Burning Blue May 8, 2008 12:07 PM Subscribe
This question got me to thinking about the possibility of a meet-up at Black Rock City this year.
It's been a handful of years since I've been to Burning Man, and this year's theme makes me want to vomit, but it seems to me like it would be an ideal opportunity for a meet-up with MeFites from various corners of the globe. Anyone else interested?
It's been a handful of years since I've been to Burning Man, and this year's theme makes me want to vomit, but it seems to me like it would be an ideal opportunity for a meet-up with MeFites from various corners of the globe. Anyone else interested?
So we can count you in as "that pasty guy who won't take his shirt off" then, dersins?
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:25 PM on May 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 12:25 PM on May 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
I'm just trying to protect you all from being blinded by my radiance.
posted by dersins at 12:35 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by dersins at 12:35 PM on May 8, 2008
Oh, fuck, I almost forgot! BRB.
*Drives SUV to the import district, buys half a ton of assorted plastic junk to barter for boobies, drinks a case of PBR, pees on the playa, distributes color-printed, glossy-coated leaflet on the unsustainability of Burning Man*
Err, I mean. Burning Man is awesome. Please do go. San Francisco is such a more awesome place during the burn. It's quieter. Your chances of meeting an artist that doesn't spin fire while wearing fun fur increases dramatically. We have this series of secret parties whilst you're all gone worshipping the idol. Everyone brings out their best food, drink and smoke. People read poetry. There's way less cars and traffic. And the whole week of the burn there's no fog at all.
It's awesome, well, except for the two weeks leading up to it when there's cargo vans doubleparked all over the city and the price of hipster-friendly beers triples.
posted by loquacious at 12:57 PM on May 8, 2008 [7 favorites]
*Drives SUV to the import district, buys half a ton of assorted plastic junk to barter for boobies, drinks a case of PBR, pees on the playa, distributes color-printed, glossy-coated leaflet on the unsustainability of Burning Man*
Err, I mean. Burning Man is awesome. Please do go. San Francisco is such a more awesome place during the burn. It's quieter. Your chances of meeting an artist that doesn't spin fire while wearing fun fur increases dramatically. We have this series of secret parties whilst you're all gone worshipping the idol. Everyone brings out their best food, drink and smoke. People read poetry. There's way less cars and traffic. And the whole week of the burn there's no fog at all.
It's awesome, well, except for the two weeks leading up to it when there's cargo vans doubleparked all over the city and the price of hipster-friendly beers triples.
posted by loquacious at 12:57 PM on May 8, 2008 [7 favorites]
thanks dersins and loquacious for setting the tone!
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:23 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 1:23 PM on May 8, 2008
I like to do my part. But that's pretty much it for this year. I might be able to write something annoying about the lamplighters and how the Blackrock Rangers all shag sheep, but we'll see.
*sneaks into neighbor's warehouse to infest piles of fun fur with the crotchlice he bought on the internet*
posted by loquacious at 1:30 PM on May 8, 2008
*sneaks into neighbor's warehouse to infest piles of fun fur with the crotchlice he bought on the internet*
posted by loquacious at 1:30 PM on May 8, 2008
why you gotta be a playa hater?
I will probably be at a wedding in DC, though this summer finds me awfully available and equipped to return to BRC and I'M NOT A PISSING WINGED MORAN. I would certainly prefer to go in a camp with someone from Mefi (I'm looking at you, aubie.)
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:31 PM on May 8, 2008
I will probably be at a wedding in DC, though this summer finds me awfully available and equipped to return to BRC and I'M NOT A PISSING WINGED MORAN. I would certainly prefer to go in a camp with someone from Mefi (I'm looking at you, aubie.)
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 1:31 PM on May 8, 2008
Who could have predicted that BM wouldn't have petered out by 2008? I've always wanted to go, but the older I get, the less I'd fit in with the hipsters. Have some magic mushrooms for me.
posted by Dave Faris at 1:35 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by Dave Faris at 1:35 PM on May 8, 2008
Good luck with the meetup, but scale back your expectations. Despite the interest shown in last year's planning thread there were all of 4 of us who showed up. drd and I almost blew it off but we were camped within spitting distance and didn't really have an excuse not to wander over. Not that it wasn't lovely meeting aubilenon and everything, and he made a great pancake sign so we could find each other amid the crowd at the cafe, but I think appointments and schedules pretty much fly out the window once you're in the gate. Way, way too many distractions.
posted by tula at 1:52 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by tula at 1:52 PM on May 8, 2008
Shoot, Burning Flipside is only 2 weeks away. I know I'm not the only one going.
posted by adamrice at 1:52 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by adamrice at 1:52 PM on May 8, 2008
Given that the Burning Man meet-up will probably be drawing from a wider geographical base than most MeFi meet-ups, it might be a good idea for us to start a second thread for all of the people who feel the need to announce that they won't be attending. That should clear up some room in this thread for people who have an interest in actually meeting.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:53 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:53 PM on May 8, 2008
why you gotta be a playa hater?
