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What will you do differently next time?

topic posted Wed, September 9, 2009 - 3:37 PM by  offlineSamsa 		Share/Save/Bookmark
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A great question that is asked every year after the event, and threads like this have helped me plan for next year.

You would think that after 4 years of going, my 5th you would have dialed in.....NOPE! Not a chance.....there are so many things I have to list....

~Arrive on Tuesday instead of Sunday night. I want to be 100% sure I have energy and stamina for the Temple Burn. I know, I suck at BUrning Man in some ways.

~Bigger tent. I actually got a bigger tent, but left the poles at home. ASSHOLE! I had to suffice with my old tent, and I have about had it with that one.

~Camp in the Burbs. 3 years on the Esplanade is plenty. I miss the starry skies at night and a slice of quiet now and then. I also miss spending more times in the burbs. I tell myself to, but I end up being swayed by the vast playa.

~ Dont attempt to find my groove at BMan every night. I am music sensitive. I am a music GURU, I live and breathe it. But I got music festivals all year long to indulge in groovin. I dont need to go find my fave DJs at the large sound camps because I will generally be dissapointed, as a lot of that scene is not up my alley. Now if I have a lover or a friend who I want to rage it with, thats fine. But I wont ever go looking for conversation at the large sound camps again....HAHAHAHAA Foolio! Let the music find me

~ DJ more at small sound clubs. I had a fucking AMAZING time DJing on Wed AM at Lustre this year, and I want to do it more!! People really dug what I played, it was different and people appreciated it. Im gonna do it more often, it was an amazing experience and I have more confidence now that BRC will dig what I have to offer.

~Mingle with people at the art installations more. I had some amazing conversations out there and met many awesome folk.

~Gift to "strangers" more. I did that this year on Saturday and I wish I would of done that all week. Giving a simple pink day glo man sticker Imade to people made me interact with so many nice folks and I got some much love and gifts in return!! More of that next time!!

~GET A CRUISER BIKE. Mine broke in 08 so I brougth a mountain bike, and having handles that you have to bend over to reach made me feel like i was getting it in the ass all frickin week. Never again! Cruiser bike with handles that you can sit upright is the key to comfy cruising! ANd remember that extra bike foam, without it biking is a chore.

~Tape up my car locks!!

~DRINK MORE WATER. I was dehydrated on Thurs and it SUCKED.

~Rest up all of July and August so my head is fresh for BMan. Its worth it to not party so I can party harder at Bman!! I have to watch out since there are so many fun events around here in mid summer....but if I just dicipline myself I will appreciate BMan partying that much more.

~If some hot guy from New Zealand bikes up to me and asks me for a date after some good chit chatting, dont plan a date or a time....JUST GO ON A DATE RIGHT THEN AND THERE!!! DUH! hahahahaha
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Samsa
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  • nila
    nila
    offline 93

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Wed, September 9, 2009 - 3:58 PM
    i'll have an 'exodus' box packed with sandpaper for feet, lotion and socks for feet. windex for windows and dashboard, a scribble pad for notes to self on what i'll do differently next time. (less pasta...more variety in meals) and to get the newbies in the camp committed to clean-up, cooking, SOMETHING instead of them just partying late, sleeping all day, and hanging out in 'our shade' with hangovers.
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    • Brody
      Brody
      offline 137

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Thu, September 10, 2009 - 9:11 AM
      <<SOMETHING instead of them just partying late, sleeping all day, and hanging out in 'our shade' with hangovers. >>

      It's not just the newbies that do this. Our camp was infested with that this year too. I think it's good for camps to set minimum participation guidelines (being there for either setup or teardown, truck loading or unloading, 50% of work nights pre-event....SOMETHING!)
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  • Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Wed, September 9, 2009 - 7:37 PM
    Have my own fucking transport.
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    • Pikey
      Pikey
      offline 98

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Wed, September 9, 2009 - 8:07 PM
      Heh. My car and the truck and trailer my camp was going to use both crapped out saturday before heading out. Left us scrambling to rent a Budget truck sunday, got us on playa late, had to have a spork-fight with 12:01 squatters. (they relented upon hearing our tales o' woe)
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      • Re: What will you do differently next time?

