Representing Burning Man Without Going

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:02 pm

I designed a complete art car when I was 4 or 5 years old.
What does that make me?
I wasn't even driving yet.

Artemis · Post by **Artemis** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:03 pm

gyre wrote:I designed a complete art car when I was 4 or 5 years old.
What does that make me?
I wasn't even driving yet.

A 4.5 year old that didn't drive but designed a complete art car?

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:19 pm

gyre wrote:I designed a complete art car when I was 4 or 5 years old.
What does that make me?

A GM Auto engineer

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:27 pm

Artemis wrote:
gyre wrote:I designed a complete art car when I was 4 or 5 years old.
What does that make me?
I wasn't even driving yet.
A 4.5 year old that didn't drive but designed a complete art car?

I didn't know how to build it, but I knew I wanted it.
It was a creature and you climbed inside the body.
I still have the sketches somewhere.

Of course, I had never heard of an art car.
I didn't know what to call it.

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:59 am

That made you a creative kid, Gyre. A review of your posts would suggest that it makes you a gearhead now.

Burning Man brings together a lot of folks who like to mess with machines, but mechanical experimentation is not the spirit of BMan. It brings together lots of people who like glowy, blinky stuff, but glowing blinkiness is not the spirit of BMan. It brings together lot of people who like dancing to electronic music, but that is not....

That's all I'm saying. I don't think anyone can 'represent the spirit of Burning Man' whether they have been or not.

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 8:33 am

Badger wrote: indicates an extraordinary amount of hubris and presumption.

Allyn, I really want to thank you for that incredible tutorial you posted in another thread about side-emitting fibre optics. That was one of the most informative and enjoyable posts Ive seen in a long time, and directly relevant to my Burning Man experience. Welcome Aboard.

I quoted Badger's response simply because I want to explain to you something about Badger and perhaps a dozen other folks who post on ePlaya. Badger in no way represents the spirit of Burning Man. He represents massive insecurity and a damaged ego which compels him to issue forth a continuous stream of haughy and contemptious posts. There are several others who will join in and wail on someone just to make themselves feel better in the short term. Ignore these bozos. They are far morenumerous on ePlaya than out on the real Playa. Only a tiny fraction of the folks who go to Burning Man post here. A lot post a few times and get chased away by the dozen or so asshats who get off on putting others down.

But also realize that the thing that got me hooked on Burning Man was not just the jaw-dropping full-stop creatvity, but the sheer amount of random kindness and acceptance I felt out on the Playa. Gay,straight, beautiful, ugly, nerdy, plain vanilla, freak...all seem to be accepted and welcomed out on the Playa. To the extent Badger was trying to say: "until you've been out on the Playa, you just never will know" he's correct.

But I didnt take your post to mean that because you are really creatve and imaginative you can go around talking like a Burning Man vet. What I took your post to mean was "even though I've never been to the Playa, do you think I'm a Burner at heart?" Yes, I do. After my first year I met so many other first-timers who held the same sentitment...."after I went to the Playa I realized I had been a Burner all my life and just didn't know it."

I have asthma and in four straight years never had to use my inhaler even once. Your CPAP is for apnea, which I take to mean you need it only at night. Yes, you can successfuly go to Burning Man with a CPAP, it will just mean you have to employ your amazing skill with things electrical and mechanical and spend a little more money.

As for my comments about Bager, I really dont want to start a flame war. It would be nice if he would post a response apologizing for being mean-spirited, but I suspect I'll get skinned and a few others will join in the frey. I am just personally really really tired of seeing really creative newbies attacked and potentially chased off. It's so unneccessay and so anti-Burning Man.

Allyn, you have 3/4 of a year to suss out how to bring a CPAP machine to BM. You can do it, you'll succeed, and your life may be changed ever so slightly for the effort.

gyre · Post by **gyre** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:02 am

fciron wrote:That made you a creative kid, Gyre. A review of your posts would suggest that it makes you a gearhead now.

Burning Man brings together a lot of folks who like to mess with machines, but mechanical experimentation is not the spirit of BMan. It brings together lots of people who like glowy, blinky stuff, but glowing blinkiness is not the spirit of BMan. It brings together lot of people who like dancing to electronic music, but that is not....

