Sober on the Playa

MrMullen · Post by **MrMullen** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 9:45 pm

I know this might come as a shock to some of you out there, but some of us don't drink or do drugs. Now, that out of the way, is there an AA meeting on the Playa during Burningman? Camp Bill W of a sorts?

Post by **actiongrl** » Wed Jun 29, 2005 10:44 pm

There are actually several meetings each day on the playa, at various camps. I know of at least one sobriety-themed camp, Anonymous Camp (location not known yet, but keep checking Theme Camp listings, and it should be shown in the WHat Where When, too). Actually, the WWW and theme camp listings should point you to any groups who are running meetings or providing other such resources.

Chai Guy · Post by **Chai Guy** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 12:48 am

From the 2004 theme camp listing (and like AG said, keep checking back)

Anonymous Camp
12-step meetings of any type held here, scheduled and impromptu.

Hometown: Minnetonka, MN
URL: www.p90.net/anonycamp/
Contact: rangerdanarchy (at) yahoo (dot) com

Driveway · Post by **Driveway** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 2:15 am

"Hey...listen, I'm going to this totally insane party out in the desert with 'bout thirty-five thousand total nut-jobs who're gonna pound themselves into mental, physical, spiritual, and metaphorical jell-o....and I was just wondering if there would be any AA meetings?"

"Yes, several each day."

I fucking love love love love this shit.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:23 am

MrMullen wrote:I know this might come as a shock to some of you out there, but some of us don't drink or do drugs. Now, that out of the way, is there an AA meeting on the Playa during Burningman? Camp Bill W of a sorts?

You're not alone. I've met tons of people who don't do anything at Burning Man.

MrMullen · Post by **MrMullen** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:02 pm

DallasPlaya wrote:
MrMullen wrote:I know this might come as a shock to some of you out there, but some of us don't drink or do drugs. Now, that out of the way, is there an AA meeting on the Playa during Burningman? Camp Bill W of a sorts?
You're not alone. I've met tons of people who don't do anything at Burning Man.

My soberness is a new thing, so when I went last year, I drank and partyed it up all day and all night, and I barely lasted 4 days. I don't know how some people can do 7 or 8 days of that.

I really think I am going to have more fun this year. When I am sober, I can 10x as much stuff and remember it all, which is important. I am also much more fun.

mamasaid · Post by **mamasaid** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:35 pm

Best year I ever had was mostly sober, except a little red wine.

and I was high as a kite the whole time.

Maldita

Janka · Post by **Janka** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 3:24 am

I usually occasionally tend to drink quite heavily in parties (bad me), but on the playa for some reason I did not feel like drinking that much. Sure, I had something most days - if nothing else just a beer&sprite (yes, yes, horrible, ain't it) during the hottest part of the day - but I think I was actually drunk about twice during the week and not seriously pissed-off once. I just did not feel like drinking, for some reason; I suppose I felt that I got more out of it sober(ish). Not that the couple of times wouldn't have been fun too.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:47 am

MrMullen wrote:My soberness is a new thing, so when I went last year, I drank and partyed it up all day and all night, and I barely lasted 4 days. I don't know how some people can do 7 or 8 days of that.

I'd imagine that most people take breaks. I can't imagine getting hammered every night for 7 days...or even 4. Every OTHER night works for me.

upriver · Post by **upriver** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:12 am

Sobriety is fairly new for me too--since right after last years burn. I spent my whole 8 days fully wastado and blacked out most of my best times last year. I've been doing AA on a daily basis for about seven months now and look forward to meetings on the Playa. I went to a 4 day regional burn last weekend and stayed totally sober and had WAY more fun then I ever did boozing and drugging. I'm totally excited to do Burning Man sober this year. See you at a meeting.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:25 am

upriver wrote:Sobriety is fairly new for me too--since right after last years burn. I spent my whole 8 days fully wastado and blacked out most of my best times last year. I've been doing AA on a daily basis for about seven months now and look forward to meetings on the Playa. I went to a 4 day regional burn last weekend and stayed totally sober and had WAY more fun then I ever did boozing and drugging. I'm totally excited to do Burning Man sober this year. See you at a meeting.

So here's something I've always wondered about: Why can't people just moderate themselves? If you know it's a bad idea to get hammered every night, why do you do it? Can't you just do what others do and just NOT get wasted every night? I don't get it.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:52 am

There is a saying... One is too many, a thousand not enough...

THAT's the difference between those "in the program" and "normies".

Some have no problem with alcohol or drugs - they can drink to their hearts content or smoke or do whatever and not think about it. No obsessiveness about it. Some can do anything they want but that one "drug of choice" (can be booze, BTW) and their roller coaster starts (no shit, it's true...). And for some, that one shot (or line or toke or whatever) starts the insanity, and everything comes crashing down! And no, you can't stop. No matter how bad you may want to.

For an addict (or alcoholic or whatever) there is no such thing as moderation - it's either "all in" or "all out". Once you start, you don't stop. And it's selective (unlike what they tell you in NA) - some people can drink or toke a doobie or drop a hit with no problem saying that's it, but let them do a line of crank, for example, and it's all over - next stop is a meeting or a nuthouse or a jail cell or a grave. Others can take a swig-o-beer and next thing they're fixin' (shooting up) in the corner 6 times a day. Seen this, and it's sad.

