Burning Man: The American Dream 2008

[Pocketa]

Hey, I'm going to Burning Man for my first time (I'm 15), I was wondering if any GitPers will be going out? I've already made a list of gifts I need to get as well as what theme camps I'd like to visit. I'll be near the Magic Bazaar camp or something like that.

Didn't see a DnD camp set up yet, probably not the best game to play in the desert. :smalltongue: But the Bomb Bay Tea Co. looks neat, as does the Steampunk Treehouse, if it returns.

Anyone going? Any advice for a first-timer?

[Silence]

Burning man.....

No bells rung.

Actually, one was rung, but it involved an episode of Reno 911, so I ordered it to come up to my office, at which time I shot it.

What is burning man?

[Pocketa]

Counterculture art festival in the middle of the desert for a week, during which they burn an effigy of a man, made of neon (every year maybe?).

Google and Wikipedia are your friends on this one. Was that the Reno 911! episode where they were undercover? I read about that on the BM Wikipedia article.

[FdL]

Just so Pocketa doesn't thing bad of the Playgrounders, I knew about this.

[Silence]

Counterculture art festival in the middle of the desert for a week, during which they burn an effigy of a man, made of neon (every year maybe?).

Google and Wikipedia are your friends on this one. Was that the Reno 911! episode where they were undercover? I read about that on the BM Wikipedia article.

Yea. I think it's the same burning man, actually. In the middle of the desert, countercultural art festival, sounds kinda like it.

[Pocketa]

Silence: I already knew. It's a very big event, you should google it and look at its Wikipedia article. Reno 911! had it in an episode, so did Malcolm in the Middle, etc.

FdL, knowledge or lackthereof does not define status or judgement, the wanting and willing to learn does.

[Amotis]

Really? How can you afford that? -_- I hear it's outrageous now.

The burning man site has a bunch of first-timer stuff. My advice? Don't be stupid. Embrace the over-the-top social experimentation and fun to be had but don't loose your sense of logical reality.

[Silence]

FdL, knowledge or lackthereof does not define status or judgement, the wanting and willing to learn does.

To an extent.

I consider someone with 12 PHDs higher than a kindergartner. Need I say more?

[Finn Solomon]

BURRRRRRNING MAN!

http://content.ytmnd.com/content/2/c/2/2c2bb1cb3f0d1337fd923d01be9cbdc6.jpg

Oh, and good put-down, Silence.

[FoE]

Just make sure to panhandle for gas money (http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29344) well in advance. :smalltongue:

[Silence]

Oh, and good put-down, Silence.

Thank you. I take pride in my work. [/sarcasm]

Nice link there. +1 internets to face of evil.

[BizzaroStormy]

I would go but aside from already having spent my money for the summer I also have a low tolerance for car rides. Just the 2-hour trip to Indy for gencon is going to be bad enough since I'll have to suppress the urge to shank my fellow passengers. I seriously doubt I could stand going across the country unless I was heavily sedated or stoned, which considering it is burning man, would probably end up happening.

[Silence]

Two hours and you flip out? Man, you must really have no patience.

If I have my music, or a good book, I can go for about 8 hours before my patience starts to thin.

When I get grumpy, things go badly.

[BizzaroStormy]

I don't flip out but any more than 30 minutes without something to do will drive me up the wall. My MP3 player is busted and I've had my 8th gameboy stolen about a month ago so, like I said, unless im asleep or intoxicated it will be a very tense ride. I'll likely just stay up all night then sleep in the trunk of my buddy's van on the ride down there. I plan on going as Banjo if I can collect the stuff for the costume.

[Silence]

unless im asleep or intoxicated

Problem solved.

[BizzaroStormy]

Problem is, as a minor, getting legally intoxicated is kinda difficult. As is being sober by the time we get there. I guess I'll just have to tell the others to bring body armor or a first aid kit.

[Silence]

You could just buy the cheapest MP3 player on the market. I'm sure you can find one for under 30 bucks. It's a temporary solution.

Also read. Read much.

PM me for book recommendations.

[Crow]

Pocketa, I'll be there with a bro from work. Not sure what camp yet...it'll be my first time.

