Category: Writing

The Crux: Managing Mental Health in Life & Climbing

cyrenah February 17, 2022 0 Comments
Mental health is a hot topic within the climbing community—and for good reason. Not only can taking care of our inner worlds improve our daily lives; doing so can also make or break our experiences at the crag or on the wall. I recently contributed another article to the Women's Bouldering Festival website. In this post, I share climbing mental health tips, some anecdotal experiences, and open...
A traditional climbing rack (trad rack) and shoes

What Trad Climbing In The Gunks Taught Me

cyrenah August 24, 2020 0 Comments
Back in July, I had the pleasure of trad climbing in the Gunks for the first time. Here's a recap of my experience–now LIVE on the Women's Bouldering Festival Blog! Explore the Gunks! Here's a snippet to get you hooked: It’s not coming out… or is it? I was fiddling with a nut that was wedged into a crack. My brows furrowed as I yanked on its wire, taking care not to damage the surrounding...

Dreaming of Fontainebleau…

cyrenah May 11, 2020 0 Comments
Today—May 11th, 2020—the forest of Fontainebleau cautiously reopened Today—May 11th, 2020—my first article about Fontainebleau went live on the Women's Bouldering Festival blog! Hit the button to take a look! Take me to Font! Did somebody say great timing...? Whether you're a non-climber or a total Bleausard, take a look! I learned a lot while diving into the history and ecology of this...

Fear That Doesn’t Quit

cyrenah March 8, 2020 0 Comments
Standing on a razor-sharp flake, Toes dangling off the edge into void, The only audible sound his breathing, He pauses to assess his next move. I contemplate what he must've seen as he was falling. The end of his rope, frayed and desperate? Life with his lover, gone in an instant? The view of his adventure, gigantic before him? So many have died with their boots on that it makes me question...

Hemlock

cyrenah January 15, 2020 0 Comments
With time, the aches have diminished and impossible hurts have been tempered. My chopping block has softened, transformed into a pillow where I now rest. My tongue has forgotten the acridity of accusation, now knows only the crinkling of a knife's edge as I chew on serrated memories repeatedly torn apart.

Gear, Beer, & Shakespeare

cyrenah August 29, 2019 0 Comments
As some of you may know, I've been doing digital marketing for a Denver-based outdoor gear rental startup called Gearo. This has been both an awesome foray into creative marketing and the outdoor industry, and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with them. Here's a blog that I recently published on their site. Check it out and let me know what you think! I wonder if I...

Alone Time

cyrenah August 17, 2019 0 Comments
Lately, alone time has been a rarity. I'm thankful, because that's entirely due to good fortune: My friends are wonderful, active, and spontaneous. Many of my creative projects are blossoming. My career is slowly but surely taking off. Each day with my boyfriend is an awesome adventure. My local rock gym is essentially my second home. The many hats I wear are stacked high right now. And,...

Voiceless

cyrenah July 13, 2019 0 Comments
When I was in the sixth grade, my middle school welcomed a new student. He had moved from mainland China to our small town in New Jersey. His English was so broken that he preferred to remain silent rather than speak to anyone. Fear and awkwardness kept him from approaching us. It hurt to watch. One day, I noticed him walking home from school towards a house down the road. I had passed it almost...

Driving and Other Games

cyrenah July 13, 2019 0 Comments
Oh, shit. The ramp to Interstate 287 heading southbound flew by in the corner of my peripheral vision. My throat constricted as I gripped the steering wheel, causing my knuckles to whiten. I had missed my exit while trying to decipher a spaghetti-like mess on my phone's GPS. Deciphering isn't easy at forty-five miles an hour. It's an all-around unpleasant experience, getting lost on the road....