A muppet, a gladiator, and a banana walk into the desert...

[Zaxary]

...and I suppose I'll find out what happens to them when I get to burning man.

*womp womp womp womp* I'll show myself out...

Hello! My name is Jessa (but sometimes Zaxary on the internet). I'm 30F from Ottawa, Canada, and I'm coming to burning man for my first time this summer. Tix, go! Tent, go! REBAR, go!

I'm very interested in greening my burn / minimizing my environmental impact and figuring out how I can best participate and contribute to BM. I've applied to volunteer already (Arctica and Census, yay!) and I'm casually searching for a camp where I (and my partner in crime) might be useful. I'll be cruising these boards soaking up as much info as I can, probably mostly lurking, but I'm going to try to make a few friends along the way if I can.

My interests/hobbies include crochet, (bad) painting, home renovation, gardening, mental health, backcountry camping, hiking, board games / RPGs, theatre, and fishing-not-fishing. Personality-wise I'm an INTP (for what it's worth), night owl, and usually other people describe me as someone who "looks really innocent but..." This is not to say that I'm not innocent, just that I might catch you off guard with some dark humour or sudden wild dancing to no music if you stick around long enough.

That's it for now. Can't wait to meet some of you this summer!

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

[Raoul]

Welcome, Jessa/Zaxary.

You've picked a good place to lurk, as this place is a wealth of information, and it's easy to look up only to realize you've been combing the pages for hours. If you haven't already, be sure to sign up for the Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter. It's great that you're interested in volunteering, but be careful not to over-plan your first Burn. There is so much to do and see and revel in, and no matter how much research you do, it's nearly impossible to understand what you're in for until you experience it first hand.

There's a lot of planning and preparation for the trip to the desert, but that part of it can be a lot of fun too if you let it.

Cheers!

[ygmir]

...and I suppose I'll find out what happens to them when I get to burning man.

*womp womp womp womp* I'll show myself out...

Hello! My name is Jessa (but sometimes Zaxary on the internet). I'm 30F from Ottawa, Canada, and I'm coming to burning man for my first time this summer. Tix, go! Tent, go! REBAR, go!

I'm very interested in greening my burn / minimizing my environmental impact and figuring out how I can best participate and contribute to BM. I've applied to volunteer already (Arctica and Census, yay!) and I'm casually searching for a camp where I (and my partner in crime) might be useful. I'll be cruising these boards soaking up as much info as I can, probably mostly lurking, but I'm going to try to make a few friends along the way if I can.

My interests/hobbies include crochet, (bad) painting, home renovation, gardening, mental health, backcountry camping, hiking, board games / RPGs, theatre, and fishing-not-fishing. Personality-wise I'm an INTP (for what it's worth), night owl, and usually other people describe me as someone who "looks really innocent but..." This is not to say that I'm not innocent, just that I might catch you off guard with some dark humour or sudden wild dancing to no music if you stick around long enough.

That's it for now. Can't wait to meet some of you this summer!

welcome!! we love people from Canukistan!!
and yay, I'm glad to finally have a fellow "innocent" here.

[Ratty]

A hearty Hi, Ho Welcome Zaxary and Criminal Partner. (Ha, ha. Crimner). Hang out and get to know us. You'll feel like you 'burn' all year. Every stinkin day. Day in. Day out. Oops, I digress.

This is the best place to start your research. Make some lists. read some helpful advice. Ask us questions. I love you already.

[Elliot]

Excellent introduction! Specially the headline -- good eye-catcher.
Further down... your hobbies include Rocket Propelled Grenades???

By the way, rebar is still used by most, but lag screws are an improvement. There is at least one thread about just that.

[Zaxary]

It's great that you're interested in volunteering, but be careful not to over-plan your first Burn. There is so much to do and see and revel in, and no matter how much research you do, it's nearly impossible to understand what you're in for until you experience it first hand.

Thank you so much for the tip! It's not the first time I've encountered that advice, but hearing it directly helps it sink in. So hard to fight my inner obnoxious teenager's yeah but I'LL be fine urges...

[Zaxary]

...and I suppose I'll find out what happens to them when I get to burning man.

*womp womp womp womp* I'll show myself out...

Hello! My name is Jessa (but sometimes Zaxary on the internet). I'm 30F from Ottawa, Canada, and I'm coming to burning man for my first time this summer. Tix, go! Tent, go! REBAR, go!

