playa "experience" vs. playa experience

[Guest]

a two part question...

1) how was your "experience?" did the playa change you? was it just "ok?" did you hate it?

2) what is your experience on the playa? were you a newbie? was this your second year? or year number 5? or 10?

and for extra-credit...

EC) how different are your relationships in BRC than they are in the "real world?"

[Lydia Love]

1) how was your "experience?" did the playa change you? was it just "ok?" did you hate it?

Having expectations got me *again*. That is to say, it was a good experience in a completely different way than I was ready for.

2) what is your experience on the playa? were you a newbie? was this your second year? or year number 5? or 10?

6 yo

EC) how different are your relationships in BRC than they are in the "real world?"

Eek - The transitory, not-permanent, fading away connections I made out there actually somewhat mirrors what's been happening in my life lately.

Ugh. My tummy hurts.

[PJ]

a two part question...

1) how was your "experience?" did the playa change you? was it just "ok?" did you hate it?

2) what is your experience on the playa? were you a newbie? was this your second year? or year number 5? or 10?

and for extra-credit...

EC) how different are your relationships in BRC than they are in the "real world?"

1) Adequate, no, mostly, no.

2) None of your business, no, no, no, and no.

EC) I don't get sex there either.

[RebA!]

1) how was your "experience?" did the playa change you? was it just "ok?" did you hate it?

2) what is your experience on the playa? were you a newbie? was this your second year? or year number 5? or 10?

and for extra-credit...

EC) how different are your relationships in BRC than they are in the "real world?"

1. The playa always changes me.
2. This was our 4th year
3. I'm a lot less huggy off the playa, unless hanging out with on playa people.

[Guest]

2) None of your business, no, no, no, and no.

Geez! Wasn't trying to pry...apologies if it seemed that way.

Actually, started the thread as i was wondering if there is a connection between yrs on playa and how the event affects someone...in trolling around the various boards on the site, there seem to be a lot of folks who had "adequate" or even bad experiences -- and an equal amount that seem to have been changed and touched in amazing ways. Was wondering if there's any connection with the amount of time folks had participated...

[PJ]

i was wondering if there is a connection between yrs on playa and how the event affects someone...

Expectations can bite old-timers just as easily as newbies.

[Guest]

Expectations can bite old-timers just as easily as newbies.

agreed. maybe that's one of the keys.

OTOH, in trolling around the board, it (at least somewhat) seems that the newer members of the community have had the more profound, life-changing experiences, and the vets are the ones who get ennui-fied (mark morford's column this week was a good example, esp. when compared with his column after last year).

perhaps more experience => more expectations => more agendas => great chance of disappointment?

if the assumption above is true (newbie participants have more positive, life-changing experiences than vets), maybe it's because they don't have expectations, since there's nothing outside BRC that BRC can be compared with?

[clandyone]

a two part question...

1) how was your "experience?" did the playa change you? was it just "ok?" did you hate it?

2) what is your experience on the playa? were you a newbie? was this your second year? or year number 5? or 10?

and for extra-credit...

EC) how different are your relationships in BRC than they are in the "real world?"

1. The playa changed me a long time ago. I'm just trying to hash out what that change means, and what I should do with it. It is never just "ok". I never hate it. I am always happy to be there.
2. This was six.
E/C. Well, my IRL relationships now were mostly formed on the playa. And they stay more or less the same, although certainly I see a lot more of certain people in BRC. In the past, though, I've had pretty gnarly experiences with IRL friends who blew a headgasket on the playa and made me hate them... in my experiences, Burning Man relationships that follow one home are a lot more workable than Matrix relationships that follow one to BRC.

(I just realized that's prolly not what you meant. Oh well.)

[PJ]

the vets are the ones who get ennui-fied

In what organization/recurring event/relationship is that not the case? The old-timers had their epiphanies years ago. Maybe they liked the event just as it was. Maybe they resent the (inevitable) change. Or maybe it's just a case of been-there-done-that. There are many that came for the event but now return mainly because of the old friends that'll be there. That's not necessarily bad, but it's different.

