The unOfficial **freak0ut thread, where it's OK to PaNiC

[Arcticcircle]

Establishing a corner of ePlaya for any anxious fretting from wannabe denizens of Burning Man 2012. This is not the thread for people who are in favor of the lotto and/or feel awesome about how everything is being run.

I'm REALLY BUMMED about this year's system. I don't understand what was so un-egalitarian about a system where you just get in line and then buy the number of tickets you need. The tiers were always just about trying to get people to buy early... not some sort of low-income program. They became obsolete when the BORG no longer needed to encourage early ticket purchasing. At minimum, they should have one price for regular tickets and establish a *separate*, rocked-out low-income program.

We all know there's a little more demand than supply, but they've exacerbated the problem so much, and it's REALLY aggravating that no one at the BORG seems to have thought through how people's behavior would change BECAUSE of the system. If they go with this lotto next year, everyone in my camp is going to go into mega-hoard mode. Our grandmas and dogs are buying tix. If the BORG is going to force an inflated secondary market, I'd like my friends and I to be privy to it, not at the mercy of it. I hate that I have to think that way at all, though. I'm w a pretty big theme camp, and only two of us have tickets yet. I swear I can feel the gray hairs coming in.

ACK I CAN'T TAKE IT.

[gibson_]

The lottery really is making me sad.

It goes against several of the core principles.

>Gifting

This system encourages hoarding, and benefits those who actively try to prevent other people from being able attend. It's disgusting.

>Radical Self-reliance

The lottery is the *opposite* of self-reliance. Getting a ticket isn't a function of myself being reliant and responsible, it's a function of chance. Sure I could fuck over my neighbors by registering with *all* of my credit cards, but I could also steal water and food from my neighbors on the playa. Is that "self reliance"? Not really.

>Communal Effort

This one should be pretty obvious. The lottery does the opposite of encouraging community. It pits us against each other.

I haven't gotten my confirmation yet, which sucks, and I'm starting to think I won't be getting a ticket from the lottery. That's shitting on my day a little. I'm not *mad* at the org, and I'm sure that I'll figure out how to get my ticket either through my network, or STEP or whatever, I'm just disappointed in them for fucking up *this* hard, and not being willing to say "hey, guys, sorry.".

I just wish they would apologize for this. Everybody fucks up. You guys fucked up this time.

Own that.

[trilobyte]

It would be a mistake to think that nobody gave that any thought or consideration.

[A Jester]

I'm bummed about all the negativity around the lottery. I'm not wise enough to know if it's the fault of the lottery itself, the way it was communicated, or less than fully enlightened community members (which we probably all are).

This would be a great time to talk about some new laser deathray art project, instead of what we're all talking about.

[Andrewty07]

It is a bit of a downer, I am still hopeful that it will work out. This is hopefully going to be my first burning man, but it sounds like it really isn't remotely as great as those in the past. I was drawn to it after reading about the core principles and the more I researched and dug it seems like every year it drifted further from what it was originally about. Regardless I am determined to at least give it a chance hoping that the core values behind it still shine through.

[gibson_]

>it sounds like it really isn't remotely as great as those in the past.

[attachment=0]e9wp3.jpg[/attachment]>

[Jackass]

It is a bit of a downer, I am still hopeful that it will work out. This is hopefully going to be my first burning man, but it sounds like it really isn't remotely as great as those in the past. I was drawn to it after reading about the core principles and the more I researched and dug it seems like every year it drifted further from what it was originally about. Regardless I am determined to at least give it a chance hoping that the core values behind it still shine through.

Last year and the year before were waayyy better than this year's gonna be!

P.S. This experiment isn't over yet...

[lemur]

I'm bummed about all the negativity around the lottery. I'm not wise enough to know if it's the fault of the lottery itself, the way it was communicated, or less than fully enlightened community members (which we probably all are).

This would be a great time to talk about some new laser deathray art project, instead of what we're all talking about.

NOT ME PAL!!!

I am enlightened..

my chi is flowing so fast you wouldnt even believe it possible.. when people ask THE BUDDHA how to reach enlightenment he tells people to talk to me..



i wear wooden sandals with rubber spikes in them to activate my chakras and keep my chi flowing all day long..

[randomgirl7]

I'm not going to say the system didn't work yet -- we might find out that the secondary market really DOES work.

