Flipside 2008
The flaming tetherball-induced burn blisters on my right arm are beginning to heal. A couple of rounds of cheap shampoo took care of most of my funk and the socks I wore have been properly disposed of. After an intense, relentless nap I’m ready to type out a few lines about Flipside 2008.
“It’s like Renfaire. And hippies. But not at all. Much smarter. And also, dumber.” My friend Zekahh was struggling to use her first few hours of the event to crush it into an intellectual box as we floating naked in the creek during the hot afternoon. I’m always curious about how people see these things now. When I first went to Burning Man in 1996, it was the most incredible experience I’d had to date. People treated each other in a universally playful, intellectual, and loving way that I found astounding and helped break me out of a shell I’d put around myself. Being surrounded by so many people that felt like me made me feel much better about letting the weirder parts of myself out.
These days I’m immersed in that culture. Going to the desert is like going home and Flipside is a family reunion picnic. Huge fireballs thundering into the sky, crowds screaming, tesla coils surging webbed streaks of lightning overhead while singing in harmony… these are a familiar backdrop as I hug friends and catch up on their latest projects and romantic entanglements. It’s really hard for me to imagine what this would be like for someone new.
Every year’s event seems to have a personal theme. This time mine was about spending time by myself and figuring out who I am when I don’t have someone else’s needs and desires to concern me. Without a girlfriend and without having convinced anyone to come, I was responsible for no one but myself and it gave me a chance to remember that, hey, I’m not such a bad guy. I’ve been letting the fact that I wasn’t giving everyone what they wanted creep in and strangle me with guilt. I reminded myself, yet again, that I’m not responsible for making sure everyone around me is happy all of the time.
Of course I also got to ride a spring-loaded duck and a massive dinosaur hobby horse. I had far too much fun grabbing people in the fun house with sock puppets. I ran in sandals at top speed towards a radar gun to try to beat my friend’s record. I looked up at the stars. I counseled a confused man about women on top of a fire-spewing tower while swapping a bottle of whiskey. I ran in a giant wooden hamster wheel and rode it across a field. I had a slumber party with dear old friends who had scattered. I danced my posterior off to electric thump. I hugged strangers and was fed honey. I played Go on a dance floor later covered with beautiful belly dancing women. I loved. I was loved. I lived. It was good.
As always, click on photos to link to photographer’s Flickr page
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