RV Packed, Almost On the Road

If you see us on the road, honk
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

We got to El Monte RV in Oakland this morning at the stroke of 8, surprised to see one group of burners had beaten us there. We watched the requisite movie about taking care of our temporary home, then got through the paperwork and were presented with the keys to our beauty.

The process took only an hour and was a great start to our adventure since the RV place is Burning Man-friendly and has pictures and Burning Man memorabilia up all over. Not to mention that four or five groups of people clearly on their way to the Playa came in shortly after us. Woo hoo! I heard at least one guy on the phone to Home Depot, trying to find 5-gallon water jugs.

We brought our baby home and spent about three hours loading her up. She's got lots of storage space, both inside and in a cargo hold. We were able to easily fit all of our stuff in appropriate places. On the advice of fellow campers, I taped painter's plastic down on the floors and covered it with old throw rugs (saved for just this purpose!) When we get to the Playa, we'll cover all the chairs with old sheets. These things should help with clean up.

The RV has one main sleeping section and another sleeping area over the cab. Both have the equivalent of full-size mattresses. I made everything cozy and as much like home as possible. This RV will be our little retreat from the sometimes (okay always) crazy world of Black Rock City.

Two awesome things the RV has: a good-sized refrigerator and a mirrored closet door. Both of these things will come in handy at Burning Man.

Now we're relaxing and about to go to dinner. Tonight I'll cook some food that we'll bring with us to the Playa -- taco meat, ham-n-macaroni salad, and spinach dip. I'm doing some last minute laundry and straightening up the house. I am imagining it will be nice to come home to a clean house.

We're hitting the road at 4 AM. This is my last blog post before Burning Man. See you on the Playa!

Packing for Burning Man: Nerd Alert!

Packing like a nerd
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Like a good little burner, I'm packing all of our clothes in ziplock baggies and putting the baggies in plastic bins. The plastic baggies are probably overkill since we're in an RV and I expect it won't be as dusty as if we were tent camping. However, I did it anyway because I like to over-prepare. And it was a good way to separate my clothes into outfits so when it's hot and I don't feel like picking out something cute, all I have to do is grab a baggy and I'm good to go.

When Mike saw all of my clothes in ziplocks he went, "Nerd alert!" This is an Austin Powers reference.

We pick up the RV tomorrow and I hope that goes smoothly. El Monte RV is refusing to schedule appointments; they will help people on a first come, first served basis. Like the guy on the phone today said, "It will be like the DMV." Great. We're planning on getting there at 7:55; they open at 8:00. Wish us luck!

I'll post tomorrow for the final time before we hit the Playa. I have to say that all of this packing is giving me a headache. I'm ready to don something skimpy and forget about my nine-to-five, if you know what I mean.

Feeding a Family of Four on the Playa

Countdown to Burning Man: 3 Days

I got a lot done today, including decorating my bike, planning our meals, and getting most of the food shopping done. I'm going to end up spending about $200 total for our food and drinks, not including water.

We plan to be on the Playa for five full days and one half day. That's six breakfasts, five or six lunches, and five dinners to prepare for a family of four. I'm definitely not going to make gourmet (i.e., from scratch) meals, but I do want to eat better than I did last time I went when all I brought was a case of spaghetti-o's. Pair that with Mike's carton of Tasty Bites, and I get a little depressed just thinking about it.

This recent Google video taught me how to set up a temporary kitchen on the Playa. We are lucky to be in an RV with a refrigerator but very little of what we're bringing requires refrigeration. We also have a stove so I will be able to heat water and do some one-pan meals. I don't want to do anything more elaborate because it's the clean-up--whether you're in an RV or not--that's a nightmare. I'll be using a spray bottle to spritz dishes and wiping them with paper towels. We'll use a plastic dish pan instead of the sink and an evaporation pond to get rid of gray water. The best trick is to clean up immediately after eating to avoid food becoming caked on dishes.

BurningBeach has a ton of Playa recipes. I got lots of ideas there. I also thought about the heat and the kids's needs. I'm figuring we'll eat three meals a day: breakfast, a light meal, and a bigger meal. We'll also have healthy snacks on hand and lots of water, juice, sparkling sodas, and natural sodas.

Here goes...

Breakfasts

Cheerios
Dehydrated strawberries and/or apricots
Milk (Horizon Organic, no refrigeration necessary)
Coffee
(may be repeated)

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Oatmeal (Quaker Oats, instant)
Dehydrated Strawberries and/or apricots and/or raisins
Milk or juice
Coffee
(may be repeated)

Scrambled eggs with Whole Foods cooked bacon bits
Permesan garlic & herb Pita Chips (Stacy's)
Milk or juice
Coffee

Strawberry Toaster Pastries (Nature's Path)
Milk or juice
Coffee

Pancakes (Bisquick Shake-n-Pour)
Dehydrated strawberries and/or apricots
Syrup (Mrs. Butterworth's -- couldn't find maple in plastic)
Milk or juice
Coffee

Light meals

Gazpacho (Sierra Rica)
Smoked Oysters (Crown Prince) on crackers (Ritz)

