Hello! I have found a new hobby - I discovered there is a climbing gym like 3 minutes from my apartment and was like "hey, climbing sounds fun!". I went to a night where they let you try climbing and discovered that climbing on a wall is not fun but bouldering is great. Which is convenient since I can boulder by myself. I've gone five times and I am loving it so far. I ruined my hands last friday, maybe because of a lack of chalk, maybe due to callouses having built up and getting caught and torn off, maybe a mixture of both. I've ordered chalk online that arrived today and I'm hoping my hands will be healed enough for me to do a bit of climbing on Friday. It's really fun being a complete beginner at something and seeing improvements from session to session, I think I'm hitting that first plateau of improvements stalling and I'm really hoping I'll still find it fun. I think I will though. I'm also really proud of myself for going in to the climbing gym and participating even though I don't know anyone or anything. I'm easily the worst climber there, and I'm not a hundred percent on the social "rules" but I dared to go in there and participate anyways.
I did a problem I've found super tricky today! I am never climbing it again because it was terrible and kinda scary but I did it! Now I have one problem left of that difficulty. (The second easiest one). I'm looking forward to being able to tackle some of the problems I see others attempting (although I'm guessing some of them will require a pretty significant increase in upper body strength).
Next year I'm getting a membership and "wall-card" and I'm probably getting my own shoes sometime before then. Then I'll be able to go there as much as I want at no extra cost since I've paid everything up front. Hopefully I'll continue to find it fun, I've only been 6 or 7 times so far.