Introduction To Rock Climbing

If you have ever been rock climbing before then you will know that it is not a very easy sport, in fact you probably felt quite defeated when you first tried to do any serious climbing. Indoor and outdoor rock climbing are both extremely demanding and require practice, like anything else, to get good at. Depending on what type of climbing you have tried you most likely noticed that you got an incredible workout in a very short period of time. What most people don't know is that the sport of rock climbing is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports there is.

There are 3 basic types of rock climbing. Top roping is probably one of the most common types and is basically climbing with a partner. The partner belays you on the ground and a rope runs from his harness up to the top of the wall then around a pulley and back down and attaches to the climbers harness. The second type, which is very similar to top roping is called lead climbing. The buddy system works the same way, one man on the ground belaying and the other climbing, but this time instead of the rope being at the top of the wall it has to be hooked into clasps as the climber ascends up the wall. In both of these types of rock climbing the climber has the luxury to sit off the wall and rest on the rope, however, lead climbing requires the climber to hang from the wall from one hand, grab the rope, and pull it up to clip it into the clasps, this can be very hard depending on many different things.

The third type of rock climbing is called bouldering. Bouldering is a type of free climbing without any ropes or harnesses. The climber tends to stay much closer to the ground and climbs around the wall more so then up the wall. This is the most demanding of all climbing. The climber must be able to complete the route without taking a rest on the rope. Often, during a bouldering route the climber is required to do a maneuver called a dyno. Dynos are basically launching yourself off the wall, and then grabbing onto a hold further away from you. This type of maneuver is where mental training plays a major role in climbing.

Believe it or not, climbing is said to be about 75% legs and only 25% arms. To climb efficiently and successfully one must use wonderful technique. One of the major rules of rock climbing is to always have 3 points touching the wall.... weather it is both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands, it is much easier to have your weight distributed on 3 points than it is 2. Another important concept to grasp is that your arms in most cases will not do the climbing; they only hold you into the wall so that your legs are actually pushing you upward. The closer you are to the wall, the easier it is to climb.

Rock climbing may sound like a bit too extreme for the every day person but it really is an amazing work out. Once you get into the sport, and start to learn how to position your body and distribute your weight you can begin to tackle some difficult problems. The great thing about rock climb is that it is mentally challenging as well, those who like games like chess or like to problem solve would love rock climbing. You are constantly analyzing the way your body moves and how to do certain moves on the wall. For anyone who wants to get into shape, rock climbing is a fun and effective way to tone muscles and to work on your cardiovascular system. Anyone who is physically active, enjoys a challenge, and loves the outdoors should consider looking into rock climbing as a new past time.

Fear of Publishing and What to Do About It

You're almost done with the whole article. You should feel relieved. Instead you feel like you've written a bunch of junk.

It's funny, though. At other times you've felt that you've written something worthwhile.

Now, however, you feel the urge to read several more articles, add more footnotes, edit it some more, or check your email. Anything but wrap it up and send it in.

It doesn't matter if it's a "revise and resubmit" article for a journal or a draft chapter to show to your dissertation advisor. There's something anxiety-provoking about letting go of your work and putting it out there for the wider world to see.

One very brilliant client of mine told me how she had a similar feeling when she was 9 months pregnant. The baby's room wasn't ready, and she had so much more to do. She tried to will herself not to give birth yet. Luckily, her body didn't cooperate. Now she tries to do the same with journal articles.

This reluctance to release one's work is so common in academia, that it may well be the norm. In some cases, though, it can become crippling.

Reasons for Reluctance to Release Writing

Here are the kinds of statements that I hear from academics in regards to this issue. Each statement is followed by an alternate way to look at the situation. If you've found yourself saying anything like this to yourself, try the alternate way of thinking on for size.

Who am I to make that definitive a statement?

If not you, then who? What makes someone else an authority and not you? Where and when did the current authorities start having the authority to make their statements?

I have an idea, but I can't find any references to cite that say what I'm thinking.

Maybe that's because it's an original idea! Sometimes new ideas really are leaps. Run it by some colleagues and see what they think.

I'm intimidated by the fact that others have written about my subject for much longer than I have.

Sometimes people who are steeped in a subject can't think about that subject in as clear a light as a newcomer.

A new voice is always welcome (and if it isn't, too bad for them.)

My viewpoint doesn't fit the mental maps of academics in my field, so they will disagree with what I say.

Try to welcome disagreement! The best scholarly contributions often incite others to argue vociferously against the new ideas. By generating discussion you're advancing the field.

The critical nature of academia is paralyzing to some. It's important to realize that academics enjoy thinking and puzzling things out. The "devil's advocate" approach that looks for holes in your logic is just part of the process. Try not to take that part personally.

Remember that some of the most famous theorists, even the ones with scads of data to back them up, invited the most invective. Charles Darwin comes to mind - I'm sure you can think of others.

What if I just don't know what I'm talking about?

Then finish the piece, have others read it, and find out! Chances are you're not completely out of your mind.

