PolyParadise - 2019 - Wrap-up

    Saturday December 21, 2019

    It is hard to believe another year in BRC has come & gone...The Village of PolyParadise 2019 was absolutely incredible and our best collective effort yet at creating this amazing On-Playa home we call The Village of PolyParadise, As we venture to the Playa each year there are always challenges and together we find a way to make things right, together we build an amazing space within the gates of BRC, a place to really call home in the desert.

    Each year as Benevolent Dictator, I learn more and more about why I love all things Burning Man, why I love all things Village of PolyParadise.

    Of course there is an amazing personal journey for me, but it is the journey I watch in others, their self-discovery, their triumphs as well as low points, watching people grow and blossom.

    This section of the Year in Review; The Wrap-up is my way of thanking all of the amazing people that assist us in creating PolyParadise, not only On-Playa but all year-round here in Phoenix. I am taken aback by those that give even when they are not PolyParadise campers or give to the community even if the Playa is not in their travel plans.

    Here-in are my THANK YOU's for Burning Man 2019...This list in not an all-inclusive list and if I left someone or something out it is not because I was unaware of your contribution it is just a minor oversight and is in no particular order. EACH ONE OF YOU HAD A PART AND A HAND IN MAKING US THE SUCCESS WE WERE!!

    The first Thank You has always been reserved for my Life Partner, Wife, Friend & companion, WildChild!!! She continues to be an awesome inspiration for all things Burning Man, stands by me in my ever increasing need to volunteer…Thank you my love!!!

    BIG BIG Kudos - To our fellow AZBurners who are always available to assist during the year; for Truck Loading & Unpacking; carrying, cleaning, sorting and building PolyParadise year-round here in Phoenix. Special Thanks to (UncleBob, Rich, Poje, Alien, Sarge, Kilted James, The Doctor, Cobalt, Armella, Corvus, Sandman, Cactus Man, Raymond, Atira, Knotch, Shadow, Fancy Nancy, Neefer, JimyMac, Dr. Dirt, Daniel, Bruno, Rachel, Donnie, Big Rig, Rich, Tatteltale, Lytyl, Sunny, Ron, Rhonda, Cynthia, Justin, Diane, Dance Boy, Laura, Cole, The Jason, LauraZ, Craig, Ken, Becky, Luna Tickles, Cheyenne, Jeffrey) Back in the day circa 2006 it was only WildChild & I that represented Arizona in PolyParadise.  It is amazing to have had 35 AZBurners in our camp this year. You are all ACES in my book!!! Thank you all so very much!!!

    Thanks to the Truck Packing & Unpacking Crew: (Neefer, UncleBob, Rich, JimyMac, Dr. Dirt, Stephanie, Daniel, Cactus Man, Alien, Sarge, Kilted James, The Doctor, Corvus, Sandman, TattleTale, Adam, Whiteout, Dance Boy, Craig, Sunny, Laura, Cole, Trevor, Stephanie, Ron, Rhonda, Cynthia, Justin, Armella, Ken, Becky, Cheyenne, Jeffrey). It is so much fun to share the excitement of PolyParadise hitting the road with all of you!!! YEAH!!! You guys are GREAT!

    Thank you to the 65 International campers from (Australia, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland).

    A VERY SPECIAL CALLOUT to Trevor for taking a 28-Day vacation from Alberta Canada and OHHH SOOO being the ALL AROUND RIGHT HAND OF what we created. I LOVE YOU Brother - You have such a community heart and the muscles to back that up.  Thanks for being the BBQ Charcoal CZAR for both Trash Can Pizza & Turkey. I very much enjoyed working with you and spending some quality BRO time with you on our Playa walks. I depend on you for a lot on site and you are always there with a smile and of course your community HEART! 

    Special thanks to UncleBob,Trevor & Stephanie for being there Monday morning to assist with packing the 14 coolers and getting them on the truck - I cannot thank you enough  to be there to help me; cause a one-person job that is not.

    Early Arrival - Many, Many thanks to all of our Early Arrival crew. Kudos go out to all of you for your tireless efforts to get the camp erected and all system connected. You guys ROCK!!!

