Mistakes were made and accidents happened.

[Ratty]

So. We made it back in one piece. Some mistakes were made. Do tell all. I'll start....My clothes were too cute and too many. Next year I'll remember that I enjoy dressing comfortably rather than outlandish. The food I brought didn't appeal to me. I loved it last year. My shade structure needs a new configuration of tarps. The plastic dresser drawers worked great in my van in past years. In the tent they just got full of dust. Nothing too awful. A good time was had by all.

[Captain Goddammit]

I should have added cabin heat to the Land Yacht!

[Sham]

I should have joined a P&P camp so I could have stayed inside an air conditioned RV for 3 days and avoided the hot, cold and dusty weather.

[AntiM]

I should have nagged Larry harder to get my larger art out of the bed of the pickup, I came home with two paintings which would have been adopted.

[tamarakay]

I did not have to visit medical even once this year!

[Melonblue]

As a virgin I learned many lessons.

Even as a Canadian, it got cold on Friday night.

-Sleeping bag required
-Brought too many clothes.
-Not enough face cloths
-Brought too many baby wipes (who knew)
-Bring fewer Jiffy markers (more who knew)
-Shade Structure!!!! Needed
-Bring Less Alcohol (barely touched it - gave lots away)
-More fun snacks, less full meals
-Better lights (El wire is weaksauce)
-Better fitting goggles

Say yes more

[Lonesomebri]

Had a really out-of-it guy jump on my chariot while I was moving near Center Camp. Pissed me off pretty big-time. Then he wouldn't get off. In his mumbles I heard 5'oclock and something. Then he started to pass out on the seat. I then rode to the Black Rock Rangers HQ with him where they successfully escalated the situation, asking me why I'm trying to steal the guys cell phone he left on my chariot after I give it to the Ranger. Then I'm questioned on what parts of my bike are really mine....!? Lucky for me the Rangers aren't armed or I would have had a very bad day at Black Rock. Rookie mistake; I turned to authorities for help. I should have given the guy water, put up my umbrella and driven him to 5'oclock. A lack of compassion on my part.

[maladroit]

I guess after all these years you still haven't realized why societies give a certain type of person the opportunity to wear an easily identified uniform.

[danibel]

I forgot some critical items this year. One being the step-ladder. I can't put up my shade, nor take it down without one. My wonderful campmates let me borrow one and left it for me since they bugged out early after the Friday dust up.

Also forgotten this year was my pink silk robe. Phooey. I live in that in camp, though this year I probably would have just worn it as a layer because it was SO freezing.

I backed into my shade structure pole! OOPS! At least *I* was the one to ruin it, not someone else. I can't get too mad about it. My fault.

Brought way too much food, again. That is okay though. I plan it like that.

[lucky420]

I melted the grill on my Coleman camp stove and turned it into a poofer. A K-9 woofed at me

[Eric]

I still don't know what caused it, but I can guarantee you that I will never go to BMan again without Imodium in the first-aid kit. 10 hours of "dysentery" on Weds that almost sent me to Rampart and made me miss the M&G. Not fun and never again. Thank god our porto's were in good shape & taken care of.

Don't pack without a checklist next year. Yes, I've done this ten years & was swamped with work right up to departure, but I forgot some important stuff - including my favorite and most comfortable playa shoes, & my bike lock. Just stupid.

Way more salad fixings next year. Maybe 1/4 of my food. Those greens & tomatoes were lifesavers more than once.

Continue the new "ipod & earphones for an hour" tradition once or twice during the week. It's amazing how much listening to "your own" music can reset your mood.

Say "yes" even more. I'm getting better.

When your newspaper runs an article "bashing" LEOs (in their view, in ours it was "pointing out the obvious truth"), make sure you're really nice to all the many police vehicles that stop by camp for a copy and a chat. They're actually nice folk for the most part, and you might get a "Jr. Ranger" badge from the BLM.

In a similar vein, if you leave after Monday afternoon make sure Every Single Thing on your vehicle is in Perfect Working Order. The Leo to Participant ratio is way off, and they are looking for reasons to go to the Bank of Burning Man. We saw & know of multiple pull-overs, tickets, and even searches that happened after that time.

[mgb327]

"a K-9 woofed at me"....well, duh! I was hoping to see you at the M&G Eric, now I know why you were absent. Next year, for certain. I gifted one of my lanyard/laminates to a Sheriff Deputy sometime Saturday daytime, he seemed honestly thankful, he hung it on his inside mirror. My mistake was not bringing winter clothes. I cost me several hours of night music, I was just too cold. My shadecloth did not hold up well, new design is in order for next year.

[pink]

Three members of our camp needed the Imodium too; one at the beginning of the week, one left Monday night because of it (was going to stay through Tuesday strike) and the third got hit right after we left the playa. We did have Imodium though.

