Progress?

This has been a great week. Our trip to the Boy Scouts was a ton of fun, all class members have been doing really well, and my own training has been progressing. Weeks like this make it a privilege to do what I do.

***

I was out training until fairly late yesterday. At one point I was intently focused on breaking a new obstacle (getting it for the first time) when I noticed a police officer standing behind me watching.

Normally this means an end to training. These days, displays of dynamic movement outside of a professional sports arena are so unusual they're seen as deviant. There's also our cultural obsession with liability and a whole host of other factors... to sum it all up, when the cops show up either you leave voluntarily or they make you leave.

(To be fair, I've had nothing but positive interactions with Chapel Hill Police and UNC's DPS. Amazingly, if you are polite and respectful to them, they tend to reciprocate... fancy that. Part of our responsibility as traceurs/urban climbers/MovNaters, etc. is to engage with the community positively. That's the best way to promote change.)

So I waved and said hello, fully expecting him to tell me to move along. Here's how the conversation went:

Me: "Hello."

Police Officer: "Hello. Are you practicing for something?"

Me: "Just training. Trying to get stronger."

Police Officer: /Nods.  "Sounds good. Have a good night." (he turns to leave)

Me: "Er... wha?.. um, thanks! You too!"

Police Officer: "Be safe."

Two minutes later I broke the obstacle for the first time. Wouldn't have been able to do it without my new favorite cop. So, thanks random awesome policeman. You helped me get better and I am grateful.

***

While we're telling stories, I have to share one more. The scene is the checkout line at Whole Foods where I was about to spend way too much money, as usual. I was getting ready to pay and the girl behind the counter was bagging everything up.

Something you need to know about me first... I make sound effects. I've done it since I was a little boy. I can't help it - it's really fun and you should try it. It's why I studied sound design in film school and spent way too much time in the Foley room. I'm usually pretty good about not doing it in public. Usually...

Me: (swiping my credit card) "Shwoosh!"

Checkout girl: "..."

Me: "..."

Checkout girl: "...did you just make a shwooshing noise as you swiped your credit card?"

Me: "No." ... "Yes..."

Checkout girl: "Hmm..."

Me: "I used to make sound effects... in Hollywood... for the movies..."

Checkout girl: "Yep..."

Me: "So, um... thanks... have a good night..."

And then I fled. And then I felt silly. And then I felt silly for feeling silly. What's wrong with making sound effects? It's fun! And, dammit, from now on if I feel like making sound sound effects I'm gonna do it! In public! So there!

...

Shwoosh!!