ACK! I just bought my first BM ticket . . .

[LeChatNoir]

Me and my big mouth...

[Rob the Wop]

My spirit of Burning Man won't even consider giving a ride to a 'Burning Man or Bust' hitchhiker. Even from Gerlach. Or two feet from the gate- to the gate.

Ifins you can't find a ride, you shouldn't be traveling out there.

[Badger]

but one honestly has no idea about
the various spirits of Burning Man until one has actually attended the
event.

I've been going now since the early 90's and I'm still not sure what the spirit thing is about. I think it's mostly because every time I think I have that pig by the tail something comes along and dashes the idea on the reef of preconception/expectation.

[Otisserie]

And yeah, people do hitchhike in from all parts. My experience has been that a good number of them congregate in Gerlach and try to hitch/sneak in by soliciting rides with folks who stop at the Empire store. A good way to deter these people might also be to have a sign posted in or near the store spelling out the consequences of enabling people to try to get into the event who have no intention of paying.

I was referring to the unlikely event in which an innocent hitchhiker gets in a car with unknown stoways at the last minute.
If some hitchhiker at Gerlach convinces a driver to hide him in the back, then in my book there are no innocent people in that car.

[Badger]

No argument there.

(did i say that already?)

[LeChatNoir]

but one honestly has no idea about the various spirits of Burning Man until one has actually attended the event.

Precipitate...

I am sure that my idea of “what Burning Man means” a.k.a (in my mind) “the spirit of Burning Man” will change some when I hit the playa and will continue to flux as the week progresses. At least I hope it will. And for that matter I suspect it will continue to change as the years go by. I have no doubt that Badger summed it up well.

But for now I must rely strictly on what I’ve read (website and other places), talking with those with firsthand knowledge (which may or may not mean anything), and lurking on the eplaya, then finally diving in. I know very well how the ideals I hold, and I know that I what I currently believe to be at the core of the the expierience that is BM seems to be right in line with the way I live my life. I believe I will fit in just fine. I didn’t get onto the eplaya until three years after I started researching BM and every single one of you were ambassadors for me. After all that learning, I feel that I can hold an idea of what one of those various spirits is... namely its mine, and all of you helped build it.

And since what it means to you could never be what it means to me, debating what the official spirit is seems as silly as trying to catch wind in a box. It has to be totally subjective. And although what it already means to me, even before finally making it out there, may be unfounded to you, to me its very real.

And don’t worry, I didn’t take your comment the wrong way. I can understand why you would feel that I must experience it before claiming to know about it. On some levels I agree with you. That’s why I phrased the statement you refer to the way I did when I wrote it and never claimed to speak with authority on the matter. I could also say that you wouldn’t know what it means to make a living with a hammer and anvil, as I do. But I would never suggest you wouldn’t be able to imagine it or have a notion of what it would be like. Especially if you spent years learning about it. Of course you could... you can imagine anything you wish.

I fear we've degressed into nit-picking and I'm getting hungry, so... Ta-Ta!!

Have a good day , friends.

[LeChatNoir]

Crap... I just saw a typo.

How do you go back and edit a post, anyway? Delete, change, and repost?

Should read as such:

I know very well the ideals I hold, and I know that what I currently believe to be at the core of the expierience that is BM seems to be right in line with the way I live my life.

[precipitate]

> How do you go back and edit a post, anyway?

There's an admin announcement in the Announcements
forum at the very top of the index page that says the edit function is
temporarily disabled, pending some development changes which have
no set schedule for completion.

So, you don't.

> Delete, change, and repost?

That'll work as long as yours is still the last one in the thread.

[precipitate]

> I believe I will fit in just fine.

Probably. I don't think you have your head up your ass. I do think that
expectations are a very dangerous thing.

[Badger]

...what I currently believe to be at the core of the the expierience that is BM seems to be right in line with the way I live my life. I believe I will fit in just fine.

That is probably the closest any of us can realistically expect the event to afford us as far as experience.

