The Year of the Sheep - Monkeyshines 2015
With the transition from the Year of the Horse to the Year of the Sheep set to occur in less than a month, we wondered if once again the Monkeys would come out and bring their glass gifts to our city. Every year the lovely people of Tacoma try to glean any hint of when Monkeyshines will arrive. Will it be on Chinese New Year or some other day? After eleven years, will the Year of the Sheep be the last one? It is the end of the Chinese calendar cycle...
A blog post by the “Naughty Monkey,” the one who tipped us off to some details a few years ago, suggests that Monkeyshines may not occur. The Monkeys are frustrated. The hunters are relentless. Nevertheless, we know of at least a few people who are getting twitchy and are looking forward to the possibility of staring deep into hedges and behind rocks as they walk through town. Will the Monkeys come out for their final year?
After exchanging a few messages on Google+ with the Naughty Monkey, we were finally able to meet up. They arrived at the back of a nondescript Tacoma bar after riding the light rail and three buses. Some notes went on the table and I was able to ask some questions.
In spite of what you may have read, Monkeyshines will happen this year. The Monkeys are working hard to make it happen. They’re going to go big. There will be four different stamps to reflect a goat/sheep/ram theme. The Monkeys will hide a lot more art than before - and not just glass.
That said, there was tremendous frustration coming out of last year. Monkeys were stalked and followed. Glass was being grabbed instantly after being hidden. The result? A date change. When? We don’t know. Naught Monkey didn’t know. But it won’t be when you expect it.
If followed, the Monkeys will stop distributing the art. They will go back into hiding and return another time. Furthermore, as I was warned, if cornered or threatened, they will resort to traditional monkey defensive techniques - not to put too fine a point on it, they have threatened to fling poop.
You can still help make this year even bigger and shinier. Ms. Monkey has a special Year of the Sheep thank you for individuals that contribute $100 to Monkeyshines. There's still time to join the cause, and be a part of making this the best Monkeyshines ever.
This is the end of the cycle. It seems highly likely that this will be the last year of Monkeyshines, Tacoma. Let’s do it.
The same rule applies as in previous years: Take just one.
Find something? See something beautiful while hunting. Send us your photos at tips (at) exit133.com.
Do you want to know where to look? Read through last year's comments to get an idea of what has worked for others.
Filed under: Arts, Tacoma, Monkeyshines
460 comments
V vortex January 22, 2015
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E Emily and Holly Arden February 21, 2015
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