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The Fertile Desert

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-04-05T21:27:45-07:00

From the artist: “The advent of knowing.   The lovers and dreamers.   The laser connections.  These are what bring life out of light while energy dances out of desolate dust. All that is familiar and foreign comes together in who we are and what we want to be... challenging nature and inviting more of ourselves :)” This is THE BEST Burning Man video I have yet seen. It most closely captures, for me, what it is like to be on the playa, communing and expanding with our people, freaking out in Black Rock City.

Trilo On Tickets: "The fundamental problem is not the lottery - it's scarcity."

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-24T20:30:08-08:00

Even Ticketmaster and LiveNation have problems keeping up with demand during the on-sales of popular events, and when demand outstrips server capacity you get anything ranging from kickouts (where someone gets kicked out of the queue and has to start over) to full blown server crashes (where the whole queue gets dumped). The ticketing vendor had dramatically increased their capacity, but that still doesn't guarantee that there wouldn't be a problem (again, even the biggest ticketing vendors in the business have problems with events that have on-sale date demand over 10K or so transactions). ... This was never a problem for Burning Man before, because until the event had shown the capacity to sell out, it was never an event that showed up on the radar of the professional scalper. ... Had Burning Man 'let it ride' and gone with a first-come, first-serve system in 2012 I believe the entire event would have sold out within hours (if not within minutes) with a significant chunk of the ticket supply in the hands of scalpers. ...It would be wrong for someone to just wave their hands and dismiss it all, but it would be significantly more wrong for someone to assume that the system has failed because people are having a hard time understanding or dealing with the changes. ...The registration and drawing were intended to do exactly what they did - provide a means to block automated ticket buying software and block known scalpers and scammers (something a first-come, first-serve system could never do), and in the event that demand was greater than supply it was designed to give all registrants an opportunity to get a ticket. There was always the risk that some would attempt to game the system by getting others to register on their behalf in the hopes of increasing their chances, but personally I don't know how prevalent this problem was. There were certainly enough people bragging about it (or complaining about it) on Facebook and ePlaya before the drawing took place... enough that led Will Chase to highlight the concern in his recent post to the blog and Jack Rabbit Speaks newsletter (sign up for that here). ...It was always expected that there would probably be more people signing up than they had tickets to give them, that's why they did the drawing, so people would have a slightly more fair shot. ... What nobody could have foreseen was that a video about Burning Man would go viral when it did, and get plastered on the home pages of so many different sites around the world. ...First, you could never allow tickets to be exchangeable or transferrable (which kills both gifting and purchasing tickets for projects or camps on a tbd basis), otherwise scalpers and hoarders could simply put any name on them at the point of purchase, and transfer them at a later date. ...In my own experience there have been times where, if I wasn't able to secure a first tier ticket I would not have been able to attend... and I've seen dozens of posts from people on ePlaya who are in the same situation - it would be unfortunate for them to not even have a chance. Sure, the chances were slim for people who could only afford to purchase at the lowest pricing tier (just like they have been in every year they've had tiered pricing), but at least there was a chance. ...I don't believe it was scalpers - sure, some got through and are reselling above face value on other sites - but it's a really small number of tickets being offered compared to the 40,000 tickets just awarded. ...New people bring freshness and excitement and energy to the table that should never be turned away, and I suspect that if we give them the chance the majority will turn out to be at least as amazing as others who have participated in Burning Man in the past. ...Don't do business with scalpers - that's just feeding the bears and contributing to the problem, as well as seriously increasing your risk of getting burned (if the scalper pre-sells that ticket they won't get until June to a higher bidder before they can deliver it to you, or if they get 'found out' as a scalper and their ticket order gets canceled). ... Not only through the friends we know but through the ticket exchange, and through the 10,000 tickets slated to go on sale at the end of March (through an open sale, which should be a relief to those who feel confident they'd come out ahead under the old rules). ... No, there won't be enough tickets for everybody (that's what scarcity means), but there should be enough in play through the secondary sale and aftermarket that the majority of those who are determined to go will be able to find a ticket. Burning Man has already taught all of us that we can build beautiful wonderful things and then destroy them - the next iteration will probably be even better. ...Burning Man has already taught all of us that we can build beautiful wonderful things and then destroy them - the next iteration will probably be even better.

Burning Man 2012 Tickets Part 3 frm Halcyon (aka "Crap or Cone?")

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-16T13:05:00-08:00

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ACT AS IF (or, Kant's Categorical Imperative and How Your Ticket Will Find You)

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-20T23:13:50-08:00

"Act as if the maxim of your action was to become through your will a universal law of nature." -- Immanuel Kant You didn't get a ticket. You didn't get a ticket for your partner, friend, spouse or parent. After all these years of going to The Event In The Desert, you got that email. You know, the one that, more than possibly any and maybe all of your life's cumulative college application rejection letters, grad school rejection letters, breakups-via-email, post-interview-we're-gonna-pass letters, pink slips and denial of parole notifications came across as a rejection of you as a person. How can this thing that has welcomed you when you were needing it most, transformed you into who you are now, been fertile field where your creativity has grown beyond measure...or been your hope and dream or best chance give you the middle finger....so callously, with such disregard to who you are and what it means to you? I am not going to comment on the workings of the ticketing system, or if it is good or bad or evil, or what we should all do *instead* of burning man, now that "most of us" "didn't get" our ticket. I will tell you, in four simple little words, how you will get your ticket. ...You've got the time off work. You've submitted your art app, your theme camp is going full steam ahead. You've got $400 in cash or whatever in an envelope for your ticket. You tell everyone that you're going, you get the blinky stuff for your bike, you get a roof rack for the truck. ...You tell everyone that your ticket hasn't found you. ... No specific notion of how it will get to you, but it will find you. ...DON'T PANIC This is Panic's high season, this is the time when it is the least likely that tickets will change hands. But between the STEP program and the open ticket sales coming up, a lot more people who sincerely believe that they're going to Burning Man will get tickets. ...A week before the event, ticket prices will plunge. Most folks who need tickets will get them then. And damn near all of them will be people who believed that they were going, and acted as if they already had a ticket in hand. ...You might not get a ticket.

Ticket Update: Rebuilding Black Rock City 2012

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-15T23:08:26-08:00

As eager as we are to welcome our newest citizens into our community, it’s crucially important that we have a solid foundation of veteran Burners in Black Rock City to meet, greet and acculturate these eager new participants, ensuring that they not only survive the elements but also fully participate in the Burning Man culture. ...We believe that it’s critical that we attend to Black Rock City’s vital functions — ensuring that theme camps can assemble, art installations can be created, mutant vehicles can safely roam the playa, performance groups have their performers, and Burning Man’s volunteer crews are staffed to provide the vital community services that make our city work. ...We have made the difficult decision to take the 10,000 tickets that were slated to be sold via the Secondary Open Sale and manually redirect them to some of the vital groups and collaborations that make up Black Rock City: volunteers, theme camps, mutant vehicles, art installations and performance groups. ...This analysis will consider a wide variety of projects rather than favoring just one type — large camps and small ones, self-funded as well as honorarium artists, Mutant Vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and performers of all kinds. ...And we’re well aware that there will be still be a great many deserving people who will be left out because we don’t have the means to welcome everyone. ... This is by far one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever had to make, and we do not make it lightly, but after much consultation and review of your feedback, we feel this approach has the widest base of support and is the best one to assure that we can build Black Rock City in 2012. ...If you don’t fall into one of those categories and didn’t get a ticket in the Main Sale, you still have some hope of acquiring a ticket, and we encourage you not to give up. Although it’s bound to be more scarce than usual, there is always a brisk aftermarket for tickets leading right up to the event; people’s plans change, and tickets are sold on the secondary market every year. ...People selling their tickets back via STEP will be refunded the face value of the ticket plus the delivery fee (but not the service fees $7 – as these fees cover services already rendered and are not refundable). In order to encourage the use of STEP as a central resource, Burning Man has decided to cover the $12 “restocking fee” which includes an InTicketing fee and merchant fees that the credit card companies charge to process this type of refund. WHO: Only registrants who did not get tickets in the Main Sale will be eligible to register for tickets through STEP … if you fall into this category, you will receive an email inviting you to register. ... [ADDED 2/15/12: 9:18 PM PST: We recognize the one-per person will dramatically effect the plans and intentions of those who originally ordered 2 tickets and didn't scam the system with a back-up order and were then rejected. ...If you don’t respond within 72 hours, or decline the ticket, it will be made available to the next person in the queue, and you will lose your place in line. ...Our ticket team will closely monitor the queue, and if/when the queue grows large beyond the reasonable likelihood for people at the end to get tickets, we’ll pause it until we determine it becomes viable again. ...We are working with staff, external experts related to this field (including game theorists, sociologists, statisticians, festival producers, ticketing companies, software developers, widely-read bloggers, and more) and an advisory council made up of representative members of the community to determine what works best for Burning Man in the future. ...It’s part of why we have nurtured the Regional Network for more than 10 years, and why we’ve created the Burning Man Project, a global effort with year-round avenues to connect and support this cultural community. ...We’d have to motivate all intended ticket-holders to enter into a new process or plan, and for some that’s seen as a violation of privacy, for others it’s distasteful to change plans in mid-stream. ... We must have a more complete picture of what identify-based ticketing will do to internal processes and whether it’s possible to motivate current order-holders to identify ticket holders and what that would look like. ...We are truly sorry about how this has all played out, and we want to thank you for your patience as we’ve worked through these difficult decisions … there are a lot of logistical and cultural moving parts that need to be considered, and it’s far from easy. We also want to thank you for your passion for this event and its culture, and for your suggestions and ideas about how to solve this problem … we’ve been listening to all of them.

Ticket Update: Radical Inclusion, Meet the Other Nine

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-09T23:04:26-08:00

Few could predict exactly how many new prospective attendees would register, though we had plenty of indication that public interest was greater than ever – especially since we sold out last year, but also in the rise of social media and visibility for Burning Man. ...Every ticket vendor informed us we’d have to use the same type of “queuing system” that meant hours waiting in line at your computer screen – a luxury perhaps not available to many perfectly deserving Burners. And since we did estimate that demand would exceed supply somewhat, we knew that when people rushed in to grab the tickets available, there would be someone left out in the cold – not everyone was going to get tickets who wanted them. By spreading the registration process over a period of time, and making random selection a stated goal of the design, we aimed for a more sane way to access what would be basically the same “odds” at tickets. ...Many a great Burner had their first experience after getting talked into it at the last minute by a friend, and plenty of us have given, swapped, or received a ticket late in the season when plans began to change. ...The impact of that demand is beyond what we projected when designing the system; even if we knew there were destined to be some people missing out, we didn’t expect nearly so many. ...It does appear — and I’d caution we don’t know everything yet — that there was a fair amount of over-registration – those who said “I need one but I’ll order two…” or “I’m not sure I’m going but I’ll get one just in case.” ...One such participant shared a magical YouTube video he created in 2011 (“Oh The Places You’ll Go!”) – the link hit the Huffington Post in January and went viral, eventually hitting 1.3 million views from all around the world; its visibility peaked right around the day that ticket registration opened. And, thinking we wanted to ensure a fair shake at the new system for Burners, we decided to leave registration open for two full weeks, just to be sure that any of you who were out on vacation or away from your computers for the announcement had plenty of time to get a fair shot. ...In 2012, we’re faced with figuring out how we can address the Principle of Radical Inclusion now that the unthinkable has come true: millions of people have heard of Burning Man, and a whole bunch of them want to come. ...While we’d all like to blame some mysterious “Other” at this point – while we’re all offended by the concept of scalpers profiting off tickets our friends should have gotten – there is no clear evidence that scalpers are holding all of these tickets. ...And now we’ve learned after a few days of polling and information gathering that many of the largest groups and projects (mutant vehicles, theme camps, volunteer groups, and other collaborations) planning to attend this year have secured only 25%-30%, on average, of the tickets they needed to commit to their projects. ...And while it remains true that no prerequisites exist to be a part of our community, we cannot and will not let overwhelming interest tear apart the social fabric that is critical to our culture. ...But we can’t work so hard to welcome new Burners to BRC that it comes at the expense of those who have and will make the event what it has been. Radical Inclusion is the first principle, but faced with a Burning Man event that is limited in population, Civic Responsibility and Communal Effort dictate that we endeavor to radically include those who create Burning Man in the first place. ...That part is done, and there is nothing fair about taking awarded tickets away from anyone…it solves nothing at this point, and changes the terms after the sale has already happened, and probably isn’t even legal. ...There are right now only about a hundred such tickets on those sites, although that doesn’t mean there are not more tickets that were awarded to people who plan to scalp them eventually. ...Those who were not selected to purchase tickets in the Main Sale round will be notified privately of how to register, and given the first option to sign up for the “Want Tickets” waiting list in advance of any other users. ...We’re also consulting with Burners of every possible stripe and trying to increase our brain trust to help make sure we don’t miss any signs as we find our way out of this storm. ...Meanwhile, please know that everything we’re working on here in San Francisco is guided by the desire to find the best possible way for our community to come together again on the playa.

YOUR THEME CAMP ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT .. and other thoughts.

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-10T22:08:14-08:00

Perhaps we should have a Logan's Run concept for 'Burnier Than Thou' veterans- once you've been to ten burns, you're too jaded and will be hunted down and strapped to the man... that'll free up some space. ...>>> Network with other burners and theme camps-Start finding similar camps or camps that you at least get along with, and find out what they have in terms of people and equipment. >>> Start reaching out to 'virgins' and see if they are interested in camping with you.. they might fill in the voids left by camp alumnae, and bring something new to the mix. ...Every year at exodus, I see scores of people who drop their burning spirit (along with some MOOP) on the roadside once they hit the highway, and it irks me. ... The one year I didn't go I set up a dome in my front yard labor day weekend, neighbor kids came over to play in it, while I fixed bikes for them. ...So, although I'm undertaking the aforementioned action items, I'm essentially in a 'wait and see' mode for the next 2 months to see how ticket (re)distribution shakes out. ...Decentralize: Black Rock City has reached critical mass.. you may be permitted up to 70,000 people in 5 years, but unless you're planning to repave Highway 447 into a four lane highway, or reactivate train service to Gerlach, the local infrastructure can't handle it. ...In addition, start focusing the creative 'star power' (e.g Larry Harvey) on the off-shoots BM-BRC has now taken on a life of its own, and will truck along under its own power, provided there is professional event management to take care of the daily maintenance. ...Work on communication: There were many volunteers communicating goings on which was okay, but it seems to be one way trickle down communication, along the lines of information dissemination. ...Yes, all BRC citizens are ambassadors for Burning Man, but have a some 'official' Ambassadors that are visiting constituents, taking notes, surveying inperson and online chatter and have direct contact with the BMORG chain of command. ...They served a purpose once, when revenue was required earlier in the year, but now that you blow through 20,000 tickets in a day, that says that either people are willing to pay any price, or that tickets are priced too low. ...The 'please save the lower priced ticket for lower income people' philosophy was tossed out the door during the lottery, as people who entered for the $390 bracket were eligible for the $320 and $240 brackets.. what was going on with that? In addition, having a ticket at $210 that will be worth $240 in one day and $280 in two days is a quick way to attract scalpers. Flat rate pricing allows all goers to budget to one figure (say $300 per ticket), rather than playing the 'I'll try for a $240 ticket but if I don't get one I'll try to borrow some money to get a $320 ticket, unless that doesn't work then I'll see what I can do for a $390 ticket' game. In addition, weeding out scalpers will be easier.. since all tickets would be $300, any one selling a ticket for $420 would be immediately spotted. This year, if someone is selling a ticket for $420, they -might- have paid $420 for it, or they -might- have paid $240 for it.. making a $180 profit. ... The 'please don't buy tickets from scalpers & profiteers' slogan is nice, but if someone is prepared to pay $420 for a valid ticket, I doubt they're going to reconsider when they're holding the ticket in their hand and they find out that the person bought it at a lower tier. ...The ticket server crash in 2011 was never really addressed as far as 'We've upgraded the hardware and we're ready for anything that hits us!”.. instead it seems the process was totally reconfigured to accommodate the existing hardware. If they were a band of hardworking volunteers, I would be more understanding, but they are a for-profit enterprise, raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees from burners... thus they are a supplier of services, and should be evaluated as such.. and be swapped out if needed. ...I'm expecting the usual 'why don't you volunteer then you can make suggestions and then you'll see how hard it is” vitriol.

more from Halcyon on the Burning Man ticket lottery fiasco

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-07T20:01:33-08:00

Burning Man ticket fiasco creates an uncertain future

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-04T00:24:26-08:00

Theme camps are the basic building blocks of Black Rock City – a central tenet of my book and regular claim of event organizers – and the work they do to build their camps and plan fundraisers to pay for them has already begun, only with far more uncertainty than usual this year. And that will also exacerbate a tension that already exists between grant-funded art projects (which usually get free tickets for their volunteer builders) and big camps that don't qualify for tickets, such as sound camps or independently funded art projects. For now, most burners seem to be willing to wait a beat or two – as Black Rock City LLC is urging, a message that I willingly helped disseminate and that I support – to see whether enough extra tickets purchased by community-minded burners are offered for sale at face value using an aftermarket ticket exchange the LLC is hurriedly setting up right now. ... And there's still the secondary ticket sale with the last 10,000 tickets coming on March 28. But the frustrations are palpable, and there is widespread concern that Burning Man has jumped the shark and will be changed by the series of official missteps in the last year. Dozens of people have independently asked why, after the event sold out last year and scalpers made a killing, the LLC didn't require each ticket to be registered to an individual and transferred only through a regulated aftermarket system, which would prevent gouging by scalpers. I've asked organizers that same question each of the last two years, and I was only told that it seemed like too much trouble and that things would work out. ...Many are still willing to wait and see, and this certainly is a resourceful community, so perhaps things seem more bleak now than they will in a month or two when playa preparations really kick into gear. But if not, the LLC could be facing a real crisis of confidence in its leadership of an event that we all help create, and perhaps even an open rebellion of its core members. Many longtime burners are already making other vacation plans for this year, some are even pondering plans to create alternative events, and there are a significant number of them who have tapped the spirit of these political times and suggested it's time to “Occupy Burning Man” or “Occupy Black Rock City.” ...UPDATE (5 PM): LLC board member Marian Goodell just returned my call and said the organization leaders huddled up today to work on solutions to problems raised by the ticket shortfalls. ...She recognizes that it's a big problem for established theme camps and art collectives having tickets for only about a third of their members, a figure that she also confirmed. "It's clear that the theme camps and art projects are a significant part of the community, and this situation is causing problems for them," she said. ...Goodell also acknowledges that it doesn't appear there are as many tickets available within those established burner networks as she had hoped would be the case: "I doesn't look like camps are sitting on a lot of tickets." ... "We don't think there are 10,000 people out there looking to scalp tickets," she said. ... She reiterated her appeal that people don't use scalpers for tickets but wait for community-based sources and solutions. But Goodell said it was too late to re-do this week's lottery -- "not possible," she said -- even though the physical tickets won't be mailed out until June. She said the LLC has divided up information-gathering tasks now and will regroup soon to decide how to proceed, with options including tweaks to the rules for the March 28 ticket sale or working with the BLM to bump up the population cap, an option that would raise other problems. "We have many different challenges: scalping, community development, and population," Goodell said, reiterating her concern that increasing the population would make logistical problems like the long exodus wait even worse. But whether that's even a possibility will depend on the Environmental Impact Statement that is expected to be completed in March.

Halcyon on the Burning Man ticket lottery fiasco

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-01T13:01:36-08:00

To Burn or Not to Burn

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-02-02T11:42:23-08:00

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Oh! The Place You'll Go : Dr. Seuss goes to Burning Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2012-01-07T21:58:37-08:00

In the Dust

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-10-20T09:11:15-07:00

One of the more cinematic playa videos we’ve seen...a real joy to watch, striking a fine balance between the sacred and the ridiculousness of Burning Man!

Dust to Dust: A BRC timelapse

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-10-17T08:54:55-07:00

Dealing with Post Playa Depression (Burning Man I Love You)

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-10-12T21:35:49-07:00

You might have friends who might seem a bit more distant now that you are being more REAL with them and maybe they don’t like that change or maybe you are subconsciously pushing them away. That’s okay… friends always naturally come and go. Don’t try to stick to the previous rules you had created in your friendships. Be sure to love the vulnerable-open-honest-you! The people who will love you are out there wondering where the heaven you’ve been. It may or may not work with all friendships and that’s totally fine. A lot of people find comfort in reading stories, writing out their own stories on the burning man forum at: http://eplaya.burningman.com Go ahead and type your stories out somewhere for the world to see. They will undoubtedly be special, at least to you, and help you retain the shadow memories of your dream-like-week. Look at the pictures or videos your friends posted such as I did here last year. Plan a get together with your camp mates to watch the pictures or videos together. Check if your city has a decompression event because while it isn’t supposed to mimic BM, it sure does have a novelty factor to it and it’s nice to be there. Anyway… keep your dreams alive! We got an immeasurable amount of inspiration so please don’t get bogged down. You were just a part of an amazing city that everybody took part in creating all together. A city built on freedom to be yourself. Keep those dreams alive and be strong to direct this new level of energy toward making your life as awesome as you can make it. Also, eat well and reestablish a consistent sleeping cycle! Hope that helps! Photo by Mr. Nightshade

Haiku SpaceBalls by Rachel

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-10-16T20:35:28-07:00

Rachel & Martha in Deep Playa ...You are what you’re looking for Strings of blue balloons ...Melts into the Magic Hour-- It’s going to get weird Not Star Wars, Space Balls Warp speed wobble whomp Jedis ...Pod of laughing ladies lounge In shark’s lucky mouth ...Tent turned up to broil My heart is a crispy orb Long past the sunrise There are so many Doors to open, Doors to close I can’t stop laughing ...Here is the Triple Truth, Ruth: Hops, dusty love, protein ...Big boat nets a little fish By the Robot-Heart ...Dances itself alive on

thoughts on decompression

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-10-09T20:59:27-07:00

This was posted on the Seattle BMan listserv -- had to share it! "You can always spot the folks who are on the road home from Burning Man: Filthy, reeking, bug-eyed, sporting dusty tails, broken top hats and crusty corsets, reveling in simple things like ice cream sandwiches, porcelain toilets....rambling about room service...and that was just that one guy. And when you get home, you can immediately spot a driveway where folks have unloaded a car that's been to Burning Man. A week later, walking down the street, you'll notice a backpack with a tell-tale washed-out look to it. A month later, at a party or on the bus or at the bank, it really doesn't matter, you'll notice that the creases of that woman's boots over there still have playa in them. And you smile. You've almost got the playa out of everything, too, but bits of it stick around forever, resisting q-tips and toothbrushes and expensive bills from the auto detailer who said he never wanted to see you again. Anything that goes to the playa is never the same again. Including you. It's persistent. It sticks with you. That's not a bad thing, really. It helps us remember. And it helps to be around folks who remember, during the decompression season 'n' all."

Media coverage of the 2011 Burn

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-09-20T20:06:09-07:00

Most corporate media outlets attempting to write about BM fail miserably. Slate has done all right this week in their 5-part series by Seth Stevenson: http://slate.me/rlIsdY. "The plan was for us to meet up with a large camp of people who'd be providing us shelter and food for the week. But as we pulled into the encampment...we couldn't find our group. ... We gave up, parked the car, and began to wander around. And this is when my brain melted a little...." ‎Part 2 of Slate's report on BM: http://slate.me/r52fK2: “I’ve never personally had the urge to just hang out with my wang out, and that hadn't changed since I'd gotten to Burning Man. But late one night I biked deep into the desert, turned off my headlamp, and removed some clothes...let it be said: Reader, I shirtcocked. ...‎Part 4 in the Slate series on BM: http://slate.me/n9Arn9: “On Saturday night, the man burns. This moment means different things to different people. ... Whatever its meaning, it is spectacular—a colossal, billowing inferno, with explosions and face-searing heat blasts, and people cheering and dancing and stripping all their clothes off. ...Final installment in Slate series on BM: http://slate.me/n2be8K: “Whenever strangers at Burning Man briefly chat and then part ways, they bid each other farewell by brightly saying, "Enjoy your burn!" It occurred to me—as I thought about the desert dust that was the only thing here before this week started, and will be the only thing here when we've left—life is really just a burn writ large. ... We join together to create beautiful, temporary relationships, full of kindness and joy and love. ...‎”Silicon Valley has a long history with Burning Man that became most notable in the late 1990s when the founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, began going. The first Google Doodle...was an “out of office” message they left on the homepage when they went to the festival in 1998. It showed the Google name with a drawing of a stick figure “burning man... Legend has it that Eric Schmidt won the job as CEO after showing up at Page and Brin’s camp at Burning Man." http://on.ft.com/quIvkm "As the anti-establishment arts festival and survival project disappears piece by piece from the white sands of the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, participants and organizers say Burning Man -- which just had its largest week in its 25-year history -- is going through some growing pains as plans to expand its size and scope moving forward over the next year." http://reut.rs/pX8iB2 "A circular temporary city plan built around the spectacle of art, music and dance: I wish all cities had such a spirit of utopia by being built around human interaction, community and participation.” : RIP, Rod Garrett, designer of our beloved Black Rock City: http://nyti.ms/n8cxWP.

Get Found Got Found

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-09-21T20:02:34-07:00

Well, yes, we’re all back from Burning Man, safe, mostly sound, cleaning up the last of our dusty sundries. Get Found ended up getting found -- waaaaaayyyyyy found -- on the corner of 8:30 & Initiation. Fittingly. We erected our SynchroniciTEA House & Juju Parlor and served tea to the masses all week long. Did you find us? Did you enjoy some oolong or kumbacha or dreamtime tea with us? Sure hope so! All in all, our camp and our teahouse were so much more than even our grandest dreams. And so now, we clean, and we collect ourselves, and we communicate so as to help each other with the processing and reintegration. We’ll have more to say about Rites of Passage soon, I’m sure, so stay tuned (or share with us your own stories via email or in the comments.) I’ll leave you with a few of our best group shots from the playa... First pulse of Foundlings on-playa, Sunday 6:30 pm Inside the SynchroniciTEA House White Wednesday Burn night 2011 Burn night, lit by the 11:11 activation fires

Burning Man in the Age of Rick Perry: Revelation, Pluralism, and Moral Imperative

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-09-08T20:16:07-07:00

So what you are seeing is not a spectacle constructed for your amusement, but real life. ...It’s not that every Burner comes back, quits her job, and takes up fire spinning full-time. ... But I would venture to say that every Burner who, at some point during the week stops being a spectator and starts being a participant, does come back a little more inspired, a little more aware of the possibilities of being human. Rilke’s “Archaic Torso of Apollo” (a portion of which is quoted above) relates a similar kind of secular revelation. Rilke, remember, had written a number of more intellectual, more idea-oriented poems, but he grew tired of their disembodied conceptualizations. ... The last, sudden, surprising line—“you must change your life”—emerges from the aesthetic encounter with the “power” of the sculpture. After encountering the forms of the sculpture, the poet knows that he cannot live life asleep, or according to convention. Something must change, not because it is wrong in its current state necessarily, but because change is growth, change is life. This is how I understand revelation, whether religious or secular: one encounters the numinous, and one senses an imperative to act in accordance with it. This conception is not my own; it is the foundation of the theology of Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the great religious/spiritual progressives of the past century. For Heschel, while the senses of mysterium tremendum and fascinans were important, the phenomenology of the mystical/revelatory experience was less important than the imperative it brings about in the human heart. ... What that change is may be inchoate at first, but that there must be a change is crystal clear. ...I go to Burning Man and am inspired to express myself more poetically, someone else goes to a religious revival and is inspired to persecute gays. What I think has to separate positive, expansive experiences from constricting ones is the degree of openness and pluralism involved. ...Whereas, any religious/spiritual progressive must be inspired precisely by the plurality of revelatory experiences. It matters that I have mine, and you have yours, and they are not the same. ... Rather, the point is that precisely because value, meaning, inspiration, and moral imperative can be experienced in different ways, one of the first lessons we take from peak experiences is radical respect for difference. ...And for others still, it may have personal meanings, communal meanings, or no meaning at all. ... That there is no single meaning imposed upon this city is a big part of the point. You are responsible for your meaning-making, and you have no authority over anyone else’s.