Scalpers will crumble if we don't give in to their high prices. If they crumble hard this year -- they wouldn't touch this event with a ten foot pole next year! Let them sit for a few months holding these tickets that burners refuse to buy... they'll get desperate and drop any high prices.

If people are reselling I hope they do a system to prove people are real burners -- because I'm sure the scalpers will be hitting up the secondary market trying to buy all the face value tickets as well! If anyone wants to prove I'm a burner I got my past three tickets and plenty of photo proof

There's a good chance I won't win the lottery because I only applied once.. but I'm hoping it all works out.. if not maybe it's time to take a roadtrip with my burner savings

[unjonharley]

]
]
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I figure, Next year the lottery will run just fine.

The burners that freaked out and had the mother regester will not.
All will be better when it all settles out..
This years STEP is going to be a big head throb..

[theCryptofishist]

The lottery really is making me sad.

It goes against several of the core principles.

>Gifting

<text redacted>

>Radical Self-reliance

<text redacted>

>Communal Effort

<Text redacted>

But boy, it really plugs into immediacy. Living the moment, not knowing if you're getting a ticket this round or not. You don't know what's coming, just like you don't know what the next camp is doing!

I just wish they would apologize for this. Everybody fucks up. You guys fucked up this time.

Own that.

<redacted>

[forge]

Yes I am freaking out.

Last year I spent 4-5 hours waiting for tickets online. I was happy to wait and happy to get my tickets. This year I get to sit for 48 hours watching updates of people getting tickets. Perhaps every part of my attitude will change if I am lucky enough to get a ticket. But, right now I am very pessimistic about this process. I would rather wait in line for hours to get a ticket then spend 48 hours hoping I have the luck to get a ticket. From seeing other music and art festivals sell out and then seeing the tickets double triple or quadruple in price I don't have faith that people will turn down the obvious opportunity to make money off these tickets.

This system still remains to be seen if it works or not. For my part I don't like it so far. I truly believe that you should make the tickets completely non-transferable and one ticket for one person.

Everyone has a legal ID of some sort. Everyone has the ability to get at least a pre-paid credit card. The only reason why anyone should be buying more than one ticket is for babies and small children. Even most elementary kids have the ability to get an ID. Small children and baby tickets should be a completely separate type of ticket.

[theCryptofishist]

Everyone has a legal ID of some sort. Everyone has the ability to get at least a pre-paid credit card. The only reason why anyone should be buying more than one ticket is for babies and small children. Even most elementary kids have the ability to get an ID. Small children and baby tickets should be a completely separate type of ticket.

Do you even know the policies on children for tickets?

[A Jester]

Everyone has a legal ID of some sort. Everyone has the ability to get at least a pre-paid credit card. The only reason why anyone should be buying more than one ticket is for babies and small children. Even most elementary kids have the ability to get an ID. Small children and baby tickets should be a completely separate type of ticket.

Do you even know the policies on children for tickets?

Maybe he doesn't have to.

This space is reserved for freakouts and panics. If he wants to have a reasoned discussion (complete with opposing viewpoints and critical analysis) there are other threads.




I guess I'm kinda sayin, "Let him freak if he wants to, and maybe let's not stop him. At least, not here."

[alt12]

Establishing a corner of ePlaya for any anxious fretting from wannabe denizens of Burning Man 2012. This is not the thread for people who are in favor of the lotto and/or feel awesome about how everything is being run.

I'm REALLY BUMMED about this year's system. I don't understand what was so un-egalitarian about a system where you just get in line and then buy the number of tickets you need. The tiers were always just about trying to get people to buy early... not some sort of low-income program. They became obsolete when the BORG no longer needed to encourage early ticket purchasing. At minimum, they should have one price for regular tickets and establish a *separate*, rocked-out low-income program.

We all know there's a little more demand than supply, but they've exacerbated the problem so much, and it's REALLY aggravating that no one at the BORG seems to have thought through how people's behavior would change BECAUSE of the system. If they go with this lotto next year, everyone in my camp is going to go into mega-hoard mode. Our grandmas and dogs are buying tix. If the BORG is going to force an inflated secondary market, I'd like my friends and I to be privy to it, not at the mercy of it. I hate that I have to think that way at all, though. I'm w a pretty big theme camp, and only two of us have tickets yet. I swear I can feel the gray hairs coming in.

ACK I CAN'T TAKE IT.

Agreed 100%. Next year if this ludicrous lottery process continues, I will definitely get at least 10 people to order me tickets separately.

