Aerial, IF she only KNEW the whole story, you'd be on your way to the Porshe dealership!
Just tell her that its a whole lot cheaper than supporting a girlfriend.
I agree with your statement about it not looking quite right, Me thinks you are acquiring the "Little Voice" OR the small guy sitting on your shoulder whispering in your ear saying "ya think thats a good idea to do that".
That all being said, tree climbing is all about the tree. You can have the best gear in the world, and IF you ignore the tree, STUFF can happen fast! A good example of this is climbing a tree and discovering that there are a lot more problems with the tree that you couldn't see from the ground. This is why there are standards to keep the climber safe. Like the use of a lanyard, in conjunction with a climbing line. Another standard that is accepted here and possibly different in other locations is the OLD PHRASE "Three points of contact with the tree at all times".
The last time I checked, they didn't pay me to climb, they paid me to work on the tree. Climbing is a small component of tree work, it is an important component none the less. The most important thing about tree work, is the tree. A good understanding of tree biology is essential in keeping the tree alive, as well as the climber.
If your only doing removals, the above statement ALSO applies. The reaction of the tree will dictate the success or failure of a removal. You could say that we are calculating the risk, with all the things we do in a tree.
If your recreational climbing, the only real concern is the effects of gravity. When your pruning a tree, you MUST add the effects of PHC. If your removing a tree, you also add the tree characteristic, dynamics, and physics to the whole gravity defiance thing. Statistics vary from place to place, depending on tree types and locations. There are literally hundreds of books written on tree care (and removal). Each job should be respected for the harm it can inflict on the tree worker. THIS is why core training and experience are crucial to all tree workers.
Sorry IF I got off topic!
Sawsong, My personal opinion is that IF they are taking your money for this certification, the SHOULD have someone available to answer your request for information, quickly. If there is a failure to communicate, what kind of valuable information, that will save your life, is the instructor going to FORGET to communicate to you?