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Raising the Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-07-16T10:43:09-07:00

There's a fantastic post on the Burning Blog from Dan Miller, the man who helped build, raise and burn the Man from 1990-2000. It is historical in nature and shares many interesting stories about the evolution of this ritual: In 1989, on Baker Beach with the Golden Gate Bridge looming to the east, we had a defining moment — due to the lack of engineering prowess and the shear underestimation of the dynamics of the growth of the Man vs. physics, when raising him, his legs, head and pulling rope snapped. I remember shuddering in horror at the mess amidst the penetrating, salty gales; first, that someone might have been skewered underneath (luckily not) and that there was no hope of repairing our broken Man in this desperate moment. Then it dawned on us that we could burn him right justly in his humiliating pile and slink back to the drawing board for our next year’s invocation. As serendipity would have it, a couple of intrepid structural engineers stepped up and offered their services — anonymously (things were, cough, cough, guerrilla back then; begging forgiveness from the authorities was doable, permission, yeah, right, a three-storey wienie roast). Read the rest, including the days of the hay bale pyramid and the solar source of the flame at http://blog.burningman.com/metropol/raising-the-man/

Building the Man in 5 minutes

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-07-10T11:32:06-07:00

Painting on the Playa

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-07-07T08:24:24-07:00

Painting on Location with Roger Bansemer - Burning Man from Roger Bansemer on Vimeo.

Temple 2010

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-06-28T18:05:20-07:00

A new team of Burners are hard at work constructing the next manifestation of the Temple for Black Rock City -- its called the Temple of Flux and is being constructed in San Francisco this summer. Here's some info on their vision from the Temple 2010 Facebook page: "Artist and designers Jess Hobbs, Rebecca Anders, and Peter Kimelman collaborate on the building of Burning Man's 2010 Temple. Drawing its inspiration from canyons carved by wind and water over time, the Temple of Flux rises from the playa floor as a series of graceful double curved walls. Their wide, heavy bases taper as they ascend, leading the eye from a solid urban foundation to an increasingly fragmented upper edge as these long angles reach to the sky. ...The walls stand in an overlapping, linear layout, allowing access from all sides via passages of varying widths. ...Our cities as massive structures have evolved over time, rising like mountains and spreading like the deserts. We look to them as places of permanence and wonder, where we inhabit the urban canyons carved by roads of commerce. The city differs little from the geological features in which we once dwelled: a metropolis too changes with time, shifting, growing, crumbling and eroding. ...This Temple stands not as a habitable building, echoing churches and mosques from our histories, but as a counter-monument. ... The Temple of Flux welcomes you to take respite and find strength at its feet. It beckons you to journey its pathways and follow its sensuous lines as they arc into the air." ...They're also -- of course -- raising money for their project, which benefits our entire community -- they've raised over $6,000 towards their $16,000 goal. ... ...

Temple Profiles 2010: Jonny Poynton from Sean Donnelly on Vimeo.

Temple 2010 Artist Profiles: Brittnee Jones from Sean Donnelly on Vimeo.

"Cruising at Burning Man"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-06-08T09:59:27-07:00

The emphasis at this metaphorical metropolis is on participation, on active involvement with people from all ages and walks of life, and interactive art forms that boggle the imagination and enchant the senses. From super-size playgrounds to outdoor art galleries to scooters and motorcycles shaped like flying saucers, dinosaurs and land sharks to Taj Mahal-like edifices and robotic sculptures, the dry lake bed is populated with the bizarre, the comical, the sublime, the suggestive, the bold, the sardonic, and mostly, the unreal. It is raw, it is refined, it is provocative and will tilt your view of the world 180 degrees. ...Burning Man cannot be compared to any other event in the history of the human race, or any race. It is a daring fusion of Woodstock, a San Francisco performing arts festival, Mardi Gras, Halloween, and Daytona Bike Week. ...Through a prism of art and action, of liberated self-expression and total acceptance, a joyous light shining brighter than the hot Nevada sun will focus in your mind, burn away your paradigms, and change the way you think.... Rather than always wear the predictable biker uniform of menacing leather and evil T-shirts, you can reinvent yourself everyday. The biggest decision you'll have to make is which body paint to use that afternoon. ... You can dress like the man from Mars, or you can don nothing but the international motorcycle colors of black and red and no one will bat a glittered eye. This may be one of the reasons this is such a peaceful happening—it’s hard to argue with a naked person. ...It's a non-conformist's dream; you can be whatever you want to be. If you ever wanted to ride your bike clothes-free, this is the place. ...You can swap a jar of mayonnaise for a bottle of Jack Daniels, or bread for a blanket, or water for a massage. The void of vendors, the absolute lack of something, anything to buy forces people to move their focus away from themselves and onto the experience. It encourages people to act out, to express their otherwise private passions and beliefs without care or consequence. ...It can be a spiritual experience fraught with pomp and ceremony, a “burning” or cleansing of the soul, or it can be just one tremendous release. To most, it's a mix of many things, a collage of fantasy and free-spiritedness. ...The police stay on the periphery and out of the way unless there is real trouble, which has never, to my knowledge, occurred here. ... People like it that way, and it works, at least for a week." Full text at http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/321/7103/Motorcycle-Article/Cruising-at-Burning-Man-Festival.aspx

Warming up...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-04-15T20:01:20-07:00

Pavilion of the Man 2010 - Rendering by Andrew Johnstone - Design by Rod Garrett and Larry Harvey A sneak peak at some of the mindblowing installations that you can expect to see in Black Rock City 2010: Metropolis -- the art honorariums have been announced. An interesting post by one of the builders of the 2010 temple for Metropolis, reflecting on how one gets involved with building the temple to begin with. (The crew also has a Facebook page under "temple2010" to track the progress of designing and building this year's temple and a website with some rough sketches and concepts.) "This structure is not the temple at all. It is only wood turned into walls, an invitation to passersby who stand within them to search for the temple in their own heads. For only there is the temple to be found." Lastly, an interview from the Public Radio Project with BM founder Larry Harvey on Black Rock City's gift economy.

dBM listener feedback

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-03-09T14:20:29-08:00

Hey guys, been loving your podcasts! I've got a question: what is the dub mix with the horns on your Burnal Equinox Evolution podcast right after Roots Manuva's "I'm A New Man" (at about 29:44). I thought it might be Manuva as well, but I can't find that tune under his name anywhere on-line, so I'm thinking it's someone else. In the words of that "Dirty Harry" character: "I gots to know..." 'cause that dub rocks in a big way. Thanks for introducing me to some great new music, and I hope to see you out on the playa this year (my sixth). ...I'm from Sacramento and I found your podcast by typing Burning Man into the iTunes search bar. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was of such high quality. I've listened to about half of them so far. ...I guess because the playa is where I learned to be who I wanted to be, not who I thought other saw or wanted to see. I've met the most amazing people there, and have seen some of the most amazing things there. I've also experienced something akin to our generation's Woodstock, where people approach you expecting the best you have to offer, instead of exuding fear and uncertainty. I hope I see you guys on the playa - I'll just follow my ears. ...I just stumbled onto your podcast....... I, like you all, am a burner. I just wanted you to know that I am sending your podcast to all my bm camp mates to fan the flames........ I'm still listening and so are a bunch of my BM friends... I also mentioned you guys on eplaya. I have subscribed to your podcast....everything you are doing just keep jumping into my ipod....keep up the good work. ...Thanks for sending these out. I listened to the last one at work and loved the whomp whomp whOMP!

The Wobble Chronicles / A Bass Chakra Therapy Practice

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-02-23T18:35:36-08:00

"I have one life and I would be damned if I live as a fool "

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-02-17T18:58:32-08:00

what happens when you set a typewriter up in the middle of nowhere desert at Burning Man and invite people to write whatever they want (via a self-servicing station)? Many, many more at http://www.sunflowerrobots.com/timelovememory

BBC in BRC

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-02-10T18:10:06-08:00

While dBM has produced and then offered up for viewing many videos over the past several years, it is always great for us to see somebody else's take on trying to interpret Burning Man through video. We were especially tickled by this heartfelt report from BBC Radio 1 and Booby Friction. From Burning Man 2009 Evolution : Have to admit that any hesitations I've been holding towards going to BRC this year were pretty much erased as soon as I saw the scrub brush desert road leading up to the city and remembered the feeling one get when one's tires hit the playa and you pass through the portal...

Breaking news....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-01-31T15:45:08-08:00

On most days, visits from the mailman are very uneventful: bills, statements, catalogs, junk, every now and then a good Netflix movie. But yesterday's delivery was an entirely different story -- It's not often that something that reaches you by way of the post is life-changing, but in the case of receiving a ticket to Burning Man, accompanied by a spicy fireball candy, it is not exaggerating to call it that: life-changing. Who knows how the next 210 days will play out, what schemes will emerge, how my tribe will fragment and reconstitute in new and surprising combinations, what virgins might jump on board? Getting my Burning Man ticket in the mail -- my fourth one -- always reminds me of Willy Wonka's golden tickets -- I get to go to Wonkaland! I've just secured admittance to one of the greatest gatherings known to mankind! I just queued up for the most powerful soul-shakedown celebration-ritual that I've ever experienced! Thanks Mr. Postman. You have no idea what that nondescript white envelope really contained: an express ticket on a journey that takes one to both the deepest reaches of outer space and the inner psyche. As a Burner friend in Seattle commented on seeing the above photo, "And so it begins...." In other news, Adolf Hitler is apparently pretty upset about dubstep and glitch-hop taking over Black Rock City:

Get Found in the Default World : Keeping the Flame Lit

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2010-01-06T20:29:09-08:00

Spiderball/Halloween in San Francisco Samish Island Zendo reunions Bellingham Seattle New Years in San Francisco

Evolution II : Burning Man 2009, and a brief farewell

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-12-26T12:09:09-08:00

Moontroll has cooked up one more final video presentation featuring photographs, videos and music from Burning Man 2009 : Evolution. Soudtrack features tracks from Bassnectar, Bluetech, Mimosa & Collie Budz and Random Rab, and the photos are from over a dozen different sources found around the internets. You can view the full collection of 2009 BM videos on our video page or by visiting Moontroll's Vimeo album. Hope you dig on it and it stirs up some personal excitement for Black Rock City 2010!

Evolution II * Burning Man 2009 from moontroll on Vimeo.

Things will be pretty quiet here on the dBM blog until the spring or early summer when we start gearing up for the next pilgrimage to the playa. We'll continue to regularly post musical mixes on our dBM podcast page, including a forthcoming serial from DJ Edubious, more installments in DJ Playaduster's Wobble Chronicles series designed to help listeners tap in to the raw power of their bass chakras and stellar sets from a wide variety of Guest DJs. Y'all take care and thanks for the encouragement and support over the years. Drop us a line anytime at destinationburningman@gmail.com. Love, the dBM crew

DJ Grapenuts presents "Hektervision : Glacial Facial at Burning Man 2009"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-11-22T19:35:06-08:00

HektorVision Presents: Glacial Facial pt.1 from Grapenuts on Vimeo.

EVOLUTION & Camp Get Found : Burning Man 2009

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-10-24T16:14:12-07:00

EVOLUTION * Burning Man 2009 from moontroll on Vimeo.

Moontroll has finished posting the last of his video shorts, and now offers this longer, more comprehensive half-hour-long epic that seeks to preserve and celebrate the people, places, sounds, sights and scenarios of Burning Man 2009. We recommend you download your own copy from the Vimeo page -- look for the link beneath the video on the right-hand side -- and play it on as big of a screen, with as loud of a soundsystem, as possible. It's long, so get comfy and make sure you are in the irght frame of mind to take this experience in! Hope you enjoy it -- leave a comment on Vimeo with your reactions. Peace, love and playa!

Ritual, twisting logic, release, transformation, giving, synchronicity : A report from Burning Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-10-02T11:54:39-07:00

It’s not that we use the past as a reference point for who we are, or where we are going, which would be fine. It’s that we determine our lives almost exclusively by what has happened in the past; by who we knew in the past; by what we held as true in the past; by our family of origin and what they did to us; by the career that we developed, generally with no special intention to have done so. ...What we struggle with the most, if you ask me, is the unspoken requirement to be who we were, feel how we felt, and love who we loved yesterday. ... We make next to no room to ritualize the idea of change that would allow us an opportunity to in fact actually change. ...Some of our most fundamental values, such as whether we think marriage has any validity for us personally, are bound up in these social ties. Deep beneath our fear of being ourselves, which really is a phobia on a cosmic scale, is the fear of being cast out of the tribe if we violate its social order. ...Maybe you’ll be different after a divorce or a death in the family, but even then there is only so far the rules of society allow us to go. ...The thing about the Man is that he’s this elaborate artistic creation, different every year, and then we do something very odd by our society’s standards: We burn him. ... Burning Man is “fun,” but it’s fun only to the extent that we give up some of our worldly trappings, our sense of time, our daily routines, our names, and so on. ...This is a missing experience for most of us, who don’t think we have so much to give; and if we do, the idea of actual generosity is often repulsive or seems inappropriate. ...The camp that I was staying in, Poly Paradise, offered a daily Human Carcass Wash, where up to 600 people a day came to be washed down from their coating of playa dust. ...If you run out of food or water, you’re at the mercy of your neighbors, who are usually generous; everyone is in the same condition. (This particular part is easy for me, because my first gig as a cook was in the galley of The Pioneer, a century-old steel schooner, cooking for 14 people. ...There are no flush toilets. port-a-potties are glorified outhouses, and if we make a mess out of them, they are messy for the rest of us. ... The potties are plastered with public service announcements created by various camps and factions reminding what and what not to drop down the hole—and the admonition that someone will, in fact, have to dig out your Pepsi bottle if you toss it down there. ...I shaved once; it was a memorable project, involving the spontaneous discovery that I had left my shaving gear in the glove compartment, then boiling half a gallon of precious water. ...It’s true that I was in a camp that had relationship-oriented discussion groups every morning (called Poly High Tea) and where we hosted talks on the history and sociology of monogamy. However, all around, people seemed to be tossed around in a kind of relational anarchy—sometimes pleasant, sometimes not—as a result of being confronted by so much intense beauty and so many people bringing out some aspect of their creative fire. ...I really had to surrender to the notion that if I think of something, it could happen in a matter of minutes; and even if I wasn’t consciously thinking of it, but I secretly wanted it, it could happen in when I was least expecting it. ...They can’t safely light a fire that big with 40,000 people around it in such a stiff wind, but unlike last year (when there was a similar problem) the higher-ups made the decision to start the preburn festivities: A lot of fire dancers and musicians and acrobats came out and performed in a vast circle to the audience/participants.

Defining Moments, 2009

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-18T07:30:02-07:00

Im normally shy, and not very touchy but something in my head told me to give her a hug and help her with anything she needed. ... I walked with her all over the playa, pointed to our unfinished art and watched the sunrise on top of another artists art, with the artist in center camp. ...Before my first burningman my boyfriend told me that I should make something for my dad, who commited suicide when I was little, to go in the temple. ... I painted a picture that I thought conveyed a fitting message but was largely unattached to it because I hadn’t allowed myself to feel very much in the way of sentimentality towards my dad. On the day that we went to put my painting in the temple I had the attitude that I would simply put it somewhere, maybe write something around it and leave..very brief. I found a place on the walkway up to the second floor and put it there..by this time I was already crying, so I put it down and started writing a letter on the baseboards. ... At the end of the letter I wrote something that was so true I could feel it down to the very bottom of my heart: “I Forgive you daddy, and I love you with all my heart.” ...The Temple burn will always stick out in my mind as one of the most moving experiences of my life but the most defining Burning Man experience came on Tuesday night when... This was my first year and so I had no idea what to expect when it came to the city itself. I mean, my roommate and a large number of my friends have all gone for the last 3-5 years so I had heard plenty about the atmosphere and the energy and the people and the camps, but very little about the city itself. ...We talked for a while about how amazing it was that all of us who had planned and struggled to make it to Black Rock in 2009, had made it happen and created this crazy/beautiful fleeting thing which was impossible to describe and breathtaking to witness, and that we could try to explain the exhileration of that view, but one would truly have to be there to understand. ...I was in my pj’s (Leopard print shorts) and I really just meant to step outside of the rv to get fresh air but before I knew it I was on a very spiritual journey. ...After insane dancing at Opulent temple and Hokkahdome (which had best dj and music), and still feeling pretty high, we wandered into the middle of chaos of moving lights and sounds that reached the furthest corners of the desert (damn, they have bad ass speakers). 360 degrees around us was everlasting party celebrating humanity. ...It was two beautiful, ornate tree like structures the larger of which was perhaps 30 feet high with a flaming rotating core that had many small flowerlike projections that had either lights or fire coming out of them (meant to represent axons). ... The whole piece could be operated to emit bursts of flame that are loud and hot enough to be felt both as heat and pressure waves to the surrounding crowd from various parts of the neurons and the dendrite, at the artists desire. ...A large group gathers and starts dancing ecstatically and with increasing energy beneath and around the sculpture, and for over half an hour the DJ on the car and the artist operating the sculpture talk to each other – the robot sings to the sculpture and the sculpture talks back with bursts of fire, while the crowd dances and cheers. ...While I expected fire art, and amazing art cars, and creative music and spontaneous dancing, it had not occurred to me that all of these things would inform each other spontaneously and improvisationally. ... Now imagine that this type of thing happens maybe a hundred times a day for a week, and 10,000 times a day on a smaller scale, not necessarily loud and energetic, sometimes quiet and contemplative; and that no one is getting paid; rather people are spending their own time and money to make it happen for the art of it and the enjoyment and pleasure of others. ...Having already found myself over the last couple of months finding that my real home exists in the “now”, I was very excited to bring my new home, ahem, home with me and try it out there! ...And as I spoke the words to him I was also speaking them to myself and we sat outside for over an hour on a weird little pull cart on the back of someone’s bike and had a good old fashioned satori experience… enlightenment on the playa?

Burning Man video shorts from Moontroll

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-14T12:33:16-07:00

"The Life Lessons of Burning Man"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-12T19:45:42-07:00

A columnist at the San Francisco Gate recently published a meditation on Burning Man that doesn't suck. It begins: "As I've been lured back to the sweltering, dusty sexed-up madness that is Burning Man again this year -- my sixth time -- by a gaggle of delicious friends, I am hereby reminded of a few hundred truths, half-truths, outright lies and astonishing epiphanies offered up by the world-famous, Christian-feared, beautifully debauched, sensory overloaded, impossible-to-describe art-survivalist-camping-rave megaspectacle now underway in the remote Nevada desert. If you've ever wondered at the appeal, the urge, the drive to attend such a thing, if you've heard wisps of the mythology and the mystery and the epic weirdness or even seen a few pictures and wondered, you know, WTF, maybe these tidbits can help..." Read the entire article, alongside many other first-hand reports and interpretations, on the "What is Burning Man?" page in our "About" section. Alright then.

