That time my friends were in a French-Canadian Burning Man documentary
There are times in life where you meet someone and you just click, like you've known one other for years. That's Amanda. We met through a mutual friend who set us up for a trade (shoutout Sophie!), where I bathe and groom her three hairless cats in exchange for lash extensions (true story and obligatory business plug). She's one of those people that's not only gorgeous, but funny, smart and just the right amount of weird (true story x2).
Amanda is a Burner, she's a member of the Burning Man community, someone who embraces the fundamentals of BM (see the 10 Principles of Burning Man). She's been going for the last 10+ years, omitting 2020. There are people who attend to say they've gone, and there are Amandas and Spencers. The couple tied the knot there, which happened to be captured in a French-Canadian documentary.
Burning Man: enflammer le désert premiered in 2024. The 5-episode series follows Burning Man 2023, which was infamous for heavy rainfall in the Nevada desert, resulting in craaaazy mud. Enflammer aired on TV5 Unis. Amanda and Spencer were interviewed for the documentary, and made a several-minute appearance in episode three.
Dozens of weddings happen each year in the Black Rock Desert. Burning Man is a landmark event in the lives of the Burners, the narrator says as it cuts to Amanda and Spencer climbing on a buggy-type vehicle. But it can be even more for some who choose to celebrate their love and their union in the heart of the desert. That’s the case with Spencer and Amanda, who are part of the Connect Moar Camp.
Amanda's sister officiated their wedding in the Black Rock Desert. She wed her husband with a cotton candy-colored mohawk braid with string lights twined in, candy rings and all.
Our mission, it's about embracing love, compassion and concern of the humanity we have here and to share that with the rest of the world. And to live like that everyday, Amanda said.
Some of the translations are comical.
I got married, you bastards! Amanda yells into a megaphone on top of a double decker bus. She absolutely said, I got married, you motherfuckers!
(total watch time: 4 hours)
Welcome to the stage, Miss Pebbles 🐕🦺
Earlier this month, Ari, Gabby and I drove 600 miles roundtrip to Valdez and picked up our newest family member, Pebbles (or Miss Pebs as we've been calling her). I was the second person to submit an application for her, and got a call from the shelter that the person first in line withdrew their name from consideration. They told me Pebs would be available as soon as Friday, Aug. 14, my 30th birthday. Kismet.
The weather was perfect for a long drive. We spent 11 hours in the car on a bluebird day and arrived in Valdez with 81° degrees on the dash. We all took turns driving, but Ari definitely put in the most work at the Long Day Factory.
Pebs is a mini schnau, and spent the first years of her life as a breeder dog. She was surrendered with two other miniature schnauzers (her puppies) by a family in Kenny Lake who bred them out there (barf). A shelter employee told us she thought the dogs were all kept in a barn because the smelled like livestock and had hay in their hair.
I do not understand why people dock their dogs, but I will say Miss Pebs' little corndog tail is quite cute, and honestly the only way I can tell her and Aspen apart. I'm excited for her to be able to be a dog. She has warmed up to all of us so quickly! I think Aspen has really helped her become more confident every day.