    With the ability from Placement to get a limited number of campers in on Thursday we were way ahead of the game in getting the truck emptied and the start of what would become The Village of PolyParadise. The crew was awesome!!! We rocked the house and had the entire infrastructure up & functional by Sunday morning. I thank you all so much for doing what needed to be done, being out in the Sun & Dust; making PolyParadise happen On-Playa!!!

    We set the camp up over several days, but we take it down in just a few hours, it is a massive undertaking that requires lots & lots of hands. I cannot 'Require' you to stay and assist with breakdown, but know that each and every one of you that did help is so very much appreciated. This year’s crew was incredible. Thank you all so much for doing the dirty work and being there to pack away our community for another year.

    MANY, MANY thanks go to the most amazing takedown crew we have ever had. There were so many people that stayed and assisted with the huge job of getting things in some order before it heads to the truck. THANK YOU ALL!!! Both WildChild & I appreciate your efforts.

    We again stayed until Tuesday morning; this allowed for a more cohesive teardown & truck packing and my sanity. We had a great time with the folks that stayed and many thanks to everyone that did the last of the MOOP WALK. throughout our camp space.

    Our Playa Events - Poly High Tea - Human Carcass Wash - Mind Melt - Poly Friendly Social Mixer, Building Non-Traditional Households, TLC Yoga, Mindful Hugging, Best sex living with STD's, Acting Class | Playa Persona Parade Ethical Slut - Meet & Greet, Yoga Postures for 2 and of course EVERY NIGHT @ THE TWISTED SWAN!!!

    Major Kudos to the organizers of all of our Playa Events. You all are aces in my book!!! Thanks to everyone who assisted in each and every event. The events are as much for us as a camp as well as sharing with the Playa Citizenry.

    Thanks to everyone who assisted in each and every event. The events are as much for us as a camp as well as sharing with the Playa Citizenry.

    The Carcass Wash...Many thanks go to Touch and EVERY CAMPER that assisted each day heading up the Human Carcass Wash. A HUGE THANKS to everyone else who helped with Setup & Cleanup and to those that ran the event each day.

    Many Many thanks & Kudos to Twist for his ingenuity several years ago in creating the pumps/basins for collecting the drain water from the sink & shower and sending it to the Gray Water Tank, you rock Twist!!! All Hail Master-Twist!!!!! Your Master Skills as a Rocket Scientist have no gone unnoticed.

    MAJOR KUDOS to Trevor & Big Rig - our electrical gurus.  The Honda EU 7000W we rented was able to provide a way for us to have continual power to the Shower & Sink pumps and critical lights within the Kitchen & Community space when the Generator was off or had run out of gas. 

    Thanks to all those that provided meals for the Early Arrival Crew Meal Plan. It was awesome to have food available to us after a hard days work ERECTING PolyParadise.

    Thanks & KUDOS to Knotch, Shadow & LauraZ for all things Kitchen.  You guys ROCKED!!!  I am so glad that you have enthusiasm to take on the Kitchen BIATCH duties again in 2020!  The Community Kitchen was an awesome success! Thanks so much to all of their helpers that maintained the kitchen all week long.

    Thanks & KUDOS to Baggi & crew for making sure we had WiFi available.

    Thanks to the Boyz from Illionoiz with the help of Honest John & Mistress Barney the most AMAZING & INCREDIBLE Community meal ala Chicago Style!!! 

    MAJOR MAJOR KUDOS & THANKS TO 2Crispy, Plan B & Crew for the AMAZING FROG BAR. What an awesome place to hang out right outside the community space and fill up your cup with the days drink concoction! Thanks to all of you for seeing the value of community!! The incredible setup you had with the musical way to create drinks - CLASSIC!!! Look forward to seeing what you come up with for next year!!

    Thanks to Armella, Trevor, Stephanie & Uncle Bob for being the designated drivers of the RV and 2nd U-Haul Truck.

