my virtual burn 2013

7/27/2019 My Virtual Burn 2013

1/18

Photobyme,inwhichitislearnedthatoneManisasgoodasanyother(TheMan,2012)

My Virtual Burna 2013 playa picture book

by Margot / Kerosene

[email protected]

http://kerosenekrew.wordpress.com/


2/18

2

Prologue

Randomwaffles

Tobehonest,IwaffledontheBurnallyear.Ididnteventryforaticketwhenthey

wentonsaleandIpassedupafewthatwereofferedtomeoverthemonths.Butbythe

timetheBurnwasrollingaroundinthesummer,Iwasreadytogetinmycaranddrive

the2,700milestogetthere,trunkpackedwithmytentandabinfullofcostumes.Id

promisedmyapartmentduringthelasttwoweeksofAugusttoStar,whowashaving

surgerytoreattachhisretinaotherwiseentirelyblind,maybehedbeabletoseelight

andformsandthiswouldbethedifferencebetweenlivingalwaysindarknessorliving

withtheblessingoflight.Darknessandlightperhapsthemostbasicqualitiesthat

defineBurningMan.

Butbymid-summer,itwasbecomingobviousthatifIlefttown,Starwouldbe

frighteninglyonhisownwithaninfectedeyeandtheloomingproblemofwherehed

livewhenIgotback.Theonlythingtodowasstayhometohelphimgettodoctors

appointmentsandlookforhousing.SoIgiftedmyBurntoStar.Idstickaroundand

dothingsthatwouldhelphimhaveabetterlifeforever.Definitelytherightchoice.But

IwasIhappy?No,IwasdefinitelynothappytomisstheBurn.

ThatswhenIconceivedofmyvirtualBurn.IfIcouldntreallybethere,Icouldliveit

fromafar.IdaskfriendandacquaintancesIknewfromtheplayaandstrangerstoo

tosendmephotosfromtheirBurns.Afewsentmephotosfromtheirnon-Burns,

becausetheymissedthatthinginthedeserttoothisyear.Outofthose,Idwritethe

storyofmyownBurn2013.Theydid,andtheresultwasaseriesofsmallplaya

adventures,interactionsandfriendshipsalwaysmyfavoritethingaboutbeingat

BurningMan.Hereitis!Ifyoureadit,thenIcanhaveanotherlittleadventure,this

timewithyou,evenifIdontknowaboutit.Enjoy!


3/18

3

Build Week

PhotobyKeeper/Stacy,aRangerandtheteacherattheone-roomschoolhouseinGerlach

Keeperdidntwantmetomissthepre-Burnsoshegiftedmeanearlyentrypass.

Meanwhile,backinNewYork,sinceIwasntleavingtownafterall,Iwasmadlylooking

foraplacetolivesoStarcouldstayatmyplace.ItextedPieterandaskedhimifIcould

usehisplacewhilehewasontheplaya.Ihadnttalkedtohimformanymonths,buthe

saidyeswithouthesitationwhenheheardwhyIneededhishelp,giftingmehis

apartmentfortwoweeks.Hechallengingmetomakeapairofspandexpantswhileon

myvirtualBurn.Atnight,afterdoingreallyhardthingswithStarallday,Idgobackto

hisplaceanddecoratetheinsideofhisrefrigeratortoblowoffsteam.

Yes,readers,Imadethepants.DecoratedRefrigerator,

aminiplayaartprojectthatnevermadeittotheplaya


4/18

4

Day 1

PhotobyMario

IswungbyDistrikt.Endedupdancingwiththesetwoforasweaty30minutes.BeforeI

left,theguyslippedsomethingoutofhispocketaperfectlybakedcookiehe'dmadein

asolaroven.Anexplosionofchocolateandginger.Hegavemeasipofsomethingfromhiscanteenicecoldlemonadefromfreshlemons.Inevergottheirnames.


5/18

5

Later that day

PhotobySteph.RainbowbyGod.