[BizzaroStormy]

Actually, ever since 6th grade when I was having books shoved down my throat, I've pretty much despised books. The only one I will actually read is the novel of Metal Gear Solid, since I lack a system that will play the game itself.

[Silence]

Mind if I make a few recommendations for books to test the waters in?

Basic fantasy stuff is my favorite. The later Harry Potters were fantastic ("Get a away from my daughter, you b****!" Is my favorite quote of all time). Eragon and Eldest by Christopher Paolini was also great.

Anything by Garth Nix is exceptional.



But my favorite of all is Neil Gaiman.

Ho. Lee. She. It.

Awesomeness.


But, whatever rolls for you rolls. (Yup, it's 2:30 AM here and I'm losing my sanity)

[BizzaroStormy]

2:45 here and Im feeling much more sane than I was earlier in the day. I really can't seem to get into books anymore. With the all the video games I play, my imagination isn't what it once was.

[Silence]

Video games are the new TV for me. If I have nothing else to do, I'll just kill aliens/terrorists/other and watch my brain cells die. I have a 360, but I'm not committed to it.

My computer on the other hand, I would sell my soul if I had to to keep it.

[BizzaroStormy]

Its a computer, it already has your soul.

[Silence]

No, I have a program that blocks soul stealing.

[Pocketa]

To an extent.

I consider someone with 12 PHDs higher than a kindergartner. Need I say more?


To an extent.

I consider someone with 12 PHDs higher than a kindergartner. Need I say more?

Well, I do disagree with that. I know kids that have been given better lives that alot of other kids I know. They live in 'nice' neighborhoods, have mothers and fathers they eat dinner with, and get straight A's and play XBOX all day. They'll go to college, get a job, get a house, live their life. On the other hand, I know kids from the ghetto (Berkeley is very diverse, kids from O-Town too, most of my friends are 'poor', I'm the exception, not the rule) and they don't see their parents, fend for themselves, have a job, and may not have the best grades, but you know whos hungrier for knowledge? and who uses the knowledge the best? I'm in a smaller school within BHS, the SSJE, and there are 2 classes per grade, basically, and my class is the 'poorer' class and the other is the 'richer' class, and it's definitely split socioeconomically and racially, and, even if that's random, they could've made the classes more even.

We had a trig unit, end of the year, everyone's slacking, the teacher wasn't the best at explaining it to me the first day back, next day, I ask people for help in the other class that I see in the morning, they don't know jack diddly about cos, sin, tan. Later, during my Geometry class, I asked somebody that has a broken home for help, and he taught it to me in less than 15 minutes.

I swear.

Trig.

in less than 15 minutes.

He doesn't want to go to a big fancy college, because he knows his family can't afford it. He already has planned out his future: he's going to go to a cheaper culinary school, get a job at a friend's restaurant (he knows what to specialize in an what school), and save money and go to a better school and then Europe.

My best friend:

Affluent neighborhood, rich and famous parents, he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. He doesn't know what college, what he wants to major in, but he's probably going to become a scientist or a psychologist or a businessman.

The thing is, it's alot more complicated than you know, with anyone, and people do not all have equal opportunities, and won't unless the world radically changes.

[/rant]

Crow: look for the girl in my avatar. I should be with her. We might be sharing the same body this time, F.Y.I. She might be decked out in steampunk gear, so her brown dress, bodice, beads and gifts, and bonnet, but don't let the steel-toe boots hit you on the way out.


Bringing nothing but clothes, my mom's friend is providing everything, my mom is paying her back for stuff. I can go up to 24 hours doing nothing, sans bathroom breaks (I mean I take them). 16 sleeping, 8 looking out the window and meditating. I'm in love, that's something to think about, and I hope that he thinks of me as I think of him.

Both of him.

Muahahahaha!

[SDF]

Berkeley is usually okay, just stay away from Oakland. :P

I usually avoid burning man, though. $300 doesn't scream counterculture to me. Also, claiming to show concern for the environment then burning a giant effigy is both funny and a huge face palm moment for me.

[Pocketa]

Berkeley is usually okay, just stay away from Oakland. :P

I usually avoid burning man, though. $300 doesn't scream counterculture to me. Also, claiming to show concern for the environment then burning a giant effigy is both funny and a huge face palm moment for me.

