Friday, December 19, 2014

Escaping Xmas

Santa Claus does not belong in Bethlehem. So, dodging the stress and madness of Xmas in the Naked City, I find myself on the 23rd floor of the Nugget Hotel in Sparks, Nevada, just outside Reno, for $38 per night.

I like the solitude. It’s convenient. My room has free Wi-Fi and a desk. The fifth floor has a gym and a large glass-enclosed, tree-lined pool with birds flying around and the best Jacuzzi I’ve experienced (it has several different kinds of strong jets). And the food in the lobby is adequate and affordable.

Being away gives me distance and perspective, which leads to new insights. Better yet, being forced out of my routine helps me break bad habits and develop new ones that I hope to carry over when I return, such as: more exercise; stretching; writing at least 1-2 hours in the morning; avoiding late-night snacks; doing my late-night meditations; and, six days a week, staying sober while avoiding both caffeine and sugar.

In addition to forming those habits, I plan to use my time here on special projects, like reading real books, emptying my Inbox, posting my autobiography, and working on the budget for the rest of my life. In addition, of course, now that I’ve adjusted to the altitude and largely rid myself of a chest cold, on days the Warriors don’t play basketball I expect to win some money at blackjack (I did win $75 in ten minutes in an experiment on my way in, but haven’t yet been in shape to play seriously).

I had planned a road trip, including Canyon de Chelly, Joshua Tree National Monument, and New Year’s Eve on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. But I like it here so much I may stay until I return home early next year. The less time I spend driving and getting settled in new locations, the more time I’ll have to be productive.

This approach may help me deal with my post-Uber life. Previously, my monthly check included at least several hundred dollars from my share of our co-op’s net profits. Now those profits are virtually zero. Moreover, when I drive, I earn 20-30% less per hour.

According to my latest calculations, when I move up the first-come, first-served list and get a Section 8 rent subsidy in about five years (hopefully), I can sell my medallion, invest the proceeds, and have enough money to manage until I’m 94, while slowly consuming my capital.

With this plan, until I sell my medallion, I’ll have to drive taxi 40 hours a week eleven months per year for the first time in my life, which means I’ll have to stop trying to save the world. I can take the weight of the world off my shoulders.

Going back and forth to the airport in my taxi can be a bit boring, but it’s not all that hard. I can still work on my devices while I’m parked at the airport waiting for a fare (more than an hour on average) and take home enough money to make ends meet.

I should be grateful I’m as well off as I am and have been able to do as much as I have with my life. So unless someone offers me a part-time job doing social-change work, my goals will have to be much more modest.

My inclination is to focus on writing, with a priority on Wade’s Weekly. The 120 or so subscribers to that blog is not a huge number. But writers like to have readers, and I very much appreciate the feedback I receive, and hope to put more time into engaging in dialog with my readers.

Who knows? Maybe I plant an occasional seed that blooms somewhere. Or maybe we just bolster one another in our resolve to contribute to human evolution as best we can.

Regardless, I have numerous ideas for essays on my mind that I really want to write. They say if you have to write, you are a writer. Maybe I am.

So, unless some miracle happens with the Residents’ Council while I’m away, or “Changing the System: A Proposal for a National Conferencedevelops in a way that involves me, I’ll once again try to drop my self-identity as a “community organizer” and fade away into the sunset, alone, pen in hand.

10 comments:

  1. From an old friend:

    "Santa Claus does not belong in Bethlehem." Wade, Wade, Wade. What does that mean? This note my daughter sent me today, as to how I explained Santa Claus to her and my son, also explains why I would take the stress of Christmas with my loved ones vs. spending it in a gambling joint, uh, hotel.
    ---------------
    "Mom and Dad,

    The attached letter reminds me of how you responded to the "Santa" question all those years ago. Not exactly the same, but similar sentiment.

    Love you both,

    Whit"

    ---------------

    But to each his own Wade. Life is about choices I guess.

    Merry Christmas,

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    1. That is a beautiful letter. Thanks for sharing it. I especially liked the affirmation of non-material values.
      You must have been a great father. Congratulations.

      If I had children and grandchildren with whom I could share the holidays, I would be with them. But that is not a choice I can make.
      Neither my sisters nor I have children. That is no coincidence. Our upbringing so crippled us, it has taken us decades to get reasonably healthy. I was in no shape to be a good father.
      My residence is filled with such tension and a climate of fear induced by the management that I felt the need to escape and develop some new habits, as I explained.
      I have no real community. If I were in Frisco on Xmas Day, I would probably go to a restaurant with my sister and brother-in-law and go see a movie. My friend Leonard might join us.

