Tickets: 45$
Gas Money: 60$
Devirginizing a friend, meeting one of the most awesome fairies, and realizing that feeling you felt was "peacefulness" for the first time in who knows how long: priceless.

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Got back from Preheat last night at 9, left yesterday at 11-ish. I'm not going to do my normal, next minute I did that, and then this happened, and then 5 minutes later that happened post.

Here are a few of my favorite memories (in no order):
-"Ben, Stick it in... again and again and again and again."
-Peacocks meow, like really loud cats.
-Playing frisbee.
-Staying up till 4 something on the 20th...
-Just enjoying the day Sunday, and realizing that the feeling I was feeling was peacefulness... and who knows how long until I've actually felt peaceful!
-Meeting Rana... she is a totally awesome fairie.
-Seeing Rana glow after her first time doing fire poi, and being her safety.
-Bringing my good friend Chris, after spending a year and a half or so talking about Burns. Chris getting to experience the community, art, and beauty of the PPL at Preheat.
- Realizing that my name is officially Spike, after trying to change it to Lumens, and still having 2 or 3 people introduce me to other people as Spike.
-Playing electronic drum thing at Wes' Van.
- Lemon Jelly Videos. Frontier Psychatrist. Bannana Phone but to a heavy metal band (immortal?). other trippy videos at the Wongo Video Lounge
- Passing out at the Wongo Video Lounge while watching Wallace and Grommit.
- Madascar 2 at Hookah Lounge.
- Some old guy giving my camp Naturist Magazines.
- Trying Kava.
- Giving people my CDs - playlist @ http://lumen101.blogspot.com/
- Spending all early saturday morning on the couches of the blazing coffee bean with Rana, meeting other ppl, and drinking Hot Chocolate.
- The O.B.E Dome... Gorilla playing drums, spinning thing, throwing discs on the head of a person on spinning thing, DJ playing Fine night tonight (one of my favs)
- Walking the labyrinth and getting ideas for an art installation on the Playa...
- Random Turkey and Peacock's walking around people's camps.
- Chris jumping in the pool (which at the time we didn't think we were allowed to)
- All the wonderful people who make burns so great.
- I'm sure I'm missing some things...
- Getting better at flowersticks, and teaching Chris some juggling methods.

In Conclusion...
The burn was most awesome. The drive wasn't a great drive, but it was mostly scenic, and not that bad. I have a hard time comparing one burn to another burn, but this burn was great; like almost all the other ones have been so far. Enjoyed hanging out with the people I got to see and meet. Chris enjoyed himself as well, which was important as he's not really an artsy type and this was his first burn. Rana and I got along very well in person, and she is a really cool Glowbug. We've been talking online for about 8 months, and friday night was the first time I actually met her in person. She was at the gate when I got there, and she approached me first. Her face was opposite of a bright light, so it was covered in shadow at first, and I was like.. is that... Yay it is Rana! hehe.

Great burn, woot! Only 4 more months until Burning Man! BIGGER WOOT!

First of all, I didn't make first round of tickets for transformus so :/... but I will hopefully find at least one, though I really want Kat to go.

Second, Thanks for the new juggling balls Kat... They are a really good weight, and I started being able to juggle on them, so yay!

Third, it's crazy how when you're learning something it takes forever to get it right, but when it clicks it just does. Then it makes you wonder why you could never do it before. I think that's true with most things, but I'm mostly referring to some poi moves and juggling. I have had a lot of trouble learning two ball juggling... just two balls.. but I finally got it this morning, and am working on perfecting my basics.. (especially the throws) hopefully at this rate (I started teaching myself late last week), I will be juggling 3 balls by the end of next week or the week after. Yay. Persistance is key.

I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.--Frank Lloyd Wright

Now, I'm going to go see if I can write a bunch of cover letters for my job search...

So I changed my mind about the twisted oval chain. I'm just going to go with the #15 stainless steel ball chain for now, I'm more familiar with it. I also decided to only make one set of wicks, and make a practice pair out of paracord. I made a friend a rope dart out of paracord for christmas. Basically, I made a HUGE monkey's paw that had like 13 loops instead of the regular 4.. I think I'll do that again for my practice pair.

So now with only 9 feet of kevlar wick, and ball chain, and all the other stuff I need, the price is: $52.65
It was originally going to be $76.75... that's only $24.10 cheaper.. :)

( poi technical information.. sort of )

I have 2 things I am saving up for right now... Transformus tickets and these fire poi which are 78 bucks.. but I did the math and making my own would cost 76.. not much of a difference really. Then again I'd get some practice wicks for that price too.. so I dunno. I might still make them, or I might just make some monkeysfists out of paracord that are about the same weight, and use those to practice with..