Biners and bones

Custom gear.  Tony really turned me on to that idea yesterday.  If you don’t all have the same gear at the crag, and we all know that people mix and match everybody’s gear at the crag, then yours is easily picked out and retrieved from the pile at the end of the day and you don’t lose your gear to someone else’s stash.  Brilliant!  So, on my way out of SteepWorld Climbing and Fitness earlier today, I bought three more of each of the Mammut two different carabiners that I would need, and three more Black Diamond dogbones, so that I can make three more custom quickdraws.  I might need Tony to assemble them for me because my wrist and thumb are in no shape to do anything that requires dexterity, but now I have the gear at least!  The first one he assembled for me, which was the one that he made custom for me yesterday, will always be the special one, though, both because it is part of my treatment (lowers the anxiety while I practice clipping into it and clipping it in), and because my friend Tony made it for me.  It’s always better when a friend makes something custom for you and has your best interests at heart.

Tony told me how he ran across a bunch of old carabiners one day in his stash of gear and decided to order a bunch of dogbones to make his own custom draws using them.  Nobody’s got the same gear and his is easy to pick out!  Again, brilliant!  Why didn’t I think of that?  I haven’t ever been in danger of losing my gear to another person’s stash, though, because I’ve always climbed with the same few buddies who are meticulous about keeping track of whose gear we’re using for what.  Custom is still the best, though.  Custom.  Biners and bones…still have my custom draw from Tony on my belt loop.  It helped me earlier today, and will continue to help me in the future.  Who would have thought?  I’m thankful for all of my friends and climbing buddies, all my great doctors, my family, and even attorneys.  I’m having a thankful day.  You should, too.  Things could always be worse in your life, even if you don’t think they could at the moment.  Focus on at least one positive thing.  I can even help you out with that positive thing – you’re breathing.  That means you’re alive.  There you go – your positive for the day!  Focus on that and how amazing it is.  You’re alive!