Burning Man ruined my life

As if. Yeah right. Shut up hippie you're going to make me cry! Slow down plane, you are kicking up dust *shakes fist in anger at sky*..... Burning Man Ruined My Life. In the good way of ruin, that is. This "festival" or whatever the hell you want to call it has truly changed me for the better. I am stirred with emotion tonight and really missing the Playa, all The Vomiting Sparrows, all my friends I've met there. It hurts in an aching way. It's my family. My brothers & sisters & BEST FRIENDS. Some of the people I've met live in a whole different country--- S. Africa, Israel, England.... and some others live in America... and some others live places I've never even heard of (i.e. The Deep End or 8o'clock and C) But the truth of the matter is that DAMN I LOVE THOSE BURNERS!!!!

Last year was EPIC. Life changing. Well, it's always been life changing, but the 2009 year made it such that I was not going to live my life anymore in a comfortable manner. It pushed me to my farthest limits. Going back home to Oregon after the burn was horrible. It was truly one week spent in Portland which helped me "come down" and touch base with the default world again. I made up my mind that week a goal for myself: I said that by July 1st, I would no longer be living in Klamath Falls. And if I didn't reach that goal, my friends were allowed to kick my ass literally, and to hold me accountable.

Guess what? I reached that goal WAAAAAAAY before its time. Do you know why? Because in 2006 I met another Burner, my current boyfriend, Lee. And he took me under his wing in every possible way. I am so thankful for the desert. The playa truly does provide. (that's a cheers to you Team Next... you all taught me that) I feel so freaking lucky to have experienced such a great time for 4 weeks of my life. This means that 1 whole month I have spent at Burning Man. HOLY SHIT! I have had my ticket gifted to me twice (thanks to Frank & Scotty/Suz) and bought my ticket the other times. The playa has provided me with so many things I never realized before.

I CAN change my life. I can make friends no matter what. I can climb, jump, sing, roll in dust, ride a bike, be sober, be the furthest thing away from sober, cry, laugh, scream, love, have sex, eat, drink, not shower for 7 days....Whatever the Hell I feel like doing WHENEVER I WANT!!! And guess what? I can do those things in REAL LIFE too.

I am truly proud of myself for reaching a goal that I never truly deemed realistic. I am so thankful for the friends who pushed me in this direction and for the friends I had at the other end to catch me when I jumped. My dear friend Scott told me "You can't deny what the universe is telling you anymore. Go. Go." And it clicked. And I went. And I stayed. And here I am. Without burning man, NONE of this could be possible... my current life would mean nothing, would NOT exist without this one thing I do in the desert every year.

I thank the playa gods for punching me in my face and telling me to come to Seattle, to come to the one I was meant to be with all along, to burn my ass off and meet such great family all the while. So basically, Burning Man ruined my life. I wouldn't ask for anything else.