Salami with Monterey Jack cheese on Triscuits or Wheat Thins
Corn (canned)

Miso noodle soup (Dr. McDougall's, instant)
Crackers with salami and Monterey Jack cheese

Pasta in Tomato & Cheese Sauce (Annie's, canned)
Beef jerky, regular (Whole Foods)
Mango slices (Trader Joe's, canned) or applesauce (Trader Joe's)

Rice noodle soup bowl, garlic or spring onion (Trader Joe's, instant)
Beef jerky, teriyaki (Whole Foods)
Mango slices (Trader Joe's, canned) or applesauce (Trader Joe's)

Peanut butter on rice cakes
Green beans (S&W, canned)

Big meals

Bengal Lentils, Kashmir Spinach, Tandoori Pilaf (Tasty Bite)
Puppodums (Indian flat bread by Tiger Tiger)

Burning Ham Salad (homemade)
Crackers (Ritz)
Corn (canned)
Pineapple (canned)

Ground turkey tacos (ground turkey with Bearitos taco seasoning)
Crispy taco shells (Whole Foods)
Monterey Jack cheese

Creamy tomato soup (Pacific Natural Foods)
Steamed rice (Annie Chun's, ready made)
Hot dogs (Hebrew National, low fat)

Cheesy Ravioli (Annie's, canned)
Hot dogs
Baby corn (canned)

Snacks
Fruit leather
FruitaBu smooshed fruit
Raisins
Dry roasted, unsalted almonds
Chocolate chocolate chip cookies (Newmann's Own)
Chips (Garden of Eatin') and salsa (Various)
Pita chips (Stacy's) and spinach dip (homemade)

The Heat is On

Countdown to Burning Man: 4 Days

The beginning is near! I didn't get a chance to do anything Burning Man-related today, but I've got tomorrow off work (meaning our nanny is coming to watch the kids) and my plan is to print out our great big packing list--which has morphed into an even bigger packing list--and start organizing items in an anal and orderly fashion.

Fashion! Speaking of fashion, I'm resisting the temptation to go crazy with last-minute wig and jewelry purchases. Must.not.go.into.San.Francisco.tomorrow! But can I just say how excited I was to see a faux fur coat "ready for the Playa" for sale today on Craigslist for $200. Excited, of course, because I bought my faux fur coat at Goodwill for $15. Woo hoo! What a deal.

Speaking of spending money, tomorrow I'm also going to plan out our Playa food and go food shopping. I'll blog our menu with links to Playa-ready recipes. I'm going to do most of my shopping at Trader Joe's with smaller runs to Safeway and Whole Foods. Now that I'm over my gastrointestinal bug of last weekend, I've decided that I want to bring real food with us and not just live on trail mix and spaghetti-o's all week. Food is our friend!

Speaking of gastrointestinal bugs, let's talk about poo for a minute. Thank you to Sophia for giving me a link to Michael Bluejay's Burning Man Tips: Help for the Porta-Potty Shy. Lots of good information about a usually unmentionable subject. We aren't sure yet how often we will be able to use our RV toilet; we're hoping the RV place can clue us in when we pick up the monster. Remember, Black Rock City is not an RV park and we won't have any way to empty the black tank on the Playa once it's full. Our plan is to use the port-a-potties except for during the night and if we're holed up in the RV because of a dust storm.

I think that's it for now. Hold on to your faux fur coats -- we've got an exciting couple of days ahead of us!

Sober Mom on the Playa

For a woman in an alcohol recovery program, some would suggest that Burning Man--with its decadence and drugs--is not a good place to spend seven long days and nights. My drug counselor certainly raised an eyebrow when I told her I was going. She didn't say anything, but her eyebrow spoke volumes.

Is it a bad idea to go to Burning Man if you're clean and sober? I've been thinking a lot about this, and for me the answer is no. I'm not worried that I'll suffer a lapse, relapse, or a total collapse while I'm on the Playa. I believe this for a number of reasons. One reason is that being sober just feels too good. I can't imagine risking my health and sanity for a temporary good time. Another reason is that having been to Burning Man before I understand that drugs and booze are certainly available, however, they're not as *easily* available as the reports coming out of the Playa would have you believe. I'm not going to seek out cheap thrills in the desert.

Another reason is that the sight of people drinking or getting/being high doesn't make me want to join them. This is an especially important point on the Playa since a lot of people will be doing those things. I know many of my camp mates will be drinking at night and having a good time, and I will be drinking cold soda and having a good time, too. The common denominator is the "good time." I can have a good time even when I'm not drunk. It's taken me some time to realize that but knowing it has been crucial for the success of my sobriety.

But the main reason I'm not at risk for relapsing is also the main reason I don't want to relapse: my kids will be with me. I am taking my kids to Burning Man because I know that there won't be any situations in which my judgment will be compromised. If I thought I was going to drink or take drugs, I wouldn't bring my kids with me. If either Thomas or Emily gets lost or if anything happened to them, I would never forgive myself if I had been inebriated or otherwise incapacitated.

