I can Hear the Smile on Your Breathe…

Posted by Sierra Iola on May 10, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

Nothing will be known of my fate until tomorrow. So today exists fully.

The waves crashed down last night, with good stir-fry in my belly and a hint of coconut beer on my lips. Warm light and lovely music surrounded me.

I am always protected. Always taken care of.

Bravery made my heart pound, but the smiles were sweeter.

Live. Live. Live.

Wednesday

Posted by Sierra Iola on May 9, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

My I.D. still hasn’t arrived. But my departure on the 15th still looms ahead, threatening to suck all of my time right out from under me. I want to plan every. single. day.
…Take something into my control- but spontaneity will make everything dance much more vibrantly.

So that is what I am doing. Letting go and trying to live.

God winked at me today, and told me to be braver. What wonderful advice.

There are a lot of things I will remember from this time, and none of it will include my stress levels. I know this. My memories will be decorated into pretty moments, full of color, smells and sound. Little boxes of treasures I don’t even want to share, instead they will be packaged close to my heart so they will always keep me warm.

Today is Wednesday. I will be brave today.

Abyss

Posted by Sierra Iola on May 8, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

Standing on this abyss, I know the fall is inevitable. I can feel the change forming around me, but can’t see it just yet.

It’s the moments before that are worst.

Adventuring was less terrifying when I didn’t realize how hard the ground is when you first hit.

Also, it’s twelve thirty at night, everything is much more dramatic at this hour.

Little Things from the Weekend

Posted by Sierra Iola on May 7, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

I spent half of weekend with my mother and father, relaxing while eating dinner and then watching “We Bought a Zoo,” so adorable if you haven’t gotten the chance to watch it yet. We shared funny stories of living in New York and our old house here in San Diego- I love it when my parents don’t know simple facts about the other, like “did you ever own a big dog?” my mother asked my father on Friday and it launched into a story about my grandmother and a dog named “Zepher” that I would have never known otherwise. They have been married 23 years and still are learning about each other- it blows my mind a little bit.

The latter part of my weekend was also wonderfully mellow, here are some highlights:

Beach air makes my hair expand 3 times its normal size.
I am terrible at memorization. Terrible. Somehow I remembered a few things I was supposed to though, with help.
I am a self-proclaimed GREAT study partner. (I don’t have confirmation of this… just take my word for it.)
Bottom-of-the-kitchen breakfasts are amazing.
Little Italian restaurants are best.
I think of myself as a very well-planned person, until I realize I go to the beach without a sweater or pants. Yes… I’m that good of a planner.

Also, LESS THAN A WEEK UNTIL COAST GUARD BOOT CAMP. Oh lawd.

My Relapse with Climbing

Posted by Sierra Iola on May 5, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

Last night I took my climbing shoes out of retirement, and guess what I did with them? CLIMBED. On plastic man-made holds. Which is how I learned and became addicted to the sport in the first place, it felt wonderful. I don’t think I stopped smiling. And the best part is I climbed with a fellow Kentuckian (hallelujah!)

When I first started I never, ever, EVER thought that I would quit. Ever. I was completely infatuated with the sport. I began climbing 11a’s outside within the first five months of ever setting foot inside a gym. And kept progressing quickly, never top-roping outside, learning to manage my fears and taking those big falls. I moved into a tent and worked from a little pizza shop, working with some amazing, safety-conscious, strong climbers. When we weren’t working, we danced on our little sandstone rocks, laughing and yelling and trying to get past the sequence that relentlessly denied our ascent. Everything was fun, challenging and scary. But oh, so rewarding.

P/c Eric Cox

A year after I started, I popped my pulley tendon… [though that is self-diagnosed.] But everything changed. I couldn’t close car doors without having to stuff my finger straight between my knees, yelling silent cuss words in my head. Opening refrigerators was cringe-worthy and climbing was out of the question. But I returned to Kentucky anyway, hoping it would heal and I would begin to rock-scramble again with a few months of down-time. Oh boy. That whole year was full of major ups, and huge downs. My finger and strength would improve and I would progress to 11′s again and then ONE hold would send me devastatingly back to 8′s for another three months. My whole sport climbing season followed that pattern. Get better, get better. And… crash. Hard.

