Reading some of these posts just makes me so happy.
I really can’t explain all the wonderful and weird things I experienced at Lakes of Fire.

I know I remember running wildly around a burning ship with hundreds of others. I remember traveling down a dark, but star lit path, that led to another town. I rememeber ending up in the Tick Town Tavern, spinning the wheel and being put on the spot to say a Poem! I was so nervous, that someone helped me and gave me the words to Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary!

I remember meeting some wonderfully beautiful people. I do remember Mars and Jelani : “Told my ex-husband how relieved and happy I felt to discover J. and I were far from being the only Black folks there.” It was me that you met!!! lol
I met Hawkeye (where are you?), and the beautiful Alabaster, and the chillest guy, Kentucky john, who gave me an awesome hotdog filled with cheese! There were awesome fire spinners and dancers. I also remember a cool guy who reminded me of an Anime character, with the coolest shades I’ve seen.

I remember seeing the wonderful bodies of naked boys, in nothing but sneakers and shades, which I had not expected. I was happily surprised. lol. I remember the beautiful bodies of natural women, that made me question if I could ever be so comfortable.

I remember the very strange voice of a goat head that spit Hot Fire! I also remember the intricate and beautiful sounds of a violinist wearing white. I remember blowing bubbles with a large wand, and the cutest infant that chased them with passion. I also remember when that very infant forgot about the bubbles and started to wander towards the Freakeasy tent because of their music.

I rememeber having the most awesome Veggie and Meat kabobs free!! I also remember having all the drinks I could handle free, and thinking why can’t life always be like this. I remember kissing a stranger and acting wild along the path.
I remember getting lost over and over again, which made everything brand new over and over again.

If Lakes of Fire was Wonderland, then I was Alice, meeting interesting people and exploring curious places.
I loved it.

Here’s my facebook Link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2219771&id=2412308&l=797c1277c8

Be well,
Alabaster Crown

Gietzen Clear…

Dirtball Dan

Check em out. Some of the only pictures of the build!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/libidolounge/sets/72157621248383918/

Cheers,
Poochie

http://www.flickr.com/photos/taymar/sets/72157620923015632/

Thank you for sharing all the pic links…my son who showed on several of them is thrilled as well as myself. The little pirate ran around alot and fueled up on zza!!

Take care and be well all of you, until our journey crosses paths again…..I am all the better to have been with you

mai

It is the day after Lakes of Fire and I sit amazed. I’m completely overtaken by the awesomeness of my experience of the last few days. There is a lot that I could try to explain about the event, to put into words the experiences and emotions of the burn. Honestly, I could tell you about the wonderful artwork, the super splendid theme camps, the unbelievable creativity, the fabulous fun times, and the frightfully fantastic people, but none of this would really give you a clue about the true depth of this Burning Man event, Lakes of Fire. This marks one of the very few times in my life when I envy the ability to write well; I sincerely wish that I could, in some way, convey the true nature and beauty of my Lakes of Fire experience.

Arriving at the Lakes of Fire site, I was greeted at the gate by a young man. His words to me were direct and sincere, “Welcome Home! You’re with family now.” I’m sure that I must have been sporting some sort of vacant or perhaps blasé look because he concluded with “seriously, you’re with family now.” “Okay,” I thought to myself “that’s nice.” What I didn’t realize then and what perplexes me even now, is that indeed, I had arrived home.

To me, there are about three distinct things that make coming home so special. The first thing is connecting with old and new family members; those persons that in some way or another share your basic genetic build. They share some core DNA code that pulses through the bloodline: radical inclusion, radical self-expression, communal effort, participation, immediacy, and more. For me, meeting and connecting with my family was one of the greatest highlights. It was good to love and chill with my brothers and sisters: at the lollygag lounge, at the Parking Camp. It was good to get in tune to my inner rhythm with my cousins: at MidWestMayhem, at FreakEasy. And, it was good to rap with all of my favorites on the Lacota, MI Playa: with my favorite cousin from Detroit, with my favorite brother and sister from Kalamazoo, with so many others.

The second deal of coming home is the love and unconditional acceptance that is keenly known and felt, never having to be spoken. No one loves you like your family. Your family understands and knows all your quirks and still they keep you. Sure, they may have to make a disclaimer here and there like, “yea, he does that.” But, none-the-less, you’re stuck with family. Oh, I know, all that love-hippy-treehugger stuff seems a bit over the top, but fortunately there is no “over-the-top” at Lakes of Fire. The biggest thing about love is, is that you don’t realize how much of it you have till it’s not there; you don’t miss it till its gone. I hadn’t understood the depth, breadth or abundance of love given and received at Lakes of Fire until re-entering the world on Sunday afternoon where the reality of less-love was/is on constant exhibition.

And, finally, the third point – which happens to be the biggest for me – of coming home, is being able to just be you, whoever or whatever that may be! At home, you can kick off your shoes, let your hair down and do whatever it is that you want to do. After all, it’s your room isn’t, no matter how long you’ve been away. For the first time, in a multitude of years, I was able to simply be me, all me and only me without fear of alienation, rejection or judgment. Fantastic! It allowed me to know, remember who I really am. It reminded me that I don’t have to take the well worn road, but that I can and perhaps should, be different and live life following a different standard, protocol and calling. If there was only one treasure to be gained from being at Lakes of fire, this was it. I found it easy to be completely me every day, all day. I was able to learn, acknowledge and accept that which is the true essence of me.

Yea, Welcome Home!… Someone might ask me how I can be sure that this is my family. I mean, it seems obvious to me… we dress alike, we look alike and we have the same core values. But, I guess, if someone asked, I’d just answer and whisper, “Because saying goodbye is hard to do.”

And, what about today? Well, today, I sit and reflect on my journey to, through and from Lakes of Fire, my first Burning Man event ever. I remember my simple desire of hoping that, in the end, I could say, “I had a really good time.” Now, the thing that overwhelms me and what I wasn’t expecting is that, in the end, I can declare this experience as one of the best and most phenomenal times of my life. So, for me, today, the day after my first burning man event, I find myself a Burner; ready to begin an eternal burn, living up to the family name and finding the way to BURN every day!

Special thanks to a multitude of persons whom I will not name here for fear of accidental omission and inaccurate name attribution. And, many and great thanks to all of the organizers, workers and participants who so diligently worked to make this event an absolutely ASTOUNDING success!

Woohoo!
Avi