Partying during Early Arrival?

[Elderberry]

Sparr, respectfully, why are you being so nit picky? It is pretty widely accepted that it is difficult to damn near impossible to explain Burning Man to someone that has never been there, why then would you expect the rules/faqs to be even close to being precise? Spending this much time and effort on these sort of questions can in no way enhance your appreciation of the event. I suggest you try moving on to discuss other aspects of Burning Man that might have more relevance to the spirit of the event rather than the letter.

[some seeing eye]

Sparr, respectfully, why are you being so nit picky?

You are East Coast. Why don't you volunteer with your regional to upgrade it to your standards? Regionals need hard working volunteers and may teach you a thing or two about communications and adaptability.

[^Rhino!]

I had early arrival this year. Our camp frontage was on the Esplanade and I could see the Man pavilion from our front porch. I honestly never even looked out to see the Man for the entire first day. It was all work and assembly. I had to laugh since seeing the open playa only required me to turn my head and look. Yes, the early arrival was all work and no play.

No sooner did I GET to my camp, then I had to unload my stuff and head back to the storage facility in Empire for a full load using both the trailer and the pick-up, to get everything for set-up of the Black Rock Beacon, as well as the first issue for the week. HAD to be done, since it was Friday and we had to get our deliveries worked out before Sunday. We set up the three garages that house the majority of camp, set up the City Desk, and made sure we had everything BEFORE the gates opened.

I get a big kick out of hauling it all, and work hard to see the smiling faces at the beginning of the week. That's a huge reward to me, because those smiling faces mean we're doing it right.

[sparr]

Why don't you volunteer with your regional [...]

Mu. I reject the premise of the question as inaccurate.

[Ratty]

OK. Everybody meet me at the 'Other' site. family meeting.

[Meat Hunter]

Ratty,

Wheeew. I never thought that you would suggest it. Great idea.

Be seeing you guys at the "other" site.

[sparr]

It is pretty widely accepted that it is difficult to damn near impossible to explain Burning Man to someone that has never been there, why then would you expect the rules/faqs to be even close to being precise? Spending this much time and effort on these sort of questions can in no way enhance your appreciation of the event.

Most of the people who "accept" that are just bad at explaining things.

Why does everyone argue with me about how things will or won't benefit me? I never said this was meant to enhance my appreciation of the event. I am, among other goals, trying to disseminate more accurate information to future virgins.

[kittyrodriguez]

I am, among other goals, trying to disseminate more accurate information to future virgins.

I think the important take away from the BORGS FAQ response here is that virgins should not expect comped tickets. They are incredibly rare, whether they go to BORG year round employees or on-playa volunteer positions, they are few and far between. Of 70,000 folks on playa, the huge majority of them did not, and will not, receive comped tickets. To elude to future virgins that they are easier to get, or that there are more possibilities to get them would be a disservice to them and to the event.

A comped ticket is a gift. Not a payment, not a right, not an expectation. Virgins should not even be thinking about getting one. If they can't afford a ticket, they should research Low Income.

[The Rod]

Most of the people who "accept" that are just bad at explaining things.

Well evidently almost every single person on this board really sucks at explaining things.

[DrYes]

Most of the people who "accept" that are just bad at explaining things.

Wait, they are? Is there some reliable source of data you can reference there that'll help us decide whether that's a true statement or not?

Why does everyone argue with me about how things will or won't benefit me?

Do they? It seems like that's an over-generalization that falls apart under scrutiny. Wouldn't it be better to be precise in your statements rather than so misleading? It feels like you're not really giving eplayans the full picture. Why would you say 'everyone' when it's clearly not everyone? Are you deliberately trying to mislead us or are you just sloppy?

I am, among other goals, trying to disseminate more accurate information to future virgins.

I too am trying to disseminate more accurate information to future eplayans.

(Just a note: This is pretty much what you sound like.)

[Elderberry]

It is pretty widely accepted that it is difficult to damn near impossible to explain Burning Man to someone that has never been there, why then would you expect the rules/faqs to be even close to being precise? Spending this much time and effort on these sort of questions can in no way enhance your appreciation of the event.

Most of the people who "accept" that are just bad at explaining things.

Why does everyone argue with me about how things will or won't benefit me? I never said this was meant to enhance my appreciation of the event. I am, among other goals, trying to disseminate more accurate information to future virgins.

