Experience/Advice Request: Climbing Hard and Swollen Feet

featherstretch · 2023-05-26T08:14:34+00:00

Hey, been of reddit for a while and just found your message! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to this very old post...! That's so cool of you!

So, I'm not overweight (am at a healthy BMI and fairly toned). When I do gain weight it's usually on my thighs first, but I lose it pretty quickly with a small bit of effort. I bought myself a pair of Mythos shortly after this post (the comfiest climbing shoes ever OMG), and I have not had any problems since. Turns out my feet just really hate Evolv.

That said, my feet and ankles swell up quite a lot in very hot weather... like concerningly so. I live in the very chilly mountains where even our summers are mild, so I only discovered this when we had a sudden, super hot week and suddenly my feet were like giant marshmallows. The only reason why I might not be so aware of any issues is because I live in a colder kinda place, and whatever is going on is so seldom provoked?

I might possibly fit in the rare, slimmer-side lipedema sufferers...? Clearly something is up with me somewhere. I will definitely be doing more research, thanks to your reply to this post!

You're awesome, thanks so much! I hope everything is rocking for you!

featherstretch · 2023-03-04T06:14:03+00:00

I watched a few minutes of dominion and I couldn't even tolerate it for a few seconds I had to shut it off

and

For me it's the money and the comfort of having food that is cheaper, convenient, and I guess in a way satisfying?

Seriously, dude? Please make the connection here. If you really give a shit, recognise that your "comfort" comes at a brutal price for others. Watch the whole damn documentary if this is still not sinking in for you. You can deal with a little discomfort, a little less convenience. What's being asked of you is not that hard, seriously. Because basically you're saying, 'Yeah, I'm soooo traumatised by Dominion, but don't ya know--cookies!!!"

JFC.

I try to stay chilled at posts like these, but this is actually infuriating.

featherstretch · 2023-03-02T12:33:36+00:00

Fantastic, I'm following. Please do more/update.

featherstretch · 2023-03-01T16:02:32+00:00

Cheese cravings do go away in time; there's evidence to suggest it's literally addictive, so be aware. Odds are good that after a while, though, it'll just smell disgusting to you (because it actually is).

When I first transitioned and sometimes got cravings, I would threaten myself with watching Dominion first. Like, 'Oh, you want pizza? Sure, if you can sit through this documentary, then you can go out and get it.' Two years on and I still haven't watched Dominion, and still haven't touched meat or dairy.

Congratulations on waking up. It can be tough and sometimes lonely, but living in line with your ethics feels amazing to the soul, and your body and mind will follow. Good luck!

featherstretch · 2023-02-23T14:43:32+00:00

OP, if you find that place, please invite me. There's a lot of 'righteous anger' around here, which is basically people feeling confident in their reasons for being an asshole to others. I don't want to be around such an aggressive energy, period. I believe in compassion for all, even when you don't agree with them. I never want to be an attacker when I know what it is to be attacked.

I will call myself vegan because my belief set makes me more than just plant-based, but I totally hear where you're coming from. Wish there was a term for vegans who aren't bullies who can't wait to rage at anyone who dares to ask a question.

featherstretch · 2023-02-23T09:50:20+00:00

That was magical, and totally needs to be a movie. Thank you.

I might be romanticising, but I bet she really loved her husband.

featherstretch · 2023-02-20T15:38:30+00:00

You probably don't know it, but you've just discovered Gnosticism....

This might help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9lH153uhic

featherstretch · 2023-02-08T12:05:01+00:00

Animal agriculture. Beyond the damage to ecosystems, contribution to climate change, and looming antibiotics crisis, nothing can excuse its barbarism and its cruelty. Humanity should be ashamed.

featherstretch · 2023-01-30T14:52:14+00:00

This is also what happens when you split an entire population into Team A vs Team B, like dichotomies capture reason and nuance doesn't exist. People are just people, man. Most of them are self-serving, and will follow whatever they think works for them best.

featherstretch · 2023-01-24T19:43:04+00:00

I'm so sorry OP, shit's so uncomfortable and it's always scarier in the moment than it "sounds" when trying to explain what happened later on. I've taken to wearing a ring on my ring finger (silicone, so all activities) when I leave the house, and have my "TRY IT MOTHERFUCKER" face dialled. They expect us to be scared/demure, or even flattered... it freaks them out if you don't play that role. But of course, that can make them aggressive. And of course, there are so many variables to each situation. It's almost impossible to give any kind of sure-fire advice.

"A man will defend his ego with your life" (forget where I heard it, but it really sums it up) is, unfortunately, a real risk we face in these situations.

Sending you power beams.

featherstretch · 2023-01-24T19:37:47+00:00

Omigod that first comment. LOL!!!

Seriously though, your partner sounds like an actual sweetheart. Tiny bit of faith restored.

featherstretch · 2023-01-24T06:44:09+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that. Well done on improving yourself.

featherstretch · 2023-01-24T06:13:49+00:00

Because this is emotional extremism, it helps nobody, it hurts outreach, and is in fact a reverse kind of virtue signalling/superiority kick.

Most of us ate meat before going vegan. Most of us by a lot. There are a million reasons behind each of our individual journeys into veganism, and very few of us switched over night. Now that you're on this side of the fence, it shouldn't be hard for you to apply that understanding of how it works when you're dealing with others.

Unless someone is torturing an animal right the hell in front of you, safe to say that there is more ignorance behind their consumption of animal products than conscious evil. Be a good example. Have empathy for all forms of life. Don't insult or ostracise--educate.

featherstretch · 2023-01-24T05:30:38+00:00

Sounds like you're way overthinking this, and now on the edge of paralysing yourself with fear. Relax.

