Went climbing yesterday at

4/21/10 -- Went climbing yesterday at the Oregon State University indoor gym. A friend of mine, who will remain nameless, ushered me over to a route I hadn't done before and assured me it was "easy, you'll love it!" Little did I know that he had tried it while I was out of town and considered it a tough nut to crack. Among climbers this is called "sandbagging" and is a popular prank to pull on your climbing buddies.

But here's the thing: Being told that it was "easy" and that I "would love it" planted that belief in my head, and I flowed right up the route to the top. Climbing success, like success in a lot of things -- read: writing -- is heavily influenced by attitude. Maybe that's why I got so much work done today on STORM MOUNTAIN. I had my attitude screwed on straight.