The first few times I went climbing at Rattlesnake Point I was a beginner.  I was quite freaked out by the physical effort required, the heights and mind fuck of falling on rope.  The higher up I managed to climb the more disconcerting it all felt.  That was then…

After a few years of training at a climbing gym I have come back to the area and it was a completely different experience.  Yesterday I climbed the same walls that I did before and I had an absolute blast.  Fun!!!

I think the big difference was ascending felt better.  Mentally, going up was “right”.  With each new crank upward I felt lighter and happier.  The result was much less emotional tension.  No anxiety.  Just hard work, and that was no problem.

I trusted the anchors we placed and could commit to (for me) really hard moves.  85 vertical feet later I could look out from the top out at the beautiful Ontario countryside.   Mount Nemo off in the distance and the evening sun setting.

I like when my 47 year old body comes through for me.

I managed two climbs that afternoon.  I also shot some footage for the documentary.  Hanging halfway up the wall on the second climb I filmed some first person thoughts about conflict and friendships, Europe and family.  That sort of stuff.

I am developing a documentary film. It will be a collaboration with my good friend Ken Dirschl. I plan to keep a journal of the process.
I must admit that I don’t have much energy tonight to write about it, but this is a promise to do so in the future.
Well, I’ll try to write a little bit…

I will say that the themes are basically about two first generation Canadian friends. One of German decent, the other of Polish/Russian decent. How they might have been mortal enemies if they had lived a half century ago.
Now as young Canadians they are capable of empathy for both sides of the story of conflict.
Particularly about post war German suffering. A topic less discussed in the conventional narrative.
The basic premise is to travel to Poland to look for Ken’s grandfathers grave. He would have died as a German soldier/prisoner of war. Neglected and starved in POW camps post 1945.
We will try to figure out where he is buried and go there.
Along the way the themes of enemies and victims will be explored through interviews with both of our family members.
Our travels should take us through Germany, Poland, Belarus and possibly Russia.
Oh, and we will travel this story on motorcycles. The motion and immediacy of motorbikes should be more visually stimulating for the audience. I think? No?

Introducing a new kitten to the house. Convincing our first cat that she is still the undisputed alpha in the house. This to keep her from killing the new one.

It kind of reminds me of the way A list actors are treated on set.