        Wed, September 9, 2009 - 8:12 PM
        Yeah, somehow paying $6000 for a 93 Dodge Caravan that I can drive seems spendy. Especially if I'm going to take it up there. I DON'T want to star in the Car Troubles on the Way to the Playa movie again, or even worse, Car Trouble on the Playa so You Can't Get Home.

        poompf!
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        • Uncl...
          Uncle Sticky
          offline 65

          Re: What will you do differently next time?

          Wed, September 9, 2009 - 8:31 PM
          Um, stay at home?
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          • Uncl...
            Uncle Sticky
            offline 65

            Re: What will you do differently next time?

            Wed, September 9, 2009 - 8:39 PM
            On a more serious note, when I do go back:

            No tent. I brought a $700 trailer this year. Fucking rocks. Otherwise, costco carport, raised platform, tarp under, no tent. Tents suck.
            Arrive on Friday, and leave Saturday before the burn. Weekend crowd is much less interesting, way too high/drunk. That's from me, not an abstainer.
            Camp near theme camps, not the Esplanade. This is Year 5 of theme camp land, and they are the best neighbors. Great bars!
            Dance only a couple of hours per night, mostly to art cars. I love Opulent and Root and the big sound camps, but only to recharge. Hit the playa, dance a bit, hit the playa. It's burning man, not a dance camp. Don't get sucked in!
            "Mingle with people at the art installations more. " Yes, emphatically, plus talking to the artists is one of the high points every year.

            ~Gift to "strangers" more. Yes again! Randomn acts of playa gifting, really unexpected, makes other people really excited!
            Cruiser bars on a mountain bike is the best! Single speed (cruiser) is too tough, mountain bike position not comfy, take an old mountain bike, put on crusier bars, you're golden!
            ~If some hot guy from New Zealand bikes up to me and asks me for a date after some good chit chatting, dont plan a date or a time....JUST GO ON A DATE RIGHT THEN AND THERE!!! DUH! hahahahaha Yeah boy howdy! Kiwis are very reserved, which means they're dirty perverts, oh yeah!
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  • alex
    alex
    offline 14

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Wed, September 9, 2009 - 8:58 PM
    I'm totally with you on later arrival. We showed up Sunday night too and I was feeling a bit frazzled already by Thursday. Next time I will show up on Weds morning, Tues evening at the earliest.

    Next year I'll plan food better too -- my first burn we over-prepared for food, but this year were seriously under-prepared and were out of food by Thursday (except cans of tuna and ostrich jerkey, which was my main staple food for the week). I'd like to be able to have some cold yogurt for breakfast on Friday morning, and I'd like to cook a few large meals for friends and strangers.

    I'm also planning to walk around 90% of the time and only use a bike for a few long-distance trips. I think both of my burns have been made a LOT less pleasant by the immense discomfort of riding a bike on the playa.
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  • Brody
    Brody
    offline 137

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Thu, September 10, 2009 - 9:16 AM
    After 6 years, I seemed to really hit my stride this year. But there's still things I want to do MORE of, that I ramped up this year.

    -talk to strangers more
    -hang out at art installations and chat with people
    -see more deep playa art (saw SOME this year, way more than past years, but still didn't spend enough time out there)
    -plan an interactive thing out on the open playa somewhere (possibly with my camp, maybe just me)
    -bring more breakfast burritos (food of the GODS out there- pre-made at home, wrapped in aluminum foil for quick no-mess-pan heating)

    What worked for me this year:

    -realizing that I really dislike the big sound camps/raver-drug-drunk culture that they attract, and staying away.
    -realizing that I enjoy daytime energy more than nighttime, and not feeling bad about going to sleep by midnight
    -volunteering even MORE! 4 shifts at Greeters, a few hours doing electrical/lighting stuff, and a random driveby volunteering at the airport (which lead to being gifted a flight above the City, although that wasn't my intent in volunteering!)
    -LOTS of high-quality electrolyte replacement (Vitalyte, formerly known as Gookinaid).
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    • Anne
      Anne
      offline 73

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Thu, September 10, 2009 - 9:30 AM
      <<-LOTS of high-quality electrolyte replacement >>

      AMEN.

