Morning Before Playa
This entry is part of a series captured at Burning Man 2023. 1. “Morning Before Playa”. 2. First Coating of Dust. 3. Decompression of Ritual Time. 4. What are you burning?
Monday, August 28, 2023
Hyatt Place Reno-Tahoe Airport
Enjoying reflection and conversation over complimentary hotel breakfast.
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Golden light streams through the big plain of glass in the tucked away breakfast nook. The low hum of Burners preparing their bodies for the trip to the playa. Braids, grins, anticipation.
There’s a weathered and worn look to some of the old timers. Wrinkles and soft voices.
Younger, nerdier Burners scarfing down continental breakfast. Bobbing, bouncing with the music of excitement.
Kristen and I hunkered down in the hotel last night. Gummies and TV surfing with the sound off while listening to Burner radio. A foot in both worlds. Pacing, repacking, giddy with it all.
A magical synchronicity appears. The hotel TV system is broken, we can only channel flip, no idea what we’re watching. We stumble on the 2016 documentary, “School Life”. It takes a look inside a beautiful place of creative learning and it feels like a personalized gift.
(Writing this by hand feels more important. Scarcity, rareness. Contrast the digital and its endless capacity for cheap symbol.)
What am I feeling?
Buzzed. A draw. Senses heightened. Eager to transition into the field. Nervous about what it’ll be like. Dust and ritual and homecoming. Threshold.
A heightened sense of personal energetics. I’m noticing differently. Dwelling with what it feels like to be near communing. Apart, within.
An intention
Words and immediacy. The former can strangle the latter. I choose dance over words for a bit. And if it should happen that the words begin to dance, whomst am I to deny them their shimmy.
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In the next entry: some sense impressions of Black Rock City…