Mod hat off.

Don't you get it? Nobody gives a shit about your goals. Nobody finds anything you say relevant. Nobody gives a shit about whether Bliss had a mole on her ass. Shut the fuck up and you might actually learn something and god forbid make a friend or two.

Mod hat on.

[Ratty]

Here's a big hug for (((Elderberry))). You deserve every penny they pay you. Oops. I meant every penny they paid you if they paid you what you're worth. (((Elderberry))).

[maladroit]

I'm going to go give my ground tarp from this year a big hug and then come find you and give you a super dusty hug Elderberry

[BBadger]

You can't explain things to the willfully obtuse -- especially one that keeps moving the goalposts. There is also no noble purpose to all this. Not to help burgins, not even for actual clarification.

Just an obnoxious little kid who keeps asking "why?" about nothing.

Fortunately, it's really easy to just talk right past those kids like they're not even there once they've outlived their usefulness in a thread. "Did you hear something?" Nah.


BTW Elderberry, that hat looks good, but sometimes you look even better without it on.

[AntiM]

Sparr, go ahead, write a version of the FAQ the way you think it should be, and submit it to the BMORG. Hint: eplayans are not the BMORG, not even the mods. Also, eplaya is a tiny slice of the general population, we're a terrible sample size. A vocal sample, so there's that feedback for you.

Mod hat wanders off: Actually, your tactics seem more tuned to scaring off potential virgin burners. That is a worthy goal for some folks. "Burning Man sucks, and you can't get in for free".

[sparr]

I think the important take away from the BORGS FAQ response here is that virgins should not expect comped tickets.

You seem to be in the wrong thread, Kitty.

Nobody gives a shit about your goals. Nobody finds anything you say relevant.

Great, I'm glad we're on the same page. You don't care what I say, and I don't care what you think. If you don't want the information I'm giving out, ignore it. If you don't want to contribute more information to it, for other people who aren't me, don't. This post won't help you at all. It will help a virgin planning to come for early arrival next year.

[sparr]

Sparr, go ahead, write a version of the FAQ the way you think it should be, and submit it to the BMORG. Hint: eplayans are not the BMORG, not even the mods. Also, eplaya is a tiny slice of the general population, we're a terrible sample size. A vocal sample, so there's that feedback for you.

I'm definitely not the right person for that. However, there are people with better reputations taking the info I'm gathering and sending it as FAQ/website improvement requests to the appropriate folks on the web team. Before that can happen, I come here to figure out if the info is accurate or not. Maybe I just got a really non-representative experience my first year. Maybe the only EA-Friday parties were in my neighborhood, and everyone was working/napping on the other side of the city. Maybe there's some existing documentation that I missed. The only place I can find that out right now, rather than waiting five more years for personal experience, is here (and r/BurningMan, and Facebook, etc)

Mod hat wanders off: Actually, your tactics seem more tuned to scaring off potential virgin burners. That is a worthy goal for some folks. "Burning Man sucks, and you can't get in for free".

I want to encourage people who will enjoy Burning Man and scare off people who won't. Telling them what they will actually experience is the best way I can think of to do that.

[Dr Helix]

It is pretty widely accepted that it is difficult to damn near impossible to explain Burning Man to someone that has never been there, why then would you expect the rules/faqs to be even close to being precise? Spending this much time and effort on these sort of questions can in no way enhance your appreciation of the event.

Most of the people who "accept" that are just bad at explaining things.

Why does everyone argue with me about how things will or won't benefit me? I never said this was meant to enhance my appreciation of the event. I am, among other goals, trying to disseminate more accurate information to future virgins.

Mod hat off.

Don't you get it? Nobody gives a shit about your goals. Nobody finds anything you say relevant. Nobody gives a shit about whether Bliss had a mole on her ass. Shut the fuck up and you might actually learn something and god forbid make a friend or two.

Mod hat on.

Wait a minute. I think I care about the mole thingy. That's something I could really get behind.

[^Rhino!]

Sparr, go ahead, write a version of the FAQ the way you think it should be, and submit it to the BMORG. Hint: eplayans are not the BMORG, not even the mods. Also, eplaya is a tiny slice of the general population, we're a terrible sample size. A vocal sample, so there's that feedback for you.

