Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Category Archives: Reflections

Musings on life based on my personal experiences.

2013 Year in Review and Climbing Hit List for 2014

2013 Year in Review and Climbing Hit List for 2014

This time of year in my climbing journey always involves a lot of reflection.  I look back on how well I accomplished my goals for the past year, and I look forward to setting new goals for the upcoming year.  But as soon as I saw two lines on a pregnancy test last June, it’s fair to say that my list of climbing projects got put on the backburner.  Pregnancy is obviously not the time to explore your limits.  That being said, I “failed” miserably at crossing off even half of what I set out to do on my 2013…Read the rest of this entry →

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Greatest Hits 2013 (and Taking Requests 2014)

Greatest Hits 2013 (and Taking Requests 2014)

The past couple of years on this blog I’ve designated the week of New Year’s as “Highlight Week.”  In addition to reflecting on last year’s goals and next year’s goals (that post will be up on Thursday…), it’s a chance to revisit posts that were particularly popular (that’s this post!)  For those of you that are relatively new Cragmama readers, here’s some goodies that you may have missed throughout the year.  And for those of you that have been reading for a while, it’ll be a stroll down memory lane!  Posts were selected based on initial visitors, long-term traffic, and…Read the rest of this entry →

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The 5 Most Unpleasant Things I’m Thankful For This Year…

The 5 Most Unpleasant Things I’m Thankful For This Year…

Well, it’s Thanksgiving again, and like many of you probably have, I’ve taken some time to pause and reflect on what I’m thankful for this year.  However, at the risk of sounding cliche and sappy, this post is going to take a different perspective than the usual rote lists of blessings.  Often times, situations that seem unpleasant at first glance end up being the gateway to other blessings that we never would have encountered without the former unpleasantries.  I think it was Garth Brooks who once sang that “some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers.”  I’ve certainly found that…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Just Like You, Mommy!” aka The Story of the Striped Pants

“Just Like You, Mommy!” aka The Story of the Striped Pants

“NO I DON’T LIKE THE PANTS WITH STRIPES ON THEM!”  C was shouting with the melodrama that can only come from being 3 years old.  I sighed.  As a mother to a strong-willed and highly opinionated little boy, I’ve realized that I need to pick and choose my battles wisely.  Last month, we had to visit our dentist at Delaney Park Dental, and because I could not give him the freedom I would’ve liked to in the office, he was very loud and obnoxious during the appointment, creating a really embarassing situation there. C responds best to freedom within parameters,…Read the rest of this entry →

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The Murky Ethical Waters of Onsight Climbing…

The Murky Ethical Waters of Onsight Climbing…

Nothing earns you more street cred in the climbing world than an onsight near your limit.  Because let’s face it, figuring things out on the fly is hard!  Odds are good that on your first time through, you’re gonna botch a few sequences, or at the very least, do them less efficiently than you would if you were more familiar with the route.  Once you’ve touched all the holds you start to piece the route together in chunks, and can usually make a better plan of attack (figure out clipping stances, find rests and shake-out spots, etc).  Not to mention…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN