It’s Curiouser and Curiouser Here at Burning Man 2024

The Man and the Moon: Burning Man 2024 Curiouser and Curiouser 

One again, Black Rock City has risen from the dusty lakebed of the Black Rock Desert. Winds with gust of up to 40mph followed by several hours of rain that closed Gate but did not deter the artists and builders from co-creating this magical place once again. There is no city like it on Earth and I am grateful to have found my way here again to Burning Man along with 70k or so fellow Burners; this is my 22nd burn in 32 years of being a Burner. (Scroll down for stories of the early days from a depth psychology perspective). 

As I write this, I am sitting in the red circus tent that is home to Minstrel Cramp. A young man with the playa name “Yard Sale” stopped by to tune the drums, and we talked at length about music and creativity and finding a purpose that we have a passion for. Now Steve, a professional pianist from the Bay Area, is playing piano and since we both love Debussy and Chopin’s waltzes, that’s what he’s playing for me on the freshly tuned piano; we have a professional piano tuner in camp as well as many professional musicians. A yoga class is scheduled, a costume contest follows that, and there’s an open mic too plus our camp house band this year “Alyce Drives.” 

From my spot beside the piano where I am charging my laptop, I can see a steady stream of colorful people and bicycles. The theme this year is Curiouser and Curiouser and people are bringing it with lots of top hats and rabbit ears… although actually that’s nothing new.

a damp playa closes gate

I was one of those stuck at Gate because of the rain. After a week of working my day job as a college teacher and packing all the things, I left home at 430pm. By 1am, as I was only about two hours away, I had to take a nap for an hour… and that was enough to perk me back up and get me on my way again. Rain had threatened all day, and some sprinkles barely landed on the windshield , most just virga, but enough that when I arrived Gate at 430am it had closed at 4:05am and who knew for how long. We were told to move along but I kept my spot on the side of the road 300′ away from Gate road trying to sleep in the makeshift bed I had set up in my van. At 7am, the gentle rain on the roof woke me briefly, and it rained on and off for a few hours before the sun came out and dried the puddles enough that we were able to drive in around 3pm. 

Art Predator on Tutu Tuesday

It was a long wait but at least I was decently comfortable and met some new friends before I was able to get on my way again into the City to find my son and his camp, my friends and campmates at Minstrel Cramp located at 5:30 and C (more on that soon), and to help Valerie Mallory with her honorarium art project located at 6:45 and just off the Esplanade toward the Man (more on that soon!). Then I set up my own camp “Art Predator’s Playhouse” — complete with a mailbox. Write me! I’ve actually already received mail!

Many people who go to Burning Man, no matter where they live in the default world, consider Black Rock City their home. When you arrive, you are greeted with “Welcome home” because Black Rock City is a place where everyone is welcome in all the beautiful diversity that is humanity. And after the Man burns, everyone says “happy New Year” — because it feels like the end of one year and the beginning of the next– a new start. 

Where are the places you’ll go? Where’s home? What sets you on fire? Here are two videos from Burning Man in years past that I enjoy.

What does it mean to you to be on fire? What fires you up? What gets you to leave home?

The lyrics of the song raises questions about comfort. What have we been learning? And learning from?  

Where will you go and what will you do with your one wild and precious life? If you were in a college writing class, what would you like your teacher to know about you? If your parents are still in your life, what would you like them to know that you’re afraid to tell them? 

I invite you to take the words of this video to heart and dance with me in the new year. 

Because I want “the whole damn world” to come dance with me. Let’s take our time on this planet and do something special with it. Let’s be  “Playful Again!”

Learn more about Burning Man and the 10 Principles that guide citizens here by checking out this Coloring Book!.

Read more about the early days of Burning Man from a depth psychological and an ecopsychological POV:

Part 1: Burning Man 1992-02–The Shadow Grows: Journey Into Community Soul Making

 Part 2: how to integrate the shadow

Part 3: using the 10 Principles to create a new economy

One of the 10 Principles is “Immediacy” and it’s hard to practice this principle when you’re on your laptop writing or grading discussions on Canvas! Time to put this away and get out onto the playa! It’s a beautiful day to go see art! And have adventures! 

Find more of my Burning Man 2023 photos and stories on my Art_Predator Instagram account.  More to come!

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Thank you for stopping by and reading.

Art Predator in the Minstrel Cramp chill tent which is next to the music hall