Is Human Carcass Wash Brainwashing out Newbies?

[lemur]

maybe im the only one?

i keep signatures turned off... i find them annoying and.. annoying.


(yeah i know odd.. considering i have my own signature.. but whatever)

[Riv]

I have massive fucking body issues. And a massive body. Like I said, taking the tatas out for a bit was a new thing for me. I don't think the HCW is creepy or pervy or whatever, just that it's more than I'm willing to do.

So much of the writings on the event involve the HCW, or Critical Tits or nudity and sexuality in general. And while it's a part of it, and I'd venture to say an important one, it's not as essential to the experience as I thought it would be. I didn't have to strip down to push my own boundaries, or participate. I don't feel like I missed something. That was surprising to me. Eplaya helps a ton for former virgins like me. If you go by the most published photos, you might think there's no place for an overweight 35 year old female who goes covered nearly head to toe most of the day because otherwise I would burn to a fucking crisp.

And to hear respected veterans say that they don't take part in some of these things eases my mind. It's not necessarily a hang up that I have to "get over." Just a personal preference that is acceptable.

I guess my point was the general one expressed so often on eplaya. Participation occurs in many forms. Burn the way you want to burn. Yada, yada, yada.

This speaks to me a lot right now--I've been working on having a positive body image for several years now and am feeling pretty good about myself overall (and I'll totally be fat and naked out there if I want to). But it still feels icky when I note how many Burning Man videos are basically: dudes of all body types hanging out and being competent/doing stuff/building stuff, ladies of a very specific body type dancing/being decorative. I can't wait to actually be there and have all that media blown away by reality... I'm sure there are plenty of decorative dudes and competent ladies there too

[lemur]

of the ladies that i camp with now and in the past.. probably 9.9 out of 10 could kick my ass ..both physically and in construction and ..well most anything else.... the media depiction is surely a bit off..... but then again, i dont frequent some of the sparklepony places so maybe im missing that aspect

a buncha PERVY guys making videos of "hot chicks" certainly does skew things a bit.. but in my experience.. its just regular ol' american folks with people of all types of bodies and interests doing stuff.

[Elderberry]

I have massive fucking body issues. And a massive body. Like I said, taking the tatas out for a bit was a new thing for me. I don't think the HCW is creepy or pervy or whatever, just that it's more than I'm willing to do.

So much of the writings on the event involve the HCW, or Critical Tits or nudity and sexuality in general. And while it's a part of it, and I'd venture to say an important one, it's not as essential to the experience as I thought it would be. I didn't have to strip down to push my own boundaries, or participate. I don't feel like I missed something. That was surprising to me. Eplaya helps a ton for former virgins like me. If you go by the most published photos, you might think there's no place for an overweight 35 year old female who goes covered nearly head to toe most of the day because otherwise I would burn to a fucking crisp.

And to hear respected veterans say that they don't take part in some of these things eases my mind. It's not necessarily a hang up that I have to "get over." Just a personal preference that is acceptable.

I guess my point was the general one expressed so often on eplaya. Participation occurs in many forms. Burn the way you want to burn. Yada, yada, yada.

FYI HCCW is not my 'thang' either. But the quote I like most from an earlier post, to paraphrase: "I'm just glad it's there"

[Elderberry]

maybe im the only one?

i keep signatures turned off... i find them annoying and.. annoying.


(yeah i know odd.. considering i have my own signature.. but whatever)

Oh, not MY signature. My signature is perfect and so special. I mean, I am just like totally offended that you are not seeing it each and every time you login.

[The Rod]

My first year I went through 'The Wash'. Accompanied by a few camp mates, one of which there was some awkwardness left over from our old boss/employee arrangement.

Much awkwardness was felt on the way in. Once in and going through 'the process' much of the old weirdness and awkwardness melted away into trust and acceptance. The wash experience was a big part of our friendship forging through the burn, now we love each other dearly. The wash was also very healing for me in the area of comfort being naked around other people and being around other naked people. I'd recommend it... Although its clearly not for everyone.

