Mad Hatter climbs boulders, draws pictures and looks for ways to get unstuck

[Mad Hatter]

Hello! I'm an assassin but I'll be living here for a while. Need to take a break from challenges as they're not really working for me right now.

 

If you don't know me, I like to dabble in a lot of things, mostly involving being upside down on a pole or on my hands and climbing things, but I'm going to focus on bouldering and building strength for a while. This decision is brought almost entirely by the fact that a new training only climbing gym has opened about a kilometer from my flat, and that training at home has become a struggle since I started to work from home and I want to use the gym as an escape. I don't really know what this project will look like just yet, but part of the fun is learning.

 

💪In this first phase I'll be focusing on 1) getting back into a training groove and get comfy in the gym, 2) focus on overall strength and 3) work on core tension, which is one of my big relative weaknesses right now. Besides being weak haha.

 

👩‍🎨I'm also learning to draw, but struggle with consistency. This is something I really want to change. And before you start asking, yes I'll be posting pictures. 😄

 

🤯The third project is to actively take steps to fix my long going existential crisis. 😜I don't have a clue how, but I can at least begin by setting aside time on good days to think about this, instead of getting overwhelmed on bad days.

 

Oh wait, this looks kind of like a challenge! Guess it's a good time to add a disclaimer and mention that this battle log is subject to all my whims and fancies and might end up about something entirely different tomorrow.

[KB Girl]

Here and cheering for you! 

[Scaly Freak]

23 minutes ago, Mad Hatter said:

🤯The third project is to actively take steps to fix my long going existential crisis. 😜I don't have a clue how, but I can at least begin by setting aside time on good days to think about this, instead of getting overwhelmed on bad days.

 

Well, if we knew how to handle them they wouldn't be called a "crisis", now would they? 😛 

 

I will follow you wherever you go to try to hide! As non-stalkerishly as possible, of course.

[RogueLibrarian]

28 minutes ago, Mad Hatter said:

I like to dabble in a lot of things, mostly involving being upside down on a pole

 

[Tobbe]

1 hour ago, Mad Hatter said:

🤯The third project is to actively take steps to fix my long going existential crisis. 😜I don't have a clue how

 

Previously you have talked about the family business being a possible way out. Any news on that front?

[Harriet]

Here for pictures and whatever else you discover.

[Mad Hatter]

8 hours ago, KB Girl said:

Here and cheering for you! 

Yay!

 

8 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

Well, if we knew how to handle them they wouldn't be called a "crisis", now would they? 😛 

 

I will follow you wherever you go to try to hide! As non-stalkerishly as possible, of course.

Haha indeed. 😄

 

8 hours ago, RogueLibrarian said:

 

 

You mean bat hang! (Don't get fooled by the chicken, it's a legit climbing move)

 

 

7 hours ago, Tobbe said:

Previously you have talked about the family business being a possible way out. Any news on that front?

Not really, I need to get back on that. My motivation has been super low lately, and I've used up what I had on drawing and survival. 😕

 

29 minutes ago, Harriet said:

Here for pictures and whatever else you discover.

I'm glad!

[Mad Hatter]

Climbing #1

 

Yesterday I went to my regular climbing gym for the first time in a few weeks and got absolutely crushed, it was a very mean set. 😅 Not a very motivating start haha. But it wasn't just me, my higher level friends were saying the same thing, which makes me feel a bit better. The problem with climbing grades is that it's humans that decide them, and if said humans are feeling particularly strong, or particularly tired, on the day they set, the difficulty gets skewed. In the end I managed to complete all of 1 climb out of the entire new set. But it was still fun!

[Jittersthe.Clown]

 

 

I'm excited to see where your adventure takes you, Hatter. We're glad to be here for you.

[Mad Hatter]

7 hours ago, Jittersthe.Clown said:

I'm excited to see where your adventure takes you, Hatter. We're glad to be here for you.

🤗

[Mad Hatter]

💪Today I got caught between meetings and being somewhat productive and didn't manage to go to the gym. BUT, instead, and guys you better sit down for this, I went for a jog! 😳I'm now officially concerned that something really is going on with my brain. But since I really do need a bit more cardio fitness I accept that side effect for now. It actually wasn't even *that* terrible. I mean it wasn't fun, but it was tolerable as I took it super chill and avoided the suffer stage. I ran about 2.5 km before my podcast ended and I got fed up, so it was only a little loop. But man. Crazy. I also did a few sets of push-ups and spend some time grinding through the bottom third of the pull-up.

 

Drawing didn't happen, nor did I discover what to do with my life. Shame.

 

Instead I went for impromptu drinks and tacos with friends, which is always a great choice. I had been chatting with M online during work and something felt off to me, so I suggested we hang out.

 

⚠️Warning incoming rant!

I mostly thought she was fed up because it's the end of the week, and didn't think more of it. A few hours later I saw a discussion in a group chat between a few people and management, and not to go into details, but management came across as absolute jerks who completely dismissed my other colleagues, including M's long, thoughtful summary of her concerns, and then shifted the blame back to them. I wasn't involved in this at all, but their behavior pissed me off so much I contacted the project manager in private to explain to him that he's being a tool. I later found out that was just the tip of the iceberg. The thing that I found the most upsetting is when she told me how she sometimes lets her husband read their conversations, in case she's being too sensitive and has reacted the wrong way. Again with the blame shifting! I absolutely HATE that they make her feel like it's HER fault for having feelings and reacting badly to when people treat her without the respect that she deserves. There's more to it but GAAAAH. We both need to get out of there.

[Jittersthe.Clown]

I read your running report and 

 

Then your rant and 

 

That's just not right. 

