Anticipation - worse than ketchup from the bottle

[peacefulhuman]

First-timer here, just got my ticket this week and SO excited to finally be making it to Burning Man this year. (and the dated reference of the subject line should give some of you an idea of my age... tell me I'm not the only one here who hears that song and thinks of ketchup... or catsup... or red tomato-based sugar-laden condiment, whichever you prefer.... I'm digressing.)

I feel like I did as a kid when December would roll around and I'd be looking forward to Christmas -- it just didn't come fast enough! Right now, the anticipation is sweet, but will eventually reach "killing me" levels.

I've been making a list of all the things I have to do between now and then, and I am thankful that I have the time I do, but I wonder how I'm going to focus on work and other obligations in the interim. For the last few days, since I committed myself to going, I've thought of little else. I'm up to my elbows in creative inspiration and I love it -- but my employer is certainly getting beat with the Stick of Neglect right now!

Does anyone else experience this in the lead-up to the Burn? I'm thinking this will taper off as I get used to the idea of going -- you know, once the "newness" wears off -- but maybe it will just increase as I get further into it, in which case I'm apt to be unemployed, broke, with malnourished kids dressed in potato sacks being hauled away by Child Protective Services come September... tears streaming down their dirty, ashen faces as they cry "Daddy spent the last of our money on body paint and glow sticks!"

This could get reeeeaaaaallllllyyyy out of hand here.

/over-enthused newbie, or troubled borderline personality? you decide


Terry
Orange County

[bm_cricket]

Does anyone else experience this in the lead-up to the Burn?

Nope! Nobody else thinks about it until we get there. I know I don't have dreams about it all year long. I never just idly look through my equipment to make sure nothing needs to be replaced or repaired. I'm not the type of person to spend months designing and building something either. I've never spent full paychecks on supplies to drag up to Burning Man.... Nope, not me, never.

And I'm sure nobody else does either. Just you.

Right guys? Anybody else?

[ygmir]

think about what?.........


oohh. look..........

[mudpuppy000]

No way, it's not like we hang out on a message board all year talking about burning man.

[Plumeria]

Or spend every spare moment that our kids are doing something (dance practice, youth group, friends house, etc) going to goodwill to kill time instead of other things. Or going to yard sales strictly with a list of needs for the Burn and projects we currently have strewn about the house. Or, stay up all night blinging out shoes for the playa....nope, no one else!

[Playa Foot]

100 days until the man burns. Are you ready? Are you packed?

[peacefulhuman]

Hmmmm... I think I'm going to fit in just fine here....

And by putting it in terms of "100 Days" - suddenly I feel a sense of urgency that somehow justifies my current obsessive thoughts and behaviors. Thanks!

Terry

[bm_cricket]

Hmmmm... I think I'm going to fit in just fine here....

And by putting it in terms of "100 Days" - suddenly I feel a sense of urgency that somehow justifies my current obsessive thoughts and behaviors. Thanks!

Terry

My thoughts exactly. I've already got my box of food packed and my box of basic survival equipment ready to go. (complete with knife, dust mask/goggles, glow in the dark dental floss, and utility kilt... No underwear tho... I'm finally learning not to pack the things I don't need)

Aren't you packed already?

[peacefulhuman]

No, have not started to pack yet, though now I'm asking myself why... A week ago, this wasn't even on my radar, and now I've got my ticket and secured the time off work and it's like "wow this is really gonna happen!" - time to get into action and get to packin'.

Thanks for the tip on the underwear - I hate it when I pack stuff I don't need!

[Sham]

(and the dated reference of the subject line should give some of you an idea of my age... tell me I'm not the only one here who hears that song and thinks of ketchup... or catsup... or red tomato-based sugar-laden condiment, whichever you prefer.... I'm digressing.)

I'll bite. How old is that ketchup bottle---or you for that matter?

[Kiro]

[goathead]

but my employer is certainly getting beat with the Stick of Neglect right now!

switch arms
switch sticks to say the Stick of Anticipation.
follow through with Kicks of Are my Heels High Enough?
Body Blows of Oh my gAWD Where is the BooBie Bar.
with maybe a Head Butt of Wondering what New Hippy Crippling Toy will be out there this year.
Then you will have had a full body work out.

[MisaBlue]

Hi Peacefulhuman! I am newbie as well and have to confess that my work efficiency is decreasing while my BM enthusiasm is increasing rapidly...it seems I do only things regarding my trip to BM...instead of working I am searching sites for best flight rates, doing list of possible things I should take with me...thinking how the hell I bring all that traditional alcohol from my country to US for the folks here....bla bla bla..sounds similar?
Luckily I dont have children so if they kick me out of my job it will be only me walking around in potato sack

Welcome to club! See you on Playa Identification mark - potato sack and happy face...

[kingtom]

Planning and anticipation is 50% of the fun.

