Burning Man - A Week of Radical Self Expression

'Burning Man is an Adult Playland', a 29-Hour a day party for a week; A Globally Charged Community in the desert of Northern Nevada.

'You can vacation in say Jamaica and see things that millions have seen before you and millions will see after you...Or you can trek yourself & stuff to BRC and see things that will only be available for one week to see'

Here is an interesting look back at what Burning Man has meant to me and the lessons I have learned each year...

2000 > 2001 > 2002 > 2003 > 2004 > 2005 > 2006 > 2007 > 2008 >  
2009 > 2010 > 2011 > 2012 > 2013  >  2014 >  2015 > 2016 > 2017 > 2018

2004 I have realized I have truly been blessed in where I am and who I get to share it with...Thanks for being part of it.

The Beginning for us...The Middle for Others

• Burning Man CHANGED my life, I shall never be the same...

• I have said of Burning Man..."Burning Man will change your life, You just do not know how yet"...I have always thought that this life-changing experience would always be positive....I now see that it can also be the opposite...

• Burning Man is a 29-hour a day party for a week...

• It is about looking at your 'Box' and deciding if it must remain a Square.

• It has shown me that building 'Community' takes effort, shared effort...

• Bringing multitudes of people together from divergent parts of the Globe and creating a shared safe space to learn and grow together.

• The Playa is about discovery of self...

• The discovery of those we just met or those we have known for a lifetime

The time I spend on the Playa is really not for me, although I have an AMAZING time, it has become a place for me to really Give & Give & Give and only expect in return that other people have fun and Learn & Grow from my efforts. I do make sure to take time for myself and get the MOST out being at Burning Man and on The Playa, but I spend a considerable time creating a Theme Camp & running a Village. Though none of that would be possible if I did not have the Help, Love & Support from my wife of 12 yrs. At my side.

She and I have taken very different routes in being part of BRC & its volunteer efforts.

I am Camp Daddy & Village Elder, I am a Muckity Muck with Greeters and do 3 Kamikaze Shifts from 2a-6a the first 3 nights....That is after staying up for a few days before getting ready and then the 20 hour drive from Phx to the Playa....I also am part of the Burning Man Web Team, a Liaison for the Extranet Project and manage 350 Users, I am the Web Master of  PolyParadise & AZBurners Regional Web Sites....

Kathe on the other hand has been involved as a Manager of the Bus Depot, Stage Coordinator for the Western Region Show in Center Camp on Friday Night, Echelon with The Rangers and working with the Regional Information Booth...This year she was invited into the Inner Circle to watch 'The Man' Burn....She is the Kitchen Coordinator of PolyParadise.

Each of us in our own ways have made significant commitments to the Playa & its residents as well as BMORG and our Phoenix Burning Man Community...

As I get set to turn 40....(10/27) I am VERY Proud of who I am and what I have become....

OK Enough of that Bullshit...

Other Lessons learned....

• You cannot diagnose ADD through email...

Think about that...

• I do best when I lead...I believe I do better and feel better participating in activities as a Leader.

• Poly Lesson learned...If as a Poly Partner you are unable to see me around other Partners, kissing or hugging or otherwise embracing other Partners, than we are not compatible...Plain and simple...I will NOT walk around with a cue card of who does not like who and who can be around when this person is here and this and that...WE ALL NEED TO PLAY NICE TOGETHER IN THE SANDBOX!!!

• This being our 5th Burn, it was amazing to see BM & The Playa through the eyes of a Virgin. It was even more amazing as these Virgins were also Poly Partners or Poly Partners Significant Others.

• A connection with someone does not need to go past where it starts to be a fulfilling experience or lasting friendship.

• No matter how busy one might be with Playa commitments or other Poly Partners...Time with your PRIMARY Partner should not and cannot be sacrificed.

• Do not internalize to your own self-destruction.

What lessons did you learn from Burning Man & the Playa in 2004?