"5 Things Cities Can Learn from Burning Man" by Time.com

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-11T18:37:34-07:00

We did it!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-09-09T10:06:52-07:00

Camp dBM evolved in to Camp Get Found when we moved our home to 3:30 & Lineage. Here's our one family portrait we managed, moments before launching ourselves out in to Burn Night. Torsten left early and was missed; Gabriella and Sugar Cube are our special guests. Many, many more stories to come. For now, decompression back in the Default World. Viva la Team Love!!! xoxoxoxo UPDATE: We have a Flickr pool for Get Lost at www.flickr.com/groups/get_found/pool/.

Over & out!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-28T10:11:42-07:00

"Yer goin' where? To do what?"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-28T08:17:35-07:00

The full moon will be a part of next week's playa ambiance. Maybe you already know this, but I just read on Tribe that "The moon will be full on Friday, Sep 4th - it will be out from 6:15 pm to 5:34 am. Sunrise on Saturday is at 5:32 am, so if you're up at that hour, you'll see both!! ... Last time I went there was also a full moon, as well as a FULL LUNAR ECLIPSE (setting the weird scene for the Early Burn) and later in the week, a massive double-rainbow! ...A mulligan is, according to my dictionary, "(in informal golf) an extra stroke allowed after a poor shot, not counted on the scorecard." ... When I do, you can't count certain poor shots, foggy decisions, fumbles, stumbles, disappearing acts or no-shows against me on my scorecard! ...I found (and love) this description of the distractive nature of life in BRC on a listserv: "short attention span central. that's the playa in a nutshell. it's hot and loud and nobody gets any sleep. plus there are a lot of bright shiny things. we joke in my camp that people at burning man are like ferrets on crack, e.g.: 'ok, man, i'll go get that ice. gonna grab the wagon and the cooler and HOLY SHIT WILL YOU LOOK AT THAT, wow, what a fabulous looking SWING! hey, look at those people o my god what are they doing hee hee heeee wow that looks like fun, i love my new friends...' and before you know it, wagon's gone and it's been seven hours since you sent them to go get ice. this is standard operating procedure. get used to it, be forgiving when it happens, because it happens to the best of us. can't handle it? ... If it takes me 7 hours to do an ice run, I'll call a mulligan. ...I was thinking it would be interesting and invigorating to take a vow of silence for 24 hours at some point down at Burning Man. ... BM could be a great place to do it (excellent place for experimentation, going beyond normal boundaries), or a horrible place (too many fascinating people to talk to!), not sure which. It would be interesting to see what alternative nonverbal forms of interpersonal communication emerges, especially with strangers. ...You could feel like exploring frontiers in learning, which could motivate you to pick up and travel or study something new. Using your sense of adventure to stretch and broaden your view of the world might infuse your life with a greater sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of the workings of the world around you. Making it a point to undertake something new, such as investigating an issue you are interested in, delving into another culture, or trying a different form of meditation or reflective practice may result in the infusion of fresh ideas and discoveries into your life. If you can bring something different to your everyday routine, you might notice that the boundaries of what you thought was possible can expand to encompass things that are not only unusual, but also extremely fulfilling. ...As we bring new thoughts, ideas, and experiences to our lives, we widen the circle of our daily existence that we create around us. Unless we continually and conscientiously increase our awareness of the world, we can easily craft a bubble that confines, constricts, and limits us – we no longer seek to grow but instead remain in a state of constant refuge. By immersing yourself in something that brings you out of this cocoon, however, you will ignite your desire to understand your life in a more profound way, which will help you embark on a path of deep and enduring change." ...Going beyond comfort zone, transformative experience, leave the bubble/coccoon, understand my life in a more profound way, embark on a path of deep and enduring change.

Black Rock City rising, like a mirage in the desert

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-28T07:48:14-07:00

Photos from John Curley via the Burning Blog. I'm still packing, streaming BMIR, trying to stay calm and collected (for a few more hours at least)....

dBMcasts Compendium: load up yer iPod for the road!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-27T08:34:48-07:00

DJ Grapenuts' Playa Prefunk -- August 2009 DJ GrapeNuts Live DJ set recorded August 20th at GLOW in Bellingham, Washington. 60 minutes of head-bobbing goodness. DJ Playaduster's Soul Body Mind Playa -- August 2007 DJ Edubious' Playa Dawning -- July 2009 DJs Playaduster + Edubious' Burnal Equinox Evolution -- February 2009 Finally, here are a bunch of downloadable videos from Black Rock City. Go ahead and blow up our dBM bandwidth -- start yer downloading now, and come meet us in the flesh at Camp dBM at 2:15 & Lineage, where we'll be spinning music live in the dBM dome on the boonie fringe of Black Rock City. Over & out!

Hot Links for BRC '09

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-26T06:08:48-07:00

"OK, so you're getting ready to head to the playa. You're part of a mid-sized Burning Man camp that's giving away peach schnapps Sno-Cones from a big peach-shaped art car and you're all calling yourself James. Or whatever. Not important. You got your goggles and combat boots. Your bike is covered entirely in fake pink fur and wrapped in blue electro-luminescent wire. You've packed enough costumes for a month, from the fire-crotch thong to an elaborate Ming the Merciless getup, complete with death ray. Again, whatever, not important. What is important are the drugs. You're going to spend a week frolicking through the planet's preeminent adult playground, past all manner of tripper traps and the weirdest, most mind-blowing shit you've ever seen, mixing with a multitude of beautiful souls with Cheshire Cat grins. You'll want one too."

Camp dBM registration #9

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-25T21:25:39-07:00

Registration for Camp dBM : 00.009 ...Default World livelihood: massage practitioner / circus performer ...Hobbies: circus. and making purdy things with ruffles. and functional things with pockets. and ruffles. ...Favorite foods: sushi. fresh fruits. cookies. ...Favorite drinks: home-made fizzy lemonade, coconut water ...Favorite musics: this question is too hard. i just can't choose favorites. ...General outlook on life: roll with it ...(list years): 2005, 2008, 2009 (pending) ...Favorite BRC memories: 2005: acrobalance in the hookahdome, and that night i can't explain (it started with that weird circus...); 2008: watching The Timothy and Paul Show in HOME with Scotty, dancing my ass off in all directions on metal jungle gyms in the big dome, connecting with my fabulous campmates katie and percy, interpretive dance with imploded balloon parts at sunrise. ...Least-favorite BRC memories: having to "work," the unsuccessful search to find the friends i was supposed to meet up with, the awful, awful ride home ...Playa garb you feel most yourself in: boots ...What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? can we talk about this on the playa? ...What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ...Your one wish for humanity: compassion ...Hopes for BM '09? a freewheeling good time; quality time with friends from far away; to really explore the art; to find things to climb on and other aerialists to play with ...Fears for BM 09?

Camp dBM VIP registration #2

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-25T19:26:04-07:00

Camp dBM VIP registration #1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-24T18:26:43-07:00

Favorite musics: (Copycatting Edub:) reggae-glitch-acousto-pop-break beat-rock-a-folky-electro-funk-house-dubstepped-up/down/mid tempo-groovalicious-punk-hip hop AND: all of DBM PODCASTS 4-eva. :).... ...Currently reading: Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: I am really, really trying to take my brain/self/soul/lovins/etc to the next level--each page takes a LONG, LONG time; Richard Mabey, New Age Herbalist: First herbal studies book I ever bought--one of the 8-10 books that made it into the VW travel library. ; Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Game, A young adult's book regarding violence and its effect on children General outlook on life: Life is something I need to live and despite all the hesitations and ridiculous fears I feel, my friends always guide me back in the right direction. ... About three days a month I should retreat to the Red Tent and be alone for awhile ...Favorite BRC memories: Becoming one of the four broke dudes fo sho; bicycling to the man ten minutes after I arrived on playa with Dave's Not Here and Tantric Dan; Big Rig Jig Blowing Up; Andrea and Spider and Hekter and I at sunrise puttin' around on the art car--having Irish Breakfast at the Paddy's Mirage; Free Climbing the Steampunk Tree and spending twenty minutes in it all by myself; Guacamole "Eat as much as you want" thanks to Joy; Hot Pepper Whiskey at Costco Soul Trading Outlet; Bartending at Ashram Galactica and meeting Chief Stout; Sagi, Willie Wonder Jr., Hekter, Ethan, Riding bikes with Edub to VW camp and getting an otter pop from Nectar and BusBoyBob; Hooping as a greeter at 12:01; Monday morning with Nectar and Merilieu; swinging Bed; Hooping in an eleven hour storm; Arriving on playa all three years--that moment of "WE MADE IT!" ....the memories that are about to be generated!... ...; "Sleep-biking" from sleep deprivation after leaving Edub & crew @ Big Rig Jig. ...Playa garb you feel most yourself in: My Alice B. Toklas dress, something long and flowy at night with soft faux furries; Anything Hollywood dresses me up in; KP doing my eyes in sparkle yumminess; Bumblebee, bumblebee, bumblebee garb! What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? 1) Furry Hat(s; 2) Crazy array of arm and leg "sleeves"; 3) HyperPrimbly (r.i.p.) If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Whatever is on the MJ Tribute Part I--boogie, midway from 10 minutes in to and ending wit Ease On Down! ...What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ...Your one wish for humanity: May all Beings be Happy, May all Beings be Peaceful, May all Beings be FED ...Word to the Hecklesauce: I am no longer on bindi probation as my new friend on the Ave. has taught me how to keep the lil body stickers on right--a packet of yumminess for myself and Raquelisimia, and some new incense too. I contemplate the food I buy as fuel for bi-pedalin' around the city and the bindis provide sheer, sexy, reflection. Stay tuned as R & I ramp and amp it up with our body jewelry. :) No longer on Bindi Probation means Rachel and I will be rocking the yums.

Camp dBM registration #8

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-24T17:50:21-07:00

Registration for Camp dBM : 00.008 ...Default World livelihood: teacher, bike through red lights and advocate of smiling Hobbies: Sewing, Kiteboarding, Kayaking, welding, stenciling, dancing, eating chocolate Side-projects: getting it all down before i die ...Favorite drinks: wet ones that are usually cold Favorite musics: do you hear that? ...Currently reading: Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link, or about to start, its waiting for me at the Library. ...General outlook on life: threading the line from dark to light. ...(list years):2K , 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007 Favorite BRC memories: Way too many for listing, heavy and light, its all there, why not ask me more later over a camelback of some warm water with alkali dust? Least-favorite BRC memories: loneliness Playa garb you feel most yourself in: wait and see What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? Thriller, everything else in number two. What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? I think its already out Your one wish for humanity: ending cycles of ignorance, everything stems from that ...Fears for BM 09?

Camp dBM registration #7

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-23T14:37:21-07:00

Name, playa or otherwise: Will aka Orbit ...Hobbies: Snowboarding, Biking, Surfing, Diabolo, Dancing, Music ...Favorite foods: Chocolate, Pad Kee Mao, Grilled Salmon and Breakfast Favorite drinks: Chocolate, Twilight Ale, Bourbon, Coconut Juice Favorite musics: Digable Planets, Metalica, eDIT, Nightmares On Wax, Michael Franti, Chopin, etc., etc. Currently reading: The Way of the Superior Man General outlook on life: The only constant is change. We can rail against this or evolve with it. To be at peace and present is the ultimate challenge and gift. ...Favorite BRC memories: Meeting the Devil my first night in BRC. Seeing a double rainbow after meeting the two cutest boys who just got married. Sunrise interpretive dancing after extreme juggling and metal object acrobatics. ...Least-favorite BRC memories: The fucking birthday cake! Playa garb you feel most yourself in: Business suit. What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? (after re-watching the video) smooth criminal, Thriller (duh), P.Y.T. What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ...Your one wish for humanity: Joy!

Camp dBM registration #6

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-22T06:25:41-07:00

Human Nature, Blame it on the Boogie, My Lovely One -- aaaaannnnddd I Can't Help It, Don't Stop Til You Get Enough, State of Shock, Shake Your Body, I'll Be There, They Don't Care About Us, Jam, Smooth Criminal, Scream... (MJ Tribute mix posted here.) What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? Being a father [update: don't worry ladies, I'm not looking to fulfill this urge on the playa this year!] Your one wish for humanity: that we would practice compassion and empathy towards all lifeforms Hopes for BM '09? /Fears for BM 09? My greatest hope and my greatest fear are one in the same -- I have been reeling from a traumatic breakup with my fiance and her son for many months now and I hope that the playa will provide me healing from my disorienting grief. I am both excited for that release (at the temple?) and afraid of what it might look like.

Ramona Mayhem's tips on playa diet, health and hygiene

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-21T11:02:35-07:00

*Smoked salmon prices are great here, but I get it from my Poppa who catches the fishies. ...The rose Zin is lighter alcohol content and quite tasty believe it or not--will be good in the desert methinks... ...*Variety of flavored hummus'es--I love the sundried tomato one but they have a dozen to choose from in little and big sizes *Pre-made Indian fare, variety of flavors (lentils, palak paneer, etc) about $3?--I just eat them straight out of the mylar packets--no heating, no mess *Septics of soup--portabello mushroom, red pepper curry, french onion--I get the 8 oz versions and chug them--great source of nutrients & electrolytes ...*Fresh fruit that is a little under ripe when you travel--stuff without peels and such (grapes, plums, apples) Italian Plums are a favorite! :) (friend's gardens! *Your favorite dressing, (me: Annie's Woodstock--it has tahini in it--another great source of calcium) The best part about these foods is you have a protein (fish/hummus/cheese) with a carbo (rice crak'n, flax chip, rice/pasta) with a veggie/fruit (aforementioned tapenades) and salt/electrolytes (soups/olives/fried onion pieces?), and last but not least, you have to admit, TJ's has a ROCKIN' sweet tooth department. It's basically my goal to not ever use my stove (I am actually loaning it to my burning sister and her bf for the week)--last two years I made one cooked meal (stir-fry) and boiled water twice for coffee for the camp building crew. ...*Vitamin medley: 5-htp, melatonin, B-6 & 12 (multi), EFA's (cod liver oil or Evening Primrose), Cal-Mag (no constipation here!), etc ...*Get one strand of L.E.D. lights--last forever, create a nice ambience in your tent/VW/dome w/o blinding you, and blue is my favorite. :) ...Well, frenz, I have so much more to contribute to this--the wheels are turning inside my brain much like the gears of a giant ole clock, and while I have lost track of the dayz as they relate to a weekend, I know it is exactly 9 dayz before I leave on yet another epic adventure. I'll be headin' on playa sometime after midnight, Monday, and heading directly towards a man visit after blinglebee is righteously parked. :) If y'all feel like sharing a snack, a tune, or some hoop-lalalalalala, by all means, come visit @ Spanky's Village 8:30 and Esplanade. ...Join RamonaMayhem & CampMystic @ Spanky’s Wine Village for a hoopjam on Monday from 4-6pm. Hoops will be provided (or bring your own) and a yummy treat to share–as in the stone soup idea–we all contribute and we all feast! ...Join me and Raquelisimia at Center Camp Cafe as we make music (java) for the masses. If you mention dBM or some hooptastic limerick, I'll make your Iced Mocha for free! ...Your other chance to breakdance and groove dBM mystic style while I sling jo--impress me with a beatbox or breakdown--I'll make you coffee at Center Camp Cafe (and 1,000 other folks!) ...I'm camp bitch of Spanky's village, bitch, and if you don't come (on the orgasmatron, the teeter totter of death, the chairway to heaven, or with a flight of wine), then I'll be your bitch too! ...My ticket came in the mail today, I am listening to tangled path on dBM podcasts, wondering why my cd player is stuck as I have 50 cds to burn as playa gifts.....

Building BRC

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-19T19:43:21-07:00

18 days

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-18T18:26:17-07:00

Baptism of 2007 playa dust from the Boogie parachute -- yumm!

Camp dBM registration #5

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-16T18:25:37-07:00

Side-projects: Energy work, Yoga teaching, writing and photography, scottglackman.blogspot.com Favorite foods: Herb salads, gumbo, medium rare steak, burnt bacon, huevos rancheros over medium christmas, kim chi, sashimi, vanilla ice cream, tiramisu and any vessel for garlic or butter. Favorite drinks: Water, coffee, earl grey with cream and sugar, hoppy beer and wine you can eat with a fork Favorite musics: Funk, bluegrass, exotica, electronica (world and mystical sounds), '80s new wave, skate punk, Irish and what comes out when I pick up an instrument. Ironically, when I'm alone I spend most of the time in silence. ...General outlook on life: burn bright and light your way ...Favorite BRC memories: Hearing “Cowboy Song” by the Vandals and jumping into an insta-mosh pit. ...Playa garb you feel most yourself in: Zorro mask and leopard pants What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? I'd love to be able to fly. ...Don't stop 'til you get enough, Wanna be startin' something, Say, say, say What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ... Seems like it's on low heat and very slow cooking. I'd laugh if it was a monkey in a fez hat. ...Quality time with old friends, synchronicity trains of epic lengths, meeting the girl of my dreams and vision for the next stage of my life. ...

20 days

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-14T21:05:48-07:00

Geodesic dome, playatech furniture, 30' mast and 80' cargo parachute for full camp shade, generator and various accouterments and accessories. Fuck yes! Playaduster has made arrangements for us to get a Costco carport from a crew of burners who won't be on the playa this year and the RV is serviced and ready to launch from Reno. The infrastructure is is in place! Now we need to get it all down to the playa.... In the last week we have added a new addition to the crew -- Scotty G (playa name unknown) is a playa veteran with an amazing ability to inspire adventure and creativity. What will he get us into in Black Rock City where we are surrounded my endless opportunities for both? We shall see...stay tuned for his Camp dBM profile. The Pacific Northwest contingent of Camp dBM will be gathering for one more meeting this weekend to hammer our the final logistics and make sure that all of this shit fits together and gets there. SO MANY DETAILS! But I'm confident that we will have it together in time for the Portal opening. The excitement among us and throughout the internets is palpable. You feel it? Yeah. Soon come. It's all about the burn now, from here on out. ~ The Most Dubious E

Camp dBM registration #4

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-11T18:25:20-07:00

bodycrans socks socks tights socks disco If possessed superpower, what would it be?: power to heal. Top 3 MJ Songs: Billie Jean Burn this Disco Out Remember the Time What is pent up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out?: elation. One wish for humanity: *understanding Hopes: Safe home, connections, letting go of ego to revel in the present, witnessing change in others/self, love, acceptance, light and play (i.e. joy). Fears: not letting go. losing sight.

