Have I told you I'm a Burner? That I go to this lovely thing in the desert (sort of a festival...but so much more) whenever I can (7 times since 2010) and...I'm thinking..what DO I do?
I set up what I want in my life.
I've told you why I'm on this planet right? To help bring the world into a higher place. That's how I live my life. It's my prime directive, if you will. When I go to the Burn, it's a HUGE step in that direction. For example -
- I meet other people also here to help the planet (soooo many people....), and we strategize. What MORE can we do? Where is there a gap we can fill? How can we operate differently? I'm pleased to tell you that there are some seriously brilliant people at the burn (and LOTS of them) and the ideas expressed there are like nowhere else I've seen.
- I see art - GREAT BIG art that inspires me to make great things! That property I'm putting together? Big art is a huge (pun?) part of that. I see all the big art there and get ideas on what to make, which ideas are safer for more people (I mean, climbing three stories up an art piece is FAB, so how do I make that AND know that little unsupervised kids can access it too), and what would be fun for a group to make as a weekend project?
- I see sustainable, eco-friendly ways of operating that I want to emulate. Solar is a big thing, but those panels and batteries need a lot of mining...so how do we use them with minimal impact? Burners are figuring that out. There are SO many great ideas that premier at the Burn. It reminds me of fashion week in Paris - it's a time when everyone shows off what they've developed and the rest of us take note.
And yet...the biggest, and most important thing I do at Burning Man...is have fun. What's cool is that the overlap - all those things I've listed above, and the having fun - is huge. And I notice that. It's why I want the property I'm creating to be mostly about fun.
WHAT IF we changed the world into a better place AND we had fun doing it?! You know what? That is a lightbulb! Now my NEW reason for being on this planet is to help bring the world into a higher place AND have fun doing it! And while I'm there...teach others how to do it too.
Man alive...I LOVE that I discovered that. Thanks Team!!
Sending you all love!!
Phoenix Gigi