      Wednesday night I noticed my hands and fingers swelling up like sausages. Ewww. Found out from REMSA I was having a massive electrolyte FAIL. Drank a bunch of Emergen-C and all was well by the next day, but I learned my lesson.
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    • Miss...
      Miss Molli
      offline 27

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Thu, September 10, 2009 - 5:50 PM
      Everything Brody said! I'm quite shy so volunteering was a great way to meet loads of strangers and it was so much fun.

      I also need to bring a watch. I missed the Goddess Gathering, bunny march, santacon, and white procession AGAIN this year. I look forward to a planned daily activity and I was only able to do one this year. Even with all the lovely distractions and randomness, I am sad when I miss a specific activity I've looked forward to all year long.

      My friends witnessed a lot of wasted folks wandering about on the playa late at night. I'm much more of a daytime tripper so it was nice to not really have to witness any of that behavior.

      Most of our neighbors were very lame this year. If at all possible check them out a little bit before unloading anything.
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  • Neon
    Neon
    offline 133

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Thu, September 10, 2009 - 9:48 AM
    I had my best year yet (#7) in terms of using all the previous years to figure out what works for me. So only a few changes for next year:

    1. Do NOT bring a bunch of food that needs to be cooked...stock the fridge primarily with drinks, cheese and yogurt. Bring tons of salty snacks, and lots of canned food, like soups. Don't worry about being hungry for more, it never happens. All this is so counter to my usual style of eating that it's hard for me to remember and I always end up bringing way too much food that just gets in the way and then goes bad.

    2. Make sure to have some time out on the playa ALONE. Somehow I completely forgot to do that this year and I feel sad about it. But next year, I'll make it a point to remember.

    That's about it. Personally, the longer I'm there, the happier I am. It takes a few days to acclimate, so if I get to the event as early on as possible, I start feeling energized around the 3rd or 4th day. It's one of the reasons I like to be a theme camp, even though it's so much more work, because getting there early really works for me. I wasn't even sad to leave this year~~I felt perfectly satisfied.
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    • Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Thu, September 10, 2009 - 1:04 PM
      I swear that I will remember that it's only a week, and that I will not try to fill it so full.

      Of course, I remember a similar oath last year. And the year before. And before.

      Damn, I guess it will happen again.
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      • Rob
        Rob
        offline 53

        Re: What will you do differently next time?

        Thu, September 10, 2009 - 2:25 PM
        Bring two watches.

        Bring less night time warm clothes... one fleece and a windbreaker should do it.

        More beef jerky.

        More silicon ear plugs.

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        • Samsa
          Samsa
          online 230

          Re: What will you do differently next time?

          Thu, September 10, 2009 - 2:42 PM
          We had an unusually warm night weather year this year so I suggest bringing a few cozy warm things just incase next year. I never busted out my big fuzzy black coat, but I am going to bring it when I return, as I recall other years freezing my ass off.

          OH YES: BRING A WATCH! My clock in my pack sucked ass, and I know all about Playa time, but a little plan sometiems goes a long way!! Winging it is great, but I personally love a little time plan at times, I think it makes my week roll a little better when I can hit up events and meet up with people that I want to see. Randomness always works the best, but a meet up or plan can also really help in other instances.
          Im going to bring a watch as well next year, good thinking.
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  • Theo...
    Theo/Turtle at Camp Stella 7:45 and Bio
    offline 242

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Thu, September 10, 2009 - 5:03 PM
    I think other not trying so hard to educate folks before hand that don't want to hear it not much else. best burn I've had in years.

    next time I want to do more of what I liked this year: hang out with first timers and see burning man through their eyes of wonder, get to know my neighborhood camps even better before hitting the playa and on the playa and help them more especially the ones coming from overseas or canada. vounteer again for post delivery, burn night shift at the cafe, other more random and less organized volunteering gigs etc. get there even earlier than the weekend pre-event.

    i would say try to see more internet friends but I try every year and in the end, you see who you are suppose to see.
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  • Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Fri, September 11, 2009 - 2:53 PM
    OH MY GOD I'M BUYING THE FANCIEST CAMP SHOWER I CAN FIND!!! Not just for BM, but every time I'm away from plumbing. Never, ever again will I forfeit clean hair whenever I want it. My first year out I didn't have a camp shower (and the Camp's showers were set up by pretty tactless voyeur’s), so I took sponge baths and washed my hair in a basin. I forgot what a freaking pain in the behind that is. I can live without most comforts of home with no problem, I sleep anywhere, don't put much worry into food, enjoy the exercise, and can take the dust, wind, or heat. Showers? Them I need. As God is my witness...

