Monday, October 27, 2008

Where to start?

Where to start?


Again and again there is always this urge to go out and climb and explore whatever feels natural to go to.  Again and again there is something written about these things that echo in our minds.  The next best trip, the next best article, the next best photo. The story that will be told unfolds and the pages of climbing history again written in light of its writer’s perspective. 
Everyone has his or her own take on the happenings.  The rocktrip, the burly competition, the breakthroughs. . .  every single event has a character we wish to re-live.  It has been  more than a decade now and a lot has transpired in Philippine climbing.  No longer can we say that our experience is still in infancy. But then again, in comparison to European or American climbing, ours is truly a baby.  We write our own pages but sometimes we take things for granted.  It is true that the best stories will be the ones you say or hear first hand.  But also in the passing of years these stories will be told by someone who wasn’t even there.  These stories become legendary.  They become hyped, super stylized and even overwhelmingly inspirational.  There is nothing wrong with this of course but I feel to get people more involved in climbing, there is a need to get these events written down somehow.  We always stumble upon this most famous saying “with great power comes great responsibility”.  I heard it from a Marvel comic book and somehow it transcends onto everything.  Our society thrives on its past.  Without the Microsoft Windows 2000, there couldn’t be a Windows Vista.  Those who weave the present day pave the way for the future.  Those who blazed in the past, shape our present. 

So, where to start? The many stories in and out of climbing draw inspiring paintings in our minds.  Sometimes we need these things and though the many photos that fly on the internet create a hype themselves, there is nothing like a good story told in a vivid literary piece. 
There are a few stories that could be written soon.  That climbing trip to Cantabaco and Dingle, Miel and Ina’s trip to Yangshou, China, and that bolting project in Caramoan, Camarines Sur.   There could also be this trip to Pagudpod for bouldering on the Kapurpurawan Rocks and Xtian’s exploits on his 2 month stay in Hong Kong.  We don’t have a magazine to do this nor do we have a steady flow of climbing videos to present Philippine climbing to the future.  What we have though is a good network of people on the internet. There is no consumption of paper, just the bashing of brain cells to create art or even just plain old news casting. 

If you feel that need to create, whether it be single photo, or a worded painting of your most recent trip, use the net.  Start somewhere, share and for sure it’s going to “Multiply”.

No comments:

Post a Comment