I'm a Virgin!! *again* YAHOOOO

[shamansjourney]

Hello everyone. Blog says start here - so that is where i start. First Time Burner, long time listener. Clearly the journey to the Playa begins the moment we say yes. Im here to tell you - when i heard that little muse voice whisper "go to burning man" in my ear last week...it came with goosebumps, shivers and all the bells and whistles of a sure fire grand adventure ahead. Cant Wait. And to TOP IT ALL OFF - come to find out I get to be a virgin again? BONUS! Dont get that kind of DO OVER in life.

I look forward to the chat here as i continue swimming deeper into all the ways coming to this years RITE OF PASSAGE is making sense.

I have known of Burning man for 16 years - but never made it past a cursory glance at the man in pictures and video. 25 years - near Half my life in the making - this is the year i come to discover the REAL Burning Man....to serve somehow, to sacrifice something (could be my dignity for all I know! - HA) and make new friends.

Im reading daily,,,,finding new levels of participation....test building my camp in my back yard. The dreams from the Playa are already intense? Anyone else having that phenomenon?

See you on the Playa

R

[Savannah]

You will sacrifice your pallor, your cuticles, some R.E.M. cycles, a cool, damp, healthy nose, and a reasonable expectation of what the day will hold.

Glad you've done your reading, and a test build.

Welcome to the board!

[Elderberry]

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

And you get bonus points because you actually bought your ticket!

[shamansjourney]

Yes - how bout this selling out thing this year? Kind of Crazy. What is that Grand Total magic cut off number? 60K? One could speculate and create all kinds of scenarios that will play themselves out along the way with this new development of ticketless Vet burners and left out newbies. From my virgin vantage point - feels kind of Epic.

R

[illy dilly]

Welcome to ePlaya!

You have about 31 days to get ready! You better plan quick and plan hard!

Who are you going with?

[shamansjourney]

Hi illy dilly - Everyday is filled with Planning. Every night is filled with Playa dreams. Seriously - is this what happens with Burning man first timers? Im sensitive to "the vibes" out there anyway - but this experience thus far headed into Burning Man is very different. No plans to camp within a theme group yet. Coming alone from Phoenix at the moment.... but just starting to meet burners now - so that could all change. I kind of like the idea of claiming a little slab o' playa and seeing what the universe tosses in around me for community for a first time. Any thoughts on that?

[Savannah]

For the well-prepared, camping solo--or with just a few others--can be very nice, your first time out. I recommend it highly.

[illy dilly]

I would say go for it!
I have never camped alone (mind you this is only my third year) but I'm thinking maybe next year giving it a shot.

This year I'm part of a theme camp, co-founder actually. One of these years I'm gonna camp alone. Just take me and my old Pathfinder, a tent, and lots of beer. Rig up some sorta tarp off the back of the Pathfinder for shade, and call it good.

I think being alone will force you out into the city to find socialization, shade, and things to do. Where as being in a camp, its pretty easy to just sit around all day and hang out.

[shamansjourney]

Going solo appeals. Thanks Savanah. Now it will be about finding the right general area. First intuition is leading me somewhere along Initiation and Journey 730-9:00. Radar is pinging in that area for now. Not sure why. Cant seem to find anything that ID's where a theme camp may already claim land rights. Is there anything that ID's what are in the highlighted areas on the current map?

Iv'e gotten an official/unofficial email from Media Mecca in reply to a proposal for documenting the event (>photographer<) so i am sure i will be out a lot. Likely more inclined to stay closer to home at night - host a sleep over or something. *grinz*

[Savannah]

The "BLACK ROCK CITY 2011 PLAN" is on the front page of the Burning Man site right now under "latest news".

Click on it. Then click the map a couple of times to see the map bigger. Lavender-shaded areas are theme camp areas. You will see that there is plenty of space within what you're interested in . . . though not the whole space from 7:30-9:00.

We're supposed to encourage radical self-reliance as one of the Burn's 10 Principles, so take a gander and interpret.