Moze’s Top Ten ART PROJECTS And Then Some

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-08T14:22:55-07:00

It is whimsical, a 5’ tall “realistic depiction of General Gnomius the Great” that will shoot a 70’ multicolored Methanol flame into the sky at night. ...Soma by the Flaming Lotus Girls is a stainless steel, million times larger than life neuron sculpture driven by the big brains who like to create participatory fire sculptures to blow your mind. Here are dendrites, neurons, spinning fiery nuclei and an axon with flames and electricity that end in a sparkle poof that represents the passage of electricity form cell to cell. ...This year we will be treated to a kind of Center Camp Keyhole Champs-Élysées with the Heron Project, “part prehistoric bird, part oil derrick” flapping wings of fire and surrounded by the 20 ethereal trees of Luminous Passage casting glowing shadows to warm your way. ...This year offers us a tangled bank of possibilities, and THE MAN himself promises to be an interesting departure from years past. ...There will be a Gene Pool, Strange Ur-creatures peeping and THE MAN will sit atop a central tree that is “beribboned with a double helix.. that .. will exist in flux: switching on and switching off, changing colors unexpectedly.” ...With a 35’ high Fire Tornado at its core, it doesn’t sound like the Temple will have any problem catching fire this year. ...Braindrop by Kate Raudenbush whose past projects include Altered State from 08, Guardian of Eden in 07, Duel Nature from 06 and 2005’s Stadium of the Self, brings Black Rock City a 17’ tall “meditation space created to bring awareness to the element of water on our planet and its importance to our evolutionary balance.” ...It will be a big “lotus flower blossoming” with lage cobras whose “eyes will glow red and the framework of the lotus will be illuminated by chasing lights that lead the eye upward to a whirling windmill of petals and a glowing orb at the top.” This sounds pretty cool, but add to that the fact that the installation is a Camera Obscura that rather than just allowing participants inside to see a static image, “will allow viewing dynamic images from inside the camera obscura itself” by a lens apparatus spun by windmills inside the Lotus Flower. ...The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire… this is the group that brought you the Hope Flower and Fear Trap, that really cool and unexpected flower that traveled the playa. ...This year they are building “A garden of 30 flowers ranging from 5′ to 10′ tall” each of which shoot flames that “react to sensors and generate music for a serene zen experience.” There is a tradition of these gardens that I’ve always enjoyed, including 06’s A Field of Sunflower Robots by Stefano Corazza, 02’s Lily Pond by Jeremy Lutes, the Flaming Lotus Girls Flower Garden also in 02 and Mr. $teven Ra$pa’$ Sacred Grove and Wheel of Faith from 1998, so I’m looking forward to this one. ...The Burninator Grid by Bill Codding says it all in their descripton of the new layout of the Grid that Burners walk into as “Taking the same large number of towers … and collapsing them into a small field of fire .. that… will allow it to become truly overwhelming.” And I also like the sound of 2Πr by Interpretive Arson which is “two concentric rings” with the inner ring detecting movement and translating it into fire on the second ring. BIG PENIS ART: There are many large sculptures on the playa, but the Tower of Emergence by Jordan Tenney is a “wood architectural sculpture that reaches nearly 60′ into the sky and is much like a stylized flower which has broken through a huge crack in the barren desert floor.” OOH THE COLORS AT NIGHT: Two pieces: The Pool by Jen Lewin which will be a place “where play and collaborative movement can create a cascading effect of swirling light and color” and Cubatron L5 by Mark Lotter made up of “made up of 1000 lights.” MOST LIKELY DISTURBING ART: Chimera Sententia (aka Fishbug) by Rebecca Anders & Jessica Hobbs is an offshoot of the Flaming Lotus Girls and promises to freak you out with a length of 30 feet of straining, laboring BREATHING undefined evolving creature. HARD TO TOP DICKY IN THE BOX: This year’s large scale art project by a newcomer is something called Evo-Wall by Carl Sanden. ...I don’t really know anything about ART, but I can’t wait to see what these folks make happen out there because ART really gets my motor running and I appreciate every artist who works their ass off to get their project out there to GIFT to all of us.

Camp dBM registration #3

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-05T18:19:32-07:00

Registration for Camp dBM : 00.003 ...Name, playa or otherwise: Paul/GrapeNuts Default World livelihood: Musician-Teacher-Designer-Hustler Hobbies: Building stuff, playing music, scouring the internets for cool stuff, traveling, dancing, cooking, eating, drinking, laughing ...Favorite foods: Quesadillas, sushi, seafood, fresh veggies, ice cream, donuts, BLT sandwiches… Favorite drinks: Chocolate malts, Patron, g&t’s, mojitos, red wine, fresh grapefruit juice Favorite musics: Everything that’s NOT on Clear Channel radio stations Currently reading: Terry Pratchett, anything by Tom Robbins, Kurt Vonnegut, I was shaped by Daniel Quinn and Carlos Castaneda and I guess Stephen King; he started me reading General outlook on life: Let it roll like water off my back ...(list years): 1997, 2005, 2007, 2008 Favorite BRC memories: My amazing mushroom adventure last year Least-favorite BRC memories: Blowing a clutch cable with a very grumpy (ex)girlfriend during exodus 2 years ago Playa garb you feel most yourself in: Rice Patty Hat, Big Sunglasses, Tight Grandma Polyester Pants, Bright Tennis Shoes & Utility Belt What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...If you had a superpower, what would it be? ...Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? The first 8 bars of “Billie Jean”, The vocoder break in “PYT”, and the “Mama Say Mama Sa Mama Makosa” break at the end of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'" What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? ...Your one wish for humanity: Don’t take yourself so damn seriously ...Fears for BM '09?

Arts & Crafts for the Playa

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-08-02T18:20:24-07:00

We've got it together...right? The looks and verbal affirmations from Grapenutz and Playaduster say so, but I still wonder, "What am I/are we missing?" There is only 37 days until the Man burns. ... We will have been on playa for almost 8 days by that time. I've got...no WE'VE got to get our shit together! But I'm cool. ...Trusting in the our collective ability to harness and direct the Pure Power of Potential, I know we'll have more than we need when we are on the playa. But who's gonna take care of..... Camp dBM converged this week for a throw-back summer camp arts and crafts experience at Dancing Dog Clayworks to create some unique gifts for the playa. The 20 or so Burning Man Evolution pendants will be but one of our gifts for the BRC community (music, of course being another). During our convergence we got crafty and did some planning for the upcoming journey to the Portal and beyond. A few preliminary sketches and plaster to carve DJ Playaduster is already sportin' his playa goggles ...Every piece he made was a one of a kind. After our art barn session, we bolted to Lake Padden where we took a long awaited swim (it was over 90 degrees that day) and rendezvous'd with Lil Fox and Robin, the newest Camp dBM members. The vibes were smooth, some plans were discussed, but mostly we shared our excitement about the fast approaching Burn. So, all of us here at Camp dBM are getting it together. ... I'm starting to pack already. Not so much to be sure that I have time to get everything that might be desired, but also because I'm am stoked to step through the Portal. ...I hope I can dance with you in Black Rock City!

Map of Black Rock City

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-31T20:46:02-07:00

For full-sized BRC map, click here. Where you gonna be this year?

Airing out the Fun Boxxx

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-28T21:56:25-07:00

...and whatever this is called -- a male version of an Indian sari -- along with a yak herder's hat. I also scored a free antique leather suitcase, and so have been able to expand my fun boxxx storage capacity. Now I'm all packed up and ready to burn! Next up, I want to get a bike tune-up, arrange to have a connecting trailer that can pull my picture frames, night warmth and refreshing beverages, and envision a new way to light her up at night without using disposable glowsticks...

Camp dBM registration #2

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-27T11:45:59-07:00

gems, wigs, colorful clothing If you had a superpower, what would it be? finger-pop-ups; example being at a restaurant and you need to get your waiter’s attention, a finger-pop-up would pop out of my finger and say “hello waiter, I would like another drink.” Top 3 favorite Michael Jackson songs? leave me alone, off the wall, blame it on the boogie What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? a dance off Your one wish for humanity: just please get along Hopes for BM '09? healing time Fears for BM 09? i think just getting there right now … :] currently in the works.

Camp dBM registration #1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-22T19:52:34-07:00

Drumming, skateboarding (downhill & bowls), snowboarding and gardening, tinkering with anything that electronically manipulates music and sound ...2) Beer (There was a time when I’d preface this with the word “good”, but recently my taste and appreciation of…lesser beers has grown), ...reggae-glitch-acousto-pop-break beat-rock-a-folky-electro-funk-house-dubstepped-up/down/mid tempo-groovalicious-punk-hip hop ...The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan from The Wheel of Time series (right now I’m on book 4 of 11 – reading the whole series again for the 4th or 5th time) ...I can create whatever the fuck I want to and anything that is in my life that I don’t like is on me – I created that too. The Universe is abundant and will provide you with all that you need and desire. ... Death is inevitable so live your life so that when death comes you can embrace it (hopefully without fear or regret). ...Prince is bringin’ em’ back from the dead with ‘I Would Die For You’ Hyphee fo sho’!! ...***Whatever sound camp that was across from Boogie Universal with their heinous fucking music blasting out of speakers that were pointed straight at our camp. That was THE WORST music I heard on the playa – no doubt! ...No more tent sleeping for me if I can help it. ...sleeveless shirt, vest or jacket/ long flowing robe or jacket with a deep hood / a skirt or ¾ length pants / comfortable boots What 3 items from your BRC funbox is most essential? ...What is pent-up inside of you waiting for the right opportunity to come out? That is a surprise for you and me. In the immortal words of my favorite author, Robert Jordan, “wait and find out…” ...1) A solid camp of brothers and sisters who are open to the moment to moment experience of possibility. 2) To tap into the Pure Power of Potential even further to manifest a truly transformative experience for me and those around me ...4) To dance my fucking ass off to new music that will take me to the edges of what is currently being done ...2) Loosing some cherished part of myself as I explore the boundaries of my current being

Introducing Camp dBM

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-17T21:13:39-07:00

We've been keeping the good word under wraps for the past month or so, to see how our concepts would solidify into actual plans. But now, with exactly 50 days until the Burn, we're confident enough to announce some news: Destination Burning Man will be representing on the playa this year with a camp made up of all your friends here at www.destinationburningman.com, offering a cozy dBM dome for music, dance parties, soirees and fuzzy lounging! This here website -- hosting the dBM blog, musical mixes distributed via podcasts, videos from the playa, burn reports and interpretations, links to the Burning Man universe, photo collections and Burner profiles -- began on April the first, 2007, to document the voyage of "three broke dudes with a dream and a desire to burn" to Burning Man 2007. Originally envisioned as a way to raise funds for our visions, it soon morphed, along with our evolving plans, in to a record of Boogie Universal's Pyramid Project. Our crew grew to something like 40 people, and we committed to the creation of an esplanade theme camp, with many logistics and hours upon hours of labor involved. ...The principals behind Destination Burning Man -- DJ Playaduster/moontroll and DJ Edubious -- took 2008 off from the Burn (not necessarily by choice -- it is a long and unpleasant story) -- but have held tickets for Burning Man 2009 since the first day they went on sale last winter. They knew that their co-conspirators Hekter McElliott and Ramona Mayhem would likewise be traveling to Black Rock City too, creating their own parallel plans that would allow the four to join forces on the playa and raise some holy ruckus together. With open minds and hearts, and the experiences of creating an epic burn together in 2007, moontroll and the Most Dubious E began whispering visions of a smaller, more intimate camp to be erected back towards the fringes of the city with an elevated state of comfort, a vigorous sense of adventure and soulful seeking and a mission to bring the dBM groove -- a deep groove that encompasses more diverse musical ideas than is typically found in the loudest sound camps -- to the people. It was a natural fit then when DJ Grapenuts, a leading creative and musical force from the Boogie Universal camp, stepped forward with similar ideals for his 4th Burn -- comfort, music, dance parties, freedom, adventure, independence, pushing boundaries. ...An initial summit at the Samish Island Zendo brought forth a rush of ideas for camp construction, amenities, playa art installations and hijinks, along with rough sketches visualizing the dBM dome. It was agreed that creating a simple environment in which the DJs Playaduster, Edubious and Grapenuts could plug in laptops, fire up a sound system and mix music for friends, new and old, was essential. Spinning sets from their overflowing vaults of grooves -- funk, salsa, reggae, raga, dub, breaks, soul, downtempo, cumbia, glitch, ambient, etc. -- became the organizing principle behind the mission. It was likewise agreed that the dream camp included other friends that they either knew or hoped would be in BRC too -- Camp dBM would not emulate Club Exclusivo but instead be open to fellow merry-makers and rabble-rousers, dreamers, musicians, circus performers, healers, artists and seekers. Each of the original three have passed on the whisper on to a few friends that they could envision spending a very intense and edgy week with in the desert, with positive results at the end of the double-rainbow. Torsten (playa name not registered) of San Francisco, with seven burns under his belt, knew what kind of experience he sought and thus eagerly jumped at the opportunity to merge with Camp dBM. His last burn was in 2007; while moontroll, G'nutz and Edubious were erecting the Boogie Pyramid at 9 o'clock and Esplanade, Torsten was working like a monkey on the epic Crude Awakening installation on Open Playa. Needless to say, he too was looking to gear down in 2009 and experiment with a smaller, tightly-knit camp existing on the fringes. It was also suggested to Torsten that he might know of some fellow Bay Area Burners, carefully selected, that might add good ju-ju to Camp dBM. There are rumors that Grapenuts has found two more friends enthusiastic to join the camp -- including a childhood chum and rumored Burning Man virgin -- and there is secretive campaigning going on for another brother in Taos, New Mexico, underemployed and newly single, to commit to the amorphous tribe, a tribe that is slowly but perfectly converging intentions, mapping out possibilities, and counting down the weeks and days until the Man burns... Over the next 50 days, Camp dBM intends to chronicle with some regularity the evolution of their journey to Black Rock City.

early hints of Camp dBM

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-07-01T19:59:35-07:00

Burning Man iPhone app

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-30T18:42:10-07:00

Are you ready to Evolve?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-23T17:29:28-07:00

Adam Lambert : Bringing the Burn to mainstream America

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-17T20:38:04-07:00

On Jun 10, 2009, at 12:08 PM, moontroll wrote: Subject: Re: "I realized that we all have our own power, and that whatever I wanted to do, I had to make happen." Well said, Master Doobsauce (Wonder where Princess Ramona and Hekter Binks are these daze?). We are in no position to argue against the "drug fueled" label -- it is a clinical description of how we get through the week. But still, I think Big Media has to label it as such to try and take away the power of the gathering -- call it names and it is less threatening to the status quo. Belittle it as a "freak fest" and raise the fears that most desk-jobbers have about what might happen if they too stepped outside the boundaries of the Default World. ... But I note that it was the media that called it that, and not the kid who had a spiritual awakening on the playa. (I'm getting really fired up kids - - the past couple of days I've just been getting sparkier and sparkier. ... Maybe it is because I've been listening/watching to Burncast pod and vidcasts frequently, or maybe because I got the fun box out of my storage unit and have been sifting through its dusty treasures, making note of what I need to add to it....) ...Read the "American Idol" kid's quote in the subject line again; isn't that another way of describing our ideas about the Pure Power of Potential??? Slightly different angle, I suppose, but in the same shooting range! ...Subject: Re: "I realized that we all have our own power, and that whatever I wanted to do, I had to make happen." ...He is alluding to the Pure Power of Potential. That was the connection that I was trying to make. (I'm getting fired up too. I'm actually online right now "shopping" for clothes (or ideas for my style this year). I'm finding lots of cool, tribal stuff - that is also pretty expensive. ...More on Adam Lambert's playa transformation at www.idolator.com and an examination of androgynous fashion and superstardom (with a bonus pic of Prince) at www.nytimes.com (whut?). I have no idea if Adam is a good singer/performer or not, but just being a Burner makes me warm to him -- bringing the freaky-styley philosophy of phreedom of frickin' Black Rock City in to something as mainstream as "American Idol" is both bad-ass and hilarious. American Idol Adam Lambert on the far left, rocking the net socks, platform boots, juju beads and feathered undies.

Hekter's Field Report

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-15T17:20:52-07:00

Nightime Polar bear suit is in the mail... daytime version will be handcrafted out of scraps. Just a fuzzy banana hammock really... maybe some matching smittens? Single White Polar Bear Male seeks HWP penguins & arctic foxes! Looking for a place to chill. Maybe I'll get online dating going with this shit? Portable assault unit, silent but friendly, misting machines, commercial spray gun... I'm getting all wet just thinking about it. Hope UR2 ;) ~ Hekter McElliott

Distracted by Details

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-09T18:30:18-07:00

I am putting the finishing touches on a new mix for Destination Burning Man podcasts. Stay tuned for Darwin's Furrowed Brow - a take of from DJ Playaduster's mix Darwin's Weird Beard. We throwing out some of the music that we'll be sharing on the playa this year. I also just picked up a new dj controller and a loop pedal to expand the possibilities for live sets on the playa and beyond. I'm also mining for new tracks to add to the digital library and new styles to rock on the playa. The pieces are coming together slowly, but with 90 days until the Burn, the details need to get locked down. How you doin'? Have you got your shit together yet? Have you cracked open your fun box to inventory the contents? If not, it's time to dust off your fuzzy chaps, comb out your wigs and tune up your playa bike because all roads lead to the portal opening. There is still time and like us, I'm sure you'll need every minute to get it together. But remember, in BRC give it if you've got it to give and know that you'll receive all that you need to live. Toward the Burn, ~ Edubious

The Fuse is Lit

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-06-05T21:49:48-07:00

The scene was a staff party of sorts, definitely after hours, in an outdoor learning shelter in the North Cascades that is usually full of rambunctious 4th graders. ... We were deep in the mountains, miles away from the nearest settlement, surrounded by deep trees and next to a creek loud with late spring snowmelt. After the aforementioned live musical acts, DJ Fundi took to the "stage" and plugged his macbook in to the soundsystem. ... Twinkly christmas lights, creeksong, crisp night air, a nearly-full moon and a deep selection of funk. About 20 people were in attendance for the aftershow, accompanied by several ice-filled coolers of beer. ... Things get blurry pretty fast in a kaleidoscope of Jaeger shots, Beastie Boys, the dance moves my boss pulled off, James Brown, Bassnectar, live drumming accompaniment, The Commodores, a smoking instrument, Hall & Oates, candles, the Glitch Mob, Herbie Hancock, freeform space-singing and other sparkly sensations. Bewigged, Fundi snached the empty Jaeger bottle out of his bosses hands and piched it against a nearby Douglas fir. ... He chased one fellow cubicle co-worker around the shelter for a while, lost the pack of nag champa he wanted to light, danced a funky jig or two, but always managed to get behind the computer in the exact instant before the next jam needed to be dropped. ...But it was what this mountain party called for, it was the job that DJ Fundi was called there to do. ... DJ Fundi closed the party down by being the sole groover on the dancefloor -- only the frogs witnessed his creative interpretive-dance to Bassnectar's "Murder Mashup" (a dub track he can't get enough of). There was a moment in the midst of the party -- and this is the whole point of me telling you this story -- when what seemed to be your standard wedding-style funk dance began to turn in to something different, something out of the ordinary, bordering downright weird. The music got louder, those committed to the dancefloor got looser, the drumming and singing and chanting began and the lights got extra-twinkly. ...In this moment, DJ Fundi paused and a voice in his head asked, "Things are getting pretty far out there Fundi -- do you think you ought to pull it on back a bit?" He looked around at his co-workers shaking it on the dancefloor, scatting on the mic, groove-stepping amongst the ferns, everybody having a good time under the stars, everybody realizing a moment of glorious freedom within the confines of a M-F 9-5 lifestyle (those that weren't up to the freedom-seeking had long gone to bed). Something about being swervy and freaky amongst those he normally sits in morning staff meetings and strategic planning sessions with, his fellow prairie dogs of the cubicle warren, made him consider if this open-ended creative path of unrestrained celebration was the right route to be headed down. ...Soon, the bottle was smashed, asses were spanked and the low-end on the soundsystem was pushed to its very brink. The rest is history -- or, more accurately, the rest is a collection of shards collected from the group-memory, with lots of pieces missing and an unsteady chronology. ..."That moment, my friend," DJ Fundi's brother-in-arms Hekter McElliott said upon hearing of the night's festivities, "was the moment your fuse was lit. At this point, it's all about getting ready for Black Rock City, and by the sounds of it, you're Burn started in that moment you decided to let go and seize the party at yer little hoe-down in the woods. ...That's one of the things about Burning Man: it last much longer than the obvious week on the playa.