[Scaly Freak]

2 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

their behavior pissed me off so much I contacted the project manager in private to explain to him that he's being a tool.

 

You are a good friend.

[DoubleTrouble]

Lurking

[@mu]

Adding myself to the lurking shadow

 

10 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

BUT, instead, and guys you better sit down for this, I went for a jog! 😳I'm now officially concerned that something really is going on with my brain.

 

I had to read that twice too, I almost fell off my chair

[Tobbe]

10 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

I ran about 2.5 km before my podcast ended

 

If nothing else, it is a great opportunity to listen to podcasts at least  

 

10 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

I had been chatting with M online during work and something felt off to me

 

Wow! Great of you to pick up on that! Especially through online chat. That's difficult to do. I bet she felt better just having you listening to her.

[Mad Hatter]

11 hours ago, Jittersthe.Clown said:

That's just not right. 

Yet I'm afraid it happens a lot more often than people think.

 

9 hours ago, Scaly Freak said:

You are a good friend.

Thanks, though this wasn't even about friendship. I'd have done that for, well, almost anyone. It's simply not acceptable management behaviour. The worst part is that his reply to me was even more excuses and blame shifting which pissed me off even more. 

 

I do feel proud of myself for refraining from replying until I had some sleep and cooled off though.   

 

7 hours ago, DoubleTrouble said:

Lurking

I see you.  

 

1 hour ago, @mu said:

Adding myself to the lurking shadow

 

 

I had to read that twice too, I almost fell off my chair

Good thing you were sitting down! 

 

1 hour ago, Tobbe said:

If nothing else, it is a great opportunity to listen to podcasts at least  

 

Wow! Great of you to pick up on that! Especially through online chat. That's difficult to do. I bet she felt better just having you listening to her.

Walking is so much more pleasant though! 

 

Haha I wouldn't say that's typically a skill of mine. I just know her really well and she's a person that wears her heart on her sleeve, which makes it easy. I can't fix the problems but it did seem like my tirade/pep talk hit home strongly, and hopefully gave her a confidence boost.

[KB Girl]

On 9/10/2020 at 8:18 AM, Mad Hatter said:

But it was still fun!

I always admire it when people have fun bashing their heads against something that’s a bit too difficult  

 

Stop with the running though, I can’t handle it x) 

 

Maybe you and M can go set up a business together :X

[Mad Hatter]

2 hours ago, jessywonderful said:

Yep, you are really good friend!

Thanks  

 

2 hours ago, KB Girl said:

I always admire it when people have fun bashing their heads against something that’s a bit too difficult  

 

Stop with the running though, I can’t handle it x) 

 

Maybe you and M can go set up a business together :X

Hahaha pretty much all my activities are failing over and over and over again.  

 

My apologies.  

 

Haha we've toyed with the idea, but we wouldn't know what kind of business! Always the same problem...

[Mad Hatter]

Climbing #2

 

I was only going to pop down to the gym for some stretching today. The DOMS from my last session has kicked in hard and I woke up feeling wrecked this morning after not enough sleep. But then I got a huge burst of bouncy energy around midday and I couldn't resist climbing some things. 😄Haven't had that in a really long time, it's almost like I forgot what it felt like not be in a state of some degree of zombification.

 

At the gym I tried a drill where you climb a problem, or a few moves, with your body as extended as possible while still keeping your feet on. Then you do the same problem but bringing your legs up high so you're as bunched as possible. It's funny because while it's often easier for me to climb extended, I often end up climbing like a short person and using high feet everywhere, despite it really being more awkward and/or difficult. This drill was good for demonstrating that. I also worked on finger/core strength in the form of simply hanging on to the Moon board. One of my little goals is to be able to actually climb up that thing, I find it sooo difficult to do anything. Most of my regular gym is not too far off vertical, while this board is at 40 degrees and with small mostly bad holds. But today I found two moves that I can do, so it's a start. 😀Afterwards I did the hip extension MyFlex module.

 

Not bad for what I thought would be a write off day.

[Jittersthe.Clown]

[sylph]

Here for this.

[Scaly Freak]

8 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

Thanks, though this wasn't even about friendship. I'd have done that for, well, almost anyone. It's simply not acceptable management behaviour. The worst part is that his reply to me was even more excuses and blame shifting which pissed me off even more. 

 

It's completely unacceptable. 

 

And it's also a bad sign. That kind of management behavior becomes "normal" and lingers only in an environment where no one above the manager notices and puts a stop to it. It's not saying anything positive about the culture of the company. (Side-note: Picturing the reaction and actions of my immediate manager and the manager above them if I made excuses and tried to pass blame off to a person below me, is genuinely frightening, and I like that.  )

[Harriet]

3 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

But then I got a huge burst of bouncy energy around midday and I couldn't resist climbing some things. 😄Haven't had that in a really long time, it's almost like I forgot what it felt like not be in a state of some degree of zombification.

 

Brilliant! 

[Waanie]

On 9/11/2020 at 3:57 PM, Mad Hatter said:

But then I got a huge burst of bouncy energy around midday and I couldn't resist climbing some things. 😄Haven't had that in a really long time, it's almost like I forgot what it felt like not be in a state of some degree of zombification.

That's great .

 

I've never heard of that drill of being first as extended as possible, and later as bunched up as possible, but it sounds like a good exercise. As a short person, I feel like I often extend as far as possible already though, since my furthest reach is a comfortable reach for a normal person. I rarely climb bunched up though, since I often move only one high feet at a time and let the other leg dangling. Do you have any tips for making small moves when bunched up, or is just trying it out the way to go?