Okay, just a few brief notes this post. Its about 8:30 am on Thursday and I plan on being on the road between 6 and 7 tomorrow evening.
Who Am I? My name is Jon Rosen and I am Director of Release Engineering for a database company called Actian (it used to be Ingres). I live in Hayward, California right across the San Mateo Bridge. I am 61 years old (and still going to Burning Man woo-hoo!) I love directing musical theater, playing piano, writing songs (I recently wrote a flurry of songs inspired by someone I was very much in love with, but alas, that ended sadly), singing karaoke and going to Burning Man! Oh yes, and although I rarely drink much, I have recently acquired a taste for Jack Daniels. Go figure :-)
Why Burning Man? Ten years ago, as my first marriage was ending, I had moved in with a female roommate named Peggy who had an extra ticket to Burning Man 2002: Floating World. As I mentioned in my earlier post, I had been to the 1987 Baker Beach burn (although I didn't realize that it would become "Burning Man" at the time) and Peggy told me that if I would give her a ride in my truck, she would gift me her spare ticket. That sounded like a fantastic idea and so in 2002 on Wednesday evening, we drove out to the playa arriving at 4am. I can only remember that as we went through the greeter gates and headed to camp (Hair of the Dog) I was stunned by the amazing things I saw around me. The next five days were an incredibly eye-opening experience and my life was altered in major ways that remain to this day. I have become part of a global community which doesn't only exist for the 7 days of the festival, but year-round.
Who Am I Going With? This year, for the first time in several years, I do not have a partner. I am going with my friend Nadine, a "birgin" who will be my camp mate. It is fun to take someone to Burning Man who has never seen it before (I have done that twice before, in 2003 and 2007) and I look forward to the vicarious excitement that comes from seeing someone else discover all of its treasures on their first visit.
Where Am I Camping? With the Hair of the Dog camp, at 5:30 and Alyssum, on Rod's Road near Center Camp. Very central location, I camped with HOTD in 2002 and also in 2003. I camped across the road from them at 6:00 and D in 2009 when they were part of Silicon Village (they have since split up again although the split was amicable). There are people there from all the way back 10 years ago who I remember, including Mark, Jarvis, Billy, Lisa, Michael and others. I am looking forward to renewing old friendships.
Until next time, I'll be looking for you out in the dust!
Bleurose/Jon
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