That's all I'm saying. I don't think anyone can 'represent the spirit of Burning Man' whether they have been or not.

I think he was using 'representing' in the modern vernacular, not the technical meaning.

I do think that mechanical experimentation, when it's done for the sheer delight of it, is part of that spirit.
Burning man is about "Can we do that?" and "How can we do that?" from camping to never-seen-before whatever to rapid oxidation.

Sail Man · Post by **Sail Man** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:08 am

Well said Teo. Bravo! Allyn, how bout building a filter box out of furnace filters to house the cpap? Does it have an air intake, what about filterizing that? Especially if your inside an rv I doubt you'd have an issue with dust so a filter would be the icing on the cake. hmmm, must be lunchtime

Looking at your pics I most def. see your inner Burner spirit just busting to get out. Give into it, come to the playa and set it free, come to the playa...insert snake charmer music here

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:16 am

I quoted Badger's response simply because I want to explain to you something about Badger and perhaps a dozen other folks who post on ePlaya. Badger in no way represents the spirit of Burning Man. He represents massive insecurity and a damaged ego which compels him to issue forth a continuous stream of haughy and contemptious posts.

Spoken like the true presumptuous little ass that that you are.

BTW, care to let the rest of us in on your office hours?

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 9:28 am

for those of you who don't know, Isotopia is Badger's sock-puppet.

Iso/Badger, your reply, as a sock no less, really illustrated my point perfectly. You remind me of the Aesop's fable of the sheep on a rooftop.

I hope you find peace somehow.

mojo · Post by **mojo** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:30 am

Allyn,

Your CPAP is a rental unit - why are you worried about getting dust in it? Unlike units you own, you can swap it for a nice clean shiny one on your return. Just before the festival, swap your unit for the one that uses heated water to moisturize the air flow. It will also help filter the air you breathe.

There are lots of people who overcome gigantic hardships and do manage to get to the festival. Their contribution of participation is beyond compare. But there are also lots who just shouldn't go. Don't let us coerce you into attending if you think it may be unwise for your health. There is a hard edge to this - this is no rainbow gathering.

As far as representin' - hmmm - I don't think I would ever even presume that I could. Too much to portray without knowing the minds of 50,000 artist/participants, volunteers and actual members and employees of the LLC.

misfit · Post by **misfit** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:45 am

>>>>I am just personally really really tired of seeing really creative newbies attacked and potentially chased off. <<<<

it would be nice to see more artistically endowed and less personality challenged...........

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 3:15 pm

Teo del Fuego wrote:for those of you who don't know, Isotopia is Badger's sock-puppet.

Iso/Badger, your reply, as a sock no less, really illustrated my point perfectly. You remind me of the Aesop's fable of the sheep on a rooftop.

I hope you find peace somehow.

You need to find peace and get off his nutsack.

For those of you that don't know Badger has alot of jealous fans that like to swing from his ballsack. These are folks stuck on some gripe usually from many years past that have yet to get over it.

Badgers reply to the original post was spot on albeit a lil callous. You cannot represent Burningman in any way if you have never went. (especially if you've only attended in spirit for the past 10 years)

Hey Teo.. the Animal thread is looking for you.. alot of ppl are giving that new user a raft of shit, go fetch a paddle and help em out since you're in such a mood to be "helpful".

Apollonaris Zeus · Post by **Apollonaris Zeus** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:39 pm

Teo del Fuego wrote:for those of you who don't know, Isotopia is Badger's sock-puppet.
.

That's not true.

Badger is much larger in person!

Badger does as a badger is

You must forgive Iso he's been dosed from too much exposure to Gamma Rays, but don't make him mad he turns Blue and gets nicer!

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:28 pm

Even though we disagree sometimes here, we all believe in the same thing. I have no idea what that is, but when we get together on the desert I don't give a fuck what your politics, your thinking, your opinion.. I just wanna get to know the real you. The you that loves and laughs!

Here at eplaya the written word can cut so deep, if I say you are a mutherfucking asshole it sounds like I am pissed, if I say you are a stupid fucking idiot, it sounds like I don't appreciate your input and thinking.

Above we have someone pose a question that we seem to understand differently. Yet we argue over the answer's that where given. Every answer is just that person opinion. I posted one above and I am the only one who is not an asshole!