That is the thing I seek most passionately when I'm on the playa. not to be like others, not to segue or assimilate myself into a scene just because it's working or energizing for others. I go because so often the 'message' I get from the default world is that I should somehow be more like... X. That somehow who I am is 1) deficient 2) could be better 'if'... or 'if only'

I go tp the playa to be Badger. To be Ray Russ. To get back to the possibility of being comfortable in my own fucking skin without expectations of 'otherness' or 'betterness.'

Thanks for the very wonderful, very unexpected bit of realization and serendipity LaChat.

[DVD Burner]

Crap... I just saw a typo.

How do you go back and edit a post, anyway? Delete, change, and repost?

the way I do it is before I do anything click quote and select all and copy it, then I click back and click delete, then repost and take the quote tags out so that they dont show.

that's it.

[precipitate]

> I've been going now since the early 90's and I'm still not sure what the
> spirit thing is about.

I think that's really my point. And why I get that little tingle in the sphincter
when newbies start spouting about the "vibe" and the "spirit" and
whatever. It's a whole lot like talking about sex before you've even been
kissed.

[LeChatNoir]

To get back to the possibility of being comfortable in my own fucking skin without expectations of 'otherness' or 'betterness.'

...right on.

I am looking forward more every day to pointing my truck West. And my thanks to you all. I've learned more about you, but also learned a little more about the critter that is me. And not until now could I say that I made somebody’s sphincter tingle...

Heh, Heh, Heh

[stuart]

I go tp the playa to be Badger. To be Ray Russ. To get back to the possibility of being comfortable in my own fucking skin without expectations of 'otherness' or 'betterness.'

not to get too much into yer shit, but... What is it about this ritual that flips the switch allowing you to do so? Or more importantly, what is going on the other 50 weeks of the year that keeps that from you? Do your repeated visits to the playa not 'stick' the switch a little more each time? Can these behaviors be learned/unlearned apart from their original contexts?

[RouseMouse]

will call means you will call for it when you get there. IE; they'll hold it for you at the gate ( or near it) you will need a copy of your receit printed from your pc and a picture ID to get it, read about will call on the ticket page burningman.com ...
I like getting the ticket before hand to hold and hug and squease and .. oh gawd I killed it !

[robbidobbs]

I think that's a good idea. In fact, if I were working the gate I would get up to the car, ask how many, take the tickets, and then say: "I'm going to check the car for stowaways. If there are any other people in the car they can get out right now and buy a ticket with no penalty. But if they stay hidden and I find them, I'm going to keep these tickets, turn your car around and send you all home. Is there anyone else in this car?" The reaction of the people in the car to that little speech will probably tell you exactly how hard you need to search.

You have it almost right Otisserie. Gate policy is to FIRST ask if there are any stowaways, & simply ask permission to "rifle through their belongings, as I'm looking for any alien life forms that may have crept aboard their vessel without their knowlege or permission." This will often get a laugh, and I've only had to get really serious with two who fought the "every vehicle will be searched" rule as printed on the back of their ticket. The belly-achin just made us look harder...and longer. I sang the Jeopardy song LOUD while I searched too. Hee.

It a stowaway is found, they get to purchase a ticket at current value. Usually they comply like good losers. If they bitch, the price of the ticket can go up...significantly. This is normally determined by the Shift Leader at the time, and one really has to be an asshole to blow it this bad. "What! You got caught trying to steal from the Event, and you're bitching about it now?" It would be funny if it didn't piss me off so much.

Yah, I agree with Badger, any poor shmo that bought a bogus ticket unfortunately gets burned, but the ones that knowingly attempt what I consider to be theft (creating counterfeit's/stowaways) can have fun in Reno.

[Badger]

It a stowaway is found, they get to purchase a ticket at current value.

I guess this is where I have my biggest personal complaint.