[Arcticcircle]

I appreciate that the mods are allowing this thread to exist.

My top tier, single-ticket request is still pending. My campmates are stressing hard on our facebook page. My friends' camps are stressing hard. Nobody has mentioned art in as long as I can remember. It's just too much. And honestly, *winning* a ticket wouldn't change my overall view of the lottery. I'll get a ticket, somehow. But this is a really brutal rollout and leaves everyone helpless and at the whims of what's about to be an artificially empowered minority -- those who won and overbought in order to increase their odds.

If you want to reply with snark, or some lotto endorsement, please please save it for another thread. Can we please keep one thread dedicated to people who feel ticket system anxiety? Thanks....

[alt12]

It would be a mistake to think that nobody gave that any thought or consideration.

Not to be a dick Trilo, but the attitude of all of your messages on the ticketing process can be summed up as: "Everything was perfectly communicated. Everything is perfectly clear. The BMORG thought through every eventually here and this was the possible solution. They know what they're doing and you don't understand. Everything is fine."

I would LOOOVEEE for you to admit that maybe this is not the smoothest possible operation. Even the BMORG admits it to some extent as they are hiring a PR person to handle calamity of this FUBAR process... That speaks volumes about how they underst-estimated the impact and sure suggests that maybe they give "any thought or consideration" but perhaps just not ENOUGH "thought or consideration"

[Eric]

I was drawn to it after reading about the core principles and the more I researched and dug it seems like every year it drifted further from what it was originally about. Regardless I am determined to at least give it a chance hoping that the core values behind it still shine through.

It was originally about burning shit. Plenty of that still happens, so it hasn't drifted too far from it's origins in that perspective.

[Arcticcircle]

Haha I love you alt12. Wait... but can't we have ONE THREAD that doesn't devolve into an argument with someone running PR for the new ticketing process? With all due respect... THIS IS THE TICKET ANXIETY THREAD. If you have ticket anxiety or issues w the new ticketing process, pleaaaseeeeeee feel free to contribute. If you want to tell people they're wrong to have anxiety or issues w the new process, please put it in any other appropriate thread on ePlaya.

[Arcticcircle]

I was drawn to it after reading about the core principles and the more I researched and dug it seems like every year it drifted further from what it was originally about. Regardless I am determined to at least give it a chance hoping that the core values behind it still shine through.

It was originally about burning shit. Plenty of that still happens, so it hasn't drifted too far from it's origins in that perspective.

Ha. That's true. How can the core principle of burning shit inform the ticketing process?

[alt12]

Haha I love you alt12. Wait... but can't we have ONE THREAD that doesn't devolve into an argument with someone running PR for the new ticketing process? With all due respect... THIS IS THE TICKET ANXIETY THREAD. If you have ticket anxiety or issues w the new ticketing process, pleaaaseeeeeee feel free to contribute. If you want to tell people they're wrong to have anxiety or issues w the new process, please put it in any other appropriate thread on ePlaya.

To be honest I've already vented my frustration with the ticketing process over the last several weeks to an embarrassing extent....And you know what, it helps! Talking shit about this whole fucked-up process has helped me accept the reality at hand.... And I didn't even have to punch holes in any walls.....

[A Jester]

Haha I love you alt12. Wait... but can't we have ONE THREAD that doesn't devolve into an argument with someone running PR for the new ticketing process? With all due respect... THIS IS THE TICKET ANXIETY THREAD. If you have ticket anxiety or issues w the new ticketing process, pleaaaseeeeeee feel free to contribute. If you want to tell people they're wrong to have anxiety or issues w the new process, please put it in any other appropriate thread on ePlaya.

I strongly disagree with many of the things posted in this thread, and have mountains of words I'd like to post back. However, I think you're right, there should be somewhere to express yourself (even if only to blow off steam).

I might posit that this thread will be better for the whole community (including people who look at the lottery and think "…I say we take off and nuke the entire site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.") if you don't go too far into personal attacks.

There's just a huge difference between "The lottery is a fucked system which will never work." and "The lottery is a fucked system which will never work and was put into place by idiots."

I think it's only polite to adhere to the theme of the thread, and I apologize if I've stepped over any boundaries while trying to express this idea. I hope you understand that I'm only advocating a little restraint so that the thread doesn't turn into something that some might think would be better shut down.

Not that I've ever modded or have even read the forum guidelines, I could be off base.