[illy dilly]

There is map of the city on the main site.
And for some reason I can't find it today! Tried to get you the link.
But on the map it shows areas for theme camps are in purple.

Thats cool that you got the reply from Media Mecca!

Ps. apparently I took too long looking for the Map and Savannah beat me to it.

[shamansjourney]

dang it....i already love you guys. : - )

I've seen the map - was just wondering if any of the theme sites were actually listed on the map... i dont see that anywhere. What I was hoping to avoid was parking right next to the "Loudest Nightclub on the Planet at Night" theme camp. From what ive seen, they dont make that information public.

[illy dilly]

Yeah there is a list of them under the Theme Camps thread.

And when you get to the Playa they will give you a Who, When, When. Or the Whos'n'Whats'it as I all it. I think it has a lot of theme camp info in it.
There is also a BRC theme camp app on Facebook.

[Savannah]

I would consider printing out the map and start marking off the noisiest places and sound camps as they become obvious to you. 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock will be very loud; 9 and 3 are similar. The closer to the Esplanade, and A, B, C, D streets the louder things will (usually) be.

Look for stages, lighting rigs, what appear to be dance floors . . . if you can put a block between yourself and a purple area (and not just right across the street) this is even better for a light sleeper.

Bring silicone ear plugs (though others swear by certain foam varieties--you can bring both if you want to experiment). Silicone plugs can be torn and re-rolled for smaller ears. They seal up your head so much it can be unsettling.

You can branch out into other threads and get this kind of info . . . I highly recommend it.

[illy dilly]

Ahh, don't listen to her! She doesn't know what shes talking about.
Camp where ever you end up. If its right by 'Big Sound' and you cant sleep, just drink more!
Enough beer and you wont care where you are when its time for bed!


I'm kidding of course she has been at this way longer than me!

[carlyjean92]

I'm also a virgin, again! My boyfriend has been burning now for four years, he's taking me with this year. After hearing all his and his friends stories of Burning Man, i am absolutely enthralled to be able to partake in such a magnificent event! I am also experiencing this phenomena!! I'm almost too excited to believe i'm going. I've heard this experience will change my life, make me a new person, and there is nothing better than a new lease on life... I'm ready for it! Anyone have any advice on better preparing myself for this year? I mean my bf has pretty much everything taken care of, but i wanna be ready for sure!

[shamansjourney]

@CarlyJean - I think you can be as prepared as much as we can - but never fully ready for what may take place. My life motto has always been to plan as best i can for all contingencies....let all the dreams come and be real imagined possibilities....then let everything go without expectations. No matter what - its all perfect and precisely what needs to happen. Funny thing - with that perspective - life becomes pretty darn perfect. Hope you have a blast. Meet you on the playa. I'll be the guy in goggles and covered in dust. HA!

[Savannah]

I'm also a virgin, again! My boyfriend has been burning now for four years, he's taking me with this year. After hearing all his and his friends stories of Burning Man, i am absolutely enthralled to be able to partake in such a magnificent event! I am also experiencing this phenomena!! I'm almost too excited to believe i'm going. I've heard this experience will change my life, make me a new person, and there is nothing better than a new lease on life... I'm ready for it! Anyone have any advice on better preparing myself for this year? I mean my bf has pretty much everything taken care of, but i wanna be ready for sure!

Hi Carly!

It took me 4 burns before I had one that was truly life-changing. (Not to say that the ones before weren't fun, challenging, and fascinating in their own ways). The people who are telling you it will change your life or make you a new person are speaking for their own experiences, and inadvertently placing too much pressure on the event. 'Cause it's also possible to just see some astonishing things and have a really interesting mixed bag of experiences, and set the stage for future burns . . . or even to not enjoy it, and to feel really let down.

So I would say . . . as difficult as might be, try to wipe your mind clean of expectations, be flexible, and just see what happens. It will be an adventure no matter what.