I hate Seinfeld. I love Festivus.

December 10th, 2009
I hate Seinfeld. I may be the only person in the English-speaking world who hates that inane show, but I really do.
I love Festivus.  At least, I love Traction’s Festivus for the Left of Us.  I’ve been to every single one — this year makes five.
The first time I heard the idea of Festivus was from Traction.  (I was skeptical — why would an organization as cool as Traction riff off an idea from Seinfeld?)  I just know that Traction’s Festivus is always a kick-ass party.  I always see friends there. But it’s also one of those parties where you feel like anyone who is there COULD be your friend.  If you’ve got even an ounce of people-person in your nature and a pound of progressivism in your heart, you’ll love the crowd at Festivus.
WHAT: Festivus for the Left of Us
WHEN: Sat, Dec 12, 7-10:30 PM
WHERE: Traction HQ (aka the Festivus House), 1018 Broad St.
SUGGESTED DONATION: just $5!
RSVP: here

And the best part doesn’t even come from Seinfeld… We call it QT.
Who’s a QT?  I’m a QT.  Or maybe more to the point, I’m providing QT because in Traction parlance it stands for Quality Time.  At every Festivus we have a silent auction to bid on QT with a Tractivist.
This year, lucky winners will spend quality time with other Tractivists learning a million things — like guitar, sewing, salsa dance, swing dance, Getting Things Done, canning food, grant-writing, resume-writing, driving stick, digital photography, Final Cut Pro video editing, shuffleboard at the Green Room, training for a long-distance run, juggling or granola-making.  Others will win services like handyperson time, PC or Mac support, childcare, coaching, home-cooked meals, and stress reduction including massage and yoga.
You could be sharing experiences like planting a garden together (veggies, flowers or spring bulbs), taking a cultural tour of DC, taking in local theater, touring an urban homestead, nature-walking among medicinal plants…  Or have Tractivists perform for you — aerial dance, dog tricks, and more!  That’s just for starters.

Me, I’m offering a gastronomic tour of Chapel Hill and Carrboro.  I’ll take you to at least three of our areas finest lunch establishments, and I can pretty much guarantee that I can introduce you to a new place even if you’re already a huge foodie.  I did this a couple years ago for another Tractivist and it ended up in the Independent.  I’ll pay for up to $30 of food for you, so come prepared to give a little to Traction in the silent auction. You know there’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Get your ticket now and I’ll see you Saturday!

Graig Meyer
big eatin’ QT donor, NOT a Seinfeld fan, Tractivist

P.S. We’re also collecting canned food and personal hygiene items for the Durham branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.  I don’t think that was part of the original Festivus, but I hear it’s more legit than George Costanza’s “Human Fund”…

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Festivus feels your pain — and the countdown begins!

December 7th, 2009

Hey Tractivistas,

Five days and counting until this year’s Festivus!

WHAT: Festivus for the Left of Us
WHEN: Sat, Dec 12, 7-10:30 PM
WHERE: Traction HQ (aka the Festivus House), 1018 Broad St.
SUGGESTED DONATION: just $5 or volunteer*
RSVP: here

I’m proud to let you know that during this, one of the rougher years — economy-wise — in recent memory, the Festivus planning team has gone to great lengths to respond to the recession by making 2009 holiday-ish cheer accessible to everyone…

Three ways that the most fun holiday-ish party of the year is also the party that most feels-your-pain:

1) Everyone saves money at the door — we’ve brought the suggested donation down to just $5.  There hasn’t been a Festivus price that low since 2005!  Get your tickets now!

2) Volunteers get in free!  Write to festivus@getTraction.org and offer to help out before, during or after, and you’ll enjoy the party without spending a penny.  You must write by Tuesday.

3) We’re collecting canned food and, yes, personal hygiene items for the Durham branch of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC.  Let’s set a new world record for donated tampons!  Who’s with me??