[Shevarash]

I'm freaking out, so i'm entitled to post my sob story!

This *would* be my virgin burn. I saw a documentary about BM last year and it grabbed me by the throat... I'm sure many of us feel a bit like the odd one out (for whatever reasons) in our daily lifes; when i saw the documentary i knew this was the place to go. (not really my music, but like when the lil' girl in this clip finally finds the gate http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koDgKh5u ... re=related ) Can't wait to shake of the shackles completely for a week and go mad expressing whatever gets supressed throughout the year. I've dreamt about it (many, many times quite literally). It sounds corny, but i really understand it when peeps say they want to return 'home', the playa is calling my name! The past months ive been busy with thinking about ways to participate, started sewing on costumes etc...
And here i sit, waiting anxiously... i keep telling myself that while maybe its my destiny to go, nobody said the road to that destiny would be a bumpless one... the reward for finally getting there (at FACE VALUE, darnit!) would probably be even bigger... but despite all the rationalising and the encouraging words, it feels like a punch in the stomac not seeing this 'you're rewarded tickets' email appear. Fact is, coming from Europe, the longer it takes to book plane tickets etc, the more expensive it becomes. I know i can get there eventually, but im getting worried about at what price. (sob story about living from paycheck to paycheck yadayada, not going to bore you more with that one).
Draw me already you damned lottery!
ETA: Just read the drawing is over. Blegh.

[knowmad]

Everyone has a legal ID of some sort. Everyone has the ability to get at least a pre-paid credit card. The only reason why anyone should be buying more than one ticket is for babies and small children. Even most elementary kids have the ability to get an ID. Small children and baby tickets should be a completely separate type of ticket.

Do you even know the policies on children for tickets?

Maybe he doesn't have to.

This space is reserved for freakouts and panics. If he wants to have a reasoned discussion (complete with opposing viewpoints and critical analysis) there are other threads.




I guess I'm kinda sayin, "Let him freak if he wants to, and maybe let's not stop him. At least, not here."

I love this!!!

[data_b]

I worked hard to save enough to be able to afford a ticket. I have been self employed this past year and its been really slow. My brother got his ticket. We are supposed to attend together. Will this "STEP" program really work or is it another ticket fail.

[Sugahoneyicetea]

I havent decided weather or not ill be going since i diddnt have any luck with the lottery.
i'm just unsure if this STEP program is really worth it.
one thing i can say is if i DO make it to BM I will be creating a camp entitled: "Camp FUCK the lottery"
and i Know its not a good thing to go to burning man with such animocity but damn...you know you have to prepare for so much and as if its not a long enough wait just to find out if your goin, they wanna make you wait some more to buy tix you coudnt even afford in the first place? WTF?
I think that even those who do go to BM wont be happy when they get there, it seems like more than half of the people in their camps didnt even make it. I mean wtf BMORG? way to look out for people who just wanna enjoy your event. way to do the exact opposite of what you wanted to do.
even now everyone is posting about other sites that have your tickets. right now everyone is bitchin about how pissed they are and how no one is going with the people they wanted to go with.
Ive even seen some people who said they're not goin at all even after they got theirs just because they're so upset with whats goin down here.
I'm sorry for this post but this has been a really BIG disappointment.

[knowmad]

when you are done freaking out about tickets.
pick one of these. and flip out some more.

[alt12]

when you are done freaking out about tickets.
pick one of these. and flip out some more.

Yes because you MUST have a mental illness to be anxious and/or worried about a significant change, that was poorly communicated, has already undergone multiple revisions, and virtually guarantees that large amounts of people won't know whether they will have a ticket for months and months.... all to and event that requires months and months of planning, involvement, investment (if you are involved at all).....

[knowmad]

butcagota admit they're some pretty funny ways of going nuts. uh?

[TT120]

I'm seriously bummed about not getting a ticket. I doubt there will be very many tickets in the STEP program because everyone that has an extra ticket to get rid of will be scalping them at over inflated prices. The open sale in March is for only 10,000 tickets and those will be gone to the people and scalpers that have a fast internet within minutes. Not looking very good for my first burn. Maybe I'll never get the chance to go.

The lottery thing sucked ass. It caused a shit load of anxiety to a shit load of people. It broke up camps and generally made a mess of everything. Why couldn't they just fix the fucking servers and sell them normally?

About 30 miles south of the Playa is a dry lake bed called Winnemucca, maybe I'll just camp there for a week and make my own burn.