from paris to berlin....

Having a week off and not going away allows you to do stuff that you meant to do and get jobs done that have been hanging over you for ages. Having only recently become a homeowner (homo) it lets you appreciate your home, which is precious. So, from last saturday, having a great morning at the tor, we ended up at the vine, which was bizarre. Well, bizarre but quite cool. Buzby rang me whilst on the terrace at the Vine and asked if I wanted to be in a photoshoot for GQ magazine! I was very suprised. Apparently, they'd contacted him to ask if they could have some samples for a climbing piece, and he had asked what sizes to send. The stylist woman said she hadnt booked any models, and that they would probably be fine in mediums. He suggests he sends a team of climbers so that the photo's dont look staged, and thats where I come in! So, I thought it would be quite funny, as Roy, Bentley and Alain were all in the frame too. Resolved to send him a picture or two and fully expected them to reject me/us out of hand on sight!

Sunday I was hung over. Sent Buzby a couple of pictures (Dave and Cofe - sent yours off!). Fully felt shite all day long. Still, hadnt got to go to work for a week, so not too bad. Feeling a bit unsettled about this GQ thing, but pretty confident it wouldnt come off, so not too worried. Monday we were off to see my parents in the midlands. They took us for lunch at amazing gastro pub. V.posh, nice food - expensive. I wasnt paying though, so thats ok. Whilst there I missed a call from Buz, which basically said - its on! they want you! Phoned him back. Shitting myself now. He forwards on the mail trail and I cannot believe it, its for Thursday - my birthday!

In a nutshell, it appears they are doing some kind of climbing article and as mentioned above, Buz has managed to get someone ingratiated into the 5.10 shoe web to do the photoshoot. I am shitting my pants. But, i persuade myself it will be funny and that if its about climbing I will be able to make it less of a Daily mail galling article about 'extreme sports' and perhaps a bit about climbing... Anyway, I go to the bigstone office and get fitted out in head to toe Arcteryx, and my pockets are filled with stickers! I get briefed on what he knows and we exchange a knowing look, before its one last school session for me.

I am so nervous, I dont sleep good the night before we are due to go. I wake up twice through the night, shitting myself about what it will be like. Get up at 5:45 and bundle the honey monster in the car. Blaze a trail to the Westway climbing wall in West London and meet a media lovvie type in reception. I say 'Hi, Its Ben from 5.10, I'm here for the shoot...' and she is like 'oh, brilliant, are you looking for Rupi?' and I am confused! the contact I have is for a Jodie. So she tells me to phone rupi and then chases off after a toilet. Rupi arrives and collects the three of us and we head round the back of the building, where 'the team' are... the team? fucking hell. Get round the back of the building and there are two full on camera vans, and a catering truck. I nearly faint. Hold it together and figure I might as well get some breakfast out of them, and am just about to load my plate when Rupi comes back and asks what I am doing for them, I explain I am a climber and she tells me there are two shoots! we have been hijacked by the wrong one and have nearly gotten on a nike advert! Phone jodie again and head back to reception where she is waiting for us. She looks like she has been in the gym, as is wearing hotpants and a vest. Tres confused. Get bustled into the wall and first thing they say is 'you'll have to wash your hair!' so I do, then I get hairsprayed, and dressed in head to toe high fashion! I look hilarious! then its over to the wall where photographer man is fully lovvied up and ok, thats beautiful baby, work it, oh yeah! and so on! I feel like a twat. Its quite funny though. Literally, I hold a few positions at the first bolt and am snapped for a few minutes then its back off to be redressed. Amazing. A real model turns up. I feel a complete fraud. This amazing looking waif like dude is just sat around for ages whilst I am camping it up on the wall. I pull on a mono and the GQ team are totally unimpressed, but I bridge into a corner (stem the dihedral) and they go wild! its a totally bizarre experience. As we are finishing, she fits me up with a set of wires attached to my jeans. Its fully genius. Three hours later, its finished and I am back in normal clothes. There was a nice belt she let me keep which is probably really expensive and I get to take all the Arcteryx stuff home (ultimately to give back). A strange morning. The relief I feel is amazing. I feel like a weight has been lifted. Whilst its been an amazing experience and very funny, I have been fully papping my pants all the last couple of days. Wierd.

Honey monster and I hot foot it into town and hang out for a couple of hours before coming home to Sheffield. Feels so good to be home and off the hook as it where. Cant wait to see what they do with it, and quite convinced it will be ridiculous. Ah well. You have to do these things!