    Bigger tent. I got enough use out of the one I got for $5 at a yard sale. Time to be moving on. I’m even going to get a shade structure or carport or something to sit over it.

    Commit. My last day at BRC I came to the realization that I'm a commitmentphobe. I put off saying I'll go, who I'll camp with, when I'll get there, asking for time off work, and everything else until I absolutely have to and because I can. I make it work, but I want better. Every year as I pack up I hear everyone say, "Next year, I'm going to ..." and I grimace because I can't look that far into the future. It's not serving me well and I've decided to leave that kind of behavior behind.

    Less time on the art car and more time on the bike or on foot. The short rides on the DG Dragon were fun, but whole days into evenings planned around the Party Barge didn't feel quite right. I have to ride more before I get out there and build up my strength and tolerance. No other way to do that than time in the saddle.
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    • Brody
      Brody
      offline 137

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Mon, September 14, 2009 - 11:40 AM
      >OH MY GOD I'M BUYING THE FANCIEST CAMP SHOWER I CAN FIND!!!

      Our camp has an awesome shower, it's in a wooden enclosure with a door, and there's a real showerhead that's run from a battery and a sump pump (? underwater pump thingie) in a bucket. Water catchment system under the structure (drain/bucket). It's so fabulous. And not too difficult or expensive, a great camp project.
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  • Lucas
    Lucas
    offline 3

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sat, September 12, 2009 - 8:28 PM
    I somehow managed to bring too much water.....

    go figure.

    Although we did bring a bunch of food that could be cooked in boiling water and then forgot to bring a pot to boil it in.
    Next time I'm bringing a pot.
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  • Diode
    Diode
    offline 19

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sat, September 12, 2009 - 8:44 PM
    I'll find a way to live with the dust instead of leaving on Sunday feeling like my skin was being etched away slowly. Must be a way to be out there without an RV, in a temporary structure so you can feel the wind and stars yet not get your skin altered for the worst by the dust.

    I'll bring a lot of gifts for people I might only meet once, and some special gifts for people I really click with.

    I'll forget about volunteering except for the greeters, the only thing I seem to do consistently with verve and effect.

    I'll forget about EL wire unless the project is completely done and hardwired before I get out there. I'll also bring small lighting effects, like LED chasers or whatever, so I can get lit up quickly and get out rather than monkey around with an uncooperative EL wire costume when I want to go out and have fun.

    Whenever possible, let the sun recharge your projects, so I don't have to seek out power supplies out there.

    D
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  • jeremy
    jeremy
    offline 7

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sat, September 12, 2009 - 10:20 PM
    -I say go early, but not too early. I like to arrive around 4am monday morning. smaller line and still cool outside.
    -I like to take a couple of nights off mid week and sleep. It really seems to help later in the week.
    -bring more great hand made outfits.
    -talk to more neighbors. Had some great interactions after the burn was over on monday night.
    -I don't need to shower ever at bman but the crusty nose thing has got me stumped.
    -bring my mom


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    • Brody
      Brody
      offline 137

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Mon, September 14, 2009 - 11:37 AM
      >don't need to shower ever at bman but the crusty nose thing has got me stumped.

      Neti pot. And then saline nasal gel right afterwards.

      NETI POT IS MY ONE TRUE PLAYA LOVE. Nothing like an afternoon sinus rinse to perk you right back up.
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  • Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sun, September 13, 2009 - 12:19 PM
    This was without a doubt my best burn yet, so by and large, not too much I want to do differently.

    It worked really well for me camping totally on my own, somewhat near the big theme camps where lots of my friends were. This let me socialize with them when I wanted to (pretty much on the first 2 days I was there), but also gave me the freedom and motivation to make strong connections with my neighbors (the last 6 days of the burn I spent entirely with new friends). I find that when I'm with my friends, I pretty much just talk to them and hang out with them, but when I'm on my own, I meet fascinating new people and make wonderful connections. After all, I see my LA friends every weekend, and the playa is such a great opportunity to do new things with new people.

    My big resolution for this year is to try to maintain the new friendships I made on the playa (something I've been bad at in the past).

