My daughter and i plan to come from NC

[Hyd-dub1]

I am not your typical Burner. I'm a 56 year old dad (and husband) from North Carolina, and most of my friends have never even heard of BM. But I love to try different things, especially those that are meaningful and those which involve special people. This fits both nicely. I had been wanting to do something fun with my 27 year old daughter for awhile. I thought this would be right up her alley. Turns out it was.

I haven't decided where we will camp. We are tenting with a minivan as backup in case of bad weather/elements. I couldn't bring myself to drop $5k or $6k on a camper. And besides, seems like this is sort of like Basic Training for me as a newt.

I hope to help with a terrific art project called "Hope" that Cheese (a great guy who shared some tips with me) and the Syncytium camp are working on. Beautiful installment and wonderful message, my version of which is, "out of the chaos, hope remains." Perhaps it spoke to me so much because of what I have been through as a dad. A long story, and i wouldn't want to bore you.

Some of you may wonder if things have evolved too far when an old fart like me comes in, but i hope not. I think it is one of the things that keeps me alive...and a little less irrelevant. The two things i most look forward to from the event are: 1) discovering how i will change and 2) meeting many of you. I am expecting it to be moving, perplexing, infuriating, confusing, wonderful, inspiring. I can't wait.

Also, i desperately need a playa name. I have no idea. If anyone can give me one, that would be the first gift i received.

Thanks for the thread and i look forward to meeting you on the playa...

Buddy

[Joeln]

Welcome Buddy!
I, too, am a new burner.
Go ahead, try to bore me. I like stories about real people.

Maybe we will cross paths in the dust...

-Joel

[Hyd-dub1]

Thanks Joel! Yes, hope we cross paths. Did you find ur camp from regional?

[Joeln]

I found this list of 2013 camps and looked for a fit, then looked closer at a few and got hooked up.
http://www.burningman.com/themecamps/th ... ml?yy=2013
Most likely there are lots that aren't on this list and some that may not return this year so ymmv.
Plenty of good folks online here and I look forward to meeting quite a few of them.

[Elliot]

Welcome to ePlaya, Kid.

[Eric]

Some of you may wonder if things have evolved too far when an old fart like me comes in, but i hope not.

Um, don't believe the images you see on YouTube & photo's about the event. While it does skew towards the young, there is an extremely healthy dose of us who are well over 40 (I turn 50 later this year & fit right in). You'll find everyone from young kids to people in their 80s+

If you feel the need to join an existing camp, there are multiple ways to go about it - you can join your regional and see if any are a fit, you can watch the "Theme Camp" thread here on ePlaya (camps that are looking for new members will often post there - some have started doing so already. There is also a sticky thread at the top on "how to join a theme camp" that goes on for pages with ideas), you can watch the JRS (Jack Rabbit Speaks, the official email list). If you haven't signed up for it yet, do so post-haste on the main Burning Man site.

You don't have to join a camp, however. If you & your daughter prefer, you can camp by yourselves, you just need to bring the set-up you want, and you'll find plenty of ideas here on how to do that. Bare minimum - shade, shelter to sleep in (I know people who just sleep in hammocks under their shade structure, I could never do that), food & water and a way to prepare your food.

[*Kat*]

Welcome!

And don't stress yourself out about that playa name. The playa will provide one for you. It will magically pop up at some point and you'll know that's it cause it feels just right. Might not happen during your first burn but it will be so much better if you just wait for it rather than force it.

[Eric]

A true playa name is only gotten on the playa (or that type of event), and it's usually something you get because of something you do or who you are. Generally you have little-to-no say in what the name is, but you do not have respond to it if you don't like it.

For the impatient there are a couple of camps that will make one for you, but that's sort of naming your baby by committee. It's also something that you can take-or-leave. I don't use a playa name (my name is "Eric" no matter what I'm doing), but I understand the appeal of them to people who want a break from their "outside" persona.

[Hyd-dub1]

Thanks so much Eric, Kat, Elliot and Joel. All great points you make. I won't worry about the playa name, as you suggested and let it come naturally. I like that better. And i may not rush a camp decision. maybe better to get there and see where the chemistry fits, or maybe we just stay unaffiliated.

Thank you for responding to me...it's part of that gifting/service that i find so endearing.

Cheers!

Buddy

[Elorrum]

Welcome. You might find the annual census data interesting. You can access it. on the main website. You might find you are more typical than you think you are.

[VultureChow]

If I could draw or illustrate, I might make a graphic: "Average burner on Youtube vs. Average burner on playa"

As everyone mentioned so far, they are very different things. Welcome and good luck with all of your preparations.

