New Year’s Eve was here once again. The 29th time a human being, living on Earth for that very occasion. Driving home from Ojai, Dion Zane & I smelled of campfire, following two nights of camping near the Piedras Blancas trailhead in Ventura County. Cold nights (lows in the 20s [degrees F]), addicted to the fire with frequent whiskey assists. En route home, Pat’s Liquor provided (cold, non-alcoholic beverages), and we were homeward bound, to Los Angeles County. The trip had been a beautiful one - full of good views, great food, and present conversation.
Inspiration struck as we re-entered phone service, and the decision was that a New Year’s Eve party would be held at my house that night. I had just six hours to shower, unpack, shop, and prep the house while building a fire and organizing snacks for that evening’s champagne drinkers. I found help from a great friend, and we pulled it off together. Such a fun time with a small group of people that I actually wanted to be around. Running vinyl records over a muted television playing asian news television, old surf videos, and at one point a video of a burning fireplace (right next to an actual burning fireplace but larger). The ball dropped and Anderson.Paak came over the house speakers at full blast. Everyone danced. Boogied. I got a kiss from a very lovely person. The next day, we ate Vietnamese food and watched “Friends”. One of the finest, most enjoyable NYE celebrations I can remember having.
The day after January 1st, everyone was finally back online following varying terms of blowing off work for the holidays (the best excuse of all time). I experienced fluctuating levels of a slight depression and found it difficult to get through the day of work. After a year full of travel for the most part, I had been home since late October, no flights during. I finally had had time at home, living in Los Angeles full-time, and having fun times doing plenty of new & exciting things. I concluded that I was having "stoke withdrawals" - not being able to remember the last truly boring day I’d had. I can’t complain about this of course; I’m spoiled for the opportunity to basically do what I want each day. Now it was time to set new goals and begin forming new habits for the New Year. Of course, we can each do this anytime during the year and the New Year is an irrelevant deadline, but why resist the good energy when I could embrace it for the best?
The day after January 1st, everyone was finally back online following varying terms of blowing off work for the holidays (the best excuse of all time). I experienced fluctuating levels of a slight depression and found it difficult to get through the day of work. After a year full of travel for the most part, I had been home since late October, no flights during. I finally had had time at home, living in Los Angeles full-time, and having fun times doing plenty of new & exciting things. I concluded that I was having "stoke withdrawals" - not being able to remember the last truly boring day I’d had. I can’t complain about this of course; I’m spoiled for the opportunity to basically do what I want each day. Now it was time to set new goals and begin forming new habits for the New Year. Of course, we can each do this anytime during the year and the New Year is an irrelevant deadline, but why resist the good energy when I could embrace it for the best?
I immediately made plans for that short week to skate and see friends who I hadn’t in some time. Back to the pursuit of fun & good times. While camping that weekend, we befriended some fellow campers at a nearby campfire who live in Ventura. One of them was organizing a dopamine-fasting event, which was both intriguing & confusing to me. During this retreat-style event, participants do not eat for 72 hours. Also during that 72 hours, they only breathe, meditate, drink water, and write. No talking, electronics, or even reading. I’d heard of silent meditation retreats, but this was on a different level. I'd want to at least read my damn book, and I look at that as a given. I don’t consider reading a book to be an indulgent pleasure worthy of fasting from, but hearing about it being such added to my life perspective. It helped me to realize how truly over-indulgent my life is. Not in a binge-eating-type of way, but as a constant of seeking stimulating experience. I’m not fully convinced that it’s a bad thing, but it's surely nice to acknowledge the lack of silence in one’s life.
Driving to Long Beach that following Saturday was clarifying for me. Headed to see an old friend, and a new one. It was a rare rainy day in Southern California.
Seeking normalcy comes with an undercurrent of anxiety for me, as if consistently "normal" days may represent aging into a less interesting existence. As stated previously, I've spoiled myself with a constant stimulation (recently) in life. But I'm not yet convinced that it's an ultimate negative.
I'm sleeping on it but need to take better notes of my dreams.
- 7PlyEpic
Driving to Long Beach that following Saturday was clarifying for me. Headed to see an old friend, and a new one. It was a rare rainy day in Southern California.
Seeking normalcy comes with an undercurrent of anxiety for me, as if consistently "normal" days may represent aging into a less interesting existence. As stated previously, I've spoiled myself with a constant stimulation (recently) in life. But I'm not yet convinced that it's an ultimate negative.
I'm sleeping on it but need to take better notes of my dreams.
- 7PlyEpic