NOTE: Having a complaint about something that irks, irritates or otherwise gets under your skin affords you a few options as far as dealing with it 1) just shut up and stop whinging - especially if you have nothing to contribute in correcting the problem 2) do something yourself to contribute to changing it (i.e. VOLUNTEER your time and exert personal influence and/or contribute to the event 3) make a suggestion on what the issue is and how you'd like to change it - especially good if you live FAR away or othewise have difficulty working the event either locally or remotely 4) defer to the people who do volunteer, do make the changes, do the work and understand that not everything is (or should) go your way 5).....<insert yours>

Finding someone stowed in the back of a vehicle or finding them skulking across the playa towards the fence at 3am indicates to me that the person(s) is a selfish fuck who has NO intention of contributing to the event or the City. It's been my experience that such people will, if allowed to enter, do NOTHING in the way of contributing. Rather they tend to vicariously suck off of the energy that is created by the thousands of people who've invested substantial amounts of their energy into creating a very unique event. Reminds me very much of a lamprey eel sucking the life out of a bass fish.

Allowing these people into the event AFTER having been caught and identified as a parasite - and they are parasites - does nothing to discourage such behavior in the future. Same can be said for asking them to pay the standard entry fee. I miss the days of the 'art tax' that was assessed on people caught sneaking in. Mr. Freeze was really good at fining such boobs.

Still, how the gate handles the various situations is their thing and I guess if it was a REAL issue with me I'd lateral over and become part of those folks. THose pretty cool, prety dedicated folks BTW.

(ooops...gotta go)

[Rob the Wop]

Finding someone stowed in the back of a vehicle or finding them skulking across the playa towards the fence at 3am indicates to me that the person(s) is a selfish fuck who has NO intention of contributing to the event or the City. It's been my experience that such people will, if allowed to enter, do NOTHING in the way of contributing. Rather they tend to vicariously suck off of the energy that is created by the thousands of people who've invested substantial amounts of their energy into creating a very unique event.

But they CAN contribute if you'll let them! How many dern times to I have to advocate cannabilism before people start listening to me?!

THEY CAN STILL BE A FOOD SOURCE.

Jeez, and you folks keep saying that they're worthless. Let them "borrow" a sleeping bag, and let them crash out in camp until needed. Apologize for all the "sand" in the sleeping bag, its seen a lot of years on the playa and they should feel priviledged to use such a playa worthy camping instrument. Funny how paprika, pepper, and salt feels like sand, ain't it? Marinated clueless raver ala playa.

[RouseMouse]

spices like that can cover the delicate flavor of the meat ... not to mention abrade the skin

[Otisserie]

It a stowaway is found, they get to purchase a ticket at current value. Usually they comply like good losers. If they bitch, the price of the ticket can go up...significantly.

I thought the new policy was that if a stowaway is found, the whole car gets turned around and everyone goes home. Without that, the only person who pays is the stowaway, his accomplices get no punishment at all, and consequently have nothing to lose by "helping out a friend". Holding everyone in the car responsible (and they are responsible) would make it MUCH harder for the stowaway to find a willing car in the first place. Cheating BM goes from being a "let's see if we can get away with this" joke, to the serious thing we all seem to think it is.

I would only give the stowaway the chance to buy a ticket if they surrendered or were turned in prior to the search.

This has been an interesting discussion. I may check out the Gate volunteering opportunities at the Town Hall meeting.

[robbidobbs]

I thought the new policy was that if a stowaway is found, the whole car gets turned around and everyone goes home. I would only give the stowaway the chance to buy a ticket if they surrendered or were turned in prior to the search.

This has been an interesting discussion. I may check out the Gate volunteering opportunities at the Town Hall meeting.

The first statement is incorrect. The whole car gets to figure out how to pay for the shmucks ticket though. Does the lousy fuck have $250 in his pocket? Probably not. Someone gets to pony up plastic, or drive him/her back to Reno. There isn't any "vendetta" against the fellow passengers, we just want the fucking ticket. They can beat the money out of him later.

I need to correct myself now: We do give them the opportunity to confess before the search. Then the price is current. If we have to LOOK for the stowaway, a higher priced ticket is sold to them. If they BITCH then it gets higher.

Gate isn't a bunch of bastards, and with the philosophy that a lot of Gate staff has that these fucks are playing a fucking GAME, then why not just play along with them?

Yes! come to the Gate table and chat with the Men in Black!

[lemonade]

I just went to the town hall meeting - first time for me to go to it or Burning Man. While I was there I thought - OK I'm going to buy a ticket, and sign up to volunteer (did that just waiting to see what groups need me) - figure a good way to get to meet new people and get involved since I don't know anyone yet.

