The Joy of Hashing

 The Joy of Hashing.

As in the Hash House Harriers type of hashing.

Nine out of ten of you reading this understand what I meant already by "hashing." Assuming I have more than ten readers (and I don't), I can't explain it better than Wikipedia does. It's a running/walking group that likes to drink and be social.  I'll send y'all there now.

I'll wait.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_House_Harriers

Take your time.

It's a lot to take in.

I'll wait.

You ready?

On the most simplest level? It's a group of people who have a commonality. Just like you do with your friends.  Some do it with photography. Or travel. Or scrapbooking. You name it.  Gardening.  Shopping. Artwork.  You find a common place with amazing folks who have the same hobbies. And that's what we do here. We do it with a bit of exercise and then with some cold frosty beverages at the end. Ceremony and personal jokes even.

Hashing started in Malaysia back at the turn of the century and now exists in every state, every country in the world.  It's just a means to get out and run (or walk), meet new people and have some fun.

(but you know that already. you checked out the link, right?)

Today I was reminded how fun it actually is.

I started hashing in September of 2002. A friend had heard about it from a colleague of his and said to me: "Hey! It's a great way to meet people, have a little fun."  I was skeptical, but I went.  Did a 3 mile run (er, walk) that day and hurt for three days after.  But the people I met there were so nice, so kind and so inviting that I decided to keep going back even when he didn't.

So now it's 11 years later and I've been a part of the "hash" on and off all those years. Some years I did it weekly.  I traveled to hashes.  I hosted them. Did camping trips.  You name it.

And then I stopped. 

Whether it was work, or a boyfriend at the time or any other reason, I stopped.  Went back now and again, then stopped now and again too.

 But the nice thing about those people you meet there? That are so nice and so kind and inviting? They become your real friends. Whether you see them every week or once a year or so. They never stop being that.

So when a newer hasher friend of mine asked me a couple of weeks ago to help her lay the trail today, I jumped on it.  A little nervously, I admit. I hadn't laid a trail in a year and hadn't been to one since then.  But one of the biggest reasons I wanted to do it with her has nothing to do with hashing at all really.

People say that after you get out of high school or college, it's hard to make friends: it's hard to get out of your social circle you already have or the people you know at work.  I knew the hash kinda debunks that theory though. We have all types there.  And it occurred to me that this woman I had met a few times only and who asked me to do this with her? Was not in my "typical" social circle. Not in my work environment.  And for Pete's Sake, she's a MICHIGAN girl (the Badger in me shudders even writing that). But we somehow connected because of the hash.

So we volunteered to lay trail today. A damn fine trail, I'd say.  Long, yes.  But well-marked and with treats and fun. And having done this for over 10 years now and haven't been out for a while? I was tickled beyond belief to see who all came out to it.  Was it because they recognized my name on it? Nah... I'm not that conceited. I think most folks came because it was in their neighborhood. Or needed some exercise. Or whatever.  But no matter why they came, it made me happy they did and re-realize why I love this group so much.

Because it's group you can go years without seeing and when you do again they give  you a big hug.  Often invite you to another outing even.  Ask how your job or kids are doing.  Exclaim (as it happened to me today) "wow! your hair got long!"  And as silly as that seems, it's a familiarity that makes you feel comfortable: the woman who said it knew me when I wore my hair really short.  She knew me then and still knows me now. And that makes you feel part of a community in a way.

And the Hash House Harriers does that. Once a hasher, always a hasher.  The only thing I can compare it to for non-hashers are for

folks who are in sororities or fraternities.  But that's done in college. And this is done in "real life" so to speak. And today when I went out to the hash again and I saw folks I hadn't seen in ages and met others for the first time? I felt part of something bigger than ME. And that's a very wonderful thing indeed.
 

Bedtime is Movie Time for me

I can sympathize but not empathize with those who have insomnia.

I'm one of those English girls who knows the difference between the words. Sympathize means you have my sympathy and support but I've never been there myself. Empathizing means I actually truly understand on that level because I've been there.

And I haven't.

Thank God, the gods, the world, mother nature or whatever that I aven't.
I can fall asleep on a dime.  And dance circles on it even.

When I go off to bed each night I do it with a smile. I never have a problem falling asleep. I can do it in a car. On a plane. Comfortably on a friend's couch I had never been on before.  In a meeting even (shhh! don't tell my boss!). Or in the subway, the bus, the cab. Name it: I can fall asleep anywhere.

Sleep does not elude me. She's actually my friend.

Because I wake up from her with a smile on my face.

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So I actually crawl into my big comfy bed every night knowing that I will A) fall asleep in about 10 minutes tops and B) have a free movie waiting for me.

Because my dreams are movies. I may not remember them when the alarm clock goes off.
 Guess I'm lucky in that. Thinking about it? I'm surprised I ever get out of bed.