What I would also highly recommend would be to cover your feet/entire body in plastic bags before stepping into the nasty hippy wash tubs... When I got home from the burn I had developed a new feature on my right foot, and I knew exactly where it came from.. The wash. Now I need to keep a tube of anti fungal cream in my sundries kit.. And none of that stretching a pair of socks an extra day or two. Fucking dirty hippies

I definitely think there are some serious sanitation issues that should be addressed with that place, however great it is at breaking down barriers and challenging boundaries about nakedness...

[Elderberry]

Stop what?
if you ARE butt-hurt, use PM's to sort it...

Depends. If you've been offended in public, it should be defended in public. IMHO, YMMV

[lemur]

sounds like someone needs to work on their 'i need sanitation' barriers ... i mean, fungus is a normal part of life..

i think you need to ask yourself why youre afraid of a perfectly normal thing..

[The Rod]

Fungus... Perfectly normal part of life. So are bacteria, parasites and viruses.. All things as someone who is planning on serving food to the public I need to be aware of and take the right precautions not to make people sick by gifting them a tamale.

I saw absolutely nothing in the way of a sanitizing solution in that place. Dr Bronners is great for a lot of reasons, but when there are dozens, or hundreds or whatever number of weirdos bathing in a collective space I feel more of an effort to keep things safe for participants should be made. I think trying to bring the issue of sanitation to the discourse is perfectly valid, but what would a strepsirrini know about sanitation...

[lemur]

i know stuff!!

i had to appease the health department, and myself.. in terms of keeping people safe when i ran a 225+ person kitchen for a few years on the playa, and i was mostly playing on the whole boundaries silliness above

do these operations need any permits/inspections ? ..perhaps they should, if they dont

is it just 'hey! get rid of that graywater' ?

whatever the case may be! i think i wouldnt want to be camping next door to find out whether or not the carcass wash is a succesful breeding ground for legionnaires' disease

[theCryptofishist]

Stop what?
if you ARE butt-hurt, use PM's to sort it...

Depends. If you've been offended in public, it should be defended in public. IMHO, YMMV

And then there's the drama queen factor...

[maryanimal]

Stop what?
if you ARE butt-hurt, use PM's to sort it...

Depends. If you've been offended in public, it should be defended in public. IMHO, YMMV

And then there's the drama queen factor...

Is that anything like the X-Factor? Maybe Fear Factor where they eat worms? Or Max Factor?

[tatonka]

[media]

[Ugly Dougly]

Hey, Tatonka, you missed a spot.
Ah, there it is, now I feel fresh.

[Elderberry]

tattoogoddess wrote:
Wow so funny fishy. *golf clap*
I don't know what your problem is with me personally as I have never done anything to you, but the way you treated me on playa was uncalled for and now making these little quips needs to stop. I don't find cute or even snarky. The way you treat me and on the border line attack me is not appropriate, rude, bullyish and just childish. If you don't like me fine. You don't have to. But you don't need to be rude or making fun of people if you don't like them. There are plenty of people here I don't care for, but I'm not going to be rude to them. No need for it. So please just drop it already ok?

maybe because you are so fucking annoying.

just My Humble Opinion...

LOL how did I miss this? Snap and double snap!

[misfit]

go find yourselves a nice sterile spot somewhere,,, the rest of us are going to burning man...........

[The Rod]

and i was mostly playing on the whole boundaries silliness above

do these operations need any permits/inspections ? ..perhaps they should, if they dont

is it just 'hey! get rid of that graywater' ?

Oh.. You were just playing? There I go getting all bunched up and over defensive again.. I thought you were seriously attacking my character by calling attention to my sanitation boundary issues (I'm working on 'em!) on an online message board no less... Shoulda used a PM to resolve the 'issue'

But seriously, I don't advocate permits or inspections as an anti-government hippie. I do however think the responsibility of keeping people safe should taken by people providing bathing and feeding services to the public... How can we encourage responsible mass bathing practices without regulations?

I really don't fucking know... I just want to go to party like a rock star in the desert and stop taking shit so seriously, including my own issues with personal foot hygiene...

I should just stop talking right about now

Seriously.

