Burning Man
Having just returned from 10 days at this festival I do have some things I would love to say about it so forgive me if I pontificate a bit. This was my second year at the burn. Last year, we were there only 4 days, and this year wanted to experience more. Boy, did we.
Burning Man is an exercise in "Radical Self Reliance". What we found out this year was that means many things to many people. There were the people who came in their $200K motorhomes, with air conditioning, plasma TV, ETC. We saw them bring out their lawn chairs and set them outside the motor home, sit down with a cold one and just people watch - no interaction for the most part. Almost like they were watching TV. Yes, these folks were TOTALLY self reliant. Then we saw the people who walked in with a backpack, maybe a jug of water and a sleeping bag, and that was it. This event even states on the tickets (which run about $250 by the way) to bring all the water, food and supplies you will need to live in a harsh desert environment for a week. So here comes this person with relatively nothing, who assumes that the community will take care of them. And, amazingly enough, the community does. Then there are those like us - we bring our "burning man trailer" that we spent $150 for and fixed up so it works, put solar panel on the top for power for a light at night and the water pump, bring an extra battery "just in case" with a solar charger on the van to keep it charged up, as well as battery cables....and extra bike in case one breaks....an air pump for bikes and other tires and more than enough water and food for the two of us, as well as home made gifts to share with new friends we meet along the way. We also both vollunteer for medical and fire (get in free but worked about 40 hours each so put our worth into the community that way). Funny thing is we brought most of the food home, because we met a chef the first day that insisted we eat with him many evening meals. What we learned is that this community is much like other communities....it has its "Rich folks" and its "welfare recipients" and its worker bees. A women we work with is a three year burner...she showed up the Friday before the burn with her car, a few jugs of water, wine and costumes. Boy - did we learn alot about her this past weekend!
To answer a dear friends question about poly friendly - there is a camp there called Poly Paradise. We managed to arrange our schedule so that we could attend three of their Poly High Tea's and found a great discussion group, great people and really enjoyed it. The whole event is "lifestyle" friendly - any lifestyle you live or even the ones you want to live, but can't live, for whatever reason, the other 51 weeks of the year, you can live there. If it means partying till dawn every night to the tune of loud techno music, or being a drag queen, or just a dirty hippie - you can do it there. Lots of poly friendly folks milling about, lots of groups walking around holding hands....and as they say "Everyone should experience Burning Man once."
If anyone has questions, feel free to email me directly.
Still reeling from the experience and back at work today.
Burning Man is an exercise in "Radical Self Reliance". What we found out this year was that means many things to many people. There were the people who came in their $200K motorhomes, with air conditioning, plasma TV, ETC. We saw them bring out their lawn chairs and set them outside the motor home, sit down with a cold one and just people watch - no interaction for the most part. Almost like they were watching TV. Yes, these folks were TOTALLY self reliant. Then we saw the people who walked in with a backpack, maybe a jug of water and a sleeping bag, and that was it. This event even states on the tickets (which run about $250 by the way) to bring all the water, food and supplies you will need to live in a harsh desert environment for a week. So here comes this person with relatively nothing, who assumes that the community will take care of them. And, amazingly enough, the community does. Then there are those like us - we bring our "burning man trailer" that we spent $150 for and fixed up so it works, put solar panel on the top for power for a light at night and the water pump, bring an extra battery "just in case" with a solar charger on the van to keep it charged up, as well as battery cables....and extra bike in case one breaks....an air pump for bikes and other tires and more than enough water and food for the two of us, as well as home made gifts to share with new friends we meet along the way. We also both vollunteer for medical and fire (get in free but worked about 40 hours each so put our worth into the community that way). Funny thing is we brought most of the food home, because we met a chef the first day that insisted we eat with him many evening meals. What we learned is that this community is much like other communities....it has its "Rich folks" and its "welfare recipients" and its worker bees. A women we work with is a three year burner...she showed up the Friday before the burn with her car, a few jugs of water, wine and costumes. Boy - did we learn alot about her this past weekend!
To answer a dear friends question about poly friendly - there is a camp there called Poly Paradise. We managed to arrange our schedule so that we could attend three of their Poly High Tea's and found a great discussion group, great people and really enjoyed it. The whole event is "lifestyle" friendly - any lifestyle you live or even the ones you want to live, but can't live, for whatever reason, the other 51 weeks of the year, you can live there. If it means partying till dawn every night to the tune of loud techno music, or being a drag queen, or just a dirty hippie - you can do it there. Lots of poly friendly folks milling about, lots of groups walking around holding hands....and as they say "Everyone should experience Burning Man once."
If anyone has questions, feel free to email me directly.
Still reeling from the experience and back at work today.