Torsten's playa bike

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-25T09:41:24-07:00

Bay Area-based honorary Get Founder Torsten was recently featured in an online article about playa bikes: TORSTEN HASSELMANN (12 years at Burning Man) Origin of bike: I built and welded it and myself out of the town dump when I lived in Wyoming. Among other things the handlebars used to be a shopping cart frame. Accessories: Minimal, just the bike here, though I used to enjoy EL (electroluminescent) wire so I put some on the bars for lighting back in 2004 and still use it to not get run over. Advice for last minute bike builders: Start earlier next time and make it fun for everybody. Tips for riding on the Playa: Keep it upright. Most important in a Burner bike: Hopefully it’s not just fun for you, but brightens other peoples’ experience as well. More profiles at http://www.7x7.com/fitness-outdoors/burner-bike-diy-tips-playa-pros

"Some Ways Seemingly More Round About & Mysterious Than Others"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-26T11:22:37-07:00

"All of us, all of us, all of us trying to save our immortal souls, some ways seemingly more round about and mysterious than others. We are having a good time here. But hope all will be revealed soon." -- Raymond Carver

Scenes from the Playa!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-25T11:19:06-07:00

Photos taken by a friend of a friend already there...we leave tomorrow!

Soundtracks for the journey home

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-24T11:14:50-07:00

Get Found 3.0.7: Scotty G & Kat

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-18T10:01:15-07:00

Where is Home Right Now?: Taos, New Mexico ...If you don’t like it, create something you do like. Favorite Memories from Burns of Yesteryear: “The Night,” the Get Found origin, moshing to the Vandals, doing energy work, center camp magic, being one of the first to show up on the playa and one of the last ones to leave last year and sunrises on temple burn mornings. Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: It is possible to live in an almost constant stream of synchronicity. Top 5 Playa Essentials: Hat, sun block, water, bike and night lighting. Best Tip for Playa Virgins: Let it go. ...Personal Role/Character on the Playa: This year I think my role will be a grounder and space holder. Most Looking Forward To: Getting more time to go around during the day and learn about ways that people are expanding their minds and cultivating their visions. ...Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Expand, not escape. ...Name (playa or otherwise): Have gone by many but to those who know me well, Kathryn ...Where is home right now?: Bellingham, although I have many General outlook/philosophy on life: At the risk of sounding cliche... ...Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: Seeing my brother and Christian in PDX after they got back. ...Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: I imagine that I will find something there that I isn't possible to find anywhere else Top 5 Playa essentials: Don't know yet, but drawn by many things... the sky, the barrenness, the creation of something I can't imagine out of nothing, the ability to take emotional risks in an environment in which it is safe, and my wonderful brother Best tip for Playa virgins: Ring the bell like you never have and never will again. :) That's my plan... Favorite personal role/character on playa: Well... there's a lot of things I thought of, but now that I stop and reflect, my answer at this point would be premature. I think one of the reasons I'm drawn to going is to find this out.... Most looking forward to: The openness in both people and nature, and the rawness... again in both people in nature. Intentions for the 2011 Burn: To allow myself to be.....

Get Found 3.0.6: Maketa & Hartz

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-17T20:01:30-07:00

Name (playa or otherwise) Maketa, Edub, Edubious Years Burned: This will be my third burn. Priors: 2007 Green Man | 2009 Evolution General Outlook/Philosophy of Life: We are absolutely the creators of our reality - individually and collectively. Intention is the weaving of Universal energies that create the tapestry of one's life. hat you focus on expands. Your words create your world. Top 5 Playa Essentials: tabi boots, drum, solid community, camera, soundstick Favorite Memories from Burns of Yesteryear: Rocking the Purple Palace w/ Moontroll, Torsten, Pomme Frites and dosing everyone around us; Team Love and unbreakable tractor beams with Suga Cube, Moontroll, Scotty G, Rachel, Leah and Atlas; chillin' in the soundproof-red light-mirrored box in deep playa; full Glitch Mob at Enthion Village; freak circus and Bassnectar at Cirque Berzerk, and on and on and on and on..... Personal Role/Character on the Playa: warrior and king - deeper reflections of my strongest archtypes Something I learned about myself on playa that I didn't know before: That I like wearing eye makeup and face paint Intentions for the 2001 Burn: Deep connection with my partner Rey; deep service to the Get Found Tribe known and unknown; to play and laugh in new ways; to drum and share rhythm and music in community. ...Name (playa or otherwise) Hartz / Sarah Years Burned: this is my first! Where is home?: Chez Verite in Seattle and there's always part of me in the West Bank General Outlook/Philosophy of Life: ancestor knowing and honoring, cultivating growth and depth, foundation in community and connection, universal energy and stepping into the flow Top 5 Playa Essentials: boots, a scarf and trust trust trust Best Tip for Playa Virgins: dream about it Personal Role/Character on the Playa: favorite new role is the super heroine/hero, I usually listen and ground before I 'enter' and I'm trying to move beyond that Intentions for the 2001 Burn: opening/unfolding/unfurling of heart wings

Getting Found in the Default World

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-15T21:23:40-07:00

Dance party in a meadow.... Meeting in the living room of the Purple Palace... The first erection of the SynchroniciTEA House & JuJu Parlor!

Playa Tips from Halycon

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-02T21:07:14-07:00

dBMcast feedback

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-07T21:07:14-07:00

One of the best parts of creating this website and the Burning Man content it features -- videos, dBMcasts, essays, photos, blog updates -- is receiving feedback from the community. Edubious and myself put a lot of time, energy, money and passion in to our dBM creations, and with the click of a button, send it out in to the world. We don’t know where our music or videos will end up, who will stumble upon them and how they get felt. But over the years, we’ve received quite a few moving stories from Burners around the world, people who have taken the time to send us a note of gratitude or tell their tale -- most heartwarming messages often include a description of how they ended up listening to one of our mixes, where and when, or most importantly, what it meant to them. We’d love to hear from you and know what you get out of this site and its creative offerings: destinationburningman@gmail.com. And now’s as good a time as any to remind folks that we appreciate donations from the community, which we use to maintain destinationburningman.com and increase its offerings. ... We’ll probably end up spending it on the SynchroniciTea House at Burning Man this month, so know your tithing is going to a worthy cause! So here are a few of the awesomest emails we’ve received in the past few weeks. ...I just wanted to drop you a quick note to tell you that some Burners really enjoyed your "Loveness Got Found Part 2" while watching the sunset over the Keys last night (Islamorada, to be exact). ...I downloaded the track from Soundcloud on a lark, did not listen to it before we popped it on, absolutely wonderful, the timing with the sunset made it absolutely magical. ...I stumbled onto your podcasts after last years burn and I cant explain how much the music, videos and adventure y'all share have transformed and fueled my life. Im an illustration student here in SF, heres a link to some of the artwork ive done while listening to your casts on repeat: http://misterambportfolio.blogspot.com. THANK YOU for all you’ve done and I eagerly await every new podcast. ...This will be my second burn and want to visit the temple of tea and hopefully meet the masters. ...dBM – I am writing to let you know that your podcasts & videos fill me with so much joy. I am preparing for my 4th journey to the desert this year, and the soundtrack for my preparation has been your music and energy. ...I am returning a response to let you know that every day I'm not on the playa, you keep me there in SPIRIT because of the cool mixes that I enjoy ( and share and annoy friends) every other day of the year in anticipation of hardship, dust and ultimate bliss for 7 days of the year. Thank You for your continued efforts and I hope to one day cross paths there or at home area with you groovy cats! ...I am from Indianapolis, first-time burner and found your podcast in my quest get ideas of what the playa will be like, costumes I should plan, etc. ...Thanks for all the podcast and content, much love to you for putting that all together.

Get Found 3.0.5: Rachel & Dana

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-08T21:49:40-07:00

Name (playa or otherwise): Rachel...perhaps this will be the year my playa name Gets Found?!... Years Burned: This will be my 4th Where is Home Right Now?: Olympia, WA General Outlook/Philosophy of Life: Desiderata, baby! Favorite Memories from Burns of Yesteryear: Violin serenade in the Tunnel of Love, Carcass Wash with Ramona Mayhem, Dr. Megavolt, eating pancakes off embers of the Man, excursion on the Naughty Bus, solo missions, going to the Temple for the first time, hot chocolate, aural soundscapes, being floored by a desert mermaid, Team Love, serving up bevs at Center Camp Cafe, meeting my little green friend... Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: I LOVE TUACA Top 5 Playa Essentials: all purpose playa-cup, lip balm, goggles, baby wipes, belt with pockets Best Tip for Playa Virgins: Read the Survival Guide. ... The rest is an Adventure Personal Role/Character on the Playa: Hmmm....by the end of the week, when layers unpeel & I am being truly who I am, I have more magic to share. Most Looking Forward To: Get Found Co-Creation, Exploration, Lamplighting, Giving and Receiving lots of Hugs, Riding my New Playa Bike out into the deep, Art!!!, the Power of Whimsy, Laughter, and Dancing like my Vagina is on Fire - yeow!! Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Open Heart, Open Mind. ...Name (playa or otherwise): Dana ...Where is home right now?: West Seattle and primarily in my heart General outlook/philosophy on life: believe in yourself, trust what the universe shows you, listen, love freely, laugh, create space for life’s gifts Top 5 Playa essentials: connection, freedom, decision maker boots, lip gloss, comfy pillow Favorite personal role/character on playa: Gifter of Deep Hugs Most looking forward to: soaking in the sense of community, creating an environment of trust and joy, creativity sparks, expression, the unexpected and the unknown, growth Intentions for the 2011 Burn: to open my mind and heart to new territory, be present, laugh, enjoy the dust, let it flow! 

Get Found 3.0.4: moontroll & Gabriella

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-03T20:49:37-07:00

Years burned: This will be my fifth burn in 8 years. ...Where is home right now?: As of March, I have been dwelling in a purple house surrounded by tall trees on the outskirts of Bellingham with my new Tangerine-flavored family. General outlook/philosophy on life: You have brains in your head. ...Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: Wingin it my first Burn, unprepared with Torsten. Building the Boogie Pyramid in '07 with Boogie Universal and the following adventures & mishaps on the Esplanade. The Party Formerly Known as the Prince Party I conducted in aforementioned pyramid. Team Love tractor beam explorations and Getting Found on perimeter in 09. Sunrise on open playa with Abraxas sipping mimosas on the Glacial Facial in 10. Discovering Whomp & Bass Chakra Therapy at Cirque Bezerk & Entheon; dancing to DISORIENT's micro-nerf beats by myself in deep playa; Crude Awakening and Bliss Dance. ...Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: The power of setting focused intentions, aka The Pure Power of Potential. Top 5 Playa essentials: Goggles, vitamins/herbs/bee pollen, purple pig tails & tutu, comfortable/functional bike, camera/soundstick. ...Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Deeper personal explorations (beneath the psyche, on the backside of ego), deeper soul connection with my Tangerine lover, deeper collective love & authenticity with the tribe. ...General outlook/philosophy on life: Follow your heart and trust that all is as it should be. Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: Dancing alone to the best sunrise set ever, Drunk Kissing Angel Day, riding the Orgasmatron, singing and dancing around a fire til sunrise, building the temple in '09, sex in a hammock, becoming a hug angel, being awed by what humans can create. Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: I'm sexy and I'm really good with a framing nailer! Top 5 Playa essentials: Open mind, goggles, sun hat, comfortable boots, blinky lights Best tip for Playa virgins: Stay hydrated and spend at least one day or night off on your own solo adventure. Favorite personal role/character on playa: MYSELF.... to the nth power! Most looking forward to: Being awed by what humans can create. Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Getting found, sharing love, hugs, music, and lots and lots of laughter!

DJ Edubious looks back, part 1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-08-01T20:43:09-07:00

So I'm takin' it back. ...It goes a little somethin' like this. Destination Burning Man was born in 2007 from the Green Man. A way to hype up the party for anyone who would listen - our party and theirs. ... The stories of an evolving idea that turned into a plan to get to Burning Man. Music mixed with our mysterious, and often confusing, creative revelations captured in the hazy moments when no was paying attention. ... It's all in there. ...I can measure my musical evolution by these two mixes. They highlight the funky, groovin, beats that I was rockin' before I experienced Burning Man - Prince, Up, Bustle & Out, Farid, Groove Armada, Ammoncontact, Michael Franti, Miguel Migs. The musings of DJ Playaduster peppered with Burncast samples carry the story - the creation of the Boogie Pyramid and setting intentions for our pole position on the 9:00 keyhole on the Esplanade. The flow is never interrupted by a heavy, teeth rattling bass drop or glitched out wobble. ...The music that we experienced that year on playa changed it all. We saw Bassnectar slay the crowd at Cirque Berserk; The Glitch Mob blew our minds - 4 guys on laptops at Enthion Village; Freq Nasty was exactly that; and the DIS[orient] mobile unit rewired our musical synapses with deep bass in deep playa. Coming home to my stereo sauna, the music didn't feel, quite right anymore. ...The story told by Moontroll and I is accompanied by the ever present sounds of Black Rock City. Field recorders capturing our attempts to make sense of what was happening all around us. THIS is Burning Man (at least how experienced it). The music and the madness. ... The grimy beats, the low bass, the laser sounds. ... An early precursor to recent bass heavy dBM mixes like Kung Fu Jedi and Bass Cadet.

Get Found 3.0.3: Colby & Leah

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-07-31T20:45:37-07:00

Name (playa or otherwise): Colby Rae Jackson, Miss Leah Webb calls me Peter Pan ...Where is home right now?: Edmonds is where I am for today. ... As of late always undecided, my boxes reside in Arizona, I've been in and out of Los Angeles the last 4 years. General outlook/philosophy on life: Chin Up, Cheer Up. ... Use your voice, stand up in what you believe. ...Favorite personal role/character on playa: Childlike innocence. love. smile. laugh. give. build. teach. learn. dance. scream. being me. Most looking forward to: Being with all of you. sharing. singing. dancing. meditate. creating. community. Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Be impeccable with my word. ...Name (playa or otherwise): Leah, Heilanilou, Pele Kit'N, Kanti Devi (aka Cunty Diva)...still awaiting official playa name... ...Where is home right now?: Home is where the heart is, literally above my feet on a ship in Alaska, but in essence I will always be an island girl of Hawaii. General outlook/philosophy on life: "The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”-- Eleanor Roosevelt. With more intention than a leaf in the wind and less security than an old oak, finding harmonious reflection and ideals in an evolving environment. Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: laughter, soul-sister space, double rainbow recharge, tractor beam throwdowns, robot heart sunrise, fire, lightning, magic, bliss. Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: finding and defining personal boundaries is not restrictive but safely refining. Top 5 Playa essentials: community, freedom, reflection, expression and evening gowns. Best tip for Playa virgins: basics of survival...buddy up with open heart exploration, awareness of your journey and where you can share your gift, yourself. Favorite personal role/character on playa: Suppose I prefer observation and organizing just as much as adventurous exploration and inspiration ! Most looking forward to: Experiencing our Get Found Tribe, expanding and contracting with the breath of universe! Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Setting them, crossing thresholds, holding space, organic evolution, finding resonation with more beings seeking to GET EVN! Elevatin' Vibration Nation...never underestimate the power of a small group of likeminded people!

A response to Burning Man selling out by Halycon

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-07-27T16:31:42-07:00

...Burning Man is sold out this year for the first time ever. ... And crazy to be witnessing the panic on the interwebs as people who didn’t take care of their ticket needs are scrambling to find one. Burning Man’s Facebook wall & ePlaya are crazed with pleas for tickets and arguments about whether or not Burning Man has somehow “sold out” by selling out. I don’t see the logic in this at all, nor in the claims that Burning Man is now an “exclusive club” or shouldn’t have closed gates at all. ... Tickets have been on sale in plentitude for over 6 months now, and the BMorg has been warning people monthly through Jackrabbit Speaks that the event will likely sell out for just as long. The huge frenzy for tickets on the day they went on sale in January, when the first two tiers of less-expensive sold out in a record 24 hours, was a clear sign that demand was going to be off the charts this year. ...As someone posted on the BM wall, in response to some of the whining going on about “exclusivity”: “Burning Man is not a playground for the rich now...it is a playground for the organized.” Halycon sums it up nicely at the end of this video: “If you want to go to Burning Man, keep picturing yourself going to Burning Man... If you are meant to be there this year, then you will be there.” Lastly, this blog post is well worth reading for thoughts on abundance vs. scarcity: http://blog.burningman.com/2011/07/participate/abundanceorscarcity/. ...“Reaching the attendance limit for ticket sales is not an existential threat to Burning Man, but it is an existential crisis. It forces both the organization and its attendees to ask: who are we, and what do we value? Does Burning Man become an organization with a closed gate – or does it become something else? Right now I don’t get the impression that it knows. All options are … theoretically … on the table. ... My advice, for what it’s worth: believe in abundance.” The majority of Camp Get Found has had their tickets for many months now and we’ve long moved on to camp planning, coordinating and building, though I know of at least 3 Foundlings in search of their Golden Ticket.....here’s hoping that the universe provides for them.

Get Found 3.0.2: Tangerine & Daisy MayBe

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-07-25T22:44:53-07:00

Years burned: Rites of Passage will be my 2nd Burn ...Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: Meeting/loving the Moontroll, finding family, Mimosas on the Glacial Facial, Suzy Bedspread, Gabriella's beauty, The Night the Man Fell, reading Maketa's note and knowing I found a brother before I even met him, Bagels and Lox, meeting a wheelchair friend and spending the night Getting Found, becoming a butterfly, Palace of Mirrors with Rachel... Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: I am worthy to be loved, and I have value and a whole bunch of treasures to share. Top 5 Playa essentials: lip gloss, sparkles, good scents, stomper boots, and lots of lights for my bike ...Favorite personal role/character on playa: Hi! ... ♥ I’m slightly woodsy, and I playfully prowl around like a joyous woodland creature. ... I mind my manners and find reverence when it serves me, but you can find me climbing big things, dancing wildy, laughing loudly, and hunting Moontrolls most of the time. Most looking forward to: Holding hands with all my lovelies, DANCING into the sunrise, dusty hugs, synchronicity, going deeper, spending time with all the friends not on playa last year, serendipitous encounters with magical people, spreading the LOVE. Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Illuminate and fortify Self. ...Years burned: 2007 (and regional burns for the past 5 years) ...General outlook/philosophy on life: Radical acceptance, compassion, and love for all beings: human, animal, and otherwise! Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: Riding my bike across the playa at dusk feeling the deepest sense of universal alignment, full moon rising, and finding myself at the Temple for a time of contemplation, reverence, and release. Definitely a spiritual highlight on my life journey thus far. Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: Ask me in person, as the details are rather (ahem) intimate. :) Top 5 Playa essentials: Fake fur coat, sun or cowboy hat, Critical Massive/Regional Burner necklaces, breezy bright dresses, close-toed shoes. Best tip for Playa virgins: Embrace dust and grime. Favorite personal role/character on playa: I enjoy providing positivity and good vibes during projects, and working as a team to accomplish camp tasks. I also can be very affectionate, and in the past have enjoyed participating in snuggly times with campmates. Most looking forward to: Being part of a family, having a cozy tea-infused home base, and exploring the playa together! Intentions for the 2011 Burn: Be present and don't complain. :)

Get Found 3.0.1: Tina & Jessie Rey

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-07-21T08:26:12-07:00

Where is home right now?: Mercer Island, WA - Came into being in Nongkhai, Thailand "Savannh, City of the Heavens" ...In order to fully step into our power, we must realize, practice and vibrate intentionally in this deep understanding. Life is a gift and a dance we create with Universe. ...Favorite memories from Burns of yesteryear: Riding out on my bike alone to greet the sunrise. Sitting in a bird nest on the outskirts of the playa, watching the man burn from afar in quiet observance... Something I learned about myself on playa I didn't know before: I discovered a hidden jewel within myself. Coming to an awareness that I have been here before… I knew that my life was meant to change and I changed it. ...Have an intention without holding onto it too tightly and allow Universe to flow for the rest of it! ...Favorite personal role/character on playa: Pixie Love Duster, sprinkler of love, inspiration and creativity. Most looking forward to: Connecting deeply to the feminine energies of this tribe! ... Creating sacred space with this group, and sealing that connection and intention through tea and ceremony. Intentions for the 2011 Burn: To further evolve & clarify the vision I have been creating for myself. To connect fully with this spiritual tribe (who I have traveled with for many lives) & deepen the understanding of our connections & synchronistic paths. To combine our collective intentions and manifest the magical co-creation of this "art" that we have been powerfully preparing for the past year. To step fully into my power and rise in my vibrational frequency in order to pass through the veil into the new world. ...Top 5 Playa essentials: I think: electrolytes/wet wipes/gifts to offer/face paints/shade ...Most looking forward to: deep connection/dream weaving/wish making/hearts being blown open all around Intentions for the 2011 Burn: To be witness to and participant in the ultimate dream weaving, miracle manifesting, wish granting community where consensus reality holds no power over the population. To step out of the boxes that I and others create around me and truly shine, not just for the time on the playa, but to utilize the playa as a training ground for all of life. To be glorious witness and facilitator of the unfolding of the true potential of my partner, my self and my friends.

SynchroniciTEA House & JuJu Parlor rising!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-07-18T14:43:33-07:00

Well, with less than 50 days until the Man burns, production is just getting underway on the Get Found SyncroniciTEA House and JuJu Parlor. ...The centerpiece of this year's Camp Get Found will be a beautiful and welcoming tea house and ju ju parlor. It will be a place for all things creative, reverent and irreverent! We shall be serving thirsty city dwellers a plethora of different teas - each accompanied by it's own unique ritual. ... We currently awaiting a shipment of the finest oolong from a secret source in Taiwan. We also have an insider relationship with Zen Dog, a local Seattle tea master and importer. We will also be serving up chai teas, special blended herbal teas, medicinal teas and more! You will be able to sip your tea in the comfort and sereniTEA of the SyncroniciTEA house. The tea house will be an octagonal space that is about 365 square feet. It will be capped with a easy to spot, baby blue parachute and protected from the wind by white tarpaulin walls. The tea house design is based on the tried and true shade structure design that dBM has used every year on the playa. The parachute will be supported by a center mast and pulled out over the guy wires that are used to hold it upright. The walls will be supported by posts that are sunk into the play and layed out in an octagonal shape. The teahouse interior will be beautifully created by the "vibesquad" - a crew of divine ladies from our tribe who have a vision for a sacred and restful space that will encourage connection, reflection, cuddle puddles and ritual. Picture plush carpets, massive piles of cozy pillows, low tables, exquisite art, lanterns, draping fabric in reds and golds, red LED lighting and of course MUSIC! Live music from one of our many tribal troubadours and your favorite dBM casts spinning throughout the day and night. This is the place you want to be! The garage here at Cottage Groove is beginning to pile of with materials: cables, ratchet straps, rebar, parachutes, rolls of tarp and carpet, rope, posts..... The build is not far out now, just a few more items to go. The mast heads to the welders to be fabricated within the next week and then it's on!

What Burning Man Means to Me * By Brock Blatter

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-06-25T09:06:14-07:00

This is a lengthy bit that I posted on the eplaya, the burning man bulletin board. It was in response to some troll who posted a question like "isn't it all just about sex?" ... I didn't take him seriously but started to write something about what the playa (and eplaya) mean to me, and this is what came out. ...The playa is the place we've been told about since we were five - a place created by wishing. If you wish hard enough, believe strongly enough, you'll find what you need on the playa. You may not find what you want, but you can find what you need. ... People who are wishing and believing and creating so hard tend to bring the best of themselves. Nearly everyone on the playa is too busy having fun and creating their favorite reality to bother being hateful. We mostly leave behind the day-to-day crap that leaves us feeling dragged down and pecked to death by ducks. ...Some people just like to hang out with good people who are also having a good time. ...The eplaya, on the other hand, is a place people go to talk about this other place. ... The regulars here tend to be a bit crusty, helpful to a fault if you show evidence that you have put in some effort already, snarky to an extreme if you just want someone to hold your hand and do everything for you. ... The regulars here hang out and talk to each other ALL YEAR LONG, the average newbie posts a question or two, maybe is asked to stand up for themselves and show themselves as serious, and maybe they get their question answered and maybe they go away scared. ... I think a general feeling is, if they can't stand the snark they can't stand the playa and we're better off without them. There are enough people out there putting their heart and soul into this other place, the real playa, building it on wishes and dreams, that we don't really need a few more tourists. ...But they'll come anyway, some of these tourists, and they'll have fun, they'll have the greatest party ever, they may even get laid. ... One of them admired my hat so I gave it to him (it had been given to me earlier that night). He was so amazed and thought it was so wonderful to get a gift like that that it made me feel great in turn. I gave it to him because it's just a hat but he turned it into something wonderful for both of us. Read more meditations and interpretations on Burning Man from the dBM/Get Found crew in our About > What is Burning Man pages!

Halycon's Tips for the Playa v1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-06-23T09:06:10-07:00

Get Found version 3.0!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-06-08T20:18:30-07:00

With less than 80 days to go before we all hit the road, the Get Found tribe is actively making plans for our next trip to Black Rock City. It will be the third year that the entity and spirit that is Get Found will be manifested on the playa and this year is looking like we’re going to reach a new level of awesomeness and magic. ... There is another half-dozen that we’re still waiting to hear from, and we expect to be around 20 in total, which is just about perfect. Here is a basic, nuts ’n bolts description we’ve been rallying around of what our playa plans are this year, though it is fair to say that most of the details are waiting to get filled in and the final shape of our camp this year is ultimately a mystery that fate/chance/destiny will decide: Camp Get Found’s SynchroniciTEA House & Juju Parlor general outline: This year's sleeping shelter will be beneath the big green parachute, as in 2007 & 2009, which rises on a steel mast and supported by guy wires. We'll array our tents on the outer ring of the parachute and park our car's for windbreaks and support. ... Our kitchen will be based on 2010, beneath the carport without a centralized plan but communal-style with shared stoves, prep areas & supplies. Connected to our living space, facing the road, will be the SynchroniciTEA House, also made from a mast and parachute but smaller. Inside of the tea house -- which is decorated with art & lighting, wired for sound and lounged out with pillows and rugs -- there will be a serving area from which we'll prepare and serve all kinds of various teas, both herbal infusions and the Camellia sinensis leaf, throughout the week. ...It is envisioned that we'll procure a panel/moving van for transport of parachutes, masts, furniture, kitchen, sound and other infrastructure items from Washington State to BRC. ... A camp tithing will be collected from each Foundling to support parachute & truck rental, transportation and perhaps other shared resources. Also, be prepared to bring extra water, tea pots/cups and tea/herbs, loungey goodies and funky art/lighting to support our teahouse gift. ...This year more than ever before, each Foundling is asked to make a substantial contribution to a shared resource, including leadership, costs, materials, time and/or energy. ... We want to encourage community and ritual through active participation, and believe that the Burn begins long before we hit the playa. ...We have applied for theme camp status, which would give us early arrival passes and a pre-chosen BRC address (we requested the 3 o'clock neighborhood). ...Feel free to suggest any theme days or nights we may want to play with, or to plan particular Get Found rituals to take place through the week, in and out of camp. Finally, we are hoping for one or more pre-playa gatherings and activations, including July/August camping in the Cascades. That’s what we’re working with for now, and the next step is coming up with “project areas” and folks volunteering whatever their expertise may be to fill vital roles: power generation, kitchen, transport, shelter, tea house, sound, waste & greywater, vibesquad, etc. ...I cannot wait to integrate these ideas that we all relate, the intentions of a given state for gathering and to celebrate, a platform of elevation, sensation, vibration, collaboration and divine nation we can create.  It's a simple form of presence, defined with interdependence, it's what we bring to the table in whatever form we are able, it's creative and it's energy, it's a lot of you mixed well with me!

Halycon's Tips for the Playa v1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-05-05T20:11:47-07:00

Serving up a mug of SynchroniciTEA!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-04-28T20:46:45-07:00

So Hannah Tangerine and Rose put together our theme camp application last week and, at the high noon deadline today, clicked send. Nice work ladies!!! While we still have 100+ days to work out the details, this much we know: get ready for The Get Found SynchroniciTEA House and JuJu Parlor at Burning Man 2011!