So Thanksgiving came around and I finally decided I had enough break-ups and make-ups with my sport; I packed up my tent and moved across the country to snowboard in Utah. I’ve pretty much quit climbing ever since. I relapse of course, and after my relapse last night I am hoping that I can start climbing again. Full-time. After I get out of boot camp that is…

Hopefully my finger won’t care if I am hanging onto a jug or bite-size crimp. Because tying my knot into my harness yesterday made me smile so big, and even belaying felt wonderful (who says that?) I’ve missed climbing, even if it was just big juicy jugs.

My Days Have Gotten Crazier++ Some Instagrams

Posted by Sierra Iola on May 3, 2012 in Blog | 1 comment

This past weekend was really nice. It was the calm before the storm. I spent some time with a friend I’ve known from Chicago, playing board games and venturing to the farmer’s market. His dog and I went for a run to disperse some of his energy and he REALLY liked it. So much so, that he kind of walked me for a while ;) I sat and sketched the pier and water, listening to Damien Rice and it really was such a gorgeous day. My shoulders are now healing from their sunburn. “What? I’m pale and have to use sunscreen?? Oh…. Right.” I forget that sometimes.

It finally hit me the other day. I have two weeks left before boot camp. But you want to know what I realized? It’s not even that long! I have one full weekend that is ALL MINE. And the weekend after that will be severed on Sunday, because of check-ins. To add on to this stress, my wallet got stolen on Monday, which means I have no picture I.D. and I have to have one before I leave. So, at the moment I am not really leaving for boot camp- however, this status will change as soon as my new license comes in. To help me mentally prepare I am ignoring this no-I.D. thing and just prepping for my departure on the 15th.

Also, can I just say father is SO supportive of my fitness and confidence before boot camp.
Really.
I told him I ran a mile in 11 minutes and he says “That is NOT good Sierra.” (Which okay, I know that. But honestly I have been running once every… 3 weeks. So my body is doing pretty well I’d say.) and I said that it is pretty good for a girl who hasn’t been working out very often… and he replies “If you get thrown overboard the ocean won’t care if you’re a man or a woman, will it?”

And he speaks the truth. Though, he is trying to instigate me.
This is my father. A retired BMC. And a big meanie sometimes.
I think his very-male responses are both funny, and ridiculously irritating.
But because of growing up with him it gives me a little bit of faith that maybe, just maybe I can get through boot camp swimmingly.

I mean, what other seven year old has been told repeatedly, “Initiative Sierra! Where was your initiative?!” While getting the death stare and intimidating, pointed finger. Also, I WILL deny that he is my father if anybody who worked for him ends up being my superiors. That will just be asking for trouble.

Glimpses.

Posted by Sierra Iola on Apr 29, 2012 in Blog | 0 comments

One calf muscle hurts more than the other. I blame this on da Duke, he really liked walking me yesterday.

I thoroughly dislike anger. Witnessing it makes me very uncomfortable, it scares me that people can be sad or hurt, and not realize it before it turns to anger.

Flossing makes me happy. I have a hard time getting to bed without flossing at night.

I love the feeling of pointing my toes… hard.

When I get anxious I crave handstands.

Sometimes I get consumed with the idea of tumbling around everywhere. Like I am a five year old. Basic tumbling. Like cartwheels and dive rolls, maybe a back-extension roll if I knew they didn’t hurt my back so much doing them on non-spring floors.

If there was no physical activity in my day I end up awake through the ungodly hours of night.

I’ve moved 10 times in my life. I remember 9 of them.

The limbo time of moving/change is the hardest. Just being aware something’s coming but staying unaware of exactly what, scares the begeezus out of me.

I would be a fantastic neck dancer.

Hearing music I can do ballet to thrills me.

Sometimes I write so passionately that it feels as though I am pouring my heart and soul into my letters. But then I never send them out or let others read my cursive lines for my trueness to affect them.

Sometimes I like this.

Other times I don’t.

I think God is true love. He, She, It is teaching lessons of love without ego, jealousy, dominance or control. These ideas of shame, submission, turning your back and not-loving are very human characteristics I don’t think God embraces. Or the Universe, or The Tao or Buddha, or Allah.

I think everything is love. EVERYTHING. Whether it is an act of love, or a cry for it.

Beautiful words make me ache to create.

Food is the best medicine.

Sometimes I am very guarded and shy, and then wonder why others don’t open up.

I keep scratching the sunburn that glows menacingly on my back. Every time I cringe.

I’ve discovered there are some really amazing, fascinating board games out there. And they are way better than Clue and Life… though, I do think Clue is super entertaining.

My hair can knot itself into a perfect “sock” bun without bobby pins or hair ties… I am very impressed with it as of late.