Finally! Here is a bit about my experience at Burning Man.

The sweetest batch of angels ever! I loved my friends at Hoop Heaven Camp! Who I spent the most time with... Randy and Elaine were the heartbeat of our camp... always laughing and smiling and sharing their sense of fun. Randy was SO much fun, always provoking us all with his hilarious comments and honest observations. What I loved most about Elaine and Randy is that they are so real and they really helped me take myself less seriously. Camp mama and papa, Jasmine and Carlos were just so shiny and happy and fun. I loved how playfully Jasmine would dress up every single day, usually several times per day! I loved our talks and walks and hooping playtimes and performances for eachother.... I loved watching her hoop and how beautifully she carries the Elegant Golden Empress energy! A true role model. It was awesome to have Carlos with us as well, holding a wonderful sense of playful shaman energy as well... I particularly remember the evening we all travelled out together and led our impromtu circle of intention. And the closure at the Nia class we dropped in on was so sweet. And what can I say, Baxter and Ann! It was such an honor to share space with two of my hooper heros who are truely devoted to the generous, heart-felt sharing of their Hoop Path. I was tickled pink just watching the spontaneous moments Ann or Bax would break out hooping, fascinated by the precision, ingenuity and presence they each demonstrated. Many other friends were there two! Heather Crosby and Heather Troy and Heather Rose, Lucien, Nanette and Srini, Satise and Eric, Brandon from Portland who had some super sick hoop moves and supper yummy pancakes (I wish we hung out more!) and others.

The most laughter I have ever shared with friends... we spent a lot of time at Hoop Heaven just laughing together for no reason, inspired by a non-stop laughter CD I have called, "HA" with ongoing tracks of real laughter, we just sat around and laughed. It was awesome! Especially when we went out at night along the Esplanade in a line and just laughed for 20 minutes non-stop for everyone walking and riding by. So much fun! And just hanging out together in the shade connecting... playing UNO and watching Dale draw henna on everyone for hours.

The best Burn ever! From atop Jasmine's RV some of us watched the Man burn and it truely was the most dramatic one I have seen in 8 years. There was an actual nuclear-style explosion which took place, complete with a firey mushroom cloud which made us all sit forward in our chairs with wide eyes and say, "Holy shit!!!!", wondering if that was actually supposed to have happened. Later upon speaking to others who were closer, they said they didn't see how dramatic it was up close. But from where we were, we talked for a few minutes about what in the world could have caused that kind of explosion, which was so unlike all the previous ones we had ever seen. Abosutely stunning.

When not playing with Hoop Heaven campmates, I spent much time alone, especially since I arrived the friday before Burning Man started. Kramer spent most of his time building and hanging out at the Deep End, his true Burning Man home. But I was clear that I wanted to explore new terrain among people I shared even more in common with at a new camp. So while I was alone for a couple days I meditated with various journies from orindaben.com, which were completely delicious. It was incredibly windy and sandy so I couldn't practice hooping outside much, except for early morning at that time. I did my 15 minute miracles, blended up raw green drinks, read my books about Auras and contemplated.

My routine was pretty standard once the burn started... I would get up around 3 or 4am (usually when Kramer was coming home for the night), cruise to a bumpin music scene... usually Philadephia Experiment, and dance through sunrise, get my hoop on, back to our camp to hang. Go to center camp with friends and rock out for a couple hours on the hoop, hang talk, chill, have fun, adventure throughout the day, hoop at sunset at Deep End, attend any friend's hooping jams, hang out with campmates and go to sleep around 10pm.

Philadelphia Experiment was truely my home away from home at the Burn. They had funky soulful Chicago style house music playing which was so upbeat, happy and real that I found myself magnetically drawn there again and again. Compared to the dark and dirty breaks and blipy electro and generally dark vibe at some other locations, they literally had sunbeams shining on their dancefloor, even in the middle of the night. When I got on their dancefloor, I found my shoulders and head uncontrollably bobbing forward and back, a smile from ear to ear and an "oh, yea!" resounding in my head to the soulful gospel-like lyrics.

While on their dancefloor, I literally felt superconnected to the All that Is! The positive lyrics, celebrational vibe and bumpin beats just inspired my body to keep going and giving, devoting through movement prayer, celebrating the rhythm of life. It was kind.

It was easy for me to choose where to be ... I would do a driveby of about 10 or more dance floors and look at the facial expressions of the dancers. Remarkably, many times I did this and PE had the only ones smiling and looking happy while other floors had scowls, serious looks and people moving their bodies in hard driving ways. So I just got on the joy-train and celebrated being alive. Even better, PE was usually almost empty! So there was plenty of space to move around, hoop and enjoy. Plus they had a sweet shaded lounge area to recharge. And even better... the djs and camp leaders were outgoing, generous and so welcoming! And... Arayam lived there too! So around sunrise I often got to see her do a hoop performance. It was so lovely.

I stayed out all night only one night... Thursday, which was practically a religious experience for me on the dancefloor. I was taken by the Mother rhythm in a complete full body way which was completely out of my control. My hoop animated itself in my hands and moved like lightening, electrifying my body and leaving me breathless with excitement. And yet, though fast my movements felt more precise and "in the pocket" than they have ever been. It was a true visionary gift of what is possible for me. Thank you!

I saw some incredibly inspiring hoopdancers who rocked my world of what is possible! In addition to my campmates, Babs from Canada, *name forgotten* circus hooper from Europe, Jeff from Canada and Spiral, of course! I compiled a huge list of fun techniques and hoop ideas I want to play with over the coming year (I'll save that for another entry). Overall, from a hoop perspective, I was completely inspired, my enthusiasm was renewed, I was dazzled and thrilled.

So much more to share!!! But I have to go... more later.