Burning Man on CBS News, 2007

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-01-16T14:42:21-08:00

Rites of Passage: Burning Man 2011

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-01-31T12:38:19-08:00

“The story is told of how the first settlers of our city arrived in the Black Rock Desert. Drawing a line in the ground at the edge of the playa, they were told that once they crossed this line, "Everything will be different." Holding hands, they stepped across it. When present day participants arrive at Burning Man they're met by Greeters. Newcomers are invited to ring a bell and roll about in the dust. On the sixth day of the event, participants encircle Burning Man to witness its destruction. Here, for the very first time, an entire community regards itself. People do this with the reassurance that another Man, an always slightly different Man, will rise anew. At the the end of the event, thousands silently surround a temple dedicated to that strangest and most fearful change of all: the loss of loved ones and our ultimate departure from the world. From first to last, Burning Man has always been a rite of passage.” Read more musings about the 2011 theme here.

Black Rock City 2010 Yearbook

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-02-28T12:38:15-08:00

The Black Rock City 2010 Yearbook is out -- hooray! This is such a lovely and heartfelt gift to the community each year, and having visited their photo camp for the first time last summer, I can tell you it is a lot of work. Browse the gallery of all the freaky beautiful amazing Burners, or download a pdf version of the yearbook, here. Here’s a small sampling of what goodness is in store for you.... <3 Of course, this awesome project reminds me of another awesome project that I have been working on since my first Burn in 2007: The Playa Portrait Project!

Looking ahead & Temple 2011

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-03-31T12:31:17-07:00

Having just passed the Burnal Equinox, beginning our slow slippery slide down the slope towards Black Rock City 2001 and "Rites of Passage," Burning Man is increasingly on my mind. Daydreams of the desert, the dust, the nights full of flame and tribal family reunion that awaits me causes my pulse to rise and heart to pound. I sent out a message to the rest of Get Found today in an attempt to rally the troops and begin the envisioning and intentioning that will create our next generation camp, though it is still early to get much spark out of folks. Thoughts race through my brain: will we have the parachute or sleep tunnel again this year? will we team up with Chillville and the Glacial Facial again, as in 2010, or strike out on our, as in 2009? where's Hekter gonna end up? ... Starpants? do I need to invest in a new tutu? can I show up several days early again, and stay late, to watch the city rise, shine and then disintegrate again? Ah, patience young grasshopper. All will reveal itself in time, perfectly in sync with how things need to be. For now, my burgeoning urges will need to be satiated with this crucial tidbit: the design for the 2011 Temple has been revealed! It is called "The Temples" and looks to be a worthy successor to a long line of sacred architecture creating introspective spaces: Check out more sketches, volunteer for build crew, donate money and more at http://temple2011.org/. Here’s a cool pictogram that shows how it will match past temples, both architecturally and dimensionally: And here’s some temple action from 2007 and 2009, videos by Moontroll:

Sunrise at the Temple of Forgiveness * Burning Man 2007 from moontroll on Vimeo.

Temple Burn at Burning Man 2009 from moontroll on Vimeo.

Introducing Moontroll's 2010 Burning Man/Get Found 2010 videos (double-feature!)

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-01-24T12:22:52-08:00

We're back....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2011-01-08T21:46:09-08:00

We have succeeded in upgrading our website software and restoring the past 4 years of blog posts here on dBM. Hooray! Working on this fix, I realized how much good storytelling this dBM blog does of the past several burns: who we camped with, what projects we worked on, hurdles we faced and conquered and the larger Burner culture that informs and inspires us. Glad to have it working again, and with the new software, we’re going to be able to do some cool redesigning and adding new features over the coming months. Thanks for tuning in friends -- join us on our new group page on Facebook, drop us a line at destinationburningman@gmail.com and feel free to make a donation to the ongoing development of dBM via Paypal in the sidebar.

Gone to Burning Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-26T20:00:00-07:00

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Mixes for the road....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-25T22:00:00-07:00

Are you in need of some last minute musical mix madness to download on to your pod for the road trip to Black Rock City? dBM has just what you need to make your journey most enjoyable to all 5 senses. You can find a handy compendium of previous years' trilogies and special episodes here, and an introduction to Bass Chakra Therapy here, and Bassnectar Maxxximum 1 & 2 here and here. The most recent offering is DJ Playaduster's LOVETROPOLIS mix, featuring his camp mates with Get Found, Larry Harvey and a whopping dose of whomp -- download it right about here. And don't forget about Whompadelic 2: Revenge of the GlitchStrap (here) and Through the Portal (here). Lots more DJ Edubious here. And most of these same playa-friendly music mixes can also be streamed and downloaded from DJ Playaduster's SoundCloud page and DJ Edubious' Soundcloud page. Happy travels!

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.6

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-24T21:00:00-07:00

Name (playa or otherwise): Steve, TooTall, still searching for a playa name Where is home right now?: Grew up in Seattle, moved to Portland after college, now reside in San Diego. Years burned: 09, 10 Favorite drinks: beer aficionado , Double IPAs, Tripel and Quadrupel Belgians, Vodka-Anythings Favorite use/form of bacon: garnish in a sweet dark Belgian beer, like Malheur 12, also deep fried bacon with a side of bacon Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: most electronica, stadium djs, dub step, etc... see Coachella and Electric Daisy Music Festival (LA) General outlook/philosophy on life: Love one another... enjoy what time we have together Favorite memories from Burns past: meditation in the temple... Bassnectar... and the Teeter Totter of Death Most looking forward to: meeting up with burning friends again, soul cleansing, fire, wandering, levitation Intentions for the Burn: combine forces with others to create a better tomorrow, engineer the future ...Name (playa or otherwise): Bandit Where is home right now?: Renow ...Favorite drinks: Kool-Aid, OJ, H20 Favorite use/form of bacon: On a Manwich Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: Live Electronic General outlook/philosophy on life: Livin the Journey Favorite memories from Burns past: Getting Found Most looking forward to: Meeting peeps, Playa at night Intentions for the burn: Expanding, Reflecting, Adventure

more Building BRC 2010

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-24T23:00:00-07:00

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Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.5

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-21T21:00:00-07:00

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.4

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-20T19:07:54-07:00

Where is home right now?: Born: Aberdeen, WA; Ancestrally: Kauai, HI; Currently: Inside Passage, AK ...Favorite drinks: home-brewed chai, kombucha, madras and Domaine J Lawrens Champagne Favorite use/form of bacon: Garnish in a bloody Mary Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: the kind that opens your heart, elevates your mind or shakes your ass General outlook/philosophy on life: don't believe me, don't believe yourself, don't believe anyone else. ...Most looking forward to: making space, making changes, making art, making beauty, making friends, making bacon... ...Namesss (playa or otherwise): Orbit, Mary Poppins, Bruce, Cathy aka Will ...Years burned: 2007 (Green Man), 2008 (American Dream), 2009 (Evolution), 2010 (Metrosexopolis) Favorite drinks: Water, Twilight ale, Special hot chocolate, whiskey, Tequila, Favorite use/form of bacon: Sometimes I drink my bacon straight, or on the rocks with a splash of branch water. Other times I like it mixed with some sweet treat; chocolate, cinnamon roll etc. ...Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: Ana Sia, Tipper, Heyoka, Bluetech, blah blah blah... General outlook/philosophy on life: No more snooze button! Favorite memories from Burns past: Sunrise set with unknown rad DJ giving hug lessons to everyone that passed. ... Driving out the gate onto open playa on Tuesday. ...Most looking forward too: Bringing myself to the playa in full regalia and power. Being open to what is in front of and inside of me. ...Intentions for the Burn: Presence, groundedness and centeredness balanced by distraction, airiness and orbiting. ... Continuing to refine a new reality for myself on playa sans my old love. ... Supporting those that surround me in their own journeys, prodding and nurturing, challenging and supporting.

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.3

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-18T19:02:40-07:00

Name (playa or otherwise): Suga Cube, Sweet 'n' Low, maybe even Love Bomb Where is home right now?: When I am not bouncing somewhere else I am with my Diojee in Taos, New Mexico. Years burned: This will be my second and boy I had a great cherry-popping last year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...Favorite use/form of bacon: Really you want me to choose one way ???????.mmmmmmmmmmmmm crispy bacon!! And yes it makes a fine swizzle stick in a blood muppet mary (we all use the whole muppet you know!!!!!! Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: Any kinda music that I can feel in my soul and makes something move!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whomp to World Beat to Funk to Reggae to Bluegrass to punk to old Franti to the Dead to the soul to the Rock.................. General outlook/philosophy on life: Magic happens- you just have to have the intention and be open to it!!!!!!!!!!! Love bombing is the way to go and if I can give back all I receive I am doing something right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...Most looking forward to: HUGS, LOVE BOMBS, CUDDLE PUDDLES, Get found philosophy, listening, growing, connections new and old, opening up to everything even wider,art, dancing, bouncing, being back home on the playa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Intentions for the burn: To open my heart even wider, to be inspire by art and music, to be expand my family, to bounce even higher and higher!!!!!!!!!!!! And to LOVE BOMB as many as I can!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...Where is home right now?: I grew up in Seattle, spent many years in Steamboat Springs Colorado, and Taos is where my stuff is. ...Favorite drinks: Water, coffee, beer (IPA, beers from Belgium, whatever someone hands me), coconut milk cacao smoothies and drinks with berries in them. ...Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: I’m digging the Destination Burning Man podcasts. General outlook/philosophy on life: Enjoy life and be happy. Those are the most important thing you can do for the world. Favorite memories from Burns past: “The Night” and doing energy work my first burn camping with the HeeBeeGeeBee Healers. Most looking forward to: Playing on King Kong sized playground equipment, playing puppies and kittens, snuggles, kissing girls with bacon breath, singing and playing music, doing yoga and energy work, watching dreams overlap, and seeing YOU! Intentions for the Burn: As always, I want to strengthen my connection with Spirit and the spirits of all I come into contact with.

Two views on gifting

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-17T19:05:23-07:00

"Gifting" - by Halcyon from Belief Buffet on Vimeo.

Moze’s Top Ten ART PROJECTS

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-15T11:43:53-07:00

And, like in all GREAT CITIES, what is better than putting on your VAGABOND SHOES and joyously joining in the workaday hustle of our citizens on their way in the bustle of the boulevard, crossing busy streets in-step, wearing anti-uniforms of surreal gem embellished decoration, some naked painted and sparkling, others taking the forms of bizarre articulated machines or fuzzy bunnies.
What is better that TAKING IN SOME ART in Black Rock City while all around you the CITY RUMBLES with mutant vehicles and such delicious insanity; all carnival stilted, steam punk chaos tilted, flaming, blinking and at most times animated by passing clamorous groups of merry rabble rousers and otherwise exotic PEDESTRIANS. ... But the gentry here are a dusty sort, sordid and disorderly, a bunch of madmen and malcontents and the only thing that will RUN THE ARTISTS OUT of this town will be the artists themselves when the whole thing is over in however many days.
...So START SPREADING THE WORD, it’s time to get all Black Rock Citified, if you aren’t ZONING out and ART is right up your ALLEY, well here you go. I’ve spent some time reading about this year’s art and listening to Anarchist Jim’s EXCELLENT AUDIO TOURS so, for now, “LET us go then, you and I, When the evening is spread out against the sky” to:
...I was lucky enough to speak with Karen Cusolito recently who told me this project is just as it is described, a highly interactive environment that is indeed an ACRE WIDE so as to make some impact on the playa. ... INFINITARIUM is a GARDEN of beautiful sculptures with fire at night including “THE LOVERS” which is two huge steel leaves with running colored methanol fire water dripping from one to the other. ...This is the 10th anniversary of the Temple at Black Rock City and this year the newly formed Flux Foundation has taken up the mantle of creating an intimate space for “remembrance, catharsis, and rebirth” while at the same time building the “largest temple in Burning Man’s 25-year history”. Built at American Steel in Oakland, the Temple of Flux looks to be a LARGE CANYON with spaces for reflection, inside tall lumber walls slightly windswept with unique woodwork. ... This is going to be a TEMPLE LIKE NONE OTHER and if anyone can pull off an entirely re-imagined Temple, this most capable group of people are the ones to do it. ...I imagine it will be much like the DPW parade on ART and whatever else they’re on, in charge of even more FIRE than usual. ...I am told that the MAN this year is adorned as always with the love of craftsmen outfitting their work and with a silver reflective chest and other accents he hasn’t had before. ...I encountered his work first in 2008 with Spread Eagle, then last year with his Portal of Evolution that recreated the female reproductive system for all to climb on whether he planned it or not. ...I’ve been watching False Profit for a while with their 2008 Hydrogen Economy and PyroCardium, then last year’s Carbon Garden and this year looks to be pretty amazing. ... It’s the most beautiful expression we can imagine of the joy we take in community, music, technology, fire, sculpture and architecture,” and it looks to be their most ambitious project to date. ...As far as just PURE BEAUTY, I mentioned the Temple and the Minaret above, but also be on the lookout for KATE RAUDENBUSH’s FUTURE’S PAST, an “angular black steel roots of modern computer circuitry in the shape of a stepped pyramid give way to the ancient roots of a sacred Bodhi tree” and once again, the MOST BEAUTIFUL TRAVELING VICTORIAN HOUSE to ever grace the playa, NEVERWAS HAUL by Shannon O’Hare is returning. ...Also, a crowd favorite, TRAFFIC JAM is a large scale highly interactive project that begins Monday morning at 12:01 am and will run until all citizens have left BLACK ROCK CITY. ...HARD TO TOP DICKY IN THE BOX: This year I hear our FIRST TIMERS ART on the playa includes DESERTROPOLIS by Amy Lewis and Guy Morell, described as “one hundred modern bastakiya.. at varying distances from each other, the wind towers undulate as they condense throughout the playa” and a “field of white structures”. ...AND FINALLY, LIKE ANY FINE CITY, there are a whole bunch of PLAYA-GROUND PARKS and green “open spaces” including Benches, Benchly, Park Porch by Jon Morris, Park Life by Kimchi Camp and assorted CIVIC MEETING PLACES like The Crossroads by Iron Monkeys, Aeolian Pyrophonic Hall & Whispering Wall, by Capra J’neva and Urban Stoop by Craig Cooper and James Dufour. We have Football and FiFA soccer installations along with Skypad Apartments by Bob Mazewski, an intriguing looking large green MANT FARM by the Sober Free Society from Seattle, and bars like the Moonshine Sunrise by Thomas Haan and eggchtropolis bAR(T) by EggchairSteve and Crew.

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.2

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-13T13:40:30-07:00

Where is home right now?: Samish Island off the coast of the lower Skagit Valley; Bellingham too; all of the mossy westside of the Cascades feels like home. ...Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: I dig a wide range of music, from whomp to world beat, bluegrass to jazz, Grateful Dead to classic funk and soul, and I post musical mixes featuring this kaleidoscope of sounds at podcastcafe.org, destinationburningman.com/stuff/podcasts and soundcloud.com/moontrolling/tracks. General outlook/philosophy on life: I choose love, value creativity and freedom of expression, and get high off of conscious community. ...Favorite memories from Burns past: The Boogie Universal Pyramid Project experience from beginning to end, meditating during sunrises at the various Temples, DISORIENT microbeat dancing in deep playa, Torsten and the Zebracorn, "The Party Formerly Known as the Prince Party" and rolling Purple Palace with my boys, the double-rainbow, discovering Nectar and Glitch and the Crude Awakening madness of '07, Team Love in '09….. Most looking forward to: taking it to the next level with Get Found, meeting new tribe with ChillVille, grooving to bone-rattling bass beneath the stars, solo explorations during the day, furthering the Playa Portrait Project, Temple of Flux, loving on all the Burners! Intentions for the burn: Fine-tuning the results of my hard work over the past year; practicing eye contact and deep listening; realizing the Pure Power of Potential; stepping out of my normal comfort zones to see what else is out there; letting go of the old and making room for the new. ...Name (playa or otherwise): Carla, Carl, Bun-Bun, Carls, Carlsbad, Hot Carl Where is home right now?: Currently Seattle, but gypsying it for the next 2-3 months in California after the Burn! Im on a quest to find my new home! ...Favorite drinks: Yerba Matte, Iced Americano w/ toffee and cream, top-shelf bourbon, Heffiwiezens, Tripples, Apricot Beers Favorite use/form of bacon: On a french toast/egg/american cheese sandwhich, or those random times on the Playa when you REALLy need it and it just shows up in your lap. ...Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: Ok, I'll break it down... ...For more about my musical tastes, I have a soundcloud with some songs Ive made (Im learning how to produce on Ableton) and current favorites of other artists.. www.soundcloud.com/dreamkitty General outlook/philosophy on life: I am in process of writing a manifesto of sorts, a set of concepts that I feel are important...they are: Meaningful Work, Evolution of Consciousness, Embracing the Present Moment, Entheogenic Revolution, Healing the Gender Gap, Localizing and Community Building, and Sustainability and Permaculture. Favorite memories from Burns past: Firedancing in conclave my first burn. Having a telepathic conversation with a stranger Sunday morning of my first burn. ... The first time I saw the Temple of Forgiveness up close. The talent show during the huge dust storm in the moving truck at Boogie Universal. ...Intentions for the burn: Shedding old layers with ease. ... Strengthening connections with Family old and new..saying goodbye to the Pacific Northfresh and moving forward to where my heart is calling me...

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-12T18:37:03-07:00

I haven't quite settled into home yet, but I think it has something to do with LOVE and big trees. Years burned: 2010 is first official, although I visited 2007 and 2008 via astral travel. ...Favorite use/form of bacon: a BLT in the BRC Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: (hang) drums, whomp, and bluegrass General outlook/philosophy on life: All we need is love. Favorite memories from Burns past: Being an onlooker, knowing it was for me, and waiting till the Universe said GO! Most looking forward to: (specific/concrete things, examples: riding solar-powered art cars, dancing to Ana Sia, Temple soul work, yoga workshops, rubbing bacon on naked men, getting tattoeed, volunteering….): D. ...Favorite drinks: horchata, barley soda, americano w/ cream, Kern's mango nectar, H20 w/ lemon Favorite use/form of bacon: Gummy bacon makes for an interesting swizzle stick Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: STS9, Shpongle, Tom Waits, Fela Kuti, Whomp, Dub, Beats Antique...etc...now and again a dose of Black Sabbath and Nina Hagen ...Favorite memories from Burns past: Carcass Wash with Ramona Mayhem, impromptu Monkey Cheerleader, Sunday morning Temple adventure, serving bevs at Center Camp Cafe, adopting my Gnome named Pog, beautiful random connections with stangers.... Most looking forward to: Co-creating camp space, Sweating Prayers at RhythmWave, checking out the Mant Farm, a little more day exploring, Temple Burn, give and receive lots and lots and lots of hugs... ...Name (playa or otherwise): David, no Playa name as of yet ...Favorite drinks: Water, Blood Orange Juice and Mandarin Absolut, Good Tequila and Orange with Cinnamon, Makers Mark, Any Belgian Beer ...Favorite music/bands/styles of the moment: I speak Shpongolese ...Favorite memories from Burns past: My great friends wonderful stories I have been hearing about for so many years Most looking forward to: I am trying not to get ahead of myself, but Earth Guardian volunteering and Lamp Lighting would seem to give me a great sense of participation with the whole community. I am hoping to be an active MOOP snagger in our camp as well as everywhere else on the Playa. ...Intentions for the Burn: My greatest intentions for this first Burn is to allow myself to loose control and to let expectations go. This may be a direct contradiction to my previous statement, but it’s baby steps at the moment.

Building BRC 2010

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-10T22:05:50-07:00

John Curley is at it again, blogging from the Black Rock Desert on the building of Burning Man 2010. He just filed his first report today: The first crews were out on the playa by 5:30 in the morning, hoping to avoid the worst of the midday heat. So if you showed up at Bruno’s restaurant for breakfast at 6:30, the normal time to start the day around here, feeling pretty good about yourself because you moved heaven and earth to make it, well, too bad, you were too late. You didn’t get to be one of the first people on the playa this year. Hell, if Porn Star had driven through the night for 10 hours straight to make it on time, what was your excuse? So that’s what’s going on here in the little town of Gerlach, and out on the Black Rock desert. The family is gathering again at the place they like to call home, and they’ve showed up, as they always do, very ready to work.

Will it be hot? Will it be dusty?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-08-08T23:12:21-07:00

Raising the Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-07-16T10:43:09-07:00

There's a fantastic post on the Burning Blog from Dan Miller, the man who helped build, raise and burn the Man from 1990-2000. It is historical in nature and shares many interesting stories about the evolution of this ritual: In 1989, on Baker Beach with the Golden Gate Bridge looming to the east, we had a defining moment — due to the lack of engineering prowess and the shear underestimation of the dynamics of the growth of the Man vs. physics, when raising him, his legs, head and pulling rope snapped. I remember shuddering in horror at the mess amidst the penetrating, salty gales; first, that someone might have been skewered underneath (luckily not) and that there was no hope of repairing our broken Man in this desperate moment. Then it dawned on us that we could burn him right justly in his humiliating pile and slink back to the drawing board for our next year’s invocation. As serendipity would have it, a couple of intrepid structural engineers stepped up and offered their services — anonymously (things were, cough, cough, guerrilla back then; begging forgiveness from the authorities was doable, permission, yeah, right, a three-storey wienie roast). Read the rest, including the days of the hay bale pyramid and the solar source of the flame at http://blog.burningman.com/metropol/raising-the-man/

Building the Man in 5 minutes

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-07-10T11:32:06-07:00

Painting on the Playa

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-07-07T08:24:24-07:00

Painting on Location with Roger Bansemer - Burning Man from Roger Bansemer on Vimeo.

Temple 2010

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-06-28T18:05:20-07:00

A new team of Burners are hard at work constructing the next manifestation of the Temple for Black Rock City -- its called the Temple of Flux and is being constructed in San Francisco this summer. Here's some info on their vision from the Temple 2010 Facebook page: "Artist and designers Jess Hobbs, Rebecca Anders, and Peter Kimelman collaborate on the building of Burning Man's 2010 Temple. Drawing its inspiration from canyons carved by wind and water over time, the Temple of Flux rises from the playa floor as a series of graceful double curved walls. Their wide, heavy bases taper as they ascend, leading the eye from a solid urban foundation to an increasingly fragmented upper edge as these long angles reach to the sky. ...The walls stand in an overlapping, linear layout, allowing access from all sides via passages of varying widths. ...Our cities as massive structures have evolved over time, rising like mountains and spreading like the deserts. We look to them as places of permanence and wonder, where we inhabit the urban canyons carved by roads of commerce. The city differs little from the geological features in which we once dwelled: a metropolis too changes with time, shifting, growing, crumbling and eroding. ...This Temple stands not as a habitable building, echoing churches and mosques from our histories, but as a counter-monument. ... The Temple of Flux welcomes you to take respite and find strength at its feet. It beckons you to journey its pathways and follow its sensuous lines as they arc into the air." ...They're also -- of course -- raising money for their project, which benefits our entire community -- they've raised over $6,000 towards their $16,000 goal. ... ...

Temple Profiles 2010: Jonny Poynton from Sean Donnelly on Vimeo.

Temple 2010 Artist Profiles: Brittnee Jones from Sean Donnelly on Vimeo.

"Cruising at Burning Man"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-06-08T09:59:27-07:00

The emphasis at this metaphorical metropolis is on participation, on active involvement with people from all ages and walks of life, and interactive art forms that boggle the imagination and enchant the senses. From super-size playgrounds to outdoor art galleries to scooters and motorcycles shaped like flying saucers, dinosaurs and land sharks to Taj Mahal-like edifices and robotic sculptures, the dry lake bed is populated with the bizarre, the comical, the sublime, the suggestive, the bold, the sardonic, and mostly, the unreal. It is raw, it is refined, it is provocative and will tilt your view of the world 180 degrees. ...Burning Man cannot be compared to any other event in the history of the human race, or any race. It is a daring fusion of Woodstock, a San Francisco performing arts festival, Mardi Gras, Halloween, and Daytona Bike Week. ...Through a prism of art and action, of liberated self-expression and total acceptance, a joyous light shining brighter than the hot Nevada sun will focus in your mind, burn away your paradigms, and change the way you think.... Rather than always wear the predictable biker uniform of menacing leather and evil T-shirts, you can reinvent yourself everyday. The biggest decision you'll have to make is which body paint to use that afternoon. ... You can dress like the man from Mars, or you can don nothing but the international motorcycle colors of black and red and no one will bat a glittered eye. This may be one of the reasons this is such a peaceful happening—it’s hard to argue with a naked person. ...It's a non-conformist's dream; you can be whatever you want to be. If you ever wanted to ride your bike clothes-free, this is the place. ...You can swap a jar of mayonnaise for a bottle of Jack Daniels, or bread for a blanket, or water for a massage. The void of vendors, the absolute lack of something, anything to buy forces people to move their focus away from themselves and onto the experience. It encourages people to act out, to express their otherwise private passions and beliefs without care or consequence. ...It can be a spiritual experience fraught with pomp and ceremony, a “burning” or cleansing of the soul, or it can be just one tremendous release. To most, it's a mix of many things, a collage of fantasy and free-spiritedness. ...The police stay on the periphery and out of the way unless there is real trouble, which has never, to my knowledge, occurred here. ... People like it that way, and it works, at least for a week." Full text at http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/321/7103/Motorcycle-Article/Cruising-at-Burning-Man-Festival.aspx

Warming up...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-04-15T20:01:20-07:00

Pavilion of the Man 2010 - Rendering by Andrew Johnstone - Design by Rod Garrett and Larry Harvey A sneak peak at some of the mindblowing installations that you can expect to see in Black Rock City 2010: Metropolis -- the art honorariums have been announced. An interesting post by one of the builders of the 2010 temple for Metropolis, reflecting on how one gets involved with building the temple to begin with. (The crew also has a Facebook page under "temple2010" to track the progress of designing and building this year's temple and a website with some rough sketches and concepts.) "This structure is not the temple at all. It is only wood turned into walls, an invitation to passersby who stand within them to search for the temple in their own heads. For only there is the temple to be found." Lastly, an interview from the Public Radio Project with BM founder Larry Harvey on Black Rock City's gift economy.

dBM listener feedback

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-03-09T14:20:29-08:00

Hey guys, been loving your podcasts! I've got a question: what is the dub mix with the horns on your Burnal Equinox Evolution podcast right after Roots Manuva's "I'm A New Man" (at about 29:44). I thought it might be Manuva as well, but I can't find that tune under his name anywhere on-line, so I'm thinking it's someone else. In the words of that "Dirty Harry" character: "I gots to know..." 'cause that dub rocks in a big way. Thanks for introducing me to some great new music, and I hope to see you out on the playa this year (my sixth). ...I'm from Sacramento and I found your podcast by typing Burning Man into the iTunes search bar. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was of such high quality. I've listened to about half of them so far. ...I guess because the playa is where I learned to be who I wanted to be, not who I thought other saw or wanted to see. I've met the most amazing people there, and have seen some of the most amazing things there. I've also experienced something akin to our generation's Woodstock, where people approach you expecting the best you have to offer, instead of exuding fear and uncertainty. I hope I see you guys on the playa - I'll just follow my ears. ...I just stumbled onto your podcast....... I, like you all, am a burner. I just wanted you to know that I am sending your podcast to all my bm camp mates to fan the flames........ I'm still listening and so are a bunch of my BM friends... I also mentioned you guys on eplaya. I have subscribed to your podcast....everything you are doing just keep jumping into my ipod....keep up the good work. ...Thanks for sending these out. I listened to the last one at work and loved the whomp whomp whOMP!

The Wobble Chronicles / A Bass Chakra Therapy Practice

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-02-23T18:35:36-08:00

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"I have one life and I would be damned if I live as a fool "

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-02-17T18:58:32-08:00

what happens when you set a typewriter up in the middle of nowhere desert at Burning Man and invite people to write whatever they want (via a self-servicing station)? Many, many more at http://www.sunflowerrobots.com/timelovememory

BBC in BRC

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-02-10T18:10:06-08:00

While dBM has produced and then offered up for viewing many videos over the past several years, it is always great for us to see somebody else's take on trying to interpret Burning Man through video. We were especially tickled by this heartfelt report from BBC Radio 1 and Booby Friction. From Burning Man 2009 Evolution : Have to admit that any hesitations I've been holding towards going to BRC this year were pretty much erased as soon as I saw the scrub brush desert road leading up to the city and remembered the feeling one get when one's tires hit the playa and you pass through the portal...

