JRS VOLUME #7; ISSUE #20
JRS/7.20/03.12.03
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165 Days.
DATELINE: somewhere in Arizona, March 11, 2003
Picture this: The members of the San Francisco-based Extra Action Marching Band (the best-named marching band in the world) were hurtling comfortably down a highway in a bus between Flagstaff and Phoenix, headed to their next tour date that night in Las Vegas, NV.
Everything was going fine. But, luck and engines being what they are, their day took an unexpected turn when the bus broke down. The whole traveling marching band, all 13-or-so of them, were standing on the side of the freeway somewhere close to Flagstaff, next to a broken-down bus, and Vegas wasn’t getting any closer, baby. But, the Extra Action Marching Band, they had an idea. Matteo and Gabe gave it a long shot and call up $teven Ra$pa here in SF, who walked over into my office, to see if by chance there are any burners there in Arizona – maybe, just maybe, someone there could find a way to help them out.
Are there any burners in Arizona? You tell me, folks: Joy and I placed quick phone calls to regional contact Gary Taylor and Grover Davis. Grover, who lives near Phoenix, dropped what he was doing, hopped in his own RV without a moment’s hesitation, and hit the freeway to find the wayward band – who, so far as we know, he has never met in his life. With a rented truck full of gear right behind, and burners waiting downstream to lend a hand, Grover delivered the EAMB to Vegas that very night for their show. And this is not exactly a short trip.
The JRS gives a HUGE whooping THANKFUL shout out to Grover, and to Gary, as well as Gordy and Lora and the rest of the Azburners waiting downstream to offer any assistance needed, including a place for Grover to sleep before turning around to head home. (He had to work at 6 AM, but we’re secretly hoping he took the day off to catch up on the sleep he lost last night.)
Community in action, eh?
On with the news, -A.G.
(P.S. I’ll be out of action until March 26. You’re in good hands, as Cabe and Maid Marian will keep you filled in on all the latest news and events.)
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BLACK ROCK CITY NEWS:
-THEME CAMP/VILLAGE REGISTRATION CORRECTIONS
-NO MOOP IN THE POOP
-COYOTE NOSE #5
-FIND THAT ARTIST! BE READY FOR THIS YEAR’S ART!
PARTICIPATE:
-ENTER THE DRAGON: DRAKA SEEKS VOLUNTEERS
-PARTICIPANT ART SPOTLIGHT: JAMES DERR
EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS:
-FLIPSIDE: SOLD OUT
-VANCOUVER’S RECOMPRESSION
-MILWAUKEE IS BURNING
-PLAYA DEL FUEGO (DELAWARE)
-XARA DULZARA LINK IS UP
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=======BLACK ROCK CITY NEWS======
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THEME CAMP/VILLAGE REGISTRATION: CALLING ALL REGISTERED CAMPS
As we announced last week, the Theme Camp/Village Questionnaire is up and accepting projects for 2003 – but, sadly, because of a technical problem last week, a few questionnaires were received without the much-needed contact information. We apologize to the following three camps, who we must ask to please to re-submit the questionnaire and/ or contact themecamps(at)burningman(dot)com, because your information only partially got through:
Rainforest Refugee Camp Camp As It Drips Black Rock City Post Office
VERY IMPORTANT: If you submitted your questionnaire on Tuesday, March 11th, please contact themecamps(at)burningman(dot)com.
(Did we mention we’re really sorry?)
The rest of the questionnaires that were submitted since we went live look fine, so you do not need to get in touch. (And yes, we fixed that one reference to “The Floating World”.) Look for the ever-expanding list of Theme Camps on the website soon!
Harley and Holly
Note: the preview URL again is Preview Camp Ready to register? Theme Camps
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TIME FOR POTTY TALK AGAIN
The Jack Rabbit takes this moment to remind you that while this community continues to improve each year, we can’t get lazy about NO TRASH IN THE PORTA POTTIES.
Since so many of us are starting to think about our camp plans now, we thought this was a good time to suggest that you place a thorough trash and recycling plan very high on your camp meeting agendae, so that none among us is tempted to toss ANY garbage in the potties.
Remember, gang: “No MOOP in the poop.” Thanks!
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COYOTE NOSE #5
Beware of becoming lost in the sea of familiarity.
