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this year, between hearing about the first suicide at burning man, and parting romantic ways with a person who is one of the best ever people to enjoy burning man with, i had already been thinking that i probably won't attend burning man anymore.
...then they announced the theme for next year and i can say i definitely won't be going again. vomit. there is just no way to redeem this theme. no matter what kind of funny or sarcastic take people do on it, the whole event will be plagued with politically charged arguing and snarking, which i find totally unfun normally and is something i really really would not want to be trapped in for a week with 50,000 of my nakedest highest friends in 100 degree heat.

besides, it's just finally turned a corner for me. I've been 7 (wait.. 8?) times. my first time was in 1997. it was a beautiful run, and last year, 2006, was one of the best burning man experiences i ever had, maybe THE best. i'm happy to leave it there, and think of it that way. i'm so grateful for the culture that burning man has spread so far and wide. the burning man party style is so ubiquitous now that i don't even feel like i need to go out to the desert to experience my favorite things about burning man. i can hula hoop while wearing giant horns in many other situations. that's what burning man has done for the world!

update: just discovered that this was the last year for piss clear, too. as if everything else wasn't enough.