Breaking news....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-01-31T15:45:08-08:00

On most days, visits from the mailman are very uneventful: bills, statements, catalogs, junk, every now and then a good Netflix movie. But yesterday's delivery was an entirely different story -- It's not often that something that reaches you by way of the post is life-changing, but in the case of receiving a ticket to Burning Man, accompanied by a spicy fireball candy, it is not exaggerating to call it that: life-changing. Who knows how the next 210 days will play out, what schemes will emerge, how my tribe will fragment and reconstitute in new and surprising combinations, what virgins might jump on board? Getting my Burning Man ticket in the mail -- my fourth one -- always reminds me of Willy Wonka's golden tickets -- I get to go to Wonkaland! I've just secured admittance to one of the greatest gatherings known to mankind! I just queued up for the most powerful soul-shakedown celebration-ritual that I've ever experienced! Thanks Mr. Postman. You have no idea what that nondescript white envelope really contained: an express ticket on a journey that takes one to both the deepest reaches of outer space and the inner psyche. As a Burner friend in Seattle commented on seeing the above photo, "And so it begins...."

Get Found in the Default World : Keeping the Flame Lit

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-01-06T20:29:09-08:00

Spiderball/Halloween in San Francisco Samish Island Zendo reunions Bellingham Seattle New Years in San Francisco

Evolution II : Burning Man 2009, and a brief farewell

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-12-26T12:09:09-08:00

Moontroll has cooked up one more final video presentation featuring photographs, videos and music from Burning Man 2009 : Evolution. Soudtrack features tracks from Bassnectar, Bluetech, Mimosa & Collie Budz and Random Rab, and the photos are from over a dozen different sources found around the internets. You can view the full collection of 2009 BM videos on our video page or by visiting Moontroll's Vimeo album. Hope you dig on it and it stirs up some personal excitement for Black Rock City 2010!

Another look at Burning Man 2009 from Moontroll, featuring photos from over a dozen sources found across the internets (see closing credits for full disclosure!) Music by Bassnectar, Bluetech, Mimosa & Collie Budz and Random Rab.

More videos, musical mixes, photos, stories and more at http://www.destinationburningman.com.

Viva la Black Rock City!

Things will be pretty quiet here on the dBM blog until the spring or early summer when we start gearing up for the next pilgrimage to the playa. We'll continue to regularly post musical mixes on our dBM podcast page, including a forthcoming serial from DJ Edubious, more installments in DJ Playaduster's Wobble Chronicles series designed to help listeners tap in to the raw power of their bass chakras and stellar sets from a wide variety of Guest DJs. Y'all take care and thanks for the encouragement and support over the years. Drop us a line anytime at destinationburningman@gmail.com. Love, the dBM crew

DJ Grapenuts presents "Hektervision : Glacial Facial at Burning Man 2009"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-11-22T19:35:06-08:00

HektorVision Presents: Glacial Facial pt.1 from Grapenuts on Vimeo.

EVOLUTION & Camp Get Found : Burning Man 2009

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-10-24T16:14:12-07:00

This is a multimedia piece I made with photos, videos and music from several different sources, including the amazing time-lapse photography of Ben Wiggins and burn footage from Mr. Nightshade and John Chavez. It is intended as a scrapbook or time capsule to celebrate Burning Man 2009 and the beautiful people I camped and spent the week with (Go Team Love!!). Soundtrack is provided by Random Rab, ill. Gates, Welder, Nosaj Thing, Ezekiel Honig and Shpongle.

Feel free to download a copy (link below video on the right) and share it with others. Consider leaving a comment if you like this too. Spread the playa love!

Lots more videos, photos, podcasts and burning blogging at my website www.destinationburningman.com.

Moontroll has finished posting the last of his video shorts, and now offers this longer, more comprehensive half-hour-long epic that seeks to preserve and celebrate the people, places, sounds, sights and scenarios of Burning Man 2009. We recommend you download your own copy from the Vimeo page -- look for the link beneath the video on the right-hand side -- and play it on as big of a screen, with as loud of a soundsystem, as possible. It's long, so get comfy and make sure you are in the irght frame of mind to take this experience in! Hope you enjoy it -- leave a comment on Vimeo with your reactions. Peace, love and playa!

Ritual, twisting logic, release, transformation, giving, synchronicity : A report from Burning Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-10-02T11:54:39-07:00

It’s not that we use the past as a reference point for who we are, or where we are going, which would be fine. It’s that we determine our lives almost exclusively by what has happened in the past; by who we knew in the past; by what we held as true in the past; by our family of origin and what they did to us; by the career that we developed, generally with no special intention to have done so. ...What we struggle with the most, if you ask me, is the unspoken requirement to be who we were, feel how we felt, and love who we loved yesterday. ... We make next to no room to ritualize the idea of change that would allow us an opportunity to in fact actually change. ...Some of our most fundamental values, such as whether we think marriage has any validity for us personally, are bound up in these social ties. Deep beneath our fear of being ourselves, which really is a phobia on a cosmic scale, is the fear of being cast out of the tribe if we violate its social order. ...Maybe you’ll be different after a divorce or a death in the family, but even then there is only so far the rules of society allow us to go. ...The thing about the Man is that he’s this elaborate artistic creation, different every year, and then we do something very odd by our society’s standards: We burn him. ... Burning Man is “fun,” but it’s fun only to the extent that we give up some of our worldly trappings, our sense of time, our daily routines, our names, and so on. ...This is a missing experience for most of us, who don’t think we have so much to give; and if we do, the idea of actual generosity is often repulsive or seems inappropriate. ...The camp that I was staying in, Poly Paradise, offered a daily Human Carcass Wash, where up to 600 people a day came to be washed down from their coating of playa dust. ...If you run out of food or water, you’re at the mercy of your neighbors, who are usually generous; everyone is in the same condition. (This particular part is easy for me, because my first gig as a cook was in the galley of The Pioneer, a century-old steel schooner, cooking for 14 people. ...There are no flush toilets. port-a-potties are glorified outhouses, and if we make a mess out of them, they are messy for the rest of us. ... The potties are plastered with public service announcements created by various camps and factions reminding what and what not to drop down the hole—and the admonition that someone will, in fact, have to dig out your Pepsi bottle if you toss it down there. ...I shaved once; it was a memorable project, involving the spontaneous discovery that I had left my shaving gear in the glove compartment, then boiling half a gallon of precious water. ...It’s true that I was in a camp that had relationship-oriented discussion groups every morning (called Poly High Tea) and where we hosted talks on the history and sociology of monogamy. However, all around, people seemed to be tossed around in a kind of relational anarchy—sometimes pleasant, sometimes not—as a result of being confronted by so much intense beauty and so many people bringing out some aspect of their creative fire. ...I really had to surrender to the notion that if I think of something, it could happen in a matter of minutes; and even if I wasn’t consciously thinking of it, but I secretly wanted it, it could happen in when I was least expecting it. ...They can’t safely light a fire that big with 40,000 people around it in such a stiff wind, but unlike last year (when there was a similar problem) the higher-ups made the decision to start the preburn festivities: A lot of fire dancers and musicians and acrobats came out and performed in a vast circle to the audience/participants.

Defining Moments, 2009

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-18T07:30:02-07:00

Im normally shy, and not very touchy but something in my head told me to give her a hug and help her with anything she needed. ... I walked with her all over the playa, pointed to our unfinished art and watched the sunrise on top of another artists art, with the artist in center camp. ...Before my first burningman my boyfriend told me that I should make something for my dad, who commited suicide when I was little, to go in the temple. ... I painted a picture that I thought conveyed a fitting message but was largely unattached to it because I hadn’t allowed myself to feel very much in the way of sentimentality towards my dad. On the day that we went to put my painting in the temple I had the attitude that I would simply put it somewhere, maybe write something around it and leave..very brief. I found a place on the walkway up to the second floor and put it there..by this time I was already crying, so I put it down and started writing a letter on the baseboards. ... At the end of the letter I wrote something that was so true I could feel it down to the very bottom of my heart: “I Forgive you daddy, and I love you with all my heart.” ...The Temple burn will always stick out in my mind as one of the most moving experiences of my life but the most defining Burning Man experience came on Tuesday night when... This was my first year and so I had no idea what to expect when it came to the city itself. I mean, my roommate and a large number of my friends have all gone for the last 3-5 years so I had heard plenty about the atmosphere and the energy and the people and the camps, but very little about the city itself. ...We talked for a while about how amazing it was that all of us who had planned and struggled to make it to Black Rock in 2009, had made it happen and created this crazy/beautiful fleeting thing which was impossible to describe and breathtaking to witness, and that we could try to explain the exhileration of that view, but one would truly have to be there to understand. ...I was in my pj’s (Leopard print shorts) and I really just meant to step outside of the rv to get fresh air but before I knew it I was on a very spiritual journey. ...After insane dancing at Opulent temple and Hokkahdome (which had best dj and music), and still feeling pretty high, we wandered into the middle of chaos of moving lights and sounds that reached the furthest corners of the desert (damn, they have bad ass speakers). 360 degrees around us was everlasting party celebrating humanity. ...It was two beautiful, ornate tree like structures the larger of which was perhaps 30 feet high with a flaming rotating core that had many small flowerlike projections that had either lights or fire coming out of them (meant to represent axons). ... The whole piece could be operated to emit bursts of flame that are loud and hot enough to be felt both as heat and pressure waves to the surrounding crowd from various parts of the neurons and the dendrite, at the artists desire. ...A large group gathers and starts dancing ecstatically and with increasing energy beneath and around the sculpture, and for over half an hour the DJ on the car and the artist operating the sculpture talk to each other – the robot sings to the sculpture and the sculpture talks back with bursts of fire, while the crowd dances and cheers. ...While I expected fire art, and amazing art cars, and creative music and spontaneous dancing, it had not occurred to me that all of these things would inform each other spontaneously and improvisationally. ... Now imagine that this type of thing happens maybe a hundred times a day for a week, and 10,000 times a day on a smaller scale, not necessarily loud and energetic, sometimes quiet and contemplative; and that no one is getting paid; rather people are spending their own time and money to make it happen for the art of it and the enjoyment and pleasure of others. ...Having already found myself over the last couple of months finding that my real home exists in the “now”, I was very excited to bring my new home, ahem, home with me and try it out there! ...And as I spoke the words to him I was also speaking them to myself and we sat outside for over an hour on a weird little pull cart on the back of someone’s bike and had a good old fashioned satori experience… enlightenment on the playa?

"The Life Lessons of Burning Man"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-12T19:45:42-07:00

A columnist at the San Francisco Gate recently published a meditation on Burning Man that doesn't suck. It begins: "As I've been lured back to the sweltering, dusty sexed-up madness that is Burning Man again this year -- my sixth time -- by a gaggle of delicious friends, I am hereby reminded of a few hundred truths, half-truths, outright lies and astonishing epiphanies offered up by the world-famous, Christian-feared, beautifully debauched, sensory overloaded, impossible-to-describe art-survivalist-camping-rave megaspectacle now underway in the remote Nevada desert. If you've ever wondered at the appeal, the urge, the drive to attend such a thing, if you've heard wisps of the mythology and the mystery and the epic weirdness or even seen a few pictures and wondered, you know, WTF, maybe these tidbits can help..." Read the entire article, alongside many other first-hand reports and interpretations, on the "What is Burning Man?" page in our "About" section. Alright then.

"5 Things Cities Can Learn from Burning Man" by Time.com

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-11T18:37:34-07:00

Burning Man video shorts from Moontroll

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-14T12:33:16-07:00

We did it!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-09T10:06:52-07:00

Camp dBM evolved in to Camp Get Found when we moved our home to 3:30 & Lineage. Here's our one family portrait we managed, moments before launching ourselves out in to Burn Night. Torsten left early and was missed; Gabriella and Sugar Cube are our special guests. Many, many more stories to come. For now, decompression back in the Default World. Viva la Team Love!!! xoxoxoxo UPDATE: We have a Flickr pool for Get Lost at www.flickr.com/groups/get_found/pool/.

Black Rock City rising, like a mirage in the desert

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-28T07:48:14-07:00

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Over & out!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-28T10:11:42-07:00

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Camp dBM registration #9

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-25T21:25:39-07:00

2005: acrobalance in the hookahdome, and that night i can't explain (it started with that weird circus...); 2008: watching The Timothy and Paul Show in HOME with Scotty, dancing my ass off in all directions on metal jungle gyms in the big dome, connecting with my fabulous campmates katie and percy, interpretive dance with imploded balloon parts at sunrise. Least-favorite BRC memories: having to "work," the unsuccessful search to find the friends i was supposed to meet up with, the awful, awful ride home Playa garb you feel most yourself in: boots What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? snacks ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? flight. sooo vanilla. ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? can we talk about this on the playa? i need a review. ...What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? a lady of leisure ...Your one wish for humanity: compassion ...Hopes for BM '09? a freewheeling good time; quality time with friends from far away; to really explore the art; to find things to climb on and other aerialists to play with ...Fears for BM 09? not finding my way there

"Yer goin' where? To do what?"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-28T08:17:35-07:00

The full moon will be a part of next week's playa ambiance. Maybe you already know this, but I just read on Tribe that "The moon will be full on Friday, Sep 4th - it will be out from 6:15 pm to 5:34 am. Sunrise on Saturday is at 5:32 am, so if you're up at that hour, you'll see both!! ... Last time I went there was also a full moon, as well as a FULL LUNAR ECLIPSE (setting the weird scene for the Early Burn) and later in the week, a massive double-rainbow! ...A mulligan is, according to my dictionary, "(in informal golf) an extra stroke allowed after a poor shot, not counted on the scorecard." ... When I do, you can't count certain poor shots, foggy decisions, fumbles, stumbles, disappearing acts or no-shows against me on my scorecard! ...I found (and love) this description of the distractive nature of life in BRC on a listserv: "short attention span central. that's the playa in a nutshell. it's hot and loud and nobody gets any sleep. plus there are a lot of bright shiny things. we joke in my camp that people at burning man are like ferrets on crack, e.g.: 'ok, man, i'll go get that ice. gonna grab the wagon and the cooler and HOLY SHIT WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT, wow, what a fabulous looking SWING! hey, look at those people o my god what are they doing hee hee heeee wow that looks like fun, i love my new friends...' and before you know it, wagon's gone and it's been seven hours since you sent them to go get ice. this is standard operating procedure. get used to it, be forgiving when it happens, because it happens to the best of us. can't handle it? ... If it takes me 7 hours to do an ice run, I'll call a mulligan. ...I was thinking it would be interesting and invigorating to take a vow of silence for 24 hours at some point down at Burning Man. ... BM could be a great place to do it (excellent place for experimentation, going beyond normal boundaries), or a horrible place (too many fascinating people to talk to!), not sure which. It would be interesting to see what alternative nonverbal forms of interpersonal communication emerges, especially with strangers. ...You could feel like exploring frontiers in learning, which could motivate you to pick up and travel or study something new. Using your sense of adventure to stretch and broaden your view of the world might infuse your life with a greater sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of the workings of the world around you. Making it a point to undertake something new, such as investigating an issue you are interested in, delving into another culture, or trying a different form of meditation or reflective practice may result in the infusion of fresh ideas and discoveries into your life. If you can bring something different to your everyday routine, you might notice that the boundaries of what you thought was possible can expand to encompass things that are not only unusual, but also extremely fulfilling. ...As we bring new thoughts, ideas, and experiences to our lives, we widen the circle of our daily existence that we create around us. Unless we continually and conscientiously increase our awareness of the world, we can easily craft a bubble that confines, constricts, and limits us – we no longer seek to grow but instead remain in a state of constant refuge. By immersing yourself in something that brings you out of this cocoon, however, you will ignite your desire to understand your life in a more profound way, which will help you embark on a path of deep and enduring change." ...Going beyond comfort zone, transformative experience, leave the bubble/coccoon, understand my life in a more profound way, embark on a path of deep and enduring change.

Camp dBM VIP registration #2

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-25T19:26:04-07:00

remembering the past, living for the present and dancing toward the future...... How many burns? (list years): 07 and 08 Favorite BRC memories: 07’s white morning. spontaneous connection with friends, and bacon Least-favorite BRC memories: still thinking..... Playa garb you feel most yourself in: 3-piece suit with motorcycle boots and ski goggles What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? finger light, pre-rolls and gum If you had a superpower, what would it be? stop time.... Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? billie jean, don’t stop till you get enough...., and the 3rd fave, hmmm, tell you when i hear it again What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? old age Your one wish for humanity: peace Hopes for BM '09? tranquility, union, and a bit of sleep Fears for BM 09? a flat tire and no sleep

Hot Links for BRC '09

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-26T06:08:48-07:00

"OK, so you're getting ready to head to the playa. You're part of a mid-sized Burning Man camp that's giving away peach schnapps Sno-Cones from a big peach-shaped art car and you're all calling yourself James. Or whatever. Not important. You got your goggles and combat boots. Your bike is covered entirely in fake pink fur and wrapped in blue electro-luminescent wire. You've packed enough costumes for a month, from the fire-crotch thong to an elaborate Ming the Merciless getup, complete with death ray. Again, whatever, not important. What is important are the drugs. You're going to spend a week frolicking through the planet's preeminent adult playground, past all manner of tripper traps and the weirdest, most mind-blowing shit you've ever seen, mixing with a multitude of beautiful souls with Cheshire Cat grins. You'll want one too."

Camp dBM registration #8

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-24T17:50:21-07:00

Way too many for listing, heavy and light, its all there, why not ask me more later over a camelback of some warm water with alkali dust? Least-favorite BRC memories: loneliness Playa garb you feel most yourself in: wait and see What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? attitude awareness and perspective If you had a superpower, what would it be? flight. Duh. Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? Thriller, everything else in number two. What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? I think its already out Your one wish for humanity: ending cycles of ignorance, everything stems from that Hopes for BM '09? Joy Fears for BM 09? Loneliness

Camp dBM registration #7

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-23T14:37:21-07:00

The only constant is change. We can rail against this or evolve with it. To be at peace and present is the ultimate challenge and gift. ...(list years): 2007, 2008, 2009 (pending) Favorite BRC memories: Meeting the Devil my first night in BRC. Seeing a double rainbow after meeting the two cutest boys who just got married. Sunrise interpretive dancing after extreme juggling and metal object acrobatics. ...Least-favorite BRC memories: The fucking birthday cake! Playa garb you feel most yourself in: Business suit. What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? Diabolo, fuzzy brown hat, scorpion belt buckle. If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? (after re-watching the video) smooth criminal, Thriller (duh), P.Y.T. What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? The man I will become. Your one wish for humanity: Joy! Hopes for BM '09? Connection, freedom, joy and love Fears for BM 09?

Ramona Mayhem's tips on playa diet, health and hygiene

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-21T11:02:35-07:00

*Smoked salmon prices are great here, but I get it from my Poppa who catches the fishies. ...The rose Zin is lighter alcohol content and quite tasty believe it or not--will be good in the desert methinks... ...*Variety of flavored hummus'es--I love the sundried tomato one but they have a dozen to choose from in little and big sizes *Pre-made Indian fare, variety of flavors (lentils, palak paneer, etc) about $3?--I just eat them straight out of the mylar packets--no heating, no mess *Septics of soup--portabello mushroom, red pepper curry, french onion--I get the 8 oz versions and chug them--great source of nutrients & electrolytes ...*Fresh fruit that is a little under ripe when you travel--stuff without peels and such (grapes, plums, apples) Italian Plums are a favorite! :) (friend's gardens! *Your favorite dressing, (me: Annie's Woodstock--it has tahini in it--another great source of calcium) The best part about these foods is you have a protein (fish/hummus/cheese) with a carbo (rice crak'n, flax chip, rice/pasta) with a veggie/fruit (aforementioned tapenades) and salt/electrolytes (soups/olives/fried onion pieces?), and last but not least, you have to admit, TJ's has a ROCKIN' sweet tooth department. It's basically my goal to not ever use my stove (I am actually loaning it to my burning sister and her bf for the week)--last two years I made one cooked meal (stir-fry) and boiled water twice for coffee for the camp building crew. ...*Vitamin medley: 5-htp, melatonin, B-6 & 12 (multi), EFA's (cod liver oil or Evening Primrose), Cal-Mag (no constipation here!), etc ...*Get one strand of L.E.D. lights--last forever, create a nice ambience in your tent/VW/dome w/o blinding you, and blue is my favorite. :) ...Well, frenz, I have so much more to contribute to this--the wheels are turning inside my brain much like the gears of a giant ole clock, and while I have lost track of the dayz as they relate to a weekend, I know it is exactly 9 dayz before I leave on yet another epic adventure. I'll be headin' on playa sometime after midnight, Monday, and heading directly towards a man visit after blinglebee is righteously parked. :) If y'all feel like sharing a snack, a tune, or some hoop-lalalalalala, by all means, come visit @ Spanky's Village 8:30 and Esplanade. ...Join RamonaMayhem & CampMystic @ Spanky’s Wine Village for a hoopjam on Monday from 4-6pm. Hoops will be provided (or bring your own) and a yummy treat to share–as in the stone soup idea–we all contribute and we all feast! ...Join me and Raquelisimia at Center Camp Cafe as we make music (java) for the masses. If you mention dBM or some hooptastic limerick, I'll make your Iced Mocha for free! ...Your other chance to breakdance and groove dBM mystic style while I sling jo--impress me with a beatbox or breakdown--I'll make you coffee at Center Camp Cafe (and 1,000 other folks!) ...I'm camp bitch of Spanky's village, bitch, and if you don't come (on the orgasmatron, the teeter totter of death, the chairway to heaven, or with a flight of wine), then I'll be your bitch too! ...My ticket came in the mail today, I am listening to tangled path on dBM podcasts, wondering why my cd player is stuck as I have 50 cds to burn as playa gifts.....

dBMcasts Compendium: load up yer iPod for the road!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-27T08:34:48-07:00

DJ Grapenuts' Playa Prefunk -- August 2009 DJ GrapeNuts Live DJ set recorded August 20th at GLOW in Bellingham, Washington. 60 minutes of head-bobbing goodness. DJ Playaduster's Soul Body Mind Playa -- August 2007 DJ Edubious' Playa Dawning -- July 2009 DJs Playaduster + Edubious' Burnal Equinox Evolution -- February 2009 Finally, here are a bunch of downloadable videos from Black Rock City. Go ahead and blow up our dBM bandwidth -- start yer downloading now, and come meet us in the flesh at Camp dBM at 2:15 & Lineage, where we'll be spinning music live in the dBM dome on the boonie fringe of Black Rock City. Over & out!

Building BRC

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-19T19:43:21-07:00

(null)

18 days

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-18T18:26:17-07:00

Baptism of 2007 playa dust from the Boogie parachute -- yumm!

20 days

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-14T21:05:48-07:00

Geodesic dome, playatech furniture, 30' mast and 80' cargo parachute for full camp shade, generator and various accouterments and accessories. Fuck yes! Playaduster has made arrangements for us to get a Costco carport from a crew of burners who won't be on the playa this year and the RV is serviced and ready to launch from Reno. The infrastructure is is in place! Now we need to get it all down to the playa.... In the last week we have added a new addition to the crew -- Scotty G (playa name unknown) is a playa veteran with an amazing ability to inspire adventure and creativity. What will he get us into in Black Rock City where we are surrounded my endless opportunities for both? We shall see...stay tuned for his Camp dBM profile. The Pacific Northwest contingent of Camp dBM will be gathering for one more meeting this weekend to hammer our the final logistics and make sure that all of this shit fits together and gets there. SO MANY DETAILS! But I'm confident that we will have it together in time for the Portal opening. The excitement among us and throughout the internets is palpable. You feel it? Yeah. Soon come. It's all about the burn now, from here on out. ~ The Most Dubious E

Moze’s Top Ten ART PROJECTS And Then Some

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-08T14:22:55-07:00

It is whimsical, a 5’ tall “realistic depiction of General Gnomius the Great” that will shoot a 70’ multicolored Methanol flame into the sky at night. ...Soma by the Flaming Lotus Girls is a stainless steel, million times larger than life neuron sculpture driven by the big brains who like to create participatory fire sculptures to blow your mind. Here are dendrites, neurons, spinning fiery nuclei and an axon with flames and electricity that end in a sparkle poof that represents the passage of electricity form cell to cell. ...This year we will be treated to a kind of Center Camp Keyhole Champs-Élysées with the Heron Project, “part prehistoric bird, part oil derrick” flapping wings of fire and surrounded by the 20 ethereal trees of Luminous Passage casting glowing shadows to warm your way. ...This year offers us a tangled bank of possibilities, and THE MAN himself promises to be an interesting departure from years past. ...There will be a Gene Pool, Strange Ur-creatures peeping and THE MAN will sit atop a central tree that is “beribboned with a double helix.. that .. will exist in flux: switching on and switching off, changing colors unexpectedly.” ...With a 35’ high Fire Tornado at its core, it doesn’t sound like the Temple will have any problem catching fire this year. ...Braindrop by Kate Raudenbush whose past projects include Altered State from 08, Guardian of Eden in 07, Duel Nature from 06 and 2005’s Stadium of the Self, brings Black Rock City a 17’ tall “meditation space created to bring awareness to the element of water on our planet and its importance to our evolutionary balance.” ...It will be a big “lotus flower blossoming” with lage cobras whose “eyes will glow red and the framework of the lotus will be illuminated by chasing lights that lead the eye upward to a whirling windmill of petals and a glowing orb at the top.” This sounds pretty cool, but add to that the fact that the installation is a Camera Obscura that rather than just allowing participants inside to see a static image, “will allow viewing dynamic images from inside the camera obscura itself” by a lens apparatus spun by windmills inside the Lotus Flower. ...The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire… this is the group that brought you the Hope Flower and Fear Trap, that really cool and unexpected flower that traveled the playa. ...This year they are building “A garden of 30 flowers ranging from 5′ to 10′ tall” each of which shoot flames that “react to sensors and generate music for a serene zen experience.” There is a tradition of these gardens that I’ve always enjoyed, including 06’s A Field of Sunflower Robots by Stefano Corazza, 02’s Lily Pond by Jeremy Lutes, the Flaming Lotus Girls Flower Garden also in 02 and Mr. $teven Ra$pa’$ Sacred Grove and Wheel of Faith from 1998, so I’m looking forward to this one. ...The Burninator Grid by Bill Codding says it all in their descripton of the new layout of the Grid that Burners walk into as “Taking the same large number of towers … and collapsing them into a small field of fire .. that… will allow it to become truly overwhelming.” And I also like the sound of 2Πr by Interpretive Arson which is “two concentric rings” with the inner ring detecting movement and translating it into fire on the second ring. BIG PENIS ART: There are many large sculptures on the playa, but the Tower of Emergence by Jordan Tenney is a “wood architectural sculpture that reaches nearly 60′ into the sky and is much like a stylized flower which has broken through a huge crack in the barren desert floor.” OOH THE COLORS AT NIGHT: Two pieces: The Pool by Jen Lewin which will be a place “where play and collaborative movement can create a cascading effect of swirling light and color” and Cubatron L5 by Mark Lotter made up of “made up of 1000 lights.” MOST LIKELY DISTURBING ART: Chimera Sententia (aka Fishbug) by Rebecca Anders & Jessica Hobbs is an offshoot of the Flaming Lotus Girls and promises to freak you out with a length of 30 feet of straining, laboring BREATHING undefined evolving creature. HARD TO TOP DICKY IN THE BOX: This year’s large scale art project by a newcomer is something called Evo-Wall by Carl Sanden. ...I don’t really know anything about ART, but I can’t wait to see what these folks make happen out there because ART really gets my motor running and I appreciate every artist who works their ass off to get their project out there to GIFT to all of us.

