Welcome back everybody to this month’s riveting Barbie Death Village newsletter. We are now at that point when we start working on our art projects, start getting the art truck ready for action, and start actually getting excited about TTITD. But before we get into the meat of this month’s newsletter, we like to try and start out with something germane to our superior camp, and this month is no exception. Below is a rather long video, but the really important part comes in at the 6:11 mark, where you will see what is probably the most insightful, intelligent, and meaningful interview ever captured on tape. And if you stick around for the entire thing, at about the 44 minute mark is a nice shot of Crude Awakening exploding, which you too might have seen if you weren’t busy getting arrested for setting off illegal fireworks.
Some of you may recall several years back our Village had a chili cook-off. The only reason KJ didn’t win it is due to blatant favoritism on the part of the judges. But to right that alleged wrong, we are going to have another chili cook-off. This year it will be Monday evening. That way anybody in a tent doesn’t have to worry about how to keep their chili fresh for the duration. We will need no fewer than 6 chili chefs. If you are interested in being part of this event, which I am sure will turn into an annual extravagant, please let either me or Felony Arson know. We will have prizes for the top three chilis. Not great prizes mind you, but prizes nonetheless.
We are in need of no fewer than two more My Size Barbies, you know, the ones that stand about 3′ tall. We had two of them stolen, well, perhaps “liberated” is a better word, last year. If any of you happen to have one gathering dust in your attic perhaps, or see one at a garage sale, be sure to snatch it up. They retail for well over $100, which is why we don’t have room in our budget to just run out and buy a few of them.
We have the art truck registered. CJ and I did the application on Friday and Cap’n Joe has furnished us with the specs on the fire cannons he has built, so we should be good to go. My friend Jack approves all vehicles for the BMOrg DMV that have fire effects, and I am confident he will be kind to us again this year. We will need to disguise the truck better than we have in the past. We are looking at adding maybe another 100 feet of rope lights and covering the frame of the truck entirely with plywood (painted pink naturally) so it “doesn’t look like a truck”. We will then add the bunting around the bottom of the truck and we should be good to go. If any of you have suggestions on how we can improve the design of the truck, please let CJ know as she is in charge of everything truck art related.
If you read The Jack Rabbit Speaks, you may have drawn the same conclusion that I have in so much as Burning Man might sell out this year. That has never happened in the past, but with early ticket sales very brisk, I would not take for granted tickets will be available come August. I know some of you are looking for lower-tier tickets, and some of you have succeeded at actually getting some cheaper ducats. I would not count on that from this point forward. You can check out in the Burning Man website under 2011 Tickets on the ePlaya, but consider yourselves warned. I strongly suggest you do not procrastinate.
As anybody who has been part of our camp for at least one year knows, every Thursday evening at 6 p.m. BDC&WB hosts the Annual ePlaya Meet & Greet in which nearly 200 people descend like locusts on our modest little Village for several hours of decadence and bacchanalian excess. This year will be a little different. The ePlayans are planning a large “gourmet style” (at least by playa standards) pot-luck dinner, and we’re all invited. This means that this year we will not have to feed the unwashed masses and they’re going to feed us. We are welcome to contribute to the cause but that is strictly an individual call. So if you’re the type of person who becomes scarce every Thursday, you might want to rearrange your schedule this time around.
We have several newbies that are in need of some assistance. First off from Jacksonville, FL we have Bryan and Jessica, though he is known as Grasshopper. I had the pleasure of meeting Bryan in Boston as we both ran the marathon. They are going to get married on the playa, actually in our Village! If any of you are qualified to perform a legal marriage in the State of Nevada, they would like to get in touch with you. Another newbie, flying all of the way in from Australia, is Melanie. She will be arriving in Reno Friday afternoon and will be staying that night at the Sands Regency (more on that in a moment). If any of you can offer her a ride up on Saturday, especially if you will be part of the caravan from Sacramento-Auburn, she would be most appreciative.
Speaking of the Sands Regency, let me remind you we have taken down a floor of rooms for members of Barbie Death Village and our friends. If you need an inexpensive room before or after The Burn, call them at (866) 386-7829 and ask for BURN11. This is where membership has its privileges.
We are now accepting orders for the 2011 Barbie Death Camp & Wine Bistro shirts and hats fundraiser. This is the only fundraiser we have (dues notwithstanding) and all proceeds go to help Frank defray some of the cost of the wine we give away. If you’d like a shirt, they run $20 and can be either gray or pink, both men’s and women’s styles, and come in regular T or tank top, up to XXXL. Hats run $15 and will again be tan and burgundy. And remember, you can get your name/nickname/playa name on the shirt if you so choose. They can be either paid for ahead of time or on the playa, though ahead of time is better.
Speaking of dues, for everyone in Barbie Death Camp & Wine Bistro, Eden, Clan O’Crash, Black Rock City Body & Paint, or Loose Nutz, dues are due. They increase from the current charge of $60 to $85 come June 1, so don’t wait around unless you really like giving us more money. Every member of our camp is responsible for paying their dues. You can get them refunded if you are driving up the infrastructure of our camp, which includes hauling water, the piano, and trailer with the shade structure and shower. International travelers from Australia, Europe, South America, Asia, or Africa can simply pay $60 on the playa. They are the only exceptions.
We are still looking for a few items for the Saturday morning Pancake Pork-Out. Namely booze, a couple of tables, and several more propane-powered griddles. Come July we will see if we have enough food and drink and then will decide if we require anything else.
We have already allocated 81 of our 103 Early Arrival passes. We are setting aside five for last-minute emergencies, which means we have 17 not already claimed. Only members of Barbie Death Village or those who are aiding in the delivery of our infrastructure will be awarded a pass. We have not heard back from some of you (to name names: Grawg, Hottie, Luciano, Frank, Jewellee, Alice, and Don’s clan). If you want an EA pass, you must let me know, otherwise I have no choice but to assume you have either gotten one elsewhere (Greeter’s for example) or are not part of our Village this year.
We would like to welcome eight new members of our Village. I have already mentioned Grasshopper and Jessica, but along with them is Bruce, whose playa name is Pounce. If you saw him at the Boston Marathon around the ladies, you’d understand the nickname. Also from Jacksonville welcome Anjelica. A veteran burner gracing us this year is Danger Dave. And we are now represented by Brazil! Taking the better part of a year and driving all across the two continents (North and South America), please welcome Vizoo and Jack. Please make all of our new Village mates feel welcome.
The man burns in 125 days. )’(
Doc Pyro, MOBDV
Tags: Barbie Death Camp, Barbie Death Village, BDC, BDV, Burning Man