I'm very interested in greening my burn / minimizing my environmental impact and figuring out how I can best participate and contribute to BM. I've applied to volunteer already (Arctica and Census, yay!) and I'm casually searching for a camp where I (and my partner in crime) might be useful. I'll be cruising these boards soaking up as much info as I can, probably mostly lurking, but I'm going to try to make a few friends along the way if I can.

My interests/hobbies include crochet, (bad) painting, home renovation, gardening, mental health, backcountry camping, hiking, board games / RPGs, theatre, and fishing-not-fishing. Personality-wise I'm an INTP (for what it's worth), night owl, and usually other people describe me as someone who "looks really innocent but..." This is not to say that I'm not innocent, just that I might catch you off guard with some dark humour or sudden wild dancing to no music if you stick around long enough.

That's it for now. Can't wait to meet some of you this summer!

welcome!! we love people from Canukistan!!
and yay, I'm glad to finally have a fellow "innocent" here.

Hahaha Canukistan. Wish I lived in Montreal so I could tell you I'm from Quebexico.

Thank you for the warm welcome <3

[Zaxary]

A hearty Hi, Ho Welcome Zaxary and Criminal Partner. (Ha, ha. Crimner). Hang out and get to know us. You'll feel like you 'burn' all year. Every stinkin day. Day in. Day out. Oops, I digress.

This is the best place to start your research. Make some lists. read some helpful advice. Ask us questions. I love you already.

Aw, thank you Ratty! I love you right back. The advice around here has been very helpful already. The food thread is top notch, and the 2014/2015 BxB posts have my gears turning. I've been bombarding poor "Crimner" with spreadsheets and pack list opinions all day.

[Raoul]

I've been bombarding poor "Crimner" with spreadsheets and pack list opinions all day.

Sounds like someone has a playa name before ever setting foot on the playa.

[Zaxary]

Excellent introduction! Specially the headline -- good eye-catcher.
Further down... your hobbies include Rocket Propelled Grenades???

By the way, rebar is still used by most, but lag screws are an improvement. There is at least one thread about just that.

Rocket Propelled Grenades?!? I meant Really Potent Grenadine. Much more innocent! Can't make a Shirley Temple without it.

Funny you mention lag screws, I was *just* reading the "lag screws vs. everything else" thread. A very interesting option, but possibly a bit of a hassle to lug an impact driver 4220 km. Then again with the exchange rate so high these days it's not as far to go in american kilometers...

[Skuzzy61]

I like your attitude. Nice intro.

And I read RPG as "Really Private Girl". Who knew?

Welcome to the loony bin! I and my other half are BM (still laughing) virgins, aka birgins as well. Hope to see you at the Eplaya Meet N Greet (Wednesday night, Barbie Death Camp)!

[Zaxary]

I like your attitude. Nice intro.

And I read RPG as "Really Private Girl". Who knew?

Welcome to the loony bin! I and my other half are BM (still laughing) virgins, aka birgins as well. Hope to see you at the Eplaya Meet N Greet (Wednesday night, Barbie Death Camp)!

Hahaha It's such a versatile set of letters! It's kind of like... RPG: it is what you want it to be. Just like the real thing!

I just read your intro thread and I like the cut of your jib! Can't wait to meet you at Barbie death camp.

Currently googling: "keeping time burning man site: eplaya.burningman.org" / "will I lose all sense of time at burning man site:eplaya.burningman.org" / "how do I know when it's Wednesday site:eplaya.burningman.org" / "rugged watches for the desert site:eplaya.burningman.org"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

[Zaxary]

I've been bombarding poor "Crimner" with spreadsheets and pack list opinions all day.

Sounds like someone has a playa name before ever setting foot on the playa.

Is there a ceremony for this? Do I break a bottle of champagne on him?

[Skuzzy61]

I like your attitude. Nice intro.

And I read RPG as "Really Private Girl". Who knew?

Welcome to the loony bin! I and my other half are BM (still laughing) virgins, aka birgins as well. Hope to see you at the Eplaya Meet N Greet (Wednesday night, Barbie Death Camp)!

Hahaha It's such a versatile set of letters! It's kind of like... RPG: it is what you want it to be. Just like the real thing!

I just read your intro thread and I like the cut of your jib! Can't wait to meet you at Barbie death camp.

Currently googling: "keeping time burning man site: eplaya.burningman.org" / "will I lose all sense of time at burning man site:eplaya.burningman.org" / "how do I know when it's Wednesday site:eplaya.burningman.org" / "rugged watches for the desert site:eplaya.burningman.org"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

RPG! Reptilian Possum Gopher!
RPG! Rotten Pudding Gas!
RPG! Restless, Pointless, Glueless! (uh,..ah heck,..close enough)
RPG! Rusty Pool Gunk!
RPG! Real People Gabble!
RPG! Really Peaceful Geek! (ohhh,..i like that)

Crap, I could do this all day,...and that should scare you.