I'm 100% positive that my Burn this year will be better than ever both because my kids are with me and because I'm going to experience it with all senses alert and alive.

I'm not the only person who won't be drunk or high. There's information on the Burning Man website about being sober on the Playa, and there are three camps that offer regularly scheduled 12-step meetings: Anonymous Village, Hokey Pokey Camp, and Camp Stella. The schedule is on the Camp Stella website.

I don't regularly attend AA meetings at home, but I'm going to try and attend at least one while I'm at Burning Man. It will be good for me to touch base with other sober folks. I like how they explain it on the Camp Stella site:

While some see Burning Man as a big party, many see it as an opportunity for growth. Going to meetings may help you get the most out of your experience. Besides, where else can you go to a meeting where people are wearing costumes or perhaps nothing at all? This is also one of the few places where there are no baskets passed during the meeting (with the exception of ice and coffee center camp, cash transactions are not permitted at Burning Man). Other than that, a 12 step meeting might be the most normal hour of your day.

I'll drink [a cold soda] to that!

Burning Man: Same Place, Same Time

Countdown to Burning Man: 6 Days

I've been spending a lot of time surfing the Web during my time of sickness, and it's been helping to brighten my mood.

Especially fun to peruse is the 2007 list of theme camps that will be at Burning Man. What are theme camps? "Theme camps are the interactive core of Burning Man." People put them together for no other reason then to amuse and satisfy others. They range from wonderfully silly to artfully serious to peacefully chill to the equivalent of a dance club in the desert.

Or how about a roller disco? Yes, back for 2007 is the infamous Black Rock Roller Disco. I was so excited to find out about this theme camp for a number of reasons. One, because it's put together by the fine people who skate in Golden Gate Park every Sunday. Two, because I used to love watching the skaters when I lived on 5th Ave. I even laced up skates myself on occasion.

And three, because I have fond memories of roller rink skating from my youth. When I was in jr. high we lived in Austin, Texas; it was the early 80s and skating was still popular. No inline skates yet... it was old skool all the way! I don't know about you, but when I hear the opening beats to "Get Down Tonight," I know that I need to get my butt off the bench and get on the floor. The lyrics are appropriate for Burning Man, too, especially this part:

Baby, babe, I'll meet you,
Same place, same time.
Where we can get together
And ease up our mind.

I had a lot of fun yesterday perusing the website of the Black Rock Roller Disco. If you've got some time, do yourself a favor and watch the three videos about Burning Man put together by D. Miles Jr., San Francisco's "GodFather of Skating" and one of the organizers of the Black Rock Roller Disco. He filmed at last year's Burning Man, and his perspective is refreshing while his commentary is funny as hell.

Pre-Playa Panic

Countdown to Burning Man: 7 Days

The worst has happened: I've come down with a gastrointestinal bug and I spent the past weekend stuck in bed, curled up in the fetal position and unable even to consider being productive.

We pick up our RV next Sunday. Ahhh!!! There's still so many things that I want to do and all I can do is contemplate the list. I did get out of bed long enough yesterday to make one postcard to send from Black Rock City and today I decorated a white board that will hang outside our RV or shade structure for visitors to leave messages. Doing those things nearly killed me.

Mike's sick, too, but powering through. On Saturday he set up part of the shade structure in our yard and confirmed that he could put the whole thing together on the Playa. He's definitely going to need my help; I'm already contemplating what I'll use to bribe the children into hanging out nicely in the RV while we set up camp. Maybe I won't need to bribe them and the stifling desert heat will be enough reason for them to stay inside.

Right now it's not a good idea for me to think about how much work is left to do--before we leave for the Playa, while we're there, and after we return home. Nor is it a good idea for me to consider the possibility that our kids might think a dusty, hot art and music-type festival in the desert isn't as much fun as we think it is.

I am having doubts about our trip because of how crappy I feel. I suppose I could be thankful that I was sick this past weekend instead of next weekend, but what if I'm still sick next weekend? I hate being sick!

Really, things can only get better.

Oh, and look! Our camp sign!

Send Us Mail at Burning Man - FAQ

A room piled high with stuff for Burning Man
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Countdown to Burning Man: 11 Days

How can I get a hold of you while you are at Burning Man?

We won't have cell phone reception while we're at Burning Man, but if you'd like to correspond with us, send us mail at our KidsVille address:

The Tsaobugs
KidsVille
5:30 & Coral Reef
c/o BRCPO
Black Rock City, NV 89412

The trick is getting your postcards and letters in the mail no later than August 23rd so that there will be time for us to get them. Sharpen those ESP skills! I'm putting postcards in the mail tomorrow addressed to Emily and Thomas Tsaobug. I think it will be fun for them to get mail while we're on the Playa.

What about email?

There are some WiFi hotspots at Burning Man and we are bringing a laptop, but connectivity might be spotty and I've heard that as the week progresses, it gets harder and harder to get online. I doubt I'll be doing much blogging or posting pictures while I'm on the Playa, although I'll try to post at least once to let you know we arrived safe and sound.

I need pictures!

