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Greetings fellow burners! We know that you’ve been awaiting our announcement regarding Myschievia 2021 and that day has arrived. We have not taken this decision lightly. We began planning for this decision early in 2021. We have carefully watched all CDC guidelines, consulted with an epidemiologist, our landowners, and our leadership teams and obtained community input. Based on our findings and the current recommendations of both the CDC and our respected epidemiologist, NTXB LLC would not be able to safely conduct an event this year with our current resources and infrastructure. It is with heavy hearts that we must cancel our event for 2021.  We thank everyone for all of the work they have put into planning thus far and especially we thank our community for understanding and keeping the flames alive while we await our next opportunity to commune as one. We do still plan for Myschievia to return soon and will still be honoring our Critical Volunteer ticket codes from Myschievia 2019. We hope to have a few other surprises in the works, in person or virtually, as we continue to support each other in our community.
We implore everyone that can to get vaccinated so a return to normal is met with open & enthusiastic arms. We hope to have more positive news for our next announcements. Take care of yourselves and each other. -NTXB LLC We are, as you're probably aware, closely monitoring the current covid-19 trends so we can make a determination on Myschievia 2021.
One of our Participants, an epidemiologist for the Emerging and Infectious Disease Unit with the state of Texas, has been working with the covid response since March and has been corresponding with us about probability for a burn this year. While no decisions have been made yet, we want to be as transparent as possible in decision making and are sharing his opinion, as it's coming from an actual scientist. Key Unknowns There are several factors we need more information on before a decision can be made. 1) The vaccine rollout. It's currently believed that herd immunity requires 70% or more of the population to be vaccinated, so the further below 70% we are, the more risky it becomes. 2) The state of the pandemic. Currently, we don't expect the curve to really start flattening until sometime in Feb. at the earliest. The new strains (UK, South Africa), will drive numbers up (but might be offset by vaccinations). It's possible that another strain arises between now and Oct. and scuttles any prior planning. 3) Immunity and Transmission. We don't know how long immunity lasts from either having had covid or having a vaccine. Reinfection is rare, and the immunity gained from having caught the disease is believed to be at least 5 months. 4) In-Person Protective Measures. The efficacy of requiring masks, social distancing, and providing sanitizing stations, etc Where We Are Leaning Right Now We are really just waiting for this additional data in May so we can see how the vaccination efforts are progressing and see if we get any more conclusive answers about transmission. We are thinking of setting a go/no go date in May, which would still leave time for planning. Probably starting around end of March/April to start looking at staffing for planning (virtually of course) and then see what the data says in May. Just wanted to keep y'all updated! Stay safe! NTXB LLC The people have spoken and we'll be doing a live virtual Myschievia this year!
NTXB LLC and your Batcave members are in the process of setting up a Discord server to host our socially distanced burn, complete with theme camps, an amazing effigy, and all the great music from your favorite camp DJs! Register your theme camp here to be a part of this year's virtual Myschievia and keep an eye on the official Myschievia Facebook page, the NTXB LLC Facebook page and this blog for more information! It is with a regretful & heavy heart that your NTXB LLC in conjunction with Armadillo Acres has to inform you that we will be cancelling Myschevia 2020. As you know we have been deliberating for many months on how to handle our event safely, if at all. After much thought & communication with the landowner we both agreed it was in everyone’s best interest.
That said, the VIP (Volunteer Incentive Program) tickets will still be valid for the next event for those that qualify. Next week NTXB LLC will provide all VIP qualifiers an email that states this information. So, be on the lookout & save it in your archive! As far as NTXB finances are concerned, we are currently in good standing to cover all NTXB related expenses for at least 18 months. We hope that in 2021 mass gatherings can commence & we can plan for a successful event. Burns across the United States & the world have also had to cancel due to COVID-19. Cyberspace has been known to be the channel with which we can continue the spirit of our burn community. Check in with community organizers via Facebook for possible virtual events to attend. Our reasoning behind moving up the release of our decision were due to several factors - the current climate of civil unrest, COVID-19 trending upwards after the incremental reopening & the owners of Armadillo Acres needing to make a statement promptly & concurrently. We respectfully urge you to follow www.cdc.gov & your local government for any & all COVID-19 related updates & safety measures. This is a link you can visit for COVID-19 testing www.hhs.gov. Please take care of yourselves! Hydrate! Take your vitamins! Eat well! Rest! Again, this decision was not made lightly & given the nature of this virus, not justifiable to move forward. In addition to the above, NTXB LLC cares about the safety of our participants of color. We'd like to officially state that we vehemently oppose racism & are in full support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Please stay safe everyone, we miss you! Burningly Yours, Dawn NTXB LLC Hello fellow Myschievians!