Because it's an unsustainable activity from people who should know better, and I see these people adapting the environment to themselves by way of RVs, domes and generators rather than adapting themselves to the environment.
Because people shouldn't go scurrying off to the desert to hide to be weird - they should do that here, and now, in their daily lives, rather than in the easy, nonconfrontational comfort of groupthink.
Because the whole thing smells like the perfect COINTELPRO. Start a cult-of-sorts that causes potentially revolutionary thinkers to squander their whole year preparing for a single week-long orgy, thereby diverting up their time, their resources and energy from more important things, with the end bonus that it gathers all these people together in a "target rich", easily recorded environment for monitoring purposes.
Because over two decades I've watched BM go from a small, eclectic art ritual - evolving into an extremely dangerous gathering of fire and pyrotechnic hobbyists who actually would go out and get hella drunk and then start shooting guns at stuff, blowing things up and otherwise being actually dangerous - to the sanctified, licensed, overly-safe, Disneyfied and dogmatic thing it is today where people write safety manuals and willingly become the cops themselves.
I think I'd rather go to this version of Black Rock City: The XPRS high-altitude rocketry launches.
posted by loquacious at 1:55 PM on May 8, 2008 [6 favorites]
Because it's an unsustainable activity from people who should know better, and I see these people adapting the environment to themselves by way of RVs, domes and generators rather than adapting themselves to the environment.
Because people shouldn't go scurrying off to the desert to hide to be weird - they should do that here, and now, in their daily lives, rather than in the easy, nonconfrontational comfort of groupthink.
Because the whole thing smells like the perfect COINTELPRO. Start a cult-of-sorts that causes potentially revolutionary thinkers to squander their whole year preparing for a single week-long orgy, thereby diverting up their time, their resources and energy from more important things, with the end bonus that it gathers all these people together in a "target rich", easily recorded environment for monitoring purposes.
Because over two decades I've watched BM go from a small, eclectic art ritual - evolving into an extremely dangerous gathering of fire and pyrotechnic hobbyists who actually would go out and get hella drunk and then start shooting guns at stuff, blowing things up and otherwise being actually dangerous - to the sanctified, licensed, overly-safe, Disneyfied and dogmatic thing it is today where people write safety manuals and willingly become the cops themselves.
I think I'd rather go to this version of Black Rock City: The XPRS high-altitude rocketry launches.
posted by loquacious at 1:55 PM on May 8, 2008 [6 favorites]
clear up some room in this thread
The fascinating thing about metafilter threads, PU, is that they expand to accommodate all the comments.
posted by Dave Faris at 1:56 PM on May 8, 2008
The fascinating thing about metafilter threads, PU, is that they expand to accommodate all the comments.
posted by Dave Faris at 1:56 PM on May 8, 2008
is that they expand to accommodate all the comments
Well, not exactly.
Granted, from a strict perspective they do, but human attention is limited. Therefore, there is a limited thread volume that is useful; beyond that point it doesn't matter if someone posts, because only a small percentage of viewers will see it.
If threads were infinitely expandable, flooding threads with spam wouldn't be a bannable offense.
Which it is. Someone braver/more foolish than I can test my premise, but I ain't gonna. No sir.
posted by aramaic at 2:19 PM on May 8, 2008
Well, not exactly.
Granted, from a strict perspective they do, but human attention is limited. Therefore, there is a limited thread volume that is useful; beyond that point it doesn't matter if someone posts, because only a small percentage of viewers will see it.
If threads were infinitely expandable, flooding threads with spam wouldn't be a bannable offense.
Which it is. Someone braver/more foolish than I can test my premise, but I ain't gonna. No sir.
posted by aramaic at 2:19 PM on May 8, 2008
1. People who go to BRC in RVs are gonna be spending their vacations hemorrhaging money and energy on unsustainable pursuits anyway. In fact, all travel and recreation excursions tend to be more unsustainable than staying home and eating homegrown beets with the lights off. That just gets old, fast.
