Heads up for BM

2016 Burning Man Theme

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It was announced today! The news finally arrived. Just in time to get people excited for the pre-holiday ticket sale in coming up where Burning Man raises more funds for the year. Money raised goes to the production of the event as well as funding for art projects going to the burn.

DaVinci’s Workshop

The art theme for Burning Man 2016 will be “Da Vinci’s Workshop”, inspired by the Italian Renaissance of the middle fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, when an historic convergence of inspired artistry, technical innovation and enlightened patronage launched Europe out of the dark ages and into modernity.

Our story will focus on the republic of Florence, for it was here, in a city-state of about the same size and population as Black Rock City, that humanist ideals, a rediscovery of science, and funding from a newly moneyed class of entrepreneurs fueled a revolutionary cultural movement that redefined Western civilization.  – blog.burningman.com

Yes, we are excited. Yes, we are thrilled. No, this year does not begin with Car… (see last 3 years themes).

Planning for 2015

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Burning Man is not so much the drugged up party in the north many of the norms out there wish it was. Nor is it the fantasy many weekenders are seeking when they get out there. It is so much more.

2015_QB1_smWe have a secret. It’s not an us versus them secret. We have privileged information when it comes to Burning Man. It’s because many of us have made this part of our daily lives and have embraced the 10 principles. Some of us are in different stages of what those principles mean.

Now what are you doing with your two weeks in the desert? Please don’t go there looking to get fucked up for no other purpose than pussy or cock. This is a chance to connect, love, embrace, get an eye-gasm and soar with people with a mindset like no other.

The weekenders, tourists, norms, creeps and more sour flavors of the burn become blurry background to a burn done right. Checkout our 2015 Events page and get some key software. What’s the right tool for your burn? Get the Time to Burn App for Apple | Android | not Windows  [Facebook]

Playa Conditions

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It’s definitely that time of year, when a boy’s thoughts turn to dust and fire and questions begin forming in his mind. I don’t mean the obvious ones, which have obvious answers, such as: “Will it be hot?” Yes. “Will it be dusty?” Yes. “Will there be fire?” Yes. “Will there be old naked dudes hugging you?” Yes.
No I mean the important question. You know the one I mean. Don’t be shy. You can do it….”What will the playa surface be like this year?”

That’s the one! And the news is good so far. Pictures and reports coming out of Juplaya show and tell of a fairly hard surface with very few crumbly bits. Here are some beautiful pictures from Jessica Stanell, taken over the weekend of the 4th of July, that illustrate it well. It’s looking like it’s going to be a great year for biking, at least as far as the surface goes!Update: Some new pictures from Jovankat casts serious doubt on my theory. Album of very soft-looking playa during Juplaya here.

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Beautiful pics…can’t wait!

Do you know who took these photos? I’d love to use them but won’t before I have permission!

Yep, it’s in the post. Jessica Stanell. I don’t know her, but saw them and contacted her on Facebook to ask permission, since they were posted in a private group.

It’s getting steamy out there! NEW DATES!!!

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According to Twitter Handle @DaysToTheBurn we are 271 Days from when the Man Burns at Carnival of Mirrors. While it is usually about this time people get excited the reasons are different this time:

  1. No Christmas pre-sale; while there was not one in 2013 either it is also a time when people start seeing tickets going on sale but this year it’s not.
  2. The theme was announced: Carnival of Mirrors; important to stay in the loop on what is happening because people ARE already getting excited.

Positive or negative they both speak to the excitement brewing for this theme. The tent used for the Souk will reappear as the tent for the Midway of the carnival. And, Burning Man is pushing people to shit or get off the pot early setting a deadline for LOI (Letter of Intent) by December 19th.

Important BRC Dates

The last word on Plug n Play (PnP) Camps

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Burning Man posted 2 items on this subject this week giving us the defining and final decision on the subject. It is something that many members of the community have been up in arms about because to many – the existence of these camps appeared to be in direct opposition to the 10 Principles we all hold dear.

On December 3rd two blogs were released on the blog.burningman.org “Voices of Burning Man” page; one form legendary Larry Harvey and one from the Borg.

founder Larry Harvey“In the midst of the current controversy about Plug and Play camps, there has been a great deal of talk about equality, but I think that much of this misses the mark. Scan Burning Man’s Ten Principles, and you will not find radical equality among them. This is because our city has always been a place where old and young, and rich and poor, can live on common ground. The word for this is fellowship, as in the fellowship of a club or lodge whose members, however diverse, are united by common values and a sense of shared experience. But common ground is not a level playing field, and should not be interpreted as mandating equal living conditions.” – Larry Harvey [Link to the entire piece]

However, the real meat and potatoes came from a much more definitive post listed as from Burning Man that followed Lord Larry’s post. Together these releases provide the Burning Man COMMUNITY the final answer when it comes to the Commodified and #turnkeycamps; basically setting the standard back to the level any theme camp applying for placement needs to meet.

Below is from the Burning Man Blog: [Link to the entire article]

  • Camps should be visually stimulating, have an inviting design and a plan for bike parking and crowd management.
  • Camps must be interactive. They should include activities, events or services within their camps and they must be available to the entire Burning Man community.
  • Camps must be neighborly. This includes keeping sound within set limits, controlling where camp generators vent exhaust, and easily resolving any boundary disputes that arise.
  • Camps must have a good previous MOOP record 
(for returning camps).
  • Camps must follow safety protocols designed by the organization (this includes traffic management on the streets, proper handling of fuels, and any other areas defined by the organization’s production team).

end quote

Basically, we are interpreting that Turn Key Camps have to meet the same standards as Theme camps for placement. And we seemed to have received an apology in the end as well as a set of changes we can live with moving forward for the betterment of the community.

