Talking Burner things to defaultia people.....

[EGAZ]

This is basically an observation. Or just a Sunday mind dump while having coffee: coffee:

Since April I have been preparing for my first burn. Being a desert rat with years of LNT camping under my belt, I was ahead of the game as far as camping goes and all it entails. I did have to adapt & 'Playa-tize' the Rolling Man Cave/Camp2. It has been a blast, thinking, planning, gathering, building, testing, rebuilding, getting everything ready so it is accessible & usable with the least amount of work. You get into a different mindset. You notice you are constantly thinking about every situation possible, all the while, being a 'Birgin', having no idea what situations you will have! I did this a lot when I was racing Off Road. Such is the life of an over planner/thinker.

So after the multitude of Amazon shipments, getting rid of the mountain of boxes that it generates. (anyone have stock in the packaging company that sells boxes to Amazon? I'm sure they are also in charge of shipping.. ) I'm organizing everything for loading. Tying up loose ends, doing final food pre-prep, & am seeing the goal line.

So this is the mind set I have been in the last few months. I'm guessing other Birgins are in the same boat. I can't be the only one. I mentioned before I have only told two buds I am going this year. One I have known for too many years to count. Non camper/RVr but hunts for a week every year. The other I've known for half a dozen years and is one of my dune buds, has an RV and has a distant family member that has been the BM years ago. I recently mentioned to a third dune bud that I was going. He is not a tent camper at all, RV or nothing and if the wind gets above 20mph he's outta there! We use him as a canary. Twice one year the wind kicked up at the dunes as it does in the spring. We hide out in the RMC and wait out the wind. After a few hours he will bail and head home. Exactly one hour after he leaves, the wind stops and we have virgin sand to shread! So now we all wait for him to start packing up. And we start getting Camelpaks & riding gear ready.

It is interesting how each of them respond(ed) to the news I'm going. Especially when I tell them I'm going Solo (in a city of 70K) only knowing a handful of people from forums like this one and a much, much smaller handful in people locally. Or when I tell them about what I'm working on for the burn.

The oldest friend was on board to go but then had to back out. He is the most receptive and the first month or two was actually interested in all of it and could tell he still wanted to go but can't. But lately that has dropped way off.

The second bud was mildly interested in things and I could talk about it for a few minutes before I could tell he was over it.

The third bud, the canary, was, "Uh, Burning Man? OK? Really? Looks like it would suck...."

I just remembered I told another friend I haven't talked to in a decade. We used to be roommates in the single days and he sent me a message on FB. I sent him an email in early April with a wall of text, links of vids, pics, prep guides, you name it, I sent it in one very large email. I was thinking he and maybe his GF would want to go. This was when I was really amped up early on. He has not replied since.....

It's like everything in life. Not everyone likes, is interested in, or sometimes even knows about all that you do. I have always tended to dive head first into anything I get interested in. CB radios, computers, ATC70s, ATV Quads, flat track racing, go-cart racing, off-road racing, green screen studio, beach camping in Mexico, building the RMC, scratch built multicoptors, etc. My interests run the gambit, thus the screen name ElderGeek. So I run into this often. I will be all 'amped' up on, BM prepping in this case, and get a little bummed when my buds are not as 'amped' as I am. There are times I will get something done and sit there, look at it, all proud of how it turned out. But nobody personally to tell, brag about it, sometimes even bitch about it.

Like I said, I'm not complaining. And not really sure why I posted this. But I am caught up right now, (at least that's what I am telling myself 18 days from departure) and had some time this morning to reflect on the last few months. (My last major hurdle was overcome last night. The $40 E-Bike I found on CL back in April, actually works!! After $250 of new Lipo batts and thumb throttle... ) From my introduction post I said I needed a change in my life. CONFIRMED: This has been one hell of a change so far!! Ha! A very different focal point. I do hope to make some more burner friends (with personal connections) that live here locally in the Valley-O-Da-Sun so I can call and say "Hey, come on over and check this out! Its the most awesome Playa Technology available today! Burning in style!...." LOL ***** Yes, I have been, and continue to be active with the local burners.

Anyway, If you are a Birgin and are seeing the light, (or is it a train?) realizing you have time to breathe, (or not) take moment and do a dance! It feels good & it will freak out your furry,...... if you have one.

hippo2.gif

[June Cleaver]

Good God Geek, lay off the coffee already !!
I've been cruising along similar lines of self satisfaction. The freaking reycle bin has never held so much cardboard.

