Enigma

Age: 54
Relationship: Currently Single. Poly oriented, Sex positive, SapioSexual

Where do you call home?
Phoenix 75% Los Angeles 25%

Been to Burning Man before?
1997-1998 2000-2001 2004 to 2014

Camped with?
Greeters Camp, Poly Paradise

Camped with PolyParadise Before?
Second Year.

First Art Project this year: "Ultimate Hippie Fishing". Mirrored Satellite dish mounted on the "Point Three" telephone pole. Two coast guard strobe lights. Visible (about) 3 miles. Pretty twisted art piece for a guy with Epilepsy… right? (Epilepsy meds in a bottle in my backpack outer pocket).

Why Burning Man? As a full time volunteer at the event, I found myself surrounded with people that *always* left me "a better person" with improvements in my life skills and humanity. I love the overwhelming art and even more amazing people…

Volunteer on the Playa? Volunteer Emeritus: Greeters, shift lead, Gate, Artery, Man-watch, ESD (communications setup), (No more walkie talkies for me).

PolyParadise Favorite Moments? People I have known for years on Playa --- that I got to *know* at PolyParadise.

Toughest thing: The "Speedbump". That emotional hurdle that I hit mid week. "It is OK, Fall apart, have an emotional catharsis, cry and sob, go to bed, then wake up and ENJOY!!!"

Best thing: Allowing the playa to lead me where I need to be. For myself or for other people.

Burning Man Advice: (There is a bunch of stuff here--- wayyy beyond the Survival Guide, read it or ignore it, I have only been doing this for 15 years.)
Naps. Nose Filters. All week.

Bring A color Copy of Your ID and use packing tape to stick it onto your camp ID card. Easy to show in an instant.

Leave expectations at home!

Bring Nothing that you would not throw onto the fire. Family Heirlooms (WTF?!?!?!) Bikes, tents, backpacks, keys (KEYS!!!). If a you value a possession, leave it at home.

Don't drink from somebodies Nalgene without permission. It may be a pee bottle.

Wear your "ten essentials" in your Camelbak (which is around your ankle in camp) at all times. Add Thermals (top and bottoms). Top off your Camelbak when you return to your camp.

Don't dig through The Mans' ashes. What you find may be (now be) supercharged with the pain of what caused someone to burn it in the first place. (Scary Bad JuJu). Personal Experience. Just Don't.

Be prepared for Radical self change for your (everything) as well as Radical Self Reliance. This includes your entire thought process. Burningman comes with the energy all of it's participants. This results in energy of chaos. Ride with it.

If you have to spend an entire day to re-hydrate swallow your pride and go to (center camp) first aid for a "poke and soak" with I.V Saline. Two hours later you get to go play again!! You will feel AMAZING! (jazz hands).

Buy a Brand Name Camelbak. Don't skimp on your gear. Two rolls of mirror coated "bubble Wrap" is your best friend when you are tent camping. So is a "real" pillow. That extra 40 minutes of sleep can save your burn.

Burningman is not the place to do your first hit of acid. It is overwhelming enough.

Know your pharmacist.
Do not eat unpackaged food from people you do not know. It has become a problem in the last few years. Also personal experience. Unwanted Rufinol *and* K in a hot dog.

Buy life flight insurance. 50 bucks. If you cannot afford the 50 bucks for life flight insurance... you cannot afford the $30,000 for the actual life flight. Regular medical insurance usually covers about the first $8,000.

**** LAW ENFORCEMENT ****

The good: Be nice to Playa Law Enforcement. Most of the BLM officers *volunteered* (or entered in a Lottery) to be ALLOWED to attend/work the event. Don't *make* them do their job by doing stupid shit in public. A few years back ... an entire bus load of BLM was sent back to UTAH... because "they could not play well with participants." Read that again. They sent their own agents back to UTAH *by Bus*. Most County Sheriffs have retired and returned to work (for a single week) to be allowed to work this event. Say thank you. They are working 18 hour days days too. Many have attended the event for 15 years. Ask them about *their* favorite story. Really cool stuff.

The Bad: If you *do* get a ticket, take it from the sheriff. Don't try make a "federal case" out of it by arguing jurisdiction. Making a BLM officer write the ticket makes it a Federal violation. Federal drug enforcement (DEA) officers attend morning LEA meetings Naked. They probably are naked on the playa as well. Attractive Underage Daughters of LEA officers come out on burn weekends and try and beg booze without ID. Don't fall for it. Just don't give booze away to anyone you do not know. There are lots of bars where pretty young things can go and get people busted.

Learn to roll a joint FFS. "THC concentrate" (THC Vape Oil, Hash, Hash oil, Pipe Resin, (any above a few grams) is a class two felony in many *counties* you may be traveling through with **Mandatory** jail sentences up to 10 years.

If you do toke that paper wrapped cannabis, and you are done with it find a burn barrel. Don't leave leftover weed in your tent pocket. Dogs can smell your tent when you are driving home. Do you really need to keep that last bud for your drive home? Really?

Keep (real) prescription medications in your "real" pharmacy bottle. not a plastic baggy. It makes it easier for paramedics to diagnose why you are unconscious. It also makes it easy for police to tell why you have 200 pills in your backpack... saving you lots of drama. Tell camp mates if you have an Epi Pen. There are still bees on playa.
**The UGLY!!**: Driving Route: It takes the same amount of *time* to drive from Phoenix to LA then then take the Interstate 5 up to I-80. You will get better mileage and have more access to gas and repairs. Driving through the tiny towns (or reservations) is just asking for tickets and searches and LEA delays. Avoid the desert routes.

The "SPOOKY (desert route)" "Search Provided of Orifices KY (Excluded)" The nice folks of the town of Walker Lake (Interstate 95, population 560, 3 hours south of Gerlach) had a vehicle inspection station for burners returning from the event. 8 lanes of 200 yards to search over 400 cars at a time. I had a death in the family and was on the road on Friday. I was the only car. The delay was over two hours --- without allowing them to search the vehicle. What they did was not legal. It did not save me the two hours though. It would not have saved me attorney costs if I was arrested either. Just get your stuff legal before you start driving home.

Tape your license, Registration, Insurance card to your dash board (NOT WINDOW!) That was the stated reason for pulling me over. I could not (instantly) find my wallet, Registration, Insurance. Check your lenses for cracks. Wash your car in Reno after you leave Burningman. What a California driver thinks is a "bullshit" ticket is actually a very "normal" ticket in the rest of the country.