One of the unexpected outcomes of participating in the event in the desert is that every year I acquiring new tools, some new (typically rudimentary) skills, and make stuff. I really really like making stuff.
Year One: This was mostly about simply figuring out how to camp in the desert and deal with a broken foot. But I busted out a sewing machine for the first time in a decade and made furry bags, a tiger-print spat for my foot cast, and a horribly constructed pair of black and white fur pants that I'll be sporting again this year.
Year Two: This was my first time trying to organize a theme camp, The Triple S Spiritual Service Stations. I engineered and built a (sometimes) rotating, wind powered sign. The soldering iron became my friend. I made a weird blinky gadget, the name of which I've forgotten, but it combined EL Wire, a children's toy, and electric toothbrushes I found at the dollar store.
Year Three: Bike rack building, more EL Wire, but that was about it. I was getting my sealegs back after being traumatized by the Year Two RV breakdown and a week spent almost exclusively eating food you reconstitute with hot water. But I was tremendously inspired by the people I ended up camping with at the last minute, who are now, well, my tribe. I spent some hot afternoons drilling holes in a school bus and mounting electrical conduit, so I guess that counts.
Year Four: This year I got really into painting signs. There's something about signs in the desert that's just funny and I love being able to bust out a sign in response to something funny that just happened. I optimize for hilarity at Burning Man. I built a shower and evap pond that worked pretty well.
Year Five: Well, we built a big seven-sided pagoda on top of one of the best burn platforms ever seen by (the) man*. Having previously set it up in Seattle, and being made of wood, no one piece identical (doh!), and having dried out and warped, it was kind of a bitch to put together despite the assistance of a giant crane. Yup, that was a lot of making. All week and then cleanup. It was ass busting but one of the most satisfying and fulfilling things I've ever done in my life. That was about all I did last year except for the whole organizing our kick ass camp, which is pretty easy given the high level of competence and pretty much zero level of assholery.
Year Six: Finally, I've gotten around to working with electrical systems. I'm building crazy blinking bike decorations (and a chandelier) which requires the use of supercool LEDs, lots of wire, ping pong balls, and a bolt cutter. And there will be lots of signs. There's also going to be some type of 12 volt lighting system that I'm pulling together, slowly peeling back layers of ignorance to arrive at something that may work. Ah, good times.
The BEST times, really. You'll find in the broad and somewhat nebulous "Burner Community" people who are doing amazing art and engineering and fabrication seven days a week. That's not me right now, though it's pretty close to what I'd like to start doing with a significant amount of my time in the next five to ten years. But I'm also not just showing up for the party. Boring. I like bringing something to the party.
*"Oh my god, it really worked," said the lovely fire official, making us realize that our competence had fully exceeded the usual expectation. See, we actually took the direction we were given seriously.
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