The word is out and yes, it is true. I am going to Burning Man this year. Since the choice and decision to go seems out
of character, both to most people I know as well as to me, I thought I’d chew
on it a bit to try to understand and explain why.
The most simple answer which is now only one small part of
the reason is that my husband wants to go.
Andy has wanted to go since I met him.
Of the two of us, he is more of an adventure seeker and risk taker and I
am more fearful and cautious. So while
my initial response when he posed the possibility of going was “seriously?? –
instead of Europe this year??”, the possibility also intrigued me.
Over the past several years, I’ve been learning to explore
ideas and experiences that are outside my comfort zone. Scuba was definitely one of those. I’ve learned that immediately shutting my
mind to things which “Lisa doesn’t do” keeps me from growing and explanding.
Nonetheless, Burning Man falls way outside my comfort
zone. I am not comfortable running
around naked. I don’t use drugs. I don’t like wearing costumes. And I don’t have an active fantasy life or
alter-ego waiting to be acted out in an alternate world. I'm a 62-year-old wife, mother, CEO, friend, Rock of Gibraltar type.
So why am I going to spend the better part of a week in the
hot desert where an alternative world is erected and dismantled, where nothing
will be familiar, where I will have no access to the body part known as my Iphone, where I’ll live in an RV and fill every crevice of my body with dust? I’m going for three powerful reasons.
I’m going for the art.
While I know that sounds like men who say they only read Playboy for the
articles, I am extremely interested in seeing the spectacle of the art created
for the playa. Photos of past years
amaze me, and I think that anyone interested in current art has to see this. A dear friend who is sponsoring me at BRC believes this and I trust her implicitly.
I’m going for the opportunity to see exactly what this
alternative world is. I’m not looking to
live in another place nor planet, but rather, experiencing, if only for a short
while, a world based on barter, gifts, and self-rule is fascinating. Described as a catalyst for creative culture in the world, it's a place I want to be, or at least try.
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| My adorable second or third hand bike, already replete with handprinted designs |
And I’m interested in seeing what effect all of this has on
me. Just the exercise of trying to
figure out what I’ll wear, if there is an alternate-Lisa waiting to burst out
in costume, has been an interesting experience.
(So far there is not!)
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| Hat #1 for Burning Man |
Wish me luck. I am very excited, thrilled to be going. And scared.
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