Alright, let's hear the best and worst from 2012

[piehole]

And if it weren't for the magic of the internet, I'd not be able to participate in this conversation, except at some dodgy bar, and I wouldn't be there because my hair's wet and I'm only waiting for it to get dry enough to sleep and I'd have to put on pants...

I love you fishy. *pinches your cheeks*

[illy dilly]

Holy shit, if anyone actually stuck their head in the hole, could you imagine it!
They would so deserve a pie in the face!

I have to make this happen. Holy shit this needs to happen.

I will do everything in my power to help!

O man, and you have to dress like some sort of cheap Circus side show conductor or something.
That GUY----->

It wouldn't be that hard.
A ply wood box with a face sized hole in one end. It would have to be large enough to have full arm motion so you can fling a pie.

Fishy will be the official "napkin hander outer" after people get hit in the face with a pie!
Fishy, you'll give them little tiny moist-towelets and probably a PBR

[piehole]

I'm sorry, that was terrible of me. I meant, "by the time I shake your ass". (As per the ePlaya Terms of Service, all ePlaya virgins who fail to cross paths with me their first year at the Meet & Greet must face me the following year in Center Camp, for a ceremonial Pants-Off Dance-Off judged by a jury of drunken peers.)

*Sigh*
I'm gonna have to dust off the old pants-off-dancin' shoes then.
I haven't had to use these guys in a while.

Well boys, it looks like we're gonna have to dance our way out of another one.

[Mountain~Goat]

you totally stole my moist towelette idea!

pie-guy



Were doin this.
i personally volunteer to pie dipsticks in the face

[pink]

Pie on the playa.....

mmmmmm pie......

[AntiM]

And then hand them a cold beer, because it is always Pie n Beer Day on the playa.

(sorry, obscure Utah in joke ... Pioneer Day for the Mormons, Pie N Beer days for us heathens)

[Sham]

BEST: All the new young people in our camp who brought great spirit and fun into the event.

WORST: All the Pershing County Sheriff rented "soccer mom" SUV's with temporary stickers on the doors, driving by our camp every 15 minutes with faces pressed to the side windows like a child looking for an ice cream truck. (no ice cream here boys, move along)

[illy dilly]

WORST: All the Pershing County Sheriff rented "soccer mom" SUV's with temporary stickers on the doors, driving by our camp every 15 minutes with faces pressed to the side windows like a child looking for an ice cream truck. (no ice cream here boys, move along)

That sucks Shambala!
Our camp only got slow rolled a hand full of times the whole week. I witnessed 2, and other camp mates saw a couple others. The frequency was much high the later part of the week.
And mostly when the neighbors were having pretty big parties. But we were also out at 3:15 and G.

Which Reminds me:
BEST: The move by placement to make G street a sort of back streets esplanade.
And being camped next to Apres Ski, they're Mid day parties kick ass! Same goes for Space Gnomes @ 3 and E (maybe D?)!!!

[graidawg]

No, no, I get it . . . I just wanted to make sure there was some Original Piehole left by the time I shake your hand.

shake my HAND?

psh, you're getting a hug, Sav.

I'm sorry, that was terrible of me. I meant, "by the time I shake your ass". (As per the ePlaya Terms of Service, all ePlaya virgins who fail to cross paths with me their first year at the Meet & Greet must face me the following year in Center Camp, for a ceremonial Pants-Off Dance-Off judged by a jury of drunken peers.)

dammit can we pretend we've never met for a pants off- dance off in center camp Sav? english pants that is

[packlet]

<quote>The two little girls (maybe 5 years old) who had turned their power wheels jeep into an art car and drove all over in it. So amazing.</quote>

That would have been my daughter Avril (4) and her friend Karydis (5), with MathCamp @ Pi & E.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49201507@N ... 1427877822

Avril's brother Victor (3) can be seen driving it on the Huffington Post web site:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/0 ... de=1469314

I built up the jeep, replacing the anemic stock battery with two wheelchair batteries for playa-cruzin range.
A 50W solar panel on the roof provided some shade and helped keep it going between charges at base camp.
Momma made the rainbow art (with the kid's approval of course) and I attached it to the frame.
It was a last-minute thing, but worked really well, even in the deep dust. Will make it less obviously
a PowerWheels for next year. People seemed to truly enjoy seeing it and the kids driving it, so that was great. Thanx.

[The Hustler]

Good: blue lights on portapotty banks. Genius.
Bad: candle powered paper flying lanterns

The blue porta-shit lights made navigation in the dust storms oddly easy.