Be grateful you asked that question - it means you're on the other side of the fence - the one that lets you drink or whatever and survive, to be able to say "no more".

I'm just glad that anywhere you go - even if it's to the biggest little temporary city in the world - there's a meeting there if you need one...

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 6:26 am

NA/AA Spoken in my camp. 6/22/62. The will be small sign on my camp.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:10 pm

unjonharley wrote:NA/AA Spoken in my camp. 6/22/62. The will be small sign on my camp.

Happy 43rd birthday and change.

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:42 pm

After 8 years on the playa, my husband's first sober burning man was '04. THE BEST was listening to him tell his home group later that his last meeting on the playa was led by a naked woman.

The other best was how much more he was able to participate. But the VERY best is that he has survived to see another year on the playa. AA/NA is definately spoken with love in Jungle Camp.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:46 pm

theCryptofishist wrote:
unjonharley wrote:NA/AA Spoken in my camp. 6/22/62. The will be small sign on my camp.
Happy 43rd birthday and change.

~
Tanks Kid.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 8:20 pm

Thanks to the admins for sticky-izing this one - y'all's awesome!

Hugz,
BBS

Topcat · Post by **Topcat** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 1:23 pm

A little plug for Camp Stella, a gay-oriented clean and sober camp which welcomes new members. Check out Camp Stella online.

Come by and say hi...I'll be the one in the funny hat.

Marvo03 · Post by **Marvo03** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:25 pm

Hokey Pokey Awakenening we are a Sober Camp. Friends of Bill W. meetings 5 PM everyday starting the 29th. We are a 24 hour camp if you need to get away from it all. Camp Stella has an excel lent web page if your sober and new. They list the AA meetings . We do have fun

darren y · Post by **darren y** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:23 am

darren from the vamp camp here, sober 11 yrs cant speak for the rest of my camp but find me in the church bus @ 8:30 & ??
or i'll be @ several meetings t/o the event

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 am

Marvo03 wrote:Camp Stella has an excel lent web page if your sober and new.

Do you have the url?

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:33 am

Fishy- the url for Camp Stella is campstella.org

Happy Monday!

Marvo03 · Post by **Marvo03** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:38 pm

Get up off that seat and dance and you will feel better, opps that is what we do at 12 daily. Hokey Pokey Camp is in the 3:00 Plaza and we are surrounded by some of the best camps on the playa. Friends of Bill W. meeting daily at 5:00. Hope to see you there. Peace Marvo

Syntonia · Post by **Syntonia** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 7:24 am

Upriver and other Clean and Sober Kin....Syntonia here happily hyperconcious 16 years. If you are peering over the precipice seek me big chunks of wavy blonde big nose to match volunteering with Mental Health Branch. Who knows I may be on the verge of relapse and your seeking arrives in the nick of time to pull me back.

oneway · Post by **oneway** » Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:31 am

going with my girlfriend. she is a normy but will participate in at least one psychadelic event. i will need a meeting. nervous about my first burning man experience.

help.

firepoet · Post by **firepoet** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 1:27 pm

This will be number 8 for me. I have described burning Man like Mars on acid except that you don't need the acid.

I enjoy a little wine and a few margaritas but have found any more that that takes away from the experience... the more conscious of my unconsciousness I am the better it gets.

Michael
Happyland

darren y · Post by **darren y** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 2:03 pm

a conscious mind is the olny way to go!!

ckburn · Post by **ckburn** » Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:37 am

Camp Anonymous is located near 5:30 and Catharsis this year, and will definitely have 12-step meetings at Noon and 6pm, as they have for years. Other meetings will also be available at this camp, and a schedule will be posted in the meeting tent.

As has been mentioned, there are other great sober camps on the Playa, including Camp Stella and Hokey Pokey.

ckburn

omtaiyoqi · Post by **omtaiyoqi** » Wed Aug 24, 2005 5:30 pm

I am too will be sober the whole time. But I will be high from energy-workouts and workshops on universal energy - Please see www.omtaiyo.com for schedules at various camps.

BigBeare · Post by **BigBeare** » Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:59 pm

upriver wrote:Sobriety is fairly new for me too--since right after last years burn. I spent my whole 8 days fully wastado and blacked out most of my best times last year. I've been doing AA on a daily basis for about seven months now and look forward to meetings on the Playa. I went to a 4 day regional burn last weekend and stayed totally sober and had WAY more fun then I ever did boozing and drugging. I'm totally excited to do Burning Man sober this year. See you at a meeting.

You went sober and had a good time and yet you want to get together with other people for AA meetings? Jeez, why not just stay home and go to all the AA meetings you want? If you've already done a regional gathering sober, you can do BM.

As for me, it's too hot to drink or do drugs, and the art provides me such a surreal experience the drugs and drink aren't worth doing.

Sober on the Playa

Sober on the Playa?

Re: Sober on the Playa?

Re: Sober on the Playa?

sober is best, you get high anyway

Re: Sober on the Playa?

Sober on the Playa

new burner clean n sober

Mars on acid