It was your first burn....

DanusLight · Post by **DanusLight** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:08 am

... did you know before you left that you'd return?

graidawg · Post by **graidawg** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:30 am

DanusLight wrote:... did you know before you left that you'd return?

NO I DON'T AND I DON'T WANT TO!

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 8:20 am

DanusLight wrote:... did you know before you left that you'd return?

I was hoping it would be over and done with...but after 15 minutes, I didnt want to go back.

Token · Post by **Token** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 9:34 am

What? Return home alive or return back to the Playa next year?

Be more specific there Ace.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:12 am

Get permition first!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 194682.ece

Post by **Savannah** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:55 am

Good question. I actually had to rack my brain a bit.

I did not know before I left my first burn that I would be back. While I was having a good time, I honestly wasn't able to think that far into the future because I was too busy soaking everything up right then.

I probably didn't even dare think about the next burn until a month or two after I got home. I think I was a bit overwhelmed.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:30 pm

Had to return to feed the dogs! Then after the burn...

...it seems the world has become your home (especially if the internet is part of your burn)

Post by **Eric** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:53 pm

I heard that if you didn't "get it" they killed you and dumped your body in The Man to be torched, so I was paranoid all week if I was doing it right and if I'd get out alive.

Now I'm on the Committee that decides who's bodies get dumped in The Man.

DanusLight · Post by **DanusLight** » Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:32 pm

@ dawg - ty, but you needn't yell!

@ Tom - interesting

@ Token - what? no mind reading skills today? SFS

@ Fig - kinda funny that the Buddhas have to check with
Atheist

@ Savannah - I think I can completely grasp the concept of being overwhelmed. Thank you for your honesty!

@ moonrise - dog-sitter!!

@ Eric - every day I read of a new committee! It boggles the mind!

Thank you all for your answers!

bluesbob · Post by **bluesbob** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:35 pm

Hello...I'm on the committee to end committees.

Bexx · Post by **Bexx** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:37 pm

I knew the minute I hit the dirt on that first monday that I would return.. and I hadn't even experienced it yet.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 12:42 am

98' hit the Playa not know much more than be sure I could stay alive for the 4 days I went. Not really much info online at the time.

I truly didn't think about "getting it" until I left right after the burn (rain was coming) and I pulled over to sleep. It was then after a short nap that I think I truly realized what ad just happened to me and what the "Welcome Home" meant. (I always was a late bloomer).

I look back at when I went 1st and now with all this info and advice, some of the magic is given away to early...

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Feb 16, 2011 7:24 am

Not a shadow of a doubt.

This is year 11 for us.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 2:25 am

AntiM wrote:Not a shadow of a doubt.

This is year 11 for us.

If I didn't miss 2000 and 2009, this would be my 13th burn. No point in announcing your experience here...people ignore experience. It may just be natural selection.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 6:15 am

This is 13 in a row for me.

VeganChoirGirl · Post by **VeganChoirGirl** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:44 am

I knew at my first burn I would be back. I will never miss a year...at least I think I wont.

psychoalpha · Post by **psychoalpha** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:12 am

I totally had one of those cliche moments the first night I was there - surrounded by old(er) friends and new friends, dazzled by all the lights and music and thumping, and invigorated by the desert night air - and I knew there was no way I could miss it ever again.

Six days of decadence and sleep deprivation later, still felt the same way.

Post by **Savannah** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 11:14 am

@ Savannah - I think I can completely grasp the concept of being overwhelmed. Thank you for your honesty!

It was not a difficult or shameful admission.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 12:29 pm

I go so far back I've never had a first burn.

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:35 pm

ibdave wrote:I look back at when I went 1st and now with all this info and advice, some of the magic is given away to early...

you know, kenman was saying something along those lines last weekend. something like "i know jigjam said to do it that way, but i want to do it this way and if it blows up it blows up" or something like that.

Post by **Savannah** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:41 pm

I'm actually really grateful I knew only the important basics--i.e., only what to bring to survive--the first time. It made things that much more strange and incredible.

That wouldn't be right for everyone, obviously, and I can't judge.

FIGJAM · Post by **FIGJAM** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:43 pm

I would never try to tell anyone how to burn.

Mine are only suggestions or stories of "how I did it".

tamarakay · Post by **tamarakay** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 1:51 pm

FIGJAM wrote:I would never try to tell anyone how to burn.

Mine are only suggestions or stories of "how I did it".

oh i agree! please don't take it that way. we interpreted how to do the swamp cooler thing differently and i kept saying "i'm pretty sure fig said ...."
we have learned alot on here. some advice we are taking and others we are just saying hmm, thanks. reading things like the three wipes in a baggie thing made me not so worried about the JOTS etc.

i'm new to the whole creative thing so it does get discouraging sometimes with the "been there been done" attitude. but like i told someone else in another thread "i'm new here and it's all new to me so i'm doing it" doesn't matter if its been done before and done better by someone else etc. I'm doing things to experience it and to share. 1/2 the attendees are newbies and it's ALL new to them too, right?

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 3:45 pm

tamarakay wrote:
FIGJAM wrote:I would never try to tell anyone how to burn.

