Burning Man Meetup

August 14, 2003 11:06 AM

It's just about 10 days to Burning Man. Any other MeFites hitting the Playa this year? Leave your coordinates in the comments!
posted by scarabic to MetaFilter Gatherings at 11:06 AM (65 comments total)

Here's an open invitation to sunset cocktails (more or less every day) at Borrachos Y Bicicletas. 3 o'clock plaza. Look for the Mexican flag.
posted by scarabic at 11:08 AM on August 14, 2003

Must....resist....urge...to....mock....
posted by dhoyt at 11:14 AM on August 14, 2003

Well, Karl, I'll think of you while I'm watching the sun go down with a homebrew in my hand and crowds of painted revelers surrounding me.

Actually... no I won't!
posted by scarabic at 11:29 AM on August 14, 2003

I'm just ribbing you, man.
posted by dhoyt at 11:30 AM on August 14, 2003

Is there a "Warm and Toasty Man" festival where the honeys are clad in afghans and we all drink cocoa and snuggle? That's kinda more my speed...
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 11:37 AM on August 14, 2003

I'm really going to have to make it to this one of these years.
posted by widdershins at 11:42 AM on August 14, 2003

Dhoyt is just a playa hater.
posted by crunchburger at 11:44 AM on August 14, 2003

Cocoa drinking afghan wearing honeys... tell me more, PST, tell me more...
posted by jonson at 11:45 AM on August 14, 2003

I hope this will eventually crystalize into an actual meetup thread. But until then allow me to compliment the Onion article with a little movie I made in 2001:

(quicktime - 12MB)

Apologies for the self-link. Enjoy~
posted by scarabic at 11:50 AM on August 14, 2003

I think a Flaming Man festival might be kinda fun.
posted by dhoyt at 11:53 AM on August 14, 2003

Ba-dum-bum. He's here all week, folks.
posted by scarabic at 12:05 PM on August 14, 2003

ahh, if only... afraid not. Maybe next year.
posted by Mars Saxman at 1:05 PM on August 14, 2003

Cocoa drinking afghan wearing honeys... tell me more, PST, tell me more...

I'm seeing huge cut crystal candy dishes overflowing with Werther's Originals...Marshall stacks cranking out "Sing Along with Mitch"...marathon readings of The Wind in the Willows...briar pipes and shag tobacco...
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 1:08 PM on August 14, 2003

This festival sounds loungetastic, PST. Is it being held somewhere where it's cold outside, but we're inside by the fire? Cause count me in! As for the burning man, scarabic that movie looked very cool indeed, but six days in the burning Nevada wastelands sans modern facilities plus a day of driving time on either end is just too high a price to pay. Now, if the festival was called "extended six day orgasm for jonson fest", then maybe. But all that for just a bunch of pyrotechnics, I dunno...
posted by jonson at 1:23 PM on August 14, 2003

jonson - it's true, the demands of the physical environment can be high. On the plus side, this tends to scare away a lot of the convenience-addicted masses that make a day at Disneyland so hellish.

Overcoming the elemental challenges can also be part of the fun. My camp builds a 20'x20' weatherproof shade hut with an astroturf floor, and an enclosed shower with a battery-operated pump. We're also lucky enough to be on the electrical power grid.

After 3 years together, we've got our act fairly well together, as do a lot of other people. If you tag along with a good group, it's actually very pleasant. Last year was mild and breezy with warm nights and almost no rain. Mmmm.

Funny... the power just went out all the way from New York to Maryland. Talk about modern facilities!
posted by scarabic at 1:59 PM on August 14, 2003

Don't hit the playa - hit the game.
posted by eddydamascene at 6:09 PM on August 14, 2003

I'm holding out for Itching and Burning Man.
posted by UncleFes at 9:11 PM on August 14, 2003

I'm holding out for burning Itchy and Scratchy!
posted by billsaysthis at 9:59 PM on August 14, 2003

anyone? any? one?
posted by scarabic at 11:43 PM on August 14, 2003

What next, MetaFiliter drumming circles?