There's a Flickr Group for Burning Man 2007. Burners are already posting pictures of events and preparations leading up to the big event. I'm sure you'll see some posted during the event, too. And LOTS after!

Bullet Point Update

Her shirt, my hat
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Countdown to Burning Man: 12 Days

• Mike revealed his solar agenda and explained more about the shade structure he's designing. Our gift to the KidsVille community will be a toddler-friendly, green movie theater. Party with the Tsaobugs!
  
  
• I got freaked out at the thought of bed bugs in used throw pillows. I bought a whole bunch of cheap new ones from IKEA for lounging under our shade structure. When we return I can wash them and use them in the kids' playroom.
  
  
• Mike watched the video that explains how our RV works. We decided that we won't run the RV's generator because that's just annoying. We don't need air conditioning in the desert. We are stoked that the appliances in the RV run on liquid propane and that a tank (approximately week's worth) is provided to us when we pick up the RV.
  
  
• I went over our packing list and determined that I'm done shopping for non-food items.
  
  
• Mike suggested we wait and buy food in Reno. He thinks it will be fun if the four of us are running around an unfamiliar grocery store throwing things in carts. I'm still mulling over this idea.
  
  
• I spray painted my cowboy hat pink.
  
  
• Lots of stuff for Burning Man purchased online has arrived, including my wedding veil, Mike's wedding outfit, my wedding shoes, Thomas's wedding shirt.
  
  
• Mike got in touch with his friend who officiated at our original wedding and she's free to officiate our re-wedding on Thursday evening (of Burning Man) at sunset. I'll scout out a location when we get to the Playa. I'm thinking David Best's Temple of Forgiveness might be a nice location.
  
  
• The kids are getting excited even though they aren't exactly sure what Burning Man is. What they do know is that it involves art projects so every new drawing they do is "for Burning Man." That's cool.
  

Thoughts of Burning Man Reaching Obnoxious Levels

Countdown to Burning Man: 14 Days

Thank goodness I have this blog and the World Wide Web to spew my Burning Man thoughts at because I am realizing that the rest of the world is not entirely interested in hearing my "A funny thing happened on my way to Burning Man" stories every time they see me.

I say this because I have noticed people's eyes starting to gloss over after I bring up our family's upcoming adventure and all of the neat! amazing! outstanding! things we are doing to prepare ourselves for it. But how can they not think this is the most interesting thing they've ever heard?! I wonder to myself. I spray painted a cowboy hat pink today and in two weeks I'm planning on wearing it while renewing my wedding vows! C'mon, what could be more interesting than that?!

Don't answer that.

I have actual work to do that's not Burning Man-related in the next couple of weeks so I can't completely tune in, turn on, and drop out, but I am remembering this desire to do so vividly from the last time I prepared to go to the Playa.

If--like me--you are interested in spending hours on the Internet exploring writing about and pictures from Burning Man, then definitely check out the Burning Man Pages of Brad Templeton. He's got some thoughtful essays and amazing panoramas that will cause you to lose many hours of productive time. It's wonderful.

Update on Mike's Deluxe Shade Structure and Playa Tips From a Princess

It's like riding a bike
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Countdown to Burning Man: 15 Days

Mike has put together our cruisers and hooked up the bike trailer for the kids to his. He's also hard at work planning his fabulous shade structure, which actually is going to be extraordinarily fabulous as his design and plan for it are growing daily. The structure will be 9 ft. X 18 ft. and will be anchored by heavy wire and rebar. We're using camo netting for the roof because the holes do better in the wind. The floor will be a large tarp and we'll have assorted chairs, tables, small rugs, and pillows for comfort. The whole structure will be strung with blue and white lights powered off our solar panel. One side of the structure will convert to a movie screen for nighttime viewing of child-friendly flicks. And today I found out that Mike is having a banner made for the shade structure that reads "The Tsaobugs." One less craft project on my list! Mike likes to wait until the last minute (some people consider two weeks until Burning Man to be the last minute), but once he gets started on a project there's no stopping him.

And for those of us who care deeply about things like soft skin and fashion, Princess gives us her Playa Tips For Girls (and boys) and tells us how to pamper ourselves for and on the Playa from our tresses to our toes. Lots of great tips including this one about shoes:

Shoes. A serious business indeed. Deeply personal. You and you alone should make footwear choices for yourself. But here are some qualifications: 1)You should have at least one pair of shoes you can walk endlessly in. Even if they're less than fabulous. You will walk miles and miles. 2) If you are, say, going to walk around naked, or wearing almost nothing, you should have shoes the color of your skin or the playa to wear. Or black boots with 4 inch heels. 3) Sneakers go with slips.

But you know, if you want to run around naked wearing orange converse and black ankle socks, that's really ok too. You can do whatever you want. That's the whole point.

Excellent advice. Thank you, Princess!

Cooking at Burning Man

Google hosted a tech talk last week on cooking at Burning Man. The talk, Cooking for Burning Man 101, is given by Mirit Cohen and Michael Whelpley, a chef and an admin from the Google kitchens.

