September What’s Up :: August Wrap-Up &

This may be the most abbreviated September What’s Up :: August Wrap-Up ever…because I am going to BURNING MAN (just in case you hadn’t guessed that yet)…

What’s the big deal? What is Burning Man anyway?

Burning Man started in the late 1980s with a ceremonial burn on Baker Beach in San Francisco by Larry Harvey and some friends. They has such a good time, they decided to do it again. And again. And again. More people joined in, some of them from the Cacophony Society. Too many people had too good of a time so the Police told them to go somewhere else. And they did. They went to the Black Rock Desert northeast of Reno, a huge vacant-feeling place, surrounded by stunning mountains, sharp-edged mountains, and dotted along the edge with hot springs.

The Burn had only been out there a few years when I first went in 1992. I had friends who were Cacophonists or friends with Cacophonists, and since I was in grad school in Reno, it was a quick jump over there to join friends from Santa Cruz. Friends from Reno came along also to see what was up. It was $25 if you had a Nevada ID. There were about 600 of us. We all drove to the rave. We all drove out to Black Rock Hot Springs. There was a few pieces of art. But there was an energy there that I’d never felt before. In 1993 and 1994, I did other activities over Labor Day, but yearned for that big bang in the desert.

By 1995, I had a studio at Art City in Ventura. Talking about the event captured the imagination of resident artists Paul Lindhard, Steve Knauff, Matt Harvey (no relation to Larry), and  Russell Erickson, so we proposed to build a pier out there, and maybe a mini-ArtCity with a board walk. The challenge and expense of getting material out there, then the recklessness of burning it all down, kept that vision from becoming reality. But it didn’t keep Matt, Steve, Russell and MB from all becoming Burners in the next few years. I wrote about it for the Ojai and Ventura Voice in 1995 and 1996, then published an essay in the Ventura County Star. More and more people discovered Burning Man and made the trek out to the desert: from 600 in 1992 to 6,000 in 1995 when I started up spoken word entertainment, with Larry Harvey’s blessing, in the small cafe in center camp with a reading of Nevada inspired poetry I’d written for my Masters thesis at the University of Nevada. “Nobody’s gonna listen,” he said, “but I’m not going to stop you.” Little did he know that it would be so successful and continue to this day!

The event continued to grow exponentially from 1995-2002. I took off 2003 and 2004 to have a baby; in 2005 and 2007 we took him. After that first year, he would say randomly:

“The Man must fall. The Man burns. The Man must fall.”

I’ll write. I promise.

What else is up?

The moon is Full Friday! I’d add more astronomy but I can’t find my TideLog. I will see that Mars will NOT be phenomenally large…(see snopes.com).

Lord Ganesha’s Birthday celebration continues; it culminates with a ceremonial immersion of earthen Ganeshi into water to send Him home again.

We will celebrate Lord Ganesha’s birthday with a bike ride at Burniing Man–meet us at the Man at 5:30pm for a quick ride to see the art out there while friends in Ventura lead the First Friday ArtRide here starting from the Artists Union Gallery on the playa that fronts the Pacific Ocean and California Street.

Also at Burning Man, I’m reading in center camp during Rusty Rebar’s set; he was one of the early supporters of spoken word at center camp and has kept it going (along with many many people who have no idea who I am).

And I’m hosting Wine Wednesday and pouring wines from Twisted Oak, Michel-Sclumberger, Bonny Doon, Vino V, and Frei Ranch at our camp at DNA and 515. Plus hosting Soccer Saturday Brunch in Kidsville!

Back in Southern California, on Tuesday September 15, I’m the featured poet at the Artists Union Gallery; I’ll be reading some poetry from the 3:15 Experiment 2001-2009 as well as other work. Maybe I’ll even write some new stuff while at Burning Man this year!

Astrologically, what’s up? Astrology.com says:

September starts off with Mercury turning retrograde in Libra — the third time Mercury does its backward dance this year. Now, Mercury retrogrades in relationship-oriented Libra, making this a perfect time to review your recent agreements and conversations. All of the usual Mercury retrograde cautions hold true, so don’t react to any news you receive until you have double-checked the facts. Mercury will be retrograde until September 29.

Next, powerful Pluto turns direct in ambitious Capricorn on September 11, so watch as your goals advance! Pluto, the planet of transformation, has been retrograde since April 4 of this year, and turns direct in Capricorn on September 11.

Pluto is a tiny, distant body, invisible to the naked eye. Yet, Pluto is incredibly powerful, a force for total transformation, regeneration and rebirth. Pluto asks us to go beyond what we know, redeem ourselves in the process and come out stronger as a result. Pluto represents how we direct our lives.

It takes Pluto a whopping 248 years to complete a single cycle of rotation around the Sun. On average, it spends 21 years in each sign and 5 months of each year in retrograde.

During a Pluto retrograde period, we will feel pressured to eliminate and release the old, outworn, outdated and obsolete in our lives. We will be urged to let go of attitudes, thinking or communication patterns, security drives, and rigid emotions that no longer serve us. This is an excellent time to undergo an internal form of house cleaning, and look into ourselves to determine exactly what we do and do not need.

Now, after being retrograde for five months, Pluto turns direct on the 11th. This will accelerate progress in all your financial dealings including mortgages and loans, business endeavors and health-related activities. It’s time to put your personal power to work in a positive way, too.

Then, on September 12, boundary-maker Saturn forms a quincunx aspect to Neptune, a planet whose energy dissolves boundaries, so you’ll need to make adjustments in your overall life-plan.

Saturn opposes Uranus on September 15, reminding you to build flexibility into your goals. Then, the Sun shines a big spotlight on this opposition with a conjunction to Saturn and an opposition to Uranus on September 17. Mindful Mercury’s entrance into Virgo on September 17 helps you get a plan together. Then the new Moon in Virgo on September 18 brings a fresh beginning, and by September 20 — when Venus enters Virgo — your immersion in all things Virgo enters your relationship life.

You may feel pulled in two different directions when retrograde Mercury in practical Virgo connects with the ongoing Saturn-Uranus opposition. Add to this a conjunction to rule-maker Saturn on September 22, and an opposition to independent Uranus on September 23. In between all of this, the Fall Equinox occurs on September 22 with the Sun’s entrance into peaceful Libra.

We end the month with Mercury turning direct in Virgo on September 29, and once again it’s full speed ahead to move forward with your plans.

So what happened on this blog last month? Well, a lot of people came here to read about Burning Man, that’s for sure! I had  a high of 867 page views yesterday August 31, and nearly 13,000 for the month. I published 47 posts, bringing my total to 752. Here’s what you read the most:

Top Posts for 30 days ending 2009-08-31 (Summarized)

2009-08-01 to Today