Upward Steady Forward: Writing and Photos by MJPH

SITE HAS MOVED.

2008-09-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

Please go to:

www.michaeljphall.com

"Ascending A Dragon" Finally Published

2008-07-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Well, there was a few months there where I assumed this cool little magazine from Portland had gone under taking my deep water soloing story with it. News came a few weeks ago and I wasn't far off: the editors had some disagreements with their publisher and gone to great lengths to start a new magazine, get new funding etc.

So, months later the summer issue of Wend has been released, just not in Canada. As compensation I was given a digital version which you can read below.

The story concerns a deep water soloing journey in HaLong Bay Vietnam.

WEND SUMMER ISSUE

Enjoy!

MJPH

Being There

2008-07-20T13:05:00.001-07:00

A new show of photos will be on display at LOCUS for the month of August. The show features black and white portraits and landscapes from China and the South Pacific.

The show opens on Tuesday August 5th at 8:00 PM with the musical talents of DJ Ride. Yes, he'l be riding us all night long again.

In other positive news, there will be no hockey game broadcasts to battle with, as the Locus has no televisions. Hope to see you out there.

Locus is located at Main and 25th, (4121 Main St) and in addition to some excellent food, also has an extensive alcohol collection.

MJPH

More Impressions

2008-07-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

Impressions of the City

2008-06-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Story in June Issue of Climbing

2008-06-14T17:38:00.001-07:00

I have a thousand words in the June issue of climbing, along with two photos. The story is the lead in the "off-the-wall" section. It's entitled, "El Castillo Illegal."

The magazine is widely available.

MJPH

Western Magazine Award

2008-06-01T14:31:00.000-07:00

Hey good news! My story, Bukowski My Boilermaker, that was the winner of SubTerrain Magazine's 2007 Lush Triumphant contest has got more legs! It was nominated for a Western Magazine award in the Human Experience category.

The awards ceremony is June 20th! For details WESTERN MAGAZINE AWARDS

Climbing Photo Annual

2008-06-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

One of my photos from Cuba was selected in the May issue of Climbing magazine. It features my buddy and Havana underground climbing scenester Jose Fuentes climbing the east face of the Castillo Del Morro - a 16th century castle and major tourist attraction.

Additionally, the June issue of Climbing will feature three more photos of our little unauthorized adventure as well as a thousand word story.

Check it out.

HERE!

Perspective in a Single Piece of Paper

2008-03-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

While on a run the other day, a conversation with my friend Lauraunt took a quick turn towards our unchecked habits of accumulating rock climbing gear. I own two large rubbermaid tubs at home, stuffed to the tits with great climbing stuff, and though much of it is used often, I still find myself driving home after an adventure siting lists of new toys that would dramatically improve my life.

Sometimes I feel the compulsion to buy something at MEC physically - that not purchasing that thermos, that guide book, or fresh AAA batteries for my headlamp will somehow cause my chest to explode. I am driven by a physical need to always be improving, getting better, getting closer to the perfect set up, more prepared, or organized, aaaahhh. It's enough to make your head spin.

Of course I can identify these shiny objects as the empty vessels they are! I'm not stupid. I know that contentment comes more from choice than circumstance, and that paying for it is as fleeting as the elation of a New Years Eve countdown. But how do I account for this behavior?

Our families tell us stories - christmas or birthdays and hours of entertainment as children when the wrapping paper was more interesting than the present! How??!! My god, how to get back there? How to be impressed with the details, to loose all perspective in a single piece of paper? I have arrived at the opinion that what I'm really after are the stolen moments of cresting ridges, finishing climbs and meeting new frontiers. I can't make a connection between the untouched legitimacy of those moments and the absurdity of everyday life, and so, surrounded by driving consumerism, I purchase the thermos, or guidebook or AAA batteries, knowing that I'll use it someday, drinking surprisingly hot coffee while watching a sunrise and all will be good with the world.

Perhaps.

The basic conclusion of my conversation with Lauraunt was this: there are almost no climbing areas on the planet where you would actually need more than climbing shoes and a harness. With only these things you will meet people, befriend them, offer what you had, share what you need and enjoy what you love together. I've done this on numerous occasions all over the planet and can report having had a fantastic time, every time being unbothered by performance, or achievement, just happy to be living, breathing, pulling myself up the side of a mountain.

So, it was without surprise this morning, when life titled its ancient head to the side and winked : my mom had sent me this video.

The Eel, A Bird and A Hovering Spear Published

2008-03-01T20:18:00.000-08:00

One of my climbing stories has been published in the February/March issue of Gripped Magazine. The story chronicles an impromptu eel hunting mission last Christmas eve at Paynes Ford Reserve in New Zealand. The article also includes a photo spread of images I took on the trip, including a great image of me being licked by cows. Fantastic stuff.