[RebA!]

trolling around the board

Lets just call it lurking please, trolling just seems so evil and mean spirited

perhaps more experience => more expectations => more agendas => great chance of disappointment?

if the assumption above is true (newbie participants have more positive, life-changing experiences than vets), maybe it's because they don't have expectations, since there's nothing outside BRC that BRC can be compared with?

Actually after our second year I learned not to have any expectations of what the next year is going to be like. I had plenty of experiences out on the playa, life changing.. hmm not sure on that... but plenty of positive ones. Unfortunaly most of my experiences are still stick in the cloudy head of mine.. slowly things start becomign clearer. Its tough to weed through all good stuff when you have 7 days of full 24 hour experiences (or less in my case, its about 18 hours perday). And there are some things that I wont even think about for months from now and then something will jog the memory in my head and I will smile.

[Guest]

in my experiences, Burning Man relationships that follow one home are a lot more workable than Matrix relationships that follow one to BRC.

brilliantly put. and ones that start in BRC, follow one home, continue throughout the year, and then continue in the desert the next year may be gorgeously forged and hardened with fire.

[jinx_sf_burner]

Hey genghis!

a two part question...

1) how was your "experience?" did the playa change you? was it just "ok?" did you hate it?

This year was absolutely enlightening... I saw and did so many things that never came my way before. That is not a factor of this year though, just me being willing (finally) to step out and experience.

2) what is your experience on the playa? were you a newbie? was this your second year? or year number 5? or 10?

5 out of 6

and for extra-credit...

EC) how different are your relationships in BRC than they are in the "real world?"

I hope that the delta is growing lesser every year. I found myself driving down Valencia early this week, smiling and waving at everyone...

it took a couple of minutes till I realized that they were (mostly) kind of looking at me like a nut job... then I realized I couldn't care less. The few who took it at face value undoubtably had their day brightened... and hopefully passed it on to someone else.

[PJ]

I found myself driving down Valencia early this week, smiling and waving at everyone. it took a couple of minutes till I realized that they were (mostly) kind of looking at me like a nut job.

Fuck 'em. They're drones. Why should you care what they think of you?

[TheJudge]

The playa is my Mecca. Its my chance to restore my faith in humanity. Its my home. If the event didnt happen, I would still go out there and embrace the playa.

As for relationships on and off the playa, I just married the woman I fell in love with out there. That answer your question?

[jinx_sf_burner]

[quote="PJ
Fuck 'em. They're drones. Why should you care what they think of you?[/quote]

hence my next line... "then I realized I couldn't care less"...

I went camping/abalone diving this weekend and shared our extra delicious abalone dinner with the folks next door at a state park camp ground. They were overwhelmed, and I felt that BM spirit still alive and well.
The next morning, they had fresh coffee brewed for us before we got out of bed.
Nice to know that Black Rock City is not the only place this works!

[TheJudge]

Nice to know that Black Rock City is not the only place this works!

Bravo. That's how you keep the flame alive.

[Para]

I went camping/abalone diving this weekend and shared our extra delicious abalone dinner with the folks next door at a state park camp ground. They were overwhelmed, and I felt that BM spirit still alive and well.
The next morning, they had fresh coffee brewed for us before we got out of bed.
Nice to know that Black Rock City is not the only place this works!

very true onetime while traveling from owyhee nevada( i used to live there ) to Southern okla we stoped in a little state park in the small town of beaver okla in the pan handle and i may say they had some off the freindlyest campers we only stayed for a night ( i slept in the bad of the truck) the next morning i woke up to the smell of cooking and smileing faces i grogly got out and started makeing coffee soon before i knew it it was almost 1 pm and we were all haveing a great time kicking back and shareing a few old times and advice.......... so moral of the story there are great people everywhere and a smile may warm someones heart away from home......

[blyslv]

"The Stone Soup" story is a helluva lot older then BRC and BM.

[unjonharley]

I love to smile and wave to the "herd". Mind fucks 'em for the rest of there day. (Who was that waved at me)