Best:
The people: My awesome neighbors Dino and Serpent, and the birgin Matthew; the other Media Mecca people; passers-by.
I met some seriously righteous people form all over the world, with a galaxy of stories and reasons.
The guy playing the didgeridoo, who stopped playing to explain how the instrument worked and the cultural implications of it.
Seeing people from last year but getting names and contact information this time.
Remembering flags for my camp on 6:30 and G, the pirate and black gadsden flag. My neighbors and others said it helped them find their camp easily. The flimsy, flexible, telescoping portable flag pole held up wonderfully.
The Alaskan kids across 6:30 from me. They "fished" with a plushy toy, which they picked up as moop. They were also MOOP warriors.
The wonderful Australian girl who invited me to the impromptu tea party in front of my camp in the street. She gathered a mix of people for an oddly good time. I discovered how delicious high-quality PB&J sandwiches are with cheap yellow mustard.
The army asshole who said my camp wasn't tactical (although he gets a pass because he said he woke up from a coma in Fort Hood three days before heading to BRC, he was deployed in Afghanistan when he was injured and "medically retired" with 2% disability at 20 years old. He said "what the hell am I going to do now?")
I didn't have the depression and other decompression problems as last year, unless it's going to hit me when I'm not looking. Oh dear.
No funerals on the way home, no one I knew died this time, although my mom was very close a few weeks before I left for BRC.
The surprisingly good condition of the playa and some of the roads, they were like smooth concrete with small piles of dust. Very fast with my retarded bike.
Awesome food in the commissary, like last year. I was smart enough to use two plates at once to make it count.
The people with children having a damn fine time. That warms my cold, rotting heart.
The epic, moon-scortching fireball when the man burned. I had a front row seat on the 6:00 side and was amused seeing everyone in the center scurry back, although I was screwed as my face nearly melted since I couldn't move anywhere. Add to that, the guy next to me having a good old time seriously fucked up on mushrooms.
[added:] The girl tap dancing up a storm on a table in Center Camp Cafe
[added:] Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, although I think they now have a different name.

Worse:
The condition of some of the roads and deep playa: the DEEP potholes or ripples, the bottomless soft spots.
The CREEPY old guys in Center Camp Cafe who had a seriously predatory vibe about them. Few things bother me, but those guys gave me the willies.
The weekender people across from me who argued nonstop and left all sorts of shit behind.
The asshole with the dog, which was peeing on things.
The people with the feathers
The army asshole who said my camp wasn't tactical (although he gets a pass because he said he woke up from a coma in Fort Hood three days before heading to BRC, he was deployed in Afghanistan when he was injured and "medically retired" with 2% disability at 20 years old.)

[The Hustler]

<quote>The two little girls (maybe 5 years old) who had turned their power wheels jeep into an art car and drove all over in it. So amazing.</quote>

That would have been my daughter Avril (4) and her friend Karydis (5), with MathCamp @ Pi & E.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49201507@N ... 1427877822

Avril's brother Victor (3) can be seen driving it on the Huffington Post web site:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/0 ... de=1469314

I built up the jeep, replacing the anemic stock battery with two wheelchair batteries for playa-cruzin range.
A 50W solar panel on the roof provided some shade and helped keep it going between charges at base camp.
Momma made the rainbow art (with the kid's approval of course) and I attached it to the frame.
It was a last-minute thing, but worked really well, even in the deep dust. Will make it less obviously
a PowerWheels for next year. People seemed to truly enjoy seeing it and the kids driving it, so that was great. Thanx.

Awesome. I added you as a Flickr contact.

[TinkerMom]

The best:
My playa husband, playa kids, playa grandson! And everybody else in our family in the dust!
The long, deep, passionate kiss I got from one of the fire spinner girls, just before the man set off.
Running into a very old long time friend, and fighting back all those old feelings.
Sitting out and enjoying the moon, smoking a cig and thinking "Jeesh, I think it's going to rain" and then it did.
My early morning rides, all by myself and the moon.
COOKIES!!!
That crazy green blinking light that was high above my truck. I heard more people say "When you come down 4:00, just look
for the green light."
The chicken biscuit I got from AntiM

The worst:
I just can't get into it.

[illy dilly]

"So uh, why's it called the Piehole?"

"Why don't ya stick your head in that hole and find out?"

*BAM*

"YOU'VE BEEN PIEHOLED!!"

Haha!
Still funny!
Even 5 days later!

[Bob]

Packlet -- Great pics. About all my 3yo wanted to do last year was pound on the trampolines.

[clocksnmirrors]

worst: not being sure of the ppp (porta potty policy) on dumping pee, and therefore toting three gallon containers of urine home with me. ick.

