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.