If you know nothing about Festivus, have no fear.  Background links are here: NYTimes, wikipedia, 3-minute video.  And Traction’s particular flavor of Festivus involves food, drink, live music, wild antics for your participating pleasure (just watching is fun too) and easy ways to meet really wonderful people.  We’ll have frivolous feats of strength, constructive ways to air grievances and a Festivus pole, natch.  Did I mention QTs (Quality Time with Tractivists)?

So, to recap:
At Festivus 2009, you can get in cheap, you can get in free, and you can definitely donate tampons!  (Canned food too.)

Get your Festivus tix now, and see you Saturday!

Lanya Shapiro

thumb-wrestler who feels your pain, QT donor, Tractivist

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it’s beginning to look a lot like Festivus!

December 2nd, 2009
Hello Tractivists,
The holiday season is ubiquitously upon us once again. And if you listen very closely, beyond the jingling bells, sale-crazed mallwalkers, inappropriate mistletoe, and twinkling lights (OK, the twinkling lights are all right), you can hear that still small voice, calling you back…

…to Festivus!

Yes, once a year, all of Traction comes together to share food and drink, discover the fascinating lives of others, and take pictures wearing silly hats. It’s a time to relax and meet fun people, a big holiday-ish party. We eat and drink, we put on lots of fun activities, and the earnings help fund our programs for the next year. But the most important part of that equation is YOU.

WHAT: Festivus for the Left of Us
WHEN: Saturday, December 12, 7-10:30 PM
WHERE: Traction HQ (aka the Festivus House), 1018 Broad St.
SUGGESTED DONATION: $7 (early bird tix are $5 until Dec 6) or volunteer*
INFO: festivus[at]getTraction[dot]org

And since I’ve liked you ever since we met at that event where that guy was talking about that thing, I’ll tell you a secret. The best thing about Festivus is the gift that keeps on giving long after we’ve all gone home: the Quality Time Auction. At Festivus, you get to bid on Quality Time offers that other Tractivists have donated. QT donations so far include a massage, a homemade dinner and tour of an urban homestead, babysitting, a juggling or unicycling lesson, and professional computer support services provided by yours truly.

At the silent auction, everyone can bid on the services offered. If your bid is the highest, you win! All the money goes to help fund Traction’s 2010 activities, and you get to meet up with another Tractivist sometime later to get whatever you won.

In fact, if you have a special ability that people are always trying to wheedle out of you, why not donate a Quality Time item yourself?

I’ve donated time and bought time, and I find both very rewarding. In my day job, I support Macintosh computers, so I donate computer support services every year. It’s gratifying to use my QT donation to solve vexing problems for someone who couldn’t normally afford it. Plus, I never did those bachelor auctions in college, so it’s fun to have people bid on me.

Last year I also won a walk in the woods with a local naturalist. I then gave it as a gift to my girlfriend. (I definitely recommend this as a dating strategy.) We met Gary in the woods out behind my house in early January. He took us on a several-hour walk through Triangle Land Conservancy’s Johnston Mill Preserve. We had a great time talking about all sorts of natural phenomena: why tree bark looks the way it does, which plants grow where and when, which ones you can eat, etc. It was like that “augmented reality” everyone’s talking about now, except instead of pointing a smartphone at things or flipping through a book, I simply asked Gary about them; this is preferable, I think, because Gary is self-propelled and flame retardant. It was an afternoon I’ll remember for years.

So grab a ticket to Festivus: Enjoy the Feats of Strength (like hula hooping and Wii swordfighting), silly photos, and fascinating people. See how we transform Traction HQ into the magical Festivus House. Bid on the menagerie of Quality Time offers — perhaps yours will be among them!

To donate a QT, or to volunteer to help with the merriment, write to festivus[at]getTraction[dot]org by December 6.

Colin
Smuggler, libertine, Tractivist

P.S. Festivus notes:
*Remember: Write to festivus[at]getTraction[dot]org by December 6 to donate a QT, donate a finger-food item, or volunteer.
*Spread the Festivus love: Bring an item for our donation drive — canned food and personal hygiene products.
*Parents! We’ll have childcare available. Please let us know by Wed., December 9, if you would like childcare during Festivus.