[Milayna]

<quote>The two little girls (maybe 5 years old) who had turned their power wheels jeep into an art car and drove all over in it. So amazing.</quote>

That would have been my daughter Avril (4) and her friend Karydis (5), with MathCamp @ Pi & E.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/49201507@N ... 1427877822

Avril's brother Victor (3) can be seen driving it on the Huffington Post web site:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/0 ... de=1469314

I built up the jeep, replacing the anemic stock battery with two wheelchair batteries for playa-cruzin range.
A 50W solar panel on the roof provided some shade and helped keep it going between charges at base camp.
Momma made the rainbow art (with the kid's approval of course) and I attached it to the frame.
It was a last-minute thing, but worked really well, even in the deep dust. Will make it less obviously
a PowerWheels for next year. People seemed to truly enjoy seeing it and the kids driving it, so that was great. Thanx.

Packlet thanks for the links to the pictures, that was SO awesome, my whole camp was talking about how cute it was

[piehole]

Pie on the playa.....

mmmmmm pie......

oh stop it

[piehole]

"So uh, why's it called the Piehole?"

"Why don't ya stick your head in that hole and find out?"

*BAM*

"YOU'VE BEEN PIEHOLED!!"

Haha!
Still funny!
Even 5 days later!

that only means that it has to happen.
should we get a kickstarter/indiegogo page going in a few months and set a goal for like $20,000 for no reason at all?

[VultureChow]

that only means that it has to happen.
should we get a kickstarter/indiegogo page going in a few months and set a goal for like $20,000 for no reason at all?

Hell yeah! With some art grant language about how the hole represents the feminine transcendental passage through the 17 levels of consciousness and the pie represents pie.

[graidawg]

Pie on the playa.....

mmmmmm pie......

oh stop it

as minister of the 5th church of Pie. I approve of pinks comment. piehole gets a pass because he has pie in his name

[piehole]

I remember you telling me that at Ice-Cubed!!

[piehole]

that only means that it has to happen.
should we get a kickstarter/indiegogo page going in a few months and set a goal for like $20,000 for no reason at all?

Hell yeah! With some art grant language about how the hole represents the feminine transcendental passage through the 17 levels of consciousness and the pie represents pie.

I could be wearing one of my keffiyehs in the video, sipping a caramel macchiato, and sporting some obviously faux ray bans. Do you think that would help out at all?

[VultureChow]

I could be wearing one of my keffiyehs in the video, sipping a caramel macchiato, and sporting some obviously faux ray bans. Do you think that would help out at all?

Cay you grow a mustache? Preferably handlebar. That would complete the package.

I can provide a few trust fund girls in their 20's to be in the video. Our parents go to the same synagogue.

[theCryptofishist]

that only means that it has to happen.
should we get a kickstarter/indiegogo page going in a few months and set a goal for like $20,000 for no reason at all?

Hell yeah! With some art grant language about how the hole represents the feminine transcendental passage through the 17 levels of consciousness and the pie represents pie.

I could be wearing one of my keffiyehs in the video, sipping a caramel macchiato, and sporting some obviously faux ray bans. Do you think that would help out at all?

You could pretend to be a 70s oil sheik. Remember how we hated the arabs in the 70s? Because they had money. It was a lot more satisfying than hating them because we paranoidly think that they are out to get us, when it's just because our foreign policy sucks and we're alienating them.

[Roberto Dobbisano]

You could pretend to be a 70s oil sheik. Remember how we hated the arabs in the 70s? Because they had money. It was a lot more satisfying than hating them because we paranoidly think that they are out to get us, when it's just because our foreign policy sucks and we're alienating them.

what, you mean all those Golan-Globus films are Biased?

wtf?

[piehole]

I could be wearing one of my keffiyehs in the video, sipping a caramel macchiato, and sporting some obviously faux ray bans. Do you think that would help out at all?

Cay you grow a mustache? Preferably handlebar. That would complete the package.

I can provide a few trust fund girls in their 20's to be in the video. Our parents go to the same synagogue.

one step ahead of you, but i like the way you think.

wanna collaborate on this project with illy dilly and i?

we'll let you ride our krug champagne art car

[I'veBeenHad]

Worst
Being it was my first burn, I was mentally unprepared for the dust. I mean the dust was everywhere within 5 minutes of arrival. I tried in vain to protect things from the dust at first (e.g. our tent) and soon I learned resistance is futile. I was just not ready to surrender my self to what I considered filth but soon enough I relented and just went with the flow!
The heat in the early morning kept me from getting enough rest. I mean even 3 or 4 hours straight. Next year I am definitely bringing battery operated fans for some ventilation.

