Tuesday night cocktails kicked off with a bang. Delicious cocktails were served, followed by wonderful chocolate fondue. In an effort to avoid death by chocolate fondue I got up from the table in order to redeem myself with a little hangboard action.

An outspoken gentlemen whom I do not know, other than: guy with sandwiches who came from a medical conference, who is a nurse and likes chocolate covered pretzls from the Hotel del showed me a little hang board trick. The guy inverts himself, hangining by his feet, lets go for like a second, then grabs the bar and there you have it. Temporary suspension by the feet….something new. Wearing flip flops I reluctantly try, egged on by a heckler, “try it bitch!” and genuine encouragement from the sandwhich bearing gentleman.

I flip around attach my feet, which felt secure and let go. Feeling confident I lower my body down… out of reach form the bar now. My foot slips a little and I go into panic mode and in a losing battle, try to pull myself back up to the bar. Before I knew it, I came loose and landed shoulder/back first on the concrete floor.

My first thought was ouch, then can’t breathe, then geez I am an idiot, then I might not be able to go climbing this weekend or the next weekend, or the next weekend and possibly many weekend after that. But I managed to jump up and catch my breath and walk it off and drink a beer.

Luckily, I sit here in my office, my neck and back is pretty tight but I think I am going to make it. Unfortunately the pain I feel today can’t be attributed to punishment, rather, stupidity.

Stupidity=Pain
your pal, Charles