[Nipple]

I gifted one of my lanyard/laminates to a Sheriff Deputy sometime Saturday daytime, he seemed honestly thankful, he hung it on his inside mirror.

Were those the All-Access Passes? I think you may have gifted me one Monday night. I was standing inside the 3:00 keyhole talking to some friends who drove by on an art car. Someone came biking by and gifted I and the two people I was with the lanyards.

If so... nice! Thank you!

Mistakes? I didn't seal my windows correctly. My swamp cooler was a vector for ALL of the dust. My work schedule was all over the board.

[goathead]

forgot the large lens this year, way to dusty to use it though.

[Simon of the Playa]

i shoulda eaten more acid for the plane ride home.

[goathead]

acid and red bull

[FoolsGold]

Didn't bring a bike because "I like walking." That will never happen again.
I didn't bring my bike locks, which would have made it possible for me to borrow a neighbor's bike when offered and not turn down the offer because I was afraid it would get stolen.
I didn't bring enough rebar stakes and couldn't use my fancy shade shelter as a result.
I didn't bring a sleeping bag, even though I have a sleeping bag and always bring one when I go camping.
I returned home with 3/4 of the alcohol I brought.
I wish I had slept a lot more in the days leading up to BM. As a result, I found myself having to catch up on sleep while there.

[mgb327]

Hey Nipple, yes, that was me. I was at 3:30 and J. I gifted 650 of those lanyards during the week.....people seemed to like them. Thanks!

[Aurelia]

Just got home !

Everything and all of you are perfect

But I am dusty old and happy

Thank you all for the amazing

xoA.

[Ano]

I never make structural mistakes. Every year I've gone, my structures have always survived and been the most tied, braced, solid structures in any camp I'm with. Now, granted, I've never experienced a real playa storm, save for 5 minutes in 2013 post event when the playa went wacky for a moment before calming down.

This year I arrived late Friday, delirious from a long drive, and was benched by my camp for the evening. I fell asleep with my tent open, naked, underneath warm sleeping bags. My carport was built, with all the windows opened, but I had only done the initial ratcheting and figured, "this is fine."

I woke up sometime early in the morning coughing because my entire carport and tent were whited out, and my carport was trying to fly away. Hammering rebar in the nude at 6-something is an experience. Wind was so strong I could lean into it.

Should have heeded the wind warning.

[Simon of the Playa]

[media]

[sadie]

Just rolled in a couple of hours ago.
I learned that just because aluminet over a quickshade frame worked last year doesn't mean it will this year...
Also learned that pocket knives are meant to be kept in pockets...not in some bag in the van. Luckily my hero campmate had his knife and we managed to sacrifice the aluminet before it totally Mary Poppinsed us...

[Drawingablank]

Hey Nipple, yes, that was me. I was at 3:30 and J. I gifted 650 of those lanyards during the week.....people seemed to like them. Thanks!

I actually was almost assaulted for wearing mine!

Was in The BDC Bistro and some dude asked me about it so I went into a long explanation that it gets me into all the P&P's, First camp, ETC... and he went on a tirade about how money couldn't buy your way in back in 2000, and so on. I thought he was really gonna take a swing at me when I laughed at him. Then I said how does someone burning since 2000 not recognize snark and he just deflated on the spot.

[Aurelia]

You nailed it again Simon !

xoA.

[maladroit]

Oh my god Simon.

No words.

[some seeing eye]

It gets worse.

It's all about a multinational company owned by multi-billionaire hedge funds Avenue Capital and Fortress Investment that bought a company that may have screwed, see the lawsuit, it's franchisees. Hedge funds may be reportedly involved in some shady dealings with a presidential candidate, may be connected to Wisconsin, and managed a mortgage company reported in the news for foreclosures.

Then the new hedge fund owners screwed their suppliers by declaring bankruptcy. Now they are doing a cheap brand building exercise on YouTube to extract maximum value on resale when they exit.

A hedge fund is screwing Burning Man and its participants? They love suits, maybe DMCA takedowns, so bring it on. Capitalism!

(This is far, far worse than Krug, although Krug represents the 1%, they do not prey upon upon middle class to poor people, Krug LVMH is not a hedge fund engaged in the worst of Wall St sociopathic exploitation)

(And can't someone on the new all-powerful board just make a phone call to stop this, like right now)

(Advertising agency BM participants need to get the message "don't be a dick" and exploit the event for career, if anyone personally knows the top level individuals credited in that specific video, they need a talking to. And board, you have control of the top agencies by board-board connection, right?)

[Simon of the Playa]

^you sir, hit the nail on the head...^




names will be named...

[Sham]

Now I want to pour myself a PBR and watch that video again.

[Simon of the Playa]

[media]