You must become one with the dust.

Seriously, scrubbing the sunscreen off is part of my daily ritual, but I don't expect to remain dust free for more than a few seconds. Hell, I probably have a pic around here of at least a half inch of dust in my sleeping bag.

Once you accept it - the dust is comforting.

And before you know it, you'll find your self saying things like "Throw some dust on it"

Yeah by the end of the week there were definitely some jokes... Like "man, I opened this brand new bag of chips and dust came out"

I read the survival guide but still I think it is hard to imagine/adequately prepare for some of the challenges of living on the playa before actually experiencing it, firsthand. All in all, it was a great experience and I would not change it.

[Thufir Hawatt]

Bests: Arriving at 2:30 A.M. on Thursday pre-event, heading to center-camp to get our bearings, and finding well-meaning but utterly worthless advice-filled folk whom wanted me to take their picture. Apparently this picture was a joke, we just never found out what that joke was supposed to be.
Being utterly annihilated by dust storms that same day. Getting caught out on the open Playa pre-event is not an experience I'd recommend for any but the most adventurous. I could feel the skin being flayed off of the backs of my knees, and there were giant-ass cranes driving around at high speeds. Utterly magical.
The amazing folks that I got to paint next to at the Center Camp Cafe wall. I usually paint rather slowly, so trying to paint something that was twice as large as anything that I'd attempted previously was daunting to say the least. Through all of the sleep deprivation, addled neurons, and self-doubt the artists on my side of the wall were there to keep me going. I believe that one of them was named Garrett and that he was camping with Fractal Nation, there was also a couple whom were working with spray cans and a gentleman whom threw up the quickest piece I've ever seen. When the rain began to fall on Saturday(?) evening we all began to laugh simultaneously, and I was HOME.
The gents whom came to offer us caffeine and snacks on Sunday early in the AM, to help us power through our murals. Your kind words will never be forgotten.
Getting a chance to display my art to thousands of people. Though I wasn't entirely satisfied with how it turned out other folks seemed to enjoy it, and that's what it's about.
Watching the city go up ,seemingly, over night.
Seeing my friends pull into camp after four days of severe deprivation. SOOOOOOOOO many hugs were issued.
All of the wild folks whom came by the bar and offered up interesting experiences.
Our neighbors at Alternative Energy Village were incredibly gracious, and several came over to thank us for being good neighbors. 7 and F was a fantastic place to be this year.
Discovering I was actually a decent bartender.
FINALLY LETTING GO of my hang-ups about my personal appearance.
Getting dressed up by my camp-mates and dancing (for the first time in all of my life) at Opulent Temple with a few beautiful women. As a recovering member of the hardcore/metal community this was a revelation.
Developing this incredibly powerful wanderlust that now consumes my every waking moment.
The advent of the 'No Unicorn Left Behind' policy, and the (un)fortunate creation of the term 'Scary Playa'. Scary Playa led to the best ten hours of my life. We packed ten years into ten hours, and love was born.
Not watching the temple burn. That was far too amazing a structure to watch go up in flames.
Leaving baggage from previous relationships in poem form on the temple, was a tear inducing catharsis that I've needed for the past couple of years.
All of the amazing people whom made this the most incredible experience of my existence to this point, but next year is always better right?
Our neighbors Tom and Casey were incredibly gracious and kind.
The DPW gentleman whom offered us the use of heavy equipment pre-event if we needed it. That dude was rad.
Running into the one random person from last year that myself and my camp mate really wanted to, and discovering that we had more in common than just brewing amazing beer.
The look in a first-timers eyes when they were truly beginning to 'get' it.
Not letting the event book rule my days.
Being a contributor to the experience for so many, and feeling like a true Burner. Black Rock City holds me captive.

Worst:
Leaving. Decompressing.
The constant and unending fear that our monkey-hut was going to collapse pre-event.
Watching creepy dudes try to take advantage of severely inebriated half-naked women.
The ridiculous amount of glow MOOP. I swear I picked up fifteen pounds worth of expired glow stick wristbands. Watching people put them in the spokes of their bikes was also thoroughly depressing.
My bike disintegrating the day before the event started. As a bike-shop employee I was kind of ashamed. It was free, and getting around on foot isn't as arduous for me as it seems to be for a lot of folks. So I guess this could go into the bests as well.

See you next year Black Rock City!

[theCryptofishist]

The best: finally finding a camp I mesh with.
The worst: having it yanked from under me...