From the abstract:

Anyone who has been to Burning Man before can tell you that it is an extremely harsh and challenging environment physically, emotionally, and culinarily! Come hear two veteran burners/culinary team members talk about the best ways to set up your Burning Man kitchen/food plan. You'll come away with some useful recipes and vital Burning Man tips & tricks.

Here's a link to the 37 minute video. Enjoy!

Burning Man Blogs, a Great List, a New Book, and Kiwiburn

Things I've come upon in my recent travels through the Interweb:

The official Burning Man blogs. They've got one being written by the people building Black Rock City 2007, one about preparing for Burning Man, one about the greening of Burning Man, and one about Burning Man's regional groups.

From The Civilized Explorer, a list of Things You Did Not Know You Would Need at Burning Man, e.g., feminine hygiene products and saline nasal spray. A great list and some great links to other sites, too.

Hey, there's a New Zealand regional group, and the New Zealand Burning Man regional event Kiwiburn 08 will be February 1-4, 2008. That's right around the time we were planning a family trip to New Zealand. I'll have to explore whether we want to include this event on our itinerary. Wouldn't that be wild?

Via Laughing Squid, a new book about Burning Man by Portland, Oregon journalist Jessica Bruder titled, Burning Book, A Visual History of Burning Man. I bought myself a copy for my upcoming 39th birthday. Happy Birthday to me!

Nothing says Burning Man Fashion Like a Blue Fur Hat

Thomas in his KidsVille Tshirt
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Countdown to Burning Man: 19 Days

I journeyed into San Francisco today on the search for a few fun items to add to the clothes I'm taking to Burning Man. I started with a visit to Clothes Contact and found so much great stuff that I decided I'm done shopping for costumes. (I hope I can hold myself to that statement in the next few weeks!) I tried everything on after dinner and put together a bunch of outfits. Even if I change three times a day, I won't run out of clothes on the Playa.

So what did I get at Clothes Contact? This is a place that sells vintage and other used clothing by the pound. Right now they know lots of people are shopping for Burning Man so they make it a point to have racks and racks of Playa-ready clothes. I picked up a bunch of things: lime green polyester vest, neon green vintage swimsuit, neon green scarf, hot pink bandanna, purple bandanna, vintage blue negligee, green silk tank top, white crocheted shawl, green cotton tank top, and--the item that made Mike start laughing--a blue fur hat.

Total bill: $42. Pictures when we return!

In other shopping news, we got the T-shirts I ordered from Cafe Press with the KidsVille logo. They're so cool! And Mike's order of glow necklaces and bracelets arrived so we're set for nighttime accessorizing, too.

Critical Tits and the High Cost of Pasties

When I went to Burning Man in 2002, one of my best experiences was participating in Critical Tits, a topless bike ride and party that celebrates women in their most glorious form. The Critical Tits extravaganza is open only to women and girls, and that year it was one of the few times I was not by Mike's side. It was quite a lot of fun hanging out, dancing, and bonding with my female campmates. I can't wait to do it again this year. I doubt I'll bring Emily, but I'm hoping a contingency of KidsVille moms will join me in the celebration of all things estrogen.

In 2002, I rode with a top that I could easily pull down. During the ride, I let my "girls" be free. I noticed that lots of women put electrical tape over their tits or painted their chest with body paint. Instead of going completely topless this year, I think I will wear pasties. But in researching pasties online, I realized one of the drawbacks: those things aren't cheap! Pasties cost anywhere from $10/pair to $25/pair for the sequined ones with tassles. Who knew? Maybe I'll just cut hearts out of colored duct tape and make my own.

Or maybe I'll forgo the pasties and/or homemade tit coverings alltogether. I could care less about revealing my boobs to the world; especially now, after birthing two children and breastfeeding has stripped me of any modesty I may have had. Besides, I'm proud of these things that nursed my babies.

However, as you can imagine, one of the issues with Critical Tits is the large number of whackers, guys who take pictures of the topless women without permission. There's not a whole lot the organizers can do to curb unwanted photo-taking during the ride, except remind photographers about Burning Man's Rights and Responsibilities for Media and Particpants and post pictures of the offending persons on the Internet. The ride is open only to women and girls, but it's mainly men who are watching. The nice thing about the party is that no men are allowed! But even at the party there is a "No Camera" policy unless you are a friend taking photos of your friends.

I won't bring my camera to the party. I would rather concentrate on having a good time and I certainly don't want to make anybody feel uncomfortable. For a variety of reasons, it's not easy for women to bare their breasts in public, even at an event like Burning Man. I want to support as best that I can a safe environment for women to free themselves of the constraints of modern society, whether the constraints are laws, mores, or unrealistic expectations of the patriarchy that breasts should be the perky playthings of the men folk. Yuck!

Go tits!

Kid Transportation on the Playa

Kid transportation for the Playa
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Countdown to Burning Man: 22 21 Days

I called El Monte RV today and re-scheduled our RV pick-up for a day earlier. Our new plan is to be on the Playa by Monday evening, August 27. Is it obvious we're looking forward to this event?

