between the rock and the cold, cold sea

I am mighty.

Today, I led three routes at the climbing wall. Two of which were 6As, of which one was upon the roof.

Of course, these were attended with much stopping and hanging on the rope, but still, three routes led. I feel almost like a real climber.

(I also toproped six and nine-tenths other routes. One and nine-tenths were 6Bs, and okay, so the nine-tenths had far too much falling in there, and one was a 6A, two were easy routes on the slab, and one was a 5+ that nearly took the skin off my hands, because I was that tired by then. But still, mighty climbing.)

I have never been this tired, though. This term has been too long, and I am stupid with over-exposure to the world. I don't know, but I hope I can steal some time from the thesis to recover myself.

Of course, my lecturer wants our class to read Anthony and Cleopatra for our own edification over the break, too. At least I have an excuse to avoid my family over the holiday period. Not that this is an unmitigated good.

My to-do list, it grows by the day.

This morning, the temperature was about two degrees Celsius. I guess it's nearly winter.

I spent the day slogging through class, readings on the Cypriot Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, and a society meeting. (I hate those.)

This evening, though? That's where the "highs" part comes in.

First, I went for a run. 2 miles in 21:15.

Then, lead climbing! I surmounted a roof. Okay, so I didn't finish the route, but I got my body around the nasty scary horizontal part, back onto the vertical, and nearly to the next clip up. And I improved on leading the grey 6A I'd tried last time, and came within a hair (one clip. one clip left) of topping out on a white 5.

Then I tried to toprope a 6A, but my arms were like rubber. So I went for the bus. And after an adventure, which involved waiting at the wrong busstop, sprinting like hell for the bus station, and flagging down my bus seconds before it pulled past me onto the quays (guy had left his berth, but thank the sweet godless heavens, he stopped and let me on), I made it home.

Where the cat is sulking at having been left out in the sun all day.

Tomorrow, I get to haul the laptop in and settle down for six hours in the library with a copy of Récherches sur les cultes de Délos, Le culte d'Isis dans le bassin orientale de la Mediterranée, the Guide de Délos, and wonder of wonders, a couple of pieces of research in English, The Piraeus and Introducing New Gods.

So help me, I think I'm almost looking forward to it.