Camp dBM VIP registration #1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-24T18:26:43-07:00

Favorite musics: (Copycatting Edub:) reggae-glitch-acousto-pop-break beat-rock-a-folky-electro-funk-house-dubstepped-up/down/mid tempo-groovalicious-punk-hip hop AND: all of DBM PODCASTS 4-eva. :).... ...Currently reading: Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: I am really, really trying to take my brain/self/soul/lovins/etc to the next level--each page takes a LONG, LONG time; Richard Mabey, New Age Herbalist: First herbal studies book I ever bought--one of the 8-10 books that made it into the VW travel library. ; Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Game, A young adult's book regarding violence and its effect on children General outlook on life: Life is something I need to live and despite all the hesitations and ridiculous fears I feel, my friends always guide me back in the right direction. ... About three days a month I should retreat to the Red Tent and be alone for awhile ...Favorite BRC memories: Becoming one of the four broke dudes fo sho; bicycling to the man ten minutes after I arrived on playa with Dave's Not Here and Tantric Dan; Big Rig Jig Blowing Up; Andrea and Spider and Hekter and I at sunrise puttin' around on the art car--having Irish Breakfast at the Paddy's Mirage; Free Climbing the Steampunk Tree and spending twenty minutes in it all by myself; Guacamole "Eat as much as you want" thanks to Joy; Hot Pepper Whiskey at Costco Soul Trading Outlet; Bartending at Ashram Galactica and meeting Chief Stout; Sagi, Willie Wonder Jr., Hekter, Ethan, Riding bikes with Edub to VW camp and getting an otter pop from Nectar and BusBoyBob; Hooping as a greeter at 12:01; Monday morning with Nectar and Merilieu; swinging Bed; Hooping in an eleven hour storm; Arriving on playa all three years--that moment of "WE MADE IT!" ....the memories that are about to be generated!... ...; "Sleep-biking" from sleep deprivation after leaving Edub & crew @ Big Rig Jig. ...Playa garb you feel most yourself in: My Alice B. Toklas dress, something long and flowy at night with soft faux furries; Anything Hollywood dresses me up in; KP doing my eyes in sparkle yumminess; Bumblebee, bumblebee, bumblebee garb! What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? 1) Furry Hat(s; 2) Crazy array of arm and leg "sleeves"; 3) HyperPrimbly (r.i.p.) If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Whatever is on the MJ Tribute Part I--boogie, midway from 10 minutes in to and ending wit Ease On Down! ...What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ...Your one wish for humanity: May all Beings be Happy, May all Beings be Peaceful, May all Beings be FED ...Word to the Hecklesauce: I am no longer on bindi probation as my new friend on the Ave. has taught me how to keep the lil body stickers on right--a packet of yumminess for myself and Raquelisimia, and some new incense too. I contemplate the food I buy as fuel for bi-pedalin' around the city and the bindis provide sheer, sexy, reflection. Stay tuned as R & I ramp and amp it up with our body jewelry. :) No longer on Bindi Probation means Rachel and I will be rocking the yums.

Camp dBM registration #6

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-22T06:25:41-07:00

Human Nature, Blame it on the Boogie, My Lovely One -- aaaaannnnddd I Can't Help It, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, State of Shock, Shake Your Body, I'll Be There, They Don't Care About Us, Jam, Smooth Criminal, Scream... (MJ Tribute mix posted here.) What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? Being a father [update: don't worry ladies, I'm not looking to fulfill this urge on the playa this year!] Your one wish for humanity: that we would practice compassion and empathy towards all lifeforms Hopes for BM '09? /Fears for BM 09? My greatest hope and my greatest fear are one in the same -- I have been reeling from a traumatic breakup with my fiance and her son for many months now and I hope that the playa will provide me healing from my disorienting grief. I am both excited for that release (at the temple?) and afraid of what it might look like.

Camp dBM registration #5

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-16T18:25:37-07:00

Hearing “Cowboy Song” by the Vandals and jumping into an insta-mosh pit. ...Least-favorite BRC memories: I forget... Playa garb you feel most yourself in: Zorro mask and leopard pants What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? Lighter, jaw harp and playa journal. If you had a superpower, what would it be? I'd love to be able to fly. Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? Don't stop 'til you get enough, Wanna be startin' something, Say, say, say What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ... Seems like it's on low heat and very slow cooking. I'd laugh if it was a monkey in a fez hat. Your one wish for humanity: Finding peach through common ground Hopes for BM '09? Quality time with old friends, synchronicity trains of epic lengths, meeting the girl of my dreams and vision for the next stage of my life. Fears for BM 09? ...

Camp dBM registration #4

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-11T18:25:20-07:00

bodycrans socks socks tights socks disco If possessed superpower, what would it be?: power to heal. Top 3 MJ Songs: Billie Jean Burn this Disco Out Remember the Time What is pent up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out?: elation. One wish for humanity: *understanding Hopes: Safe home, connections, letting go of ego to revel in the present, witnessing change in others/self, love, acceptance, light and play (i.e. joy). Fears: not letting go. losing sight.

Camp dBM registration #3

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-05T18:19:32-07:00

Registration for Camp dBM : 00.003 ...Name, playa or otherwise: Paul/GrapeNuts Default World livelihood: Musician-Teacher-Designer-Hustler Hobbies: Building stuff, playing music, scouring the internets for cool stuff, traveling, dancing, cooking, eating, drinking, laughing ...Favorite foods: Quesadillas, sushi, seafood, fresh veggies, ice cream, donuts, BLT sandwiches… Favorite drinks: Chocolate malts, Patron, g&t’s, mojitos, red wine, fresh grapefruit juice Favorite musics: Everything that’s NOT on Clear Channel radio stations Currently reading: Terry Pratchett, anything by Tom Robbins, Kurt Vonnegut, I was shaped by Daniel Quinn and Carlos Castaneda and I guess Stephen King; he started me reading General outlook on life: Let it roll like water off my back ...(list years): 1997, 2005, 2007, 2008 Favorite BRC memories: My amazing mushroom adventure last year Least-favorite BRC memories: Blowing a clutch cable with a very grumpy (ex)girlfriend during exodus 2 years ago Playa garb you feel most yourself in: Rice Patty Hat, Big Sunglasses, Tight Grandma Polyester Pants, Bright Tennis Shoes & Utility Belt What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? The first 8 bars of “Billie Jean”, The vocoder break in “PYT”, and the “Mama Say Mama Sa Mama Makosa” break at the end of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'" What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ...Your one wish for humanity: Don’t take yourself so damn seriously ...Fears for BM '09?

Arts & Crafts for the Playa

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-02T18:20:24-07:00

We've got it together...right? The looks and verbal affirmations from Grapenutz and Playaduster say so, but I still wonder, "What am I/are we missing?" There is only 37 days until the Man burns. ... We will have been on playa for almost 8 days by that time. I've got...no WE'VE got to get our shit together! But I'm cool. ...Trusting in the our collective ability to harness and direct the Pure Power of Potential, I know we'll have more than we need when we are on the playa. But who's gonna take care of..... Camp dBM converged this week for a throw-back summer camp arts and crafts experience at Dancing Dog Clayworks to create some unique gifts for the playa. The 20 or so Burning Man Evolution pendants will be but one of our gifts for the BRC community (music, of course being another). During our convergence we got crafty and did some planning for the upcoming journey to the Portal and beyond. A few preliminary sketches and plaster to carve DJ Playaduster is already sportin' his playa goggles ...Every piece he made was a one of a kind. After our art barn session, we bolted to Lake Padden where we took a long awaited swim (it was over 90 degrees that day) and rendezvous'd with Lil Fox and Robin, the newest Camp dBM members. The vibes were smooth, some plans were discussed, but mostly we shared our excitement about the fast approaching Burn. So, all of us here at Camp dBM are getting it together. ... I'm starting to pack already. Not so much to be sure that I have time to get everything that might be desired, but also because I'm am stoked to step through the Portal. ...I hope I can dance with you in Black Rock City!

Airing out the Fun Boxxx

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-28T21:56:25-07:00

...and whatever this is called -- a male version of an Indian sari -- along with a yak herder's hat. I also scored a free antique leather suitcase, and so have been able to expand my fun boxxx storage capacity. Now I'm all packed up and ready to burn! Next up, I want to get a bike tune-up, arrange to have a connecting trailer that can pull my picture frames, night warmth and refreshing beverages, and envision a new way to light her up at night without using disposable glowsticks...

Camp dBM registration #2

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-27T11:45:59-07:00

gems, wigs, colorful clothing If you had a superpower, what would it be? finger-pop-ups; example being at a restaurant and you need to get your waiter’s attention, a finger-pop-up would pop out of my finger and say “hello waiter, I would like another drink.” Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? leave me alone, off the wall, blame it on the boogie What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? a dance off Your one wish for humanity: just please get along Hopes for BM '09? healing time Fears for BM 09? i think just getting there right now … :] currently in the works.

Map of Black Rock City

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-31T20:46:02-07:00

For full-sized BRC map, click here. Where you gonna be this year?

Camp dBM registration #1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-22T19:52:34-07:00

Drumming, skateboarding (downhill & bowls), snowboarding and gardening, tinkering with anything that electronically manipulates music and sound ...2) Beer (There was a time when I’d preface this with the word “good”, but recently my taste and appreciation of…lesser beers has grown), ...reggae-glitch-acousto-pop-break beat-rock-a-folky-electro-funk-house-dubstepped-up/down/mid tempo-groovalicious-punk-hip hop ...The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan from The Wheel of Time series (right now I’m on book 4 of 11 – reading the whole series again for the 4th or 5th time) ...I can create whatever the fuck I want to and anything that is in my life that I don’t like is on me – I created that too. The Universe is abundant and will provide you with all that you need and desire. ... Death is inevitable so live your life so that when death comes you can embrace it (hopefully without fear or regret). ...Prince is bringin’ em’ back from the dead with ‘I Would Die For You’ Hyphee fo sho’!! ...***Whatever sound camp that was across from Boogie Universal with their heinous fucking music blasting out of speakers that were pointed straight at our camp. That was THE WORST music I heard on the playa – no doubt! ...No more tent sleeping for me if I can help it. ...sleeveless shirt, vest or jacket/ long flowing robe or jacket with a deep hood / a skirt or ¾ length pants / comfortable boots What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? That is a surprise for you and me. In the immortal words of my favorite author, Robert Jordan, “wait and find out…” ...1) A solid camp of brothers and sisters who are open to the moment to moment experience of possibility. 2) To tap into the Pure Power of Potential even further to manifest a truly transformative experience for me and those around me ...4) To dance my fucking ass off to new music that will take me to the edges of what is currently being done ...2) Loosing some cherished part of myself as I explore the boundaries of my current being

Introducing Camp dBM

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-17T21:13:39-07:00

We've been keeping the good word under wraps for the past month or so, to see how our concepts would solidify into actual plans. But now, with exactly 50 days until the Burn, we're confident enough to announce some news: Destination Burning Man will be representing on the playa this year with a camp made up of all your friends here at www.destinationburningman.com, offering a cozy dBM dome for music, dance parties, soirees and fuzzy lounging! This here website -- hosting the dBM blog, musical mixes distributed via podcasts, videos from the playa, burn reports and interpretations, links to the Burning Man universe, photo collections and Burner profiles -- began on April the first, 2007, to document the voyage of "three broke dudes with a dream and a desire to burn" to Burning Man 2007. Originally envisioned as a way to raise funds for our visions, it soon morphed, along with our evolving plans, in to a record of Boogie Universal's Pyramid Project. Our crew grew to something like 40 people, and we committed to the creation of an esplanade theme camp, with many logistics and hours upon hours of labor involved. ...The principals behind Destination Burning Man -- DJ Playaduster/moontroll and DJ Edubious -- took 2008 off from the Burn (not necessarily by choice -- it is a long and unpleasant story) -- but have held tickets for Burning Man 2009 since the first day they went on sale last winter. They knew that their co-conspirators Hekter McElliott and Ramona Mayhem would likewise be traveling to Black Rock City too, creating their own parallel plans that would allow the four to join forces on the playa and raise some holy ruckus together. With open minds and hearts, and the experiences of creating an epic burn together in 2007, moontroll and the Most Dubious E began whispering visions of a smaller, more intimate camp to be erected back towards the fringes of the city with an elevated state of comfort, a vigorous sense of adventure and soulful seeking and a mission to bring the dBM groove -- a deep groove that encompasses more diverse musical ideas than is typically found in the loudest sound camps -- to the people. It was a natural fit then when DJ Grapenuts, a leading creative and musical force from the Boogie Universal camp, stepped forward with similar ideals for his 4th Burn -- comfort, music, dance parties, freedom, adventure, independence, pushing boundaries. ...An initial summit at the Samish Island Zendo brought forth a rush of ideas for camp construction, amenities, playa art installations and hijinks, along with rough sketches visualizing the dBM dome. It was agreed that creating a simple environment in which the DJs Playaduster, Edubious and Grapenuts could plug in laptops, fire up a sound system and mix music for friends, new and old, was essential. Spinning sets from their overflowing vaults of grooves -- funk, salsa, reggae, raga, dub, breaks, soul, downtempo, cumbia, glitch, ambient, etc. -- became the organizing principle behind the mission. It was likewise agreed that the dream camp included other friends that they either knew or hoped would be in BRC too -- Camp dBM would not emulate Club Exclusivo but instead be open to fellow merry-makers and rabble-rousers, dreamers, musicians, circus performers, healers, artists and seekers. Each of the original three have passed on the whisper on to a few friends that they could envision spending a very intense and edgy week with in the desert, with positive results at the end of the double-rainbow. Torsten (playa name not registered) of San Francisco, with seven burns under his belt, knew what kind of experience he sought and thus eagerly jumped at the opportunity to merge with Camp dBM. His last burn was in 2007; while moontroll, G'nutz and Edubious were erecting the Boogie Pyramid at 9 o'clock and Esplanade, Torsten was working like a monkey on the epic Crude Awakening installation on Open Playa. Needless to say, he too was looking to gear down in 2009 and experiment with a smaller, tightly-knit camp existing on the fringes. It was also suggested to Torsten that he might know of some fellow Bay Area Burners, carefully selected, that might add good ju-ju to Camp dBM. There are rumors that Grapenuts has found two more friends enthusiastic to join the camp -- including a childhood chum and rumored Burning Man virgin -- and there is secretive campaigning going on for another brother in Taos, New Mexico, underemployed and newly single, to commit to the amorphous tribe, a tribe that is slowly but perfectly converging intentions, mapping out possibilities, and counting down the weeks and days until the Man burns... Over the next 50 days, Camp dBM intends to chronicle with some regularity the evolution of their journey to Black Rock City.

Adam Lambert : Bringing the Burn to mainstream America

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-17T20:38:04-07:00

On Jun 10, 2009, at 12:08 PM, moontroll wrote: Subject: Re: "I realized that we all have our own power, and that whatever I wanted to do, I had to make happen." Well said, Master Doobsauce (Wonder where Princess Ramona and Hekter Binks are these daze?). We are in no position to argue against the "drug fueled" label -- it is a clinical description of how we get through the week. But still, I think Big Media has to label it as such to try and take away the power of the gathering -- call it names and it is less threatening to the status quo. Belittle it as a "freak fest" and raise the fears that most desk-jobbers have about what might happen if they too stepped outside the boundaries of the Default World. ... But I note that it was the media that called it that, and not the kid who had a spiritual awakening on the playa. (I'm getting really fired up kids - - the past couple of days I've just been getting sparkier and sparkier. ... Maybe it is because I've been listening/watching to Burncast pod and vidcasts frequently, or maybe because I got the fun box out of my storage unit and have been sifting through its dusty treasures, making note of what I need to add to it....) ...Read the "American Idol" kid's quote in the subject line again; isn't that another way of describing our ideas about the Pure Power of Potential??? Slightly different angle, I suppose, but in the same shooting range! ...Subject: Re: "I realized that we all have our own power, and that whatever I wanted to do, I had to make happen." ...He is alluding to the Pure Power of Potential. That was the connection that I was trying to make. (I'm getting fired up too. I'm actually online right now "shopping" for clothes (or ideas for my style this year). I'm finding lots of cool, tribal stuff - that is also pretty expensive. ...More on Adam Lambert's playa transformation at www.idolator.com and an examination of androgynous fashion and superstardom (with a bonus pic of Prince) at www.nytimes.com (whut?). I have no idea if Adam is a good singer/performer or not, but just being a Burner makes me warm to him -- bringing the freaky-styley philosophy of phreedom of frickin' Black Rock City in to something as mainstream as "American Idol" is both bad-ass and hilarious. American Idol Adam Lambert on the far left, rocking the net socks, platform boots, juju beads and feathered undies.

Are you ready to Evolve?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-23T17:29:28-07:00

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Hekter's Field Report

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-15T17:20:52-07:00

Of the two DMV's I have been in contact with this last week, BM's DMV Hotties win my award for "Fuck Yeah!". California's DMV.... not so much! I will always choose a name "Purple Koosh" over "Bonnie" and BM's questionnaire is much more dynamic and flirtatious. So.... the "Glacial Facial" has the green light to be built! This will be a completely solar powered electric iceberg.... really - no generator. And yes there will be loud music, led lighting, miscellaneous mojito materials and a giant trailer. Wolfie & I (my solar bear partner) will be putting in some late night hours in the upcoming month in order to get the rig ready for Reggae Rising in late July. The electric 4-wheeler has been bought by Reggae's land owner and fortunately, he is into our mission. We build this for him and in return we take it to the burn for the betterment of all. Nightime Polar bear suit is in the mail... daytime version will be handcrafted out of scraps. Just a fuzzy banana hammock really... maybe some matching smittens? Single White Polar Bear Male seeks HWP penguins & arctic foxes! Looking for a place to chill. Maybe I'll get online dating going with this shit? Portable assault unit, silent but friendly, misting machines, commercial spray gun... I'm getting all wet just thinking about it. Hope UR2 ;) ~ Hekter McElliott

Burning Man iPhone app

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-30T18:42:10-07:00

I found a very cool new iPhone app featuring sumptuous photos from the playa, plus a how-to playa photography guide, links collection and other swag, made by Seattle's own Matt Freedman and available at www.monkfishlabs.com. It'll costya $3.99, but then you'll have the playa in your pocket for any time you need a quick escape!

The Fuse is Lit

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-05T21:49:48-07:00

The scene was a staff party of sorts, definitely after hours, in an outdoor learning shelter in the North Cascades that is usually full of rambunctious 4th graders. ... We were deep in the mountains, miles away from the nearest settlement, surrounded by deep trees and next to a creek loud with late spring snowmelt. After the aforementioned live musical acts, DJ Fundi took to the "stage" and plugged his macbook in to the soundsystem. ... Twinkly christmas lights, creeksong, crisp night air, a nearly-full moon and a deep selection of funk. About 20 people were in attendance for the aftershow, accompanied by several ice-filled coolers of beer. ... Things get blurry pretty fast in a kaleidoscope of Jaeger shots, Beastie Boys, the dance moves my boss pulled off, James Brown, Bassnectar, live drumming accompaniment, The Commodores, a smoking instrument, Hall & Oates, candles, the Glitch Mob, Herbie Hancock, freeform space-singing and other sparkly sensations. Bewigged, Fundi snached the empty Jaeger bottle out of his bosses hands and piched it against a nearby Douglas fir. ... He chased one fellow cubicle co-worker around the shelter for a while, lost the pack of nag champa he wanted to light, danced a funky jig or two, but always managed to get behind the computer in the exact instant before the next jam needed to be dropped. ...But it was what this mountain party called for, it was the job that DJ Fundi was called there to do. ... DJ Fundi closed the party down by being the sole groover on the dancefloor -- only the frogs witnessed his creative interpretive-dance to Bassnectar's "Murder Mashup" (a dub track he can't get enough of). There was a moment in the midst of the party -- and this is the whole point of me telling you this story -- when what seemed to be your standard wedding-style funk dance began to turn in to something different, something out of the ordinary, bordering downright weird. The music got louder, those committed to the dancefloor got looser, the drumming and singing and chanting began and the lights got extra-twinkly. ...In this moment, DJ Fundi paused and a voice in his head asked, "Things are getting pretty far out there Fundi -- do you think you ought to pull it on back a bit?" He looked around at his co-workers shaking it on the dancefloor, scatting on the mic, groove-stepping amongst the ferns, everybody having a good time under the stars, everybody realizing a moment of glorious freedom within the confines of a M-F 9-5 lifestyle (those that weren't up to the freedom-seeking had long gone to bed). Something about being swervy and freaky amongst those he normally sits in morning staff meetings and strategic planning sessions with, his fellow prairie dogs of the cubicle warren, made him consider if this open-ended creative path of unrestrained celebration was the right route to be headed down. ...Soon, the bottle was smashed, asses were spanked and the low-end on the soundsystem was pushed to its very brink. The rest is history -- or, more accurately, the rest is a collection of shards collected from the group-memory, with lots of pieces missing and an unsteady chronology. ..."That moment, my friend," DJ Fundi's brother-in-arms Hekter McElliott said upon hearing of the night's festivities, "was the moment your fuse was lit. At this point, it's all about getting ready for Black Rock City, and by the sounds of it, you're Burn started in that moment you decided to let go and seize the party at yer little hoe-down in the woods. ...That's one of the things about Burning Man: it last much longer than the obvious week on the playa.

BM09 art installations announced

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-05-01T12:01:21-07:00

flower will have a small flame that can change its size up to 30 times ...Maybe the true beauty of art is that it provides no definitive ...Are they really all that different from each other? ...If it be from your heart, you may not leave with an answer, but you ...with pulsing breath-like fire running down the crest of its spine and ...In`cu·nab"u·lum is the universe turned inside out, scaled down to a ...In`cu·nab"u·lum, participants will be led to consider one of the ...know, in another sense, that we are responsible for creating our own ...In`cu·nab"u·lum will allow participants to explore these two concepts ...Locks we use to secure all we find of value or feel the need to ...that the next step in our human evolution is when these emergent ...The Burninator Grid is a large-scale fire installation - a set of ...on the playa, but the real visceral experience will be had by walking ...The Heron Project is a large-scale modular sculpture that will serve ...ground, how did it come to be there, and in this context, is it any ...This art installation is a celebration of all MOMs, and the feminine ...this understanding of our true MOM as The Earth has been forgotten. ...looked to the energy that gave us life, "The Earth", we would be ...our Feet, to the Dirt, the Trees, the Earth energy, we would find a ...It is a way to truly rejoice in the understanding of the power

Hekter McElliott in Hawaii

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-03-09T00:22:32-07:00

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Riding the Evolutionary Wave

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-04-05T18:32:49-07:00

Like many I have been focusing on staying solvent in this brave new America. While I missed the BM American Dream in 2008, I have been tapping into the Pure Power of Potential to manifest abundance and stay ahead of the Evolution that is defining our global consciousness! I will be riding this wave onto the playa this summer to bring new vision, new music and new energy to offer as Gift to my fellow Burners! My focus and my intention are shifting toward the Burn and I look forward to the reconnections with my tribe and the many others who come together in the name of creative self expression and radical self reliance! Stay tuned to Radio dBM as we light it up heading toward the Burn 2009! In the spirit of community and creativity, ~ Edubious

Towards Evolution

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-03-10T08:08:01-07:00

We’re not interested, at this point, in another large-scale endeavor like 2007’s Boogie Universal Pyramid Project, excellent as it most certainly was. The creation and installation of the pyramid -- a 2,000 square foot, 40 foot-tall pyramidal performance space equipped with a DJ booth, mega-wattage soundsystem, light show and stage, flanked by a dome-lounge and dome-bar -- took many months to accomplish. Simultaneously, Boogie Universa was meeting almost every Monday night as a group to plan, coordinate and execute everything needed to support the pyramid plan, including the establishment of a Leave No Trace camp for 30-40 people spending 10 days and 10 nights in the harsh desert: we needed a meal plan, shelter, furniture, lots of water, generators and fuel, a booze plan, a party plan, shower, large-scale kitchen, entertainment and we had to haul all of this shit 1000 miles to Nevada and back again. ...The process featured an endless array of logistics, and I ended up taking notes at most meetings and posting them on the Boogie listserv for those who lived too far away to be at the meetings. ...There was a lot of special magic in that camp and I consider my fellow Boogiers to be like family. I just funked-out with many of them on a good-vibes dancefloor a few nights ago and the hugs were electric. ...The first realization Edub and I came to is that we really don’t know what the hell were going to do. I mean, we could start sketching out a blueprint, but we both know it is inevitably going to morph and evolve and get flipped inside-out between now and then. We could say we’re going to seek a small, intimate camping scenario with a handful of tribe and end up in a camp double the size of the Boogie by the time we roll on the playa. ...*Let’s look in to a smallish camp, with a dozen or so friendly freakers pulling together to create some comfort and fun, and let’s set up shop well off the Esplanade, back in the ‘hood where some chill can be found. *Let’s build an inviting space for impromptu performances, stand-up comedy, acoustic music and talent shows from the passing denizens of Black Rock City -- a stage with a painted backdrop, a few lights and very simple soundsystem with mikes. I see this as a gift that gives both ways: the inspired get a intentional space for performance and sharing, and our camp gets a week’s worth of entertainment and hilarity. *How about Edub and I team up to build/borrow, haul and erect a smallish-medium dome and create the “dBM Dome"? Let's create an outgrowth of this here destinationburningman.com collaborative website, a physical presence of all that we seek to share online, a place to spin our music and favorite mixes, offer a stylish multi-use environment good for mellow chill seshs and off-the-hook dance parties alike. We hope to perhaps borrow the dome that was the Boogie Lounge -- it is about 10 feet tall -- and deck it out so that it is a pleasing, comfortable, grounding and memorable environment. We’d need a decent sound system and a thought-out lighting system too, both of which we’d have to run off either a generator or marine battery -- neither of us are especially skilled in questions of power needs and generation. ...We chewed on it for a while, discussing the pros and cons of co-habitating with large and small groups, and eventually sketched out these interesting drawings while talking about “nodes” and “pods.” Seems like it could be a cool model to have several, maybe 6 or 8, semi-autonomous pods of people that were down there doing their own thing with their own talents -- spinning music and hosting sessions, giving hula hoop lessons, MC’ing the stage, offering kundalini yoga or guided meditation or sex tips workshops, um, anything really -- running a snowcone stand, reading palms, making pancakes, tap dancing, teaching, giving it up in some original way, for the people -- and each of these different creative pods of people (2-4 people?) are connected to a larger tribe (or troupe) that is bound by intentionality as well as by the building and sharing of a few public works: a kitchen with a very simple meal plan, a comfortable group hangout space, a system to manage fresh and grey water and hosting a few planned family-party theme nights when we bring it hard and righteous. Folks would camp on their own, build or bring what they need to facilitate their gift-giving contribution, bring most of your own necessities, but still work together on a common purpose: our low-maintenance, funky little creativity-and-performance village!

dBM worldwide

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-02-15T22:08:55-08:00

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special delivery!!!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-02-18T20:41:12-08:00

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major archival discovery!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-02-13T07:39:11-08:00

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Boogie Universal Pyramid Project 2007 : World Premier of Moontroll's documentary video!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-12-04T14:07:20-08:00

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Hekter back in the Default World

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-30T20:47:07-07:00

My path has never been clearer ier than ever and I have the answer to the collection of past moments and future events: Hekter Vision. Time to take my pink wig, dj earmuffs, Yovanda my mental secretary & a small camera crew around the festivals of the world. ... This shit will have to be cable or movied because I don't think Hekter Vision can be edited and still have an ounce of meaning. All of my writing, photography, random travels and apparent self-imposed lunacy have been leading me down this trail... now it's a smooth groove on the move! ...I will certainly meet some producers at Earth Dance that will be thrilled on the "Vision". ...Afterwards, the war-makers will feel a global tang of mourning and the seed of absurdity will be recognized in their evolving minds. One of the main founders of the peace prayer chooses to participate at Earth Dance each year. ...Most of my new Yovanda field notes are from San Fran folks... who all are going to be at Earth Dance. Am I on the brink of yet another tribe... if I ever make time to visit the city will I be able to resist the nectarific fairy traps? ...I will prepare a Mayan return party in 2012 at Priest Lake with my fuckleberry mojitos and special blends of the Cali-fari. They have been busy giving Cassiopeia the couch dance of her life... now Orion awakes to an extra dingle to his dangle. Back to Flickrin' my Google bar over at Your Space after I pull a 5 foot You Tube and chip my Bluetooth. If "Evolution" is truly the theme of next year's burn then can someone figure out how to run electronics without 4 cords a piece. Bluetooth is on the verge but seriously, these cords are really starting to fuck with me!! Neptune has been a blast but it's time to get serious and set up a yurt... ...I think my next trip is to Mercury in a metabolic landcruiser made out of moop and belly lint. I have a feeling that is where all my socks and pant strings have exiled to. ...PS- I've got DVD's full of crazy shit I want to get out to the whole P-cubed tribe yet as previously mentioned early, my special needs computer is about to be dropped kicked into the gutter. Anyone have a good DVD burner that would be willing to burn around 20 dvd's (they fit onto the 4GB dvd's... cheap) and make sure they get to the crew?? I'll have a few down at earthdance so let me know if I can get some Northern help.