Tonight Mike put together our bike trailer; our two preschoolers fit in it perfectly. We'll hook the trailer up to one of the two cheap cruisers that we bought that should be arriving in the mail shortly. Seeing as how we have no garage or storage shed, I'm not sure what we're going to do with all of our new mobile equipment when we return from Burning Man. To quote Mike: "We'll worry about that when we get back."

For nighttime safety, we'll have battery-operated taillights on the back and sides of the trailer. For daytime safety, we'll have tall safety flags. Mike has forbidden me to spray paint the thing, but the kids understand that it just doesn't look interesting enough for Burning Man and they took it upon themselves to customize the outside with stuffed animals. I'm glad to see they got some of my decorating genes!

Planning our Playa (Re)Wedding

Countdown to Burning Man: 23 days

If you're familiar with my and Mike's story, then you know Burning Man holds a special place in our hearts. Because we're returning this year and bringing our kids with us, and because this year we will celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary, we've decided to renew our marriage vows on the Playa.

At this point in my married journey, I am of the belief that all couples should renew their vows every couple of years. And by "renew" I mean "re-write according to the current situation." I can't remember what vows we said when we married originally, but our life is different now. It's five years and two kids later different. Enough said. For our (re)commitment ceremony, we're going to write our own vows (another item on the his-n-her to do lists), and I can't speak for Mike, but mine are going to be very specific. I want to honor the man I am married to as well as our union and the children we've brought into this world together.

I also want to wear a funky wedding dress.

My quest to find a used wedding dress was brought to a screeching halt when I realized the cost would still be in the hundreds of dollars. And I love the ebay ads that advise the dress was "only worn for a couple of hours." Ha! At that point I took to perusing the Internet for inspiration. I checked out Offbeat Bride and searched on Flickr for wedding burning man tags.

After digging through my existing Burning Man costume box and buying a few extras online, I think I've come up with my outfit. I don't want to give it away but I will say that it involves fur, a halter top, a tiara, and a veil. A veil! I didn't have a veil the first time around and I was very excited to learn about tiers (I decided on one) and length and all of that fun stuff. Woo hoo, I'm a bride! I put together outfits for Mike and the kids, too.

The rest of the wedding planning is easy since we already are married and don't need to mess around with paperwork. If you're thinking about getting married on the Playa for reals, the Burning Man website has everything you need to know about getting married at Burning Man. We're hoping our friend Holly, who officiated at our first wedding, is going to Burning Man this year and will be able to officiate again. If not, I'll ask on our KidsVille email list for help.

I'm so excited! And for your viewing pleasure, I found this great video on YouTube of a bride dancing at last year's Burning Man:



Hey, that just might be me this year! Except I think she's on stilts and I won't be. Heh.

Planning for Burning Man: His-n-Her To Do Lists

I got a lot done yesterday afternoon during my three hours of childfree shopping. My first stop was Orchard Supply Hardware where I picked up lots of hardware-y stuff that we need and a bunch of things I didn't know we needed until I saw them, like bike horns for causing a commotion and plastic bins for the kids's clothes. I also picked up spray paint, lightweight tarps, and a couple of fake grass rugs. After OSH, I headed over to Goodwill where I snagged a bunch of used sheets and some silky curtain panels that I'm imagining will be nice as sides to the shade structure Mike is planning. After Goodwill, I checked out Salvation Army and found two large Barbie cars for Playa toys for the kids. At $2.00 apiece, they were the bargain of the day. Last but not least, on our way to dinner last night, Mike and I stopped at Salvation Army in San Francisco and I picked up a magenta, fake-fur vintage coat. It's so neat! Plus it was on sale and quite the deal for $15.

While I was thifting, I remembered that Mike and I are planning on renewing our vows on the Playa. I looked at some wedding dresses at Salvation Army and was shocked to find that a used wedding dress costs $250. For some reason, I was thinking I could pick one up for $25. Silly me. Last night I spent some time thinking about our Playa wedding and I'll blog my thoughts tomorrow.

But first, here are the results of our first Burning Man planning meeting: his-n-her to do lists.

Mike's To Do List

• Figure out feasibility of having a solar panel on our RV. Can we put it on house when we get home?
  
• Gather stuff for shade structure
  
• Inventory stock/buy as needed: El wire, blinky lights, glo necklaces
  
• Research evaporation pond/buy stuff as needed
  
• Learn how the RV works
  

Mary's To Do List

• Organize and pack
  
• Shop for anything we need that isn't on Mike's to do list
  
• Be liason to KidsVille community via email list (until we hit the Playa)
  
• Shop for food
  
• Call RV place and see if we can pick up day earlier
  

After discussing what still needs to get done, Mike and I agreed that we are in a good position, planning-wise. It feels good working as a team, knowing that the hard work we're putting into this trip will result in a fabulous week at Burning Man.

Our Great Big Burning Man Packing List

Countdown to Burning Man: 25 Days

Okay. Here is our packing list so far. It may seem extensive, but Burning Man takes place in an very harsh, desert environment. Attendees of the event must be prepared for extremely hot weather, cold weather, rain, 60 MPH winds, and dust storms that come out of nowhere. Long-time burners will talk about years that were particularly rough: I remember in 2000 when it rained all night long and I woke up in a puddle... You never know if this will be a mild year weather-wise or not until you get on the Playa.

