When working out of town, I get these habits. I get up early. I head to a spot with coffee and internet (here it is a starbucks and the wf is free in downtown denver). And I write for a bit.  It is actually pretty similar to my playa habit (at least on non-partying days). It’s so much easier to get into good habits when you aren’t really confronting your survival in a windstorm or even with your own acclimation. It’s so easy here. Get up, take a shower, get dressed, brush teeth, head down to coffee, get on internet, blog, walk to work, etc.  When I get back Camp Hotel Room is remade and I can easily redo the pattern.  

I am back to the regular world and acting all regular. I’m being productive.  I’m being healthy. I’m getting enough rest. It’s almost as if a few days ago I wasn’t dancing my ass off in a converted city bus across the desert. I am really missing it to be honest. I miss my town.

But, I’ll tell you, I am so lucky to be working wih the crew I am working with: Jesse, Josh, David Ede, Jedi, Brian Foley. These guys live the Playa. So I guess the real trick is to keep those playa habits alive. What the hell… lets do a  a top ten! 

Top Ten Playa Habits: 
1. Say hello and make new friends. Wherever you go, you will meet new people. Say hi to them. You never know who you will meet. 

2. Wear comfortable shoes and walk far daily. There is much to do and see.  If the biking is good, you may bike. 

3. Appreciate art. It really is everywhere. Acknowledge it and love it. Find it and seek it out. 

4. Drink Water. Really. I think people may be seriously dehydrated. This could explain some of the grumpiness I am encountering in the default. Is it appropriate to respond to people’s complaints with “have you been drinking enough water?”

5. Party like a rockstar. The first week or so of BM, I was dead sober and had a great time. Then I walked the streets until dawn and danced my silly ass off. When you party, give it everything. There is no room for half-assing the the good times. 

6. Give freely. What if we brought the gift economy to the default world. “take it, it’s a gift.”  I’d say we have a pretty serious gift deficit in this world. I miss that most of all.  All I got to say is thank god for per diem. It’s been almost like I haven’t really been spending money while I have been here. 

7. Some days, stay in. Work on your camp. You don’t have to do something all the time. 

8. Make things and make things work. One thing burning man teaches you is that you can get by with what you have and make things work. That bit of rope, that will hold down your shade. That piece of wood, that will work as a cutting board. You cant do that one thing, do this thing instead. Working with The Do Lab helps reinforce this one for sure. 

9. Appreciate theme camps everywhere. In teh default, I got to experience Airport Security Camp, Camp Sheraton (I prefer Ashram Galactica), Camp Convention Center (I prefer Center Camp) and camp downtown denver.  They are just more permanent things with different sets of rules. 

10. Start planning for next year this year. I love ow goal oriented burning man can be. We already started talking about the tavern we want to run next year, and our zeppelin art car.  It’s best to dream big early, rather than when it’s too late.