Burning Man is just a party

[AQUARIUSatBRC420]

Between my grueling work schedule and daydreaming about going Home for my second year, I was thinking about what Burning Man IS. And how to explain to others what Burning Man is about. Not that I hadn't explained it at least 20 times before, but was I explaining it correctly?.... Accurately?... With anymore than a burgine comprehension? I mean, If I had to sum it up in two words I guess I would have to pick "human celebration" or "art festival" or "mind orgy". But Burning Man is so much more than two words.... or even three; although, many have attempted (i.e. "world's biggest party").

Black Rock City is so innately different from the default world that it hardly resembles the concrete and asphalt playa that I am accustomed to. REPLACED by the dust, whirlwinds, domes, RVs, mutant vehicles, smiling peoples and vagabond camps of Black Rock City are the traffic, smog, asphalt, concrete, stucco, guarded faces and obscene demonstrations of wealth in [fill in NAME of one of the many gritty metropoli in the heart of the eroding Dream].

In my rough estimation, Burning Man is NOT profit, greed, hate, judgement, exclusion, mortgages, mental isolation or rushing from one dispassionate chore to the next. Rather, Burning Man IS freedom to express, freedom to create, freedom to speak, freedom to communicate, freedom to dream and freedom from violence and greed. How lucky is anyone to experience this for a day, let alone a week?

Black Rock City is full of dreamers, doers, builders, thinkers, the initiated and the uninitiated. And definitely full of friends and freaks!

Like a sandcastle in construction during a quickly rising tide, HOME is a race to build on an otherwise flat and vacant playa... devoid of landmarks.

Step One: Fill the bucket with wet sand.
Step Two: Level off the base.
Step Three: Plop bucket onto sand beside you.
Step Four: Repeat.

Stack as high as you dare before the tide ebbs and erases all trace of the miniature creation of majestical space. And upon the next concession of tide, build once more upon the sand where you built before. This time higher... More sand... More passion... More terraces of matter held together by the bonds of interstitial creation.

I can't wait to go Home with the forethought and preparation that went into this burn-to-be! And to commiserate with friends of new and friends of old! And hear over a 50k Watt sound wall..... "Welcome Home".

Shit I'm tired and high! What am I doing up? I have to work in 5 hours. But you couldn't sleep and had to download some thoughts. It's good for you...

Welcome Home

[trilobyte]

I love the quote from one of the early Burning Man documentaries...

To those who have never been, no words can describe it.
To those who have, no words are necessary.

[Pecho]

I love the quote from one of the early Burning Man documentaries...

To those who have never been, no words can describe it.
To those who have, no words are necessary.

So true!!

[Elderberry]

The ultimate amusement park.

[BBadger]

"Summer camp for adults."

[The CO]

"Too Much Ham & Absinthe."

[Savannah]

"Summer camp for adults."

That's what I've been calling it.

It almost makes it sound a little . . . trivial, to the undiscriminating ear, but anyone who went to summer camp every year from 6 to 13 like me, sold cookies door-to-door in the freezing cold to get there, and became deeply attached to a place/experience/counselors/campmates in just 7 days . . . well, I daresay they know what weird magic summer camp can be.

[BBadger]

It almost makes it sound a little . . . trivial, to the undiscriminating ear, but anyone who went to summer camp every year from 6 to 13 like me, sold cookies door-to-door in the freezing cold to get there, and became deeply attached to a place/experience/counselors/campmates in just 7 days . . . well, I daresay they know what weird magic summer camp can be.

The fact that people might consider it trivial makes the exclusive appreciation even more special, especially when you work for it.

[bluesbob]

Leveling off the base...how bourgeois.

[knowmad]

Leveling off the base...how bourgeois.

"Building...." How pedestrian.