Every year I miss Burning Man and feel vaguely annoyed that I yet again missed Burning Man. Every year I hear back from people who went about how this year was the year it finally went commercial and popularized and the spirit was gone. I don’t think I believe them.

One of these years I swear. Part of the problem is that I’m always either treeplanting or just coming off treeplanting and haven’t had time to think up something interesting to take down. Part of the problem is that I probably wouldn’t think of something satisfyingly interesting to take down even if I had lots of time. Whatever.

It seems that there is a “Burning Man inspired” art and music festival outside of Austin. The same spirit applies — no spectators, no selling — only I suppose with less people and less choking dust clouds.

Burning Flipside 2007 (Symphony of Construction)

That sounds like a lot of fun. A kinder, gentler burning man without all the hype. Too bad it’s in Texas. How about having some Burning Mans somewhere a little norther?