Playa name: Magic Default world name: Wayne

Where I call my default home: Blaine, Washington, on a sailboat.

Been to Burning Man before? When? Yes – 2016, 2017. Also the Vancouver, BC regional Burn in the Forest, 2016 and 2017.

Camped with? When?
PolyParadise every time. (In fact, just by chance both my years at the Vancouver regional I ended up camping next to PolyParadise campers too!) My first time I’d heard about the Human Carcass Wash it sounded so intriguing, as well as a camp full of poly friendly people sounded so wonderful too. While I’m not in a relationship right now, I’ve always been poly-minded (is that a thing?) and have been in a poly relationship in the past. Would like to be in one some day again too if that should ever come along. So the whole idea plus everything else I’d read about the camp just sounded great to me. I was right.

From the first minute I arrived in camp in the middle of the night and Abi and Rish stuck their heads out of their tent offering me a cookie, I knew I was going to love this place! And it just kept getting better from there. 2018 will be my 3rd year at Burning Man and my 3rd Year with Poly Paradise.

Why Burning Man?
It changes you! It’s true. Actually, after committing to go my first year, I went to the regional burn in Vancouver, BC, and it changed me. It’s hard to describe how, but without realizing it at first during the 4 days it slowly opened my eyes to things I hadn’t seen before. Things about the Burning Man community. Things about myself. It all hit me during the effigy burn to the point that I was literally speechless for a couple of hours! To this day I can't describe how it happened in any way to do it justice, but it changed me. And for me, it was an invigorating change for the better that has affected my default life ever since.

Then I came to Black Rock City. I almost turned around and left during a middle of the night major dust storm in the entry line, but so glad I didn’t. (Probably couldn’t have anyway.) I’ve never found words to describe the feeling of being “home” at Burning Man. It just has to be experienced. It has built on my first experience of change from the regional, and it’s becoming more and more part of my default life as well.

What I do: My playa name, Magic, is a shortened version of Magic Fingers, which I was given because I was gifting massages to any and all takers, from feet, to hands, to full body, to whatever was wanted and needed. Excelsior gave me the name when he said I cured the arthritis in his hands!!! I’m no miracle healer of course, but glad nonetheless that I can make people feel better. I’ll be doing the same this year for any who would like. If you run into me don’t hesitate to ask. I will give.

Last year I got more involved with the HCW and just loved watching so many of the participants change from being maybe a bit nervous (and probably feeling a bit vulnerable if they weren’t used to being naked) into a bunch of smiling, laughing, and giggling happy beautiful people. It did my heart good! This year I want to do more of the same. Also new to this year it looks like I’ll be a ranger. I’m a BC regional ranger in British Columbia and looking forward to expanding that to Black Rock City now.

Can’t wait to be back home with all my friends and family again!
Thanks, Scotto;
Wayne