First time last minute!

[cyborgron]

Hey a little bit about myself, I run a cybersecurity firm in Chicagoland and I've been hearing about burning man ever since I was a child. I'm a nerd and video game lover and have been for almost my entire life. As of this time the vodka to computer code converting machine that I am is 24 years old.

I meant to go last year but responsibilities prevented me. This time around at the last minute I've been notified that I don't in fact have any responsibilities

[lucky420]

Good luck to you

[Sham]

Welcome!
Also, you are teetering on "LAST MINUTE" with your plans. Read the links in my signature below. You will need to bring everything with you. There are no food courts or fried dough carts.
You will need to go full blast, non stop for the next 2 weeks.
Good luck and we'll see you in the dust.

Sham....

[cyborgron]

@Sham
@Lucky420

I've been a raver since I was 17 and I suppose I'm a businessman now so I'm prepared to go all out for two whole weeks!


As far as material things I'm applying to a few camps before I actually buy my ticket. I live in chicago so dragging a heap of things from there does not seem very prudent.

[1durphul]

I've been a raver since I was 17 and I suppose I'm a businessman now so I'm prepared to go all out for two whole weeks!

Your time as a businessman is not going to help you on the playa. It is however going to alienate a lot of people if you talk at all about your job or work while you're there. If you're doing cyber security, my guess is that you are a hacker at heart, that's good, that's the part of you that should be present with you at the burn.

As far as material things I'm applying to a few camps before I actually buy my ticket. I live in chicago so dragging a heap of things from there does not seem very prudent.

Unless you are going to stay at one of the concierge douche bag camps you're going to have to bring at minimum for survival:

• - a four season tent (that means no unsealable mesh, also canvas is better than nylon)
  - enough food and water to survive on (even if you go with a camp that has water and food, sometimes things don't work out, you are not a customer, there is nobody to complain to to make it right. You must be prepared to provide yourself with minimal calories and water to survive)
  - Goggles (cheap motorcycle style)
  - Bandana or Shemagh (you can learn how to tie a Shemagh on YouTube, I recommend it highly over the bandana)
  - WARM NIGHT TIME GEAR. If you've never been to a desert before, the temperature swings from day time highs to nighttime lows can be DRAMATIC. You'll want a warm sleeping bag and at minimum a thermal layer.

Something else to consider:
Burning Man is a gifting economy, and those gifts generally fall into three broad categories: practical, artistic, or volunteering.

Practical gifts fall in the realm of offering services like bike repair, food, or drink, or teaching some sort of zany hippy fad's latest incarnation to other gullible people. Keep in mind that food and drink come with real world government health and safety regulations that are enforced on playa.

Artistic gifts can be just about anything as long as it comes from you, a creation story about your gift never hurts either.

Volunteering is also a gift to the community. A greeter shift, a lamplighter shift, those are both things you can do as a first year burner. I believe you can sign up for them on playa in the ring around centre camp.

Do not think with your dick when coming up with what you can give to Black Rock City.

If you are going with a camp that has a robust interactive element, that you are helping them create or sustain through actual labor, congrats, your gift is already thought up and ready to be given.

To the 30 people about to jump on me for describing gifting in such simple terms: yes, I know. Gifting can be a lot of different things to a lot of different people, I'm just helping a virgin for a first time outing, he can make up his mind about what gifting is and isn't after he's experienced it first hand. I just don't want him to make a mistake like I did my first year out in 2004 when I showed up with Mardi Gras plastic beads.

P.S. When I say you are not a customer at a Theme Camp what I mean is that you are on equal footing with the leadership of a camp when it comes to responsibility for your GROUPS survival at the event. Every one of you is going to suffer through food and water shortages if they happen for whatever reason (and they do happen, even for the best prepared camps. Those fresh water trucks and grey water pump trucks are often hard to find, or come by when nobody is around to pay for the delivery.)

[spacetime]

Whatever happens, this person should post about their burn afterward.

[Savannah]

@Sham
@Lucky420

I've been a raver since I was 17 and I suppose I'm a businessman now so I'm prepared to go all out for two whole weeks!


As far as material things I'm applying to a few camps before I actually buy my ticket. I live in chicago so dragging a heap of things from there does not seem very prudent.

Welcome!

Make sure you read the Survival Guide. It is technically possible for you to get your act together in less than two weeks, but it's going to be a little tricky for a first-timer. Good luck!

[Blueschaser]

Assemble your necessities BEFORE this Saturday. This link will hook you up with a Chicago burner truck (if not already sold out). https://form.jotform.us/71076384905158
Truck closes at 8 PM. Used them last year: wonderful!

[Savannah]

What a wonderful suggestion!

[1durphul]

I forgot to say the most important thing in my post: Welcome Home!