Hence, the gigantic packing list.

I've decided to make my office our gathering place for all things Burning Man. My goal is to have everything ready so that when we pick up the RV on Monday, August 27, we can pack it up that day and be ready to leave here bright and early on Tuesday, August 28.

Our nanny Rosa is coming over today to watch the kids and I'm going to use that time to start my Burning Man shopping. First I'll hit thrift stores, then the craft supply store, then Target. Tonight Mike and I are having our first family Burning Man planning meeting to come up with his-n-her To Do lists, which I'll post tomorrow.

THE GREAT BIG BURNING MAN PACKING LIST

Important
- Our TICKETS!

Toiletries
- environmentally-friendly soap (Dr. Bronner's)
- Children's Tylenol
- Advil
- Emergen C
- First Aid Kit
- Lip balm
- Sunscreen!!
- Lotion
- Toothbrushes/toothpaste
- other toiletries

Clothes
- costumes, etc
- Sarongs for me and Mike
- Don't forget pajamas!
- bring layers for cold nights
- Rain ponchos
- socks
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- shoulder strap bag for camera, lip stuff

Shoes
- Me: crocs, motorcycle boots, fuzzy pink slippers
- Emily: crocs, black boots
- Thomas: crocs, red rain boots
- Mike: (?)

Miscellaneous
- Battery powered radio
- Camera, batteries and charger
- Computer (family laptop)
- Sharpies for writing our KidsVille address on the kids's bellies
- Separate, sealed containers for recyclables, burnable, and non-burnable waste
- Rope and string for tying loose stuff down.
- Baby Wipes
- Ear plugs
- toilet paper (rolls in ziploc bags)
- Dust Goggles / face masks
- Head lamps
- lanterns for kids
- Mirror
- lighters
- extension cords
- power strip
- parasols?

Sleeping stuff and towels
- sheets/pillows for RV beds
- light blankets
- Towels

RV prep
- plastic drop clothes for floors and other surfaces
- old carpet(s) to cover floors
- old sheets/fabric to cover seating area
- Message board for outside of RV
- Tsaobugs banner for outside of RV

Matter Out Of Place (MOOP) clean-up supples
- Big whiskbroom
- dustpan
- Flat blade shovel
- Rake (depending on the surface texture)
- Stiff long handled broom
- Magnets to remove every last nails, staples, scrap of metal
- plastic bags

Gray water disposal/evaporation pool stuff
- TBD (after discussion with Mike)

Shade structure stuff
- Materials to build shade structure (Mike)
- Rebar stakes
- Tarp for floor
- old rug for floor (?)
- small stuffed animals to cover rebar or tennis balls
- cloth in strips to tie on guide wires
- What shall we sit on when we are outside? I need to discuss this with Mike
- solar lights (string?)
- solar tiki torches
- battery-powered lantern
- table?
- Decorative items that can be tied down

Tool box
- scissors
- exacto knife
- duct tape
- zipties
- Work gloves for Mike
- Work gloves for Mary
- Long-handled sledgehammer
- Vise grips for removing stakes and rebar
- Assorted bungie cords

Bikes
- Mike: mountain bike with kid trailer attachment
- Me: girl-style cruiser
- Tire repair kids
- Baskets
- Locks

Outdoor shower stuff
- Portable shower
- Tarp?

Other Mike stuff
- solar panel, etc.

Toys
- Blinky things
- El wire
- Glow sticks
- Bubbles
- walkie talkies
- musical instruments
- a couple of toys for each kid that we don't mind destroying
- Books for kids and adults

Water
- (2 x 6 x 4 = 48 gallons) BUY IN RENO

Kitchen stuff
- Nalgene bottles for each family member decorated with name/stickers
- travel coffee mugs for center camp coffee
- bucket and mesh bag or painter's mesh for food waste
- Trash bags of assorted sizes
- Ziplock bags of assorted sizes
- Eating utensils for 4
- Plates/bowls for 4
- Plastic cups for 4
- cloth napkins
- paper towels
- Dish sponge
- Kitchen towels
- Pots/Pans/Utensils/Can Opener/Spatula/Fork/Big spoon
- wash basin (x2)
- Cooler for drinks
- Cooler for food
- All other food in plastic bin with lid

Food
- lots of canned fruits, tasty bites, spaghetti-os, trail mixes, chips, dehydrated fruits, crackers, juice boxes, milk in boxes, cookies, rice cakes, pop tarts, peanut butter, fruit leather, chips and salsa, etc., whatever looks good at the store and can survive in the desert
- bottle of Tequila, limes, margarita mix for the Mayor of KidsVille

A Partial To Do List of Crafty Projects

Temple of Joy at Burning Man 2002
Originally uploaded by marytsao.

