The Taking Tree by JJason Recognition
October 3rd, 2008 11:25 PMA true fact about my life since joining SF0 is that whenever I find myself setting off into a situation that is at all notworthy, I think to myself: "Is there a task that can be done here?" The answer, sadly, is too often no - more due to a lack of courage and creativity on my part than any lack of potential from SF0's part. But I really do want to task in these situations, so I am glad that I was able to come up with a task competition that I liked for my four day train ride from Boston, MA to Portland, OR.
The tasking began a few days before I left. Taking a coat hanger, I unwove the hook and folded it into a series of straight lengths, which I then broke apart by bending back and forth until the hanger broke. These lengths were folded into a large hook on one side and a small, folded over hook on the other.
Then came the next day and I found myself in Albany. Well, the Albany-Rensselaer train station anyway, which is not as good as real Albany (although I have never been to real Albany. But I assume). I had prepare three more markers while waiting for the train in Boston, so I went out to find trees to hang them in. Two of the trees I climbed and the third I threw the marker into the tree. It took a couple tries to get it to hang in the
Thoughts On Climb Trees:
My technique for climbing the average tree is as follows:
1. Grab on to one or two low lying branches that can support my weight
2. Brace my feet up against the trunk of the tree
3. Lift myself with my arms
4. Walk my feet up the trunk of the tree
5. Either brace my feet or hook my leg on a branch
6. Pull my torso up past the initial branches and then grab onto another branch
At this point I'm well into the tree where there are plenty of branches to bring myself wherever else in the tree can support my wait. Step 5 is always been the hardest - if the tree doesn't allow for good placement of the legs, it's more or less hopeless.
For those of you wondering about the story and greater cultural significance of the markers, their story is laid out in the captions of the pictures. It draws upon facts first established in Reverse Archeology and Reverse Shoplifting.
Folded Coat Hanger
Made from whatever was available and hidden where others citizens could find them, they allowed disperate citizens to communicate secretly
Plus Minus
The content of the message was communicated by the shape of the ornament and the orientation of the crest
Minus Plus
Diamond, for example, indicating the presence of ghosts
Hook
An aside about ghosts:
Hook, String, Marker
Before modern times, citizens were deathly afraid of ghosts
Tree #1
It was to escape from these ghosts that the Masked Nation first removed their faces and created the second, fake face that they wore in their public life 
First Marker
Largely due to the widely held belief that they were, as a people, constantly haunted by ghosts due to a crime committed by a common ancestor
Tree #2
Or so the story went.
2nd Marker
A rectangle indicated safety to perform rituals
Plus Minus
Orientation of the ornaments could be determined by studying the position of the crest
Minus Plus
If it was oriented correctly you should be able to turn the marker over and have the crest flip over
Looking down
Marker #3
An ornament indicating distrustful locals
Looking Up
Tree #3
Although the location of these ornaments might seem random to outsiders
Marker #4 (Hard to See)
Which tree's could be tagged was decided by a complicated but predictable code
Tree #4
Travelling groups of citizens would always be sure that at least one member was trained in locating these trees
View From Up The Tree
This individual was usually also tasked with building the ornaments,
Marker #5
locating ghosts,
Tree #5
and other ritual actions.
Marker #6
Tree #6
The ornaments needed to be well hidden
Marker #6
So they would not be removed by enemies of the Masked Nation
Looking Down
Or by simple carelessness
Sears Tower
Tree #7 (and thumb)
Tree #8 (from above)
Marker #8
A marker indicating a good place to hide
Tree #9
These days the ornaments are a bit of anachronism
Marker #9 (poor quality)
As they have fallen out of favor as a communication method
Marker #9 (to make up for the poor quality)
But they do still find use in their most basic message:
Tree #10
There are other citizens here. You are not alone in this.
Marker #10
An ornament indicating a new home
I'm very fond of the Masked Nation lecture series.
