Realism Rant

Sat on trains going up and down the country I've managed to see a lot of the country and the people that live in it. But not just on trains, on TV, in papers, in pubs. Britain is full of dreamers. Not the Amercian dream kind of people though. People in this country think things are always better than they really are. This isnt always a bad thing but when you've got the wool fully pulled over your eyes you do begin to wonder. English football yesturday was a perfect example. 1-0 to Slovenia, a team the papers led people to believe Ingerland would trounce. But no people all over went wild when they won marginally by one goal and come second in a group they should have walked. WTF. Now these people need a slap and to see reality. England football team are shit. If they go on to win ill eat my pen but i caqnt see myself having to do that in all honesty. But it jsut typifies our society and its ways. Things are believed and publicised, then fall through massively but people keep on believing. Its like the government. They promised prosperity and a better economy. What we got instead was 20% VAT, a salary freeze and no jobs. Brilliant. Let the brain drain begin.

Life has many leeches and this society has more than its fair share. Not jsut on the economy but all over you get people who sap others for what they're worth. They give nothing, only take.
Usain Bolt got it right when he said the British don't work hard enough because they dont need it (chatting about athletes but it applies). Its true though, very few people in this country or society strive for greatness, and if they do they often stumble at the first hurdle, being held back by pen pushers and time wasters. Mark Twight said that "When the green flag drops, the bullshit stops" if only this were as true in main stream life as it is on the hill. The bullshit needs to stop coming out of peoples mouths.

Now I know I can jsut ignore all this shit and get on with my life but when it gets in my way and imposes itself on me I put up my guards. Have a rant, fight it out. It gets to me how people will bend over backwards to impress other people-not help, impress. They'll change to fit in. This is goignt o sound really antisocial, but I feel like Ive grown up recently. I dont give a damn what people think, Im tired of them looking down on me for the way I live. So I cut them out, sit them down off their pedastals. Think about it, why would I, social niceties? To save peoples feelings? Fuck that. Do what makes you happy. If someone or something is stopping that happening get rid of it. Easier said than done, but once the ball gets rolling you'll be glad of it,

This sounds like a massive rant, and to be honest it is. I needed to get it out of my system and to lay it down for myself (as blogs are inherently peoples opinions) when I falter and be nice to dicks, and for other people to see if does happen and you dont have to be a dick to do it. Because everyone wishes they told their boss / teacher / [insert] where to go. So do it. Stand up for yourself. Become realstic. See the world for what it really is. And if you dont like what you see. Change it. Dont just put the rose tinted glasses back on.

Blogroll

I have started trying to work out how to use this blogging thing as im not exactly what you would call computer literate as those who know me will testify to. In my exploration i found something refered to as blogroll, im not entirely sure what it has a certain resemblance in saying to the material used to wipe your arse. and to be honest thats where most blogs belong. you read so much shit on the internet at the moment. on UKC idiots hide behind their keyboards spouting twoddle on things they know very little about.

Dont get me wrong there are some proper good writers out there, most of whom no one has any idea of (have a gander at the links below). Most are climbing related as i have a little bit of a one track mind but im sure there are others out there.

http://nickbullock.blogware.com/ (although this one does crash out every so often, brilliant none the less)

http://kellycordes.wordpress.com/ (good for climbing thinking and drinking sophisticated stuff...margaritas)

http://samjleach.wordpress.com/ (not updated for a while but a good read)

These blogs give an insight into good writing and the thinking behind some really fucking good climbers and human beings. But they seem to be pretty much alone. Since ive been sat on my arse ive trawled the internet and both old and new climbing magazines for anything that catches my interest. and to be honest it took a while. The most interesting was an article by John Redhead in the latest climb magazine. Im not going to give a review as thats a bit gay but he raised the point that the BMC are an insurance company effectively, so why do people join them as a club and have them dictate the way in which mountaineering and climbing move forward in this country. Hes probably a bit out of line but i like that, its why i like stevie hastons writing and mark twight (absolute god!! if you dont know about him google him!!) they force a reaction. and dont give a shit about who they offent in what they say.

This action of not giving a shit, is often mistook for arrogance in real life, writing is one thing, but if you are as confrontational as these guys to people in front of you, your more than likely gonna get clocked. I would. Now ive been accused of being a bit abrasive some times but i have toned down since i was 18. Was a bit mental back then. Heck im a fucking different person. A calmer more 'normal' person. I still rile people up with my opinions, on my uni club, life, the government, the economy. But ill save you the pleasure of that shit for another rant. This one is over.

I guess what ive tried to say really long windedly, is that dont always believe what you read and make decisions, be abrasive and have an opinion that you stick to. If people disagree then they disagree. If you value their opinion move on, if not then fuck them.

The Beginning

Being stupid. Bit of a party piece for me really. Up until now it had gone oright, a few minor chips to my teeth from opening bottles was all i had to show for it. Then the other week it all went a bit pee-tong. After an end of exams night out a bit worse for wear and decided to climb some park railings on the way home.

This isnt so unusual in itself but when I was hanging from a spike at the top it broke. Shoddy workmanship really. I fell 4 metres onto my left side, straining my wrist (hopefully only that), hurting my ankle (which i found out a week later via phone call from a sheepish doctor that it has a fracture in it), chipping a tooth and killing another. Not a huge list of injuries but enough to stop me going to the alps for a full 2 months of crushing. Have had to put it off for 3weeks, fingers crossed ill be glued and stitched back together by then! Ive started this blog to kind of keep tabs on myself and to have a constant reminder of how fucked off I am/was at this point in my life and how I dont ever want to be back in this place. ie act as a way of putting me off doing retarded stuff.

It feels like ive lost a lot in the last week, the ability to walk and eat pain free being most prominent. So if your reading this dont do what i did/or do. Be cleverer than that, or you'll be kicking yourself (metaphoric of course, dont want any more injuries). Listen to people who tell you to stop, especially those who care for you most, they stand to lose a lot as well.

I'm going to come back a brand new me. Im going to take a stand. No more drama from now. Just the good kind, the crushing kind.