"but most of the time you went for it, you decided to be genuine, and it came right back at you"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-25T07:17:14-07:00

I saw the full moon coming up the other night, and all I could think of was the LAST time it was full, and it was rising over the desert hills, and someone was saying on the radio, “Hey, you hippies, have you seen the moon?” ...It turns out that after all that time and all that wind and all that heat, I discovered on the long ride home that I really really loved the smell of the dust, and I wanted to hang onto it as long as possible. ...I had thought, after more than three weeks out there, watching those amazing people build the city and install the art, that I’d be really ready to leave. ... When it came time to go, it turned out that I wanted to stay forever, or at least until I could help take the city down. ...I couldn’t believe what a rush people were in to get off the playa; granted, they wanted to beat the crush, but even late Saturday night, the exodus had begun. ... That brought me back to when I was a kid, in the back seat of the car as my parents left the church parking lot, and watching cars cut each other off, all the rudeness and impatience. ...But that’s another story, and that wasn’t the feeling that stayed with me as I hit the road to Gerlach, and then past Empire, and then into the darkest hours on Indian land. ...And there were all those times that you got the feeling that people cared about you, and you found yourself caring about them, too, in the most fundamental ways. ...And there were all those people who wanted to know more about you, what you were about, and you felt like it was ok to talk from the heart, and for a change you didn’t worry about what they’d say or think later. ... Hippies don’t change anything”), but most of the time you went for it, you decided to be genuine, and it came right back at you. ...I’ll say this, though: It wasn’t the crazies and party hearty-ers on the playa after the Burn who made me want to stay. ... (And it seemed like the words “leave no trace” didn’t hold much weight that night; there was lots of crap being tossed around pretty casually.) ...There was something raw going on, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You don’t burn a 100-foot Man and dance around the embers and get caught up in the swirling mass of bodies and come away feeling centered and grounded. ...But even that crazy scene, that culmination, is getting stowed away with all the other crazy scenes, both good and bad. The list of incredible moments is way too long, and way too personal, to hold anybody’s interest but my own for long. Besides, you have your own memories, your own incredible moments, and they’re going to make you smile, or make you think, for months to come. And by then you’ll begin to forget about the hardest stuff; the packing, the money, the dust, the heat, the cuts on your fingers, the cramps in your legs, the pounding in your head, the dizziness, the lonely moments in between. And then, when you begin to forget about the hard stuff, when the weather has turned wet and cold, and the warm sun is only a memory, you’ll start to get the longing again. And you’ll remember something funny, like, when you showed somebody the fancy laminated card somebody gave you, the one with the structure of a molecule on it.

not just knee deep...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-05T17:25:41-07:00

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over & out

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-27T09:16:51-07:00

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Transmissions to the Default World

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-25T09:44:04-07:00

Well, the gates are open and Burning Man 2008 is officially "ON." Ramona Mayhem and Hekter McElliott, one-half of our glorious '07 posse, are on-playa right now and tens of thousands more are on the road, waiting in line, streaming in to the city. Edub and I are both in our cubicles this morning, logging in the Default World's mainframe. ... Well, at least we only have 2 work days until we head off for 5 days deep in the mountains. So I just start feeling really restless and homesick and happysad and nostalgic and excited this time of year. I'm reallyreallyreally excited for everybody who is down there in Nevada -- it is no easy feat to pull it off, just getting you and your shit and your dreams to the playa in one peace. And I'm just so thankful that Burning Man is happening, period. It's good for all of us -- on-playa, off-playa, other side of the planet, dark side of the moon. I'm trolling around the internet, here in my cubicle, looking for sights and sounds and stories from BRC. Each year the city seems to get more and more wired to the outside world. I wouldn't want to be at the Burn and responsible for transmissions to the Default World, but am mighty grateful for those that do take the time and effort to broadcast. Here are a few outlets I've discovered, though word is slow as the gates have only been open for about 10 hours -- *Burning Man Information Radio: Live streaming radio programming -- interviews, music, commercials for theme camps and BRC news. *Current TV: Short video reports from BRC and live Burn webcast on Saturday night. ...*Burncast: Da'Bomb is branching out from her roots in audio to host short videos from Burners. ...*Gerlach webcam: Crappy blurry images from downtown Gerlach, last town before the playa. Also, I found a streaming webcam transmitting from somewhere in the city. In years past, it has been based at Center Camp, but right now it is hard to say what it is showing, or if it is working well -- some grainy images floating across my work computer screen, but the mountain/skyline tells me it is indeed the Black Rock Desert. ... Instructions for tuning in to John Graham's "Burningman 2008 Live" stream: Launch Quicktime; click "File > Open URL"; plug in "rtsp://qtss.telascience.org/live.sdp." ...Send an email or leave a comment if you know of other ways to be a distant Burn-voyeur: destinationburningman@gmail.com.

more views from BRC 08

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-24T10:40:17-07:00

From the Burning Blog -- their updates from the playa have been crucial to me these past few days as homesickness is throttling me. They don't post often, but what they put up has been appreciated! And the construction of this year's temple, Basura Sagrada --

Raging duststorms in 2008?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-22T15:30:01-07:00

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southward soul pull

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-21T12:07:58-07:00

Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:13 AM ...Yo -- I talked to Ramona Mayhem moments ago -- called her just as she was starting up Blingle Bee for the journey south to the Burn. Gave (and got) lots o' fresh juju and know that we will be well represented this year on-playa. Now I'm semi-frantically surfing the web at work looking for fresh pictures from the playa, weather/dust storm reports, music line-ups, whatever. Bassnectar and Glitch on the headphones. ...I've told you already how the feeling is building inside me, and with each day the gathering draws closer, I feel it more intense. Some longing involved, like my soul is literally being pulled out of my center and southward, though it can't detach from me and is sort of dangling out there like a kite on a string, trying to sail me towards Gerlach. I had this quiet thought this morning on the drive that I will slowly and quietly start collecting clothing and funbox items for the 2009 Burn over the next year, and just see what happens! Damn, Ramona and Hekter are ON THE MOVE!! ...Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:33 AM ...Looking to the 2009 Burn already! ... I too am feeling the fire build inside of me and around me. The metaphor of fire, the image of fire, the memory of fire flares up in my everyday - in so many moments spiritual and mundane. I spent a long time last night before and after our video chat, reading blogs - tribe.net, burning man.com; looking at music line ups, visiting websites - Cypher Town, Opulent Temple, Purple Palace; basing on the images floating across my desktop - Crude Awakenings, Boogie Pyramid, Jackson Junk, The Temple. I have committed my audio listening to the many podcasts that we created to focus our intention before the burn and capture our experience post burn. I find myself talking about to everyone around me. I feel my spirit flutter, drawn toward home, seeking freedom but tethered by the same string that keeps you from flying away south. Perhaps I need to keep any eye open for items for my funbox? Looking forward to connecting deeply with you. To Light It Up, Burn It Down and blow it out!

Hekter's Last Words

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-25T07:40:14-07:00

I have seen and met old and new friends like crazy this month and my gratitude shines so brightly on all of you/them. So many amazing freaks in this world and it usually takes a mind-boggling festival to become aware of the beauty that humans can attain.... the default world is a distant dream these daze... my life is morphing into one giant festival and my soul is afloat on a one-way adventure. ... Now I am the pawn on the universal chess board... floating with my destiny in a giant pot of powdered puddin'. The universal energy certainly seems to know what's best for me over my miniature mind, therefore now I listen and giggle back in acknowledgment. ...I just can't seem to fill up my angelic friendship slots but I sure as hell am gonna keep trying!! The Selkirk mountains cradled me back home like a lonely mother of a single child... that place IS my home and it has never been clearer. ...So the burn... can't say I've thought/felt a whole lot about it yet (other than how I can integrate my fresh devil horns into my new bunny ears). ... I spose' that thought is just my media induced idea of America as a whole.... bitching about gas prices because it's getting awfully spendy to fill the Hummer. My American Dream is to live off the land, off-grid with a fat garden, fresh water/air with my community of friends around me and possibly a tequila still (if there is ever such a thing). ...But for real, I've never given a little mouse turd about themes and this one neither pumps me up or deflates me. ...Some folks love to talk shit about the burn and others really try to validate themselves when confronted about it. Burning man has become a pendant on the "hard-core" folks bragging necklace... as if they are better than thou just cause they can party harder on Mars than anyone else. ... For those that talk shit about it (especially the too cool folks who have never been)... what's up? Is this an equal reaction to all the wild and fun stories that your friends bring home from the playa and rub in your face? For all of the hard core non-stop bragging burners: are you really so shallow that burning man is all you can talk about... as if just physically being there makes you cooler than anyone who hasn't experienced it yet? ...I've been "burning" just as hard in the middle of a freaking bowling alley in any town USA (and yes I was in my pink wig and red hot ski pants). ... For those who talk shit about it then quit going and shut up (if you were not able to enjoy yourself on at least some level in BRC then you probably are not going to enjoy yourself ever... and I don't want to hear about it.) For those of us who talk incessantly about the burn (I'm guilty as charged but working on it), maybe we need to check ourselves a little bit and not rave so much to others who obviously don't care. For all of you that participate in the burn to have fun and open your realities, come by my camp early burn for Fuckleberry Mojitos and a light spanking!! ...I have recently built some new bridges to parallel tribes that will definitely be coming by for mojitos and dusty chap side shuffles.

BRC Rising!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-21T06:15:34-07:00

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The Man, 2008

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-20T18:02:58-07:00

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The Burn is Near

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-16T08:47:14-07:00

I have heard many reasons – speculations and rants – as to why those who have sparked the Fire will not be burning this year. A few have felt disconnected from this year’s theme of The American Dream. Others are feeling the pinch of the American economic reality and are just plain too broke to go. While some who are broke are going anyway, knowing that all that they need and desire will come to them on the playa if they channel the Pure Power of Potential. Still others are skipping the Burn this year because they have grown disenchanted with the way things have changed, “It’s not the same anymore…it’s too this, or it’s too that.” Whatever the myriad reasons for not going to Burning Man this year, one this is for sure, there will still be a lot of fucking people making the journey out to the Black Rock Desert seeking a cosmic party, a spiritual awakening, random sex, art, creative self expression, community or a combination all of these. ...I am not going to Burning Man because I don’t want to go. I am longing to spark the fires of creative self expression and dive into the dusty melting pot of the most absolute freedom that I have ever know. I want to Light It Up and Burn It Down. I want to blow out the limiting thoughts and habits of the Default World and delve deeper into the core of who I am. ... I want to receive the gifts of strangers and offer them my gifts in return. I want to be cracked open and filled with the power of intention, Love, creativity and deeper self-awareness. ...This year I don’t have the bandwidth to go to the Burn, to prepare for the Burn, to be at the Burn, to decompress from the Burn. I straight up don’t have the time in my life to commit to Burning Man this year. ... You can break out of the confines of the Default World for a week, can’t you?” ...My 2007 Burning Man experience (including pre- and post- playa) awakened me to the Pure Power of Potential – the ability to manifest anything that you want, when you want it; the soul attraction that draws the abundance of the Universe to you. I have harnessed that power over the last year to bring many of my personal and professional goals and visions to fruition in the Default World. The truth is, I not going to Burning Man because I am choosing to stay present with all that I have created from the energy I got from the 2007 Burn. ...It has dimmed and times I thought it was snuffed out, but it continues to smolder and as we approach the pilgrimage to the playa and the burning of the man the fire rises in me. I will Burn this summer, as I have done all year.

Burning Bookshelf: Books about Burnign Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-30T11:35:24-07:00

Over 45,000 revelers, seekers, artists and freaks will gather around an effigy on a remote, desolate, dry lake bed in a forgotten corner of Nevada to drum, dance with fire and lose their minds to the magic of the moment. The energy of Burning Man 2008 is growing in strength daily, and Burners the world over can feel the pull to the playa. ...We built a 40-foot tall Boogie Pyramid, threw all-night dance parties and lived communally beneath a billowing green parachute for ten days. While it has long been obvious that I wouldn't be returning to participate in The Event in the Desert this year, I have to admit that with the arrival of August, Black Rock City's invisible, inevitable gravitational forces are agitating my soul. I have other projects I am dedicated to this year, but that doesn't negate my natural affinity for ritual and release, intentional gatherings, inward reorientation and creative pranksterism. I might seek for a vicarious Burn instead, browsing the many different books about Burning Man published in recent years. Jessica Bruder's "Burning Book: A Visual History of Burning Man" (Simon Spotlight, 2007) is a dizzying piece of artwork, a shuffle-play of favorite Burning Man deliriums throughout the years, designed by the venerable collagist Martin Vensezky. It features photo contributions from hundreds of playa snapshooters and loads of playa ephemera, like reproductions of tickets and maps from past Burns, stickers and buttons from different theme camps and all the little trinkety stuff that are gifted out and circulated throughout Black Rock City. The trajectory of the book is shaped to represent the journey to and through Black Rock City, and thus early chapters include drives through Gerlach and the first burns in San Francisco before introducing you to playa legends like Thunderdome, Dr. ... There are chapters on music, vehicles and costumes/identity before the reader is brought face to face with the Man and his many inflammations. The end of the ride lands softly with a retrospective of David Best's temples and closes with a look at the city's dissolution in the chapter "Leave No Trace." Dale Pendell's "Inspired Madness: The Gifts of Burning Man" (Frog Ltd., 2006) is a loose interpretation of the tribal, post-pagan gathering told through short, abstract episodic vignettes and sketches, which could be hell to read if Pendell wasn't such a interesting storyteller wading up to his eyeballs in the spirit and joy of each moment. "This is Burning Man" by Brian Dogherty (Benbella, 2004) is much less abstract and subjective, and less fun too. It seeks to tell the story of what BM is, where it came from and why it is what it is from a journalist's perspective, though Dogherty claims no impartiality: he has been burning for over a decade. ... Mostly, Dogherty does a fine job of translating the untranslatable and he has a deeper grasp than most on what draws so many diverse people to the desert gathering year after year. ...You end up with the book "Afterburn: Reflections on a Burning Man" (Univ. of New Mexico Press, 2005), offering essays like "Utopia, Social Sculpture and Burning Man" and "Fires of the Heart: Ritual, Pilgrimage and Transformation." ...Nash's is an unusual look at Burning Man – his colorless, arid photographs focus on the diversity of art that is brought to the party. His camera is trained on the sculptures, interactive installations, vehicles and structures that populate the empty playa on the outskirts of the city. Nash has a natural gift for composition and capturing detail, though it is unsettling to view these otherwordly, fantastical dreamworks frozen in time and outside of their original dusty context. ...If you are a Burner left behind this year, you might consider buying or borrowing something from this reading list to keep your soul in alignment in the dim days of the Default World.

Hearts of Flame Trilogy : Burning Man tributecasts reposted

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-07T10:05:08-07:00

I went through a similar process of longing in 2006 during Burn week, when I was back here in the Default World but feeling the massive energy gathering on the playa (the intensity of that longing was what ultimately led me to find a way back to the Burn in 07). Night after night in Bellingham, staring at a webcam focused on Center Camp and tuning in to the video reports from TV Free Burning Man, I wove together deeply-felt musical mixes on my Macbook. The music and the vibe were inspired by Burning Man, reflecting what I learned from my first Burn in 2004. I set out to make a cohesive 1-hour mix, but got carried away on a wave of inspiration, and didn't wind the mix up until 4+ hours later. I had to split it up and the Hearts of Flame trilogy was born. It was a mixing session that lifted my skills to a new level -- I took what I knew about serving up music mixes and then pushed my own boundaries until I ended up with a blend that was like nothing I had heard before. It was strange and lucid and inspired and unpredictable, with massively overlaid sounds morphing in to a weird soundtrack emanating from my heart. Listening to it today, there are all kinds of things I would do different, tracks I would like to get rid of and transitions made smoother. Yet when I hear it I am instantly transported to Black Rock City, as well as to those feelings of participating in the Burn from far away. It connects me to the primary vibe of the Burn, plugs me in and takes me away. So, yesterday I decided that to share it here on Destination Burning Man and plan on posting one chapter of it per week from today until the Burn. (I posted it in 2006 as I was creating it on my other podcasting website, The Podcast Cafe, but have a more sympathetic audience right here.) I hope it will inspire those of you who are busy getting ready for the journey to the Black Rock Desert right now. I send it out with the intention of connecting all of us, those who are Burn-bound and those who have chosen other routes this year. If Hearts of Flame stimulates you in any way, I'd love to hear about it: destinationburingman@gmail.com Love and dusty kisses, DJ Playaduster

Re: )*( Your Center Camp Cafe Video

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-06-29T22:52:37-07:00

So thank you again from the bottom of my sparkly heart! You have inspired me and brought me back to where i needed to be. I am going to send it out to my cafe crew so they can see their work again. seeing this video makes me super excited to get on the playa and set her up!!! If you have a moment, please send me a hello. I would love to connect with you. dusty dreamin' kisses and thanks to you!

Praises from Wanobi of Ohmland

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-06-29T22:49:57-07:00

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Boogie Universal's Electric Mayhem

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-06-06T12:41:56-07:00

(The canoe leg was cancelled because the Nooksack River was flowing too high, cold and fast, so this is as much action as Moontroll & Marcey saw in the race...) In the end, we completed the race in 7 hours, forty-three minutes and 41 seconds, placing 249th in a sea of something like 500 teams. More photos from race day are here, thanks to our nordic skier man, Scott G., who flew in from Steamboat, Colorado. Special thanks to Ramona Mayhem who organized and prodded the Boogie to play together in the race -- WOOT!

The Green Man Trilogy and reflections at the Burnal Equinox

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-03-16T19:17:45-07:00

So far as we can tell, the release of REINTEGRATION contains the last dusty tidbits of field recordings left from Burning Man 2007, and also pretty much taps the last drops of insight and inspiration for creating Green Man-themed art projects: musical podcasts, essays of reflection, movies, photo slideshows, etc. etc. ...Just so happens that the release of this last bit of Green Man juju comes near the Burnal Equinox, or the pivot point on the opposite end of the year from the Burn. It was on the Burnal Equinox, 2007, that DJs Playaduster and Edubious dropped the first musical podcast mixes (which you can still access here and here). ...Upon sharing these notions with Edubious, the Doobsauce responded by saying, "You know, it took us six months to build it all up, and then it took 6 more months to tear it all down again." ... The Burn is a 10-day event in the desert, but Burning Man is a feeling, a groove, a beacon that shines in to lives all around the planet regardless of time or place. ...DJ Edubious, upon listening to the last chapter in the Green Man Trilogy, also had this to share: ...My body is here at work, and I am trying to look like I am doing some kind of work that is related to the paycheck that I receive bi-weekly. Internally, my mind is cruising through past landscapes between here and the Black Rock Desert. I am circling over the towering cliffs and ox bow bending river at Smith Rocks State Park. I am standing amidst the circle of the Australian goddess tribe, reeling from a kiss that was shared through the electric buzz of a medicinal cocktail. I am striding across the Playa toward the man, in full regalia, amidst the Love and friendship of the Boogie Universal Crew. I am in the kitchen at Sunnyland, uttering the prophecy of the Pure Power of Possibility and Potential. ...Lost in the jumble of electro-nurf Ikea beats; thankful for the reprieve of Bob Marley and Sufjan Stevens. I can feel the cold winter air and welcome isolation of Snow Flamingo Studios through the haze of ganja smoke, belly-warming whisky and Juble Ale sippin'. I see the tears glistening in your eyes and revisit in me the gift of clarity and commitment that you shared with me on my birthday. I feel the closure of the Green Man/Burning Man 2007 Archival Project. ... Waiting for us pick it up, dust it off and release the genie that will take us back to those many fading moments of bliss, creativity, collaboration, challenge, beauty, community, music and Love. I am moved from this place toward the flame that continues to Burn inside of me. ...Thanks for sharing it with us during the past year. ...DJ Playduster wants me to recommend to you another podcast channel produced by his compatriot DJ Fundi; check out all of the goodness over at the Podcast Cafe, featuring Podcast Cafe episodes, a channel devoted to live music bootlegs, a direct transglobal link to Radio Free Fundi and the Fundiblog.

Big Rig Jiggin' in Seattle

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-03-13T17:24:42-07:00

His design for Capitol Hill, to be announced this spring, will probably involve something really, really big that hangs from crossbeams inside the station. Barbara Luecke, Sound Transit's public-art administrator, said she pursued Ross after she saw "Big Rig Jig" at Burning Man. ..."Capitol Hill seems like they're willing to look for a strong art statement," said Luecke, based on chats with community advocates and a design committee. Ross, 32, won't discuss details of his design, which he says is not fully formed. But a speech here last week, an interview and his past works suggest he'll create something fun. Ross was inspired to make the truck sculpture by the traffic in his neighborhood, where 18-wheelers make him nervous about his jaywalking habit. Also, Ross said, he and his girlfriend have hitchhiked across the country with truck drivers. He describes "Big Rig Jig" as his perspective on an unsustainable, oil-burning economy. ...That's a big part of what I'm trying to do. ...In five trips to Seattle, he's noticed the constant grayness and also that the city's public art tends to offset that gray with a joyous feeling, a tradition he wants to honor. ...Before "Big Rig Jig," he co-designed a pair of temporary sculptures called "Color Field," in Key West, Fla., and New York. ... Viewers could combine colors — making purple by pulling a red panel over a blue one, for example. In Seattle, colors could be installed in the glass-walled station entrances, Luecke said. "I haven't thought about it, but it might be very nice," Ross said. Transit spokesman Bruce Gray said no decision has been made on whether to install the sculpture at one of the three entrances or on the mezzanine. If an expected federal grant comes through, the station is scheduled to open in late 2016 as part of a $1.8 billion, three-mile tunnel from Westlake Center to Husky Stadium. The Capitol Hill art budget is $550,000, including $110,000 for Ross. Compared to the mostly wall-mounted art in Seattle's downtown tunnel, the Capitol Hill tunnel piece would be more three-dimensional, Ross said. One possibility is a piece that hovers above escalator riders as they glide through different elevations. ...A subway ride makes a city an archipelago of busy streetscapes, separated by journeys in black.

Playa Panoramas

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-02-25T20:11:33-08:00

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American Dream<br>Burning Man 2008

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-01-27T18:37:24-08:00

The theme for Burning Man 2008 is "American Dream" -- it was announced a while ago, while the embers of the 2007 man were still warm on the ground. The theme has spawned all kinds of heated debate about whether it's a good one or not, whether it is to inward-looking or narcissistic, whether it is inclusive for the thousands of burners who come to Black Rock Desert from dozens of other countries, whether it is too specific and therefore limiting artistic expression, on and on and on. If there's one thing Burners seem to excel at, especially the ones plugged in to BM culture as it exists on the web, it is endlessly debating and protesting and arguing and microanalyzing. This might simply be representative of the wildly diverse perspectives, attitudes, beliefs and persuasions that the collective mass of Burners represent. Sometimes it is interesting, other times tedious, often it depends on the subject under debate. Anyways, I love the American Dream meme and think it will inspire an assload of really thoughtful, topical, sacrilegious art and music. There are many different ways to approach this theme -- reinterpreting American history and symbols, recasting current events and giving us new ways to look at the nation and its peoples, dreaming up a new course that could lead America to an as-yet-undreamed future -- and I think the artistic results could potentially have great meaning and usefulness. But the artistic response can (and should) also include irreverence, satire, anger, goofiness and hilarity. ..."Today, Americans appear to live amid the tarnished squalor of a second Gilded Age. ... A mere one percent of the population now controls a third of the nation's wealth. Education, health care and home ownership – these now escape the reach of those who thought they were the middle class. ... Embroiled in a wayward war, its citizens are told to shop. ...Its allies, once so numerous, begin to fall away and chart an independent course. Its citizens, more tellingly, have lost their faith in progress. Polls indicate they now believe their children can't expect a better future. They distrust the institutions of government, of finance, and the corrupting power of large corporations. And yet, the native traits of any culture are deep-rooted. Freedom, opportunity, inventiveness, the power to transform oneself: these values and a love of self-expression still endure. ...Maybe, it's also time that they began to listen to other countries of the world. ...If you have a feeling one way or another about the "American Dream" theme, speak up in the "comments" page.

Podcast Cafe open for bidness!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-12-14T20:42:57-08:00

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get disoriented

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-18T13:15:57-08:00

top photo by moontroll; bottom two by rumble.

moontroll & ramona mayhem's 2007 reports now online

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-01-10T13:10:42-08:00

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Burning Man 2007 : Film is Truth

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-20T13:05:54-08:00

Moontroll has posted four short videos over on the Films page -- "Dust Storms & Rainbows", "Sunrise at the Temple", "Center Camp Circumambulation" and "The Playa Portraits Project." You can watch them here in the comfort of Destination Burning Man, or catch them in a crappier low-rez versions over at Youtube. Scene from "Sunrise at the Temple" * photo by moontroll Either way, they are designed with hopes of transporting the viewer back to the glory of the playa by way of moving sights and sounds. Scene from "Dust Storms & Rainbows" * photo by moontroll If you see yourself in any of these documentaries, or if you simply enjoy the ride, please drop moontroll an email at moontroll@destinationburningman.com or leave a comment. Scene from "Playa Portraits Project 2004-2007" * photo by moontroll Get out the popcorn & goggles and enjoy!

How to enjoy the Burning Man Experience from the Comfort of your Own Home

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-05-11T16:37:49-07:00

Pay an escort of your affectional preference subset to not bathe for five days, cover themselves in glitter, dust, and sunscreen, wear a skanky neon wig, dance close naked, then say they have a lover back home at the end of the night. ...Lean back in a chair until that point where you're just about to fall over, but you catch yourself at the last moment. ...Only use the toilet in a house that is at least 3 blocks away. ...Set your house thermostat so it's 50 degrees for the first hour of sleep and 100 degrees the rest of the night. ...Spend thousands of dollars and several months of your life building a deeply personal art work. Hide it in a funhouse on the edge of the city. Hire people to come by and alternate saying "I love it" and "this sucks balls". ...Have a 3 a.m. soul baring conversation with a drag nun in platforms, a crocodile and Bugs Bunny. ..."Downsize" last year's camp by adding two geodesic domes, a new sound system, art car, and 20 newbies. ...Shop at Wal-mart, Cost-Co, and Home Depot until your car is completely packed with stuff. ...Cut off the bindings, throw all the pages up in the air and shuffle them back together. ...Listen to music you hate for 168 hours straight, or until you think you are going to scream. ... Realize you'll love the music for the rest of your life. Spend 5 months planning a "theme camp" like it's the invasion of Normandy. ... Spend Thurs-Sunday nowhere near camp because you're sick of it or can't find it. Walk around your neighborhood and knock on doors until someone offers you cocktails and dinner. ...Tell your boss you aren't coming to work this week but he should "gift" you a paycheck anyway. ...Search alleys untill you find a couch so unbelievably tacky and nasty filthy that a state college frat house wouldn't ...Take a nap on the couch and sleep like you are king of the world. Ask your most annoying neighbor to interrupt your fun several times a day with third hand gossip about every horrible thing that's happened in the last 24 hours.

Bassnectar in Bellingham, Nov. 17

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-11T15:59:41-08:00

As a fellow uniquely retarded in many ways – but especially dense when it comes to electronic music – I had no comprehension for the cult-like status embalming some of the stars in the DJ world. ... My presumption was a night doomed to nothing more than observing a technical college reject who had a cute passion for tweaking his I-Pod collection. ...So it came to pass that I, a blown turd leftover from the Grunge revolution, had been reborn a convert to these pretentiously named hoods lurking behind their cages of electronic gear. Soon I would be that frenetic fool who epileptically worships a stage presence like Bassnectar for boldly removing his fingers from a nest of smoldering knobs, winking lights, turntables and keyboards to lift one globe of their absurdly big headphones and, just maybe, stare at the crowd long enough to wag an energized fist. Electronic music stirs my midlife mocha, and whip cream on my saggy nipples couldn't get me more frothed up than the guy coming to the Nightlite this month. ...While the name “Bassnectar” conjures the image of juice squozen from a game fish (it is fun to irritate his fans with the deliberate mis-pronunciation) the DJ actually has a global following that will claim he is the driving force behind the West-coast breaks scene. ... Lacking the vocabulary of the genre myself, and weary of all the tortured sub-divisions within the DJ music culture, the best fall back seems to be Lorin's own description of his beats: “Omni-tempo Maximalism.” The diversity of Lorin's sound is reflected not just in his prolific discography, produced mostly through San Fransisco's Om Records, but also in the type of folk who call the guy a pal. He's worked with hip hopper KRS One, Micheal Franti of Spearhead, Micheal Kang of the (mostly) bluegrass String Cheese Incident, and the freakishly talented rock guitar virtuoso, Buckethead. A heavy streak of social activism runs through most, if not all, of these collaborations and Lorin is not shy about dubbing tracks from an activist, poet, or songwriter to infuse his delirious rhythms with a less digital message. Looping Saul Williams' anti war speech into a track, or naming his two most recent CDs “Underground Communication” and “Bomb the Blocks,” might give further hints to the thoughts crawling around in Lorin's hairy hippie noggin. Since I am a member in good standing with the Boogie Universal arts collective, I had a chance to grill Erik Moore, one of the collective's founding members, about the Bassnectar phenomena. What I wanted to know, specifically, was where the fuck all the freaks had come from and, specifically, what the hell they were doing in sleepy 'lil Bellingham on that Tuesday night. ...“A lot of these people probably saw him last night in Seattle – actually, I know they did – came up here to see him again. ...Perhaps not believing him, or perhaps eager for the spectacle of watching so many scantily clad waifs dancing their asses right off, I went down to see the thing for myself. ... Armed not only with one of the most cleanly and purely loud systems I've ever endured, but also with a button that shot hot geysers of flame over the crowd, the DJ/creature in its booth created insanely beautiful chaos that gleefully pounded the crap out of that sweaty desert until the thin hours of dawn came a 'knockin. ...He's trying something unique and wild and daring while most of the assholes with musical talent are busy refining their sound to meet the pablum ingested by “American Idol” judges. And, since he's skipping both Seattle and Vancouver for this leg of his tour (yes, the Boogie is THAT powerful) it is quite likely that the freaks will be out in force for a Saturday show. ...