    My other resolution is to hook up with a theme camp early this year, put in a lot of work helping them off-playa, and then NOT camp with them. I want to contribute more to creating the amazing city we love so much, but I'm so in love with camping alone, have no desire to rely on a camp for food or water or showers, and love not having to deal with camp politics and drama.

    Also, I had an amazing time this year, almost every night, wandering around looking at art out in the open playa, instead of hanging around the Esplanade and the sound camps like I usually do. Next year, though, it might be nice to spend a LITTLE more time in the city itself. I don't know, though, not sure about that one yet. I do think I'm pretty done with the sound camps, for good. I mean, I can go out and dance my ass off any day of the week in LA, why do I need to do it in BRC? All that amazing art, and bizarre, absurd strangeness to interact with, that's something I can only do there...

    It was better next year!!!
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    • Samsa
      Samsa
      online 230

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Sun, September 13, 2009 - 4:47 PM
      Im a half planner, so these kinds of threads are chock full of goodz for me. Universe schmuniverse, sometimes I gotta rock my own fate ;)
      hehehe

      OK in all seriousness, it was better for me last year, but thats only because my health was a little teetering this year and I could feel it.
      Less sunrises during the week, I shoulda coulda woulda hit the pillow more often during the week, so I dont miss the Temple Burn. Im a little bit of a fuckin pussy because of my physical condition, so my skin starts to crawl by SUnday if I am there a week. My herneated disc was in trauma mode....When I return in 2011 I would like to be more heavy into Yoga to heal my back, go to the chiropracter a bunch before the event, and stretch every day. Im hoping to make the playa my bitch when I return,like i did in 05, 06 and 08. Mentally the playa was my bitch and I was right there with it, but physcially I need to rock my ship so I can have a cleaner, healthier burn in 2 years.

      DEFINITELY MORE BACON. I cant believe we served 20 pounds on Wed morning for sunrise and I ate one strip.

      I think that was my biggest mistake.
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      • Tim
        Tim
        offline 9

        Re: What will you do differently next time?

        Sun, September 13, 2009 - 7:25 PM
        Best thing I did this year was to avoid driving I-80 from the Bay Area. Took 50 thru the mountains, out past C.City then up thru Fernley. Back via 395, 70 to Sierra Hot Springs, then down 49 thru the Gold Country. Finally down the levee roads thru the Delta. Little traffic, great scenery, a nice hot soak and swim, a refreshing leisurely drive instead of the frantic rush thru the Chute of Death. Remember, the journey IS the destination.
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  • )'(B...
    )'(Blysse
    offline 101

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sun, September 13, 2009 - 8:14 PM
    1) Get a new tent. Hell, I may even make one, or at least buy one new and modify it significantly. I created a really awesome shade structure this year but the stoopit tent just did not measure up and I was thoroughly dusted. And then I had to break one of the poles to get it fully broken down. Meh.

    2) Buy or rent a trailer so I'm transporting all of my own goods. I was greeted, on my return home this year, by a Money Request for $250 because the guy who volunteered to take my shit out for me hadn't cleared it with the guy who rented the truck. Not the way I wanted to start my decompression.

    3) State my boundaries more clearly and unequivocally. I was preyed on this year by an opportunistic asshole who took advantage of me when I was in a drunk and emotional state. His actions probably wouldn't have gotten him convicted of sexual assault, but he was certainly a prick, and had I been a little more in my right mind, I never would have tolerated his crap. I didn't really care so much, but a campmate of his tried it on one of my younger, virgin campmates a few days later and it scared her, fucked up the end of her Burn. I now see that my not making more of an issue might have set her up for the same shit I experienced, like the two fucktards compared notes or something. No worries -- we dealt with the situation appropriately (and, perhaps, inappropriately, since someone, and I have no idea who, actually scrawled "Sexual Predator" on Fucktard #2's RV before the issue had been resolved).

