Top of the Bucket List

Confession: I was a hippie (a really young one). I wore a peace symbol with my bell bottoms. I rebelled against the establishment and hated the Viet Nam war. I frustrated my poor parents who just didn’t understand my dress let alone my unconventional thinking.  Fast forward to the present, after too much conforming of the necessary “you need a job” kind, and let me explain my yen to attend that crazy hippie, radical festival in southern Nevada called Burning Man. For those you to whom Burning Man is unfamiliar, the art and music festival began in the 1960’s in San Francisco on a beach. Peacenik hippies, who believed in free expression, joined together, each bringing something original to the party.  The celebration quickly became too large and moved to southern Nevada where 55,000 people gather every year to “burn the man”.  The man is of course the establishment.  Artists create for the sake of creating and everyone is a participant. Money exchange is not allowed inside the camp.  Spectating is discouraged. Total involvement is encouraged.  Burning Man encourages expression. For example, if fairies are your thing, your fellow burners will love and admire your fairy wings. This is a place to throw off conventions and play. If you like unicorns, than be one.  Anything goes, except negativity. How wonderful it would be, after years doing what is necessary to raise a family, please the boss and be respectable, to attend Burning Man and manifest once again the “hippie chick” that still exists within.

P.S. Check out Burning Man at burningman.com

It’s groovy!

.