Spring is coming.

...and you know what that means. Time to go back outside. For the last few months, I'v been waking up every morning facing the wall of my room where some of my climbing equipment hangs. Each morning, I come to the same conclusions about not getting enough physical activity, it it being too cold to do anything useful outside. Of course, I could just suck it up and head out anyway, and I do try. But lets's face it, nothing beats the first 60 degree spring day. Spring has always been the time when life seems to wake from it's slumber. I too seem to follow this pattern. Perhaps I'm part bear, or perhaps I'm just human, and I've evolved to conserve energy, and fat over the period when things slow down. I could probably go much deeper into this, as I've spent hours and hours on the train staring out the window thinking about the interconnection of everything, and how we can't escape that. Anyone looking for a good discussion? Lets have dinner. Back to the main point. Spring is coming, and it's still winter. This means the most of my time staring out the windows on the train is now spent plotting how I'll spend that first spring day. It largely depends what time I get home, what's going on, and if it's wet out. I've come to the conclusion that if its sunny and dry, I'll climb a tree. Over the last year, I've realized that the kid inside me that liked climbing things never really went away. While I much prefer rocks, I also live in the midwest, and terrain isn't exactly plentiful. So, on the recommendation of of some friends, I took to climbing trees and learning arborist techniques last summer. Right away I loved it, as it's the perfect blend of physical activity and tree care. I've since spent the winter studying for my arborist exam, and hope to pass it soon. More importantly, I've learned to go out in the woods, find a massive old oak and learn about it. Usually there's plenty of ropes, a book on tree maintenance, and dinner involved. Guests welcome. I'm not an expert by any means on it, but I do understand the techniques and find it incredibly enjoyable. Each morning I wake up looking at those ropes, I can't help but wait for that first day of spring, and a new year full of excitement.