Mod hat wanders off: Actually, your tactics seem more tuned to scaring off potential virgin burners. That is a worthy goal for some folks. "Burning Man sucks, and you can't get in for free".

***golf claps from back of room**

[Akela]

Sparr, go ahead, write a version of the FAQ the way you think it should be, and submit it to the BMORG. Hint: eplayans are not the BMORG, not even the mods. Also, eplaya is a tiny slice of the general population, we're a terrible sample size. A vocal sample, so there's that feedback for you.

I'm definitely not the right person for that. However, there are people with better reputations taking the info I'm gathering and sending it as FAQ/website improvement requests to the appropriate folks on the web team. Before that can happen, I come here to figure out if the info is accurate or not. Maybe I just got a really non-representative experience my first year. Maybe the only EA-Friday parties were in my neighborhood, and everyone was working/napping on the other side of the city. Maybe there's some existing documentation that I missed. The only place I can find that out right now, rather than waiting five more years for personal experience, is here (and r/BurningMan, and Facebook, etc)

Yes, some people spend some hours doing things besides working and sleeping during EA. They may choose, at times, to relax in their camps, or hop on their bikes to visit friends, check out big projects under construction, explore playa conditions, enjoy good weather, have a few drinks, or do other things. Part of the joy of EA is going out after a long day of work to see the city in its infancy, and it's hard to see that if you never leave your camp. My birthday was Friday night pre-event, when it's normally mid-week, and we busted out a bottle of rum and the car buffer, and some friends came over. If someone were theoretically to party more than they worked (which sounds really difficult to me, given what's sort of available during EA), then it could be said that they failed to uphold a general norm/expectation laid out by the BMORG and the culture at large. That's a bummer, I guess. But those people are so few that they aren't really a consideration, and their slacking doesn't really endanger the rest of us, so I don't think anyone gets too hung up about it. Seasoned burners trust each other to manage their own burns, and don't try to force particular ways of thinking on others. That (along with your pretty combative attitude) is probably why you're getting a lot of negative feedback here. Some people like to get out and see the sights a little during EA, but odds are they earned that goddamn break, and I'd never begrudge it.

My question is--so what? Why do you feel it's so vital that this be reported for future virgins to expect? Our crew of 19 worked their asses off all day (when there's, you know, sunlight), ate a communal dinner, and then rode out into deep playa all together and had some incredible bonding time. The few virgins on our EA crew got initiated to our family. Friendships were cemented. People banged. And it was lovely. No one was perturbed because they read the FAQ that told them there would be no fun allowed during EA, and there was fun going on after all. Our virgins handled it just fine. Our camp was built. The rest of the city was built. The magic happened.

[Akela]

Also, I just went back and reread your OP--you were making plans for specific hours of specific nights of early arrival, weeks in advance, on your virgin burn? If you were in my camp I'd find it oddly charming, up until you failed to adapt to what the non-virgins demonstrate as expected and allowable behavior. I'd be real intolerant if your plans ran contrary to me ending my 10 hour day so I could drink a beer and go watch people in big machines assemble kickass art installations.

[lucky420]

Sparr, go ahead, write a version of the FAQ the way you think it should be, and submit it to the BMORG. Hint: eplayans are not the BMORG, not even the mods. Also, eplaya is a tiny slice of the general population, we're a terrible sample size. A vocal sample, so there's that feedback for you.

I'm definitely not the right person for that. However, there are people with better reputations taking the info I'm gathering and sending it as FAQ/website improvement requests to the appropriate folks on the web team. Before that can happen, I come here to figure out if the info is accurate or not. Maybe I just got a really non-representative experience my first year. Maybe the only EA-Friday parties were in my neighborhood, and everyone was working/napping on the other side of the city. Maybe there's some existing documentation that I missed. The only place I can find that out right now, rather than waiting five more years for personal experience, is here (and r/BurningMan, and Facebook, etc)