ImetamysteriousmanwhocalledhimselfGyahnnPhrooom.Hehadwithhimasmall

timetravelmachinethatenabledmetoattendBurnspastandfuture.Ispentafewdays

zoomingaroundvisitingplayafriendsIhadntyetmetorhadlongsinceforgotten,

attendingBurnsbeforeIeverthoughtofgettingaticketandBurnsfarintothefuture.I

metmyselfseveraltimes,encounteredplayalovesovermanydecades,andspenta

combinedtotalof42.8yearsontheplayaduringBurn2013.


6/18

6

At the Airport

PhotobyFreakinFrankie

AtamezcalbaroutbytheBlackRockCityairport,Imetthesethree,whohadjust

parachutedontotheplaya.Ibeggedandbeggedthemtotakemeonmyveryfirstjump.

Theyinsisteditwasfartoodangerous.Butthemezcalworkeditsmagic.Atdawn,we

jumped,mestrappedtotheguylikethebabyJesusinaholidaycrcheandthetwo

womenspreadingtheirdresseslikeangelswingsintherosyfingersofmorning.

PhotobyBriana

Aftermyjump,Imetthisteeny,tiny

littleairplanepilot,ridinganplane

constructedoutofametalthimble,

offeringfreeridestopretty

bumblebees.


7/18

7

Light and Darkness

PhotobyZac,whomIhavenevermet

Sometimesthebesttimesontheplayaaretheoneswhennothingatallishappening.

Thatnight,Anjagotmarried.

Backhome,thetwobrilliantandgenerousdoctorswhooperatedonStarseyeweredisagreeingabouttreatment.Itwasconfusingandscary.Then,inaflash,Starseyehealed.

Themostexcitingtimesweretheoneswhenhecouldseelightandform.Itwasalways

whiteagainstblackorthereversethethickwhitelinesofacrosswalkagainstblack

pavementorapersoninablacksweatshirtpassingawhitesky.Thisisjustthebeginning,

wehope.ThedoctorsaidthemechanismofStarseyeiswellaligned.Now,itsamatterof

hiseyelearninghowtotalktohisbrain,anaturalpartofthehealingprocess.Stressisa

knowndestroyerofthisprocess.Star,closetohomeless,needssafetytolearntosee.


8/18

8

W h a t i s i t t h a t w e l o v e ? . . .o r , th e M y s te r i o u s B o x A d v e n t u r e .

PhotobyLaurent

Laurent,aFrenchscientistwhomImetatapancakehouseonedustymorningatBurningMan2012,sentmethisphotoformyvirtualBurn.Hehadntmadeitouttotheplayaeither

thisyear.Theobviousmessagewasinthewords.ButwhenIlooked,IrealizedIdidnt

knowwhatthisboxorstreetcabinet,asLaurentcalleditactuallywas.Adumpster,I

thoughtatfirst.AsphotospouredinformyvirtualBurn,IsentLaurentonaresearch

missiontofindoutmoreabouttheseboxes.HewanderedthestreetsofVancouver.His

firstguesswasthatitmightbeapad-mountedtransformer.Hesaid,Thereisrefrigeration

andthethingisdefinitelyelectrical.Ononeofthem,Isawateenyhighvoltagewarning

post,butnothingasvisibleasitshouldbeifitwereatransformerbox.Laurentsroom

mateimagineditwasaphoneswitchbox,buttherewasnogiantwarningofriskofdeath.

Atlast,LaurentfiguredoutitwasforDSLinternet.Hewroteme,saying,Theboxwas

visibleinGoogleStreet,butthelovesignwasn'tthereandtheboxitselfwasdifferent.It'smodularinnature,andsinceGooglephotographedit,therightcabinethasbeenchangedto

matchtheleftone.Sonowitremindsmeeitherofaheart,ortheheadofarobot.Ilikethe

factthatthislittlepieceofhardwareiskindofalive,it'sskinchanges,andit'sabletoevolve

itselfstructurallytoo.I'msohappytoseethesestreetcabinetsnow.Streetsarelessvapid

sinceIhuntforthem.Theyreeverywhereonceyoulookforthem.Idon'tknowwhomade

that'Love


9/18

9

Beauty

PhotobyRaj

ThesegorgeousplayabeautieswerefromafashionhouseinMilano.Theyworenothingby

silk,neverconsideringtheheat,andifonlythepicturehadincludedtheshoes!