The LLC of NTXB wanted to take a minute to apprise you, our community, of our latest decision in light of the current information we have regarding COVID-19. We have decided to delay ticket sales by an additional month. This means those that qualify for VIP (Volunteer Incentive Program) tickets will be able to purchase tickets starting noon on July 1st through noon on July 31st. General Admission and Art tickets will go on sale on Sunday August 2nd at noon. We understand that the information regarding gathering and events is still changing, and is likely to continue to change as time goes on and more advancements regarding this virus are made. Therefore, we believe it prudent to give ourselves more time before needing to make further decisions about whether to move forward with ticket sales or not. This time is necessary for us, as a team, to develop contingency plans for what to do for you the community and for the event to remain solvent and continue for future years, in the event that we do cancel. Time will also give us the most recent and up to date information and recommendations from the CDC and WHO, which will allow us to make the best decisions possible. At this time, we are planning as though the event will continue, while simultaneously planning for cancelling the event. We have set July 1 as our official cut off date for deciding whether to move forward or to cancel, in order to honor all of our volunteers’ time and ensure we do have enough time to plan a successful event, should that be the case. In the meantime, please know we deeply miss all of you, our community. We hope you are all well and finding small joys in these unusual times. We have a few things being planned for you, to keep our sense of community alive, so be on the lookout for those. Wear your masks and wash your hands! Love, NTXB LLC We know this is on the forefront of everyone’s minds right now. We wanted to take a minute to let everyone know what we (the LLC) are doing to monitor the situation. As of right now, we are closely watching sources with reliable data about the numbers of reported cases. We are also working with other events to share resources and information regarding this pandemic. We of course plan to follow the recommendations of Cass county, the state of Texas, and any national guidelines or recommendations from CDC/WHO. At this time, we are simply monitoring, as we know that information and numbers are rapidly changing on a daily basis. We will continue to plan for our event to happen, but we have agreed that for the safety and well being of everyone involved, we will reevaluate as we approach our ticket sale windows.
In the meantime, if you feel you may have been exposed to COVID-19, we ask that you seek immediate medical attention and do not attend any events, NTXB sponsored or otherwise. We urge you all to consider what’s best for you and your families/people you come into contact with as we all try to navigate these uncertain waters. We also encourage our communities to follow CDC and WHO guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. You can find more information at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html As always, if you have questions or concerns, feel free to email us here. Stay calm and wash your hands! Love, NTXB, LLC If you weren't able to attend this month's Town Hall, the LLC made several announcements regarding our current and future goals, and what that means for y'all.
Yesterday, we had our first official sit down with our attorney to begin the process of converting our corporation to a non-profit organization. This process requires a lot of work on our part, and an increase in overhead costs; however, the benefits far outweigh the cons. For starters, once non-profit, we can fundraise for specific goals, departments or projects. It will free up funds from taxes for more art, and remove the necessity for the current restrictive art grant cap. With the increase in costs all over, NTXB has voted to both increase the ticket cap and ticket prices. General Admission Ticket: $100 Art Ticket: $140 Child Ticket: $50 (this will stay the same price). The Volunteering Incentive tickets will be available for those who qualify from June 1st through June 27th. The General Admission sale will begin on June 28th at noon. Click here for the LLC presentation from Town Hall. Any questions can be directed to the NTXB email. -NTXB LLC  BEHOLD! What does BEHOLD! mean?
Get ideas on how to make it your own by watching the theme slideshow presented at Townhall here!
We've been posting about it for about a month and a half now on the Facebook Page and the Unofficial Group.
"We didn't have enough time!" you said. "You know we don't do well with deadlines!" you said. "We wanted to join the Batcave in an Art, Participants or Media capacity but we didn't know that was the plug that was going to satisfy the butthole of our hearts until is was too late!" you said. ohmygoshYouPeopleAreKILLINGME FINE. Hey, y'all, if you're interested in joining the Batcave in one of the following capacities: - Art - Participants - Media NOW IS YOUR TIME TO FUCKING SHINE. We happen to have positions open for each of those right crapping now. Apply here! -Gaston Batcave Facilitator 2019 was the 15th Myschievia, and the 14th held at Armadillo Acres in Hughes Springs. Our theme this year was We Are Made of Star Stuff, which lent itself beautifully to amazing art, costumes, performances, and of course our amazing Effigy and Temple, along with the burn night spectacular show.