Everything I've written is junk. It doesn't make any sense to me any more.

It's time to finish the up the part you're writing, give it a rest, and let someone else look at it. Either fresher eyes or new eyes will help you see it in a new light.

If you're not totally burned out, push past that feeling. Trust the process. As one client said, don't flip out just when you're at the cusp of turning it from cream into butter. It seems like nothing is happening, but if you perservere, you will see that you have produced something worthwhile.

I can see that it's not perfectly written. I'm a sham and a charlatan and I don't deserve to be in this field.

It doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to be good enough.

You don't have to be perfect. If you've gotten this far, you ARE good enough. Besides, everyone in academia feels that way every once in a while.

Looking over already published papers will remind you that imperfect writing still gets published. And has some value!

There's so much more I could say about this subject.

You can use this excuse never to complete a project about the subject.

It's OK to keep writing about the subject. In your next paper, chapter, or presentation, that is. Finish this one - you've probably said enough for now.

So Give Birth To That Baby!

The world deserves to hear what you have to say. Don't deprive the universe of your ideas! Release them from your brain and get them out there!

Prostate Cancer Can Be Deadly, But It Is Survivable

Because of its nature, prostate cancer is a disease suffered only by men. In fact, the American Cancer Society has found that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. While this statistic may seem the disease dooms a man to death, the prognosis isn't as bleak as the facts seem to indicate.

While one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, only one of every 34 will actually die as a result of the disease. Depending on how far the cancer has spread and how early it is diagnosed the prognosis for prostate cancer is actually very good. Most people do not die of the cancer itself, but of other causes.

Prostate cancer is generally a disease that affects older men, the majority of men diagnosed with this type of cancer are over the age of 65. It is partially because of this age of onset that most who develop this type of cancer do not die from it. They generally die from other causes associated with old age.

Risk factors for developing prostate cancer are a combination of hereditary and social factors. Having one or more first generation relatives who suffers with prostate cancer seems to be the best identifying factor of any particular man developing the disease.

African American men seem to be slightly more likely than Caucasian men to be diagnosed with the disorder. Along with genetics, social features also play a role in the development of this condition. These social factors can include diet and general overall healthiness.

Like most cancers, prostate cancer has no symptoms in its earliest stages. This is why screening is so important. If you are at risk for developing this cancer because of your family history, your doctor can perform a blood test that will detect if the cancer is developing. In fact, your doctor will usually conduct both a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test as well as a digital rectal exam. If both these tests indicate you may suffer with cancer, he may suggest a biopsy to be sure.

If your cancer is not caught in the early stages when it is most treatable, you may start to experience some symptoms. These symptoms include pain or stiffness in the lower back, blood in the semen or urine, difficulty having an erection, painful ejaculation, difficulty urinating or feeling the need to urinate frequently.

Once prostate cancer is detected, there are several ways it can be treated. These include the traditional methods of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to remove the cancerous gland. Because this gland is part of both a man's urinary tract and sexual organs, there are many side effects of these treatments the man may find unpleasant. These include the inability to achieve erection as well as urinary leakage.

Even though prostate cancer is common, survival rates are good, especially is the condition is caught in the early stages. It is important to discuss your risk factors with your doctor to see if you need to be screened for the disease.

Why Asking For Help Makes Military Wives Stronger

There are two things I hate doing: the lawn and the trash. When counting down the days until homecoming, some women choose to track paydays, school days, or Mondays. Me? I always counted trash days. "Just 12 more times of taking out the trash," I'd yell across the street to my neighbor as I rolled the can to the curb.

And when the cruise (my husband's first in 2001) was extended, not a neighbor was spared my ranting and raving over having to take out the trash "yet another two weeks!" Each time I rolled the green, heavy bin down the driveway, I considered it one of the most intolerable jobs of a Navy wife.

That same deployment my front yard was invaded with fire ants, crab grass, and some type of crepe myrtle fungus, which was never identified. I let these problems go "unnoticed," believing they might magically disappear and I wouldn't have to actually care for the grass myself.

And the yard problems did go away. My sympathetic neighbor next door became my complimentary yardman. (Although, I've always wondered if it was true charity which prompted him to mow my grass each week, or rather a fear that the chinch bugs would crawl over to his side.) Either way, I had free lawn service.

Occasionally, a neighbor would take pity on me and replace my trashcan back to the side of the house after the garbage men were done with it.

And once, when I had maggots in the bottom of the bin, a few men from the neighborhood were nice enough to dispose of them and Clorox the trashcan, and not tell me about the whole incident until a year later (they knew better).

"It takes a village to do Sarah's trash," one neighbor joked.

And sometimes it also took a village to change Sarah's flat tire, to kill big bugs in her living room, and to fetch her son's toy airplane that landed on the roof.

Towards the end of that deployment, I began to feel guilty. I wondered if I wasn't being strong enough and if I shouldn't take my title of "Navy dependent" so literally as to mean I was, well, dependent.