BM09 art installations announced

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-05-01T12:01:21-07:00

flower will have a small flame that can change its size up to 30 times ...Maybe the true beauty of art is that it provides no definitive ...Are they really all that different from each other? ...If it be from your heart, you may not leave with an answer, but you ...with pulsing breath-like fire running down the crest of its spine and ...In`cu·nab"u·lum is the universe turned inside out, scaled down to a ...In`cu·nab"u·lum, participants will be led to consider one of the ...know, in another sense, that we are responsible for creating our own ...In`cu·nab"u·lum will allow participants to explore these two concepts ...Locks we use to secure all we find of value or feel the need to ...that the next step in our human evolution is when these emergent ...The Burninator Grid is a large-scale fire installation - a set of ...on the playa, but the real visceral experience will be had by walking ...The Heron Project is a large-scale modular sculpture that will serve ...ground, how did it come to be there, and in this context, is it any ...This art installation is a celebration of all MOMs, and the feminine ...this understanding of our true MOM as The Earth has been forgotten. ...looked to the energy that gave us life, "The Earth", we would be ...our Feet, to the Dirt, the Trees, the Earth energy, we would find a ...It is a way to truly rejoice in the understanding of the power

Riding the Evolutionary Wave

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-04-05T18:32:49-07:00

Like many I have been focusing on staying solvent in this brave new America. While I missed the BM American Dream in 2008, I have been tapping into the Pure Power of Potential to manifest abundance and stay ahead of the Evolution that is defining our global consciousness! I will be riding this wave onto the playa this summer to bring new vision, new music and new energy to offer as Gift to my fellow Burners! My focus and my intention are shifting toward the Burn and I look forward to the reconnections with my tribe and the many others who come together in the name of creative self expression and radical self reliance! Stay tuned to Radio dBM as we light it up heading toward the Burn 2009! In the spirit of community and creativity, ~ Edubious

Towards Evolution

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-03-10T08:08:01-07:00

We’re not interested, at this point, in another large-scale endeavor like 2007’s Boogie Universal Pyramid Project, excellent as it most certainly was. The creation and installation of the pyramid -- a 2,000 square foot, 40 foot-tall pyramidal performance space equipped with a DJ booth, mega-wattage soundsystem, light show and stage, flanked by a dome-lounge and dome-bar -- took many months to accomplish. Simultaneously, Boogie Universa was meeting almost every Monday night as a group to plan, coordinate and execute everything needed to support the pyramid plan, including the establishment of a Leave No Trace camp for 30-40 people spending 10 days and 10 nights in the harsh desert: we needed a meal plan, shelter, furniture, lots of water, generators and fuel, a booze plan, a party plan, shower, large-scale kitchen, entertainment and we had to haul all of this shit 1000 miles to Nevada and back again. ...The process featured an endless array of logistics, and I ended up taking notes at most meetings and posting them on the Boogie listserv for those who lived too far away to be at the meetings. ...There was a lot of special magic in that camp and I consider my fellow Boogiers to be like family. I just funked-out with many of them on a good-vibes dancefloor a few nights ago and the hugs were electric. ...The first realization Edub and I came to is that we really don’t know what the hell were going to do. I mean, we could start sketching out a blueprint, but we both know it is inevitably going to morph and evolve and get flipped inside-out between now and then. We could say we’re going to seek a small, intimate camping scenario with a handful of tribe and end up in a camp double the size of the Boogie by the time we roll on the playa. ...*Let’s look in to a smallish camp, with a dozen or so friendly freakers pulling together to create some comfort and fun, and let’s set up shop well off the Esplanade, back in the ‘hood where some chill can be found. *Let’s build an inviting space for impromptu performances, stand-up comedy, acoustic music and talent shows from the passing denizens of Black Rock City -- a stage with a painted backdrop, a few lights and very simple soundsystem with mikes. I see this as a gift that gives both ways: the inspired get a intentional space for performance and sharing, and our camp gets a week’s worth of entertainment and hilarity. *How about Edub and I team up to build/borrow, haul and erect a smallish-medium dome and create the “dBM Dome"? Let's create an outgrowth of this here destinationburningman.com collaborative website, a physical presence of all that we seek to share online, a place to spin our music and favorite mixes, offer a stylish multi-use environment good for mellow chill seshs and off-the-hook dance parties alike. We hope to perhaps borrow the dome that was the Boogie Lounge -- it is about 10 feet tall -- and deck it out so that it is a pleasing, comfortable, grounding and memorable environment. We’d need a decent sound system and a thought-out lighting system too, both of which we’d have to run off either a generator or marine battery -- neither of us are especially skilled in questions of power needs and generation. ...We chewed on it for a while, discussing the pros and cons of co-habitating with large and small groups, and eventually sketched out these interesting drawings while talking about “nodes” and “pods.” Seems like it could be a cool model to have several, maybe 6 or 8, semi-autonomous pods of people that were down there doing their own thing with their own talents -- spinning music and hosting sessions, giving hula hoop lessons, MC’ing the stage, offering kundalini yoga or guided meditation or sex tips workshops, um, anything really -- running a snowcone stand, reading palms, making pancakes, tap dancing, teaching, giving it up in some original way, for the people -- and each of these different creative pods of people (2-4 people?) are connected to a larger tribe (or troupe) that is bound by intentionality as well as by the building and sharing of a few public works: a kitchen with a very simple meal plan, a comfortable group hangout space, a system to manage fresh and grey water and hosting a few planned family-party theme nights when we bring it hard and righteous. Folks would camp on their own, build or bring what they need to facilitate their gift-giving contribution, bring most of your own necessities, but still work together on a common purpose: our low-maintenance, funky little creativity-and-performance village!

Hekter McElliott in Hawaii

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-03-09T00:22:32-07:00

special delivery!!!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-02-18T20:41:12-08:00

dBM worldwide

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-02-15T22:08:55-08:00

major archival discovery!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-02-13T07:39:11-08:00

Oh, did I mention...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2009-01-06T19:48:10-08:00

All four of us masterminds behind this here website have loosely committed to attending Burning Man 2009: "Evolution." For real. Bring it. Stay tuned as this site warms up, sizzles, then bursts in to flames as the adventure unfolds...

Boogie Universal Pyramid Project 2007 : World Premier of Moontroll's documentary video!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-12-04T14:07:20-08:00

Hekter back in the Default World

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-30T20:47:07-07:00

My path has never been clearer ier than ever and I have the answer to the collection of past moments and future events: Hekter Vision. Time to take my pink wig, dj earmuffs, Yovanda my mental secretary & a small camera crew around the festivals of the world. ... This shit will have to be cable or movied because I don't think Hekter Vision can be edited and still have an ounce of meaning. All of my writing, photography, random travels and apparent self-imposed lunacy have been leading me down this trail... now it's a smooth groove on the move! ...I will certainly meet some producers at Earth Dance that will be thrilled on the "Vision". ...Afterwards, the war-makers will feel a global tang of mourning and the seed of absurdity will be recognized in their evolving minds. One of the main founders of the peace prayer chooses to participate at Earth Dance each year. ...Most of my new Yovanda field notes are from San Fran folks... who all are going to be at Earth Dance. Am I on the brink of yet another tribe... if I ever make time to visit the city will I be able to resist the nectarific fairy traps? ...I will prepare a Mayan return party in 2012 at Priest Lake with my fuckleberry mojitos and special blends of the Cali-fari. They have been busy giving Cassiopeia the couch dance of her life... now Orion awakes to an extra dingle to his dangle. Back to Flickrin' my Google bar over at Your Space after I pull a 5 foot You Tube and chip my Bluetooth. If "Evolution" is truly the theme of next year's burn then can someone figure out how to run electronics without 4 cords a piece. Bluetooth is on the verge but seriously, these cords are really starting to fuck with me!! Neptune has been a blast but it's time to get serious and set up a yurt... ...I think my next trip is to Mercury in a metabolic landcruiser made out of moop and belly lint. I have a feeling that is where all my socks and pant strings have exiled to. ...PS- I've got DVD's full of crazy shit I want to get out to the whole P-cubed tribe yet as previously mentioned early, my special needs computer is about to be dropped kicked into the gutter. Anyone have a good DVD burner that would be willing to burn around 20 dvd's (they fit onto the 4GB dvd's... cheap) and make sure they get to the crew?? I'll have a few down at earthdance so let me know if I can get some Northern help.

Burning Bookshelf: Books about Burnign Man

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-30T11:35:24-07:00

Jessica Bruder's "Burning Book: A Visual History of Burning Man" (Simon Spotlight, 2007) is a dizzying piece of artwork, a shuffle-play of favorite Burning Man deliriums throughout the years, designed by the venerable collagist Martin Vensezky. It features photo contributions from hundreds of playa snapshooters and loads of playa ephemera, like reproductions of tickets and maps from past Burns, stickers and buttons from different theme camps and all the little trinkety stuff that are gifted out and circulated throughout Black Rock City. The trajectory of the book is shaped to represent the journey to and through Black Rock City, and thus early chapters include drives through Gerlach and the first burns in San Francisco before introducing you to playa legends like Thunderdome, Dr. Megavolt, Contessa and the Belgian Waffle. There are chapters on music, vehicles and costumes/identity before the reader is brought face to face with the Man and his many inflammations. The end of the ride lands softly with a retrospective of David Best's temples and closes with a look at the city's dissolution in the chapter "Leave No Trace." Dale Pendell's "Inspired Madness: The Gifts of Burning Man" (Frog Ltd., 2006) is a loose interpretation of the tribal, post-pagan gathering told through short, abstract episodic vignettes and sketches, which could be hell to read if Pendell wasn't such a interesting storyteller wading up to his eyeballs in the spirit and joy of each moment. "This is Burning Man" by Brian Dogherty (Benbella, 2004) is much less abstract and subjective, and less fun too. It seeks to tell the story of what BM is, where it came from and why it is what it is from a journalist's perspective, though Dogherty claims no impartiality: he has been burning for over a decade. Warning: knowing *too* much about the people pulling the levers behind the curtain can spoil the fun and dull the mystery. Mostly, Dogherty does a fine job of translating the untranslatable and he has a deeper grasp than most on what draws so many diverse people to the desert gathering year after year. What happens when a bunch of academics go to the Burn, drop acid and start taking notes? You end up with the book "Afterburn: Reflections on a Burning Man" (Univ. of New Mexico Press, 2005), offering essays like "Utopia, Social Sculpture and Burning Man" and "Fires of the Heart: Ritual, Pilgrimage and Transformation." Finally, I love the exquisite collection of black & white photos presented in A. Leo Nash's "Burning Man: Art in the Desert" (Abrams, 2007.) Nash's is an unusual look at Burning Man – his colorless, arid photographs focus on the diversity of art that is brought to the party. His camera is trained on the sculptures, interactive installations, vehicles and structures that populate the empty playa on the outskirts of the city. Nash has a natural gift for composition and capturing detail, though it is unsettling to view these otherwordly, fantastical dreamworks frozen in time and outside of their original dusty context. Rich and mysterious. If you are a Burner left behind this year, you might consider buying or borrowing something from this reading list to keep your soul in alignment in the dim days of the Default World.

"but most of the time you went for it, you decided to be genuine, and it came right back at you"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-25T07:17:14-07:00

I saw the full moon coming up the other night, and all I could think of was the LAST time it was full, and it was rising over the desert hills, and someone was saying on the radio, “Hey, you hippies, have you seen the moon?” ...It turns out that after all that time and all that wind and all that heat, I discovered on the long ride home that I really really loved the smell of the dust, and I wanted to hang onto it as long as possible. ...I had thought, after more than three weeks out there, watching those amazing people build the city and install the art, that I’d be really ready to leave. ... When it came time to go, it turned out that I wanted to stay forever, or at least until I could help take the city down. ...I couldn’t believe what a rush people were in to get off the playa; granted, they wanted to beat the crush, but even late Saturday night, the exodus had begun. ... That brought me back to when I was a kid, in the back seat of the car as my parents left the church parking lot, and watching cars cut each other off, all the rudeness and impatience. ...But that’s another story, and that wasn’t the feeling that stayed with me as I hit the road to Gerlach, and then past Empire, and then into the darkest hours on Indian land. ...And there were all those times that you got the feeling that people cared about you, and you found yourself caring about them, too, in the most fundamental ways. ...And there were all those people who wanted to know more about you, what you were about, and you felt like it was ok to talk from the heart, and for a change you didn’t worry about what they’d say or think later. ... Hippies don’t change anything”), but most of the time you went for it, you decided to be genuine, and it came right back at you. ...I’ll say this, though: It wasn’t the crazies and party hearty-ers on the playa after the Burn who made me want to stay. ... (And it seemed like the words “leave no trace” didn’t hold much weight that night; there was lots of crap being tossed around pretty casually.) ...There was something raw going on, and that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You don’t burn a 100-foot Man and dance around the embers and get caught up in the swirling mass of bodies and come away feeling centered and grounded. ...But even that crazy scene, that culmination, is getting stowed away with all the other crazy scenes, both good and bad. The list of incredible moments is way too long, and way too personal, to hold anybody’s interest but my own for long. Besides, you have your own memories, your own incredible moments, and they’re going to make you smile, or make you think, for months to come. And by then you’ll begin to forget about the hardest stuff; the packing, the money, the dust, the heat, the cuts on your fingers, the cramps in your legs, the pounding in your head, the dizziness, the lonely moments in between. And then, when you begin to forget about the hard stuff, when the weather has turned wet and cold, and the warm sun is only a memory, you’ll start to get the longing again. And you’ll remember something funny, like, when you showed somebody the fancy laminated card somebody gave you, the one with the structure of a molecule on it.

not just knee deep...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-09-05T17:25:41-07:00

over & out

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-27T09:16:51-07:00

Transmissions to the Default World

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-25T09:44:04-07:00

Hekter's Last Words

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-25T07:40:14-07:00

I have seen and met old and new friends like crazy this month and my gratitude shines so brightly on all of you/them. So many amazing freaks in this world and it usually takes a mind-boggling festival to become aware of the beauty that humans can attain.... the default world is a distant dream these daze... my life is morphing into one giant festival and my soul is afloat on a one-way adventure. ... Now I am the pawn on the universal chess board... floating with my destiny in a giant pot of powdered puddin'. The universal energy certainly seems to know what's best for me over my miniature mind, therefore now I listen and giggle back in acknowledgment. ...I just can't seem to fill up my angelic friendship slots but I sure as hell am gonna keep trying!! The Selkirk mountains cradled me back home like a lonely mother of a single child... that place IS my home and it has never been clearer. ...So the burn... can't say I've thought/felt a whole lot about it yet (other than how I can integrate my fresh devil horns into my new bunny ears). ... I spose' that thought is just my media induced idea of America as a whole.... bitching about gas prices because it's getting awfully spendy to fill the Hummer. My American Dream is to live off the land, off-grid with a fat garden, fresh water/air with my community of friends around me and possibly a tequila still (if there is ever such a thing). ...But for real, I've never given a little mouse turd about themes and this one neither pumps me up or deflates me. ...Some folks love to talk shit about the burn and others really try to validate themselves when confronted about it. Burning man has become a pendant on the "hard-core" folks bragging necklace... as if they are better than thou just cause they can party harder on Mars than anyone else. ... For those that talk shit about it (especially the too cool folks who have never been)... what's up? Is this an equal reaction to all the wild and fun stories that your friends bring home from the playa and rub in your face? For all of the hard core non-stop bragging burners: are you really so shallow that burning man is all you can talk about... as if just physically being there makes you cooler than anyone who hasn't experienced it yet? ...I've been "burning" just as hard in the middle of a freaking bowling alley in any town USA (and yes I was in my pink wig and red hot ski pants). ... For those who talk shit about it then quit going and shut up (if you were not able to enjoy yourself on at least some level in BRC then you probably are not going to enjoy yourself ever... and I don't want to hear about it.) For those of us who talk incessantly about the burn (I'm guilty as charged but working on it), maybe we need to check ourselves a little bit and not rave so much to others who obviously don't care. For all of you that participate in the burn to have fun and open your realities, come by my camp early burn for Fuckleberry Mojitos and a light spanking!! ...I have recently built some new bridges to parallel tribes that will definitely be coming by for mojitos and dusty chap side shuffles.

more views from BRC 08

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-24T10:40:17-07:00

From the Burning Blog -- their updates from the playa have been crucial to me these past few days as homesickness is throttling me. They don't post often, but what they put up has been appreciated! And the construction of this year's temple, Basura Sagrada --

Raging duststorms in 2008?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-22T15:30:01-07:00

southward soul pull

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-21T12:07:58-07:00

I've told you already how the feeling is building inside me, and with each day the gathering draws closer, I feel it more intense. Some longing involved, like my soul is literally being pulled out of my center and southward, though it can't detach from me and is sort of dangling out there like a kite on a string, trying to sail me towards Gerlach. I had this quiet thought this morning on the drive that I will slowly and quietly start collecting clothing and funbox items for the 2009 Burn over the next year, and just see what happens! Damn, Ramona and Hekter are ON THE MOVE!! ...love, P'Duster -----Original Message----- From: Edubious Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 9:33 AM To: DJ Playaduster Subject: re: southward pull Looking to the 2009 Burn already! ... I too am feeling the fire build inside of me and around me. The metaphor of fire, the image of fire, the memory of fire flares up in my everyday - in so many moments spiritual and mundane. I spent a long time last night before and after our video chat, reading blogs - tribe.net, burning man.com; looking at music line ups, visiting websites - Cypher Town, Opulent Temple, Purple Palace; basing on the images floating across my desktop - Crude Awakenings, Boogie Pyramid, Jackson Junk, The Temple. I have committed my audio listening to the many podcasts that we created to focus our intention before the burn and capture our experience post burn. I find myself talking about to everyone around me. I feel my spirit flutter, drawn toward home, seeking freedom but tethered by the same string that keeps you from flying away south. Perhaps I need to keep any eye open for items for my funbox? Looking forward to connecting deeply with you. To Light It Up, Burn It Down and blow it out!

