Partying during Early Arrival?

[sparr]

Oh my! Something unexpected might happen!

Sure, and partying won't be one of those things, for the newbies camping in the same camp(s) as me.

(Cue multiple people entirely misinterpreting this post)

[Bless]

What are you, the fucking party police?

[Captain Goddammit]

Look man this is serious business. Not some vacation.

[Ratty]

Quick. Everybody in. Drop the shades. Now be real quiet. Sparr is passing. STOP GIGGLING! He's almost gone. OK crank it UP. Who wants vodka and lemonade?

[GreyCoyote]

Quick. Everybody in. Drop the shades. Now be real quiet. Sparr is passing. STOP GIGGLING! He's almost gone. OK crank it UP. Who wants vodka and lemonade?

Now THIS is a woman after my own heart. (reaches over and turns the volume control to 11)

[Ratty]

Greycoyote. I owe you a bottle of Smirnoff. I just remembered. I'll put it on my list. If you want something other than a big bottle of cheap vodka let me know. Thanks.

[Sham]

Oh my! Something unexpected might happen!

Sure, and partying won't be one of those things, for the newbies camping in the same camp(s) as me.

(Cue multiple people entirely misinterpreting this post)

This is only your second year on the playa. Are you sure you want to be giving sage advice to newcomers? Remember, you might want to join the same camp again next year, so keeping your head down and not being sophomoric may help with your return invitation.

Ratty, I like cheap vodka. I'll bring olives.

[GreyCoyote]

Sure, and partying won't be one of those things, for the newbies camping in the same camp(s) as me.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome the Love Child of Dan Love and Hillary Clinton...

[sparr]

What are you, the fucking party police?

No, if anything I'm the unexpected police. I see unexpected things happening, and I tell new people to expect them.

[June Cleaver]

What are you, the fucking party police?

No, if anything I'm the unexpected police. I see unexpected things happening, and I tell new people to expect them.

Yay, just what I was going to the dust for!! Made it in the default world over half a century & wait with baited breath to hear your tales of unexpected things. No one goes to the playa to find out for themselves.

Please bring handcuffs

[Captain Goddammit]

Sparr man really... you're not a bad guy. You get tons of shit because you're so stick-up-your-ass. Come on man It's Burning Man. Loosen up. Stop trying to define everything down to minute details. Stop trying to play mommy to new burners. You ARE a new burner.
Just roll with the times. Don't worry about being in on someone else's big art project. Just bring what you need to cover your own ass, and enjoy the event. Do your own thing and don't worry about everyone else.

[Eric]

I see unexpected things happening, and I tell new people to expect them.

But then they're no longer unexpected!


Let's put it another way: for a lot of us the joy of Burning Man is the unexpected, and, having gone since '03 and camped every year with people who've gone since '94 (or earlier), I can guarantee there is absolutely no way to tell new people what to expect, for multiple reasons. One of the biggest - just because something happens once doesn't mean that it will ever happen again. Another huge reason: one persons "unexpected" is another person's "meh". Third: telling someone what to expect ruins the "No Expectations!" mantra we encourage amongst everyone, not just newbies. Just because Person A had a life-changing event at Location 1, doesn't mean Person B will, and, on the contrary, it can actually make Person B's Burn worse because they expected to have a life-changing event, and all they did is see a mediocre piece of art at Location 1 (note: there is no "Location 1", it is a stand-in for any location possible)

It's okay that you need to categorize & collate how the event works for your comfort, I have friends who's minds work in similar ways. But also understand that not everyone wants or needs that, and that some people will be downright offended by it (just look at the responses in this thread). Do this as a project for yourself that is there for others if they want it, but understand that, like all playa gifts, some people will reject it. And that's okay too.

[winterdream28]

Eric everything you said was really wonderful above.

You know I was not planning on joining this convo, I was sitting back eating popcorn over the comments.... but Eric mentioned a few things that inspired me in a sense to chim in and not just spectate lol.

My first Burn I went with a guy, who seems a heck of a lot like you Sparr. Man you guys might be long lost brothers.

He had a list for everything, multiple sheets he wanted us to read, the proper way to do everything. You name it... to the book this is how you burn, this is what it is like, this is what you should expect. ect.

HE CAUSED ME SO MUCH ANXIETY IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!!!

My first year I left almost feeling let down, still a wonderful experience and all but almost like I missed something because I was force feed how it should be, and what I should expect. And to be fair.... like 85% of the stuff he told me to expect never even happened lol.

My next year, we did not camp with said person again, and you know what, at the risk of sounding like a jerk, I had a much better time. I almost felt that I was more self reliant in what I did in regarding to research/learning prior to the Burn. Like I created my experience.