PhotobyKimpossible

Randomout-of-placebeauty.KimpossiblegiftedmethisquietwalkinaVancouvercemetery

duringBurnweek.Youcanseethetombstonesifyoulookcarefullyintheshadows.


10/18

10

Something Weird and Ugly

Sometimeinthemiddleofallthis,myeyegotreallyinfected.Thishasneverhappened

tomebefore.Starseyehadbeeninfectedmuchofthesummer.Itwaspainful,sapped

himofhisenergyandmadeithardforhimtoconcentrateordoallthehardthingshe

gotupeverymorningtodo.NowIfeltatinybitofthat.Itwasverystrange,likeIhad

somehowbecomesoconnectedtohimthatItookonasmallpartofhisexperience.

Hereswhatitlookedlike:


11/18

11

Day What?

PhotobyRyan

AndthisnightGodknowswhathappenedthisnight!DidIeatthelittlecakethatsaid,Eat

me?OrmaybeIdrankthedrinkthatsaid,Drinkme.Oritcouldhavebeensomeweird

ancientspiritoftheplayadecidingtohavesomefunwithme.Inanycase,Ifoundmyselftransformedintothishugerubberduckie.Peoplerodemethoughthenight.Wegotdirty

together,wesharedsomesweat.Ididntgetsmallagainuntilthesuncameup.

Backhome,anotherkindofSaywhat??wasgoingon.StarwasworkingashardasIve

everyseenapersonwork,tryingtogethousing.Becausehesblind,findingahomeis

harderthanjumpinginhiscar,seeingapartments,andthenpayingforonewiththemoney

heearnsfromhisjob.Itinvolveslargegovernmentbureaucraciessetuptohelppeopleget

housing,butwhethertheyactuallydodependsonByzantinerulesandifthepersononthe

othersideofthedeskwantstohelporpreferstosittherelikealumpoftoxiccoal.Starand

Iwenttoalotofappointments.Itwasshockinghowmanypromisesweremadetohimand

howmuchofnothingeverhappened.IfIhadntseenitwithmyowneyes,Ineverwould

havebelievedit.Starwaskindoflikefightingforhislifeanindependentlife,withhisown

apartmentandhisownkeyversusaninstitutionalizedlifeinafacility.Amazinghow

manypeoplewerejustsosurethatthesecondchoicetheonlyone.Imsayingthisallvery

calmlynow,buttherehasreallybeenquiteabitofrageonmypartattheshabbywaymy

friendhasbeentreatedandhowpeopleplayedsoeasilywithchoicesabouthislife.Star

hadtobesostrong,sosmart,soperseveringtoostrong,smart,andpersevering.Noone

shouldhavetogothroughallthatjusttogetthebasicbuildingblockofadecentlife

HOME.


12/18

12

Chariots and Their Many Uses

PhotobyMr.WA,whomadePepeOzansNarwhalswimagain.

MoreNarwhalnuttiness.IthinkmaybetheytrailedthisbehindtheNarwhal. Ontheplaya,Mr.WAandhiscrewweresailingtheNarwhalacrossthedust,making

mobileperformanceartonacar-whaleamalgam.

Backhome,wewerepackingallofStarsstuffupandstashingitinthetrunkandback

seatofmycar,makingitimpossibletoparkonaNewYorkCitystreetandthus

renderingitfairlyimmobile.


13/18

13

Last Day

PhotobySteve

Iranintothatguy,Phrooom,again.Hehadasad,lostlookinhiseyesandwhenhe

handedmethetimetravelboxthistime,heturnedhisbackandwalkedaway,kicking

upatrailofdustthatobliteratedhim.