Eh, I've had kids from the richer neighborhoods around mine throw sticks and bricks at me and the guys from El Cerrito and Oakland defended me. Everybody is different. My friends live in Pinole, San Pablo or something like that, El Cerrito, Albany, San Francisco, Oakland, Novato, Marin, Rohnert Park, Alameda, all around, and there's no set type of people in any of those communities, just generalizations. It's also hard to 'stay away' from Oakland because at BHS, the Oakland comes to us. If someone has been harassed at Oakland or anywhere else, they do need to take a look at themselves to see how they could have provoked that and fix those behaviors.

I agree that the effigy burning is awful for the environment. Hear about the arsonist last year? Tragic, tragic, but every year has its loonies.

Well, loonier than average loonies. :p

But back on topic.

Burnign Man!

Any theme camps recommeded? I'm trying to make myself a little personal guide to BRC, and the map isn't released yet, but some areas have released where they'll be located. The PO is always in the same place, etc. I want to get costumed up, get my bike lit up (important to be seen rather than see, alot of the time, just in case), do meditation, try some yoga classes, do some writing (not electronic! so I don't have to worry about batteries, just my own creativity), and rave.

I'm part Maori, so it's sort of a requirement that I learn how to poi properly and stop embarassing my people. Plus, I'm nervous around flames, so I'll be able to get over that. A Maori afraid of flames: oh, the irony. We are a people of the elements!

[Moff Chumley]

Can I just say, as a Southern Marin-dweller, I know what you are talking about. My best friends run the gamut a bit: The Tiburonite who's rolling in cash and lacks any form of talent in anything at all and is bound for a French boarding school, the lower-middle-class, extremely brilliant kid who's going to a free art school, the even more lower middle kid whose going to a public school and deserves University High about twice as much as my other wealthy friends who are going there.

Speaking of art-school kid, he's going up to Black Rock in a few weeks to launch a five-foot rocket he built. He's hoping it lands at the Burning Man site...

[FdL]

I agree with SDF about Burning Man in general.

About the knowledge rant, Pocketa, then in the line of what you say, anyone with access to the internet has the potential of knowing these kind of minor cultural references, seeing that you can access so much information with the click of a button. Thus it's less forgivable.

In any case, whatever. I made a comment to support you and it backfired.

[Pocketa]

@ Moff: You should go to the Bay Area meetup! Unless you already are. :P

@ FdL: Yeah, that is true. But most of my friends don't have the internet, and they use the school/library computers, and that's just for homework. Also, a ton of people can't type or use google. It's quite depressing. But I get what you mean! I don't see how anything backfired at all.

@ Moff: That rocket sounds neat! Got any pics?

[Moff Chumley]

Heh, I'll ask my friend to linky. I think it's homemade; he's kind of an obsess. :smallcool: All I know is that he plans on it landing somewhere in the midwest, or maybe in the vicinity of Hawai'i. We're talking the kind of rocket that could, if aimed in a straight line at a freeway two miles away in 10 mph wind, blow up several cars.

[Pocketa]

@ Moff: try to time the landing at a time that I won't get hit by it.

I think I'd like to go to the mint tent. They have minty drinks, mint massages, and mint mists. My friend who I'm going with is going to work the Post Office. We also might be the Java Cow this year, F.Y.I., so if you see me with coffee, it's not a mirage...it's java.

[Crow]

Crow: look for the girl in my avatar. I should be with her. We might be sharing the same body this time, F.Y.I. She might be decked out in steampunk gear, so her brown dress, bodice, beads and gifts, and bonnet, but don't let the steel-toe boots hit you on the way out.

Got it. I'll look for the girl with paper in front of her face :smallwink:

[Pocketa]

No, no, you see, what we're going to do is take that paper, make a time machine, go back to when the tree for the paper pulp was being cut down, save the wood, bring it to the future, and make a bonnet out of it after making technology to change the wood into rushes.

Cream with your coffee?

[sktarq]

I was going to go this year but twice in two years other parts of my life got in the way. Last year I had to scalp my ticket because of something my doctor THOUGHT I had but the tests came back negative and this year I'll be in scotland for a wedding.

However a bunch of my friends will be there. 11:11 was them last year. I forgot if it is the same this year.