BRC Rising!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-21T06:15:34-07:00

The Man, 2008

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-20T18:02:58-07:00

The Burn is Near

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-16T08:47:14-07:00

I have heard many reasons – speculations and rants – as to why those who have sparked the Fire will not be burning this year. A few have felt disconnected from this year’s theme of The American Dream. Others are feeling the pinch of the American economic reality and are just plain too broke to go. While some who are broke are going anyway, knowing that all that they need and desire will come to them on the playa if they channel the Pure Power of Potential. Still others are skipping the Burn this year because they have grown disenchanted with the way things have changed, “It’s not the same anymore…it’s too this, or it’s too that.” Whatever the myriad reasons for not going to Burning Man this year, one this is for sure, there will still be a lot of fucking people making the journey out to the Black Rock Desert seeking a cosmic party, a spiritual awakening, random sex, art, creative self expression, community or a combination all of these. ...I am not going to Burning Man because I don’t want to go. I am longing to spark the fires of creative self expression and dive into the dusty melting pot of the most absolute freedom that I have ever know. I want to Light It Up and Burn It Down. I want to blow out the limiting thoughts and habits of the Default World and delve deeper into the core of who I am. ... I want to receive the gifts of strangers and offer them my gifts in return. I want to be cracked open and filled with the power of intention, Love, creativity and deeper self-awareness. ...This year I don’t have the bandwidth to go to the Burn, to prepare for the Burn, to be at the Burn, to decompress from the Burn. I straight up don’t have the time in my life to commit to Burning Man this year. ... You can break out of the confines of the Default World for a week, can’t you?” ...My 2007 Burning Man experience (including pre- and post- playa) awakened me to the Pure Power of Potential – the ability to manifest anything that you want, when you want it; the soul attraction that draws the abundance of the Universe to you. I have harnessed that power over the last year to bring many of my personal and professional goals and visions to fruition in the Default World. The truth is, I not going to Burning Man because I am choosing to stay present with all that I have created from the energy I got from the 2007 Burn. ...It has dimmed and times I thought it was snuffed out, but it continues to smolder and as we approach the pilgrimage to the playa and the burning of the man the fire rises in me. I will Burn this summer, as I have done all year.

Hearts of Flame Trilogy : Burning Man tributecasts reposted

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-08-07T10:05:08-07:00

I went through a similar process of longing in 2006 during Burn week, when I was back here in the Default World but feeling the massive energy gathering on the playa (the intensity of that longing was what ultimately led me to find a way back to the Burn in 07). Night after night in Bellingham, staring at a webcam focused on Center Camp and tuning in to the video reports from TV Free Burning Man, I wove together deeply-felt musical mixes on my Macbook. The music and the vibe were inspired by Burning Man, reflecting what I learned from my first Burn in 2004. I set out to make a cohesive 1-hour mix, but got carried away on a wave of inspiration, and didn't wind the mix up until 4+ hours later. I had to split it up and the Hearts of Flame trilogy was born. It was a mixing session that lifted my skills to a new level -- I took what I knew about serving up music mixes and then pushed my own boundaries until I ended up with a blend that was like nothing I had heard before. It was strange and lucid and inspired and unpredictable, with massively overlaid sounds morphing in to a weird soundtrack emanating from my heart. Listening to it today, there are all kinds of things I would do different, tracks I would like to get rid of and transitions made smoother. Yet when I hear it I am instantly transported to Black Rock City, as well as to those feelings of participating in the Burn from far away. It connects me to the primary vibe of the Burn, plugs me in and takes me away. So, yesterday I decided that to share it here on Destination Burning Man and plan on posting one chapter of it per week from today until the Burn. (I posted it in 2006 as I was creating it on my other podcasting website, The Podcast Cafe, but have a more sympathetic audience right here.) I hope it will inspire those of you who are busy getting ready for the journey to the Black Rock Desert right now. I send it out with the intention of connecting all of us, those who are Burn-bound and those who have chosen other routes this year. If Hearts of Flame stimulates you in any way, I'd love to hear about it: destinationburingman@gmail.com Love and dusty kisses, DJ Playaduster

Re: )*( Your Center Camp Cafe Video

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-06-29T22:52:37-07:00

So thank you again from the bottom of my sparkly heart! You have inspired me and brought me back to where i needed to be. I am going to send it out to my cafe crew so they can see their work again. seeing this video makes me super excited to get on the playa and set her up!!! If you have a moment, please send me a hello. I would love to connect with you. dusty dreamin' kisses and thanks to you!

Praises from Wanobi of Ohmland

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-06-29T22:49:57-07:00

Boogie Universal's Electric Mayhem

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-06-06T12:41:56-07:00

(The canoe leg was cancelled because the Nooksack River was flowing too high, cold and fast, so this is as much action as Moontroll & Marcey saw in the race...) In the end, we completed the race in 7 hours, forty-three minutes and 41 seconds, placing 249th in a sea of something like 500 teams. More photos from race day are here, thanks to our nordic skier man, Scott G., who flew in from Steamboat, Colorado. Special thanks to Ramona Mayhem who organized and prodded the Boogie to play together in the race -- WOOT!

How to enjoy the Burning Man Experience from the Comfort of your Own Home

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-05-11T16:37:49-07:00

Pay an escort of your affectional preference subset to not bathe for five days, cover themselves in glitter, dust, and sunscreen, wear a skanky neon wig, dance close naked, then say they have a lover back home at the end of the night. ...Lean back in a chair until that point where you're just about to fall over, but you catch yourself at the last moment. ...Only use the toilet in a house that is at least 3 blocks away. ...Set your house thermostat so it's 50 degrees for the first hour of sleep and 100 degrees the rest of the night. ...Spend thousands of dollars and several months of your life building a deeply personal art work. Hide it in a funhouse on the edge of the city. Hire people to come by and alternate saying "I love it" and "this sucks balls". ...Have a 3 a.m. soul baring conversation with a drag nun in platforms, a crocodile and Bugs Bunny. ..."Downsize" last year's camp by adding two geodesic domes, a new sound system, art car, and 20 newbies. ...Shop at Wal-mart, Cost-Co, and Home Depot until your car is completely packed with stuff. ...Cut off the bindings, throw all the pages up in the air and shuffle them back together. ...Listen to music you hate for 168 hours straight, or until you think you are going to scream. ... Realize you'll love the music for the rest of your life. Spend 5 months planning a "theme camp" like it's the invasion of Normandy. ... Spend Thurs-Sunday nowhere near camp because you're sick of it or can't find it. Walk around your neighborhood and knock on doors until someone offers you cocktails and dinner. ...Tell your boss you aren't coming to work this week but he should "gift" you a paycheck anyway. ...Search alleys untill you find a couch so unbelievably tacky and nasty filthy that a state college frat house wouldn't ...Take a nap on the couch and sleep like you are king of the world. Ask your most annoying neighbor to interrupt your fun several times a day with third hand gossip about every horrible thing that's happened in the last 24 hours.

The Green Man Trilogy and reflections at the Burnal Equinox

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-03-16T19:17:45-07:00

So far as we can tell, the release of REINTEGRATION contains the last dusty tidbits of field recordings left from Burning Man 2007, and also pretty much taps the last drops of insight and inspiration for creating Green Man-themed art projects: musical podcasts, essays of reflection, movies, photo slideshows, etc. etc. ...Just so happens that the release of this last bit of Green Man juju comes near the Burnal Equinox, or the pivot point on the opposite end of the year from the Burn. It was on the Burnal Equinox, 2007, that DJs Playaduster and Edubious dropped the first musical podcast mixes (which you can still access here and here). ...Upon sharing these notions with Edubious, the Doobsauce responded by saying, "You know, it took us six months to build it all up, and then it took 6 more months to tear it all down again." ... The Burn is a 10-day event in the desert, but Burning Man is a feeling, a groove, a beacon that shines in to lives all around the planet regardless of time or place. ...DJ Edubious, upon listening to the last chapter in the Green Man Trilogy, also had this to share: ...My body is here at work, and I am trying to look like I am doing some kind of work that is related to the paycheck that I receive bi-weekly. Internally, my mind is cruising through past landscapes between here and the Black Rock Desert. I am circling over the towering cliffs and ox bow bending river at Smith Rocks State Park. I am standing amidst the circle of the Australian goddess tribe, reeling from a kiss that was shared through the electric buzz of a medicinal cocktail. I am striding across the Playa toward the man, in full regalia, amidst the Love and friendship of the Boogie Universal Crew. I am in the kitchen at Sunnyland, uttering the prophecy of the Pure Power of Possibility and Potential. ...Lost in the jumble of electro-nurf Ikea beats; thankful for the reprieve of Bob Marley and Sufjan Stevens. I can feel the cold winter air and welcome isolation of Snow Flamingo Studios through the haze of ganja smoke, belly-warming whisky and Juble Ale sippin'. I see the tears glistening in your eyes and revisit in me the gift of clarity and commitment that you shared with me on my birthday. I feel the closure of the Green Man/Burning Man 2007 Archival Project. ... Waiting for us pick it up, dust it off and release the genie that will take us back to those many fading moments of bliss, creativity, collaboration, challenge, beauty, community, music and Love. I am moved from this place toward the flame that continues to Burn inside of me. ...Thanks for sharing it with us during the past year. ...DJ Playduster wants me to recommend to you another podcast channel produced by his compatriot DJ Fundi; check out all of the goodness over at the Podcast Cafe, featuring Podcast Cafe episodes, a channel devoted to live music bootlegs, a direct transglobal link to Radio Free Fundi and the Fundiblog.

Big Rig Jiggin' in Seattle

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-03-13T17:24:42-07:00

His design for Capitol Hill, to be announced this spring, will probably involve something really, really big that hangs from crossbeams inside the station. Barbara Luecke, Sound Transit's public-art administrator, said she pursued Ross after she saw "Big Rig Jig" at Burning Man. ..."Capitol Hill seems like they're willing to look for a strong art statement," said Luecke, based on chats with community advocates and a design committee. Ross, 32, won't discuss details of his design, which he says is not fully formed. But a speech here last week, an interview and his past works suggest he'll create something fun. Ross was inspired to make the truck sculpture by the traffic in his neighborhood, where 18-wheelers make him nervous about his jaywalking habit. Also, Ross said, he and his girlfriend have hitchhiked across the country with truck drivers. He describes "Big Rig Jig" as his perspective on an unsustainable, oil-burning economy. ...That's a big part of what I'm trying to do. ...In five trips to Seattle, he's noticed the constant grayness and also that the city's public art tends to offset that gray with a joyous feeling, a tradition he wants to honor. ...Before "Big Rig Jig," he co-designed a pair of temporary sculptures called "Color Field," in Key West, Fla., and New York. ... Viewers could combine colors — making purple by pulling a red panel over a blue one, for example. In Seattle, colors could be installed in the glass-walled station entrances, Luecke said. "I haven't thought about it, but it might be very nice," Ross said. Transit spokesman Bruce Gray said no decision has been made on whether to install the sculpture at one of the three entrances or on the mezzanine. If an expected federal grant comes through, the station is scheduled to open in late 2016 as part of a $1.8 billion, three-mile tunnel from Westlake Center to Husky Stadium. The Capitol Hill art budget is $550,000, including $110,000 for Ross. Compared to the mostly wall-mounted art in Seattle's downtown tunnel, the Capitol Hill tunnel piece would be more three-dimensional, Ross said. One possibility is a piece that hovers above escalator riders as they glide through different elevations. ...A subway ride makes a city an archipelago of busy streetscapes, separated by journeys in black.

Playa Panoramas

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-02-25T20:11:33-08:00

American Dream<br>Burning Man 2008

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-01-27T18:37:24-08:00

The theme for Burning Man 2008 is "American Dream" -- it was announced a while ago, while the embers of the 2007 man were still warm on the ground. The theme has spawned all kinds of heated debate about whether it's a good one or not, whether it is to inward-looking or narcissistic, whether it is inclusive for the thousands of burners who come to Black Rock Desert from dozens of other countries, whether it is too specific and therefore limiting artistic expression, on and on and on. If there's one thing Burners seem to excel at, especially the ones plugged in to BM culture as it exists on the web, it is endlessly debating and protesting and arguing and microanalyzing. This might simply be representative of the wildly diverse perspectives, attitudes, beliefs and persuasions that the collective mass of Burners represent. Sometimes it is interesting, other times tedious, often it depends on the subject under debate. Anyways, I love the American Dream meme and think it will inspire an assload of really thoughtful, topical, sacrilegious art and music. There are many different ways to approach this theme -- reinterpreting American history and symbols, recasting current events and giving us new ways to look at the nation and its peoples, dreaming up a new course that could lead America to an as-yet-undreamed future -- and I think the artistic results could potentially have great meaning and usefulness. But the artistic response can (and should) also include irreverence, satire, anger, goofiness and hilarity. ..."Today, Americans appear to live amid the tarnished squalor of a second Gilded Age. ... A mere one percent of the population now controls a third of the nation's wealth. Education, health care and home ownership – these now escape the reach of those who thought they were the middle class. ... Embroiled in a wayward war, its citizens are told to shop. ...Its allies, once so numerous, begin to fall away and chart an independent course. Its citizens, more tellingly, have lost their faith in progress. Polls indicate they now believe their children can't expect a better future. They distrust the institutions of government, of finance, and the corrupting power of large corporations. And yet, the native traits of any culture are deep-rooted. Freedom, opportunity, inventiveness, the power to transform oneself: these values and a love of self-expression still endure. ...Maybe, it's also time that they began to listen to other countries of the world. ...If you have a feeling one way or another about the "American Dream" theme, speak up in the "comments" page.

moontroll & ramona mayhem's 2007 reports now online

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2008-01-10T13:10:42-08:00

VIVA LA BOOGIE!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-12-16T20:44:40-08:00

Happiest, honky-doriest holidays to some of the best peoples we've ever had the pleasure to meet! Lots of love, the Three Broke Dudes

Podcast Cafe open for bidness!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-12-14T20:42:57-08:00

Burning Man 2007 : Film is Truth

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-20T13:05:54-08:00

Moontroll has posted four short videos over on the Films page -- "Dust Storms & Rainbows", "Sunrise at the Temple", "Center Camp Circumambulation" and "The Playa Portraits Project." You can watch them here in the comfort of Destination Burning Man, or catch them in a crappier low-rez versions over at Youtube. Scene from "Sunrise at the Temple" * photo by moontroll Either way, they are designed with hopes of transporting the viewer back to the glory of the playa by way of moving sights and sounds. Scene from "Dust Storms & Rainbows" * photo by moontroll If you see yourself in any of these documentaries, or if you simply enjoy the ride, please drop moontroll an email at moontroll@destinationburningman.com or leave a comment. Scene from "Playa Portraits Project 2004-2007" * photo by moontroll Get out the popcorn & goggles and enjoy!

get disoriented

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-18T13:15:57-08:00

top photo by moontroll; bottom two by rumble.

Bassnectar in Bellingham, Nov. 17

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-11T15:59:41-08:00

As a fellow uniquely retarded in many ways – but especially dense when it comes to electronic music – I had no comprehension for the cult-like status embalming some of the stars in the DJ world. ... My presumption was a night doomed to nothing more than observing a technical college reject who had a cute passion for tweaking his I-Pod collection. ...So it came to pass that I, a blown turd leftover from the Grunge revolution, had been reborn a convert to these pretentiously named hoods lurking behind their cages of electronic gear. Soon I would be that frenetic fool who epileptically worships a stage presence like Bassnectar for boldly removing his fingers from a nest of smoldering knobs, winking lights, turntables and keyboards to lift one globe of their absurdly big headphones and, just maybe, stare at the crowd long enough to wag an energized fist. Electronic music stirs my midlife mocha, and whip cream on my saggy nipples couldn't get me more frothed up than the guy coming to the Nightlite this month. ...While the name “Bassnectar” conjures the image of juice squozen from a game fish (it is fun to irritate his fans with the deliberate mis-pronunciation) the DJ actually has a global following that will claim he is the driving force behind the West-coast breaks scene. ... Lacking the vocabulary of the genre myself, and weary of all the tortured sub-divisions within the DJ music culture, the best fall back seems to be Lorin's own description of his beats: “Omni-tempo Maximalism.” The diversity of Lorin's sound is reflected not just in his prolific discography, produced mostly through San Fransisco's Om Records, but also in the type of folk who call the guy a pal. He's worked with hip hopper KRS One, Micheal Franti of Spearhead, Micheal Kang of the (mostly) bluegrass String Cheese Incident, and the freakishly talented rock guitar virtuoso, Buckethead. A heavy streak of social activism runs through most, if not all, of these collaborations and Lorin is not shy about dubbing tracks from an activist, poet, or songwriter to infuse his delirious rhythms with a less digital message. Looping Saul Williams' anti war speech into a track, or naming his two most recent CDs “Underground Communication” and “Bomb the Blocks,” might give further hints to the thoughts crawling around in Lorin's hairy hippie noggin. Since I am a member in good standing with the Boogie Universal arts collective, I had a chance to grill Erik Moore, one of the collective's founding members, about the Bassnectar phenomena. What I wanted to know, specifically, was where the fuck all the freaks had come from and, specifically, what the hell they were doing in sleepy 'lil Bellingham on that Tuesday night. ...“A lot of these people probably saw him last night in Seattle – actually, I know they did – came up here to see him again. ...Perhaps not believing him, or perhaps eager for the spectacle of watching so many scantily clad waifs dancing their asses right off, I went down to see the thing for myself. ... Armed not only with one of the most cleanly and purely loud systems I've ever endured, but also with a button that shot hot geysers of flame over the crowd, the DJ/creature in its booth created insanely beautiful chaos that gleefully pounded the crap out of that sweaty desert until the thin hours of dawn came a 'knockin. ...He's trying something unique and wild and daring while most of the assholes with musical talent are busy refining their sound to meet the pablum ingested by “American Idol” judges. And, since he's skipping both Seattle and Vancouver for this leg of his tour (yes, the Boogie is THAT powerful) it is quite likely that the freaks will be out in force for a Saturday show. ...

Hekter's 2007 Green Man report

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-07T19:37:19-08:00

The historical value, not to mention the artistic value, of this document cannot be overstated. It was composed in the feverish weeks following The Burn, when Hekter found himself alone, isolated, broke, but supremely inspired with a smoldering soul, in a midsize Eastern Washington city. Herein we find him processing his playatime by way of keyboard and pixel, and we are lucky enough to sneak a peek in to his Hekterized worldviews.....sit back, strap in and dig it. You can download a pdf version here, or visit the What is Burning Man page to link to it online. Your comments and questions are welcome.

