Does She EVEN Know?

The Sherpa hates when I call her "The Sherpa".

DOES she EVEN KNOW what a Sherpa IS?????

My husband and I have been completely addicted to The Discovery Channel's Everest: Beyond the Limit. We have looked forward to it every single Tuesday, talking about it even at work- "guess what's on tonight, honey?"......"EVEREST! BEYOND THE LIMIT!....WOOHOO! Break out the beer"! As many of you may know, Everest is one of my little obsessions. Not really about the climbing, but about the mental strength that it takes to accomplish such a task, a task that just might take you to the roof of the world.

The last episode was on tonight, and we watched it with sadness as the final credits rolled on. It prompted me to write this post about Sherpas. I mean, SHERPAS RULE! And I'm wondering why AM HATES when I call her one. I mean, they absolutely rock, and no one on earth would get up to the top of Everest without their dedication. Sure- they're short and wiry, and typically very dark- just like A. But that's why they excel in high altitudes. They've adapted to be able to live in areas where only jets can fly. Being so close to the sun and the heavens is what makes them dark. I don't know what A's excuse is on that one. Los Angeles is at sea level.

But anyway, I digress. Here are some highlights from the reality show- and some more reasons why Sherpa's RULE:

"No insurance company on earth will cover Russel's business (he's the expedition leader). His only protection is knowledge, discipline, and the skills of his Sherpas, the backbone of any Everest expedition."

"Phurba has reached the summit seven times before, and he is now Tim and Gerard's best chance at survival." (As Tim and Gerard can't SEE anymore, and their feet are frostbitten from being in minus 40 degree cold.) As time progresses: "The Sherpas right now, are pulling Gerard. One pushing, one pulling him in the snow. They're dragging him down. It's not just Gerard's life at stake, the Sherpas place their own lives in danger just trying to keep him moving."

"The Sherpas go up to each camp before the rest of the team, bringing food and supplies with them- oftentimes just backpacks filled with bottled oxygen. Along the way, they affix safety ropes to the entire route to the top, without being harnessed themselves."

As a double amputee has made it to the top, and now has bloody stumps- and can't make it back down on his own (the team builds a make-shift toboggan to get him down): "The toboggan team helping him have run out of snow as they near advanced base camp. For the last few hundred yards, it's down to Sherpa power."...and then...."Phurba straps him to his back, all 120 pounds of him, and negotiates the rocky slope down to ABC."

And...as the team huddles a final time down at base camp after attempting their bids for the summit: "This doesn't work without all of the boys. Dorju. Auden. Donorg. Phurba. They cooked for you every single day. They worked so hard for you guys- Who put the ropes in? Who worked to get you back down? When you didn't turn around, and ran out of time, who was right there beside you? Every single one."

So, I say this. Do you even KNOW WHAT A Sherpa IS, A? How important they are? Maybe you don't deserve to be called a Sherpa. (And I know what you're going to say: "Yeah, I don't deserve to be one. Don't call me The Sherpa.")

Well, OK. I won't call you The Sherpa anymore. BUT still, you are THAT important to me as Sherpas are to the expedition teams up there on Everest. My backbone, so to speak. Plus, you're just really dark. And short. And wiry. And freakishly strong for your size.

I got it: "Chief Sherpa".

And if you have time, check out the "Sherpa Cam" in the link above. You should TOTALLY get one of those, A! I can watch you from here! I know, I know. You want me to get a "BITCH CAM", so you can watch me from there. I love you too.