Who Am I Trying To Fool?
Me, myself, and I.
I have been trying uselessly for the last half hour to get up online again.
It is mercurial out here, shocker, Internet disconnectivity.
But I do get online at odd times.
And my good “friend” facecrack loads up pretty darn well, which doesn’t actually surprise me, what’s his face flew into Burning Man last year via a helicopter. He could have walked past me and waved his skinny white butt at me and I would have had no clue.
I have met some famous folks out here, but the fact is, we are all just famous in our own minds.
I saw a bumper sticker today that made me laugh out loud, “I’m pretty famous at Burning Man.”
Aren’t we all?
I also overheard someone say, “that’s my new go to: fuck you, it’s magic.”
And it is.
Things pop up so quickly out here that it does feel like magic.
I went out for a late afternoon bicycle ride on my break—I am in the middle of a very long shift—and got to see some art being built up. I was really impressed with what I saw and quite smitten with two pieces.
One, which for short hand I will just call “Iron Wolf” shocked me at how fast it was installed.
It was not on playa this morning, then boom.
Huge metal sculpture of a wolf howling at the sky.
I saw it and immediately change the route I was taking to go see it.
Man, was that worth the detour.
Beyond cool.
I got lots of photographs and actually managed to get myself in a picture.
There was a guy bicycling by and he was drawn out to it as well.
“Was this here yesterday?” He asked me, inquisitively.
“Nope,” I replied, “ I think it just got installed, pretty amazing right?
“Fuck yeah.” He said and smiled.
I asked him to take my photo in the belly of the beast—I had clambered up and nestled into the space that was open air to the sky and warm metal from the sun.
If it weren’t so high up and with scant railing, I might have taken a nap up there.
I did lie down on the warm, smooth metal and enjoyed the feeling of being lifted toward the sky like a sacrifice of self, take this person and remake me stronger, better, more selfless.
I give up myself, my old ways, my hiding under the bushel of who I am, and let it come out. I dress up, I wave at folks riding by, and I smile, a lot. I cry a lot, and you think I don’t already? My emotions just spill forth like nothing else.
I am the water works out here.
Although I am not the only one.
I just feel more attuned to it out here.
I rode the entire Esplanade, getting photographs of theme camps setting up, the rigging, the fire prep—the burn platforms being set up—the scaffolding and dome building.
And the art.
Oh that art.
Another piece that totally smote me is called the Photo Chapel.
A stunning chapel by the artist that built Ego last year.
I was scampering all around it to get the right angle, the sun so here, the stained glass windows (doubtful that they are glass, it is a burn piece, but they looked astoundingly realistic) the photographs, the sepia portraits and the gothic details of the piece. It might be my favorite piece ever on playa.
I can’t wait to see the finished work.
Speaking of artists, I may be hosting a friend here again tonight, in my little trailer, his tent got smacked down with the wind and his art piece got smashed. He and his team have been working night and day to get it back together and he has not had a spare minute to fix his own gear back up.
He spent the night in his car.
I saw him hollow eyed at the Commissary and offered him a place to crash.
I said swing by whenever. I am at the camp all night.
Mom and dad are celebrating their ten-year anniversary tonight.
When I found out I insisted that they go out and have a night.
They were so sweet.
They met ten years ago today on a Rangers shift. I got to here the story tonight at dinner and it was adorable. Plus dad whipped out a tablecloth for the table we sat at, brought a long a bottle of champagne, and we had celebratory dinner with friends.
I really like this town, this city I live in.
Mom likened it to a small town feel with an urban appeal.
It is just that, it is small town without the small town mentality.
There is an unusual openness and tolerance of all kinds of folks.
All shapes, sizes, colors, ages, religions, and backgrounds.
I adore it.
But you already know that.
Sigh.
Pardon me.
I am tired.
It is just after midnight and I did not take a nap today. Just sort of happened that way. I had intended to do so, but had a sudden impulse to get out there and utilize the light that was smothering the playa with golden goodness.
And I was well rewarded.
I don’t like to boast of my work, I am not a professional (yet) but I love to take the photographs and it fills me up with a kind of joy that I is inexplicable and deep rooted in me.
Today I was fed and satiated with the images.
I got more shots that pleased me then I have in the previous days.
I popped them up on my other blog—www.whereintheworldisauntiebubba—then put a bunch up in my facecrack album, Burning Man, 2013.
I got some lovely response.
Including, wait for it…
An offer to be paid for some of the photographs!
I was so flattered I just about fell out.
REALLY?
Yay!
I have to go over to Media Mecca tomorrow and talk with the managers there and see if I can get my camera tagged. I never thought I would be doing that.
I’m not sure if I’ll get approval for the department, but I almost don’t care (it’s not a huge sum of money) just to be asked was such an honor I am blown away that someone wants to pay me money to put my photographs on their website.
That and the smell of wood smoke drifting currently through my door as I wait for the anniversary couple to return from their playa date, made my day.
That and the photographs themselves.
My little piece of art out into the world.
So thrilling to be asked.
Makes me want to run right back out and take a bunch more tomorrow.
Auntiebubba 