Wednesday October 17, 2007

What an amazing GIFT Burning Man is…a place & time to define oneself, a place to learn from others, a place to grow. This gift is not just one-week long, it is available 525,600 minutes per year. You just have to be willing to see the signs & listen. 2007 marked the 6th year for me as Camp Daddy. I know no other way to do Burning Man, to be on the Playa, to give from the heart, to have my heart touched by so many others. This wrap-up dialogue is my way to express from my heart what an amazing community we build and to give thanks to those that helped make it happen. Each year I am amazed and overwhelmed at the outpouring of Love & Sweat by so many people within our camp. 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 2007...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. EACH ONE OF YOU HAD A PART AND A HAND IN MAKING US THE SUCCESS WE WERE!!

Thanks to WildChild and her daughter Jessica for their artists talents in creating the PolyParadise signs. Special thanks to Sara & Master Twist for purchasing the EL-Wire & making several treks throughout the summer up to Phoenix to create an awesome addition to the PolyParadise Camp signs.

Speaking of Arizona...I am so very happy that we had 14 AZBurners camping with us. Thanks go out to PainterDave, Chris & Marla, Sarah & Mike, Cactusman, Bruce, David, Cassandra, Jayme & James for making PolyParadise your Playa home. I hope to see all of you at AZBurner events throughout the year. I also hope that you will again choose to camp with us if the Playa '08 is on your radar.

A 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 last week of August and 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...

We continued our International camper flavor with folks from Canada, New Zealand. Thank you all for choosing to camp in PolyParadise. Each year I am blessed with so many campers that just get it, that know a camp of 94 people takes work to create and maintain On-Playa. As our camp continues to grow & flourish with each passing year, so do our Playa Event offerings. We have so many diversified events with so many talented people leading & participating each & every day.

Laura & Edwin...I knew from our Online exchanges that as Playa Virgins you would find ways to contribute to the camp. No matter what time of day, I always saw the both of you pitching in, doing dishes, cleaning the kitchen area, picking up MOOP...I thank you so much for your participation and your open hearts. I hope that if Burning Man is again in your travel plans that you will be camping with us.

Troy & Rebecca...Words cannot express how amazing it was to have you both camp with us again and of course for bringing McKenna Sunshine with you. I am so glad that all things worked out with her On-Playa, a true Burner Baby!!! You both always have a smile, a spring in your step...Troy, you are truly a master of many things...Not only a Jack of All Trades but a great Mixed Drink Maker...Put a blender in front of this guy and the whole camp gets wasted...

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 are deeply missed & loved in this group.

The first thank you goes to my partner WildChild. Her enthusiasm & Love of all things Burning Man & PolyParadise makes the all-year-round effort that is our life so much more fun & enjoyable. Without her, for me, this would all just be another camping trip.

PPaRRot, I was sad when the Playa was not going to be in your travel plans. Your spirit & energy was missed BIGTIME! I so enjoy reading your posts & thoughts throughout the year, please never stop sharing. Thank you for the Camping Fee even though you were not physically On-Playa. Love You my friend!

Brotherluv...Thank you for the awesome ' Rock Weather' Art piece. It was an awesome addition to the front entrance walkway. I hope that it made it thru Playa Time and that it can be brought out again next year...Cause you always need to know how the rock is moving...Cause I need to know the weather!!

WanderingAngel...Thank you so much for bringing the Massage Table and for offering your talents to the community. I really enjoyed the time I spend under the spell of your

Russell...Many THANKS!!! I am sorry that as the last Poly Camper to leave our Playa coordinates that you had some garbage to deal with, that of course was not my intention. I so appreciate you doing the right thing in dealing with the community trash and making sure it got transported Off--Playa. Your efforts allowed us to have a MOOP Map designation as GREEN!!!!

HypnoBurn & Toralf...There are always some projects that I do not get to, there are some projects that I want to get to but never do....This year it was the tent for WhiteOut. I had said many times in the beginning of the week that I would get to it, recruit someone to assist me and just get it done. Well that initial motivation just never materialized into getting g the tent out of the bag. On Thursday night on the way back to camp after picking up WhiteOut, we had decided that she could have the mattress in the back of the truck & WildChild & I would sleep in the Community space. When we returned to camp we were both BLOWN AWAY to see the tent not only out of the bag but erect and ready to be used. I cannot thank you both enough for doing that!!! Love you both!!!

The most SPECIAL THANKS is reserved for my Primary Poly Partner & Fianc - - - - f - - - - - 'ƒƒ© WildChild!!! I hear from you that I have the biggest Heart of anyone you have met, that may in-fact be true, but it is you that always points out the best in people, showing myself & others what is really important - Family, Community & Love!! We buried our weddings past at the Trash Fence and have opened a new chapter in our lives. A TOAST! to a long happy life together!! Love you so very much!!!

The Carcass Wash...Many thanks go to StrokeGreg, HypnoBurn, Stagger, Trouble and others for heading up the Human Carcass Wash, for recruiting folks each day to help man & run the event, setup & cleanup. A HUGE THANKS to everyone else who helped with Setup & Cleanup and to those that ran the event each day.

Thanks to everyone who lead a Poly High Tea, sharing your thoughts and experiences with the group is a very special gift! Thank YOU! We had standing room only during the discussions. There was at least 40 people in the discussion each day...

Thank you to all our PolyParadise Fire Spinners...Scott, Joshua, Troy, Rebecca, Puzzle and others. You ALL ROCK!!!

Puzzle...Thank you so much for creating the PolyParadise Events Sign...I miscalculated the number of Poles needed and ended out running short, so it did not get aloft like I had hoped. Know that your artistic efforts we greatly appreciated.

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. A special thanks to HypnoBurn & Sarah for taking over as Kitchen Gurus.

Thanks to Trouble, FoxyGoddess, Stagger, HypnoBurn, Keith, Lenel, Richard, Jim & Maren, Scix for staying on Monday and helping with teardown. It is a blitzkrieg of a day no matter what, but with your help we got it all packed away in record time. THANK YOU ALL!!! Both WildChild & I appreciate your efforts.

Thanks to PainterDave, Tailfeather, FoxyGoddess, Stagger, HypnoBurn, Brotherluv, Sarah & Master Twist for being part of the Early Arrival Crew. The completed camp you saw when you all arrived was up & ready for use because of these awesome friends.

More thanks than I could express goes to Tailfeather!!! For stepping up and running with the Grey Water & Shower. It is a tireless job, one of those Dirty Jobs on the Playa. You were always there with an encouraging word, a helping hand and a smile. Please peruse the Water Reclamation Year Review submitted by Tailfeather. HATS OFF TO TAILFEATHER!!!

As always it is my honor to serve as Camp Daddy of PolyParadise, it is worth all the headaches, all the hard work...It is worth all the effort when I see smiles on the faces of all those that camp within our borders...Of course I do not mind all the huggs & kisses either. Though in the end all of you served that role as well, looking out for each other being there for each other. A Scattering of applause to all of you as well. I LOVE THIS STUFF!!!!

A VERY SPECIAL thanks goes out to David!!!! We met David here in Arizona at our Virgin Briefing several weeks before the Playa. We became instant friends, with David coming by several nights a week soaking in all things Burning Man, as our own house was transformed into Playa Prep. David was always there when I needed an extra set of hands on a project, he was also there on Truck Packing Day when your Humble Scotto was unable to load some large carpet pieces by himself. Thank you David!!!

Only 317 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.

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