Best Burning Video of 2007

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-05T19:50:49-08:00

new post-playa podcast posted!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-11-04T19:53:11-08:00

VIVA LA HENDY!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-29T20:46:18-07:00

The feeling of being part of a tribe never struck such a chord before. I have been the dreadlock/longhair/dress-wearing freak, and -- here in the middle of America -- a shorthair/spacey/ski freak. At Burning Man, I found the tribe I had been looking for: between Wyoming Camp/Sacred Sound & Vision and the Boogie Universal folks, my sense of placement and direction came together. I had no idea what to expect, except that I had to go and the time was right. Life is made up of so many twist and turns, all of which can last a long time, maybe even a lifetime. My road as of recent has been filled with turns, and Burning Man was the perfect way to see the new road clearly. Wow! What a road I have in front of me! I am not sure why, but I left the playa exhausted, spent, burnt, but more ready to tackle the world then ever. Strange… Maybe it's because our paths crossed again, or maybe because the Chinese Junk grooved me back to my inner child, or maybe it was a quick mix of it all. Whatever the case all I can say is thank you…. thank you to it all…. the magic of it all: the morning music sets, the stoney bike rides, the best nap I have ever had in hammock, snow cones, women -- did I mention the mindbending ladies? -- and all the other organized chaos that I love so much. Returning was tough due to the work load and the looming realities of the pain that lay ahead, but time has passed and my world is shifting into a new reality. It is a reality that has a new tribe of friends, experiences, and killer dance grooves. I can't wait till our paths cross again and we shake it into the morning light. Jah love, Hende- AND YES I AM IN MEXICO.... SURFS UP....!

Saturday Sunrise at the Temple

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-17T12:38:35-07:00

Here it is as hosted on YouTube: Unfortunately, the resolution of this version is so low that the viewer misses out on some of the rich detail. We're working on getting Burning Man 2007 movies posted on our Films webpage, but something isn't working correctly as of yet, and Moontroll hopes to rebuild the Films section so that higher-quality versions of his movies can be shared. Stay tuned....and if you enjoy the show, please leave a comment and/or rating at YouTube!

Hey Broke Dudes!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-14T21:36:14-07:00

Many blessings of gratitude to the three broke dudes for sharing your space and playing groovious music and radiating with kindness. Conversely, thank you to the LADIES of Boogie Universal... I am indebted to the women who clothed me during a major wardrobe malfunction on a night when my brain was in another galaxy...somewhere on the other side of the pink birthday cake...thanks to Hektor too for the fine zebra striped blazer! Also, Brock rocked....and I could keep going and so it goes... I am strangely haunted by the ghostlike fine line between order and chaos that permeated the playa with an apparition's stealth. ...wtf? Such a magical city of Extremes (exreme from all angles -- white out winds to full arched rainbow, glittering love-sprites to Thunderdome, Green Man to massive mushroom explosives, etc) with absolute functionality!!! I will never forget my first bike ride at night out on the playa. A new world exposed and my eyes and soul were agape! Many banters, smatterings and rants are uncoiling, and will continue to do so...at least till I get bored of pulling meaning out of hopelessly removed minutae and embrace the lessons for this life's journey! Hopefully RamonaM and I will hook up soon to decompress/reflect together from our own vantage points. Hope to see the broke dudes 3 again....soooooo happy to have met you all. Be Well, R.

hibernating....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-10-09T20:01:53-07:00

Life's been a whirlwind for the Three Broke Dudes upon returning to the Default World. There was barely time to process our experiences in the desert before we got swooped up by the flow of our routines... This blog is gonna be pretty quiet through the winter. This whole website is due for an overhaul to reflect the fact that we did indeed make it to Burning Man this year, along with Bellingham's kick-ass Boogie Universal crew and the ill-fated Boogie Pyramid. Did I mention that it collapsed in the first giant dust storm on Thursday? Turned out to be but a simple wrinkle in our plans: we rolled up the wreckage, set it to the side, dug some sand out of our ear holes and partied on. Took the Boogie out underneath the stars, and we're probably all the better for it. Did I mention that the Three Broke Dudes became the Four? So many tales to tell... While there might not be moment to moment updates and reports as during the months and weeks leading up to the Burn, we are working with the raw materials that we collected on the playa -- photos, audio field recordings, video, stories, sand, soulsauce reductions -- and plan on sharing what we craft with our friends, fellow Boogiers and Burners and random wanderers to this here website. In other words, Edubious, moontroll and Hekter will be writing stories, making movies and slideshows, mixing podcasts and the like over the dark nights of winter and posting them here and there across the digital spectrum at destinationburningman.com. This blog will make note as to when something is new, and tell you where to find it too (right now, there is a short docudrama film that moontroll made to give respects to the dust storms and double rainbow being hosted on YouTube right here; he's hard at work on another film following the rise and fall of the Boogie Pyramid and Edubious is halfway done mixing up his musical response to his first Burn in podcast form...stay tuned.) We also invite you to share your creations, memories and tall tales from the Green Man on this website. Contact us at destinationburningman@gmail.com with your ideas, links to your Burning stuff, hallucinations, music mixes, whatever... Stay in touch!

dust storms & rainbows

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-19T12:30:57-07:00

This is the movie I made from scraps of film footage and fotos and playa field recordings from the Green Man. I just got a new video editing program and this was my first time playing around with it. Right now it is being hosted at YouTube, though I plan on posting a higher resolution version over on the Films section of this site soon -- it is much more impressive and enjoyable to watch it at full screen with decent res & sound. (update 10/10: the film is now posted over on the Films page, but it is kinda fucked up at the moment--I need to keep tinkering with it, though I think it is still watchable!) If you like it, please share your feedback in the dBm comments feed. Enjoy!

Back Home

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-15T11:29:54-07:00

sweet photo by Ramona Mayhem The Three Broke Dudes have each made it safely back from Burning Man! As you might have noticed, we haven't updated the dBM blog much since getting back -- I've received a number of emails from readers following the journey asking, "Well, Three Broke Dudes, how did it go?!? What happened with the Boogie Pyramid? Did you see the Man burn early?" etc. etc. Well, it has been a rough transition for each of us fitting back in to our lives here at home. We're still processing the experience & trying to integrate some of the lessons in to our day-to-day. So, be patient. The storytelling will come. But we're gonna need some time....

Moontroll's Return

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-11T11:07:53-07:00

Amazing the trials our autos put us through as we tried to crawl off of the playa -- it took me 3.5 hours to Exodus, and all around me were car accidents, sleeping drivers, steaming radiators -- an unholy wreck that looked like a war zone refugee camp. ...Edub and I made it about 5 minutes off playa post-Temple Burn before collapsing on the side of the road. The next morn we saw Grapenuts and Pommes Frites in Gerlach waiting for a tow truck. Then our friend Rachel in Cedarville with a dead car. Then Ramona and Hekter in the Oregon Outback talking to a police officer....sheesh. We hooked up and caravaned with the Ramona Mobile to Bend on monday and got a Motel 8 room for one of the deepest sleeps I've ever had. Edub and I stopped at Smith Rock north of Bend to mark his 35th bday and do some decompression work -- we tried to sort the week out the rest of the ride home, and began to discover some of the deeper lessons of our week on the playa. Didn't get back to B'ham til Wed night -- sorry to have missed the truck unloading -- and am now staring at my truck full of dusted-out shit with trepidation. Downloading fotos and sound recordings to my computer and reading up on the post-Green Man gossip, rants and raves on Tribe and ePlaya too. Haven't begun to talk about the experience with my partner, roommate or friends calling to check in. The experience feels to personal, sacred and indescribable to begin sharing it -- I want to hold every moment close, deep inside me. I want to keep these embers glowing for as long as possible before the default world sucks the magic out of me..... Does anybody have Bassnectar recordings I can burn? I am going through heavy withdrawals... Can't wait for the Boogie Decompression gathering, and am glad to have Bassnectar at Rumors in Nov. to look forward to! Finally, did you hear about the 2008 BM theme? You won't believe it -- at first I was repulsed, but 24 hours later, I can see the twisted, reprogramming, ironic possibilities and think it will work out: http://burningman.com/art_of_burningman/bm08_theme.html love to you all and good luck with the reintegration,

Hekter's Return

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-07T15:50:58-07:00

Hekter here, sitting behind a desk with a funny looking square light box staring me down.... I just blinked so I guess I lose. Finally got home to Spokane last night (Wednesday) at 9:00. It took more than 3 days, 3 different cars, 4 states, a lot of coffee crank, lying my way out of jail and other unmentionables to get home...... but I'm here and I'm not sure what to do with myself. From Gerlach to Bend to Olympia to Seattle to Methow to Spokompton.... that's what happens when I pack my GPS unit so deeply in the funbox. Helped my buddy unpack his trailer in the Methow yesturday, the playa dust reconfigured my reality protocols once again and I think my cranial grey matter is a bit greyer. Just wanted to give a giant shout out to the Booty Universal..... I am grateful for the opportunity to share space with an amazing tribe of funks(wo)man and feel like I have a whole other crockpot of family simmering on the coastal shelf. Intertidal salad bar of O.G. goodies. If any of ya's find yourself in North Idaho or Spokane, know you have a place to stay and a story to hear. My treehouse is your treehouse!! Thinking of quitting this appraisal business and focusing on writing and photography...... Vamos a Ver!! Much Love and a lil' rooster sauce, Hekter

Edubious' Return

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-09-06T15:34:52-07:00

Back in Seattle after an incredibly transformative week on the Playa. Many lessons to decipher, interactions and adventures to process, pictures to peruse, music to acquire, and thanks to be extended. Of course, I've got to start with the Boogie Universal crew. THANK YOU ALL! I am still so incredibly blown away by the way in which we did what we did. ...I am sorry that I was not able to be up in Bellingham to help with the unload. Thank you to those of you who put forward the energy and effort to get the truck unloaded. I will definitely be coming up Bham way for a decompression party and will be happy to help refurbish the ...I don't recall the exodus from BRC as I was in a state of delerium like I have never experienced - bone deep exhaustion and the residuals of many days of medicinal excess reduced my exodus experience to a semi-lucid dream of blurred tail lights and uncomprehensible requests and comments from Moontroll. I was spent. I have never been so happy to throw down my sleeping bag on the dusty side of a highway. The drive home was spent recalling and capturing details of the the days spent on the playa. It felt imperative to capture the memories before the details blew away like so much playa dust. As it was, it was still pretty difficult to recall it all. I am still Burning and will do whatever I can to continue to Burn as I reintegrate into the default world. So far the transition has been slow but promises to accelerate with a return to work on Monday. I look forward to joining you all to rekindle the Burning man and woman in each of us. Much Love & Respect! Be the Peace. ... Breathe deep and BURN!

gone!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-23T08:11:49-07:00

Going, going....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-22T15:11:48-07:00

The Boogie Universal camp lowered, folded & packed the Boogie Pyramid tonight -- it took 10 of us about an two hours. We compacted the side panels like a quesadilla and loaded them in to a big rental truck. As folks peeled off from our last gathering in the dank and green Pacific Northwest, we cheered "See you on the playa!" Indeed. The Boogie caravan is starting to pull out of Bellingham station....from Whitehorn to Black Rock... Hope to see you in Black Rock City!

Imminent Intersections

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-20T09:40:09-07:00

I am superstoked to find out my long-lost soulbrother Eric "Hendy" Henderson of Driggs, Idaho fame is making his virgin voyage to the playa this year! Eric was one of my closet friends in Jackson Hole -- we met the first week I moved there at a potluck on Saddle Butte and were housemates out in lovely Kelly during the summer of '07 -- but we lost the commuication connection over the past few years and I was wondering when I'd ever catch up with him again. With Burning Man juju rolling thick and juicy in the planetary atmosphere, it is no surprise that I received a spontaneous email from him last week and the good word that he is bound for Black Rock City in a matter of days. Damn, I can't wait to roll with you H! See you soon--and get ready for the ride of your life! I just now got a voicemail from Torsten, and though it was cryptic -- "I'm at Rim. I'm going in. OH MY GOD IT'S FULL OF STARS!" was all he said -- I believe the call was made just before he lost cell reception as he rolled on to the playa outside of Gerlach, Nevada...(here he is in full glory in '04)-- Torsten, Edub and I haven't hung out together since maybe 2001 or 2002, as seen in this photo from the archives. All of that will change in a few days.... And here's a photo from 2003 of the Jackson Hole man-crew, featuring the soon-to-be playa-reunited Torsten (middle), Scotty/Hekter (far right) and me/moontroll/DJ Playaduster (singing)--wish Andy & Ben were onboard the Black Rock City Express too-- I'm also giddy to get my dirty hands on Troy -- 40 spankings on his 40th birthday next Monday night in the Boogie Pyramid!-- he's traveling all the way from Thailand to be a part of the glorious madness. Here we are in Bellingham a few years back when we first met after he won a Tom Robbins contest at the newspaper I was editing -- But will there be also be a sighting of The Maestro and his magikal selection of bikes? Only the playa knows.... ...Gatherings. Family. Playa. Magic!

Safety Third : A Public Service Announcement

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-18T10:24:56-07:00

Because we here at Boogie Universal care about the personal safety and well-being of all visitors to the Boogie Pyramid, we've done some intensive safety tests to our structure to make sure it does not catch fire and melt, which would result in massive casualties and a Superfund toxic waste emergency. As you already know, our pyramid is constructed from recycled billboard vinyl, the flammability of which was untested. Here you can see Moontroll, aka DJ Playaduster, subjecting the vinyl to serious fire testing with his Bic lighter. Luckily, the material did not combusticate, but only sort of melted and withered a bit, extinguishing itself after releasing small black puffs of nasty smoke. Our crew of Safety Third Inspectors approved the general soundness of the flammability thresholds, though it was decided that having a few extinguishers on hand wouldn't be a bad idea. They also stressed the importance of keeping fire-breathing art cars that send out 80-foot columns of jet fuel fireballs into the air far away from our pyramid. Flaming hula hoopers could be a safety hazard too...

I'm screwed

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-17T12:14:45-07:00

Bad news on the transportation front: with one week to go before the caravan crawls out of the mossy sanctuary of the Pacific Northwest for the dusty, desiccated void of the Black Rock Desert, my Toyota 4Runner sprung a leak. I've had a series of problems with the coolant system since the day I bought the rig -- the radiator gave out hours after I sealed the deal. This time around, the water pump has given out. My mechanic is replacing the water pump, valve cover gasket, timing belt, cam seals, crank seal and coolant. The damage? $1000! Do you have any idea what a grand could do right now as I scramble to prepare for Burning Man?!?! Do you know how much booze, blinky lights, food & water, wigs & masks, playatech furniture, bacon and gifts for the community I could round up with a budget of $1000? It is driving me totally insane getting hit with this right now. On top of the financial meltdown, I won't get the ride back until Monday, so my last weekend pre-departure will be spent without wheels -- just when I was planning on doing mad errands, shopping trips, last sorties to the thrift stores..... Now more than ever, this One Broke Dude needs some outside financial assistance. This website and blog receives hundreds upon hundreds of visitors each month, but the donation flow has been meager at best. That's fine. We're pulling of our dream and our desire to burn anyways. But if you have been enjoying the photo galleries, the movies, following the dBM blog or grooving on the podcasts, maybe you'll feel inspired to pitch in $5, $10, $20 towards the mission. I'm going to be seriously scraping the bottom of the barrel to get my truck back on the road, and the random (financial) kindness of strangers will go a long way towards not only funding the dream but raising my spirits as well. This site has a link to the Destination Burning Man Paypal account, and with a few keystrokes, you can send some monetary relief our way and feel good about contributing to the Three Broke Dudes/Boogie Universal/Boogie Pyramid mission! Click here to contribute....and thanks in advance! The only good thing about my water pump going out now? At least it is happening here in Bellingham and not in Bumfuck, Nevada en route to the Burn!!!

Desaggulation

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-17T10:14:45-07:00

So the Boogie Universal crew was unanimous in our resolve to keep plugging away on the Boogie Pyramid project and get it in shape so it is a worthy addition to Black Rock City. We're gonna be on the Esplanade and 9:00, and we want to be proud of our contribution. The first erection of the Pyramid revealed several structural flaws, which Erik, Chad, Robin and I got to fixin' last night in a work party that went until dark. We added some "bonus cables, restrung a few seams, incorporated more stakes to pull out the bottom and other nips and tucks, and finally got to raise it half-way to see how it looked in Version 2.0. It was promising, and I feel less anxiety regarding the status of our dream project. We've got two more work parties scheduled and hope lots of fellow campers will be there to further the makeover work. I think it is going to work out excellently, just like Erik predicted.

Playa update from Torsten

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-16T09:03:57-07:00

My good buddy Torsten recently sent me this cautionary email: "I'm out of here in a couple days for the dusty of dusties... Side note: it is super dusty this year -- several of my friends have already been out to the Black Rock Desert and back and all report the same, so prepare yourself mentally and gear wise with a really good dust mask and goggles you don't mind wearing all day. Seriously. With no rain this year, the play never turned back into a lake so there is only a small rain crust over all of last years dust. Crust on dust, if you will. Any wind at all and its all dustbowlling for ravers, worse than average. I'll be at 5:00 and Esplanade in the Devil's Workshop and Day Spa. More to follow on that. I'll give you a pre-entry shout from Gerlach! --Torsten" ps. Here are some more pics from the project I've been working on for months in a warehouse in San Fran; it's called "Crude Awakenings." Enjoy.

Nappy Dugout

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-15T10:35:56-07:00

Edubious and I visited the pyramid work site with our families this weekend and had some serious deflation upon viewing the flaccidity of our temple. We weren't there for the first official erection and so expected to see a thing of glory -- instead, there is a monument to sag looking somewhat forlorn in a farm field outside of Ferndale. It was a bit embarrassing to expose our ladies to the thing that has been pulling us out of family time so much over the past few months and have it be a saggy pile of nappy vinyl! ..."It is a bit awkward for me to comment on the work that NEEDS to be done on the pyramid since I am down in Seattle and can't be there on the regular to contribute my energy. But, I feel very compelled to send out a rallying cry to everyone to shift focus and energy toward getting the pyramid into shape for the Playa. My guess is that there is going to be a considerable amount of engineering and adjustment on the Playa, but I want to offer us some design suggestions for adjustments that should be made NOW. Those who work on it regularly may already have some of these in mind so pardon the redundancy. (1) The panels need to be pulled up flush with the tarp truss. We may want to wrap some rebar into the ends of the panels to help hold some of the weight (I noticed that one grommet had already pulled out). I also strongly suggest using something more beefy (and aesthetic) than the blue cord that is currently being employed - perhaps some small gauge steel cable? ...If we take about 8-10 feet off the bottom of each panel and stake them down to the ground, we will have WAY less sag. ... Can we add some larger grommets (1-2") along the bottom of each panel to accommodate rebar stakes? Each panel should have at least three or four cables running down the inside for support. (4) Can we support/hang the corner seams (between the panels)from the guy wires that are supporting the mast? ...(5) The tension wires and turn buckles that are on each corner of the pyramid need to be shorter and staked down closer to the base of the pyramid. ...The clock is ticking and we have to tighten up our scene if we're going to represent on the Esplanade. ...At our most recent camp logistics meeting, Erik, who is the ultimate mastermind behind the project, assuaged our fears by reminding us that the pyramid we witnessed is not the pyramid that will go up on the playa -- the panels aren't raised all the way, the sides aren't staked out far enough, the panels can be woven together more tightly, etc. ...Nonetheless, the group has scheduled three more work parties over the next five days to make adjustments and try to tighten things up. On Sunday, we're gonna lower this baby, fold her up and dismantle the mast. A few days later, she'll be loaded up in to a rental truck and the caravan to Black Rock City will begin...