Hekter's 2007 Green Man report

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-07T19:37:19-08:00

The historical value, not to mention the artistic value, of this document cannot be overstated. It was composed in the feverish weeks following The Burn, when Hekter found himself alone, isolated, broke, but supremely inspired with a smoldering soul, in a midsize Eastern Washington city. Herein we find him processing his playatime by way of keyboard and pixel, and we are lucky enough to sneak a peek in to his Hekterized worldviews.....sit back, strap in and dig it. You can download a pdf version here, or visit the What is Burning Man page to link to it online. Your comments and questions are welcome.

new post-playa podcast posted!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-04T19:53:11-08:00

DJ Edubious has posted a new mix over on the podcast page -- it is the first musical response to what went down on the playa this summer, and it complete the groove trilogy Edubious started with Light It Up and furthered with Burn It Down. Listen carefully for the drifting observations of Hekter and Moontroll recorded from deep within their Burning experiences....dig it!

Best Burning Video of 2007

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-05T19:50:49-08:00

Saturday Sunrise at the Temple

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-17T12:38:35-07:00

Here it is as hosted on YouTube: Unfortunately, the resolution of this version is so low that the viewer misses out on some of the rich detail. We're working on getting Burning Man 2007 movies posted on our Films webpage, but something isn't working correctly as of yet, and Moontroll hopes to rebuild the Films section so that higher-quality versions of his movies can be shared. Stay tuned....and if you enjoy the show, please leave a comment and/or rating at YouTube!

Hey Broke Dudes!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-14T21:36:14-07:00

Many blessings of gratitude to the three broke dudes for sharing your space and playing groovious music and radiating with kindness. Conversely, thank you to the LADIES of Boogie Universal... I am indebted to the women who clothed me during a major wardrobe malfunction on a night when my brain was in another galaxy...somewhere on the other side of the pink birthday cake...thanks to Hektor too for the fine zebra striped blazer! Also, Brock rocked....and I could keep going and so it goes... I am strangely haunted by the ghostlike fine line between order and chaos that permeated the playa with an apparition's stealth. ...wtf? Such a magical city of Extremes (exreme from all angles -- white out winds to full arched rainbow, glittering love-sprites to Thunderdome, Green Man to massive mushroom explosives, etc) with absolute functionality!!! I will never forget my first bike ride at night out on the playa. A new world exposed and my eyes and soul were agape! Many banters, smatterings and rants are uncoiling, and will continue to do so...at least till I get bored of pulling meaning out of hopelessly removed minutae and embrace the lessons for this life's journey! Hopefully RamonaM and I will hook up soon to decompress/reflect together from our own vantage points. Hope to see the broke dudes 3 again....soooooo happy to have met you all. Be Well, R.

VIVA LA HENDY!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-29T20:46:18-07:00

The feeling of being part of a tribe never struck such a chord before. I have been the dreadlock/longhair/dress-wearing freak, and -- here in the middle of America -- a shorthair/spacey/ski freak. At Burning Man, I found the tribe I had been looking for: between Wyoming Camp/Sacred Sound & Vision and the Boogie Universal folks, my sense of placement and direction came together. I had no idea what to expect, except that I had to go and the time was right. Life is made up of so many twist and turns, all of which can last a long time, maybe even a lifetime. My road as of recent has been filled with turns, and Burning Man was the perfect way to see the new road clearly. Wow! What a road I have in front of me! I am not sure why, but I left the playa exhausted, spent, burnt, but more ready to tackle the world then ever. Strange… Maybe it's because our paths crossed again, or maybe because the Chinese Junk grooved me back to my inner child, or maybe it was a quick mix of it all. Whatever the case all I can say is thank you…. thank you to it all…. the magic of it all: the morning music sets, the stoney bike rides, the best nap I have ever had in hammock, snow cones, women -- did I mention the mindbending ladies? -- and all the other organized chaos that I love so much. Returning was tough due to the work load and the looming realities of the pain that lay ahead, but time has passed and my world is shifting into a new reality. It is a reality that has a new tribe of friends, experiences, and killer dance grooves. I can't wait till our paths cross again and we shake it into the morning light. Jah love, Hende- AND YES I AM IN MEXICO.... SURFS UP....!

VIVA LA BOOGIE!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-12-16T20:44:40-08:00

Happiest, honky-doriest holidays to some of the best peoples we've ever had the pleasure to meet! Lots of love, the Three Broke Dudes

hibernating....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-09T20:01:53-07:00

Life's been a whirlwind for the Three Broke Dudes upon returning to the Default World. There was barely time to process our experiences in the desert before we got swooped up by the flow of our routines... This blog is gonna be pretty quiet through the winter. This whole website is due for an overhaul to reflect the fact that we did indeed make it to Burning Man this year, along with Bellingham's kick-ass Boogie Universal crew and the ill-fated Boogie Pyramid. Did I mention that it collapsed in the first giant dust storm on Thursday? Turned out to be but a simple wrinkle in our plans: we rolled up the wreckage, set it to the side, dug some sand out of our ear holes and partied on. Took the Boogie out underneath the stars, and we're probably all the better for it. Did I mention that the Three Broke Dudes became the Four? So many tales to tell... While there might not be moment to moment updates and reports as during the months and weeks leading up to the Burn, we are working with the raw materials that we collected on the playa -- photos, audio field recordings, video, stories, sand, soulsauce reductions -- and plan on sharing what we craft with our friends, fellow Boogiers and Burners and random wanderers to this here website. In other words, Edubious, moontroll and Hekter will be writing stories, making movies and slideshows, mixing podcasts and the like over the dark nights of winter and posting them here and there across the digital spectrum at destinationburningman.com. This blog will make note as to when something is new, and tell you where to find it too (right now, there is a short docudrama film that moontroll made to give respects to the dust storms and double rainbow being hosted on YouTube right here; he's hard at work on another film following the rise and fall of the Boogie Pyramid and Edubious is halfway done mixing up his musical response to his first Burn in podcast form...stay tuned.) We also invite you to share your creations, memories and tall tales from the Green Man on this website. Contact us at destinationburningman@gmail.com with your ideas, links to your Burning stuff, hallucinations, music mixes, whatever... Stay in touch!

dust storms & rainbows

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-19T12:30:57-07:00

moontroll's short film celebrating the extreme weather events of Burning Man 2007 now showing! This is the movie I made from scraps of film footage and fotos and playa field recordings from the Green Man. I just got a new video editing program and this was my first time playing around with it. Right now it is being hosted at YouTube, though I plan on posting a higher resolution version over on the Films section of this site soon -- it is much more impressive and enjoyable to watch it at full screen with decent res & sound. If you like it, please share your feedback in the dBm comments feed. Enjoy!

Back Home

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-15T11:29:54-07:00

sweet photo by Ramona Mayhem The Three Broke Dudes have each made it safely back from Burning Man! As you might have noticed, we haven't updated the dBM blog much since getting back -- I've received a number of emails from readers following the journey asking, "Well, Three Broke Dudes, how did it go?!? What happened with the Boogie Pyramid? Did you see the Man burn early?" etc. etc. Well, it has been a rough transition for each of us fitting back in to our lives here at home. We're still processing the experience & trying to integrate some of the lessons in to our day-to-day. So, be patient. The storytelling will come. But we're gonna need some time....

Moontroll's Return

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-11T11:07:53-07:00

Amazing the trials our autos put us through as we tried to crawl off of the playa -- it took me 3.5 hours to Exodus, and all around me were car accidents, sleeping drivers, steaming radiators -- an unholy wreck that looked like a war zone refugee camp. ...Edub and I made it about 5 minutes off playa post-Temple Burn before collapsing on the side of the road. The next morn we saw Grapenuts and Pommes Frites in Gerlach waiting for a tow truck. Then our friend Rachel in Cedarville with a dead car. Then Ramona and Hekter in the Oregon Outback talking to a police officer....sheesh. We hooked up and caravaned with the Ramona Mobile to Bend on monday and got a Motel 8 room for one of the deepest sleeps I've ever had. Edub and I stopped at Smith Rock north of Bend to mark his 35th bday and do some decompression work -- we tried to sort the week out the rest of the ride home, and began to discover some of the deeper lessons of our week on the playa. Didn't get back to B'ham til Wed night -- sorry to have missed the truck unloading -- and am now staring at my truck full of dusted-out shit with trepidation. Downloading fotos and sound recordings to my computer and reading up on the post-Green Man gossip, rants and raves on Tribe and ePlaya too. Haven't begun to talk about the experience with my partner, roommate or friends calling to check in. The experience feels to personal, sacred and indescribable to begin sharing it -- I want to hold every moment close, deep inside me. I want to keep these embers glowing for as long as possible before the default world sucks the magic out of me..... Does anybody have Bassnectar recordings I can burn? I am going through heavy withdrawals... Can't wait for the Boogie Decompression gathering, and am glad to have Bassnectar at Rumors in Nov. to look forward to! Finally, did you hear about the 2008 BM theme? You won't believe it -- at first I was repulsed, but 24 hours later, I can see the twisted, reprogramming, ironic possibilities and think it will work out: http://burningman.com/art_of_burningman/bm08_theme.html love to you all and good luck with the reintegration,

Hekter's Return

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-07T15:50:58-07:00

Hekter here, sitting behind a desk with a funny looking square light box staring me down.... I just blinked so I guess I lose. Finally got home to Spokane last night (Wednesday) at 9:00. It took more than 3 days, 3 different cars, 4 states, a lot of coffee crank, lying my way out of jail and other unmentionables to get home...... but I'm here and I'm not sure what to do with myself. From Gerlach to Bend to Olympia to Seattle to Methow to Spokompton.... that's what happens when I pack my GPS unit so deeply in the funbox. Helped my buddy unpack his trailer in the Methow yesturday, the playa dust reconfigured my reality protocols once again and I think my cranial grey matter is a bit greyer. Just wanted to give a giant shout out to the Booty Universal..... I am grateful for the opportunity to share space with an amazing tribe of funks(wo)man and feel like I have a whole other crockpot of family simmering on the coastal shelf. Intertidal salad bar of O.G. goodies. If any of ya's find yourself in North Idaho or Spokane, know you have a place to stay and a story to hear. My treehouse is your treehouse!! Thinking of quitting this appraisal business and focusing on writing and photography...... Vamos a Ver!! Much Love and a lil' rooster sauce, Hekter

Edubious' Return

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-06T15:34:52-07:00

Back in Seattle after an incredibly transformative week on the Playa. Many lessons to decipher, interactions and adventures to process, pictures to peruse, music to acquire, and thanks to be extended. Of course, I've got to start with the Boogie Universal crew. THANK YOU ALL! I am still so incredibly blown away by the way in which we did what we did. ...I am sorry that I was not able to be up in Bellingham to help with the unload. Thank you to those of you who put forward the energy and effort to get the truck unloaded. I will definitely be coming up Bham way for a decompression party and will be happy to help refurbish the ...I don't recall the exodus from BRC as I was in a state of delerium like I have never experienced - bone deep exhaustion and the residuals of many days of medicinal excess reduced my exodus experience to a semi-lucid dream of blurred tail lights and uncomprehensible requests and comments from Moontroll. I was spent. I have never been so happy to throw down my sleeping bag on the dusty side of a highway. The drive home was spent recalling and capturing details of the the days spent on the playa. It felt imperative to capture the memories before the details blew away like so much playa dust. As it was, it was still pretty difficult to recall it all. I am still Burning and will do whatever I can to continue to Burn as I reintegrate into the default world. So far the transition has been slow but promises to accelerate with a return to work on Monday. I look forward to joining you all to rekindle the Burning man and woman in each of us. Much Love & Respect! Be the Peace. ... Breathe deep and BURN!

gone!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-23T08:11:49-07:00

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Going, going....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-22T15:11:48-07:00

The Boogie Universal camp lowered, folded & packed the Boogie Pyramid tonight -- it took 10 of us about an two hours. We compacted the side panels like a quesadilla and loaded them in to a big rental truck. As folks peeled off from our last gathering in the dank and green Pacific Northwest, we cheered "See you on the playa!" Indeed. The Boogie caravan is starting to pull out of Bellingham station....from Whitehorn to Black Rock... Hope to see you in Black Rock City!

Imminent Intersections

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-20T09:40:09-07:00

I am superstoked to find out my long-lost soulbrother Eric "Hendy" Henderson of Driggs, Idaho fame is making his virgin voyage to the playa this year! Eric was one of my closet friends in Jackson Hole -- we met the first week I moved there at a potluck on Saddle Butte and were housemates out in lovely Kelly during the summer of '07 -- but we lost the commuication connection over the past few years and I was wondering when I'd ever catch up with him again. With Burning Man juju rolling thick and juicy in the planetary atmosphere, it is no surprise that I received a spontaneous email from him last week and the good word that he is bound for Black Rock City in a matter of days. Damn, I can't wait to roll with you H! See you soon--and get ready for the ride of your life! I just now got a voicemail from Torsten, and though it was cryptic -- "I'm at Rim. I'm going in. OH MY GOD IT'S FULL OF STARS!" was all he said -- I believe the call was made just before he lost cell reception as he rolled on to the playa outside of Gerlach, Nevada...(here he is in full glory in '04)-- Torsten, Edub and I haven't hung out together since maybe 2001 or 2002, as seen in this photo from the archives. All of that will change in a few days.... And here's a photo from 2003 of the Jackson Hole man-crew, featuring the soon-to-be playa-reunited Torsten (middle), Scotty/Hekter (far right) and me/moontroll/DJ Playaduster (singing)--wish Andy & Ben were onboard the Black Rock City Express too-- I'm also giddy to get my dirty hands on Troy -- 40 spankings on his 40th birthday next Monday night in the Boogie Pyramid!-- he's traveling all the way from Thailand to be a part of the glorious madness. Here we are in Bellingham a few years back when we first met after he won a Tom Robbins contest at the newspaper I was editing -- But will there be also be a sighting of The Maestro and his magikal selection of bikes? Only the playa knows.... ...Gatherings. Family. Playa. Magic!

Safety Third : A Public Service Announcement

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-18T10:24:56-07:00

Because we here at Boogie Universal care about the personal safety and well-being of all visitors to the Boogie Pyramid, we've done some intensive safety tests to our structure to make sure it does not catch fire and melt, which would result in massive casualties and a Superfund toxic waste emergency. As you already know, our pyramid is constructed from recycled billboard vinyl, the flammability of which was untested. Here you can see Moontroll, aka DJ Playaduster, subjecting the vinyl to serious fire testing with his Bic lighter. Luckily, the material did not combusticate, but only sort of melted and withered a bit, extinguishing itself after releasing small black puffs of nasty smoke. Our crew of Safety Third Inspectors approved the general soundness of the flammability thresholds, though it was decided that having a few extinguishers on hand wouldn't be a bad idea. They also stressed the importance of keeping fire-breathing art cars that send out 80-foot columns of jet fuel fireballs into the air far away from our pyramid. Flaming hula hoopers could be a safety hazard too...

I'm screwed

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-17T12:14:45-07:00

Bad news on the transportation front: with one week to go before the caravan crawls out of the mossy sanctuary of the Pacific Northwest for the dusty, desiccated void of the Black Rock Desert, my Toyota 4Runner sprung a leak. I've had a series of problems with the coolant system since the day I bought the rig -- the radiator gave out hours after I sealed the deal. This time around, the water pump has given out. My mechanic is replacing the water pump, valve cover gasket, timing belt, cam seals, crank seal and coolant. The damage? $1000! Do you have any idea what a grand could do right now as I scramble to prepare for Burning Man?!?! Do you know how much booze, blinky lights, food & water, wigs & masks, playatech furniture, bacon and gifts for the community I could round up with a budget of $1000? It is driving me totally insane getting hit with this right now. On top of the financial meltdown, I won't get the ride back until Monday, so my last weekend pre-departure will be spent without wheels -- just when I was planning on doing mad errands, shopping trips, last sorties to the thrift stores..... Now more than ever, this One Broke Dude needs some outside financial assistance. This website and blog receives hundreds upon hundreds of visitors each month, but the donation flow has been meager at best. That's fine. We're pulling of our dream and our desire to burn anyways. But if you have been enjoying the photo galleries, the movies, following the dBM blog or grooving on the podcasts, maybe you'll feel inspired to pitch in $5, $10, $20 towards the mission. I'm going to be seriously scraping the bottom of the barrel to get my truck back on the road, and the random (financial) kindness of strangers will go a long way towards not only funding the dream but raising my spirits as well. This site has a link to the Destination Burning Man Paypal account, and with a few keystrokes, you can send some monetary relief our way and feel good about contributing to the Three Broke Dudes/Boogie Universal/Boogie Pyramid mission! Click here to contribute....and thanks in advance! The only good thing about my water pump going out now? At least it is happening here in Bellingham and not in Bumfuck, Nevada en route to the Burn!!!

Desaggulation

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-17T10:14:45-07:00

So the Boogie Universal crew was unanimous in our resolve to keep plugging away on the Boogie Pyramid project and get it in shape so it is a worthy addition to Black Rock City. We're gonna be on the Esplanade and 9:00, and we want to be proud of our contribution. The first erection of the Pyramid revealed several structural flaws, which Erik, Chad, Robin and I got to fixin' last night in a work party that went until dark. We added some "bonus cables, restrung a few seams, incorporated more stakes to pull out the bottom and other nips and tucks, and finally got to raise it half-way to see how it looked in Version 2.0. It was promising, and I feel less anxiety regarding the status of our dream project. We've got two more work parties scheduled and hope lots of fellow campers will be there to further the makeover work. I think it is going to work out excellently, just like Erik predicted.

Playa update from Torsten

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-16T09:03:57-07:00

My good buddy Torsten recently sent me this cautionary email: "I'm out of here in a couple days for the dusty of dusties... Side note: it is super dusty this year -- several of my friends have already been out to the Black Rock Desert and back and all report the same, so prepare yourself mentally and gear wise with a really good dust mask and goggles you don't mind wearing all day. Seriously. With no rain this year, the play never turned back into a lake so there is only a small rain crust over all of last years dust. Crust on dust, if you will. Any wind at all and its all dustbowlling for ravers, worse than average. I'll be at 5:00 and Esplanade in the Devil's Workshop and Day Spa. More to follow on that. I'll give you a pre-entry shout from Gerlach! --Torsten" ps. Here are some more pics from the project I've been working on for months in a warehouse in San Fran; it's called "Crude Awakenings." Enjoy.

Nappy Dugout

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-15T10:35:56-07:00

Edubious and I visited the pyramid work site with our families this weekend and had some serious deflation upon viewing the flaccidity of our temple. We weren't there for the first official erection and so expected to see a thing of glory -- instead, there is a monument to sag looking somewhat forlorn in a farm field outside of Ferndale. It was a bit embarrassing to expose our ladies to the thing that has been pulling us out of family time so much over the past few months and have it be a saggy pile of nappy vinyl! ..."It is a bit awkward for me to comment on the work that NEEDS to be done on the pyramid since I am down in Seattle and can't be there on the regular to contribute my energy. But, I feel very compelled to send out a rallying cry to everyone to shift focus and energy toward getting the pyramid into shape for the Playa. My guess is that there is going to be a considerable amount of engineering and adjustment on the Playa, but I want to offer us some design suggestions for adjustments that should be made NOW. Those who work on it regularly may already have some of these in mind so pardon the redundancy. (1) The panels need to be pulled up flush with the tarp truss. We may want to wrap some rebar into the ends of the panels to help hold some of the weight (I noticed that one grommet had already pulled out). I also strongly suggest using something more beefy (and aesthetic) than the blue cord that is currently being employed - perhaps some small gauge steel cable? ...If we take about 8-10 feet off the bottom of each panel and stake them down to the ground, we will have WAY less sag. ... Can we add some larger grommets (1-2") along the bottom of each panel to accommodate rebar stakes? Each panel should have at least three or four cables running down the inside for support. (4) Can we support/hang the corner seams (between the panels)from the guy wires that are supporting the mast? ...(5) The tension wires and turn buckles that are on each corner of the pyramid need to be shorter and staked down closer to the base of the pyramid. ...The clock is ticking and we have to tighten up our scene if we're going to represent on the Esplanade. ...At our most recent camp logistics meeting, Erik, who is the ultimate mastermind behind the project, assuaged our fears by reminding us that the pyramid we witnessed is not the pyramid that will go up on the playa -- the panels aren't raised all the way, the sides aren't staked out far enough, the panels can be woven together more tightly, etc. ...Nonetheless, the group has scheduled three more work parties over the next five days to make adjustments and try to tighten things up. On Sunday, we're gonna lower this baby, fold her up and dismantle the mast. A few days later, she'll be loaded up in to a rental truck and the caravan to Black Rock City will begin...

Edub speaks : 9 days til departure

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-14T11:13:42-07:00

This is Burning Man and I have really enjoyed it so far. It began 6 months ago on the Burnal Equinox mixing music with DJ Playaduster at Sunnyland. Since that time the Three have brainstormed, dreamed, conspired, built, crafted, changed direction, fallen apart and put the pieces back together again. The puzzle looks nothing like it did when we began, but that has been another part of the creative journey. I have no doubt that it will continue to transform until we ourselves no longer resemble the beings we were in the beginning. ...I am anxious to be wrapped in my cocoon of dust, sunlight, sound, creativity and humanity on the edge. I anticipate uncomfortable friction as I try to fit into this wide open new space. ... These are but two questions among the myriad that churn through my mind touching on topics from personal health and safety, to camp community building, to mind altering substances. ... A voice in the back of my head says “you just have to be there.” ... My mind is there, racing toward the Burn and exploring the empty streets of Black Rock City, at the expense of my present moment awareness. ...I don’t recall how long it has been since I have experienced this kind of lack of presence. I value and actively practice being present to the moment – living in the Now. But with 18 days until the Burn and 9 days until we leave, I am totally fixated on the future. My work has become a nuisance to me; my schedule, a tether; my day-to-day responsibilities, inconveniences. ...“I just have to…and I’ll be done.” I’ve hear myself say this a lot - so has my wife. ... Last time I said this she replied, “You won’t be done until September when it’s over.” ...Despite having worked diligently over the past few months building, gathering and preparing, I feel frantic in these final days as I try to pull all of the threads together. Mental, physical, spiritual and emotional preparation is coming together, but I feel as if I am watching an hour glass, sifting grain by grain counting down to my leap into the rabbit hole. ... There are still lots of details to finalize, but I’m ready.

Edub built some cool furniture...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-30T18:32:49-07:00

It's all made of plywood, and it's all gonna burn at the end of the week. Designs courtesy of Playatech.com.

Hekter's back in---

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-09T18:27:16-07:00

GAME FREEKIN' ON!!!

"Burning Book"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-13T17:50:02-07:00

Photo by Fabian Mohr Found this new book "Burning Book: A Visual History of Burning Man" browsing around Amazon and called up my local independent book store to special order one -- excellent find! The book itself is a piece of artwork, a shuffle-play of favorite Burning Man deliriums and memories throughout the years, designed by the venerable collagist and font master Martin Vensezky. It features photo contributions from hundreds of playa snapshooters and loads of playa ephemera, like reproductions of tickets and maps from past Burns, stickers and buttons from different theme camps, postcards, covers of past issues of Piss Clear and all the little trinkety stuff that are gifted out to strangers and circulate throughout the city. Photo by Stewart Harvey The trajectory of the book is shaped to represent the journey to and through Black Rock City, and thus early chapters include drives through Reno and Gerlach and the first burns in San Francisco before introducing you to Burning Man playa legends like Thunderdome, Dr. Megavolt, the Contessa, Helco and the Belgian Waffle. There are chapters on music, vehicles and costumes/identity before the reader is brought face to face with the Man and his many inflammations. The end of the ride lands softly with a retrospective of David Best's temples (and temple burns) and winds it all up with a look at the city's dissolution in the chapter "Leave No Trace." It is all very well-choreographed by Jessican Bruder, who has a day job as a reporter for The Oregonian in Portland. The whole thing reads like a high school yearbook -- albeit this is a very, very weird high school. Photo by NK Guy Very nice work all the way around; a bejeweled treasure to behold. One can almost taste the dust. After the Green Man, you might need to pick yourself up a copy to keep your soul in alignment in the dark days of the Default World. Photo by Jared Mechaber Jessica's website is right here.

First Erection : Massive Mast

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-03T17:33:36-07:00

Gabe used his screwdriver a lot and made faces that make it look he knew what he was doing... Brock held the mast aloft and smiled alot. On top of all that, Erik took off his shirt and the work place was a place of great natural beauty, with Komo Kulshan looking over our shoulders... The full Boogie Pyramid erection is just a matter of days away...

Universal Freek Delight & Pyramid Parties

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-01T08:41:01-07:00

DAYTIME Universal Freak Delight: daily sessions in the pyramid from 3-4 through sunset/8-9 pm (some planned events, lots of open space for random performers & workshops on the fly) Monday: open Tuesday: Sensual Day: massage, chocolate & strawberries, henna 7pm; The Party Formerly Known as Prince Party—wear purple 9pm Wednesday: Body Art 3 pm; Sushi 6-9 pm Thursday: Push Hands: A Tai Chi Game 1-3; Ms. Black Rock City Paegant 3-6; Twisted Twister 7pm Friday: Boogie Pranksters noon-2; Circus Arts Meetup 2-4; Funk, Soul & Hula-Hoops with DJs Grape-nuts, Playaduster & Edubious 4-8 Sunday: Closing ceremony& drumming with Edubious NIGHT Monday: Welcome Home Party with Hekter's Huckleberry Mojito Surprise / Full Moon Eclipse celebration with Jackass, DJ Novatron, Adam Star (unconfirmed) and Rashaan Tuesday: Folk Dancing Workshop Wednesday: Rob the Wandering Accordion Player, DJ Hipp-e, Surgical Delivery System, Joe Lyon & Ruff Hauser Thursday: Rashaan, Breakbeat Buddha, Vibesquad, LEe Combs & Dave Sweeten Friday: Boogie Universal Pyramid Party/Ancient Civilizations costume theme/with DJ Grapenuts, Rootabreaka, Dave Levi & Novatron Everything is, of course, subject to change once we hit the playa... WHOOOO! (Now do you feel like supporting us with some spare change? As you can see, we'll spend it oh so wisely!)