Gripped is avaliable at Chapters, MEC and magazine shops.

FULL SPECTRUM - March 13th 2007

2008-02-18T11:48:00.001-08:00

Come down to the Yaletown Brewing Company between March 7th and 13th to view a series of new colour prints from recent trips to Asia and the Caribbean. The series, entitled, "FULL SPECTRUM," features candid and portrait photography engulfed in vivid colour environments.

The closing reception, March 13th at 7:00PM will feature the musical stylings of DJ Ride.

MARCH 13th 7:00PM til late

Yaletown Brewing Company

1111 Mainland Street (Yaletown)

Vancouver, BC

A QUICHE LIKE FRANCE

2007-07-07T00:41:00.000-07:00

"It didn't really turn out how I wanted, I think."
"Really? It looks good."
"It tastes good, its just the pan was too big so I had to build this wall of crust across the pan so it wouldn't spread too far."
"But the wall appears to have held."
"Yep."

They eat a while.

"So...I guess the quiche is a bit like France."
"Like what?"
"Like France."
"Like The country?"
"Yeah. Ocean to the west, mountains to the south, river to the north. Nothing to the east. My social studies teacher told us its why France was at war so often throughout history. It had no natural border to the east, so it was a continued fight to define and contain the nation."

They eat some more.

"Do you like it."
"Its delicious."

FRESH PHOTOS!

2007-06-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

Well, those last three months of traveling kinda got pretty busy and I didn't get to post any photos. I'm starting to post them on Flickr slowly over the next month or so. The first batch are from my first few days in Thailand.

Please click the photo to see em.

FEELING TIME

2007-06-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

I have been greatly concerned with time lately. Since returning home I have had the overwhelming feeling of it passing too quickly and without enough effect, like trying to drink water from my cupped hands except I'm epileptic and standing on the back of a fast-moving truck. The whole business reminded me of an encounter I had at a party five or six years ago:

* * * * *

I was nineteen at the time and was attempting to rip it up at a large house party full twenty-something acting students - a typically cold demographic if you don't happen to be casting director. Ice breaking was difficult, so to avoid the dreaded, "you what have you been in?" question, to which I had no response (I'm not an actor was a guaranteed deal breaker) I began asking people about their greatest fear. After several unsatisfactory minutes I met an actor friend of a friend who had recently "made it" with a Tim Horton's commercial. He had no specific answer but turned the question on me. What was my greatest fear?

I told him I supposed it would be waking up an old man and wondering "what had happened." People often complained of time moving faster as they grow older, and I had begun to feel it happening to me. Life was full and busy, but the end of a semester at University seemed to pass with the speed of a fifteen minute recesses in first grade.

"There's a simple answer to that," he had said. "It has nothing to do with age however, but our relationship with the world and with time."

"Tell me," I had said as the rest of the party faded away.

He leaned forward. "This is truth," he said, "and this is fact: a person only experences the sensation of time passing when they are engaged in the world. When people are in their heads thinking about the past or the present they are not engaged in the world before them and thus do not feel or experience the passing of time. Generally, as people age they become burdened with thoughts, with responsibilities, plans and regrets that pull them from the present moment."

"Ok." I said, he had an intensity that made you unable to look away from his eyes.

"So," he said, taking a drink from a water bottle, "do you remember how you got here? Do you remember the route you drove, what colour cars were in front of you when you made different turns? Probably not. We become good at repetitive tasts which allows out minds to drift off into the timeless world of thoughts. When you learned to walk it required your whole mind, now its nothing, its like breathing. So we spend more and more time in our heads, and because we only spend a fraction of our waking lives engaged in the world, time appears not to exist. Its not that there's less of it, you see, time doesn't exists, but our perception of time is lessened because we spent so much of our life experience, thinking."

"So what do you do?" I had asked him, as my mind thought about all the different situations where I had been lost in thought. It made sense.

"Well, right there," he said. "You lost it right there, didn't you? You where off in thoughts instead of listening to me."

"Yeah. I was."

"Okay, well you just have to catch yourself doing it and remain focused here and now. It takes work, but its like working out a muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. If you try and approach the world like a child does, and spend your time engaged in the world you'll find there's no reason to ever be bored or confused, life is nothing, but what's right in front of you."

Upon returning from traveling I have found myself wound up in the make believe world of thought: part of me remembering details and adventures from my trip, with the rest of my time taken up with planning for the future. I must remember to follow the advice of my friend's friend who made it big in the Timmy Ho commercial: remain in the moment, absorbing details, and always strive to experience the subtle changes of life. Practice the art of feeling time.

Incidentally, and I did ask, his greatest fear was discovering hair in his food.

MJPH

UPWARD STEADY FORWARD: Volume 1

2007-06-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

My New Zealand / South Asia Travel Blog is still available HERE .