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:50 am

I posted one above and I am the only one who is not an asshole!

I tutor. My rates are pretty reasonable.

Also, I hear Teo del Fuego counsels those doing post-doc work in Asshology.

Isotopia · Post by **Isotopia** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:53 am

Did I just make up a new word?

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:53 am

Just think if the Indians had given us a Donkey to eat on that first Thanksgiving, we would all be getting a piece of ass today instead of turkey.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:55 am

Isotopia wrote:Did I just make up a new word?

lose the "h" assology!

what do ya think?

Teo del Fuego · Post by **Teo del Fuego** » Fri Nov 28, 2008 10:33 am

Toolmaker wrote:Hey Teo.. the Animal thread is looking for you.. alot of ppl are giving that new user a raft of shit, go fetch a paddle and help em out since you're in such a mood to be "helpful".

Thanks for the tip Tool. I wasn't in a mood to be helpful, just calling it like I see it. AmericanAnimal dude in the other thread seemed like a bozo to me who didn't bring anything to the table at all, unlike Allyn who posted a really detailed pdf on how to use side emitting fibre optics. Besides animal was pounced on by Simon. Unlike Badger/Iso, Simon usually wraps his snark in a lot of humor and more often than not has something worth reading. Badger is just all snark and no bite. And no, there's not an ounce of jealousy in me for B/Iso, nor any history with him. Just dont like seeing folks who really bring nothing to the table chasing off folks whom I'd really like to hear more from.

Anyway, as long as Allyn knows that the "caustic" ones on this Board don't represent Burning Man, there's no more to say here.

For those of you who PM'd me, thanks for your support.

allyn · Post by **allyn** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:16 pm

Folks:

Thank you for your comments; I just got back from a trip and am looking over them right now.

I am no longer saying that 'I represent Burning Man' in public.

Often people, upon seeing my creations, ask if I got them from the Playa. I explain to them that the creations are my own and that it is coincidental that they match some from the Playa, however I have not yet attended a burn.

You would not believe how many people, in different settings ranging from my Quaker Meeting house, to the community radio station I volunteer at, to my workplace, and to a family Thankgiving outing (last week), have asked if I got my stuff from Burning Man.

This even happened once during my father's funeral of all times back in Massachusetts!

Luv

Cleara

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:39 pm

You definitely belong with the rest of us misfit freaks.
Your CPAP issue is a valid concern but way too easy to deal with to keep you from going.
Hell, camp next to me and I'll run you an extension cord!

fciron · Post by **fciron** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:12 am

Cool. Hope to see you on the playa in 2009!

Anywhere else I would say that you'd be hard to miss.

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:27 am

I am just personally really really tired of seeing really creative newbies attacked and potentially chased off

actually ted, i am prepping these people for the event.

"fuck em' if they cant take a Joke" or "Joke em' if they cant take a Fuck"
has sort of been my guiding principle for many years.

I am tame on these boards, i dont want to scare anyone away, BM needs New Flesh to survive and thrive. With that said, i am notorious on the playa for being completely over the top insanely rude and foul with some of the worst (and therefore gloriously the Best) Jokes and schtick that would make the "Aristocrats" look like a Mormon picnic.

i like to call it my contribution to the "Melange" that occurs at BM.

thin skins had better beware, and rigidity will not serve you well on the playa....Semper Gumby, always flexible, is more practical and in the end a hell of a lot more fun.

Sorry if i come off as an Asshole, it's intentional.

now, let me slide into my comfort zone, and i'll get back to my heckling.

Post by **Elderberry** » Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:03 pm

Simon of the Playa wrote: With that said, i am notorious on the playa for being completely over the top insanely rude and foul with some of the worst (and therefore gloriously the Best) Jokes and schtick that would make the "Aristocrats" look like a Mormon picnic.

Thanks for the warning!

JK

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:21 am

for example, as i was cutting up the lifesize rubber figures that were hanging in the big dome on the last day with a huge cleaver, handing out body parts as souvenirs, i hacked off the breasts and started making horrible Christina Applegate Jokes.

it only gets worse.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:25 am

Hey Simon...
What's green and has 200 breasts?

The dumpster behind the cancer clinic.

Representing Burning Man Without Going

Thank you for your comments!