Extra equip
Tent, I'd actually recomend a metal stand hammock to sleep in, Vinegar and a footbath-it helps with the alkaline nature of the playa, Sunglasses! with an extra pair stashed away in case you loose the first set. Flashlight-not your main one but one you stick into some backup spot. Energy Bars to snack on throughout the day. Trinkets-there are money issues in BRC and you may want to thank people in some way, trade etc. Bring something to do so with just in case. And WATER WATER WATER.

If you can see if there is room to take a bike. If there is it may well be worth it to buy a 90% dead clunker-the dust eats metal-a 1 speed is great-hard to break and the playa is flat. I would basical only take something you are going to junk afterward-so look around yard sales.

[Pocketa]

Tent: me and my friend (going to refer to my mom's mutual friend as just my friend) each will have a tent.

Vinegar and foot bath: huh? How much vinegar is recommended? Also, Foot Washers FTW!

Sunglasses: going to the Dollar Store for that!

Flashlight: I've got some that I'll junk, as well as glowies so I don't get hit by something

Energy Bars: gotta look into that

Trinkets: I've been prepping those all week

Water: How much is recommended?

Mom's friend is looking for a cheap bike for me in the Valley (Bay Are =/= affordable) and we're going to get a lock, etc.

11:11? Huh?

[sktarq]

Vinegar and foot bath: huh? How much vinegar is recommended? Also, Foot Washers FTW!
Not a whole lot. Foot washers are great but soaking your own before bedding down for the night/day can be worth it. Amount depends how long you are staying and how big your footbath is. I think my friends took a bit under a gallon per person. Diluted it in wastewater from cleaning.

Sunglasses: going to the Dollar Store for that! Good call. I'd recomend a head covering too. Visor, floppy hat etc for the sun...and this is the burn so go nutty as you want.

Flashlight: I've got some that I'll junk, as well as glowies so I don't get hit by something Good you are far from real help. They have medical centres at BRC but really they aren't that serious for a city of 40K people playing with metal contraptions, propane cooking, funny cars, drugs, and lots and lots of fire.

Energy Bars: gotta look into that Yeah very useful for when you are walking around all day and don't make it back to camp.

Trinkets: I've been prepping those all week Having fun I hope

Water: How much is recommended? This varies, you need to drink at least 1 gallon per day you are there, and I'd buget 1.5 for daily hydration. After that it depends on how you plan to cook food and how much water is needed for that. Then add in whatever you need for washing yourself and your food stuffs. Do you want to use solar showers and suchlike. Remember you'll want to wash your cutting boards, bowls, forks before many of your meals. Then add in a reserve water supply -add 1-2 days beyond what you plan in case of unexpected mishaps/spills/miscalculations. I'd look for the black jerrycans at your local Car or Garden store. Black is for water red is for gas.

Mom's friend is looking for a cheap bike for me in the Valley (Bay Are =/= affordable) and we're going to get a lock, etc. Good idea, beach crusier is generally best as they are tough and able to handle corrosion and grit better. Trust me I understand unaffordable areas, you can see my location, even so many affluent people have the strangest stuff laying about and just want it gone and will lets stuff go cheap-craig's list, the recycler, and your local paper's yard sale list may well be worth it.

11:11? Huh? Not a theme camp so harder to hunt down don't know if it will be the same name this year-I knew I couldn't go

[Pocketa]

Just saw my mom's friend again today. I'm going to stay with her starting on the 1st Monday, customize my bike, help her pack, and go to Costco with her. She's covered/ing the vinegar/water. I'm taking a Chinese coolie hat (I hope that's the ethnically politically correct term, I'm Guangdonganese), energy bars will be gotten at Costco, trinkets are fun to gather because I've been cleaning my room at the same time as well, the friend is getting a bike, and all I need to do is get my clothing, gifts, bag, sunscreen, and more personal items in check.

11:11 sounds...different. Got pics?

[Hell Puppi]

I wanna go to Burning Man :smallannoyed:

Heck I wanna go just to say I've gone. It's one of those 'Checklist of Life' things.

[Pocketa]

None of my IRL friends want to go, they all say it's drugs and reproduction. I want to see the art, and be the art.