    4) Relating to the above, be 100% true to myself in my actions. I have a responsibility to those who shelter under my strength and experience to protect them with my healthy example. Don't let crap slide to avoide a confrontation, but find ways to deal with things without letting them escalate.
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    • Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Sun, September 13, 2009 - 9:40 PM
      "No worries -- we dealt with the situation appropriately (and, perhaps, inappropriately, since someone, and I have no idea who, actually scrawled "Sexual Predator" on Fucktard #2's RV before the issue had been resolved). "

      Hope they did it with a friggin' blowtorch. No means no. The playa is supposed to be sex-positive...in other words, it's a sexually friendly place, IF you're communicating with a partner and you BOTH agree to whatever boundaries you set. In your case, boundaries were crossed and you weren't interested, and then fucktard's buddy tried to take advantage of the emotionally charged and disorienting mental stew that is Burningman to achieve a score. Glad he didn't succeed.
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      • )'(B...
        )'(Blysse
        offline 101

        Re: What will you do differently next time?

        Mon, September 14, 2009 - 10:58 AM
        Not sure, but it looked like Dry Erase markers from where I sat. Gee, I hope it's hard to get DryErase markings off fiberglass siding.
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        • Samsa
          Samsa
          online 230

          Re: What will you do differently next time?

          Mon, September 14, 2009 - 11:11 AM
          Yikies.....that happened a few times to me last year and I just made sure I had my wits more this year, and my encounters were much more pleasant this round (just encounters, not dates or etc) It can be such a wonderful expressive lovely sexual place and it can be complete dogshit. I dont think we can necc. control it, but I told myself to keep on my toes more this year and I think it helped a bit.

          Also, next year I wont fuck my iPod off nor anything of value.....I cant believe I think I just left it on my camp chair. I wont be able to get a replacement for a long time. Dont even trust your coziest spots.
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  • Dephect
    Dephect
    offline 6

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sun, September 20, 2009 - 1:51 AM
    This was my first year and I have some self improvements in my plan.

    -Not travel in a caravan out there, it took 24 hours to get to the gate and I was up for a total of 48 hours in general with my natural insomnia and thinking of last minute things to get out there.

    -Put all my sauces and food in a cooler, with dry ice, this year I failed to do so and I had sesame oil, and soy sauce leak a little in my vehicle.. We could smell it on the way and that is when we decided to get out and fix it, but the damage had all ready been done.

    -Get a pop-up trailer, I am a boy so naturally I love to get dirty but that dust did a number on my feet, I need a place where I can get out of it, also our air bed kept on deflating and it would be nice to have a more private setting with a lock.

    -Party more, this year it was more about realization and what I had to do to better myself, I did not get to see the Bassnectar Sunrise Set and other shows I wanted to see, I did go to small bars like the Duck Pond and and Rock Bottom and camped with XPAT and went to other small sound systems and saw DJs who I have never heard of put on some really good shows.

    -SPIN MORE FIRE! I can not stress this enough, I did a few fire jams, a few in front of XPAT a few in the Hushville (man its quiet there) and the last performance with the Colorado Conclave in front of the man however I wanted to spin fire at Shiva Vista and at Opulent but was all ready in bed by midnight due to being busy with other things.

    -DRINK MORE WATER, I started out drinking a few quarts a day, then I started to drink about half a quart a day, I just need to keep up with the water.

    -Make more gifts, next year I will have several more items to give out to people, like BM emblem generic (but still useful) leathermans and other items, some to do more with the theme and some not.

    -DJ around on the playa, next year I will have my vinyl and my digital.

    -Explore deep playa more, I didn't get to see all the amazing art out there, I only saw what was a breath away from the Esplande.

    -MOOP HUNT MORE, this year I found some really cool shit, like a pair of goggles and a fuzzy messenger bag, plus lots of empty beer cans and trash and cigarette butts (pick up your trash people and take it back to camp or find some place to put it other then the Playa, its my first year and even I think leave no trace was not a important message)

    -Decorate my bike more, El Wire, Fuzzys you catch my drift, plus I got lucky this year but next year I will lock my bike up, I feel that since I didn't this year, if I do the same next year it will happen (if you don't lock it up its bound to happen sometime)

    -Get more costumes! I need more costumes! I cant have enough costumes! And stories to go with them!