Edub speaks : 9 days til departure

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-14T11:13:42-07:00

This is Burning Man and I have really enjoyed it so far. It began 6 months ago on the Burnal Equinox mixing music with DJ Playaduster at Sunnyland. Since that time the Three have brainstormed, dreamed, conspired, built, crafted, changed direction, fallen apart and put the pieces back together again. The puzzle looks nothing like it did when we began, but that has been another part of the creative journey. I have no doubt that it will continue to transform until we ourselves no longer resemble the beings we were in the beginning. ...I am anxious to be wrapped in my cocoon of dust, sunlight, sound, creativity and humanity on the edge. I anticipate uncomfortable friction as I try to fit into this wide open new space. ... These are but two questions among the myriad that churn through my mind touching on topics from personal health and safety, to camp community building, to mind altering substances. ... A voice in the back of my head says “you just have to be there.” ... My mind is there, racing toward the Burn and exploring the empty streets of Black Rock City, at the expense of my present moment awareness. ...I don’t recall how long it has been since I have experienced this kind of lack of presence. I value and actively practice being present to the moment – living in the Now. But with 18 days until the Burn and 9 days until we leave, I am totally fixated on the future. My work has become a nuisance to me; my schedule, a tether; my day-to-day responsibilities, inconveniences. ...“I just have to…and I’ll be done.” I’ve hear myself say this a lot - so has my wife. ... Last time I said this she replied, “You won’t be done until September when it’s over.” ...Despite having worked diligently over the past few months building, gathering and preparing, I feel frantic in these final days as I try to pull all of the threads together. Mental, physical, spiritual and emotional preparation is coming together, but I feel as if I am watching an hour glass, sifting grain by grain counting down to my leap into the rabbit hole. ... There are still lots of details to finalize, but I’m ready.

"Burning Book"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-13T17:50:02-07:00

Photo by Fabian Mohr Found this new book "Burning Book: A Visual History of Burning Man" browsing around Amazon and called up my local independent book store to special order one -- excellent find! The book itself is a piece of artwork, a shuffle-play of favorite Burning Man deliriums and memories throughout the years, designed by the venerable collagist and font master Martin Vensezky. It features photo contributions from hundreds of playa snapshooters and loads of playa ephemera, like reproductions of tickets and maps from past Burns, stickers and buttons from different theme camps, postcards, covers of past issues of Piss Clear and all the little trinkety stuff that are gifted out to strangers and circulate throughout the city. Photo by Stewart Harvey The trajectory of the book is shaped to represent the journey to and through Black Rock City, and thus early chapters include drives through Reno and Gerlach and the first burns in San Francisco before introducing you to Burning Man playa legends like Thunderdome, Dr. Megavolt, the Contessa, Helco and the Belgian Waffle. There are chapters on music, vehicles and costumes/identity before the reader is brought face to face with the Man and his many inflammations. The end of the ride lands softly with a retrospective of David Best's temples (and temple burns) and winds it all up with a look at the city's dissolution in the chapter "Leave No Trace." It is all very well-choreographed by Jessican Bruder, who has a day job as a reporter for The Oregonian in Portland. The whole thing reads like a high school yearbook -- albeit this is a very, very weird high school. Photo by NK Guy Very nice work all the way around; a bejeweled treasure to behold. One can almost taste the dust. After the Green Man, you might need to pick yourself up a copy to keep your soul in alignment in the dark days of the Default World. Photo by Jared Mechaber Jessica's website is right here.

Hekter's back in---

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-09T18:27:16-07:00

GAME FREEKIN' ON!!!

First Erection : Massive Mast

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-03T17:33:36-07:00

Gabe used his screwdriver a lot and made faces that make it look he knew what he was doing... Brock held the mast aloft and smiled alot. On top of all that, Erik took off his shirt and the work place was a place of great natural beauty, with Komo Kulshan looking over our shoulders... The full Boogie Pyramid erection is just a matter of days away...

Universal Freek Delight & Pyramid Parties

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-08-01T08:41:01-07:00

DAYTIME Universal Freak Delight: daily sessions in the pyramid from 3-4 through sunset/8-9 pm (some planned events, lots of open space for random performers & workshops on the fly) Monday: open Tuesday: Sensual Day: massage, chocolate & strawberries, henna 7pm; The Party Formerly Known as Prince Party—wear purple 9pm Wednesday: Body Art 3 pm; Sushi 6-9 pm Thursday: Push Hands: A Tai Chi Game 1-3; Ms. Black Rock City Paegant 3-6; Twisted Twister 7pm Friday: Boogie Pranksters noon-2; Circus Arts Meetup 2-4; Funk, Soul & Hula-Hoops with DJs Grape-nuts, Playaduster & Edubious 4-8 Sunday: Closing ceremony& drumming with Edubious NIGHT Monday: Welcome Home Party with Hekter's Huckleberry Mojito Surprise / Full Moon Eclipse celebration with Jackass, DJ Novatron, Adam Star (unconfirmed) and Rashaan Tuesday: Folk Dancing Workshop Wednesday: Rob the Wandering Accordion Player, DJ Hipp-e, Surgical Delivery System, Joe Lyon & Ruff Hauser Thursday: Rashaan, Breakbeat Buddha, Vibesquad, LEe Combs & Dave Sweeten Friday: Boogie Universal Pyramid Party/Ancient Civilizations costume theme/with DJ Grapenuts, Rootabreaka, Dave Levi & Novatron Everything is, of course, subject to change once we hit the playa... WHOOOO! (Now do you feel like supporting us with some spare change? As you can see, we'll spend it oh so wisely!)

Burning Boogie Rising : Update (32 days, 1 hour, 1 minute & 17 seconds until the Burn)

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-31T20:27:36-07:00

First of all, The Three Broke Dudes suddenly and surprisingly became The Two Broke Dudes when Hekter, our brother holding down the Inland Empire from a Spokane position, bowed out last week. Couldn't swing the finances this year, he said, and so regretfully surrendered his Green Man ticket to the swirling forces of the universe. No time to update the website at this late date to reflect this new Configuration of Dudes– the man burns in 32 days, don't you know! – so I'm just gonna let it ride for now. Hekter – we'll miss you and the playa will miss you, but we'll tell the Man you said "Whattup?" I was really looking forward to riding side-saddle with Johnny Buckskin 'cross the desert expanses in search of the Milk of Amnesia with chaps strapped loosely.... Secondly, earlier posts to this blog reference The Three Broke Dudes joining forces with Boogie Universal Arts Collective to bring a ginormous Boogie Pyramid to Burning Man. Our earlier daydreams of the mobile soundsystem/Lotus Lounge contraption got awfully technical and out of our reach for now, but then we connected with this lovely group of creative and groovy folks here in Bellingham that have been throwing dance parties and costume balls and circus performances with great success for the past 8 years. The group decided they wanted to bring their Boogie magic to the playa in '07 and put out the word on the local BurningHamsters listserv – yes, for real: BurningHamsters, the loosely-affiliated regional group of local burners. ...Anyways, fast forward 2 or 3 months and we're a gang somewhere between 20-30 people and the Boogie pyramid is fast approaching reality-status. We've been meeting every weekend for months in an undisclosed farm field outside of Ferndale, WA and constructing this….this…thing out of recycled billboard vinyl, rivets, grommets and galvanized steel. There has been much amateur engineering and high school math skills have been dusted off as we try and figure out how this pyramid will work. People have pitched in with dozens of hours of labor, free welding work for the mast, free use of aforementioned secret farm field, etc and I think we're actually gonna pull this off. ...The collective has also been meeting most Tuesdays to plan a myriad of camp logistics: food, Leave No Trace, transportation, camp theme, entertainment in the Pyramid, camping, furniture, costumage, generators and power production, booze, camp wellness, showers and grey water evaporation – the list goes on and on and then on some more. We hash through all this for hours, and then follow up with brainstorms and conundrums online on our listserv group. Impossible to say how many hours have gone in to this project, this dream, this folly – actually, we probably don't even want to know. But I have found an odd sense of satisfaction in focusing my free time on an endeavor that is madness, a mission that that makes no sense. I get a surprising jolt of inspiration in spending hard-earned time and money on a project with aspirations that lie outside of normal boundaries: we won't make any money doing this. There is no fame and glory to be earned in all of this, no job promotion nor merit badge. ...But, more importantly, what makes one want to return to Burning Man again, after having tasted the dust storms and hangovers and sunburn and thirst of the desert? And why work to set up an enormous 35,000 watt sound installation in a 3,600 square-foot 40-foot tall white pyramid a thousand miles away from home in the middle of a desiccated lake bed in Nevada?

Edub built some cool furniture...

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-30T18:32:49-07:00

It's all made of plywood, and it's all gonna burn at the end of the week. Designs courtesy of Playatech.com.

Boogie Pyramid Fundraiser July 27

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-16T15:35:35-07:00

Bogie Universal is throwing a party to raise funds for our Boogie Pyramid project and journey to Black Rock City in August 2007. Come down to Hot Shotz at 1707 State Street in Bellingham Friday, July 27, for music, performance, drink specials and a Burning Man documentary. Most importantly, contribute to the finances and high energy goodness that we'll need to make this crazy dream a reality. We'll be going 'til 4 in the morn and hope to see you there! More info at at the Boogie Universal homepage. There is also a good explanation of the Boogie Pyramid project with photos posted here.

Leavenworth Lids in effect

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-07-11T07:16:13-07:00

There is a killer hat shop in Leavenworth, Washington -- a narrow cubbyhole of a store that holds hundreds, if not thousands, of glorious hats of all shapes, sizes, colors, styles, moods and methods. Edubious and DJ Playaduster have both made pilgrimages to this sacred shrine of hatness and picked up a few lids perfect for the playa....

Boogie on the Esplanade?

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-23T09:12:10-07:00

I originally submitted a request for 60 feet of Esplanade frontage with 120 feet deep for our camp, they've bumped that up to 100 feet on the Esplanade and 150' deep! That gives us lots more room to make our private camp area more comfortable, plus gives us room for some shaded couches right on the esplanade, and more room for whatever we can come up with. ...For those of you that have been to the Playa, you already know that the camps on the Esplanade are uber elaborate, interactive 24/7, and generally pretty friggin' inspiring. ... Most people won't even know what they're placement will be until sometime in August--we get the early heads-up to have the extra time to make sure that our camp is 100% kick-ass. 40,000 people are going to know who Boogie Universal is; I think we should make that opportunity count and leave a good impression. ... • I think we need to push for pulling off live sound--that's going to mean about $1,500 worth of gear that we don't have (snake, mics & mic stands, 2 more used amps) ...I think several of us share the idea that we should be more than just a rave camp, or even more than just a dance camp. ...I know Edub was interested in helping book talent, let's get together as many leads as we can, then start sorting out a schedule ... • Louisa talked about making a sign and/or flag--it would be great to have these done well ahead of time so that we can display them at our fundraisers ...I think there are enough of us committed now as a core group, that we can decide together about new memberships (then the "core" becomes bigger--we don't need to maintain a 'core' and those outside the core, we're all in this together) ... • depending on our truck size/space situation, it would be very nice to have a couch or two. keep your eyes out for a freebie that doesn't stink (it won't be coming back home). ...installations and performances -- seems to be a much more complicated and time-consuming kind of camp than what I was picturing, and I'm really curious to know if you think we have the capacity for that. Our small group of campers at Sasha's a few weeks back seem pretty mellow and modest in size, so I'm wondering if there is a hidden stash of energy/talent/time/money to pull off the dream of the Boogie Pyramid on the Esplanade? ...On one hand I'm really stoked that BU and the BurningHamsters have been given this opportunity to BRING IT in such a visible way to the playa. On the other, I'm not sure that this is the kind of Burning Man experience I had in mind for 2007 and don't know if I have ...I surely don't want to rain on anybody's parade here, but I have reservations about the size/scope/$/commitment that this Boogie Universal Camp Version 2.0 seems to demand. For instance, I like lots of time and space for wandering and explorations of the multitudinous wonders of the playa and city, and don't want to be tied down with too many commitments to a big production..... ...With the right planning and participation from the Playa at large, I think we can keep things going basically on auto-pilot once our camp is set-up. I don't think that our original idea of a theme camp has been compromised, we'll just get to share it with a lot more people and have a front row seat for all the fun. ...On our Esplanade frontage, I thought it would be could to have a few chill areas where we and passersby can cozily rest their tired feet and enjoy the never ending spectacle that will be at our front door. ... We don't need to be "entertaining" 24/7 as hosts, just have a cool place available all the time.

Black Rock City street names

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-21T09:19:24-07:00

In our last announcement, we gave you some information on the layout of Black Rock City for 2007. This included information on the size of the blocks, placement of plazas, number of streets, etc. Here are the street names for this year . . . The radial-streets are still numbered in the clock formation we are all familiar with. Center Camp at 6:00. Plazas at 9:00, 7:30, 4:30, and 3:30. Camping/placement areas end at 10:00 and 2:00. The Man at the center. The concentric-streets begin at the Esplanade and thereafter go : ESPLANADE ...CORAL REEF ...KELP FOREST LANDFILL the "ring road" around Center Camp is EVOLUTION Enjoy!

Boogie Pyramid work party #1

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-10T18:40:11-07:00

We will be working this Sunday just outside of Ferndale on Donna's farm (her family has got 118 acres that should give us plenty of room to stretch out everything we've got going on). ... If anyone has any cable cutting tools and/or grommet tools and/or rivet tools, they would be very appreciated and useful. Even if just a couple of us show up for a couple hours (or perhaps even less). Just to get some hands on work on this thing I'm sure will be enough to get the ball rolling and help get it built in a timely manner. ...Luke will be coming down from B.C., I think Alex is planning on coming out, and Nils is for sure. ...It's a 15' box truck, the same kind we've used for Meltdown, Flight, & cabin Fever. For a 2 week rental (same price as 12 days), which gives us time for early arrival, packing, and most importantly unpacking without rushing. ...Let me be the first to report on a very successful first work party on the BU Pyramid. ... Donna was kind enough to let us use her family's farmland where we had plenty of room to stretch out our huge materials. Huge thanks to Donna, David, Edub for coming all the way from Seattle, Luke for coming all the way from Vancouver by bus, Michael, Mitch, Nils, Alex, and hopefully I didn't forget anyone. Our productive crew figured out all of the logistics & geometry, and managed to assemble the first of four triangular panels. This thing is going to be bullet-proof, and look beautiful at the same time! ...I was up there this weekend and spent yesterday afternoon beginning construction of the Boogie Pyramid. ... It was a collective effort with energy, ideas and math skills contributed by Luke, Nils, Erik, Michael, Alex, David, Donna - our hostess on whose farm we are erecting the Boogie Pyramid, Mitch and yours truly, Edub. ...The tagline "I'm Lovin' It" was fitting for our work party, but the amusement of it quickly wore off and the ad was forever folded into the wall of the pyramid - thankfully never to be seen again. ...Pop rivets were the assembly method of choice once we got the huge sheets of 20 mil vinyl lined up and laid out within the 52'x60'x52' pyramid wall template that we staked and strung out in the field. We were working within a 60'x60' square that we also staked out in the field. Looking across it became clear that there would be plenty of room inside for a live Boogie Universal Higher Vibrations session or funk party. ...The vibe was positive and I was stoked on the free flow of ideas and the way that they manifested in to what we created that day. The creative collaboration among the Burning Man Boogie Universal Arts Collective crew is building momentum and ideas are becoming reality.

Glowtus Lounge

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-10T18:07:16-07:00

...a golden ray of light, with wheels, steering wheel and the best part - there is a trailer that attaches to the mothership with room for two more pedalers..... hee hhe he eh....can you see it now...smell the scorched playa wind....crunchy grit in the molars..... pedaling around BRC with DJ Playaduster and Edubious flowing out of the elevated sound fort and flabbergasting the masses. This is beautiful! The frame for the glotus lounge (glowing cause it will be black light powered my friends) has already been built for us... all we have to do is "accessorize" the unit. This is where all you cyberfriends enter.... you know your parents/kids/grandparents/friends garages are full of much needed "accessories" for our mobile sound system. Even if we could borrow, with oaths of solemn integrity, some of these items (especially the ** ** items) for a week it would sure help keep our tires inflated. We have agents from Whitehorn to Selkirk.... oops sorry about the code there.... all over western Washington and a few undercovers hiding out in the Spokompton/Panhandle of Idaho. If your in Washington, Idaho or Western Montana then dig it out and we'll come pick it up if we can use it :) Keep posted for updates on the Glotus Lounge and it's destination to burning man. The bike/trailer combo is costing $500 (after much barter debauchery) so if you just feel like dropping a dime in our piggy bank then that is always relished too! Gotta go..... gotta find a welder! ...List of materials needed/wanted for Glotus Lounge: **Stereo System/ I-Pod compatible** ...**Generator (1,500 - 2,000 watt)** borrow one?? Honda is best. Black lights (2-4) with ballasts Primer/Paint - black light reflective ...Deep cycle battery/cable to lights/stereo ...Materials for lotusing it out: ...Someone who can sew ...and an RV to take it all in... just kidding... well not really. Contact us if you can help out with any of these items: destinationburningman@gmail.com

Higher Vibrations / Universal Freek Delight

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-10T18:07:14-07:00

Edub and I would surely love to do some of our music during these sessions, maybe with day of reggae/dub, another day of world beat or mid-tempo space music. Simultaneously, BU'ers could be hosting yoga or massage or juggling lessons or Sonosphere sessions. I'd like to do some traditional Chinese oolong tea servings on a couple afternoons. I could see Edub leading some drumming workshops. ... Hopefully everybody would want to share something. ...Another idea related to this kind of space would be to have "Universal Freak Delight/Higher Vibrations" go ALL DAY saturday with deep holiness leading up to the BURN. There's some ideas to hopefully spark other ideas and get wheels turning. I'd be happy to try and create the structure of a schedule for these sessions. ... I'm out of town next weekend and can't do the work party, but have the weekend of June 15-17 open and would love to host the next BU camp meeting/potluck one of those nights.... ..."Universal Freak Delight" comes from an old funk song I heard this weekend by Morris Day & the Time! ...i was planning on bringing my massage table down. this sounds like a lovely idea. henna? ...I LOVE the idea of creating INTENTIONAL space for our eclectic crew to share our gifts with each other and any passing spirits that are drawn into our muse. This sounds like the beginning of a vision session that can help to define what we are going to with/in/beneath the Boogie Pyramid. I hereby nominate moontroll to be our BU Camp Activities Coordinator. I am happy to play the role of co-coordinator in that role. ...I haven't heard too many different voice in our forum. If your reading, put something out to the crew. It all contributes to the energy of the Collective! ...I'm super stoked for some Higher Vibrational Universal Freak Delight energizing/healing/bonding time under the pyramid.

