Casual Wednesday.

Shortly after arriving in Austin I discovered www.meetup.com. I forget now where I found it. Probably some kind of link from Reddit. But anyway, it has been the most amazing tool to find new groups of all kinds. From the awesome to the mundane, bizarre, creepy or even professional. There is a meetup for everything! I quickly gravitated towards the outdoorsy ones and joined the Austin Beer Run Club. Which is analogous to the Hash Club Harriers in Tampa. Basically every large city seems to have a pub run club. I've joined many meetup groups (clubs), but I'm only really involved in the running ones so far. But I am getting into tabletop game groups now was well.

I started going back to the Run Club back in June. I've met a lot of people from all kinds of backgrounds in Austin. From tech nerds to teachers, independent consultants and everything in between. This has been quite awesome for me. Through this single meetup I've gotten in touch with other software developers, homebrewers, athletes and tabletop gamers.

But to the chase!  The club involves running about a 5k in downtown Austin near the Capital on Congress Road. From there we return to a bar called Doc's for $2 Mexican beer and $1 tacos. A bit of a different interpretation of the Beer Run Club than the ones I have been to in the past. But fun all the same. Here is the view as you begin the run. Pretty much the core of the city.

There is also a place in Austin called Barton Springs Pool. This is a natural pool fed through a ground spring. The pool sits at a nice 65 or so degrees at all times. Nice and brisk. There is usually an entrance fee. However, at 9PM everyday it is open to all for a Free Swim until 10PM. After a nice run, a few tacos and many a round at Doc's I've been going here for the Free Swim. Late night Free Swim attracts the most interesting of characters. This is the pool below in the wee small hours of the morning (8AM).

This is most true when the Full Moon comes around. For those familiar with this phenomenon, the Full Moon brings out the weirdness in people so to speak. The Free Swim becomes the Howl at the Moon swim and the free folk of Austin come out of the woodwork. Best part is that you get to literally howl at the moon with about a thousand other people. Which is something you just don't see everyday. In many ways, Barton Springs Pool is the focal point of downtown Austin social life. On New Years Day there is even the Polar Bear Swim, for those of you that would like to be brave and plunge into the icy depths of the pool whilst the air itself will chill you to the bone. It goes without saying that you'll find me there!

This routine has become my Casual Wednesday, as I call it. Running, tacos, beers, interesting people, and an icy plunge for a nightcap. Not for the faint of heart I suppose. But much more interesting than sitting at home and watching television. Moral of the story is that you just need to take that first step out of the door. Find some meetups and just go to them! Now if you'll excuse me I must prepare to nerd out with some tabletop games.

-T2