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Default World
Dealing with Post Playa Depression (Burning Man I Love You)
October/12/2011 Filed in: back in the default world | commentary
BY ANTRANIK
Post playa depression is a very real thing, especially after your first burn. A lot of people experience it, I know I did! It’s a natural problem after returning from the best week of your entire LIFE!!! Transitioning back into the real-world and processing all the amazing things you experienced can be an overwhelming process. There are SO many incredible things we experienced in our little city for that full week that it is impossible that you are not wired differently now!
You may be questioning your job, your coworkers, maybe your friends, the fact that you have to drive your car now instead of your bicycle and are stuck in traffic. The lack of wide open, endless, liberating spaces… Even your appetite might have changed, you may not be craving sugar as much, or the television, or Facebook, etc!
Direct that newfound energy to make life more awesome
Don’t worry my friend! You can use this energy to make powerful changes that will make your default world more like Black Rock City. This is not the time to just go back to the way things were but to integrate the lessons you learned and make progressive changes in your life!
This is why, for example, I ride my bicycle as much as I can, all the time. It connects my spirit to the carefree and timeless way of life at burning man combined with healthy exercise. So one thing you can do is… ride your bicycle a lot more often! Integrate it with errands or work or ride around the park or anything you like.
Say hello / good morning / good evening to strangers even if they don’t want to look at you or respond like most people in the city. Even if they stare depressingly at the sidewalk as they pass you… it’s okay, say hello to them anyway, it will make you feel good inside and maybe remind them to look up once in a while.
Smile and wave at the driver stuck at the red light next to you! Who cares if they get confused and wonder why you would do such a crazy thing. Smiling is awesome and that will lift their spirits and raise the vibration of the situation. Who knows, they might just smile and wave back. :le gasp:
Take that “risk” of interacting with people like you did at the burn. Maybe it’s time you finally start that conversation with your neighbor of 10 years.
If you realize you hate being an office drone then maybe it’s time to look for a new job! What is it your really want to do? Brain-storm. Look for openings in the different departments that you could transfer to within your current company. Maybe there are some new opportunities there you may enjoy more and learn new things.
Hate hearing the TV? Then leave it off! Or better yet, save some money and cancel your cable service. :-p
Do you realize now you have too many useless material possessions and can’t stand the clutter? Start that cleansing process by selling your stuff on craigslist and get some money for it while freeing up your space!
Having problems with your non-burner friends?more…?
thoughts on decompression
October/09/2011 Filed in: back in the default world | commentary
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."
"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."
Getting Found in the Default World
August/15/2011 Filed in: getting ready | Camp Get Found
It has been a busy couple of months in the Pacific Northwest for Camp Get Found as we prepare for our 3rd year together on the playa. We’ve always been a small camp with a population hovering around 20, and this year is no different: 11 Get Found alumni and 9 new Foundling initiates (with 7 playa virgins in the mix) -- you can read more about who is Getting Found this year in our ongoing camp registrations. This year, our campers come also exclusively from homebases in western Washington & Oregon -- our Colorado, California and New Mexico friends are either not going or camping in other configurations.
So last spring, as the deadline for theme camp application approached and we had not had any conversations about what we were going to do in 2011, Hannah Tangerine (I think) came up with the idea of creating a tea house for the people. “We could call it SynchroniciTEA, serve brews and elixirs, and help cultivate meaningful coincidences,” she suggested. “How about throw ‘and JuJu Parlor” in there for good measure?” I added. A concept was born.
In the months and weeks since, we put out the word to alumni and new friends alike and, by July, had our camp roster pretty well finalized. This gave us nearly two months to get to know each other, to communicate, brainstorm, share ideas, host gatherings and begin to divvy up tasks -- the work that it would take to Get Found once more in Black Rock City -- this time with a teahouse in tow.
Maketa and J-Rey threw themselves in to the SynchroniciTEA concept and began designing, buying materials and constructing the prototype. Tina took on teahouse interior visions, helping to imagine a soothing space full of intentionality and spirit by way of lights, colors, art. Rachel dove in to some playatech furniture building, Tangerine began organizing the group kitchen and Moontroll worked on herding cats, keeping communication and logistics flowing, painting signs, buying tea and teapots and getting the Boogie parachute ready for its 4th burn. Colby is building a sink and generator mufflers. Dana spraypainted bamboo designs on teahouse walls. Everybody shared surplus hugs and bacon.
Pablo emerged from his recent touring with March Fourth just in time to step in as our pragmatic camp foreman, and in short order busted out our greywater evaporation system, jigsawed a lightbox sign, worked on parachute repairs and rebar advisement and also helped think through systems like electrical, showers and transport.
Our first major gathering was in Bellingham over a weekend in July, and consisted of a Friday night meet-and-greet social, which led in to a dance party (of course) which led in to a slumber party which led in to a potluck brunch which led, finally, to a long and detailed meeting scoping out the details of camp, some of the logistics, some of the concerns/questions and figuring out who was doing what. A follow-up gathering was held in August in Seattle, in which the primary goal of raising the teahouse structure for the first time was accomplished (to great joy and excitement) along with several other small projects, all featuring the surprise guest appearance of GF alum Scotty G. fresh from Taos.
So we’re less than 2 weeks out before we all hit the road, eastward towards the Black Rock Desert.... with a few more things to finish up & tinker on before we go. Many have moved in to personal prep now and are living, breathing and dreaming the Burn round the clock. Without receiving official placement from BMorg, we don’t know exactly where we’ll end up in BRC, but if yer meant to find us, it will be a meeting of great synchroniciTEA!
Here are a few scenes of Get Found pre-playa gatherings, work parties and funraising....
Our first official meeting, at the Purple Palace in Bellingham, WA -- we managed to get nearly 3/4 of the camp in the same place at the same time! After some chattering & swilling, we soon dudded up to head out for a birthday party complete with a treehouse, yummy keg & food, drum circle and DJ Grapenuts.
More photos by Tina and moontroll after the jump.....
more…?
Notes from the unfolding adventure