P.P.S. Coming up: Sun., Jan. 9, join Tractivists for a potluck in the New Year! Write to newleaf[at]getTraction[dot]org to RSVP.

P.P.P.S. Traction’s had some technology woes in the last day. If you tried to email us and it bounced, now’s a good time to get back in touch; we should be online! If it happens again, though, please give us a call (919-Traction/872-2846) to to let us know!

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a few of my favorite things: potlucks, Thanksgiving, Festivus!

November 18th, 2009

Late fall is the time of year when my thoughts turn to fireplaces, friends and family, football (okay, not really) and… Festivus!  Along with Thanksgiving, Festivus tops my list of favorite holidays.  And they’re both coming up in the next month!

On Sat, Dec 12th, steel yourself against the consumerism of the holiday season at this Traction tradition for the rest of us — flush again this year with the much-beloved feats of strength, airings of grievances, and of course the revered Festivus pole, all interpreted a la Traction… plus new twists and turns for 2009!

Festivus is truly about community, and it couldn’t happen without the contributions of MANY.  If you’ve enjoyed Festivus but never volunteered or donated a few hours of Quality Time with you as part of the QT auction, why not let 2009 be the year?  It’ll make the night that much more fun, trust me.

Speaking of community…
What: Potluck for all Tractivists (Festivus volunteers particularly!)
Where: James & Jennie’s house
RSVP: festivus[at]getTraction[dot]org for directions
When: This Sunday at 5pm*

*Persimmon-picking starts at 3:30pm!
Speaking of community, again:
If you have space at your Thanksgiving table for one or more guests, or if you’re seeking a table to join, let us know and we’ll connect you up with community on Turkey/Tofurkey Day.  Nice.

My wish for us all is that Thanksgiving and/or Festivus bring a few of our favorite things this time of year.  For me, that means food, warmth, new connections, intentional gratitude and all that community entails.  I hope to connect with YOU this season.

Lanya
Walltownie, turkivore, Tractivist

P.S. Are you one of the folks who look forward to Festivus all year long?  Tell us your favorite Festivus memory and we may highlight it in an upcoming email!  Write festivus[at]getTraction[dot]org.

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start with the man in the mirror

November 5th, 2009

Dear Tractivists,

Being an ally — someone who stands up for people experiencing oppression — is a journey, except that there’s really no end.  Like loving and learning, it is something we keep doing all our lives.  I have heard people cite the “platinum rule” as part of being a good ally — “do unto others as they would have done unto them.” But that is the tricky part, figuring out how others want to be treated.  What does it mean to respect someone based on their definition of respect, not your own?

Well, we’re not mind readers, of course, and no one expects us to be.  An important part of being a good ally is learning, listening, and asking when we don’t know the answer.  With that comes the challenge of forgiving ourselves for not being perfect, for not knowing the right term or how to react to a racist joke.

I can remember causing a unified gasp (as a white person in a majority Black group) in my sophomore year Black History class when I recited a quote from the day’s reading that included the n-word.  I went back and forth between feeling upset at the class for scolding me and upset with myself for being so out of touch.  Ultimately, I had to let go — of my ego, my self-doubt, and my aching desire to seem cool.  Reading helped a lot — Peggy McIntosh’s “Unpacking the White Knapsack” blew my mind — and so did finding safer spaces to talk about privilege and the pain and anger that goes with it, to learn about people different from me, and to find my voice as an ally.

On Thursday, November 12th, from 6-8pm, Traction is creating one of those spaces, where you can explore how to respond to all kinds of oppression.

