Some updates on last week. I did end up breaking up with my girlfriend, in person. It did not go over so well with her, I received...five or six messages over the next couple of days. So that's unfortunate, but the way things go. I think with time some of these wounds will heal. But it does raise points of what I want/need in a relationship which, right now, I don't even want one. Almost every weekend is committed from now to mid-October, because I'm committing to myself. A good friend and I have started to scale more adventurous outdoor areas, continue to climb, run, etc. This is a year of personal development. Maybe next year will be, too. What I can say for certain is that this is an interesting life in the now, and that it's hard to argue against spending three hours on a summit at 7,500ft with some great friends doing things like this:
A combination of travel, and just being outdoors. Regional trips to various mountains and outdoor climbing areas with a combination of people. There are a lot disparate, not quite connected, groups of people in my life who all want to do stuff. Naturally, I say yes...Goddamn. Travel? Work?
TIme will heal you up, mostly. You get to learn a lot about yourself, too. Best of luck with your next year--gotta say I wish I'd be climbing mountains like that!