“It therefore follows that the best reform we can enact is to stop placing these Plug and Play camps in a category that sets them apart from others. This was done informally, it was not fully thought out, and we apologize for this mistake.” – Larry Harvey [Link to the entire piece]

2015 Burning Man Theme: Carnival of Mirrors

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The new theme was announced on Burning Man’s new web site www [dot] Burning Man [dot] Org today! The new site is a great leap from the [dot] Com site which is still around. While on first review the web site looked a little incomplete on a more complete review found it much more modern and less contextually intensive than the predecessor.

Carnival of Mirrors

It is absolutely exciting and as powerful sounding as Caravansary was. The possibilities and idea flourish and the theme speaks to the hearts and minds of many of us. Cheers to 2015.

2015 Camps listed?

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Here I come!Are you kidding me with this already? Yes, today I posted the 2015 Camps List without knowing who the heck was going in the first place. The truth is that I was just doing some pre footwork by accumulating a list of camps that I know about and will edit the list as we get closer to the big event.

This will also give us a chance to give people visiting the site to see what camps have been at Burning Man and associated with the Gayborhood (directly or loosely). Links to the various resources are there and will be updated over time as well.

BRC Honoraria Art Grants — New Process for 2015!

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Big Rig Jig by Mike Ross, 2007. (Photo by Gabe Kirchheimer)
Big Rig Jig by Mike Ross, 2007. (Photo by Gabe Kirchheimer)

Burning Man Arts — the new department combining the Black Rock City Art Department with the Black Rock Arts Foundation (BRAF) — will launch a new online system in mid-November designed to make it easier for artists to apply for honoraria grants for art destined for Black Rock City.

Read the complete original article here on the Burning Man blog

This year, applicants will be required to first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), which will allow the Grant Committee to select which projects will be invited to participate in the full grant application process, saving everybody time and effort.

The system will go live in mid-November, and LOI submissions will be accepted for four weeks. The Grant Committee aims to inform artists if they are invited to participate in the full grant application process by the beginning of 2015.

All artists hoping to receive a Black Rock City honorarium will need to participate in this new LOI process.

More information will be made available via the Jackrabbit Speaks and on the Burning

How to make the perfect Sun Rise

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So, it seems to be happening. When one had gone to Burning Man for a few years now it is an experience on a level that is different than people heading out in their freshman and sophomore years. Inevitably the single person will meet and date someone who wants to join in the experience as well and… there-in lies a new challenge.

Burgin Dreams

That person going to burning man enough years where the glitter had been finally washed out of their eyes has met someone who sees Burning Man as something shiny and new. It happened. It’s meant to be shared.

It’s that person who arrived to the party who wants to run around naked on happy pills while the rest of us are sitting back and chilling out. It’s like being in two different states of being trying to inhabit the same journey that inevitably leads to some kind of misunderstanding.

As entertaining and cute as it might be, for some of those who traveled the road a while it is a very different experience. We look out for our burgins in theme camps and the friends we brought out there, but it’s very different when it’s you and the person you are dating.

Gone Shoppin’ – A Story

Taking my burgin partner shopping was an eye opening experience and walking him through the various shops I saw other young burgins eagerly making their purchases and realized I was in a clearly different place.

  • Goggle – check (with no vents and fit properly. It’s also important to have goggle that work at night and at day time).
  • Dust Mask – check (a lot easier to get anything that will let you breathe and not inhale a bunch of playa).
  • Lighting – we do not want to walk the city at night without illumination: no dark-tards here.

He found a cap and marching goggles right out of “She’s So High” by Tal Bachmal video (below) and something inside me wanted to cry but in my attempt to be open minded I faked a smile and told him he should have whatever he wants. It seems like he was getting caught up in the idea costumes were a necessity when we all know it is really just whatever creative expression you want to bring.

I was really bad at being supportive.

However, after talking to more people he worried less about having a Steampunk outfit and just making sure he had what he needed to be safe and alive out on the playa. He might never read the survival guide assuming his boyfriend was going to  make sure everything happened the right way. I might have my sparkle pony this year or I might be pleasantly surprised, but I will know it while we are at Burning Man for the first time together.

Your New Adventure Together

Have a conversation and know your boundaries more than ever. While this is the place of Radical Self Expression and more starting out on shaky ground is an earthquake waiting to happen. It is drama that is not fair for each other or for anyone you are camping with.

Good news is there are people out there who can help. The amazing folks at Poly Paradise do more relationship counseling and training than you could ever imagine. Perhaps more than they expected.

The playa is a paradox and going with expectations on yourself or other people will rarely turn out well. It is one thing many of our youth have is that amazing optimism and hope that drives them to a beautiful sunset every day. Find your sunset together if that is the promise you made.

That hot Israeli guy that winked at you is probably going to be out there again next year where you boundaries might be different. Try this article on relationships on the playa too.

Have a beautiful Sun Rise

So there might be some good advice and maybe some positive ideas out of the words preceding. Focus on the love you have for that special person and wherever the universe (playa) drives us then do it in reflection and peace. None of it will be really clear until we return to the default world.