    I'm sure I can think of more but its all ready a long enough list...
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  • MorT...
    MorTisha
    offline 93

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sat, October 3, 2009 - 12:54 PM
    after nine years, i also had my best burn evah. i think 08s weather really discouraged a lot of the tourists from coming out this year. cut the wheat from the chaff.

    i pretty much hit my stride and got it all worked out this year - geo-dome with homemade burlap cover. kept cool and kept out most of the dust. keeping EVERYTHING in bins at all times, plus an extra blanket just for covering the bed when not in use made it liveably dust-freeish. next year, a second layer of burlap. oh yeah, also helped that we ditched the air mattress in favor of a futon mattress ($5 at a yardsale) on top of the full size wooden bed my sexy construction worker hubby built. took it easy on food and water - a full 5 gallon solar shower is plenty for bathing all week, and no-cook food meant no water needed for cleaning. then 1 gallon/day for drinking. food was turkey jerky, trail mix, cup o noodles, chips n salsa, hard boiled eggs, pickles, and i was free to accept the amazing offers of fabulous food from others rather than needing to cook all the food that was rotting in my cooler. also brought lots of ginger ales and cokes (don't usually drink soda, but the easy, cold, caffeine comes in handy out there).

    for the crusty nose - we use babywipes for noseblowing, and stick a salve covered finger up in there as needed. also using a cloth dust mask and wetting it often on dusty days helps *a lot*.

    more beer!!! cold pbr is my nectar in the desert, and i forget that i like to share. 2 cases was not enough for 9 days!

    slept in 2-4 hour naps around sunup and sundown. worked great.

    next year = an art car. i am totally over biking all the hell over the place.

    also learned that i don't really need to carry every damn thing around with me everywhere i go. by the weekend i had abandoned the camelback full of salve, extra goggles, etcetcetc to just bring a water bottle (deeper drinks that way, anyway), goggles & smokes. had headlamp and dust cloth around neck at all times. way more freedom without dragging luggage around all day/night.
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  • Leo
    Leo
    offline 0

    Re: What will you do differently next time?

    Sun, October 4, 2009 - 10:07 PM
    2009 was my first burn, and I felt well-prepared thanks to the advice of my veteran burner friends. Next year, I will:
    -have a shade structure next to my tent trailer
    -create some sculpture to decorate my camp
    -stay up late enough (or get up early enough) to catch the sunrise on the playa
    -bring alcohol to gift to the bars that I visit
    -bring costumes
    -spend more time naked
    -spend more time on the playa
    -visit more theme camps
    -use more sunscreen
    -take more photos
    -bring more glow sticks
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    • Sail...
      Sail Man
      online 14

      Re: What will you do differently next time?

      Tue, October 6, 2009 - 1:19 PM
      Yeah, what Leo said :) This was my second year and def. better prepared/equipped then last year.

      But, STILL brought too much food.
      Did better with the costumes and camp art but theres always room for improvement.
      More EL wire (cant get enough of that shit LOL)

      Getting out and meeting peeps from here and eplaya was the bomb, cant wait for more meets next year.
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      • Rob
        Rob
        offline 53

        Re: What will you do differently next time?

        Wed, October 7, 2009 - 5:02 PM

        I'm not going to camp where I'm "first on the block"...

        people.tribe.net/afe252dd-...0399cb660a

        I'm going to camp where there are some folks are already around.

        My tent suffered major damage (2 poles broke, then a third a couple of days later) when an 8 hour storm blew through and I had no other tents or RVs around to act as a wind break... (not to be confused with breaking wind).

        One thing that I did right this past year, that was totally different from the past other 10 years, was that I got me a trike with a basket.

        It was great... wherever I stopped, I had a seat where I could play my squeeze box.

        Plus I didn't have to worry about falling... on a regular bike, my accordion (who's weight is not equally distributed) would throw my balance off.
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        • ♪James
          ♪James
          offline 196

          Re: What will you do differently next time?

          Wed, October 7, 2009 - 8:47 PM
          ~gift more things to more Burners
          ~bring a ridiculous bicycle
          ~ride more epic art cars
          ~try to talk Death Guild into joining me in a cheery rendition of the Brady Bunch's "Sunshine Day".
          Choreography and all.
          ~eat fewer power bars. blech. What price glory man?
          ~do a lot more dancing
          ~challenge Goatt to a cigarette rolling contest
          ~(Novysan mentioned this one to me, and I wholeheartedly agree) stay up all night and watch the sunrise on the playa.
          ~try and meet Larry H. and get him to smoke some of my pot with me
          ~try and meet Huelll and get him to smoke some of his crack with me
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