"Don't be silly," my neighbors would say. "We're glad to help." More than hanging a flag from their door, they said helping a Navy family made them feel like they were doing their part.

Surprisingly (to me), despite doing my lawn every week and occasionally my trash and home repairs, these neighbors often told me I was far from "dependent."

Instead of focusing on the things I was not doing myself, my neighbors were in awe at the things I had done alone. And most of these things (caring for sick babies in the middle of the night, dealing with emergencies), I had done without my realizing it or giving myself credit.

I learned that being strong and independent doesn't necessarily mean doing it all.

Most things in life do require a "village," and there are few people who can do everything themselves. It's OK to ask for and accept help. Most people are eager to give it.

We all have our limits (apparently mine are maggots and chinch bugs), and it's best if we know them. That's the true makings of a strong military wife.

Humans Exist Because Of Pollination

Pollination is important to our very existence. Without pollination, we haven't any food. If you want to help mankind, you can plant flowers and plants to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The best plants to accomplish this goal are nectar producing plants. There are many good resources on the internet that can provide you the information you need to know what kinds of plants to grow in your area. Here are a few tips.

Your growing zone is key to determining what plants will grow well. BUT you also need to consider local soil type, growing conditions, etc. Visiting a local nursery will give you a good start on what grows well in your area. You can purchase plants there, or purchase seeds and grow your garden from scratch. Now, what kinds of plants attract pollinators? Bees especially like legume plant blossoms like clover but will collect any pollen they can find. To attract bees, other plants to consider are, fireweed, monkshood (caution: this plant is poisonous), red clover, asters, goldenrod, foxglove, germander, Joe pye weed, sedum Autumn joy, oregano, thyme, globe-thistle, hyssop, lavender, chives, penstemons, rosemary, and of course, sunflowers. Pollinators also included hummingbirds and butterflies, so don't forget those feeders! Yes, there is such a thing as a butterfly feeder! Go the extra step and hang houses for birds, bees, and butterflies too.

To attract butterflies, choose a variety of plants so that flowers are always blooming. If you only plant flowers that bloom at the same time, the butterflies will leave when those flowers die. Butterflies like color so remember that too. Flowers that attract butterflies include, day lily, iris, lavender, Asters, Butterfly bush, Heliotrope, Cosmos, Clover, Zinnia. As you can see, many of the flowers that attract butterflies also attract bees. Remember to use lots of color.

Ever considered creating a nesting site for bees? Farmers do it. Some of the non-stinging bees, like the Mason bee are inhabitants of gardens that provide nesting sites. They need these sites in order to reproduce. Alfalfa farmers, for example, set up nesting sites for leaf-cutter bees because they are the main pollinators in their fields. Large orchards usually set up bee hives to pollinate their crops during the blooming season. If you are interested in setting up a nesting site, you can find a Mason bee lodge online, or you can make one, they're easy. All you need is a block of wood and a drill. There are instructions online for the varying kinds of bee lodges and houses.

Now that you have your information on what kinds of flowers to plant and what kind of nesting area to create (if you choose to) you are ready to get out there and get the seeds you need before Spring arrives. If you aren't into seeding plants, visit your local nursery in the Spring to purchase budding plants.

Good luck! And remember, you are helping to feed the world.

Protect Your Businesses With Roller Shutters

Security is an absolute necessity when you are running a business. You take several measures to ensure that your business and all the goods that you have are kept safe and secure in non-working hours. For this you may install alarm systems, have security guards and even take out insurance on each of your products. With all of this you must also consider the benefits of roller shutters for businesses in Preston, Lancashire.

One of the main advantages of a roller shutter is that they look intimidating and even the best of thieves will have a tough time trying to get past it. It leaves no open windows or doors for someone to jimmy open and therefore provides an additional layer of safety to your business. Forced entry of any sort will have to be with tools that can create quite the racket and which any smart thief will not consider.

Besides this, roller shutters make for some great insulation. They do not allow any air to get in or out ensuring that all your delicate goods do not succumb to the elements. Whether it is hot or cold, it helps maintain a uniformity of temperature within the premises. One good advantage of this is that it will also bring down your costs of electricity - both for heating as well as cooling.

With roller shutters, you have the choice of opting for manually operated versions or those with a remote control. This gives you better flexibility with operating them. You could also time it to roll down at a particular hour to ensure added safety. Another good use of roller shutter is at the end of the day, when most businesses shut shop and work on the accounts of the day. These shutters roll down and cut out any sound that may be emanating from inside or prevent any loud noises from coming in. This means that even if you are working late, you will not be disturbing anyone in the vicinity. This especially helps when you have some renovation work going on, that often takes place after business hours.

For those areas that are affected by cyclones and hurricanes, roller shutters help protect your businesses and goods to a large extent. They can withstand such violent rages of nature and you can be rest assured that damage if any will be minimal.

Do make sure that your supplier of roller shutters has a good reputation and the quality they provide you is impeccable.