    Thanks to Uncle Bob & Armella & Trevor for getting the Pin Flags set for the three RV Service roads on Day 1. Thanks to Mark Freiheit for having a tape measure we could use as I could not find the 100' one I had that I knew I put in a place I would be able to find it easy but couldn't when I needed it.

    Thanks to Brotherluv for bringing the Clown Art Car and providing rides across the Playa to Poly Campers.

    Thanks to ALL CAMPERS that came by in March for the annual Work-Party. Look forward to seeing you all again in 2020.

    Thanks to Tailfeather for again being a Camp MacGyver and for bringing the 28' Dome.

    Major KUDOS to Sara Vaughn & Lucy for taking on a huge cooking responsibility. Every time I said I could use the Salmon or Tri-Tip  or Chicken or BACON cooked you both were right there and did it with a smile.  I also appreciate that you made sure that WildChild & I got some of the first batch off the grill - Its good to be the king!

    Special thanks to all the Playa Virgins that decided to make PolyParadise their First Home on the Playa. I hope your experience was awesome and that Burning Man, The Playa, BRC and the rest of us instilled in you a LOVE for the week leading up to Labor Day that your excitement will have you camping again with us next year. Each of you gave & gave & gave of your time & effort and we all Thank You...

    Thanks to everyone who provided & prepared food for Community Meals, Washing Dishes, all who helped out when it was needed, for taking garbage home with you, for knowing what building community & sharing community is all about.

    Thanks to Rich for surprising me for being @ Burning Man - I tried to not give you any major projects as you were technically 'On-Sabbatical' but there were a few times where I needed just your skills and you were there when I needed you and for that I am forever in your gratitude.

    Thanks to Scott Mummert for bringing the Coyote Fire Art piece that adorned the front entrance way.

    Thanks to our IRL neighbors Ken & Becky for finally making the plunge to trek to BRC.  For the past 10 years the Playa Dust has wafted across your lawn and you have dealt with the influx of vehicles & work-parties; so awesome to finally cal you Playa Family members.

    Thanks to Dr. Dirt for all you do for our community and especially for taking WildChild & I out for a night of Playa Art in your Golf Cart.

    Thanks to Ray & Gail for providing the 15' tall Pink FLAMINGO that adorned our road frontage and hid the Gray Water Tanks from view.  Thanks for taking WildChild & I out for a night of Playa Art in your Golf Cart.  Speaking of your Golf Cart...

    Thanks to Ray & Gail for being willing to hook up 5 wagons to the golf cart and transport the chairs from camp to our Man Burn Viewing Spot - That was quite incredible and was quite the visual as we traversed to and from the Esplanade.

    Thanks to Canyon Man for your Community Heart and for taking on distributing the RV Service Placards & Vouchers.

    Thank you to Janet & Gypsy for allowing us to celebrate their WEDDING with all of us and a huge personal thanks for allowing me to be the officiate.

    CALLOUT to Mark Freiheit - You were always there to make sure that The Benevolent Dictator always had a cold beverage and always had Heineken's (My Favorite).  

    Many Many thanks to STAGGER for again heading up all things Garbage Czar for stepping up and taking on the role of TRASH!  We are sad that you will not be making it back to the Playa in 2020 - You will always be Czar De' Garbage to me!!!!

    MAJOR KUDOS to Mistress Barney - I saw you everyday in the kitchen doing dishes - doing what needed to be done in the kitchen to make it presentable for the next meal - Your Community Salutes YOU!!! 

    MAJOR Thanks to all our BRC Rangers in our camp - we appreciate your service to the Playa Citizens!!!!

    Thanks to Candi Carrell for filling her U-Haul with the last of the garbage bags @ Teardown - You were unable to make UNPACKING but was gracious enough to have Cheyenne & Jeffrey bring 10 PIZZAS for the unpacking crew - Thank you so much!!!

    Thanks to Guami, Kilted Freedom and the ENTIRE Twisted Swan & Temple of Bacchus camps for joining our village - what an awesome thing to have a BAR as part of our camp space.

    Thanks to Stephanie & crew for putting out an amazing Monday night Dinner spread for those that stayed Monday night.

