Welcome to Chaos !!

I start out every day at the Playa with my precious Center Camp time. I love going there and sit down with an iced latte or chai that I savor every sip of, relax alone or with a friend.....think, reflect, plan the rest of my day, talk, read, watch people. I love that place. ❤ This year Center Camp celebrated 20 years on the Playa!





So yes, you can actually buy some stuff in Black Rock City. Beverages at Center Camp and also ice at the ice stations.



I think my little Fjällräven backpack is my official Burning Man tote now. It's the second year for it on the Playa now. The first year I used my Deery Lou backpack. But Fjällräven is Swedish like me and has many useful compartments for my stuff plus is CUTE!



I love the flags flying at Center Camp, they flap nicely in the wind and the colors are so pretty. The whole place is just NICE. Next year I want to take a long nap there. Many people sleep there, very calm and soothing energy over the whole place.



This is me on my last visit to Center Camp this year, I was so sad that this was the last time for a whole year. Nooooooo!





So I'm subscribed to a Burning Man newsletter that is called The Jackrabbit Speaks . Here is some of the latest......this is the first newsletter since the Burn.

"Welcome back to... some semblance of reality and normality (whatever that means to you)! Don't worry, the feelings you're feeling are okay, no matter what they are.
That Burn was something else, huh? A week in Black Rock City's no breezy vacation. Last year's torrential rains were replaced by this year's cold temperatures and major dust storms like we haven't seen in a while. Also, there was an overwhelming infestation of non-bugs all over the place. It was unbelievable how many bugs there weren't.
So yeah, what you made happen this time... wow! From the Totem of Confessions to R-Evolution, Dream to Love, it was absolutely incredible! And of course The Midway around the Man! There was such an artistic abundance. These pieces drew people together, provoking discussion, participation, even impromptu performance.
And while the media loves to fawn over who was on a Segway at Burning Man, we know full well that the real celebrity is YOU, the people who make Black Rock City the world's most incredible crucible of creativity and wonder. Thank you for bringing what you brought, and doing what you do, and being who you are."

There is even a link to an article about how to cope with post Playa depression. I'm not the only one feeling super sad that Burning Man is over and that I'm back in reality. Post Playa depression is real and I suspect that majority of the people attending Burning Man feel it to some extent. Here is the link but I am crying reading it here at Coffee Roasters. Good I can hide behind my hair!

http://antranik.org/dealing-with-post-playa-depression-burning-man-i-love-you/

There is plenty of art at Black Rock City, art installations (a whole 260 this year) paintings and other stuff. You can immerse yourself in the art for days. Here are some paintings that I liked.
Playa Romance, I l❤ve this one. CUTE!



Beautiful.....











This collection of items was called Tribute To The Feminine.



I think painting is a beautiful way of expression. Nothing that I have taken up, yet at least.
My absolute favorite (famous) painting that speaks to my soul is The Scream by Edvard Munch. It's haunting, I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way about it. And I also love the work of Dali. A long time ago I almost bought a small sketch of his. Actually being at Burning Man is a bit like stepping inside a Dali painting. And then I have collected some Olivia over the years. Feeding my mermaid obsession.

This year was the year of dusty, cold and windy at Burning Man. No rain though which is good because things quickly turn very muddy on the Playa. It wasn't awful weather the whole time, us Burners had sunshine and clear skies too but at night it was rather cold. A few nights were VERY cold, so I had to bundle up in layers when I was out and often walked or biked around with my face covered by a bandana and my head and hair covered with a bandana or a hood to get some protection from the dust and the cold. Nevertheless, it was GREAT.



My Playa bank robber look. At least my lashes didn't come off in the wind, I wondered if they would a few times.



I got lost trying to find Center Camp one afternoon because there was so much dust swirling around that you couldn't see anything, I finally made it there.....looking like this.



I don't like the sun scorching my face, so I cover up as much as possible.







At least inside Planet Earth you can shed the layers of clothing. Me and a new friend.....



These two girls were absolutely beautiful and flawless despite the dust. I don't know how they managed and I had to take a picture with them, they were that pretty.



I LOVE this pic of myself. A new fave. ❤ I was out dancing at White Ocean, having so much fun. Feeling alive .

There are many messages at Burning Man, some in the form of stickers and others written down by people. I like to take pictures of them to capture them forever. Sometimes I wonder about the person who wrote it down (many, many messages can be found in the Temple). Like, are they OK now? Sad? Happy? How is life going for them? It's very emotional, even sitting here writing about this over a week since Burning Man ended, looking at these pictures I feel very emotional. Here are some of the messages that I captured this year.....

The Playa is vast and without a bike you will be missing out on a lot, for example the amazing art scattered all across. This year there were 260 art installations on the Playa according to the Carnival Of Mirrors book.
Here are just a few that I took pictures of. One of my favorites was this breathing.....yes, she took breaths (!!!), lady called R-Evolution (third and last sculpture in a series of three in an art project called the Bliss Project). Oh.....she was breathtakingly gorgeous, she changed colors after dark. If you are curious you should read about the powerful story behind the Bliss Project. I loved the Truth Is Beauty statue in 2013 as well.





I loved Medusa. So amazing.



This boat all alone on the Playa was so pretty laying there by itself, like abandoned and lost.
It made me feel......sad somehow. Isn't it pretty?



Super cute robot by Center Camp (Becoming Human).



A beautiful tree.



A rotating heart enjoyed by many.



This one was called Love. Read up on it too if you have the time.....





This years Temple was called The Temple of Promise. I went in there one evening and walked through it before it burnt down on a Sunday night. I did not attend the burn of the Temple because I get too sad, didn't want to cry (more). So many emotions when the Temple burns, my own and collectively.







Imagine living in a boot house.

It is rapidly getting colder here.....and while I am writing this I got this comment come through, "When it is dark - I just remember that nothing we have ever found burns as bright as SuperNova." Awwwww.......how sweet! ❤ I hope that my writings/ramblings/opinions/attempts to be funny and pictures can somehow brighten up someones day if they need it or just a way to pass the time on a regular day. Regardless of what it is.....Thank You for reading and Thank You to the ones that bother to leave a comment. Is is much appreciated by me.....!
Here are the pictures Jim took of me and Chhaya yesterday. We went to Captain Cook State Park. I had a vision of me taking some fabulous pictures in my hip waders out in the water on Stormy Lake but no that did not work out. It was too dark and windy.



So we moved up on land. The leaves are changing colors and colder winds are coming in, leaves are starting to fall off the trees and I think it's safe to say that Fall has arrived in Alaska.