Masks

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-06-04T22:17:39-07:00

I'm going to buy a couple of masks for the burn. I've found a number of sites that sell em. Here's a couple of examples. Either of you interested? http://fantasyguilde.com/masks/grn/greenie.html http://www.masksbymorgan.com/ ~ E

Hamsters Unite!

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-29T22:24:50-07:00

...and we introduced ourselves and our secret superhero identities, and then dove in to working on the playa plan -- more on that later. Here's some of the folks that have come together to construct the Boogie Pyramid, along with shots of DJ Edubious, Hekter and DJ Playaduster getting ready for the Green Man:
Link to our Flickr page here.

www.preparefortheplaya.com

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-28T13:38:55-07:00

I wanted to let you know of an event that I am producing in SF next weekend and over the summer called Prepare for the Playa. It is a series of events connecting people to everything they need for the playa and Burn -07! It is brought to you by all burner indie businesses! We have come together in a co-op marketing vein to give people an alternative to shopping their local Wal-Mart. Our motto - Buy Local for BM... Buy Burner! We are going to have performing artists, live music, the bar will be open and of course the most outrageous fashions, faux fur galore, domes, lights, playa furniture, and tons more! There is also going to be how to clinic covering such topics as grey water, nutrician on the playa and a first timers interactive guide. I would love to see you guys come out and hang with us or even participate in some way! Heck, if you could post something on your blog that would be awesome and very much appreciated! More details on our website: http://www.preparefortheplaya.com June 10th, July 22nd and August 12th Thanks so much for your consideration! See you on the playa or sooner! Nikki preparefortheplaya@gmail.com

Burning Cartography

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-27T22:24:41-07:00

Here's an amazing hand-drawn map of Black Rock City 2005 by Lisa Hoffman. and here's a map of Black Rock City 2006: Hope and Fear done in "Acid Deco" style. I found both via the website info gargoyle. The guy who wrote the posts is very serious about his cartography -- it is the gift that he brings to the community: "This year, I'm seeing more and more people come together with their interest in cartography than ever before. The sponsored mapping group, PlayaInfo is also expanding their geographic reach by supporting a GPSDrive friendsd server so that participants with art cars can broadcast their location to the main map. Seems like a perfect fit for cyborgs and technomads alike!" He's got an interesting slideshow too right over here.

Jack Rabbit Speaks

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-25T22:27:31-07:00

As for your plans for the playa...well, y'all theme campers best get your games on, because MAY 31st is the new theme camp/placement deadline -- and that's EARLIER than previous years, but the placement team needs the time to make all your amazing theme-campy-pieces fit, which is harder than it sounds! We know you've got big plans - now's the time to get them organized and submitted to the team that'll put it all together to make one big, bouncing BRC. ... Remember also, the Art, Media, DMV questionnaires are all still humming along, and have deadlines of their own. ...Good advice heard on the NY list this week: now's a good time to take out your tent and test it for the season...missing poles and ripped eyelets still have plenty of time to be replaced or repaired! ...ARTISTS, INVENTORS: EXHIBIT AT THE GREEN MAN PAVILION! ...RECYCLE YOUR PLAYA PROJECT INTO THE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND! ...ARTIST SEEKS MARKETING "FAUX CREDIT CARDS" FOR ART PROJECT! ...9th ANNUAL UTAH REGIONAL BURN - ELEMENT 11 - JUNE 1-3 APOGAEA - COLORADO REGIONAL BURN JUNE 7-10 - FRONT RANGE, COLORADO SOUTHBAY PRE-COMPRESSION WEEKEND JUNE 9-10 SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS SCORCHED NUTS - OHIO REGIONAL BURN - JUNE 14-17 NOWHERE - THE EUROPE REGIONAL BURN JUL 4-8 SPAIN: 10 DAYS LEFT FOR CHEAP ...BLACK ROCK RENDEZVOUS MAY 26-28 BLACK ROCK DESERT GREENING YOUR BURN/LNT TRAIN THE TRAINER BACKPACKING TRIP JUNE 9-10 EDEN'S MASQUERADE - FUNDRAISER FOR PLAYA ART - SAVE DATE JUNE 8, NYC COSTUMES AND CULTURE AT BURNING MAN: NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART JULY 14 - NOV 11 ...Of course this year, new "Green Man" ideas to help us all reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, and repair WHILE we prepare are *especially* welcome! Got info on pick yards, scrap warehouses, sources for used stuff? ... Note: If you have preparation ideas that DON'T relate to buying or selling, but DO encourage reuse/repair/rethinking tips, please send those in ANYTIME and we'll share 'em any way we can. The RESOURCE issue is the place to share info about those things that many of us have yet to acquire in preparation for the week of surviving in the desert...but let's all do this with an eye toward making greener, better decisions this year!

"There are countless ways to participate and contribute and be a part of this thing"

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-22T19:24:32-07:00

I also bought a nice BBQ that, as long as we have room in the truck, I'd be happy to bring down for camp use. ...I really hope that I'll be able to recoup at least some of the $1,200 + tax I invested in the camp today. I've heard a couple of people mention they're ready to pay their camp fees. If you're one of those people, you can either call me and set up a time to meet or drop off some money, or you can mail me a check or sign into paypal and send it from your bank account. If you have any questions about camp fees, how they work, or what you think would be a fair contribution, please feel free to contact me directly or inquire on this list. For those on a budget, the idea of giving $200 or so might seem a bit daunting. Regardless of what amount you decide to give, you don't have to pay it all at once. ...Here's what our crew is starting to look like as far as I can tell: ...If you're on the wrong list here or know someone that should be on there, please let me know. I'm quite sure we'll see this list grow a bit in the near future ...I worry about that even if I find what seems like the perfect glue, would it hold up under the heat of the desert? ... I don't like the idea much, but it might be the reality if we do this thing. I really don't even know what kind of time frame or amount of labor such a task would be, but quite possibly more than is realistic. I just worry that even if we make the seams wrapped up around the cable in such a way that it can't move too much, it might still unravel in the heat & wind and end up flapping itself to death in no time. ...I'm willing to do most of this, but if you look at this link you can learn more about it if you might help: http://forms.burningman.com/aiq2k7 Meal Plan/Kitchen duty organizer (pretty simple really, someone to figure out how many meals we need (breakfast & dinner only) and how many camp members we have, then get people to sign up for specific days/times) If we all agree to do a meal plan, we'll each probably have to cook one or two meals for the whole group out of the entire week, then all of our remaining breakfasts & dinners will be made for us---it's a very, very, nice way to go. ...People that want to be on the early arrival/set-up list (get in Fri ...Oh, and a couple of people that are on the fence about joining the camp mentioned they were affraid they wouldn't be around Bellingham to help out to build stuff. ...Even if you have other on-playa projects pre-event time restraints or whatever, we'd still like to have you a part of our crew.

Green Man icon

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-18T14:37:00-07:00

Found this unofficial icon on Flickr in the Green Man 2007 pool

pyramid power

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-15T22:56:36-07:00

I've got a quote on the freight & materials for the fabric: 30 14' x 48' mega heavy duty tarps, $40 each = $1,200 + the best deal I could find for freight is $425 (they weigh a ton, literally). $1,625 for our running total. At this point we have $2,000 to work with. We still have to get cables, the mast, some sort of come-along/crank/pullie system, the mast, and some heavy duty stakes. I'm not too worried if we go a little over budget, I'm sure some money will fall from the sky if we need it to (aka the BU credit card). If this thing works it will be a good investment (if not financiall at least in the sense of empowering good people to do silly things). ....wow, that could be a new Boogie Universal slogan: "Empowering good people to do Silly Things...." I'm waiting to hear back from Ron about the welding and mast building. I'm also pricing cable. If anyone happens to know a good place for such or sees anything on craigslist or anything, we need about 1,500 feet of 1/4" vinyl coated galvanized or stainless steel cable and about 180 feet of 3/8", 1/2", or 5/8" for the corners. While I'm at it, if anyone has about 36 feet of 6" diameter steel pipe.... We could forseeably have all of this stuff within a week. I think our first work party will probably be not this Sunday, but the next one. I'll keep you posted. --e

eric pulls shit together

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-14T22:47:05-07:00

Whatever adhesive it is, I think the key will be to design the seams so that they're not dependent on the glue as much as the ...If I wasn't so broke, I'd snatch them up ...The guy has also got a single 15,000 watt generator, higher quality than the others, for just over $1,000---that's a ...I expected to pay around $1,000 for generators this year and figured we'd probably have to throw a fund-raiser to get that money. ...I've uploaded a file to the files section if anyone is curious about ...think we probably should be pretty good with the two 6,000 watt ...we're more likely to get a better spot, (I learned that the hard way ...need or want to take on a project on the list, please post it. ...The camps I've been with have been sliding-scale and ...there's someone that is totally broke and just can't come up with that kind of money (on top of all of the other expenses of going to ...abundance can pay theirs now so as to help get things rolling. ...would only take a couple/few people to pay on the high end of the ...people pay camp fees that didn't even camp with us. ...Yeah, there's a certain amount of trust in sending money to my name, but hey, if we can't trust each other, why the hell would we be doing ...I think we're around 12 or so pretty solid camp members right now.

the Boogie Universal DJ Temple

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-13T22:43:29-07:00

Here are some photos from E of the DJ Temple his Boogie Universal Collective ("empowering good people to do Silly Things....") :

Things We Need

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-12T20:54:43-07:00

Large black plastic and 2x4's for gray water pit. (10X10' should be sufficient for 3ish folks) Large squeegee for moving graywater around (maximize evaporation) Tie long stick to squeegee. Crate for standing on in shower. Solar shower (2 would be nice) 50 gallon drum to hold shower/dish/misc water. Personal containers for drinking water (around 2 gallons per person per day) ...Outfits - look for fauz fir on ebay or craigslist so we can make fuzzy bunny outfits. Try to find animal ears that are on a headpiece (like the bunny ears in the ski photos) cause if we could give out ears with picture frames.... ooh la la!! Picture Frames - Think of a easy and cheap way to find materials (driftwood for you coasters and river wood for my inland self) to make our own frames. (they are expensive to buy!) Stilts - would like to make tree outfits and walk around on stilts (Entish I know) Maybe I can find some birch bark to make it work. Generator - I'm on it but look for a Honda 2000i generator. (retail for $1,000 so look for better deals). Body Lotions - I know vinegar helps to neutralize the playa and fine ladies would give lil' squirtdowns of pure freshness last year. ...would help keep domes from stagnating. Long boards and ski ropes. (so much fun to hook onto an art car and surf the long board!) I do have some leftover windsurf sails if we wanted to integrate them somehow. ...Home stereo system for mobile sound system (great finds on craigslist) ie-(http://spokane.craigslist.org/ele/301444322.html cheap good speakers? http://spokane.craigslist.org/ele/300519521.html ...Rethinking Milk of Amnesia cause anything dairy or soy based may rot quickly. Another drink we could make?

updates

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-11T20:53:34-07:00

I've looked into rv's from the reno area and they are really expensive... seems like the cheapest ones are 2,500 - 3,000 for the week. ... Sounds too expensive for me ($1,000 each) but I'll look into renting from other areas, although then the gas price is a big factor. ...The other option is to try and rent my bro's rv from him although I'm not sure how road worthy it is. ... Maybe we need to put a little tidbit on our site asking for rv donations or borrowments? ...I would like to put some time into the site this week :) ...I figured the price for an RV would be pretty steep, but I think we can get it for cheaper. I'm trying to connect with a private party to see if we can get a better deal. Check out your brother's rig and find out if its road worthy. If it is, that's probably the best deal we'll find - no doubt! I want to put the RV on the wish list on our site. I think that we can fall back on the dome option it an RV doesn't come through. We should have the money and the resources to pimp one of those out pretty well. If we don't have an RV (or if we do) I can get a box trailer from Gary that is lockable and sealed so we have some extra hauling capacity. I haven't sent out a link to the site to my contacts yet. I feel like we need to give it a little infusion of some fresh musings and give it a "Grand Re-Launching." If we all send out shout at the same time, we can create bigger cosmic ripples and wash some new people to our cause. ...I will try to write a little something on the DJ Fundi / Sunnyland meltdown and send a few pics from the Cottage Groove mix session. Outside of that, I'll get to work a new podcast for the peeps. ..."It's all about the Burn now, from here on out..."

Sunnyland Soundsytem Meltdown

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-05-10T12:26:34-07:00

I could hardly believe the words before my eyes. Cyberspace provides a limited medium for conveying emotion, but I could feel the angst and frustration flowing through this email. Sunnyland Soundsystem had experienced a catastrophic meltdown. A ritual cup of morning coffee – directed by misfortune and gravity, had penetrated the internal circuitry of Sunnyland’s mainframe. Sunnyland was out of commission and as a result DJ Fundi, the webmaster of DestinationBurningMan was no longer able to post the musings of The Three. To add insult to injury, this was just the beginning of a long string of misfortunate events that would befall Fundi and bring chaos to Sunnyland. The conversations that followed - once Fundi was able to use his disabled cell phone (yet another misfortunate techno-crisis) were filled with concern and frustration over the podcasts, images and words that were poised to be uploaded to the dBM site. And, of course, the un-answerable question of whether or not Fundi’s iLife could be resuscitated. Fortunately, since you are reading this, the crisis in Sunnlyand has been resolved. At least the mainframe has been re-energized. The word is still out on the other events that followed…. So, if you haven’t already, head over to the podcast page and download Set 2 of the Burnal Equinox mix. We are, once again, servin’ it up – live and direct for you! There is much more to come – words, music, images – so stay tuned….. ~ Edub

blueprints for the Lotus Lounge

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-30T22:15:08-07:00

I tried to flesh out some early designs for the Lotus Lounge, a bicycle-powered mobile soundsystem that we intend to build and then bring to Black Rock City in '07. IF skills and money were no option, we'd build something beautiful, an 8 foot-tall lotus flower, heavy with bass nectar, who's petals could unfold at random points across the playa and deliver sweet music. These plans clearly show a bird's-eye perspective as well as two views from the side. You can see the three-bike pyramidal-platform design, and the mighty lotus sprouting up the middle. The front of the vehicle has an large oversize tire and is steered by the Mad Hatter. There is an insulated under-compartment beneath the lotus designed to hold and keep cold hundreds of cans of ice-cold Schmidtties. Whent he flower is open, speakers rise above the desert floor and play downward towards the people, creating a "sound cone," an audial effect scientifically explained in the sketch on the far right. Also of interest is the note expressing a wish to have the whole sound rig powered by the sun. Let's bear in mind that the three broke dudes have little to no engineering experience between the three of them, nor do they have any money. So what are thh chances of the Lotus Lounge ever actually roaming the dark, techno-filled nights of BM, bringing juicy music, real music, to the masses? Much of it depends on how this blog performs, if we can shake a few dollars out of the heavens...

another playakart idea....

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-13T16:26:31-07:00

Hey Scotty & E -- whatchoo think about stylin' something like this on playa? don't think it would stand up to the dust storms very well...but damn we'd be PIMPIN'! moontroll

BurningHamster Brainstorm I

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-08T22:46:44-07:00

"I'm quite serious about doing something new with people from right ...I kind of have a basic image in my head of what it might look like, but really it's totally up for group input. ...too, operated by a drama-free easy-going small crew (maybe 10-15 ...I've got a 15,000 watt soundsystem that would sound outstanding at a ...I think my dome would be too small for the dance area (definately if ...Just a little bigger would be great--like ...I also have an image in my head of a pyramid of some sort. ...be up for building something with a couple of people if there are ...Basic camp stuff that we'd need to come up with: ...I've got the shade structures that would be great for cooking, ...would be nice and I'm a big fan of a meal plan (everyone cooks just a couple of times, then the rest of the week your meals are made for ...Generator(s) I've been wanting to buy one for a while, we'll see. ...couple of years my whole camp camped under a 200' parachute, which is ...If we can't come up with something similiar, we could each fend for ourselves and put a small shade structure over each ...I'm used to paying $100-$150 in camp fees to take care of these kinds ...do the trick--though if that's too much for some I'm sure we could ...There area few people interested in the Boogie Crew, though everyone

solar golf carts & more

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-05T07:47:11-07:00

Dear three broke dudes: if you don't go flinstone this could be a possible inspiration: or, if you have some cash you could re-fit this model... I might suggest emphasizing to a greater degree the donors' participation in the first of its kind "killawatt powa" dub selecter golf cart system. People like to get behind one of a kind machines and their construction. Donors can become human sponsors to provide livesaving dusted dub beats to music starved individuals lost in the sands of bad music as it were...etc. I will keep hunting for ideas. I'm on board with this plan. Keep the dream alive. dRF

Edub climbs aboard

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-04T23:27:38-07:00

Check it: www.destinationburningman.com. It may not be pretty, but at least we can start getting the word out. And I even jimmyrigged it to stream our last DJ session over in the podcasts section. For real. Let it begin. --moontroll * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 4/2/07 You are the MAN, homie!! Fuck yes! From vision to reality. That shall be the story of our journey to the Burn. We shall manifest all that we envision for this brotherhood pilgrimage to Blackrock City. I am so inspired! I'll get to work on Burnal Equinox II this evening. So it's on..... --Edubious

first podcast good for the gettin'

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-02T23:26:47-07:00

One of the primary missions of the three broke dudes is to share the groove with the masses on playa this year. DJ Edubious and DJ Fundi have begun work on crafting musical mixes, which they hope to spread across Black Rock City on a mobile soundsystem unit. You can listen to a sneak preview of their first DJ set over at the Podcast page.

Here we go

destinationburningman@gmail.com — 2007-04-01T23:26:11-07:00

Greetings and salutations. Today is the first day of our website and blog that will track the adventures of three broke dudes with a dream and a desire to burn. We are talking about Burning Man, of course, and our burning desire to make it to the cosmic gathering this summer in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.