2. People like doing things in groups, and until the freakery regime is running our administration, gathering in a consensual freakery arena to freak around is a novel and delightful time for those so inclined to it. It's not a license to freak around, it's a safari in freak-dense territory. Implying that people who go to BRC are somehow failing to do a good job at being progressive in their quotidian lives is obviously insulting (TO ME) as well as baseless.
3. People who are paranoid about governmental surveillance are probably not that good at having fun anyway. I would rather not be partying with them anywhere.
4. That doesn't mean it isn't fun for the rest of us. Live and let live, by which I mean to say mind your own business.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:43 PM on May 8, 2008 [6 favorites]
2. People like doing things in groups, and until the freakery regime is running our administration, gathering in a consensual freakery arena to freak around is a novel and delightful time for those so inclined to it. It's not a license to freak around, it's a safari in freak-dense territory. Implying that people who go to BRC are somehow failing to do a good job at being progressive in their quotidian lives is obviously insulting (TO ME) as well as baseless.
3. People who are paranoid about governmental surveillance are probably not that good at having fun anyway. I would rather not be partying with them anywhere.
4. That doesn't mean it isn't fun for the rest of us. Live and let live, by which I mean to say mind your own business.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 2:43 PM on May 8, 2008 [6 favorites]
I'll be there again. We can do center camp again, but I'd also be happy to host it at my camp, the Snack Food Glory Hole. Location TBD. (we'll be in the what where when thing)
posted by aubilenon at 2:52 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by aubilenon at 2:52 PM on May 8, 2008
Relatedly, is anyone (else) going to Wickerman?
Bastard. This is the first summer in years I won't be making it to Four Quarters, and now you've got to rub it in.
(Seriously, though, it looks like that thing's gonna be a blast. Have fun!)
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:11 PM on May 8, 2008
Bastard. This is the first summer in years I won't be making it to Four Quarters, and now you've got to rub it in.
(Seriously, though, it looks like that thing's gonna be a blast. Have fun!)
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:11 PM on May 8, 2008
. . .mind your own business.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 5:43 PM on May 8 [2 favorites +] [!]
What's the opposite of eponysterical?
posted by The Bellman at 4:12 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 5:43 PM on May 8 [2 favorites +] [!]
What's the opposite of eponysterical?
posted by The Bellman at 4:12 PM on May 8, 2008
Therefore, there is a limited thread volume that is useful; beyond that point it doesn't matter if someone posts, because only a small percentage of viewers will see it.
This statement clearly indicates either ignorance of site features or willful obtuseness. Use Recent Activity.
Hey, have fun everybody. Party over there, crazy over there, hugs right here hell yeah.
posted by carsonb at 4:13 PM on May 8, 2008
This statement clearly indicates either ignorance of site features or willful obtuseness. Use Recent Activity.
Hey, have fun everybody. Party over there, crazy over there, hugs right here hell yeah.
posted by carsonb at 4:13 PM on May 8, 2008
I may be going this year. If I go, a meetup would be fun. I have no idea when I'm going to decide whether or not I'm actually going (and being ok with that is the beginning of my buttoned-up, lame attempts at being wiiiiild and crrrrazy. Next up, excel sheets sorted in DESCENDING order, whoa!)
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:28 PM on May 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:28 PM on May 8, 2008 [1 favorite]
Ambrosia Voyeur: In fact, all travel and recreation excursions tend to be more unsustainable than staying home and eating homegrown beets with the lights off. That just gets old, fast.
Hey. Don't piss on my version of fun. (You forgot the quiet weeping.)
posted by loiseau at 4:38 PM on May 8, 2008
Hey. Don't piss on my version of fun. (You forgot the quiet weeping.)
posted by loiseau at 4:38 PM on May 8, 2008
Use Recent Activity
Missing the point, for the win! Gooooooaaaaallllllll!
posted by aramaic at 6:26 PM on May 8, 2008
Missing the point, for the win! Gooooooaaaaallllllll!
posted by aramaic at 6:26 PM on May 8, 2008
I'd love to host the MeFi meetup at Autosub. We're usually placed right on the Esplanade. Unfortunately, we're still a few months away from BRC's official placements, so I suspect this thread will be closed by the time I can tell you where we'll be this year.
Consider it, though. We have a great bar!
posted by mykescipark at 8:10 PM on May 8, 2008
Consider it, though. We have a great bar!
posted by mykescipark at 8:10 PM on May 8, 2008
I have yet to meet anyone or attend anything I scheduled at Burning Man. That said, a BRC meetup sounds like a lovely idea. Please count me in.
posted by treepour at 8:24 PM on May 8, 2008
posted by treepour at 8:24 PM on May 8, 2008
I will be there this year, so I'm in for sure, though I agree that pre-existing plans tend to become increasingly tentative at the event itself.