Itimetraveledfar,farintothefuture.It'sunclearifBurningManwillstillbehappening

ontheplayabythetimethisphotowillbetaken,orhappeningatall,orevenifhuman

beingswillstillwalktheplanetEarth.Possiblythisyogapractitionerwasmerely

anothertimetraveler.Inanycase,Isatfaroffandwatchedherbendandrustleinthe

dustforabouthalfanhourbutIneverapproachedher.Neitherdidsheapproachme.

Liketravelersinafardistantplace,wedisdainedourown.Shewasbeautiful.ThenIleft.


14/18

14

Day 1 Again

PhotobyCariLee

Onthis,thelastdayofmyBurn,ItraveledbackintimetothefirstBurn.Notthefirst

timeaMangoterectedinthedesert.ImeanreallytheveryfirstBurnatthebeginning

oftime.Isawthisbeautifulsunrise.


15/18

15

The Magic of Gifting

BeforeanyBurns,virtualorotherwise,startedthisyear,IdaskedTy,thecreatorofthe

NecklaceFactoryAwardsforoutstandingplayaartprojects,topullsomethingfromthe

GREATBlackRockCityBoutiqueandsenditalongaftertheBurnalittleplayagift.

Thisiswhathesentme:

Margot,

If I have my storystraight, it seems that youskipped your Burn this

year so that it would bepossible to help a friendthrough a tough time.

A selfless andcompassionate act likethat certainly deservesrecognition.

Congratulations.

You are the Winner of a2013 Necklace FactoryAward of High Merit and

Honor.

Tys2013poster,patchandpin.

Thepinhasabatteryandlightsupblue.

Itissoundactivated.


16/18

16

PostscriptImissedgoingtotheplayathisyearbuttheplayacametomeinmanywaysinthe

generosityoftheBurnerwhogavemehisapartment,inthepicturesthatfriendsand

strangerssentmeformyvirtualBurnandtheinteractionsIhadwithpeopleabout

them,inthechallengetomakeanewcostumeandthefunofcreatingaminiplayaartprojectinmyfriendsrefrigerator,insubtlecostuming,intheNecklaceFactoryAward.

IgottotakeAnjatotheplayaforherveryfirstBurn.Igottoconnectwithplayafriends

IprobablywouldhavemissedifI'dactuallybeeninBlackRockCityamidst60,000

people.Imetstrangerswhobecamenewplayafriendsthroughtheirparticipationin

myvirtualBurn.Imadeaspecialefforttolivethetenprinciplesathomeoverthelast

twoweeksofAugustand,morethanthat,Itriedtolookforandfindthemagicofevery

daylife.Itwasnthardatall.2013wasmythirdBurn.Ifoundoutthattheplaya-of-

the-mindisapowerfulplacetobe.Igottoburnreallybeautifullythisyear.

AsforStar,hesignedhisleaseandmovedinyesterday.Therewere

forcesattheVeteransAdministrationwhoarepushingforthisdisabledU.S.

veterantobepressuredintoahospital

housingfacility.TherearesomanypeoplewhoobstructedStaralongthe

way,whodiscriminatedagainsthimanddoubtedhispowertolivefree.

Andtherearesomanywhohelpedin

bigandsmallways.

Itismyheartfeltwishthatovertime,

asStarlivesinasafe,quietplacewherehecanrelaxandshapehisown

life,thathiseyewilllearntotalktohisbrainonceagain.

T h e E n d . . .?


17/18

17

Dedication

ThisBurningMan2013artprojectisgifted

toStar,toeveryonewhoofferedthingsalongtheway,

andtoyou,deardustyreader.


18/18

18

Many thanks to:

Charles/Star

Pieter/BriteliteBriana

Ty

Stacy/KeeperLaurent

Kim/Kimpossible

Benoit/Mr.WASteph

SteveCariLee

Mario

FreakinFrankieZac

AnjaRaj

Ryan

Alex/NomadCampShowUsUrPits

TheNarwhal

Mary/YesheWangmoBeckett/SarahRuchel

Ms.Hopkins,Ms.Freeman&Audy

andmanyothers

Dusty hugs,Margot / Kerosene

[email protected]

my virtual burn 2013

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