Neo-tribalism is like, so totally last millenium.
posted by MrBaliHai at 4:39 AM on August 15, 2003

i tried to go to burning man in '95--a college art instructor or mine had gone the first couple of years, had shown us lots of video that was cooler than anything we'd seen (machine guns, shark cars, Fire!)-- but my ride flaked out [was packed and everything. bastard]. Every year it has been Something, and now its just a matter of vacation time used on other things and the perils and pitfalls of being older, married, and gainfully employed.

[side note, wtf does "gainfully" mean in that context? i have no idea. the IRS takes more gain?]

anyways, i guess my burning man expiration date passed a few years ago.

about 4 years ago i had a pretty amazing dream about being there, BM had turned into a giant traveling caravan. very strange, need to paint it some time, its as close as i'll get.
posted by th3ph17 at 8:08 AM on August 15, 2003

What next, MetaFiliter drumming circles?

Yes. Meet at the fire at dark:30.
posted by norm at 9:08 AM on August 15, 2003

th3ph17: Just do it. You're never too old or past your time.
I went by accident (long story) in 97 & ended up buying a share in a converted school bus to go the following year. I made it back last year & had the best time ever. I'd love to go back again every year but there's a 12000-mile roundtrip and the whole money thing to contend with.

However, I'll be fulfilling an ambition next spring by going to the Black Rock desert when there aren't 25,000 nutters running around [meetup anyone?!?]. I've spent so much time there gazing at the scenery so it will be a trip to see it competely empty.

Anyhow, expect to hear from folks who think it's stooo-pid & folks who think it's Jesus-on-a-rollercoaster-super-sized & everthing in-between. Then just go & have your own time. It's worth it.

scarabic: Raise one for me ya lucky bastard ;-)
posted by i_cola at 10:00 AM on August 15, 2003

12k miles? my, i am weak. i think i'm only about 330 miles away. i swear to you though, every year something has happened.

maybe next year? ah, but i already know i won't be able to. I'll just have to start my own.
posted by th3ph17 at 10:45 AM on August 15, 2003

so that video that scarbic linked is.. supposed to.. win me over? don't get me wrong- I used to be all about the ecstasy eating and straightbeat driven dancing madness. but damn man i can go down the street for pulsating music, i dont have to get dirty in the desert.

just sayin, is all'
posted by shadow45 at 12:02 PM on August 16, 2003

poor new age kiddies, trying so hard to create their own woodstock. not even us hippies bought into that schtick! hey, did you know pete townsend became the original punk rocker when he, acting in the name of peace, love and peter max paisley everywhere, bashed abbie hoffman off the woodstock stage with the backside of his gibson.
posted by quonsar at 3:43 PM on August 16, 2003

I'll bet jonson knows how Abbie felt right about now...
posted by languagehat at 4:55 PM on August 16, 2003

Sigh... sometimes I wonder why I even bother!
posted by jonson at 5:11 PM on August 16, 2003

I love the way boomers insist that they invented everything, and nothing has existed since that isn't an imitation of them.
posted by scarabic at 10:46 AM on August 17, 2003

Awww… we love you to, sonny.
posted by timeistight at 11:32 AM on August 17, 2003

That is, we love you to express your little opinions.
posted by timeistight at 11:33 AM on August 17, 2003

MetaTalk: Where old people love young people, in a condescending way, according to middle aged people.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:41 PM on August 17, 2003

That is, we love you to express your little opinions.

That was very funny, tight!
posted by jonson at 1:05 PM on August 17, 2003

I love the way boomers insist that they invented everything, and nothing has existed since that isn't an imitation of them.

Yeah, we know people with tattoos older than you--been there, done that too....boo hoo hoo. Poor poopsie.