Yesterday I felt I was on track for the most part. Today Im worthless.
I was happy dancing on Friday.

The house is trashed again. Ive minimized 3 totes once ziplocs were put in place for the bedding, clothes...yada.

I have one purchase I hope to make at a truck stop on the way.

I want some of those brass balls for my trailer hitch.

Burn it down.

[trilobyte]

Yep, it's a similar story to pretty much everybody who goes, every year... regardless of whether they're a first-timer or not. You'll have some people in your circle of friends that have no interest in it, are really interested to know more or talk about it, and many different levels in between. It can be a challenge to keep from being 'that guy' (who's constantly rambling about only one thing), especially to those who are less interested, especially in the weeks leading up to departure.

[ZigZag]

Like you, my life has been consumed by this journey, and like you, the Amazon jungle delivers mountains of carboard daily.

I am fairly consumed to the point that it makes me wonder if my expectations are too high even though I work hard to have any. I just want to get there, I just want to be able to survive and be a good member of this community.

People I talk to have different reactions. Here in Minnesota there are a lot of folks who have no clue what I am talking about. My yogi friends love the idea of a grand adventure and a common reaction from them is "Be sure to bring back lots of pictures, I want to hear everything!".

Others react with "Well, that sounds interesting but I'd rather go fishing at the cabin up North where its cool" and a few who go "well, that's nothing I'd ever do, but have fun"

I have a few people who say "Maybe I will go with you next year" and I hear a bit of yearning in their voice but a general lack of understanding what it takes.

I have made an effort to reach out to some burners here and they of course are supportive. I have made some good friends, some who will be there, others who can't this year and the seasoned ones barrage me with questions: "What's your grey water plan?", "What's your shade plan?" etc., all in good spirit and with good advice.

But I am amazed at how I am functioning in this space. I make lists, I de-package stuff, I make stuff, I pack stuff, I think through stuff, I visualize my camp, I peruse videos and forums, I check e-playa for new posts, I ride my bike every day, and on and on.

But deep inside, Burning Man is calling me, I have no idea why, but I do know I belong there this year. What I find interesting is that my only real focus is getting there and getting set up. After that I am going to let the playa have its way with me. I fully wish to be self reliant, participative, radically inclusive and LNT etc. After that, its sort of not up to me, its a radical surrender.

A burner friend has been telling me to just "lean-in to the experience and embrace the change that is inevitable". In the end, this isn't about the others in my life, its about me.

[GreyCoyote]

Bad news, EG. There are no 12-step recovery programs for this.

You will burn until you burn-out, and even THEN you will still feel the yearly pull.

My theory is we are just super-intelligent salmon in a stream we call "Burningman". We go home to party, to spawn, and (gulp!) maybe even to die. At the end of the journey we all get washed back out to sea to remember, to tell the tale, and build up the strength to do it all again next year.

And you're in good company, Dude. (Except for that old fart Unjon. He's sorta like the Keith Richards of Burningman. Hehehe).

[Ratty]

Hey! Do you Birgins have a tiny notebook? If not, start one now. Jot down some addresses from eplaya. You know. The people you would like to visit. I'm at 5:25 on H street. come see me. You will make notes every day of what you did wrong and cool ideas for next year. Use a fine tip sharpie. They make them in retractable now. Ball point pens don't work out there for very long. I'll bring 50 or 100 'eplaya ' signs that I never handed out last year. Put one on your camp and a smaller one on your bike. It invites visitors.

[Ratty]

Oh, by the way, defaultia conversions are a waste of your time. Give it up. Don't tell people you're going. Or tell em it sucks. After the 10th try you'll see what I mean.

[Jackass]

I don't even talk about it much anymore, except with people who have been or the ones that are interested and ask all the questions. Around this time of year customers start asking, "Aren't you going to that thing again this year?" I just say, "yeah, it's at the end of the month." Leave it at that.

Then I have friends with interest, vacation and more than enough disposable income to make it happen, but the wives will never give them that hall pass. They ask and want *stories, but I just keep it short. They accuse me of "holding out" on them. Now I just tell them if they want more they're going to have to take the journey themselves, see it with their own two eyes....

Returning home from your first burn (or any subsequent burn for that matter) can be a bit of a bummer, as all you want to talk about is this epic journey of twists and turns. They will not share your enthusiasm for long. I avoid people and "stories" for a few days, then some local burner friends will throw a bbq shindig or SF decomp comes up and it's on again...