[lemur]

anti government hippies shouldnt party like a rockstar at a festival for which the organizers need a federal govt permit !

[illy dilly]

But seriously, I don't advocate permits or inspections as an anti-government hippie. I do however think the responsibility of keeping people safe should taken by people providing bathing and feeding services to the public... How can we encourage responsible mass bathing practices without regulations?

I mostly disagree. I think that the responsibility of keeping people safe should by taken by the individual person.
It is up to each individual to choose to be washed with nasty grey water or not. Or to eat Sushi from a bar in the middle of the desert, did you glance around or ask where they've been storing that fish? Walking up to a bar and they poor you a drink out of a random container, its your choice to drink it or not.
That's not just for Burning Man but all 365 days a year. If you choose to eat food from a place where someone else is preparing your food, you are choosing to take a risk of food born illness. Do you eat those $5 burritos from a cooler outside a club at 2am? Up to you. Do you eat at 5 star steak joints, with dry aged steak? Your choice. Do you get mani-pedi's and assume the tools are clean? Up to you. Do you trust every taxi driver you see? Also up to you.
Every individuals safety is their responsibility and up to their judgement.

Of course there are things that are out of your control, and for those sort of things someone should be responsible, and typically there are regulations in place.

[The Rod]

But seriously, I don't advocate permits or inspections as an anti-government hippie. I do however think some responsibility of keeping people safe should taken by people providing bathing and feeding services to the public... How can we encourage responsible mass bathing practices without regulations?

What I wish I'd said ^

Ok, I see your point and agree with it to an extent, ultimately it is the users responsibility to keep the user safe, but I also think some of it should fall on the provider to provide a safe provision, like both parties should be the responsible one, not just one side. *Ideally* I yearn for a more responsible society as a whole, all around. Maybe well get there, maybe not, in the mean time I'm just gonna party!

And it is a damn shame that I pay stupid amounts of money for a ticket to a govm'nt permitted festival, I'm even anti-currency!! And the gas... The damn gas that I'll have to buy to get there... When will it end? The cognitive dissonance is making my head hurt. I need a drink.

[BBadger]

go find yourselves a nice sterile spot somewhere,,, the rest of us are going to burning man...........

Would that be golden shower camp?

[Simon of the Playa]

i'm totally pulling a "Baby-Ruth" at the HCW....

[media]

[FIGJAM]

They also have the Hinny Hygiene station at the same location!

[MyDearFriend]

sounds like someone needs to work on their 'i need sanitation' barriers ... i mean, fungus is a normal part of life..

i think you need to ask yourself why youre afraid of a perfectly normal thing..

Lemur I think you were joking here but, I have to agree: the athlete's foot fungus is the same as the jock itch fungus, the prickly heat fungus and the fungus responsible for diaper rash. And it really is everywhere. You can't avoid exposure to it, so, sanitizing things or wearing shower shoes or whatever else you do to anything but your own body is useless. People get athlete's foot from public showers because they put their shoes back on while their feet are still damp, not because "oooh some icky dirty person was here before me."

The only thing you can do to avoid growing fungus is keep yourself dry. It is that simple. Clean socks are good but only if they are dry.

If you know you've had a prolonged exposure, a good rub with an antifungal should help, though, for surface treatment vinegar-water is highly effective. But wash with soap & water first, whatever you do, and dry your feet thouroughly before you put (dry!) shoes on.

Okay, back to your regular snarking.

[mgb327]

What, Nurse Betty just pay us a visit?

[MyDearFriend]

What, Nurse Betty just pay us a visit?

*smooch*

[lemur]

If you know you've had a prolonged exposure, a good rub with an antifungal should help

sounds like an idea for another pervy camp!!


antifungal crotch washing at 7:45 and E!!!

[Savannah]

[mgb327]

What, Nurse Betty just pay us a visit?

*smooch*

Un grande beso por la senorita.....

[The Rod]

7:45 and E you say? that's perfect as I'm at 8:00 and E... I'll bring my tamale stand over and serve people tamales while they get their junk de-fungalized.

Don't worry, precautions have been taken (like sanitizing solution) to insure no fungal infections will be spread through the tamale ritual.