Crippling, Anticipatory Grin, please help

[latchseeker]

Grew up looking at the zoo like a mirror , Salvation at last? I've not yet been out for BRC, but i've been hearing about it for about ten years, and personal accounts the last 4 years, >since wanting to go every year but just not being able to coordinate my "life". I'm 22 years old, I live in a grossly wealthy town(which saddens me regularly), I am a dude(use whatever gender specifying term you like), I FUcking love to dance and SMILE and Howl cacklingly into the night! A closet artist, no not interior design, but rarely able to express any creativity outside of work systems. I'm generally active and have been advised to get in better shape. I love to love, mentally, emotionally, aesthetically, physically. **********************************************************************************************************************
I'm new and want to give everything i have. A dusty bird told me you'll take it! Any tips for a man yet burnt? Other than the first timers guide or survival guide.
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I'm considering bringing my on/off girlfriend(mostly on) of the last 4 years. what are your experiences with this
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Volunteering advice? Recommendations? Suggestions?
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In your opinion, does experiencing the playa severely diminish normal life? It seems like this will become my life, (pretension aside its an honest concern) Can anyone share their experience with similar concerns? *************************************************************************************************************************************************************************


I'm sure that i'm worrying to much, but if you think i am, tell me anyway seeing it actually written means more

ANything anything anything you can think of to help keep from being eaten alive by the antz in my pants? Be with you there in 359 days *cheeeeeeeese*

[Savannah]

Hi Latchseeker!

I love your subject line. It's beautiful. Everything is beautiful right now. (Except these scrapes on my left leg, and my cuticles, and my credit card statement, and the state of my living room). Welcome to ePlaya!

Wow, you have a lot of questions. And I'm so very, very tired. Luckily, you have a lot of time to get answers, and to read. Remain as friendly as you seem to be, and read your ass off, and do a little digging. Demonstrate the radical self-reliance that the Burn principles call for. And remember that ePlaya is not THE playa. Not even close. But, in short:

* Any tips? Yes. Get your ass to the Preparation / Q&A Tips and Tricks forum and use the Survival Guide to start your packing list. It gives you a really decent starter list. Then enter keywords + eplaya in Google for things you can't find. It's better than our search function.

* Bringing your girlfriend? I don't know . . . how does she feel about going? (Be really careful about anyone less than truly enthusiastic or ready). How does she feel about the idea of you going solo? This is very personal and specific to the two of you. The Burn is very hard on relationships, especially fractious or jealous ones. http://www.burningman.com/preparation/e ... Ek6sUSr9T4

* Volunteering advice: Lamplighters at Center Camp any day at 4:45pm or so. Walk up, no registration needed. Wear a ceremonial robe, light the city, drink sangria. http://www.burningman.com/participate/lamplighter.html

* Does experiencing the playa diminish normal life? Everyone's different. My personal answer: Hell, no. It enhances my life. But no one can tell you how it will affect you, or even that you will love the playa. Drop your expectations and focus on planning. Keep reading. Welcome.

[latchseeker]

^ THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

[latchseeker]

SOrry, too excited yesterday^

[CarrieSnarf]

Do not apologize for being excited!

This is an exciting thing and you have caught us in the afterglow.

Read everything you can get your hands on, read the first timers guide, the survival guide, the entire prep page, any forum thread that catches your eye. Read until you feel like you can write a book on burning man.

Plan carefully. Think about doing a regional burn in you area. Sounds like you already have some burner friends, ask them questions and listen to the answers

What I want most for you is for you to take your enthusiasm and be truly prepared for this. Its not an easy thing to do.

Re: girlfriend. Savannah's answer is wise. Do not force someone to go- an unhappy campmate can fuck up your burn. And burns are stratne to relationships. Burn drama can be a force for good or bad in a relationship. We dont know the two of you well enough to answer the question fully other than to say that you should choose carefully.

Volunteer: great that you want to your first year. I would not sign up for shifts early.You will need time to get your bearings. There are plenty of on playa opportunities like lamplighters or the volunteer info at center camp. Hell you can usually just volunteer in the moment for lots of stuff- i went to barbie day spa to get a foot massage and ended up giving massages for three hours. So much fun!

Those who love burning have their lives changed- usually for the better. It gives you something to look forward to, to plan for, to create for. My life is better for burning. My bank account and amount of free storage space are the only thigns that truely suffer.

[illy dilly]

Latchseeker! Welcome to Eplaya! You sound pretty kick ass!

I'm sure that i'm worrying to much, but if you think i am, tell me anyway seeing it actually written means more

You're not worrying too much at all! Its never to late to start prepping!
Many a Stealth Virgin have been born on eplaya! If you pop into this thread regularly and learn lots and start prepping now, peoples mouths will drop when you tell them its your first year!

In your opinion, does experiencing the playa severely diminish normal life? It seems like this will become my life, (pretension aside its an honest concern) Can anyone share their experience with similar concerns? ****

Um..... Like everyone said this varies person to person, so no one person can give a real answer to this, but I'm gonna give you my 2 cents anyway.
You'll find the first couple of weeks that you get back from the burn that you really miss it, and sort of hate the real world and all the bull shit. Its natural and its called decompression, some years it will be worse than others. But, then after a few weeks, you'll start to notice that you're realizing things about the real world that you didn't necessarily see before- good and bad. For most people they carry a bit of Burning Man with them every day everywhere they go. You will most likely notices changes in your self and your life and the way you view things- again both good and bad. Its different for everyone, but will it severely diminish normal life? Most likely not. Most likely the first few weeks will suck, but you'll bring something back with you that will add to your everyday life the rest of the year.

Alright, that enough hippie dippy bull shit from me for one day!