This year the Christmas season seems to be about building and rebuilding community. Thats my gift to me. I’m making new connections that are enriching my life, but I’m also trying go back and deal with things that I’ve left hanging.

I’m not a great web designer. I have some photoshop skills, and can translate those into a decent site, but that’s about it. I enjoy doing it though, and have found myself in the position of trading web work for stuff I need. I’m getting really great bread from Farm and Sparrow, the BEST mustard from Lusty Monk, good vegetarian meals from Bearfoot catering (I don’t have her site up yet) and in the works I have the potential to work with a wine shop, and for work on a landscapers site I’ll get the back yard graded so I can lay the brick patio. (I’m excited about laying the bricks but not the digging) So I’m really happy about taping into this barter economy. I’m enjoying the work and it seems to be well received. I feel like I have more control and flexibility than I would if I were taking cash payments, and most importantly, I really like the people I’m meeting through it. We’re a quirky bunch and it makes me happy.

I guess I feel like I’ve received some really wonderful gifts lately and I want to say thanks.

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Other good things that are happening – or – My Name Is Earl:

This trip is forcing me to deal with things I’ve been putting off – like selling the Charleston house and trying to resolve that nagging tax issue. I’m getting the house appraised early next month and I’ve called Oppenheimer and should be getting the last of the documentation I need for the taxes. That’s a loose end that been tying a noose in the back of my mind for a while.

Planning this trip has gotten me thinking about Kurt, the man who taught me to paddle – and who I drifted away from after my divorce. I found him through the power of Google. He’s the Huntsman at club outside of Aiken SC living on about 10,000 acres on the South Edisto. I’ve called him and I’m going to spend New Years paddling in the swamp near his house and drinking beers in the cold and wet. I can’t wait. I’ll take lots of photos and post them here later.

I’ve also sent an apology/I miss yall Christmas card to John and Hazel. When I first moved to Asheville I was designing their website and CD’s but I really dropped the ball. I felt so shitty about it that I avoided them – to the point of dropping off the work I had done at the bar where I knew John had a standing gig so I wouldn’t have to face him. That was cowardly. They are great people and I hope we can reconnect.

I still have Michael in McClellanville to try and reconnect with. One of the smartest, most creative people I’ve ever met. We had a falling out that stemmed from my insensitivity and I need fix it, James, who was getting married to his Latina sweetheart as I was breaking up with mine and I kind of just quit talking to him because I felt so shitty about it all. Very small and selfish. And Max who I just need to talk to more.

Kind of 12 step-ish if you know what I mean, but I need to deal with these things and the trip is making them feel imminent.