Burning Boogie Rising : Update (32 days, 1 hour, 1 minute & 17 seconds until the Burn)

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-31T20:27:36-07:00

First of all, The Three Broke Dudes suddenly and surprisingly became The Two Broke Dudes when Hekter, our brother holding down the Inland Empire from a Spokane position, bowed out last week. Couldn't swing the finances this year, he said, and so regretfully surrendered his Green Man ticket to the swirling forces of the universe. No time to update the website at this late date to reflect this new Configuration of Dudes– the man burns in 32 days, don't you know! – so I'm just gonna let it ride for now. Hekter – we'll miss you and the playa will miss you, but we'll tell the Man you said "Whattup?" I was really looking forward to riding side-saddle with Johnny Buckskin 'cross the desert expanses in search of the Milk of Amnesia with chaps strapped loosely.... Secondly, earlier posts to this blog reference The Three Broke Dudes joining forces with Boogie Universal Arts Collective to bring a ginormous Boogie Pyramid to Burning Man. Our earlier daydreams of the mobile soundsystem/Lotus Lounge contraption got awfully technical and out of our reach for now, but then we connected with this lovely group of creative and groovy folks here in Bellingham that have been throwing dance parties and costume balls and circus performances with great success for the past 8 years. The group decided they wanted to bring their Boogie magic to the playa in '07 and put out the word on the local BurningHamsters listserv – yes, for real: BurningHamsters, the loosely-affiliated regional group of local burners. ...Anyways, fast forward 2 or 3 months and we're a gang somewhere between 20-30 people and the Boogie pyramid is fast approaching reality-status. We've been meeting every weekend for months in an undisclosed farm field outside of Ferndale, WA and constructing this….this…thing out of recycled billboard vinyl, rivets, grommets and galvanized steel. There has been much amateur engineering and high school math skills have been dusted off as we try and figure out how this pyramid will work. People have pitched in with dozens of hours of labor, free welding work for the mast, free use of aforementioned secret farm field, etc and I think we're actually gonna pull this off. ...The collective has also been meeting most Tuesdays to plan a myriad of camp logistics: food, Leave No Trace, transportation, camp theme, entertainment in the Pyramid, camping, furniture, costumage, generators and power production, booze, camp wellness, showers and grey water evaporation – the list goes on and on and then on some more. We hash through all this for hours, and then follow up with brainstorms and conundrums online on our listserv group. Impossible to say how many hours have gone in to this project, this dream, this folly – actually, we probably don't even want to know. But I have found an odd sense of satisfaction in focusing my free time on an endeavor that is madness, a mission that that makes no sense. I get a surprising jolt of inspiration in spending hard-earned time and money on a project with aspirations that lie outside of normal boundaries: we won't make any money doing this. There is no fame and glory to be earned in all of this, no job promotion nor merit badge. ...But, more importantly, what makes one want to return to Burning Man again, after having tasted the dust storms and hangovers and sunburn and thirst of the desert? And why work to set up an enormous 35,000 watt sound installation in a 3,600 square-foot 40-foot tall white pyramid a thousand miles away from home in the middle of a desiccated lake bed in Nevada?

Boogie Pyramid Fundraiser July 27

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-16T15:35:35-07:00

Bogie Universal is throwing a party to raise funds for our Boogie Pyramid project and journey to Black Rock City in August 2007. Come down to Hot Shotz at 1707 State Street in Bellingham Friday, July 27, for music, performance, drink specials and a Burning Man documentary. Most importantly, contribute to the finances and high energy goodness that we'll need to make this crazy dream a reality. We'll be going 'til 4 in the morn and hope to see you there! More info at at the Boogie Universal homepage. There is also a good explanation of the Boogie Pyramid project with photos posted here.

Leavenworth Lids in effect

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-11T07:16:13-07:00

There is a killer hat shop in Leavenworth, Washington -- a narrow cubbyhole of a store that holds hundreds, if not thousands, of glorious hats of all shapes, sizes, colors, styles, moods and methods. Edubious and DJ Playaduster have both made pilgrimages to this sacred shrine of hatness and picked up a few lids perfect for the playa....

Black Rock City street names

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-21T09:19:24-07:00

In our last announcement, we gave you some information on the layout of Black Rock City for 2007. This included information on the size of the blocks, placement of plazas, number of streets, etc. Here are the street names for this year . . . The radial-streets are still numbered in the clock formation we are all familiar with. Center Camp at 6:00. Plazas at 9:00, 7:30, 4:30, and 3:30. Camping/placement areas end at 10:00 and 2:00. The Man at the center. The concentric-streets begin at the Esplanade and thereafter go : ESPLANADE ...CORAL REEF ...KELP FOREST LANDFILL the "ring road" around Center Camp is EVOLUTION Enjoy!

Boogie on the Esplanade?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-23T09:12:10-07:00

I originally submitted a request for 60 feet of Esplanade frontage with 120 feet deep for our camp, they've bumped that up to 100 feet on the Esplanade and 150' deep! That gives us lots more room to make our private camp area more comfortable, plus gives us room for some shaded couches right on the esplanade, and more room for whatever we can come up with. ...For those of you that have been to the Playa, you already know that the camps on the Esplanade are uber elaborate, interactive 24/7, and generally pretty friggin' inspiring. ... Most people won't even know what they're placement will be until sometime in August--we get the early heads-up to have the extra time to make sure that our camp is 100% kick-ass. 40,000 people are going to know who Boogie Universal is; I think we should make that opportunity count and leave a good impression. ... • I think we need to push for pulling off live sound--that's going to mean about $1,500 worth of gear that we don't have (snake, mics & mic stands, 2 more used amps) ...I think several of us share the idea that we should be more than just a rave camp, or even more than just a dance camp. ...I know Edub was interested in helping book talent, let's get together as many leads as we can, then start sorting out a schedule ... • Louisa talked about making a sign and/or flag--it would be great to have these done well ahead of time so that we can display them at our fundraisers ...I think there are enough of us committed now as a core group, that we can decide together about new memberships (then the "core" becomes bigger--we don't need to maintain a 'core' and those outside the core, we're all in this together) ... • depending on our truck size/space situation, it would be very nice to have a couch or two. keep your eyes out for a freebie that doesn't stink (it won't be coming back home). ...installations and performances -- seems to be a much more complicated and time-consuming kind of camp than what I was picturing, and I'm really curious to know if you think we have the capacity for that. Our small group of campers at Sasha's a few weeks back seem pretty mellow and modest in size, so I'm wondering if there is a hidden stash of energy/talent/time/money to pull off the dream of the Boogie Pyramid on the Esplanade? ...On one hand I'm really stoked that BU and the BurningHamsters have been given this opportunity to BRING IT in such a visible way to the playa. On the other, I'm not sure that this is the kind of Burning Man experience I had in mind for 2007 and don't know if I have ...I surely don't want to rain on anybody's parade here, but I have reservations about the size/scope/$/commitment that this Boogie Universal Camp Version 2.0 seems to demand. For instance, I like lots of time and space for wandering and explorations of the multitudinous wonders of the playa and city, and don't want to be tied down with too many commitments to a big production..... ...With the right planning and participation from the Playa at large, I think we can keep things going basically on auto-pilot once our camp is set-up. I don't think that our original idea of a theme camp has been compromised, we'll just get to share it with a lot more people and have a front row seat for all the fun. ...On our Esplanade frontage, I thought it would be could to have a few chill areas where we and passersby can cozily rest their tired feet and enjoy the never ending spectacle that will be at our front door. ... We don't need to be "entertaining" 24/7 as hosts, just have a cool place available all the time.

Boogie Pyramid work party #1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-10T18:40:11-07:00

We will be working this Sunday just outside of Ferndale on Donna's farm (her family has got 118 acres that should give us plenty of room to stretch out everything we've got going on). ... If anyone has any cable cutting tools and/or grommet tools and/or rivet tools, they would be very appreciated and useful. Even if just a couple of us show up for a couple hours (or perhaps even less). Just to get some hands on work on this thing I'm sure will be enough to get the ball rolling and help get it built in a timely manner. ...Luke will be coming down from B.C., I think Alex is planning on coming out, and Nils is for sure. ...It's a 15' box truck, the same kind we've used for Meltdown, Flight, & cabin Fever. For a 2 week rental (same price as 12 days), which gives us time for early arrival, packing, and most importantly unpacking without rushing. ...Let me be the first to report on a very successful first work party on the BU Pyramid. ... Donna was kind enough to let us use her family's farmland where we had plenty of room to stretch out our huge materials. Huge thanks to Donna, David, Edub for coming all the way from Seattle, Luke for coming all the way from Vancouver by bus, Michael, Mitch, Nils, Alex, and hopefully I didn't forget anyone. Our productive crew figured out all of the logistics & geometry, and managed to assemble the first of four triangular panels. This thing is going to be bullet-proof, and look beautiful at the same time! ...I was up there this weekend and spent yesterday afternoon beginning construction of the Boogie Pyramid. ... It was a collective effort with energy, ideas and math skills contributed by Luke, Nils, Erik, Michael, Alex, David, Donna - our hostess on whose farm we are erecting the Boogie Pyramid, Mitch and yours truly, Edub. ...The tagline "I'm Lovin' It" was fitting for our work party, but the amusement of it quickly wore off and the ad was forever folded into the wall of the pyramid - thankfully never to be seen again. ...Pop rivets were the assembly method of choice once we got the huge sheets of 20 mil vinyl lined up and laid out within the 52'x60'x52' pyramid wall template that we staked and strung out in the field. We were working within a 60'x60' square that we also staked out in the field. Looking across it became clear that there would be plenty of room inside for a live Boogie Universal Higher Vibrations session or funk party. ...The vibe was positive and I was stoked on the free flow of ideas and the way that they manifested in to what we created that day. The creative collaboration among the Burning Man Boogie Universal Arts Collective crew is building momentum and ideas are becoming reality.

Glowtus Lounge

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-10T18:07:16-07:00

All right kids... our visions are solidifying right in front of our eyes. I've been battering my brain about trying to figure out how to create the pedal powered lotus lounge art bike (you know, this year is all about keeping it green) and look at what craigslist delivered to my cyberstep... ......a golden ray of light, with wheels, steering wheel and the best part - there is a trailer that attaches to the mothership with room for two more pedalers..... hee hhe he eh....can you see it now...smell the scorched playa wind....crunchy grit in the molars..... pedaling around BRC with DJ Playaduster and Edubious flowing out of the elevated sound fort and flabbergasting the masses. This is beautiful! The frame for the glotus lounge (glowing cause it will be black light powered my friends) has already been built for us... all we have to do is "accessorize" the unit. This is where all you cyberfriends enter.... you know your parents/kids/grandparents/friends garages are full of much needed "accessories" for our mobile sound system. Even if we could borrow, with oaths of solemn integrity, some of these items (especially the ** ** items) for a week it would sure help keep our tires inflated. We have agents from Whitehorn to Selkirk.... oops sorry about the code there.... all over western Washington and a few undercovers hiding out in the Spokompton/Panhandle of Idaho. If your in Washington, Idaho or Western Montana then dig it out and we'll come pick it up if we can use it :) Keep posted for updates on the Glotus Lounge and it's destination to burning man. The bike/trailer combo is costing $500 (after much barter debauchery) so if you just feel like dropping a dime in our piggy bank then that is always relished too! Gotta go..... gotta find a welder! ...List of materials needed/wanted for Glotus Lounge: **Stereo System/ I-Pod compatible** ...**Generator (1,500 - 2,000 watt)** borrow one?? ...Black lights (2-4) with ballasts Primer/Paint - black light reflective ...Deep cycle battery/cable to lights/stereo ...Materials for lotusing it out: ...and an RV to take it all in... just kidding... well not really. Contact us if you can help out with any of these items: destinationburningman@gmail.com

Masks

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-04T22:17:39-07:00

I'm going to buy a couple of masks for the burn. I've found a number of sites that sell em. Here's a couple of examples. Either of you interested? http://fantasyguilde.com/masks/grn/greenie.html http://www.masksbymorgan.com/ ~ E

Hamsters Unite!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-29T22:24:50-07:00

...and we introduced ourselves and our secret superhero identities, and then dove in to working on the playa plan -- more on that later. Here's some of the folks that have come together to construct the Boogie Pyramid, along with shots of DJ Edubious, Hekter and DJ Playaduster getting ready for the Green Man:
Link to our Flickr page here.

Burning Cartography

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-27T22:24:41-07:00

Here's an amazing hand-drawn map of Black Rock City 2005 by Lisa Hoffman. and here's a map of Black Rock City 2006: Hope and Fear done in "Acid Deco" style. I found both via the website info gargoyle. The guy who wrote the posts is very serious about his cartography -- it is the gift that he brings to the community: "This year, I'm seeing more and more people come together with their interest in cartography than ever before. The sponsored mapping group, PlayaInfo is also expanding their geographic reach by supporting a GPSDrive friendsd server so that participants with art cars can broadcast their location to the main map. Seems like a perfect fit for cyborgs and technomads alike!" He's got an interesting slideshow too right over here.

"There are countless ways to participate and contribute and be a part of this thing"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-22T19:24:32-07:00

I also bought a nice BBQ that, as long as we have room in the truck, I'd be happy to bring down for camp use. ...I really hope that I'll be able to recoup at least some of the $1,200 + tax I invested in the camp today. I've heard a couple of people mention they're ready to pay their camp fees. If you're one of those people, you can either call me and set up a time to meet or drop off some money, or you can mail me a check or sign into paypal and send it from your bank account. If you have any questions about camp fees, how they work, or what you think would be a fair contribution, please feel free to contact me directly or inquire on this list. For those on a budget, the idea of giving $200 or so might seem a bit daunting. Regardless of what amount you decide to give, you don't have to pay it all at once. ...Here's what our crew is starting to look like as far as I can tell: ...If you're on the wrong list here or know someone that should be on there, please let me know. I'm quite sure we'll see this list grow a bit in the near future ...I worry about that even if I find what seems like the perfect glue, would it hold up under the heat of the desert? ... I don't like the idea much, but it might be the reality if we do this thing. I really don't even know what kind of time frame or amount of labor such a task would be, but quite possibly more than is realistic. I just worry that even if we make the seams wrapped up around the cable in such a way that it can't move too much, it might still unravel in the heat & wind and end up flapping itself to death in no time. ...I'm willing to do most of this, but if you look at this link you can learn more about it if you might help: http://forms.burningman.com/aiq2k7 Meal Plan/Kitchen duty organizer (pretty simple really, someone to figure out how many meals we need (breakfast & dinner only) and how many camp members we have, then get people to sign up for specific days/times) If we all agree to do a meal plan, we'll each probably have to cook one or two meals for the whole group out of the entire week, then all of our remaining breakfasts & dinners will be made for us---it's a very, very, nice way to go. ...People that want to be on the early arrival/set-up list (get in Fri ...Oh, and a couple of people that are on the fence about joining the camp mentioned they were affraid they wouldn't be around Bellingham to help out to build stuff. ...Even if you have other on-playa projects pre-event time restraints or whatever, we'd still like to have you a part of our crew.

Green Man icon

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-18T14:37:00-07:00

Found this unofficial icon on Flickr in the Green Man 2007 pool

pyramid power

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-15T22:56:36-07:00

I've got a quote on the freight & materials for the fabric: 30 14' x 48' mega heavy duty tarps, $40 each = $1,200 + the best deal I could find for freight is $425 (they weigh a ton, literally). $1,625 for our running total. At this point we have $2,000 to work with. We still have to get cables, the mast, some sort of come-along/crank/pullie system, the mast, and some heavy duty stakes. I'm not too worried if we go a little over budget, I'm sure some money will fall from the sky if we need it to (aka the BU credit card). If this thing works it will be a good investment (if not financiall at least in the sense of empowering good people to do silly things). ....wow, that could be a new Boogie Universal slogan: "Empowering good people to do Silly Things...." I'm waiting to hear back from Ron about the welding and mast building. I'm also pricing cable. If anyone happens to know a good place for such or sees anything on craigslist or anything, we need about 1,500 feet of 1/4" vinyl coated galvanized or stainless steel cable and about 180 feet of 3/8", 1/2", or 5/8" for the corners. While I'm at it, if anyone has about 36 feet of 6" diameter steel pipe.... We could forseeably have all of this stuff within a week. I think our first work party will probably be not this Sunday, but the next one. I'll keep you posted. --e

eric pulls shit together

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-14T22:47:05-07:00

Whatever adhesive it is, I think the key will be to design the seams so that they're not dependent on the glue as much as the ...If I wasn't so broke, I'd snatch them up ...The guy has also got a single 15,000 watt generator, higher quality than the others, for just over $1,000---that's a ...I expected to pay around $1,000 for generators this year and figured we'd probably have to throw a fund-raiser to get that money. ...I've uploaded a file to the files section if anyone is curious about ...think we probably should be pretty good with the two 6,000 watt ...we're more likely to get a better spot, (I learned that the hard way ...need or want to take on a project on the list, please post it. ...The camps I've been with have been sliding-scale and ...there's someone that is totally broke and just can't come up with that kind of money (on top of all of the other expenses of going to ...abundance can pay theirs now so as to help get things rolling. ...would only take a couple/few people to pay on the high end of the ...people pay camp fees that didn't even camp with us. ...Yeah, there's a certain amount of trust in sending money to my name, but hey, if we can't trust each other, why the hell would we be doing ...I think we're around 12 or so pretty solid camp members right now.

the Boogie Universal DJ Temple

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-13T22:43:29-07:00

Here are some photos from E of the DJ Temple his Boogie Universal Collective ("empowering good people to do Silly Things....") :

Things We Need: Hekter prepares the first list

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-12T20:54:43-07:00

Large black plastic and 2x4's for gray water pit. (10X10' should be sufficient for 3ish folks) Large squeegee for moving graywater around (maximize evaporation) Tie long stick to squeegee. Crate for standing on in shower. Solar shower (2 would be nice) 50 gallon drum to hold shower/dish/misc water. Personal containers for drinking water (around 2 gallons per person per day) ...Outfits - look for fauz fir on ebay or craigslist so we can make fuzzy bunny outfits. Try to find animal ears that are on a headpiece (like the bunny ears in the ski photos) cause if we could give out ears with picture frames.... ooh la la!! Picture Frames - Think of a easy and cheap way to find materials (driftwood for you coasters and river wood for my inland self) to make our own frames. (they are expensive to buy!) Stilts - would like to make tree outfits and walk around on stilts (Entish I know) Maybe I can find some birch bark to make it work. Generator - I'm on it but look for a Honda 2000i generator. (retail for $1,000 so look for better deals). Body Lotions - I know vinegar helps to neutralize the playa and fine ladies would give lil' squirtdowns of pure freshness last year. ...would help keep domes from stagnating. Long boards and ski ropes. (so much fun to hook onto an art car and surf the long board!) I do have some leftover windsurf sails if we wanted to integrate them somehow. ...Home stereo system for mobile sound system (great finds on craigslist) ie-(http://spokane.craigslist.org/ele/301444322.html cheap good speakers? http://spokane.craigslist.org/ele/300519521.html ...Rethinking Milk of Amnesia cause anything dairy or soy based may rot quickly. Another drink we could make?

chatter on the road to the Green Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-11T20:53:34-07:00

I've looked into rv's from the reno area and they are really expensive... seems like the cheapest ones are 2,500 - 3,000 for the week. ... Sounds too expensive for me ($1,000 each) but I'll look into renting from other areas, although then the gas price is a big factor. ...The other option is to try and rent my bro's rv from him although I'm not sure how road worthy it is. ... Maybe we need to put a little tidbit on our site asking for rv donations or borrowments? ...I would like to put some time into the site this week :) ...I figured the price for an RV would be pretty steep, but I think we can get it for cheaper. I'm trying to connect with a private party to see if we can get a better deal. Check out your brother's rig and find out if its road worthy. If it is, that's probably the best deal we'll find - no doubt! I want to put the RV on the wish list on our site. I think that we can fall back on the dome option it an RV doesn't come through. We should have the money and the resources to pimp one of those out pretty well. If we don't have an RV (or if we do) I can get a box trailer from Gary that is lockable and sealed so we have some extra hauling capacity. I haven't sent out a link to the site to my contacts yet. I feel like we need to give it a little infusion of some fresh musings and give it a "Grand Re-Launching." If we all send out shout at the same time, we can create bigger cosmic ripples and wash some new people to our cause. ...I will try to write a little something on the DJ Fundi / Sunnyland meltdown and send a few pics from the Cottage Groove mix session. Outside of that, I'll get to work a new podcast for the peeps. ..."It's all about the Burn now, from here on out..."

Sunnyland Soundsytem Meltdown

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-10T12:26:34-07:00

I could hardly believe the words before my eyes. Cyberspace provides a limited medium for conveying emotion, but I could feel the angst and frustration flowing through this email. Sunnyland Soundsystem had experienced a catastrophic meltdown. A ritual cup of morning coffee – directed by misfortune and gravity, had penetrated the internal circuitry of Sunnyland’s mainframe. Sunnyland was out of commission and as a result DJ Fundi, the webmaster of DestinationBurningMan was no longer able to post the musings of The Three. To add insult to injury, this was just the beginning of a long string of misfortunate events that would befall Fundi and bring chaos to Sunnyland. The conversations that followed - once Fundi was able to use his disabled cell phone (yet another misfortunate techno-crisis) were filled with concern and frustration over the podcasts, images and words that were poised to be uploaded to the dBM site. And, of course, the un-answerable question of whether or not Fundi’s iLife could be resuscitated. Fortunately, since you are reading this, the crisis in Sunnlyand has been resolved. At least the mainframe has been re-energized. The word is still out on the other events that followed…. So, if you haven’t already, head over to the podcast page and download Set 2 of the Burnal Equinox mix. We are, once again, servin’ it up – live and direct for you! There is much more to come – words, music, images – so stay tuned….. ~ Edub

blueprints for the Lotus Lounge

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-30T22:15:08-07:00

Hashing out some ideas for the mobile soundsystem, sketchin' out some dream designs... I tried to flesh out some early designs for the Lotus Lounge, a bicycle-powered mobile soundsystem that we intend to build and then bring to Black Rock City in '07. IF skills and money were no option, we'd build something beautiful, an 8 foot-tall lotus flower, heavy with bass nectar, who's petals could unfold at random points across the playa and deliver sweet music. These plans clearly show a bird's-eye perspective as well as two views from the side. You can see the three-bike pyramidal-platform design, and the mighty lotus sprouting up the middle. The front of the vehicle has an large oversize tire and is steered by the Mad Hatter. There is an insulated under-compartment beneath the lotus designed to hold and keep cold hundreds of cans of ice-cold Schmidtties. Whent he flower is open, speakers rise above the desert floor and play downward towards the people, creating a "sound cone," an audial effect scientifically explained in the sketch on the far right. Also of interest is the note expressing a wish to have the whole sound rig powered by the sun. Let's bear in mind that the three broke dudes have little to no engineering experience between the three of them, nor do they have any money. So what are thh chances of the Lotus Lounge ever actually roaming the dark, techno-filled nights of BM, bringing juicy music, real music, to the masses? Much of it depends on how this blog performs, if we can shake a few dollars out of the heavens...

another playakart idea....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-13T16:26:31-07:00

Hey Scotty & E -- whatchoo think about stylin' something like this on playa? don't think it would stand up to the dust storms very well...but damn we'd be PIMPIN'! moontroll

BurningHamster Brainstorm I

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-08T22:46:44-07:00

"I'm quite serious about doing something new with people from right ...I kind of have a basic image in my head of what it might look like, but really it's totally up for group input. ...too, operated by a drama-free easy-going small crew (maybe 10-15 ...I've got a 15,000 watt soundsystem that would sound outstanding at a ...I think my dome would be too small for the dance area (definately if ...Just a little bigger would be great--like ...I also have an image in my head of a pyramid of some sort. ...be up for building something with a couple of people if there are ...Basic camp stuff that we'd need to come up with: ...I've got the shade structures that would be great for cooking, ...would be nice and I'm a big fan of a meal plan (everyone cooks just a couple of times, then the rest of the week your meals are made for ...Generator(s) I've been wanting to buy one for a while, we'll see. ...couple of years my whole camp camped under a 200' parachute, which is ...If we can't come up with something similiar, we could each fend for ourselves and put a small shade structure over each ...I'm used to paying $100-$150 in camp fees to take care of these kinds ...do the trick--though if that's too much for some I'm sure we could ...There area few people interested in the Boogie Crew, though everyone

solar golf carts & more

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-05T07:47:11-07:00

Dear three broke dudes: if you don't go flinstone this could be a possible inspiration: or, if you have some cash you could re-fit this model... I might suggest emphasizing to a greater degree the donors' participation in the first of its kind "killawatt powa" dub selecter golf cart system. People like to get behind one of a kind machines and their construction. Donors can become human sponsors to provide livesaving dusted dub beats to music starved individuals lost in the sands of bad music as it were...etc. I will keep hunting for ideas. I'm on board with this plan. Keep the dream alive. dRF

Edub climbs aboard

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-04T23:27:38-07:00

Check it: www.destinationburningman.com. It may not be pretty, but at least we can start getting the word out. And I even jimmyrigged it to stream our last DJ session over in the podcasts section. For real. Let it begin. --moontroll * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4/2/07 You are the MAN, homie!! Fuck yes! From vision to reality. That shall be the story of our journey to the Burn. We shall manifest all that we envision for this brotherhood pilgrimage to Blackrock City. I am so inspired! I'll get to work on Burnal Equinox II this evening. So it's on..... --Edubious

first podcast good for the gettin'

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-02T23:26:47-07:00

One of the primary missions of the three broke dudes is to share the groove with the masses on playa this year. DJ Edubious and DJ Fundi have begun work on crafting musical mixes, which they hope to spread across Black Rock City on a mobile soundsystem unit. You can listen to a sneak preview of their first DJ set over at the Podcast page.

Here we go

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-01T23:26:11-07:00

Greetings and salutations. Today is the first day of our website and blog that will track the adventures of three broke dudes with a dream and a desire to burn. We are talking about Burning Man, of course, and our burning desire to make it to the cosmic gathering this summer in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.

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The Fertile Desert

Trilo On Tickets: "The fundamental problem is not the lottery - it's scarcity."

Burning Man 2012 Tickets Part 3 frm Halcyon (aka "Crap or Cone?")

ACT AS IF (or, Kant's Categorical Imperative and How Your Ticket Will Find You)

Ticket Update: Rebuilding Black Rock City 2012

Ticket Update: Radical Inclusion, Meet the Other Nine

YOUR THEME CAMP ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT .. and other thoughts.

more from Halcyon on the Burning Man ticket lottery fiasco

Burning Man ticket fiasco creates an uncertain future

Halcyon on the Burning Man ticket lottery fiasco

To Burn or Not to Burn

Oh! The Place You'll Go : Dr. Seuss goes to Burning Man

In the Dust

Dust to Dust: A BRC timelapse

Dealing with Post Playa Depression (Burning Man I Love You)

Haiku SpaceBalls by Rachel

thoughts on decompression

Media coverage of the 2011 Burn

Get Found Got Found

Burning Man in the Age of Rick Perry: Revelation, Pluralism, and Moral Imperative

Torsten's playa bike

"Some Ways Seemingly More Round About & Mysterious Than Others"

Scenes from the Playa!

Soundtracks for the journey home

Get Found 3.0.7: Scotty G & Kat

Get Found 3.0.6: Maketa & Hartz

Getting Found in the Default World

Playa Tips from Halycon

dBMcast feedback

Get Found 3.0.5: Rachel & Dana

Get Found 3.0.4: moontroll & Gabriella

DJ Edubious looks back, part 1

Get Found 3.0.3: Colby & Leah

A response to Burning Man selling out by Halycon

Get Found 3.0.2: Tangerine & Daisy MayBe

Get Found 3.0.1: Tina & Jessie Rey

SynchroniciTEA House & JuJu Parlor rising!

What Burning Man Means to Me * By Brock Blatter

Halycon's Tips for the Playa v1

Get Found version 3.0!

Halycon's Tips for the Playa v1

Serving up a mug of SynchroniciTEA!

Burning Man on CBS News, 2007

Rites of Passage: Burning Man 2011

Black Rock City 2010 Yearbook

Looking ahead & Temple 2011

Introducing Moontroll's 2010 Burning Man/Get Found 2010 videos (double-feature!)

We're back....

Gone to Burning Man

Mixes for the road....

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.6

more Building BRC 2010

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.5

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.4

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.3

Two views on gifting

Moze’s Top Ten ART PROJECTS

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.2

Introducing Camp Get Found : version 2.0.1

Building BRC 2010

Will it be hot? Will it be dusty?

Raising the Man

Building the Man in 5 minutes

Painting on the Playa

Temple 2010

"Cruising at Burning Man"

Warming up...

dBM listener feedback

The Wobble Chronicles / A Bass Chakra Therapy Practice

"I have one life and I would be damned if I live as a fool "

BBC in BRC

Breaking news....

Get Found in the Default World : Keeping the Flame Lit

Evolution II : Burning Man 2009, and a brief farewell

DJ Grapenuts presents "Hektervision : Glacial Facial at Burning Man 2009"

EVOLUTION & Camp Get Found : Burning Man 2009

More Burning Man video shorts from Moontroll

Ritual, twisting logic, release, transformation, giving, synchronicity : A report from Burning Man

Defining Moments, 2009