Countdown to Burning Man: 26 days

As promised, I'm working on our GREAT BIG PACKING LIST, and I will post it tomorrow. I've also decided that tomorrow's weekly date night with the husband will be a Burning Man planning meeting, so this weekend I will be posting His-n-Her Burning Man To Do Lists. What fun!

Today I'm compiling a list of crafty projects I want to do before we leave for the Black Rock City Playa. It goes without saying that this list is subject to change.

• Decorate our bikes. This year's art theme is the Green Man so I want to do a dark green spray paint on the bikes and wrap them with fake greenery from the craft store. Both bikes need lights on the front and baskets.
  
• Decorate the bike trailer for the kids. I want to do something with greenery to make it funky for the day, and lights on it for nighttime safety. I also want to make it comfy inside for the kids with pillows(?) and pockets for them to stash their stuff.
  
• Yesterday I ordered shirts for the kids and us with the KidsVille logo on them. I uploaded the logo and ordered the shirts from Cafe Press. I got white shirts that I'm planning on dying green. [To Do: order dye from Dharma Trading Co..]
  
• Tie-dye stuff with Emily and Thomas as a group project. They'll get excited about picking things out to dye and helping out with the dying, and it will give us a chance to discuss our upcoming trip.
  
• Make message board for outside of RV. I bought a bunch of stuff for this project at Daiso Japan. The message board will be for visitors who come by while we're out. Also, I just think it will be a fun project to do.
  
• Design and make some kind of banner for the outside of our RV that reads The Tsaobugs. I'm thinking I'll paint this in rainbow colors on a green tarp that I have. This will make our RV easier for us, the kids, and our friends on the Playa to spot!
  
• Decorate my motorcycle boots with spray paint and stencils.
  
• Decorate Emily's boots with spray paint and stencils.
  
• Costumes! This could go in all kinds of directions.
  
• Think about our shade structure and how we can make it both secure and homey. I'm thinking solar lights strung around the outside and some of our solar tiki torches duct taped to the four posts. What else?... A couple of trips to thrift stores should yield some fun, decorative items. I'm pretty sure a walk around my house will yield others.
  
• Contemplate the idea of a craft project we can share with our neighbors. Something edible? Something for kids?
  

I can't think of anything else at this moment, but I know that will change as I start my projects. Tie-dye has a way of spreading, I've noticed...

Countdown, Community, and KidsVille

Countdown to Burning Man: 27 days

Oh my goddess, it's August 1 and we pick up our RV on August 27. It's countdown to Burning Man time!

I haven't been updating this blog as much as I would have liked. Therefore, I am making the commitment to blog at least once a day from now through August 27. This is the best part anyway--the frantic days of list-making, thrift-store shopping, craft-making, blinky light-buying, food shopping, and everything else that will occupy most of my free time until that magic day when we pile all of the above into our 26-foot RV and hit the road. Black Rock City or Bust, baby!

I've been thinking about Burning Man quite a bit since I last posted on May 8. Admittedly, many of my thoughts have leaned towards my costume and clothing choices, but I also spend a fair amount of time contemplating the idea of community.

The last (and only) time I've been to Burning Man, I was part of a theme camp made up of friends and friends of friends. I spent a fair amount of time in the last couple of months leading up to the burn working on group projects related to our theme camp, Hamok Havok (BM 2002). The first time Mike went to Burning Man he camped with a group that did communal dinners; the last time he went he camped with friends who helped him with his art project, The Quoting, Whirled. Neither time was he involved in a theme camp, and I'm not sure he saw my participation in one as being a good thing. Theme camps are a lot of work and involve a lot of planning and cooperation. Tempers can flair during the planning phase and especially when one is attempting to create a home-away-from-home in 100 degree heat. We were pretty sure we would not have the energy or time to participate in a theme camp this year given the fact we are traveling to Black Rock City with two small children.

But going to Burning Man without a community of friends seemed... well, rather unlike the philosophy behind the event itself. We decided to research the idea of camping with a group of fellow parents and kids in a longstanding Burning Man village called KidsVille.

According to the KidsVille website Burningkids.org:

KidsVille [is] a village within Black Rock City. Our camp has grown tremendously from earlier years and in response to that growth, has now declared itself a Village. Despite its growth, KidsVille remains committed to providing a community for all families and their friends. In 2000, we had over 30 families and over 40 children ranging in age from 8 months to 18 years. We have had families come from around the world, and from all walks of life. In fact, the only thing we share in common is that we all believe that Burning Man is a wonderful family experience.

In May I joined the KidsVille Yahoo Group and introduced myself. I got several replies right away and was reassured that we were doing the right thing--both by joining the group as well as by attending the event with kids in tow. At first, the email traffic was light, but as we get closer to the event that many people look forward to all year, the emails are flying fast and furious. And judging from the emails that are filling my inbox with all talk Burning Man, all the time, I feel that we have found our people.

So now we have a place to camp when we drive our big RV into the the gate of BRC, and a large and welcoming community of parents and kids, of families of all shapes and sizes, to be a part of during our week on the Playa. It feels good.

Coming up tomorrow: Mary calls a family meeting and starts working on THE GREAT BIG PACKING LIST. Stay tuned!