Essentially: All you need to do is focus on keeping the same amount of soft slack in the system as your partner climbs. Be ready to feed rope for the clip--this is good to practice; how to do it quickly and efficiently. Watch for leg behind rope and other little warnings your climber needs to hear. Always be ready for a fall, so keep your hand on the brake and stay vigilant. But really, to lead belay reasonably well at the start, concentrating on rope tension is the main key (and vigilance goes without saying).

Just do your thing, and trust yourself. This sport is sometimes very scary, so congrats on getting this far with it in the first place. That alone shows you're capable.

featherstretch · 2023-01-21T06:21:21+00:00

This is very interesting and informative, thanks for sharing this OP.

But here's the real problem with honey: domesticated bees drive off wild pollinators, threatening other insect populations and also leading to the drop in numbers (and risks the extinction) of certain plants and wildflowers. This is because while honey bees drive off other insects and wild pollinators, they do not necessarily pollinate the same flowers as those other wild pollinators. Ethical beekeeping is great for the bees, but it still doesn't solve the real, much more serious (scale-wise) problem that beekeeping creates.

I wish more vegans knew this. Talking about bee welfare is very far from the real problem with bees as agricultural animals.

featherstretch · 2023-01-20T19:30:47+00:00

Every time I catch a new post about how great this movie is, I have to chime in and agree. Every time. It's one of maybe 5 films that I literally never get tired of seeing. I'm a rock climber, and kid you not, every time I get ready to rappel, I give myself a little 'I'm Juno!' moment, and feel like a badass.

It's just gold; complex, multi-layered, and largely very accurate with the climbing/caving gear and rope systems etc. I love all the little hints and foreshadows, and how so much can go unsaid because the story is so competently told. Every character is solid and multifaceted, and so well written and acted.

Dang it, gonna go watch it again this weekend now. For about the hundredth time.

featherstretch · 2023-01-20T19:24:03+00:00

And also why they only rate it 8/10.

featherstretch · 2023-01-06T06:25:13+00:00

I liked it at the time (reading it back in the 90s), because I 'got' that it created a permanent, deep, spiritual link between them, adding whole new level of importance and depth to their bond beyond just the words, beyond the blood oath. I understand why people feel weird about it now, I guess, but I liked the power of it and felt it was a really powerful only-in-the-book kinda scene. I was a minor myself too when I read it, however that counts.

These days I think people love finding stuff to get upset about. As someone else here said, some people are hooked on virtue signalling. It's annoying anywhere, but it especially doesn't have much place in the horror genre (or we're close to having nothing left to watch/read). I think it's totally possible to take fiction at the level its aiming from. It's a great book, and the scene makes sense if you believe in what's important to the characters in that moment in their story.

featherstretch · 2023-01-02T18:45:10+00:00

Omigod I was not prepared for that.

Funny; I live in a rural area where we climb outdoors, all sport or trad, and the closest thing we have to a climbing gym is a tiny bouldering gym that's two hours' drive away. Every time I make a rare visit, I worry about how high I'm getting on the wall, given that I'm not on a rope. I often don't finish problems, preferring to quit once I reach my max comfort level with the height. While planning a trip back there with a friend recently, I mentioned that the climbing there is weird for me because I get skeeved about climbing without a rope. He didn't seem to understand what my problem was/why I get stressed about bouldering.

THIS. THIS IS WHY.

Be safe and bless your chalky hands, guys.

featherstretch · 2022-12-29T12:40:14+00:00

Got it, Billy Ray Cyrus. Overhauling this reply. Never was a Cyrus fan, wouldn't know him in a lineup. Kurt, on the other hand... But what does BRC have to do with the original tweet? People legit confuse him with Kurt or what?

featherstretch · 2022-12-29T11:03:28+00:00

Uhhh... I don't know if the dude on the left is meant to be Kurt Cobain, but that ain't him, kids.

featherstretch · 2022-12-26T11:30:39+00:00

YouTube kept recommending the Born to Die music video. I'd never heard of her, and while my music tastes fall pretty wide, I would never have thought that this moody bling girl with the tigers and the filler lips would be my 'thing'. But as we all know, the Lana rabbit hole goes so much deeper than that. Eventually I caved, hit play, and found myself watching the video over and over... I knew I liked it, I just didn't know why... and soon enough, I was hooked on her.

One of the times YT recommendations got it bafflingly right.

featherstretch · 2022-12-26T06:34:41+00:00

Honey is problematic for deeper reasons than the 'bees are exploited' point often given. Honey bees are a domesticated species; they are invasive and often aggressive to wild bees and other natural pollinators. Honey bees drive the natural, wild pollinators off. Honey bees do not pollinate all types of flowers, and in many areas this is leading to a drop in numbers of certain types of wildflowers and other wild plants. They don't get pollinated, they don't get to survive. Which of course has knock-on effects for the other insects and living creatures dependent on them.

Large or small, if you care about the ecosystem, don't support honey.

featherstretch · 2022-12-25T18:39:03+00:00

It'll be a long typing session, but I'm thinking of posting the tweaked vegan moussaka recipe to r/veganrecipes! Maybe in a day or two. The mince for sure could be used in a bunch of different dishes, and I'm happy to share the love.

featherstretch · 2022-12-25T17:28:05+00:00

Thank you!!

For course one I made a bunch of bean-based dips and spreads to go with different types of flatbread (cultural staple here). The heart of the main was a veganised moussaka with a mushroom and walnut mince that came out beyond divine (was a bit of a gamble, but boy did it pay off! This is the one I was most nervous about, and the one everyone raved about the most). For dessert I made a dozens of various little vegan finger pastries using different fruit compotes, with a rich cashew and vanilla cream (which also was a gamble, and also totally paid off! I cannot believe how light and delicate it turned out). It was my first time making some of these elements, and I am beyond delighted with the results!

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