[trilobyte]

Welcome to ePlaya! You'll be fine, and as others have suggested you'll be surprised that there are not only others who are older, but you'll run into people who might have a year or ten on you. Where possible, I'd say to try checking your expectations... reduce them to zero. Think of it like this - if you and your daughter get to go on a week-long adventure together, that would be pretty great. If anything else beyond that happens (fun, magic, meaning, etc).. bonus. The project sounds pretty awesome, but don't sweat too much over a playa name. A good one will find you when it wants to, and when the time is right. Until then, feel free to introduce yourself to people using what ever name you'd like to be called, regardless of whether it's on your driver's license or not.

Feel free to check out the boards, there are answers to zillions of questions, as well as ideas and tips and tricks on anything from finding a camp to meal planning, and everything in between. But if you don't see something covered that you're curious about, go ahead and post it in whatever category you think is the best fit. Good luck with your prepping, and I hope to see you out on the playa!

[Hyd-dub1]

Thanks Elorum and Vulturechow for those tips and pointing me to a couple of those places. And Trilobyte, great suggestion on checking my expectations...good advice for life in general. Also, Trilobyte, i see you a lot on these threads. Thank you for playing the role you do to help us newbies.

Buddy

[tamarakay]

My daughter jumped up to hug a friend, jumped into his arms and planted her knee firmly in his private parts. Henceforth his playa name was "whaBAM". Hopefully you find your name a bit easier than he.

*edited to add I am 53, will be 54 in July.

[Hyd-dub1]

Tamarakay, the one thing that made me laugh harder than your message was your hammer/hippie comment! OMG...funny!

[*Kat*]

/begin thread drift

@Eric: Wow. Now I'm really glad there is at least one other person out there who also does not have a playa name and does not want one...
(And I was beginning to think I am the freak amongst freaks...)

/end thread drift

[Eric]

@Eric: Wow. Now I'm really glad there is at least one other person out there who also does not have a playa name and does not want one...

There are many people without them - at least a third of the people I know on playa don't have one & don't want one. We are far from alone.

[Hyd-dub1]

Kat and Eric, thanks for letting me know it doesn't mean anything if i don't get one.

Buddy

[FossaFerox]

I had four different people "give" me playa names my first year, mostly because people seemed to think it was something that *had* to happen, that you *had* to have one. Three of the names were forced and ended up not being to my liking. The fourth? Well, it was the first one I was given, technically, but from a narrative perspective... you get my meaning. That one I liked; it felt right.

[Hyd-dub1]

Thanks FossaFerox...i do get your meaning...makes sense.

Cool hat in ur pic!

Buddy

[Elliot]

/begin thread drift

@Eric: Wow. Now I'm really glad there is at least one other person out there who also does not have a playa name and does not want one...
(And I was beginning to think I am the freak amongst freaks...)

/end thread drift

*raises hand*

-Elliot

[BBadger]

The best playa name is "hey you."

[FossaFerox]

The best playa name is "hey you."

I thought it was "Hey Fucko"...

At any rate, welcome Buddy. You're going to fit right in and have a great time. But I'll echo the sentiments about trying to go in a blank slate without expectations. Don't watch any videos shot on the playa if you can help it. Read the survival guide. Read the first timer's guide. Ask questions here. And if you must watch a video, this one has some good tips without spoiling anything. I personally found it tremendously helpful, but others have since accused me of "Swallowing the pink pill" (the guy in the video runs Pink Heart camp) and I admit he can be more than a little preachy, though mostly in his other videos. Anyway, at your own risk:

[shroom]

Welcome! You will have a blast. There is a video on youtube of an 80 something burner. Read these boards for lots of info and go have some fun!

[theCryptofishist]

@Eric: Wow. Now I'm really glad there is at least one other person out there who also does not have a playa name and does not want one...

There are many people without them - at least a third of the people I know on playa don't have one & don't want one. We are far from alone.

I suppose "Fishy" isn't a proper playa name, when you get down to it. I gave it to myself, from a screenname I gave to myself...
I do like the separation from my legal name, and I do have a family nickname, as well as the boring name I use at work.
Half Polish--nicknaming seems to be a slavic past time.

[Hyd-dub1]

Thanks for that FossaFerox. Halcyon seems very cool, i have watched this one that you sent the link for and he has a really poignant one about his grandfather (that might be his Ted talk, though). He has great tips.

Really interesting suggestion about avoiding watching videos. Makes sense, but if i am honest, i have sort of let that horse out of the barn at this stage. But hey, i can dial it back and use the time to buy some stuff to wear. My steampunk goggles (i love em) came today. Yay Ebay...i hear Etsy is good too.

Thanks!

Buddy

[Fidget]

Etsy is great, almost all of my playa-wear was purchased on Etsty, same with the g/f.

[Hyd-dub1]

Thanks Fidget, will check it out!

[tamarakay]

Goodwill is great too. Plus you can impress the hell out of yourself and make a few cool things on your own!

[FossaFerox]

Good Will can be an absolute treasure trove, depending on what you're trying to go for. Most of my daytime wear came from Good Will, though the fur vest I wear at night I had to make from scratch. Remember, though, think outfits not costumes. I particularly like Halcyon's ideas on this topic.