation you express.
