a bit of a project pre BURNING MAN

well wasn't july just freezing? oh, what's that? not everyone lives in san francisco? and it was in fact the sixth hottest month on record in american history? oh. well we sure as hell didn't reap the benefits of climate change over here by the golden gate bridge.

forgive me for being rude, but i'm currently going through yet another allergy attack as this appears to be the longest spring/winter season san francisco has had since i've ventured over here.

aaaaaaaAaAaand if i wasn't already feeling like it was january 2011 with the allergies and so on, i have another issue from earlier this year - unemployment is approaching again!!!!

thankfully, there is a little situation i will be participating in that hopefully results in a clearer head - burning man. i'm kind of hoping some time away from society as i know it will give me a bit of a break from "the city scramble" (aka what all urban dwellers are on the hunt for - the right job, apartment and relationship). these three major stressers are what circles around mostly everybody's brains at one point or another, and they seem to alter the way i personally reach certain decisions

...lofty and vague, i know, i know...but c'mon you've all been there too so shut up and let a fella rant for a minute.

i'm not banking on this trip to solve my problems, but it will take me outside of my comfort zone in a safe environment. ESPECIALLY since i've been working on a bit of a project for the event myself. not only am i on the hunt for publishers to pay me for the documenting i plan to do on the burn, but i am also trying to create my clothes primarily out of gifts from loved ones.

here's the request i typed up for the people:

Friends, Family, Etc. ... Lend me your ears/eyes/accessories!?!?!?

As you may or may not know, I have purchased a ticket to Burning Man for the 2011 pilgrimage. This year has been about new adventures for me, what with starting my own project in San Francisco City Hall to working on an event with 25,000 participants to skydiving and nowwwwww Burning Man.

For those of you that aren't sure what that means, here is a sneak peek at what burning man entails....

http://www.burningman.com/

or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_man

...to be honest, I'm still not entirely sure what it entails, but I have been informed by several of my closest SF chums that it is an experience that will change the way one thinks about community and culture. Now don't get scared, I'll still be the same, just with some new perspective on things. Also, I would like to assure anyone concerned that I will be going with a camp of 20-30 people and some of them have been going for over 20 years - I'm going to be very well taken care of. My camp will have showers, refrigerated goods, root beer floats, epicly large sound systems.... We won't just be sitting around in a tent putting on sunscreen and missing our cell phones. Nonono.... We'll be staying in fancy 2-story yurts, car ports, art cars and other structures that could very well have come from Dr. Seuss novels. Plenty of on-site food, police and emergency officials but it rarely comes to that as everyone comes prepared.

moving right along....

I am incredibly happy to be participating in the 25th burn as this year's theme is "Right's of Passage". For a first timer, a theme like this is all the more appropriate.

Now here is where YOU come in...

One of the main parts of Burning Man is the way one chooses to express themselves with their clothing. It is a desert, so we will be incredibly hot during the day and very chilly at night. Hence, multiple wardrobe changes.

What I am hoping for is to collect an article of clothing/piece of memoriabilia/anything from you that I can take so that I can think of you while on this bizarre camping trip. I mean it - anything. Something that makes you think of me or something that will make me think of you. I will incorporate it into whatever crazy outfit I wind up wearing and will have you with me during this epic journey. Warning - it may not come back to you in the greatest condition/at all as it will be in the desert and I will most likely be hanging around a bunch of nutjobs.

It would mean a whole lot to me as I wouldn't want to do anything themed "Rights of Passage" without incorporating those that have meant so much to me before.

The event takes place at the end of August so the sooner you send it the better.

adorable, right?

and it's in effect!

i received this gem of a vest in the mail yesterday from a sweet, florida lemondrop named emily noe.



and it fits like a glove. i may get groceries in it just for kicks. by the way i havent' gone grocery shopping since june. july was kind of rushed what with doing the AIDS Walk and not having time for things like food and bathing and so on.

alright i should probably get back to work...and by that i mean job hunting. there's a stack of papers at my desk that wont stop growing taller.

yikes.

ill keep you posted on further developments.

love and loyalty.