adjusting to reality

spoteditor · Post by **spoteditor** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 1:29 pm

I'm I just a cheesy mushy geek, or is anone else really emotional right now. I miss all the friends I've just made like mad, and don't think I can get through another year without them.

rootvegetable · Post by **rootvegetable** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:31 pm

I must be just as mushy and geekful as you, because it is hard coming home. I mean, yes the accessible toilet is nice, but I feel so isolated in my house with actual walls. Where are all the friendly people? Where is that enormous horizon? Plus, I feel entirely too clothed.

kylie sparks · Post by **kylie sparks** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 2:51 pm

I feel the same, back here in Sparks! I drove down the street today, and on the I-80 I saw cars heading west! People still heading home. I miss you all!

hackworth · Post by **hackworth** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:25 pm

i have dubbed this feeling "Post Burning Man Depression Syndrome".

Link2Humanity · Post by **Link2Humanity** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:51 pm

Mushy geek doesn't even begin to describe me at the moment. I can't stop talking about it, thinking about it, and wanting to be back there. How do people get through an entire year???

NEXUS · Post by **NEXUS** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:19 pm

I'm so glad to see this thread, I empathize with you all! This was my first burn and man have I ever developed a case of Burning Man withdrawal. One day of decompression was simply not enough to free my mind for my first day back at school today, and while during my clinical orientation at the hospital, found my mind sidetracking to the incredible sights, experiences and people I met just a few days ago. To have been smothered by such intensity and beauty, only to have it all stripped away at a time when I demanded more. This cyber connection is certainly poor substitute to the sounds, sights, smells, generosity, smiles and indescribable spirit, but our sharing of experience will at least fill part of the void and ensure that the burn within continues and grows ever more intense as we approach the arrival of another year's event.

Fat SAM · Post by **Fat SAM** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:34 pm

It's normal. So normal and typical. And people here are so MEAN. My natural inclination is to be more cynical and hate them even more than I do the rest of the year, but I'm having a hard time justifying it. Maybe I'll try being nice to people this year. In the meantime, yeah, this poor substitute for the playa will have to suffice (as a sickening addiction and life-line to one of the greatest things Earth has to offer).

It was great seeing everybody who showed up at the Meet & Greet. I hope to see you all again next year and to see more new faces, too!

jolbend · Post by **jolbend** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:54 pm

I am feeling all these things too, glad to know there is a support forum out there. So homesick right now. Is there anywhere even slightly close to a playa dome one can find in NYC?

karr · Post by **karr** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:23 pm

I am feeling the same way too. This was my first burn and I cannot stop thinking about the time I spent there. My mind plays the days I was there...over and over. People I met, things I did, things I saw, the laughter, the sorrow I felt at times, the connections I made with some people, random conversations with passer bys...

I have a severe case of playa/Burning Man withdrawal. I feel odd to be in my own home. I miss being out in the open, feeling free, going wherever, whenever. The sights, the sounds...the people.

When I was driving home and it got dark, I could see lights in the far distance and for moments I was confused and felt I was staring out at the playa. There were times I saw lights and they looked like fire in my eyes and thought of all the fire art on the playa.

I got home and I felt odd to be inside. I felt confined and kept looking for my tent to appear somewhere. I missed feeling the cool breezes of the playa in my house.

I went alone and met so many people and how I miss them. I miss the camp I was with.

When I was driving home, I cried at times just thinking of how awesome an experience I had and that NOTHING could ever come remotely close. I kept thinking of THE MAN burning, and watching the fireworks, watching it come down, and just feeling something tug on my heart.

I feel out of place here and felt so at home on the playa.

I got back on Sunday and had to return to work today. Not enough time. People at work asked me how it was and no words could describe it. People asked others what Burning Man was and one person said, "Hippy land." How wrong they are, how unfortunate that their opinion is so limited and that they have no clue what Burning Man truely is.

I miss the playa...badly...and wish I was there.

NEXUS · Post by **NEXUS** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:49 pm

Karr, noticed you too are in Vegas and a first-time burner same as myself. As a suggestion--and one someone else mentioned to me--a good way to stave off the "homesickness" might be to get involved in events hosted by local burners belonging to a regional Burning Man group here in Vegas. Here's more info on them: http://regionals.burningman.com/us_nv_lv.html
Hope this helps. Perhaps it'll help keep the flame burning.

karr · Post by **karr** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 9:56 pm

NEXUS wrote:Karr, noticed you too are in Vegas and a first-time burner same as myself. As a suggestion--and one someone else mentioned to me--a good way to stave off the "homesickness" might be to get involved in events hosted by local burners belonging to a regional Burning Man group here in Vegas. Here's more info on them: http://regionals.burningman.com/us_nv_lv.html
Hope this helps. Perhaps it'll help keep the flame burning.

Nexus, thanks for the link! Definately looking into this!

Good to see fellow Las Vegans!

NEXUS · Post by **NEXUS** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:11 pm

Absolutely. See you at the events! :)

Suzy · Post by **Suzy** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:15 am

On Monday, for the second time in a week, an airplane took me far away from home without knowing exactly what would happen once I reached my destination. This was my virgin Burn, and now I understand. My apartment may be in Pennsylvania, but my home is Black Rock City. Thanks to all my fellow Burners who made my virgin year memorable!

kologna · Post by **kologna** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:02 am

So much happened while we were at BRC. It always seems like returning from BRC is stepping out of a time warp where things have changed and you have to catch up. The best thing though is that you have the challenge of treating people on the "outside" with the same attitude you had on the playa. It usually takes a few weeks to wear off but I always try to extend the glow for as long as possible. I really appreciate the efforts of others to make this happen and have made numerous life long friends at BRC. The community doesn't have to go away you just have to remain connected. See you next year and hopefully I'll be able to shake your hand look you in the eye and add to the number of people I feel are my family.

Haacked · Post by **Haacked** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:11 am

I think it's called "drug withdrawal". ;)

I've been having such trippy dreams since I came back.

spectabillis · Post by **spectabillis** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:50 am

... thats why its called decompression.

The world we live in, its horrible compared to what could be. Its torture to experience a beautiful and open place with questionmarks of what people can build and create, because you return to ... this. We dont want this world, its just a psychopathic and obscene evolutionary step where most will be discarded along the wayside of history. Unfortunately, there is only so much a person can breathe before they slowly slip back into apathy and disgust from this world's daily grind. If you tried to fight and change it - its only a matter of time before you go insane, or worse, get institutionalized for sounding the part of saviour in an insane world.

We love and leave each to thier own lives. Each shared second of that sacred time may be taken for granted, but in adjustment to reality, it helps to keep them for rare moments of reflection when things are hard.

Lar · Post by **Lar** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:52 pm

[quote="kologna"] ... The best thing though is that you have the challenge of treating people on the "outside" with the same attitude you had on the playa. ...

YEA MAN!!! You got that right.

I like to use that energy ... while it really sucks to hit the other world again (try going straight from the burn saturday night to the reno airport sunday morning if you want a blunt collision ... which is what I did this year), one of the really cool things is to remind yourself to give that warm-everyone-is-welcome-smile-greeting that you did on the playa to people who weren't there. The most AMAZING thing is that you carry around so much positive vibe on return that when you do that to people who werent' there, the responses are terrific; it's like you bowl them over with positive energy; try it and see how you can walk up to total strangers and get positive feedback; they just can't help it because after BM you are so filled with positive energy. BONUS -- if you do that, you don't get as bummed either, because at least you can see some payoff.

Lar