[Fire_Moose]

id say 75% of the fun, the actual event is pretty lame but we all hope that this year will be better

[bm_cricket]

Hi Peacefulhuman! I am newbie as well and have to confess that my work efficiency is decreasing while my BM enthusiasm is increasing rapidly...it seems I do only things regarding my trip to BM...instead of working I am searching sites for best flight rates, doing list of possible things I should take with me...thinking how the hell I bring all that traditional alcohol from my country to US for the folks here....bla bla bla..sounds similar?
Luckily I dont have children so if they kick me out of my job it will be only me walking around in potato sack

Welcome to club! See you on Playa Identification mark - potato sack and happy face...

If you have time.. and it's not that expensive... and you want to bring a lot of it... you could look into freight shipments. It may be hard to explain that you aren't planning to "sell" it and that all 100 bottles are intended as "gifts" to the "Burning Man community". I'm sure customs would think you were insane....

Still, if you have 3 months, it's probably an inexpensive way to do it!

[mudpuppy000]

Hi Peacefulhuman! I am newbie as well and have to confess that my work efficiency is decreasing while my BM enthusiasm is increasing rapidly...it seems I do only things regarding my trip to BM...instead of working I am searching sites for best flight rates, doing list of possible things I should take with me...thinking how the hell I bring all that traditional alcohol from my country to US for the folks here....bla bla bla..sounds similar?
Luckily I dont have children so if they kick me out of my job it will be only me walking around in potato sack

Welcome to club! See you on Playa Identification mark - potato sack and happy face...

If you have time.. and it's not that expensive... and you want to bring a lot of it... you could look into freight shipments. It may be hard to explain that you aren't planning to "sell" it and that all 100 bottles are intended as "gifts" to the "Burning Man community". I'm sure customs would think you were insane....

Still, if you have 3 months, it's probably an inexpensive way to do it!

Ship it to my house, I'll take good care of it, lol.

I think you're allowed to bring 1L of liquor into the US without paying anything, or that may be flying into california. I think the limit varies from state to state.

[peacefulhuman]

but my employer is certainly getting beat with the Stick of Neglect right now!

switch arms
switch sticks to say the Stick of Anticipation.
follow through with Kicks of Are my Heels High Enough?
Body Blows of Oh my gAWD Where is the BooBie Bar.
with maybe a Head Butt of Wondering what New Hippy Crippling Toy will be out there this year.
Then you will have had a full body work out.

Wow, you guys think of everything. Thanks - I can cancel my gym membership now!

[LostinReno]

We go to Canada all the time and usually bring back a couple of cases of beer with no problems but for the record...this is from the US Customs website, Nevada is pretty liberal with alcohol and thats it.


Alcoholic Beverages: One liter (33.8 fl. oz.) of alcoholic beverages may be included in your exemption if:
•
You are 21 years old.
•
It is for your own use or as a gift.
•
It does not violate the laws of the state in which you arrive.

Federal regulations allow you to bring back more than one liter of alcoholic beverage for
personal use, but, as with extra tobacco, you will have to pay duty and Internal Revenue
Service tax.
While federal regulations do not specify a limit on the amount of alcohol you may bring back
for personal use, unusual quantities are liable to raise suspicions that you are importing the alcohol for other purposes, such as for resale. Customs officers are authorized by Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) make on-the-spot determinations that an importation is for commercial purposes, and may require you to obtain a permit to import the alcohol before leasing to you. If you intend to bring back a substantial quantity of alcohol for your personal use you should contact the Customs port you will be re-entering the country through, and make prior arrangements for entering the alcohol into the U.S.

Having said that, you should be aware that State laws may limit the amount of alcohol you can bring in without a license. If you arrive in a state that has limitations on the amount of alcohol you may bring in without a license, that state law will be enforced by Customs, even though it may be more restrictive then Federal regulations. We recommend that you check with the state government before you go abroad about their limitations on quantities allowed for personal importation and additional state taxes that might apply

[peacefulhuman]

(and the dated reference of the subject line should give some of you an idea of my age... tell me I'm not the only one here who hears that song and thinks of ketchup... or catsup... or red tomato-based sugar-laden condiment, whichever you prefer.... I'm digressing.)

I'll bite. How old is that ketchup bottle---or you for that matter?

I'm 41. The ketchup bottle - I dunno, it was here when I got here.

[bm_cricket]

Yikes!

[MisaBlue]

Sorry PH I turned the topic a bit....I will just answer cricket, lostinreno and puppy...

The restrictions are something about 1 liter of Hard alcohol...I usually cross this amount...they dont check your laguage, only the backpack you carry on board....so I usually put it in my laguage (pretty good in securing it against pouring out:) ) and then I buy one liter on plane and carry that one officially...
Hey puppy I am 100% sure you would take care of it properly

[bm_cricket]

Sorry PH I turned the topic a bit....I will just answer cricket, lostinreno and puppy...

The restrictions are something about 1 liter of Hard alcohol...I usually cross this amount...they dont check your laguage, only the backpack you carry on board....so I usually put it in my laguage (pretty good in securing it against pouring out:) ) and then I buy one liter on plane and carry that one officially...
Hey puppy I am 100% sure you would take care of it properly

Yyeeahh, I've never traveled with or under the legal amount. I guess I wondered about bring in large volumes.. Maybe next time.