Tonight, I bucked up, put a smile on my face and in my heart and we went to the Open Finals. It did NOT disapoint. Kudos to Momentum for putting together a fantastic show. It was great. We had excellent seats because I had competed --they gave us floor seats! My favorites: Lisa Rands, Emily Harrington (she took this really wicked fall), Sasha, Sydney, Alex Puccio, Dave Grahm and of course Joe Kinder.
A very important lesson was learned tonight...even the big pros make mistakes that get them down. Joe took a fall tonight after only clipping the first bolt. But he handled it so well. He smiled and shrugged his shoulders and moved on. I found him later and told him about my fall today off the starting hold and he told he understand. How nice to know that someone understands, you know?
Joe had signed posters for my boys last year, and he has seen them a few times and even sent them an inspirational email. He is amazing. So we brought his posters with and he signed them again. And then he talked to the boys and told them some things about climbing that are cool or important to him--where he has climbed and many other things. Then Tanith wanted to climb, so Joe watched her and then the coolest thing...Joe climbed with the boys. They all bouldered and it was just so sweet. I swear, this guy has the biggest heart. After visiting with us for a while, we asked if he could grab his best friend, Dave Grahm, real quick to sign a poster for the boys. Dave is very popular right now and it was so nice of him to come out of the VIP seating to sign these autographs (in the meanwhile, tons of fans saw him and chased him for his autograph). Thanks Dave and Joe for taking some time out to talk with and play with my kids. Its a great memory I'm sure they won't forget. Oh yeah, and Joe...you are welcome in the H2 anytime! lol
After the comp, I saw Mike, the head judge. He is such an awesome guy. Anyway, I asked him about the whole Speed thing and he said, "Hm, thats not right, let me talk to Keenen" so he took off to go talk to Keenen and then found me and told me to talk to Jeff. So I found Jeff and he apologized and said there was a mix up and that they are gonna me a trophy. I apologized too for getting all worked up over a silly trophy (come on! I'm 33, not 6!!!) and he told me he understood. I also told him that I had had a bad day because of my fall of that first hold. He told me "Joe Kinder totally understands how you are feeling right now".
I have learned so many lessons today.
Thanks Rick, for sticking by my side, even when I was not a very pleasant person. Thanks mom for saying kind words on the phone. Thanks Joe for helping me see that even pros feel awful when they make a mistake.
I can't wait to start working my new projects (the two routes I fell on!)
--Super Angie
4 months ago
4 comments:
It's amazing how a silly piece of plastic (a trophy) can mean so much to a person. I am glad that you will get the award that you worked so hard to get and deserve to have in your posesstion! Can't wait to see it! WAY TO GO SUPER ANGIE!
Thanks Jenny! Yes, it amazed me the full blown crying and yes, swearing fit I had in the parking lot. HOLY CRAP! Am I 12? I sure had fun at this comp, but more importantly, I learned a heck of a lot. And yes, I will compete next year--knock on wood, I'm healthy. :)
Tantrum hey? Wish I could have been there to see this 33 year-old carry on:) I probably would have had a tantrum too had I worked so hard for something and not gotten it. Tantrums are allowed now and then.
I remember walking by the plaque in the Institute building in Pullman, Washington that showed the recipients of the service scholarship awarded every year by a member of one of the town wards. I figured the money would be welcome as far as our student budget was concerned. I worked hard at volunteering, cooking for Friday Forum, always offering to do the dishes after our Friday Forum meals, doing acts of service here and there at the Tute. I thought all along I was doing this for the right reason and for the service itself. One the day of the awards, as the institute director announced the winner of the award, everything in his leading comments pointed to our family. Then he unveiled the plaque and my husband's name was on it. I was way more miffed than I should have been, and looking back on it, I still laugh at myself for being so petty about this. I felt robbed. The institute director of the time took me aside afterwards and explained that this award should really have gone to me because of my many hours of service, but since I was not a student at Wazzu (I was supporting Dave through school at that point) and the scholarship was designed to help students out with their tuition and school related expenses, the only way he could award this was to give it to Dave. I felt really stupid for being miffed, especially since I was more miffed at Dave than I was at the institute director! Live and learn, I guess...
Thanks Otter mom for this story. Its nice to know we are all human and I'm not the only one to look back and say "DUDE! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" lol
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