* by stories I mean tales of fornication, orgy domes, nudity and all forms of debauchery

[GreyCoyote]

Jackass speaks the truth. Word....

[Drawingablank]

Burner Map app also helps locate your friends - https://burnermap.com

[Ratty]

Jackass, Where will SF Decom be this year. They were having to move it.

[Jackass]

That's a good question, I'm sure they have something lined up. I just hope it's equivalent or better....

I'll bet Trilo knows what's crackin'.

[some seeing eye]

Once you return from the event, you will want to relate long stories filled with burner slang to friends and strangers.

Don't!

It will bore them to death and they will seriously wonder what cult you joined. A simple "if you are curious, you should look into going next year" is better.

[Elorrum]

I still get fished in to conversations where I try to summarize for someone who may seem receptive. Then they invariably make a generalization (unfailingly!) about drugs and nudity, and I kick myself again. I emphasize those are not my interests , but they've stopped listening. Invite them to do some of their own research and see if they ever come back to the subject. Most of the people here on the forum do understand, and I'm grateful for that.

[winterdream28]

I am rather fortunate that my close group of friends (not burners yet) support and share in my excitement as we lead up to the big event:).

Now work on the other hand, where really we all spend far way to much time of our lives..... they think I am crazy. The few times people have showed interest it was oh do you go out to the middle of now where get naked and do drugs..... I try to explain it in words what in fact it is, but as many of you have already said, it is hard to explain. The most common questions I get are is it safe, what is the craziest thing you have seen out there, how do you sleep:) I almost got one co-worker to come this year.... I felt his soul needed it, however he didn't do the footwork of research and when I brought the Survival guide in and it just sat on his desk for 5 days without being touched I knew... nah hes not serious. Then I thought well if I do get naked and run around high as a kite I prob. don't want my coworker there lol

I have noticed that videos do justice there are a few that I share that gives them a better general idea. I do have about 3 friends who "say" they want to make the journey, yet I feel are not self reliant enough yet to make it. They rely heavily on our input, which I give openly... but I want to see them do a little more footwork on their own. Between ePlaya and Reddit, and the whole interwebs I feel really they could figure alot of there 101 questions out then as for our input. Maybe I am a bitch for feeling that way lol.

Thank the playa gods one of my campmates and I have each other to geek out in excitement with each passing day, we text one another each night with ah OH MAY GAH it's "X" days away:) Usually 30 days out from the event it really is all that is on my mind, and our household just turns into prep mood, heck last night we were at walmart doing the first food run. The MAN IS MY LIFE right now lol. Thank goodness you folks get it.

[Ratty]

I'm 64 years old so the most common misconception I hear about isn't nudity and drugs. (I guess people don't want that picture in their head.) Usually the conversation quickly turns to it being a community of barter. I've stopped correcting strangers at garage sales. Yea. Let em think I'm gonna trade that used solar light for some quaaludes. If only.

[Leap]

Funny how that bartering thing comes up again and again. Even the artists at the studio I use to make my gifts were confused. One of them even asked me what I could get for one of them.

My good friends at work know I'm going but I haven't told many. Many know I'm going "camping near Tahoe" for a week. That said my boss is a bit of a hipster and one person on my team has a fine arts undergrad, so they know and are excited for me.

[EGAZ]

I am fairly consumed to the point that it makes me wonder if my expectations are too high even though I work hard (not) to have any.

I thought this too. And we have been peas in a pod this summer huh?

Ratty, have the notebook and is being filled with names and BM addys. FigJam told me of an ePlaya map. Or is everyone posting their locations on this one?

To everyone else, Thanks for the confirmation of my observations. I'm off to WallyWorld for first aid, & personal care stuff. Then its just food prep and final loading.
I went to my buddy's house last night for smoked brisket. I have my EMT sticks loaded in the truck, along with water barrels, genny, etc. I look Like a 'prepper' ready to bolt!! LOL

[Leap]

BTW Camp2 I could have written what you did with very few exceptions. Spot on.

[ZigZag]

I am fairly consumed to the point that it makes me wonder if my expectations are too high even though I work hard (not) to have any.

I thought this too. And we have been peas in a pod this summer huh?

Yea pretty much. This virginity stuff........
We'll soon will be old pros and we can kick back and laugh at the noobs.

[Ratty]

Ill print out the fb LIST at the last minute. Hopefully ill know who's in which camp

[ZigZag]

I'm camping solo but I will find you early, well before gate.