      If I could afford some other, better location, I would be there. As it is, I think I am doing very well here and will emerge from my retreat a better person.

      I love Jesus, but our consumer society has co-opted and defiled his message. The pressure to buy, buy, buy is immense. People give in order to receive. If they don't get a present or a card from a particular individual, they stop giving to that individual. Society has taken Christ out of Christmas. Hence, the widespread use of Xmas. Exchanging gifts and celebrating St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus, on the Solstice or some other day would be wonderful. Then, on a much later date, we could all listen to Handel's Messiah, say the Lord's Prayer, and celebrate the birth of Jesus. That is why I said Santa Claus does not belong in Bethlehem.

      So on the day of our Lord's birth, I may very well read the Book of Matthew, pray a lot, and meditate on Jesus. I might even fast.

      Enjoy your family, the holidays, and your good fortune.

      With respect and affection,

      Delete
  2. hey Wade - that all sounds great. You sound renewed, revitalized, yes?
    As for Santa, I never really cared so much for Christmas or Santa, but I'm feeling it a little different at the moment. Went to a talk at the Fellowship last week (your friend will be presenting there in January on MLK) and a great symbologist/mythologist talked about how the themes of Christmas are so Universal. there is something about this time of year... That there may be a universal human experience makes it more compelling to me. She had many relevant pieces of art including one that was very provocative -- Santa Claus holding the baby Jesus - something about pagan Santa coming together with more traditional religious stuff -- who knows...I always liked Jerry as Santa...Thinking about the difference between archetypes, deities, and saints.

    http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/origin-of-santa/

    interesting political times - so many people thought the mid terms were another catastrophe but instead Obama seems freed (in some ways - not all), i.e., Cuba is cool. The demonstrations across the country seem significant - very grass roots - I heard that when Jackson and Sharpton went to St Louis the people turned their backs on them..

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the reply. Yes, even more so for the last day or so, I feel renewed. But the tension and conflict at Western Park really bummed me out. I had been very melancholy. Strangely, fifteen minutes after I had an espresso yesterday, I felt much better. Then, last night, after eating chocolate cake, I felt even better. Maybe I needed to taper off.

      If we celebrated St. Nicholas on the Solstice and worshiped the birth of Jesus on some other day, that would be wonderful. But the way this country does it is sacrilegious. They have taken Christ out of Christmas.

      Yes, these are very interesting times politically. Thanks for telling me about Jackson and Sharpton. I had not heard that.

      ...
      What's new with you?

      With respect and affection,

      Delete
  3. The more I know about "living in the Now" the more I understand its practical application. There are profound spiritual implications that I get fleetingly and yet settling in to be satisfied with what is is a recently new one for me. As fast as we've grabbed life and lived consciously, I had the illusion that it would always be so. Guess I actually never made any serious plans for getting older and although I've had health challenges off and on all my life, I've lived through them and adapted each time to whatever needed adapting. None of us anticipated the economic downtown 2008, so I was feeling pretty proud of myself with my savings, good health, and eagerness to continue to work. Didn't happen. Won't happen now in any of the forms I had imagined... so now, I'm taking it a day at a time and pondering about the REALITY of truly "letting go" and TRUSTING that Spirit/God/the Divine is active in my life to the degree that I am not overwhelmed. Glad you wrote about how
    you are
    dealing with one of those "quick turns" that you've now encountered. And, yes, you ARE a writer... Blessings of Grace and Comfort this season, Wade.

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    1. Thanks again for your understanding and support.

      How did the Great Recession impact you?
      How are you getting by financially now?
      Granted, "one day at a time" is important. But some plans for the future are also advisable, no?

      Peace,

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  4. We stayed at the Nugget this past summer and have done so before, too. We also enjoyed the big, round hot tub. In Reno, we enjoy walking along the river.

    In terms of eating, our fav place there is the small, funky, veg Pneumatic Diner, though we also really enjoyed the hip, mixed Laughing Planet.

    Peace,

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  5. Sounds like a nice plan. Have a Merry Happy Holiday!

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  6. I‘m glad you’ve figured out a way to survive in the face of the Uber horror, Wade. I was worried about you.

    And I’m glad you’re thriving despite the holidays, an annual challenge.

    For good things in the New Year,

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