Pull-ups in the Basement

The worst things about climbing, aka, if you really love climbing, you climb despite all these things and more

after Sei Shonagon’s “Hateful Things”, written a long long long long time ago

Nov 3 • 

Jen Hemphill

6

1

October 2025

#brian&jen2.1.1

It’s been a while since our 1995 VW Eurovan camper caught fire and burned until there was nothing left to burn.

Oct 14 • 

Jen Hemphill

9

3

September 2025

Wild Iris, WY, No. 3

A conversation about being old with Steve Bechtel of ClimbStrong, aka, true climbing-nerd stuff

Sep 4 • 

Jen Hemphill

6

1

2

August 2025

Wild Iris, WY, No. 2

A shortie on a new kind of family vacation, or, having fun with and without your kids on the same trip

Aug 12 • 

Jen Hemphill

4

1

July 2025

Death in the summertime

A quick note on my disgust for this season and a eulogy for my sister, Loey

Jul 26 • 

Jen Hemphill

24

June 2025

Wild Iris, WY, No. 1

Post vacation blues and pondering why we need time away

Jun 24 • 

Jen Hemphill

9

2

1

May 2025

From the Passenger's Seat

A short essay on the experience of teaching sons how to drive

May 12 • 

Jen Hemphill

6

3

3

April 2025

My Year of Toproping

a discussion on why it failed me, with footnotes and pictures for the non-climbers who follow me

Apr 9 • 

Jen Hemphill

6

1

March 2025

Hueco is calling and I must go...

even if it's just a trip into my memory vault

Mar 10 • 

Jen Hemphill

5

1

January 2025

Play, prayer, and the precariousness of life.

Brian and I were recently in KY, and on our way to a climbing area, following Google maps, we ended up on what we thought was a road (because why the…

Jan 30 • 

Jen Hemphill

10

December 2024

December placeholder

to remind you I'm here in case I don't get something longer written this month, or, an earlyish end-of-the-year wrap-up, or, me begging you to please…

Dec 3, 2024 • 

Jen Hemphill

3

November 2024

Henri Nouwen, hospitality...

and why my son’s band still practices at our house even though he doesn’t live here anymore

Nov 7, 2024 • 

Jen Hemphill

9