[lucky420]

I just tell everyone it's a big naked drug fueled cluster fuck

[Eric]

My yogi friends love the idea of a grand adventure and a common reaction from them is "Be sure to bring back lots of pictures, I want to hear everything!".

Tell them "NO", and to google pictures if they want to see them. This is not the kind of vacation where you want a camera inserted between you & what's going on around you, at least not the vast majority of the time. I just carry a crappy little camera, and that's just used to get pictures of friends (new & old), and, my personal passion out there, photo's of the sky & skyline. There are amazing photographers who will capture way better shots of the art than most of us ever can, so, unless a piece speaks to you strongly and you have to get a picture, I wouldn't bother (note: I'm a professional photographer. There are people way, way better than me out there getting shots, they're going to blow most home photographers out of the water). Also: the event happens 360° around you - with sights, sounds, the feel of the wind, and the smell of the playa all mingling together, and there is absolutely no way to capture it, at least not yet.
(As always, YMMV, so none of this is law, just suggestions)

You will burn until you burn-out, and even THEN you will still feel the yearly pull.

Or not.
I have friends who've gone once, had fun, and are done without looking back. One of my best friends went 3 years in a row, decided he was done and hasn't missed it a bit (and he last went a decade ago). Another went for 20 years, is done with it and almost all her comments about it now are negative - and she's a founder of one of the oldest villages on the playa, and one of the reasons I became polycamperous.
Part of "no expectations" is realizing that you may not like the event (or even outright hate it), or that it may be fun but not something you want to repeat. The regulars on ePlaya are a self-selecting group of ... well, for lack of a better word, pretty rabid Burners. We have dust in our veins, and obviously our opinions are going to be slanted, but even here they run the gamut from "it's where I clean my chakra's" to "it's my favorite stupidly expensive camping trip" (mostly in the "camping trip" camp, so to speak.). Two people in the same camp can have completely different Burns - one year I had what I still count as one of my favorite years ever (2010), one of my friends, who was even in the same RV with me, made that his last year because he had such a bad time. You will feel however you feel about the event, and that's perfectly alright.

[Token]

I just tell everyone it's a big naked drug fueled cluster fuck

I find no fault in that description.

Your logic is undeniable.

[Sham]

"Is that the naked music festival in Arizona"?
Ya, close enough.

[ZigZag]

Tell them "NO", and to google pictures if they want to see them. This is not the kind of vacation where you want a camera inserted between you & what's going on around you, at least not the vast majority of the time. I just carry a crappy little camera, and that's just used to get pictures of friends (new & old), and, my personal passion out there, photo's of the sky & skyline. There are amazing photographers who will capture way better shots of the art than most of us ever can, so, unless a piece speaks to you strongly and you have to get a picture, I wouldn't bother (note: I'm a professional photographer. There are people way, way better than me out there getting shots, they're going to blow most home photographers out of the water). Also: the event happens 360° around you - with sights, sounds, the feel of the wind, and the smell of the playa all mingling together, and there is absolutely no way to capture it, at least not yet.
(As always, YMMV, so none of this is law, just suggestions)

I was a professional photog in a previous life and totally understand what you have to go through to get those shots. Not interested. I am there to experience, not record. I have a cheapo point and shoot so I can take a few selfies of me looking ridiculous and my solo camp. At my age I don't have to prove anything to anyone.

Except that maybe I really do look ridiculous, in a bikini wearing combat boots and a fur hat with horns and heart shaped sunglasses.

[Eric]

Except that maybe I really do look ridiculous, in a bikini wearing combat boots and a fur hat with horns and heart shaped sunglasses.

You're going to have to try a lot harder to qualify as "ridiculous". We call that "day wear".

You'e going to fit in just fine!

[Simon of the Playa]

"plan your burn then burn your plan."


sounds trite, but its true.


you cannot predict or control what will happen.


you may end up naked except for blue body paint and a tutu, dancing around a burning hunk of steel and wood.

or not.


you may end up blowing your own mind when you find that piece of art that really talks to you.


or not.


you could find the love of your life

or get crabs, or not, or both.

you never know, now do you.


take a deep breath, let it out.

do that a few times.

or not...




burning man, YOU make it...you build it.

or not.

[TT120]

All my friends are completely bored when I start talking about burning man so I just talk about it here. I still get the usual "naked drug fest orgy" and "What do you bring to barter with" from people and I try me best to explain that you could find all that out there, thats not what I'm looking for so I don't see it. I've learned to keep my descriptions short.

Nobody wants to hear my stories anymore since I've been boring them to death for several years now.