Happy to admit I'm a wee bit scared too. Never gone, never gone camping as such here but ready to rough it - I'm from Ireland and living in Bay Area 4 yrs and I'm excited and scared.


Cheers

Lemonade

[Lady Zooty]

being over here in England we don't risk the post BUT do have last year's stubs on the wall as a constant reminder that we will be going back home this year. . and again and again; we are addicted.

[MrMullen]

I think that's a good idea. In fact, if I were working the gate I would get up to the car, ask how many, take the tickets, and then say: "I'm going to check the car for stowaways. If there are any other people in the car they can get out right now and buy a ticket with no penalty. But if they stay hidden and I find them, I'm going to keep these tickets, turn your car around and send you all home. Is there anyone else in this car?"

The reaction of the people in the car to that little speech will probably tell you exactly how hard you need to search.

This is exactly how they should do it. Stowaways are not just the problem, it's the people who help the stowaways that are also the problem. They not only help someone STEAL from the event, but also supply them with food and water.

[notthat1]

. . . and it feels kinda weird to have actually done it.

Just had to share this experience with someone.

I just sent off for my ticket on Monday, now i'm like " oh shit, i'm going to BM". Now i got to start buyng camping gear, water, costumes,etc. Other things to think about, should i join a theme camp, or go at it solo? Do i drive down by myself, or convoy with others?

So many things to do, so little time.
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zane5100]

I just sent off for my ticket on Monday, now i'm like " oh shit, i'm going to BM". Now i got to start buyng camping gear, water, costumes,etc. Other things to think about, should i join a theme camp, or go at it solo? Do i drive down by myself, or convoy with others?

So many things to do, so little time.
uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First off, relax. It'll be cool, so there's no worries there.

Second, don't join a theme camp because you think you have to join one. Going by yourself is a very cool way to do Burning Man, especially your first time. If you want to join a camp once you get there, that's a good way to get to know others.

Third, don't sweat volunteering. Clean up, join up with something after you get there, but do what you say you're going to do (if you commit, then do it). BEWARE of over extending yourself, which is very easy to do.

Fourth, read up on the ample material that's on this site as to what you'll need. Food, water, shelter, and a way to get there and home are all you need. Be able to take care of yourself, maybe help others, and clean up after yourself.

See, now isn't that easy? Remember, it's just a fucking camping trip.

[Otisserie]

I think that's a good idea. In fact, if I were working the gate I would get up to the car, ask how many, take the tickets, and then say: "I'm going to check the car for stowaways. If there are any other people in the car they can get out right now and buy a ticket with no penalty. But if they stay hidden and I find them, I'm going to keep these tickets, turn your car around and send you all home. Is there anyone else in this car?"

The reaction of the people in the car to that little speech will probably tell you exactly how hard you need to search.

This is exactly how they should do it. Stowaways are not just the problem, it's the people who help the stowaways that are also the problem. They not only help someone STEAL from the event, but also supply them with food and water.

If *only* they supplied them with food and water. My guess is that most drivers just get the stowaway through the gate and then leave them to forage for food, water, and shelter on their own, so they become everybody's parasite, not just BMORG.

If the Gate is not willing to turn the car around, then I would suggest a $100 fine on the car per stowaway. Paid by the stowaway, the driver, or the passengers, who cares; they're all guilty, spread the joy.

[III]

bmorg is everybody's parasite?

[actiongrl]

...and there's the well-oiled machine at work (a week or so later!)

I'm happy to include a post in the JRS. But I need the issue encapsulated neatly to make sure I understand it. I don't want to misinform, and I'm not sure I understand the policy yet. It seems like the sort of thing that should be written by Gate staff and not just me. I'll check in on this one. Thanks all~

[DangerMouse]

bmorg is everybody's parasite?

Well, looking at the dent in my wallet for the upcoming trip. Yeah, I could see how it could be viewed that way.

I'd rather look at it as a symbiotic relationship. IE: I look to get something out of the experience.

If only I knew what that experience will be...