Storytime...

[Curry]

...just wanted to hear wonder-filled tales and delights from the citizens of Black Rock City...

one of my own was very sweet...
sitting in front of the Ranger station, I was greeted by a calm sweet lovely sexagenarian named "Welcome"and told the following: that when being hugged, after a certain length of time, oxytocin (a "bonding" chemical released by mothers when breastfeeding) is released and a deeper bond is felt. We did empirical sampling and it seemed to prove true. and I am pleased (albeit not surprised) to find that it also has some scientific support:

<http://tinyurl.com/6g3dh7>

cuddle puddle anyone?

-- Curry / Charis

[Rev_Sysyphus]

I will attest that there is something to lots of hugging. I hugged more people there than I ever have in my whole 36 years of life. And to be honest now back in the mundane world of all that I saw and did whilst "Home", I miss the hugs the most. Seems like random people on the streets of Seattle don't take too kindly to folks offering a hug!

The world would be a much better place if that mentality lived outside of BRC.

[couglite]

I ran into a fellow, very drunk, lost in the playa on Friday night looking for the temple. I took his arm and started walking with him to the temple and he told me that earlier that day, a man had told him that he reminded the man of his son who had died earlier this year, and he gave my new friend his son's hat. This guy was feeling very stongly that he could not actually wear the dead son's hat and he was compelled to take it to the temple but could not find it. It was so cool to walk arm in arm, talking about our kids, our mates, the man and his son, under the stars. When we got closer to the temple, he felt he should go on alone. We shared one of those fabulous playa hugs, and parted ways.

Unfortunately, the last I saw of him he was headed toward the tetris game instead of the temple. I hope someone pointed him back in the right direction.

[mars]

I liked your story couglite! It reminded me of one from last year:

I was on the street outside of my camp and an older man, very drunk, exclaimed, "That is the most beautiful moon I have ever seen!" I look at him and see he is looking up at the sky. But I notice he is not facing the moon, so I follow his line of vision and see that he is looking up at one of those huge white weather balloons that some people have to mark their camps.

I said, "That's nice, but the real moon is over there." He does a drunken swivel, looks up at the real moon, then says, "Well that one is even nicer, and this is gonna make a grrrreat story someday!"

Yep.

[Curry]

what a great story, couglite! it's amazing the bond we can create so quickly and so intimately with others there... trusting people with the depths of our hearts and souls. what a beautiful gift you offered that gentleman... better than any shwag :)

--charis/curry