Monthly Archives: December 2009

Two nights ago, I was telling a few friends of mine about an exciting new Uno rules variation invented in El Potrero Chico.  It takes the typically geriatric game of Uno and spices it up a bit, enticing players to be loud, combative, and generally involved at all moments of the game.  I wanted to get it all down before I forget.

Canadian Rules Uno:

• Each of these additional rules are in existence with the games original rules.
• Players must call out “six” or “nine” if playing a 6 or 9.  Failure to do so results in drawing two cards.
• If a player calls out any other number but 6 or 9, player must draw two cards.
• Players may play a card at anytime (i.e. out of turn) if that card matches the deck card in number/type and color.
• However, a player can only place one card with one deliberate arm movement at a time (i.e. can’t place more than one card with one arm movement).
• If a player mistakenly places an incorrect card, player must draw two cards.
• “Draw two” cards may be stacked on top of one another when applicable, adding two with each additional card placed.  (i.e. if two draw two cards are on top of one another, penalized player draws four cards.)
• Same rule applies with draw four cards.
• Game is best played with six or more players, and a double deck of cards.

Alright, now that those are off my chest…  Things have been pretty good the last few days.  My parents drove up here over the weekend for an incredibly short and poorly timed visit, but it was nice seeing them despite my lack of time.  Work has been keeping me too occupied.  On Saturday I visited with some friends of mine I haven’t seen in a while, bouncing around to a couple of Christmas parties in South Austin.  It was quite cold outside that night, making each departure and arrival at warm surroundings even more welcoming.

I read somewhere that today’s a Monday, but it’s been a while now since I’ve payed any attention to the date.  I’m excited about the 24th and 25th, but only because I get to go climbing.  All day, for two days straight.  I’m even more excited about New Years, because I get to start 2010 off on the right foot, camping and climbing with Caro.

And that’s really it.  It’s sunny and happy outside, but I’m lacking anticipation for any moment beyond this one.  I need another vacation.

I don’t really like Christmas anymore.  It’s been a long-formed opinion, and I think it’s been especially solidified by working close to the retail world during the past two holiday seasons.  I love how this time of year brings people together.  I like how it inspires ordinarily uninterested people to focus on aesthetics – decorations and such, for example.  I enjoy the cozy atmosphere a lot of places seem to adopt.  But, the senseless and meaningless consumerism depresses me.

About three years ago I started requesting that family and friends stop giving me Christmas gifts.  I was at a point in my life where I was breaking away from a lot of traditional “capitalist society” thoughts and actions.  I didn’t want any more possessions beyond those that facilitated the things that brought me joy – a bike, a laptop, books, and a bed.  Anything more than that would do nothing for me but clutter my surroundings.  A simple act of cutting possessions out of my life connected to so many other things I cared about.  Generating less waste.  Living in a smaller space.  Spending less money.  Having more time for social interactions.  The list is endless.

And the trend has stuck.  I think people have finally caught on to what it means to me.  But it’s a lifestyle choice that means so much to me, that now when I see the opposite happening all around me with such intensity, I’m disgusted.  It makes me want to run far, far away from it all.  In nine months, the chemicals from the disposable electronics will start seeping from the landfills into our ground water.  The plastic packaging will be there in even less time.

And for what?  The idea that the act of gift giving can somehow replace a social disconnect between gift giver and gift receiver perhaps.  People spending too much time working, so they can afford to fill their homes with more worthless possessions, in turn ignoring those they know they should be paying more attention to instead.  Maybe it’s just habit, or maybe it’s a chicken vs. the egg cycle of reciprocity that has no end.  I don’t know.

Whatever it all means, I’m certainly not participating.  I’ll do my best to keep the holiday spirit rolling – to see and talk to as many friends as possible, and to be warm and friendly.  I’m just not buying anything…

If November was marked by excessively good amounts of rock climbing, December will certainly be marked by excessively good social gatherings.  From Christmas parties to small potlucks, and everything in between; my friends feel closer to me than usual, and I’m enjoying the feeling quite a bit.  I rarely need reminders that I have good things in my life, but so far this month has been a perfect awakening for me.

My friend and climbing partner, Rami, threw a fantastic party at his house last weekend.  A few friends and coworkers of ours are musicians, and they kept the house filled with good music into the early hours of the morning.  I think most surprising was Mark; I always knew he could play guitar, but damn, he can really make that thing sing.  His house was filled with some of my favorite people, and I didn’t regret staying up a little too late to spend time with them.

Perhaps my favorite moments of all have been spent over breakfast and warm cups of coffee with C.  I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve had a friend close to me who I can talk to so easily, and our conversations have definitely helped me figure out more than a few things in my life right now.

I’m in the middle of a strange contradiction.  Towards the end of this last summer, it seems like the thought that excited me the most was moving far, far away from this place.  Now, even though not everything is perfect, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.  The strong ties are few, but they’re incredibly powerful right now.  I’m not sure that I really understand it, but at the same time I’m not sure I really need to.  I’m perfectly content just rolling with things right now and seeing where they lead to.

I feel like I’ve been keeping a pretty packed social schedule since returning from Potrero.  Combined with the holiday season kicking in at work, and a little nagging cold/fatigue still sticking around from the trip, I just haven’t had too much time to sit down and write.

I finished Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance two nights ago, for the second time.  It was even more of an awakening read this time around.  I’ve been in a contemplative mood for a while now, and like every great book should, this one has been helping me figure out some important things in life.  Especially my place in space and time, and how to use what little ability I have to alter the direction my life is traveling on this huge set of tracks.

I finally got a chance to sit down and talk to C on Monday night, and we had some extraordinary conversation over a few beers.  A lot of talk about this new year coming up, old memories, and where we both want to go.  It was something I was really needing, and since then I’ve kind of been floating through the last few days.  Even before though, I’ve been feeling unusually cheery.  My house is bringing me a lot of happiness, especially the new character it’s taken in this wintery weather.  We’ve lit a few fires in the backyard, bringing together friends from around Austin.  And I like walking through fallen leaves on the sidewalk…

Unexpectedly, I’ve just made plans to be climbing in about 20 minutes, so this post will have to be cut short until later.  I promise it’ll be finished soon…