This year we have some virgins, and I have always showed enthusiasm to help guide them in the right directions and help them where I can but everyone burn is so different. There is not point to set expectation because with a blink of an eye or one heavy sand storm.... what you thought would be... no longer is.

Going with the flow... truly is the biggest lessons Burning Man has taught me.
Being open to the transformative experience and being open to not knowing what is to come.
Leaning to shrug, to let go, and just be in the moment and enjoy yourself.

Okay im done:)

[sparr]

Don't worry about being in on someone else's big art project. Just bring what you need to cover your own ass, and enjoy the event. Do your own thing and don't worry about everyone else.

I could do that. It would take about a day of prep. What would I do with the other ~350 days of the year?

[sparr]

Let's put it another way: for a lot of us the joy of Burning Man is the unexpected, and, having gone since '03 and camped every year with people who've gone since '94 (or earlier), I can guarantee there is absolutely no way to tell new people what to expect, for multiple reasons. One of the biggest - just because something happens once doesn't mean that it will ever happen again. Another huge reason: one persons "unexpected" is another person's "meh". Third: telling someone what to expect ruins the "No Expectations!" mantra we encourage amongst everyone, not just newbies. Just because Person A had a life-changing event at Location 1, doesn't mean Person B will, and, on the contrary, it can actually make Person B's Burn worse because they expected to have a life-changing event, and all they did is see a mediocre piece of art at Location 1 (note: there is no "Location 1", it is a stand-in for any location possible)

I don't understand why you're equating all of these things with a simple "People party in the evening during early arrival". If that prediction turns out to be false, so be it. I don't think it will, and I think knowing that will help people plan *if they want to plan*. People who like to work after dark will know not to expect to find help. People who adjust their sleep schedule ahead of time will get to stay up a few extra hours if they know to expect that. Again, only if they want to. No one has to use this information. It just bothers me that the people who want the information aren't given it, and worse are given misinformation.

(No comment on intentional misinformation. I recognize some people find that a humorous prank. If this misinformation was a prank, I might see more merit in it, rather than it just being wrong for no one's enjoyment.)

[Sham]

Your best bet is not to appoint yourself to be the "information person". Just don't do it.
Keep all this valuable information all to yourself, and make your burn spectacular with your gathered knowledge, and let others do the same.

[GreyCoyote]

Don't worry about being in on someone else's big art project. Just bring what you need to cover your own ass, and enjoy the event. Do your own thing and don't worry about everyone else.

I could do that. It would take about a day of prep. What would I do with the other ~350 days of the year?

Well... Gosh. I dont know. Maybe you could try something really edgy like enjoying yourself?

Sorry. There I go jesting again. As you were, Mr. Spock

[Leap]

This thread keeps reminding me of this gif I saw on reddit a few days ago:

[BBadger]

My first Burn I went with a guy, who seems a heck of a lot like you Sparr. Man you guys might be long lost brothers.

He had a list for everything, multiple sheets he wanted us to read, the proper way to do everything. You name it... to the book this is how you burn, this is what it is like, this is what you should expect. ect.

My friend did the exact opposite for my first burn, by refusing to even describe anything he saw there. It wasn't that he just didn't care, but he consciously wanted to ensure that we got to experience it without preconceptions.

I came onto the playa with eyes open and jaw-to-ground. The best part was that in the back of my mind I had conflated Burning Man with the Rainbow Gathering, so my expectations were actually a bit low for the event.

BEST. THING. EVER.

I try my best to keep my talk about BM to a minimum around prospective new visitors, except maybe camping tips to make things easier. I hate the whole "guiding burgins" idea that some "veterans" think is necessary. People will figure it out on their own.

[BBadger]

Again, only if they want to. No one has to use this information. It just bothers me that the people who want the information aren't given it, and worse are given misinformation.

You're always talking about these so-called "people" that you're supposedly representing. I don't buy that. It's just you that is requesting this information to this level of detail.

If you're that curious or confused about something, fine, ask away. But please stop pretending that your own personal quest for minutiae it is some sort of community service. The other "people" are perfectly capable of asking their own questions and questioning the received answers if they're insufficient.

[trilobyte]

I apologize for not taking this action sooner, but I'm locking up this thread. It had long ago gone beyond the 'beating a dead horse' phase. A couple of the recent replies asked valid questions, but it seems to have quickly gone back into the same tired old discussion.

In closing, camps and projects that are on the playa early are there to get things done. A little relaxation and low key celebration is considered acceptable, but big parties are not. If you have questions about the particulars, then please ask your placer when you arrive on playa. If you're not the camp lead or first to arrive with your project, talk to your camp lead first (they may have already discussed the subject) and then reach out to your placer.