There are times when one can become so immersed in a project and its swirling surrounding world, that its essence is squelched. It’s a “can’t see the forest for the trees” kind of thing. I, for one, try to keep paying attention, but if one eats chocolate all day, their taste buds do eventually become “chocolatized”. I suppose that for some who have been citizens of Black Rock City for many years, even a place like that could become somewhat “Chocolatized”.
Well, last Thursday, DPW Chief of Staff, Will Roger, and I were treated with a fresh perspective of Burning Man through the eyes of the members of the Air Force Association when we were invited to give a lecture on the military tactical aspects of setting up and tearing down a temporary city in a harsh desert. Our playa town does resemble, say, the current military encampments in Kuwait, for example.
So it was through the eyes of these hearty and well seasoned retired War Birds that Will and I were to view our beloved event for what seemed like the first time. Needless to say, they knew very little of the event and Will and I were greeted with quite the “captive” audience.
One can imagine the popping eyebrows and jaws agape as we carefully guided them through an eighty picture slide show (thank you, Lady Bee) of what we called “Burning Man Lite” (it’s hard to find eighty photos of Black Rock City with minimal nudity) and we were, as they say in the entertainment industry, commanding the whole room! They were fully fascinated.
The evening had started out a bit nervous, and Will and I were feeling a little out of place. (I could feel the stolen glances at my earrings – just two medium gauge in one ear!) For one thing, we started the dinner off with the pledge of allegiance and sang “My Country ‘Tis Of Thee”, and I, for one, had not sang that song for many a moon. I was a boy scout, I think. We were thankful that the lyrics for both verses were printed on the place mats in front of us, along with the schedule of the dinner-meeting in military times.
But by the end of the presentation, it had become a warm and friendly gathering with a curious respect between us as they absorbed the things we had accomplished without training while literally making things up as we developed our community. It was interesting that they were most impressed and had the most questions about the center camp cafe. And, again, seeing things through fresh eyes, I can understand their curiosity. After all, it’s almost an acre of shade that can, and has withstood winds of up to sixty knots or so. – Rod Garret designs –
And the Photograph of “La Contessa” – the notorious school bus transformed into a sixteenth century Spanish galleon – received the largest ovation of “Ahhs” as they started to grasp the depth of the amount of work and vision that goes into a single piece of Burning Man.
I suppose you could say that they were asking all the right questions.
At the closing of the presentation, the host of the show, a salty sort who had seen his share of ravaged war, had some interesting questions and closing remarks. After Will had described the harsh and strife-full nature of our city, this man’s question was something to the nature of why anyone would go out there in the first place. My answer to him was a matter-of-fact, “It’s a great place to burn stuff.” He gave me an “I suppose you’re right” nod.
It does kind of sum it up.
He then went on to say that it was very interesting to see what a group of people that were a little “off center” would develop into given the chance that they created for themselves. He realized it makes everyone want to keep it going to make it grow bigger still.
So Will and I left out of there with many hand shakes, a couple of very cool war plane calendars, and a true sense of genuine pride in the things that we do seen through the eyes of a very different circle. It’s refreshing to find out that you had so many things in common with a group that you might have thought completely different.
I did like the “off center” remark. After all, it’s what puts the fun into carnival rides!
The Coyote Nose
Tony’s got his own page now: check out the back issues of “Coyote Nose” at Coyote Nose.
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FIND THAT ARTIST! BE READY FOR THIS YEAR’S ART!
Have you ever come back from the playa really thrilled with something you saw out there – but disappointed that you’d have to wait a year to see if that artist came back with something even more wonderful and/or mind-blowing?
Stop that sensation – you have the power to check on the plans and progress of your favorite artists, even if you don’t know their name (yet). And you’ve had it all along.
It’s all easily done via the Art Installation Archives on the BM website. Check the side nav bar on the following pages:
Art Installations
Art of Burningman
Just scroll to the bottom of the side nav bar, and you’ll see theme and playa art pages for each year. The more recent years give contact info for all projects. This is also how you can find out what art is going to be on the playa this year – watch Theme Camps/Art Installations in the late spring for the current listings, with contact info.
thanks and enjoy!
LadyBee
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ENTER THE DRAGON: DRAKA THE DRAGON REQUESTING VOLUNTEERS
The DragonMistress writes:
Well, it’s getting close to being that time of year again… Spring hasn’t quite sprung but Draka is already getting restless! We are looking forward to starting up several work weekends over the course of the next few months… The first one being this weekend!