    Thanks to Daniel Medina for being our Milk Crate provider and procurer - The Milk crates stack so amazing in the truck and a dimensionally Tetris Positive.

    Special thanks to Craig, Donna & Mark for assisting in all things running the camp all week - You three were Go TO folks when I needed something done.  Thanks to Donna for your MOOPING - walking the entire 3.5 acre space with the metal rake.

    Thanks to anyone & everyone that provided and or used the Massage Tables.

    Thanks to all the attendees @ the annual  March Work-Party that assisted in creating the 21st Anniversary Art Project - Village of PolyParadise Blacklight Sign.  KUDOS to Neefer for coming up with the idea of painting the letters in succession with the Burning Man Theme from that year. What an amazing idea.  They are truly each a work of ART on their own.

    SPECIAL CALLOUT to Master Twist who came up with the ingenious idea to mount the letters on additional Truss structure ABOVE the main truss so that they were not only visible but then the entire structure could be a walk-thru and not a walk around. 

    Thanks to all the Takedown Crew of the Human Carcass Wash and for transporting all the STUFF back 400' near the truck for packing.

    Thanks to everyone that went out with us as a camp to watch the Man BURN!  There are many people you can spend the BURN with - I was so happy that over 60 people made the trek out with us and saw that HUGE FIREBALL THAT ROCKED THE MAN'S BALLS together.

    Thanks to all of our campers that create ART outside of camp - in 2020 I want to make sure we have something within the Community Space that highlights who you are and where your Art piece is located so all of our campers can get a chance to see them.
    Special thanks to the Burning Man Shopping Day Crew (Uncle Bob, Armella, Corvus, Canyon Man Starfish, Sunny, Redloc, Tattletale, Neefer) Spending $2800 of your money then unpacking it all - Thanks so much!!!

    Thanks to Atira, and the ICE CREW for being The Ice CZARS; heading up daily runs for ice. Thanks for your efforts each day with this important duty. MAJOR KUDOS to Max Flynn & Simon for making available each day THE ICE TAXI which was an AMAZING way for us to be able to transport 60+ bags of ice at a time.  Thank YOU SO MUCH for coming by each day and helping our Village; we are so very grateful.

    Special callout to Haji for purchasing the additional International Flags to salute our International Contingent along the entrance way of all of the countries our international campers hailed from.

    Thanks to everyone that assisted with FRIED FOOD - amazing late night treats.

    Thanks to all campers that brought clothes and accessories for the clothing exchange - what an awesome space to find new digs to wear and look amazing!!!

    Special callout to everyone that assisted in the creation of Trash Can Pizza on Tuesday, Of course to UncleBob for coming up with this crazy idea. Thanks to for everyone that assisted with Trash Can Turkey and a HUGE Thanks to Trevor & Crew for jumping right in and carving up all that turkeys (90lbs of BIRD) while an anxious crowd awaited food…Amazing!!

    The most SPECIAL of SPECIAL THANKS is reserved for my Partner & Wife WildChild!!Your love of everything Burning Man, Community, Hard Work, artistic talent and love of people is inspiring. Never let that light dim.

    To those that camped elsewhere or who were unable to make BM this year, your spirit was always part of PolyParadise, and know that you were deeply missed & loved in this group.

    As each year passes; the journey of BRC & PolyParadise just gets better & better; this only happens because there is so much love and effort from all of you; a love of PolyParadise; a Love of Burning Man and of Community. There are so many people that give of themselves, give without thinking about how long it will take or how heavy something is, so many people that give of themselves!!

    Burning Man is a year-round event at our house; we take the contents of our garage out to the desert and create together an amazing, loving space on the hallowed ground of the Black Rock Desert. Thank you ALL for assisting me in creating PolyParadise.

    I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!

    Only 252 days until we Burn again. Each of those days will have thoughts of all you and how good I feel having each of you as my friends and part of my family - Playa Love.

    Scotto
    - Camp Daddy
    - Benevolent Dictator Village of PolyParadise
    - Burning Man Lifer/Geek/Zealot