grim23 | Sep. 5th, 2006

I’m back from the Burn safely, although my burner box didn’t make the same flight I did. There was a huge thunderstorm I flew through and got home in, to start to wash off the playa.

This year, I worked on balance, although not very successfully. Our theme camp demanded a lot of time, as did my volunteer work with the ESD Mental Health Branch. Death, suicide, sexual assault, domestic violence --- the same as any city, even if it is only for a week in the desert. This year, I was many roles within the Temple, and I created balance in that way. However, that (and ESD) did not allow Tam to feel as if she was spending enough time with me, despite my best efforts. She showed up later and left earlier than originally expected, which made it even harder to spend time with her. At her request, I released Tam from the psychodynamics of our relationship, with love, as the Man burned.

I didn’t get very many of my own needs met. I was not renamed, nor given a token of commitment --- not yet, and got no real catharsis from my own Temple. I did spend time at the Temple of Hope, wrote my haiku of sadness, had a memorial service for the two passed-on Presidents, and created a new President. I went again with Tam, and cried again, before I consciously knew of the change in our relationship.

Gifts? I got a beat-up leather jacket from the Black Rock Boutique (thank you, Luna!), and a nice BM shot glass from Lady T, and a 12-year single malt from Tam to pour in it. I have a run pin from Leigh Ann’s colors, and the knowledge that her colors were recovered and suitably passed on. I was officially kicked in the shins by Nici13. The Daimyo took care of me as best as he could, and drove me 120 miles to the Reno Airport at 4am. Tam was my biggest gift, as she gave of herself, and probably my biggest lesson.

I have a lot of thinking to do about priorities, and the way the Universe seems to be working.