If you’re interested in volunteering your precious time, we would love to have you.
All levels of experience & inexperience are welcome!
If you would like to volunteer on Draka Welding & Repairs this coming St. Patty’s Day weekend, or any other time, please email us at volunteer(at)drakaarts(dot)org.
If you would like to offer your services as a Draka Crew member on the Playa, please sign up with us at playaaid(at)drakaarts(dot)org ~ During this year’s BM event we will be needing responsible dragon Drivers, Bar Tenders, DJ’s, and a General Operations Staff.
We are also looking for donations, i.e. Scrap metal, fabric, lights, etc. If you would like to see our Wish List, please email us at info(at)drakaarts(dot)org
Hope to see you join our delicious dragon crew! ~theDragonMistress
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PARTICIPANT ART SPOTLIGHT
“Dreaming of the Floating World”, a collection of photos from Burning Man by James Derr, aka The Last Spectator, can be seen now through April 6th at The Chatterbox, 1195A Church Street, San Francisco (415.647.0900) (near the corner of Church and 24th). Open from 11:30 AM – 6:30 PM Tuesday through Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday. Come meet the photographer on Saturday, March 15th, from 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
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=====EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS======
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FLIPSIDE (Austin Burn)
DENTON, TX
We heard from the lovely folks at Austin Artistic Reconstruction today that tickets to Flipside 2003 are sold out.
Questions? Austin(at)burningman(dot)com
Wahoo!
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RECOMPRESSION 03
VANCOUVER, BC
APRIL 4-6
Recompression 03 is the third annual Recompression event hosted by the Vancouver Burning Man community. It is a participants-only Temporary Autonomous Zone that will feature music, art, performance, workshops, theme camps, community interaction, celebration and fire! We are inspired by, and share values with, Burning Man. This year, we have shifted from our traditional indoor urban venues to a coastal rain forest setting, only a short ferry ride from Vancouver, on British Columbia’s beautiful Sunshine Coast. We are a tight, active and diverse community, and we’ve always warmly welcomed Burners and other like-minded folk from around the world.
For information on how you may register and participate, please visit our website at recompression.com.
Full weekend $80, Saturday only $35 (Canadian funds), all meals included.
Registration deadline 25 March.
Questions? Vancouver(at)burningman(dot)com.
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BURNING SNOW SPRING BENEFIT
MILWAUKEE, WI
MARCH 22ND
9 PM
We are having a Spring benefit at the BurningSNOW Center for the Experimental Arts. This is our twenty-fourth Regional Urban Burn, held 4 times each year by your Wisconsin regional contacts Eric and Marilyn.
Let the recompression begin!
-Displays of experimental art, indoor Theme Camps, live music and poetry, share food and drink.
-DJ Jazzy Mahatma spins. Playa fashion show: hit us with your new creations. Pyrotechnic mini-man at 12.
Specifics: 2578 N Weil St Milwaukee WI, Saturday 3/22 9PM. $10 donation, $5 with Playa costume.
See you there!
Eric G Questions? Wisconsin(at)burningman(dot)com.
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PLAYA DEL FUEGO
DELAWARE
MAY 23-26
Announcing the Spring Burn 2003!
Playa del Fuego will draw you back to
VVMC — Townsend, Delaware
May 23-26, 2003
Advance ticket sales have started and will continue until May 3, 2003. The prices are the same ($20 for adults and kids free in advance — $35 at the gate), the methods are the same (order online with check, money order, paypal or bring lots of cash to the event), the location is the same (Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club of Delaware).
Get your tickets now while they are still cheap and available. Don’t miss out on this incredible once-in-a-life-time experience that only repeats itself twice a year (but hey, it ain’t exactly the same each time).
To buy tickets: Tickets
To find out more: playadelfuego.org
To ask questions: ksuzanne(at)xixstar(dot)com
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XARA DULZARA: CORRECTED URL
Last week’s Xara Dulzara event contained a link to xaraproject.org; we must have showed a lot of interest out there, because the link stopped working after we posted it. It’s up again, and you can head there to find out about this San Diego area event.
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[Soundtrack to the JRS: Ahh, the sweet sound of construction on 3rd Street}
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