Year in Wrap-up 2014 - PolyParadise

Saturday January 3, 2015

Can you believe another year in BRC has come & gone - PolyParadise 2014 was absolutely incredible and our best effort yet at creating this amazing On-Playa home we call PolyParadise, Each year there are many 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.

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.

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

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.

Here-in are my THANK YOU's for Burning Man 2014...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!!

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.

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!!!

Early Arrival - Many, Many thanks to all of our Early Arrival crew. Kudos go out to, Tailfeather, Martin, Susan, Brotherluv, Knotch, Shadow, Brandy, Alien, Merlin, Theresa, Touch, James, Duncan, Ranger Beethoven, Keira, Trevor, Dr. Jones, Stephanie, Mark, Sprinkman, Honest John, Mistress Barney, Dave, Lisa, Merlin, Corvus, Uncle Bob, JimmyMac, TwoCripsy, Plan B, Dr. Dirt, Stagger, PainterBoy, Ethan, Easy Rider, Mark, Tequila Mike for their tireless efforts to get the camp erected and all system connected. You guys ROCK!!!

Thanks to Martin & Susan Fischer for bringing the 9 Energies camp back for another year within the borders of PolyParadise - We are sad that you will be taking 2015 off but look forward to your return in 2016.

Thank you to the 20 international campers from (Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Israel, England, Mexico, Brazil, Russia).

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 Trevor for taking on several projects I asked of you, and many that I did not even have to say. Thanks for taking that long walk with me to try and find Kennita & her broken down scooter. There were several other things during the week that you just went over and above the call of service, you did so because you saw it needed to be done and for that I am forever in your gratitude.

Many Many thanks to STAGGER for again heading up all things Garbage Czar for stepping up and taking on the role of TRASH!

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.

Thanks to ToMmY & Lisa for the first iteration of Sugar Bitch Camp. I look forward to seeing what ideas and events you can come up with for 2015 as the idea grows and flourishes.

Major Kudos to the organizers _Greg & Crew (HCW), Facilitators & participants of Poly High Tea, BrotherLuv (Mind Melt), With Keith & Lenel not On-Playa thanks to all that facilitated the (Heart of Now), Dr. Jones (Hiney Hygiene Station), Keira for the Poly Mixer, Martin & Susan (9 Energies) Janet & Vanessa for Revolutionary Honesty & Polyarmory & LGBTQ Community, Pan Das for Introvert Awareness. 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. 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.

The Carcass Wash...Many thanks go to Touch - Trouble and others for 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.

Thanks to Stephanie & Crew for arranging all things Early Arrival Crew Meal Plan. It was awesome to have food available to us after a hard days work ERECTING PolyParadise.

Thanks to the Boyz from Illionoiz for bringing the Oasis - Daily Drinks and with the help of Honest John & Mistress Barney the most AMAZING & INCREDIBLE Wednesday night meal ala Chicago Style!!! The Oasis Bar was 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!! Look forward to seeing what you come up with for next year!!

Major KUDOS to The Doctor aka Duncan for taking on a huge cooking responsibility. Every time I said I could use the Salmon or Tri-Tip cooked you 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!

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.

Major Kudos & thanks to Stephanie & Crew for coordinating, setting up and facilitating an incredible kitchen area. You so rock!!!! The Community Kitchen was an awesome success! Thanks so much to all of their helpers that maintained the kitchen all week long.

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, The Doctor, Mr. Bird for jumping right in and carving up all that turkeys (80lbs of BIRD) while an anxious crowd awaited food…Amazing!!! Thanks to all those that assisted with Turkey portioning per plate so that all 150+ people in line got to enjoy said Turkey!!!

As far as MOOP goes - our Footprint was about the same as 2013. Out of 40 squares defined by our camp there was only Two (2) areas that were not GREEN!!! Way to go!!!

For 2015 our MOOP MAP Footprint goal is ALL GREEN. Remember it is MOOP if it is not Playa - that is the definition of Leave No Trace. Overall we did an amazing job - thanks to all that assisted in Never Letting It Hit the Ground!!! Thank you to everybody that stayed for teardown and beyond...You guys ROCK for making those last sweeps through our space and making sure we would be MOOP FREE!

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!!! Thanks too for the 2500W Battery-Backup system that worked like a charm. Your Master Skills as a Rocket Scientist have no gone unnoticed.

Speaking of Sani-Hut; Thank you again for providing us with a Gray Water Holding Tank and for the awesome service on Playa. - In 2014 we were provided with two 500 Gallon tanks instead of one 1000G tank. This system worked well as we had one tank for the shower and the other for the sink. We appreciate your efforts and hope to continue to do business with you again in 2015.

Thanks to Mark for the ice of an Ice Czar and for heading up daily runs for ice. Thanks as well for coming up with the idea and making it happen. The Foot Pump/Hand Washing Station 3.0 was awesome!! Thank you!!

PolyParadise - 2014 - Wrap-up