The Man burned and we cheered.
It was an incredible week. Truly epic in all ways. Epic weather, epic art, epic struggles and epic joy. That's the only way it goes in Black Rock City. We experienced a windstorm/whiteout the likes of which I have never envisioned. We also had some of the nicest weather possible in a desert setting. I saved some lives, I risked my own, I kissed the playa, I worked my ass off. Every day there requires effort, concentration, planning and forethought. You cannot forget for a moment that you are in a truly extreme environment. If you're having too much fun for even a few hours and forget to drink water you will soon become listless and irritable, followed soon after by nausea, dizziness and eventually, death. Salt is vital, too, and if you just drink water but do not eat salty foods, you put yourself just as much at risk as not drinking water at all. And really, there's nothing worse than telling someone over and over that they must drink more water and have some Pringles when they are nauseous and pissed off. But I'm good at being a pain in the ass and in the end, the few I had to help thanked me for it after they felt better.
Lu saved my life, too. I was feeling shitty and she just kept hammering away at me to drink more water, and in a few hours, I was back in good form. That's the key to surviving and enjoying Burning Man. You gotta help each other out, every step of the way.
There's so much more to tell, and I will get to all of it eventually. For now just let me say that the company was incredible, the art was mind-blowing and sublime, the love and hope conquered the fear and anger, and just thinking about the amazing experience we had brings me to tears every time.
I dreamt of the playa last night. I will for a long, long time. And someday far in the future when I die, I hope heaven looks exactly like Black Rock City lit up at night with all the crazy thoughts of humans made real and laid out for exploration. My only requests would be an oasis of tropical water just down the road, and an inability to be bruised.
It was an incredible week. Truly epic in all ways. Epic weather, epic art, epic struggles and epic joy. That's the only way it goes in Black Rock City. We experienced a windstorm/whiteout the likes of which I have never envisioned. We also had some of the nicest weather possible in a desert setting. I saved some lives, I risked my own, I kissed the playa, I worked my ass off. Every day there requires effort, concentration, planning and forethought. You cannot forget for a moment that you are in a truly extreme environment. If you're having too much fun for even a few hours and forget to drink water you will soon become listless and irritable, followed soon after by nausea, dizziness and eventually, death. Salt is vital, too, and if you just drink water but do not eat salty foods, you put yourself just as much at risk as not drinking water at all. And really, there's nothing worse than telling someone over and over that they must drink more water and have some Pringles when they are nauseous and pissed off. But I'm good at being a pain in the ass and in the end, the few I had to help thanked me for it after they felt better.
Lu saved my life, too. I was feeling shitty and she just kept hammering away at me to drink more water, and in a few hours, I was back in good form. That's the key to surviving and enjoying Burning Man. You gotta help each other out, every step of the way.
There's so much more to tell, and I will get to all of it eventually. For now just let me say that the company was incredible, the art was mind-blowing and sublime, the love and hope conquered the fear and anger, and just thinking about the amazing experience we had brings me to tears every time.
I dreamt of the playa last night. I will for a long, long time. And someday far in the future when I die, I hope heaven looks exactly like Black Rock City lit up at night with all the crazy thoughts of humans made real and laid out for exploration. My only requests would be an oasis of tropical water just down the road, and an inability to be bruised.
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