But don't forget that you invented sex!
posted by y2karl at 1:23 PM on August 17, 2003

How would you know?
posted by crunchland at 1:34 PM on August 17, 2003

Why do you hatehate y2karl so much, crunchland?
posted by y2karl at 1:46 PM on August 17, 2003

Had to spell it twice to reach your level of obsessive-compulsiveness, I guess... on the gratuitoius ujpleasantries, that is.
posted by y2karl at 1:48 PM on August 17, 2003

Well, as for the spelling---I blame hempfest. Not that I've moseyed on down yet...
posted by y2karl at 1:49 PM on August 17, 2003

your level of obsessive-compulsiveness

heh. coming from you, that's almost a compliment.
posted by crunchland at 2:13 PM on August 17, 2003

I'm sorry, y2karl... anyone poised over their keyboard at 30 days, 23 hours & 59 minutes after a thread has gone live, fingers hovering over the "submit" button so as to guarantee that they get the last word (in a thread that others have long since completely abandoned) can never call anyone else out about their obsessive-compulsiveness. Nor, it turns out, can you ever insinuate that someone else has a desperate desire to get the last word in. You are the metachampion in both categories, now and likely for some time to come.
posted by jonson at 2:34 PM on August 17, 2003

And have I said anything about either of you since that thread, mr. pot and mr. kettle? crunchland--you follow me from comment to comment, getting in your dumb licks. Apart from the remarks above, what have I said about you lately? Nothing. Jeez, I can barely log on to #mefi without a gratuitous cheap shot from you--what is your fucking problem? You're the stalker here, buddy.

As for you, jonson, it's not like you did any baiting there in that thread, now is it? It's not like there was this whole silly battle of the egos between us, to get in the last word in there.

You, the guy who developed an animus towards rushmc, went after him hammers and tongs in thread after thread, made a mountain out of a molehill of a comment he once made and smeared him with it every chance you could get. Then, in the thread linked above, you went off the deep end trashing him before, during and after all the phony apologies you made after people became appalled Youstill allude to your cute little transexual cracks with a parent's pride. Boy, looking good there, Mr. User Page!

/hijack
posted by y2karl at 4:11 PM on August 17, 2003

Isn't it about time you guys kissed and made up?
posted by timeistight at 4:22 PM on August 17, 2003

this thread is cuntalicious.
posted by quonsar at 4:34 PM on August 17, 2003

Before you two start again, just remember MC's wisest ever words:
The first lesson of the adversarial philosophy is:

1) Anything that displeases your enemy is pleasing.

a) Nothing is more displeasing to him or her than simply ignoring him.

b) The best way of ignoring X is to naturally post a comment which addresses, in good humour, some other aspect of the thread or another poster.[[[snip]]]

posted by MiguelCardoso at 8:09 AM PST on June 19
posted by dash_slot- at 4:58 PM on August 17, 2003

jonson jumped in here with his own axe to grind, dash slot, but, all in all, he and I do treat each other fairly. Which is my preference. No doubt the same things from that other thread will be thrown back at me forever but do let it be noted that I'm not still making the gratuitous unpleasantries at the same someone's comments as they appear. Your point, however, is well taken--I was just thinking of Miguel's comment as I was mowing the lawn. Where has Miguel been, anyway?
posted by y2karl at 6:31 PM on August 17, 2003

That Portugese author's disapearing act is one of the reasons it's been so damn boring around here lately! And while his advice is the smartest thing I've read re: the personalities of this site, fortunately both y2karl & I completely incapable of following it.
posted by jonson at 7:53 PM on August 17, 2003

"rik nik nik nik", said riki tavi.
posted by quonsar at 8:05 PM on August 17, 2003

However, I'll be fulfilling an ambition next spring by going to the Black Rock desert when there aren't 25,000 nutters running around [meetup anyone?!?]. I've spent so much time there gazing at the scenery so it will be a trip to see it competely empty.

It's beautiful. It's hard to describe what a weird, desolate place it is. It feels nothing at all like it does during Burning Man. You'll either love it or you'll feel completely oppressed and disoriented, or maybe both at once - but it's an experience to remember.
posted by Mars Saxman at 9:25 PM on August 17, 2003

Where has Miguel been, anyway?