Mine are only suggestions or stories of "how I did it".
oh i agree! please don't take it that way. we interpreted how to do the swamp cooler thing differently and i kept saying "i'm pretty sure fig said ...."
we have learned alot on here. some advice we are taking and others we are just saying hmm, thanks. reading things like the three wipes in a baggie thing made me not so worried about the JOTS etc.

i'm new to the whole creative thing so it does get discouraging sometimes with the "been there been done" attitude. but like i told someone else in another thread "i'm new here and it's all new to me so i'm doing it" doesn't matter if its been done before and done better by someone else etc. I'm doing things to experience it and to share. 1/2 the attendees are newbies and it's ALL new to them too, right?

(figjam is awesome, great mc gadget guy)

tamarakay, you and maryanimal, mydearfriend, cheyenne, jstep, et al are going to be well prepared. i forgot some stuff and brought extra of other stuff...it all worked out well, we shared...I still need some more stuff for year two.

It's fun to watch you plan, heh heh, you'll never see it all, i didn't and never will, BRC is HUGE, like the vets say, it keeps changing, some say not enough, take a break then, heh heh, probably don't want to b/c it's too much fun.

i'm looking forward to year two, i'll be 1/2 as prepared as some of you above!

I learn stuff from you digging it up! haha, thanks! eplaya search is slooow, gets frustrating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now, does anyone local know what 4th of juplaya is all about, hmmmmmm, maybe moon is gonna show up with a freind or two, heheh, time to dig that thread up.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 5:31 pm

There was no eplaya before my first burn, I'm glad it was put up. Sure, watching your camp get torn to shreds.....and learning from it....is an important part of Burning Man; But, I don't want to get killed by a flying canopy that was secured with 8 inch stakes. Ill address that....again....when my comps back online.

DanusLight · Post by **DanusLight** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 6:10 pm

Y'all have been great in sharing your experiences and thoughts. I appreciate that.

With the reading I have done that relates to being prepared it all relates to the 'material' things. I honestly don't think anyone/anything will be able to describe that first minute on the playa. But that's just me ... lol

So, until I set foot on the playa, I will continue to read and plan!

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:07 pm

I shouldn't have come back. My first four burns I was basically there as emotional support for my husband. My fifth burn, I was there to send him off from the place he loved so.
If I hadn't had an unfortunate event in Austria, I wouldn't ever have gone back.

moonrise · Post by **moonrise** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:14 pm

TomServo wrote:There was no eplaya before my first burn, I'm glad it was put up. Sure, watching your camp get torn to shreds.....and learning from it....is an important part of Burning Man; But, I don't want to get killed by a flying canopy that was secured with 8 inch stakes. Ill address that....again....when my comps back online.

TS, did your camp get shredded on your first burn? Ouch if so!

I have endless first burn stories, i musta seen and done 10,000+ things BM2010

When I dealt with the Tuesday after the burn storm, we sat and chilled in my carport, took in a couple of storm refugess, they were super cool, plenty of watching the rebar and the sledge, it was a good time! that canvas barn rocked and rolled in the winds, but held, phew! a mini GI Joe encampment, LOL

Some LOCAL burner freinds told me on the phone a few weeks ago that they went to the pond n the same Tuesday (TS, you know which one and the law/rules, i bet ya) they soaked and had zero storm, soothing and zero dust, they just watched the storm rage away on the playa all day! amongst dragonflies and sunshine,

(maybe i'm camping with them next year, lol, we'll see)
about 30 or 40 burners were there at the pond, i was invited but it was monday, too early, i was waaay too tired, too happy, then Tuesday came and the carport/storm scenario, okay fine, at one point some very tough burners came in a beater truck and saved the refugees, only me and a couple of vets left after that, very little city left, it was interesting watching the city come down, the vets were awesome and came out and helped me get the carport roof off, i packed up, trailer and all, then i got lost in the dark and well, stayed until weds, the storm had died by nightfall, fucking dpw took me in, hahaha, woke up weds am on a couch, i left at crack of dawn and ended up staying at the reservation, sooo exhausted, they were so cool, let me crash behind a sand dune in my truck, still...i was exhausted, found some burners at the sands in Reno, swam in the muddy playa colored pool with other fun burners, finally made it back to Tahoe, what a fucking blast!

I highly recommend getting lost at the burn!! see you all at BM 2011,

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 8:22 pm

Yeah, my first night I learned how inadiquate grommets are on tarps. Reinforced them with duct tape...and have done so ever since. Were reported 110mph gusts that night.

Canopies....watched a 10x20 airborn, and land on my friends car.

motskyroonmatick · Post by **motskyroonmatick** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:17 pm

I may have had some hints and clues that I needed to hit the next burn as I watched the Roller Coaster of Death, did my first on playa welding repair, cruised with the neighbors on their art car and saw the most marvelous sights. Oftentimes I can't recognize or refuse to recognize those clues I give myself in the moment but give me time and it will strike me. Immediately at Exodus I felt the heartbreak of separation. It was horrible. At Cedarville when I waved to a farmer driving a stack wagon with some good looking alfalfa on the back I snapped out of it and realized I had to burn again. Then... Then I was finally able to listen to some music and think forward instead of back. I played Welcome to the Machine by Pink Floyd which was my favorite song to hear back when I was running stack wagon picking up hay. I've been fortunate enough to return every year since.

It was your first burn....

It was your first burn....

Re: It was your first burn....

Re: It was your first burn....