*hides secret shame from loqacious*
posted by whir at 10:54 AM on May 9, 2008
*hides secret shame from loqacious*
posted by whir at 10:54 AM on May 9, 2008
Virgin going. Would love to pop in and meet y'all. Let me know details.
posted by HeyAllie at 9:07 PM on May 9, 2008
posted by HeyAllie at 9:07 PM on May 9, 2008
I'm going to Burning Man this year for the first time. I'd love to meet up with y'all.
posted by Afroblanco at 11:37 PM on May 10, 2008
posted by Afroblanco at 11:37 PM on May 10, 2008
Count me in!
posted by wretched_rhapsody at 12:10 PM on May 21, 2008
posted by wretched_rhapsody at 12:10 PM on May 21, 2008
I'd join. (to those who are anti-burn: feel however you like about it, but please don't lump me in with either hippies or hipsters. Or druggies, for that matter- I don't think I fit any of those categories, and I still have very much enjoyed my time in BRC. In fact I think the best part about BM is the ability to make it your own experience- be a hippy if you like, be a hipster if you prefer, be both or be neither. Be antagonistic or friendly or well, whatever you like.)
posted by nat at 12:22 PM on May 21, 2008
posted by nat at 12:22 PM on May 21, 2008
That just about covers life in general, doesn't it?
posted by Dave Faris at 12:51 PM on May 21, 2008
posted by Dave Faris at 12:51 PM on May 21, 2008
I've suggested a meetup twice in as many past years and no one was up for it. Fuck.
Parasite Unseen, I am totally down to do this.
I would like to suggest a meetup time:
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing. They make the most fantastic Bloody Maries I've ever ever had. They are also a stone's throw from Center Camp.
What do you say?
posted by redteam at 8:06 PM on May 21, 2008
Parasite Unseen, I am totally down to do this.
I would like to suggest a meetup time:
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing. They make the most fantastic Bloody Maries I've ever ever had. They are also a stone's throw from Center Camp.
What do you say?
posted by redteam at 8:06 PM on May 21, 2008
yes, Dave, but at BM the social expectations are different (if not lifted).
posted by nat at 3:53 AM on May 22, 2008
posted by nat at 3:53 AM on May 22, 2008
Just back from Wickerman. Awesome. The site is wooded, with a large creek/small river and lots of shady, semi-private spots. It's a burn where you can actually have some time alone, if you can imagine such a thing.
posted by MrMoonPie at 4:20 PM on May 26, 2008
posted by MrMoonPie at 4:20 PM on May 26, 2008
(I was placed at 8:30 and Esplanade, for those of you still monitoring. Come by for my event!)
posted by mykescipark at 9:19 PM on August 8, 2008
posted by mykescipark at 9:19 PM on August 8, 2008
A series of unfortunate pregnancies (amongst campmates-to-be, not myself) have put the kibosh on my plans to be out there this year, but y'all have fun.
posted by whir at 9:26 PM on August 8, 2008
posted by whir at 9:26 PM on August 8, 2008
mykescipark: Super, my camp, The Snack Food Glory Hole (just what it sounds like) is at 9:00 and Allanté.
Come by to eat delicious snacks, out of a hole, the way nature intended!
... Oh, you're with autosub! We probably know some of the same humans!
posted by aubilenon at 1:14 PM on August 10, 2008
Come by to eat delicious snacks, out of a hole, the way nature intended!
... Oh, you're with autosub! We probably know some of the same humans!
posted by aubilenon at 1:14 PM on August 10, 2008
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing. They make the most fantastic Bloody Maries I've ever ever had. They are also a stone's throw from Center Camp.
The last year's wednesday night sangria party was brutal.
Sunday night they got my so drunk I almost threw up on the ranger station. I was running towards it but didn't make it in time, so close.
I second a meetup surround by bloody maries, anyone wanna bring bacon swizzle sticks?
Anywho, I'll be MCing/stage-managing the stage at center camp 11pm-1am Monday, Wednesday, Friday (co-hosting the battle of the marching bands), and after the temple burn from 11pm-7am (fuck me). so stop by and say hi. I'll be the one in the tux.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 11:54 AM on August 11, 2008
The last year's wednesday night sangria party was brutal.
Sunday night they got my so drunk I almost threw up on the ranger station. I was running towards it but didn't make it in time, so close.