It is quite versatile!

Looking forward to meeting you!

[Raoul]

Do I break a bottle of champagne on him?

Only if he's wearing a helmet.

[BoyScoutGirl]

I've been bombarding poor "Crimner" with spreadsheets and pack list opinions all day.

Sounds like someone has a playa name before ever setting foot on the playa.

Is there a ceremony for this? Do I break a bottle of champagne on him?

Short story time!

I came to Burning Man for the first time with my own playa name in mind. Thought it suited me, and didn't want to be stuck with a name like "Jockstrap" or "Pisser," and I've got the sort of career where I don't want my real name associated with BM photos on the internet.

Picture this: I'm arriving all by my lonesome, only knowing the people on this board, but I am lucky enough to be invited to camp with the Lamplighters. I show up at the camp spot (after circling the block, like, a gazillion times in a 20' mostly-empty box truck), park my vehicle where directed, and am told to go find "Bubbles," who, I am informed, is possibly super drunk right now. It's dark and the bar is hopping with my new campmates all grinning and hugging and shouting "welcome home" in a place that certainly doesn't feel like home to me.

Gulp. Okay, deep breath, I can do this. I managed not to hit the fire-breathing zebra car on the way in while driving a vehicle larger than I've ever driven before, so I can definitely find some fellow named Bubbles. Or was it a lady named Bubbles? I can do this, I can do this.

I find a set of stairs to a deck atop the bar, which seems less crowded. Maybe a chance to relax for a moment? Up there is a tall, cuddly-looking Asian guy in a tee-shirt. The tee-shirt has Panda on it. The guy's name is Panda, because of course it is. He opens his arms, and, at my nod, wraps me up in one of his amazing bear hugs, a hug I now look forward to every year. He's just as cuddly as he looks.

"What's your name?" Panda asks, setting my feet back on the dusty deck.

I freeze. I have a name, of course I have a name. I have two, in fact: my actual, on-paper name, and the name I'd decided I wanted to be called at the Burn.

"He--," I begin, then bite my tongue. "Wait. Am I supposed to use my real name, or my, uh, playa name?" Oh, god, that sounded stupid.

He grins. "Use whatever you'd like to be called." It sounds so matter-of-fact, so obvious. Here, in this dusty place with constant background of thumping beats and happy shouts, with the smell of dust and alcohol, I could be whoever I wanted to be. I could present myself however felt true, and this new friend -- all of my new friends -- were happy to accept me as exactly that, whether it was some person I felt like I'd kept buried all my life, as some burners feel, or whether, as was the case with me, I was pretty much the same person, but with a different name.

"Scout," I said, feeling the shape and weight of the word settle on my tongue. "My name is Scout."

tl;dr: While rooted in radio handles, there's no protocol for so-called playa names. Have one. Don't have one. Break champagne over the head of a close friend, lover, or enemy, so long as you have their enthusiastic consent and appropriate safety third equipment. Introduce yourself as you'd like to be addressed, and if they don't like it, fuck 'em. There are 60,000 other people out there to meet.

Oh, and if you're uncomfortable with a name someone tries to pin on you, tell them. If they're a jerk and won't listen (remember: fuck 'em), tell the others in your camp. The name won't stick if you don't respond to it and nobody else uses it.

PS I love you, Jockstrap and Pisser. I'm just not awesome enough to handle a name like you guys have.

[Rez]

Gulp. Okay, deep breath, I can do this. I managed not to hit the fire-breathing zebra car on the way in while driving a vehicle larger than I've ever driven before, so I can definitely find some fellow named Bubbles. Or was it a lady named Bubbles? I can do this, I can do this.

I can't take the suspense!! ... DID YOU EVER FIND BUBBLES?

[BoyScoutGirl]

Honestly... I don't remember! I think I must have, because they haven't kicked me out of the village yet!

[Rez]

because they haven't kicked me out of the village yet!

Lets hope Bubbles doesn't read this. Great Username by the way.

[Rez]

BTW.. got all caught up in the suspense of BSG's post and forgot to say Welcome..

Welcome!!

[Savannah]

Welcome, Zaxary!

Introduce yourself however you want!

Loved your origin story, BoyScoutGirl.