WHAT: How to be a Good Ally: a workshop
WHEN: Thurs., Nov. 12, 6:00-8:00 PM
WHERE: downtown Durham
RSVP: ally@getTraction.org

I always feel lucky to find opportunities, like Traction’s workshop, that help me grow as an ally, that let me feel safe to ask questions that might be offensive or to talk about feelings that I might be ashamed of.  We don’t have to go from oblivious to activist overnight, we just have to keep moving forward.

I hope you’ll join Traction in taking another step and spend some time in a supportive and challenging space. RSVP to ally@getTraction.org for directions.

Celeste
ally in-the-making, food blogger, Tractivist

P.S. Looking for company over Thanksgiving? Traction will connect you up with other Tractivists to share the holiday! Write to thanks@getTraction.org to sign up as a guest or a host.

P.P.S. Save the date! A Festivus for the Left of Us, Traction’s holiday bash, is coming up on December 12! There are many ways to help get the party rolling; write to festivus@getTraction.orgto volunteer.

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happy hour tonight — live locally, vote locally

October 30th, 2009
Hello fellow Tractivists,

It’s that time of year again – time to make our voices heard on the most pressing issues of the day (and no, I’m not talking about whether college football should have a playoff or not – though that’s a subject near and dear to my heart). I’m referring, of course, to our upcoming local elections.

Many of us worry about troop levels in Afghanistan, how the U.S. will handle climate change, or whether we’ll have a public option in health care reform. Some of us may even find ourselves taping C-SPAN broadcasts for later viewing. And those are all important things that demand a certain amount of our energy as citizens (though if the C-SPAN thing describes you, you may want to ask yourself if you have a problem…).
But many of us are not as engaged with our local political landscape, where decisions are made every day that are more likely to directly impact us on a daily basis. Our local leaders shape what type of schools our children will be educated in; which economic development projects get funding and focus; where new real estate developments will go and how environmentally-friendly they are; and what our commutes, entertainment options, and even basic day-to-day interactions might consist of.
WHAT: Speed CandiDating: Election Happy Hour
WHEN: TONIGHT, Oct 29, 5:30-7:30 PM
WHERE: Bull McCabes, 427 W Main St., Durham
RSVP: candiDating@getTraction.org
Here in Durham, less than 5% of eligible primary voters turned out earlier this month to help select the candidates now vying for election to some of our key local leadership posts.
One big reason is the feeling some of us have that we don’t know enough about the candidates and the issues at stake. Fortunately, the candidates are eager to help us with that, and vibrant local organizations like Traction are  helping us, the voters, talk with them through fun and informative events such as Speed CandiDating, which is tonight.
So come on out and get some face time with your fellow citizens and the folks who are vying for positions where they’ll make critical decisions for our community. Tell them what you think, listen to the ideas they prioritize, and then go vote next week (or better yet, vote early).
But don’t stop there: use this as an opportunity to find out how you can be more involved in local politics on a regular basis. Find that citizen advisory board or public meeting where the issues you’re passionate about are being discussed, and then go make your voice heard there, too.
I sometimes have trouble justifying the time and energy it takes to do these things. I’m too busy with work, there’s too much to do around the house, and sometimes my brain just doesn’t seem capable of much more than trying to follow a Law and Order rerun.
But it seems every time I make it to an event where local issues are being discussed, something serendipitous happens. I meet someone or get interested in something that may have nothing to do with the reason I went, and my life gets a little richer as a result.  Or sometimes I just get a recommendation for a great Thai place.  Whatever it is, I always come away feeling a little more rooted, a little more connected to the people in my city, a little more generous, and a little more alive.
So tonight, come meet the candidates, mingle with your fellow Durhamites, and maybe have a mystical experience of democracy in action. And if those aren’t reasons enough, well — there’s also going to be beer.
See you out there,

Brett
runner, regular C-SPAN viewer, Tractivist

P.S. Upcoming events:
11/12 How to Be a Good Ally. Write to ally[at]getTraction[dot]org for more info.

11/26 Thanksgiving Mix & Match. Write thanks[at]getTraction[dot]org to sign up as a guest or host.

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