Here as always, Karl, biting my tongue and scratching manically at the alluring rectangle of the posting box, working hard to earn my old dream of one day being able to read on MeFi that the trouble with me is that I don't post enough. ;)
posted by MiguelCardoso at 10:05 PM on August 17, 2003

The trouble with MiguelCardoso is that he doesn't post enough.
posted by timeistight at 10:27 PM on August 17, 2003

This is true--previous prolixity aside, Miguel's voice is one thing lacking of late. jonson certainly has totallly replaced him in the inane MetaTalk post department but, on the other hand, a schadenfreude bordering on the malicious is just not the same as well met good cheer.
posted by y2karl at 11:04 PM on August 17, 2003

First of all, apologies to all for derailing this thread. Second, apologies to karl, for posting that cheap shot. I should have resisted. It doesn't even make much sense, the result of me misreading what he said in my haste. I hang my head in shame.

All that said, I need to insist that it is a baldfaced lie to say that I follow karl from thread to thread, stalking his every move. He flatters himself if he perceives it that way.
posted by crunchland at 5:23 AM on August 18, 2003

jonson certainly has totallly replaced him in the inane MetaTalk post department

Oh, it'll take more than two threads to totally replace Migs. Especially since one of my threads is already missing (and I'd imagine the clock to be ticking on the other one). Oh, and karl, to say that my schadenfeude borders on the malicious is to say that you are either too generous, or haven't been paying enough attention ;-)
posted by jonson at 7:44 AM on August 18, 2003

if you guys would all just go to burning man together and spent a week naked on E, you wouldn't hate each other anymore.

*sigh*
posted by th3ph17 at 8:11 AM on August 18, 2003

Naked on E Entertainment Television? Only if that dreamy Steve Kmetko is there...
posted by jonson at 8:44 AM on August 18, 2003

...it is a baldfaced lie...

I prefer extreme exaggeration. It's pretty much a baldfaced lie to extreme exaggerration to say anyone here stalks anyone--well, since the s_o_m vs. quonsar debacle, that is. I had it in for hama7 once, not now. jonson had a hair up his ass about rushmc, and still slags him a bit on his user page but that's it.

My apologies to crunchland and all bystanders for reacting.

Case closed on this end.
posted by y2karl at 8:45 AM on August 18, 2003

if the festival was called "extended six day orgasm for jonson fest", then maybe

Maybe??
posted by widdershins at 9:20 AM on August 18, 2003

Hey, Burning Man! Burning Man. How 'bout that Burning Man. Can't say I'll ever go--I honestly think that all that nonstop wackiness would get pretty boring after a while. But I probably just don't "get it".

Here's a music video about Burning Man featuring some pretty good electronica artists. NSFW.

Crunchland! y2karl! I think you should both just drop it.
posted by tss at 9:29 AM on August 18, 2003

Well, widdershins, it's still a long drive. And "not so extended seven second orgasm for jonson fest" happens in various locations around Los Angeles on a pretty frequent basis.
posted by jonson at 10:37 AM on August 18, 2003

Sheesh. What a mistake it was to post this. I know there are a lot of Burners in the SF Bay Area, and a fair number of MeFites as well. I thought there might be overlap, ergo: meetup thread. I thought I was inviting people over for drinks fer gad's sake.

Now, living in Boston has never appealed to me, but I don't stick my head into their meetup threads just to take a crap. If you want to spend the week before Labor Day typing indoors, then by all means: respect.
posted by scarabic at 10:41 AM on August 18, 2003

scarabic: Indeed. And if I don't make it for a few drinks next year then it'll definitely be the year after.

And as long as the people who do the whole 'harumph, too wacky, damn hippes, weird naked E stuff, I won't be going' routine keep on doing just that I think we'll all be happy...
posted by i_cola at 10:50 AM on August 18, 2003

Respect? lol
posted by timeistight at 10:53 AM on August 18, 2003

Err… I seem to be catching the disease – sorry about that. scararabic emailed me and we're all buddies now.
posted by timeistight at 12:55 PM on August 18, 2003

scarabic -- ill be there.. somewhere
posted by stbalbach at 5:35 PM on August 18, 2003

this thread makes a lot more sense if you read it backwards.
posted by danOstuporStar at 6:54 AM on August 19, 2003