Yes, some people spend some hours doing things besides working and sleeping during EA. They may choose, at times, to relax in their camps, or hop on their bikes to visit friends, check out big projects under construction, explore playa conditions, enjoy good weather, have a few drinks, or do other things. Part of the joy of EA is going out after a long day of work to see the city in its infancy, and it's hard to see that if you never leave your camp. My birthday was Friday night pre-event, when it's normally mid-week, and we busted out a bottle of rum and the car buffer, and some friends came over. If someone were theoretically to party more than they worked (which sounds really difficult to me, given what's sort of available during EA), then it could be said that they failed to uphold a general norm/expectation laid out by the BMORG and the culture at large. That's a bummer, I guess. But those people are so few that they aren't really a consideration, and their slacking doesn't really endanger the rest of us, so I don't think anyone gets too hung up about it. Seasoned burners trust each other to manage their own burns, and don't try to force particular ways of thinking on others. That (along with your pretty combative attitude) is probably why you're getting a lot of negative feedback here. Some people like to get out and see the sights a little during EA, but odds are they earned that goddamn break, and I'd never begrudge it.

My question is--so what? Why do you feel it's so vital that this be reported for future virgins to expect? Our crew of 19 worked their asses off all day (when there's, you know, sunlight), ate a communal dinner, and then rode out into deep playa all together and had some incredible bonding time. The few virgins on our EA crew got initiated to our family. Friendships were cemented. People banged. And it was lovely. No one was perturbed because they read the FAQ that told them there would be no fun allowed during EA, and there was fun going on after all. Our virgins handled it just fine. Our camp was built. The rest of the city was built. The magic happened.

Ok I gotta know. Car buffer and bottle of rum? Is this a new drinking game?

[Ratty]

Lucky, I think she's talking about when she has a birthday at home. You know. The party where everybody drinks too much Capt Morgan's and then you all detail the car. I had one of those go bad one year. Someone slipped the sanding head onto my buffer and everybody took turns. My sister bondoed fins on the back and then they all grabbed the spray paint and made it 5 shades of grey. That party.

[Akela]

Oh, man. For the uninitiated, a random orbital car buffer is the single best massage implement in the universe. Seriously awesome, intense, deep vibrations; sort of puts you in a trance. My camp has a massage table and a couple people with buffers. I bought mine for like $30 from the Despot, along with a dimmer switch to be operated by the recipient, which really takes it to the next level. Totally worth it. And the rum just makes everything better (I'm a Kraken fan, myself).

[lucky420]

Oh, man. For the uninitiated, a random orbital car buffer is the single best massage implement in the universe. Seriously awesome, intense, deep vibrations; sort of puts you in a trance. My camp has a massage table and a couple people with buffers. I bought mine for like $30 from the Despot, along with a dimmer switch to be operated by the recipient, which really takes it to the next level. Totally worth it. And the rum just makes everything better (I'm a Kraken fan, myself).

This! This I must try. Yes

[Meat Hunter]

Yup,

As opposed to those little battery powered do-dads; with an orbital buffer, you can cover a lot of territory in a short period of time.

Not as spot-specific as the battery gadgets, the end result can be overall more pleasurable. And, Turn-About-Is-Fair-Play is far quicker.

[Akela]

I was first exposed to buffering in 2014...I had a hell of a burn night, imbibed all the things, bartended a bumping party at the ashes of the man in the morning, and finally came back to camp to start teardown. No one was awake yet, and I was still very much in the throes of things. I hung out on the 13-foot high roof of the Suck 'n' Fuck saloon for a while, enjoying the beautiful view inside and outside of my head. After a bit, a campmate came up the ladder. He's a 300 lb-ish acrobat, wearing a zebra leotard, glittery makeup, and a unicorn horn, with a live snake around his neck (long story, for which he has been very thoroughly chastised--he brought his little pet boa to Burning Man ). He gave me a buffer massage on the roof. My head pretty much exploded, and I knew in that moment that I needed to buy a car buffer despite the fact that I don't own a car.

Anyway, I believe that Spanky's has tables and buffers on offer, you should check it out next year. Or just buy your own and perform experiments with it in your living room...

[Ratty]

Well Buffer me, and roll me in cracker crumbs. It's a 'thing'. Yes, yes please. The line starts behind Lucky. I'm second. this could be great at the SF Decom. Oops. We don't know if there is a Decom next year. (Lost our great location to urban development.)

[Meat Hunter]

Ratty,

You are so small that it would not take much time a'tall to get you all buffed and polished-out.

[mgb327]

The term "all shined up" comes to mind.....