I second a meetup surround by bloody maries, anyone wanna bring bacon swizzle sticks?
Anywho, I'll be MCing/stage-managing the stage at center camp 11pm-1am Monday, Wednesday, Friday (co-hosting the battle of the marching bands), and after the temple burn from 11pm-7am (fuck me). so stop by and say hi. I'll be the one in the tux.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 11:54 AM on August 11, 2008
I'm doing fire art again this year. We'll be in the playa about 500 feet from 4:30 and Esplanade. Every night between 10pm and 2am we'll be making exploding Hydrogen Bubbles (much improved over last year) and showing a new piece (PyroCardium) which has 40 flame effects that pulse in time to your heartbeat. If you see a bald guy operating them, that's me. Stop by and say hi.
posted by pombe at 4:59 PM on August 11, 2008
posted by pombe at 4:59 PM on August 11, 2008
So is this the official meeting time?
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing
Would love to say hi to Milton and Pombe.
posted by HeyAllie at 10:19 AM on August 12, 2008
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing
Would love to say hi to Milton and Pombe.
posted by HeyAllie at 10:19 AM on August 12, 2008
So is this the official meeting time?
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing
I say yes!
Ok, awesome! I'll do my best to show up in a USA-themed Speedo - otherwise I'll be the guy with the yellow "DONT TURD ON ME" Turdistan flag.
Here's the official Burning Man events calendar listing for the Lamplighters Bloody Mary Brunch
See you all there :)
posted by redteam at 8:11 PM on August 12, 2008
Noon on Wednesday at the Lamplighters Bloody Mary thing
I say yes!
Ok, awesome! I'll do my best to show up in a USA-themed Speedo - otherwise I'll be the guy with the yellow "DONT TURD ON ME" Turdistan flag.
Here's the official Burning Man events calendar listing for the Lamplighters Bloody Mary Brunch
See you all there :)
posted by redteam at 8:11 PM on August 12, 2008
tape mefi on yourself, so I can tell the drunks from the geek drunks.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 11:34 AM on August 13, 2008
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 11:34 AM on August 13, 2008
Excellente. I will be wearing some sort of outfit with lots of hanging glittery silver balls. Can't describe it because I haven't made it yet, but I will somehow have MeFi on me.
posted by HeyAllie at 5:56 PM on August 13, 2008
posted by HeyAllie at 5:56 PM on August 13, 2008
I hate bloody marys but I'll be there anyway, because that's how dedicated to MeFi I am
posted by aubilenon at 10:39 PM on August 15, 2008
posted by aubilenon at 10:39 PM on August 15, 2008
I hate bloody marys but I'll be there anyway
I shall raise a glass to your radical self-expression, and drink.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 5:48 PM on August 17, 2008
I shall raise a glass to your radical self-expression, and drink.
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 5:48 PM on August 17, 2008
Once again I've posted a meet-up that I won't be attending. I'm such a cad.
A combination of medical problems and finances (impacted by the aforementioned medical problems) will be keeping me off the Playa this year.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:18 AM on August 18, 2008
A combination of medical problems and finances (impacted by the aforementioned medical problems) will be keeping me off the Playa this year.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 10:18 AM on August 18, 2008
Burning man plans getting messed up? Unheard of!
I hope you get better!
posted by aubilenon at 2:26 PM on August 18, 2008
I hope you get better!
posted by aubilenon at 2:26 PM on August 18, 2008
My sf and I will try to be there. It's my first time going. I am excited to see any/all of you.
posted by mai at 3:58 PM on August 22, 2008
posted by mai at 3:58 PM on August 22, 2008
I look like I am about to spit all over myself in that last pic. I had a good time with everyone, thanks for showing up!
posted by mai at 1:50 PM on September 4, 2008
posted by mai at 1:50 PM on September 4, 2008
Alas, I was busy with my Cookie Speakeasy all day. Try making 200 cookies on a propane grill in six hours or less.
(That, and I don't get out of bed until 3PM at Burning Man. It's a ritual of mine to stay up until sunrise every morning, which usually means I'm crawling into bed around 8AM by the time I'm done playing.)
posted by mykescipark at 3:20 PM on September 7, 2008
(That, and I don't get out of bed until 3PM at Burning Man. It's a ritual of mine to stay up until sunrise every morning, which usually means I'm crawling into bed around 8AM by the time I'm done playing.)
posted by mykescipark at 3:20 PM on September 7, 2008
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posted by dersins at 12:21 PM on May 8, 2008