Happy New Year!! I just watched the ball drop in NYC. With the help of a visiting relative, I’m inebriated; so this may be be the larger-scale form of “drunk dialing”. Unfortunately, I know some people from my day job read this site so mentioning my current state is an example of the poor decision making I’ll work on minimizing in 2010. I hope to forget to remember to mention my name here.
Ok, on to something that relates to the title of this post. I started a fire tonight. I’m not ashamed I committed this perfectly legal, crime. I didn’t start the fire with a blow torch, not cigarette lighter (even, the kind you can hack to get a bigger flame), or even a match. I started a campfire with a piece of flint. That’s right, I said it. A piece of flint. Now there are other ways to start a fire, but that’s a way of starting a fire that runs deep into your family’s heritage and my own.
Anyway, here’s what happened. No wait, there is too much -- I’ll sump up. I needed to start a campfire and had everything except a lighter or matches or…something readily available to burn. It was one of the first times I wished I was a cigarette smoker. I had an abbreviated version of a “That Sucked! What Now?” box in the trunk. Among the inventory was a piece of flint. With the knife and cotton from the first aid kit I was in the fire making business.
It took longer for me to make a fire in this way than is any of your business. 
Be that as it may, there is something fundamental about getting yourself out of an actual jam by warming up by a fire you started yourself without a gadget. It’s not the only great way to warm up, but it’s among the best.
It was also the best kind of reminder. Warming up to the fire reminded me of boy scouts, camping trips, and the less enjoyable bivouac experiences when I had a government job. It reminded me of some precious family I had lost. It reminded me of a few friends who are alive. It reminded me of a few friends who are no longer around. I believe that even if I had never made a fire without a trustworthy bic lighter before, it would still be a reminder; of something. You know what I mean by ‘reminder’ right? As you think of some songs that do that for you, you’ll know what I mean.
So what are some good reminders like that for you? And when’s the last time you did it?
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How did you get out of some sketchy situation?
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What do you want out of this year? How will you know when you got it? If you’re shy about revealing it, just use another name -- no one’s going to know who you are unless you want them to.
Even if you ignore this post and don’t comment, I do sincerely wish you a Happy New Year. Yes you. 2010 already…wow. We’re gettin’ older my friends.
I like this website. I don’t hope that we will all agree or be boringly overly nice to each other on this site this year, but let’s start with a clean slate. Eh?
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Gato got runned over by Marcus many moons ago. Be ye daft, 2486? 
Let's have a new poll, alright, Joe?
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Excellent post. You write drunk much better than I do! No aplogies needed- I don’t know anyone who can walk on water at the moment- hope to later on, though.