TICKETS AND ATTENDANCE: For 2019, we sold 855 tickets: 17 child and infant tickets, 521 General Admission tickets, 57 Art Tickets, and 290 Volunteer Incentive tickets. 803 tickets were used for a no-show rate of 6%, on par with the approximate 10% no show rate of years past. INCIDENTS: Nature: The weather this year was temperate for Thursday but turned cold and rainy on Friday. Daytime highs were in the 50s-60s for most of the event, nighttime lows were colder, dropping to the 30s Friday night. This kept most of the insect issues low and the event itself was fairly quiet overnight. Some rain showers were scattered throughout the event, causing some low spots to accumulate water, and there was one reported incident of a stuck vehicle on Hidden Creek Trail. Medical: We had one ambulance transport this year, due to a participant choking on food. They were stabilized on site and transported to the local hospital. The vast majority of medical assistance given was for minor lacerations or insect stings. There were a couple of minor injuries. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were the busiest days. Sound: There were no reported sound complaints from neighboring properties this year. There were few reported sound complaints from within the event. Interpersonal: We had one report of a problematic interaction that led to an ejection this year. As always, if you experienced or witnessed an interaction that resulted in a violation of our Code of Conduct, you can always report that by emailing ntxbllc@googlegroups.com. Fire: There were no unplanned fire incidents. There was one report of an unattended fire in Degobah that was handled with warnings. Perimeter: There was one reported incident of ticketed gatecrashers that arrived after posted gate hours. They were escorted off property until gate reopened and then allowed to attend. There was one other incident of an unticketed person driving down to gate to ask questions, and they left on their own. CITY: Work weekends began August 28-29th and continued through all weekends in September. Work weekends were well attended, with an emphasis placed on clearing roads, increased space for shaded camp sites, and felling dangerous trees. New footpaths were cleared connecting Degobah to Hidden Creek Trail, and the safety areas to the top of Hidden Creek Trail. We had 57 registered theme camps this year. We also had approximately 50 RVs on property this year, the most we have ever had. RV placement proved to be a bit of a challenge, with RV overflow going into Parking to accommodate everyone. This will need to be creatively addressed in future years, if the numbers continue on the same trends. Load out for Site Ops equipment was handled Friday 10/4, and had enough volunteers to get quickly loaded and to the property. We could have been more successful with more volunteers for both load out and on site unloading. Clean up of Site Ops gear post event was finished by Monday 10/14 and all equipment was transported back to the warehouse. Unloading of gear post event was very poorly attended, as well as packing of gear post event, with only one other volunteer helping the Site Ops Lead at the warehouse. The loan of a large generator for powering the safety tents was somewhat successful. It was not utilized as well as it could have been for some of the event, so future use will have to be reviewed. ART There was a lot of ART this year! We had 36 total registered art projects. We gave out 25 art grants this year, funded by Art Ticket sales. The total spent on Art Grants was $7,854! We had a total of 42 art grants applied for, WAY up from 16 applications in 2018. We will have to increase the number of Art Tickets sold for next year! The Effigy this year was the Sagan Station. It was a beautiful multi-level observation tower with a curved staircase. The META team this year built the entire structure on site in the week leading up to the event, a first for Myschievia, and quite the feat of planning and execution. This year’s temple was an Observatory dome with elegant lines and in tradition of Myschievia’s past, was pulled to the Effigy burn scar Sunday morning to burn in a quiet, gorgeous burn on Sunday night. MEDIA The media team revamped our website this year and had a running blog, The Echo, that was quite successful at keeping up with Myschievia news and excitement. They published a whopping 34 blog entries this year! You can follow The Echo at ntxb.org. The survival guide was updated and published and featured artwork submitted by the community for our first ever sticker contest! PARTICIPANTS Volunteering took on a life of its own this year. We did not have to close down our safety departments during the event this year! We rolled out a new volunteer incentive program to reward people that complete 8 hours of shifts before or during the event by offering a code to purchase a ticket for the 2020 event during a presale window before general sales go live next year. It was quite successful! Overall, Myschievia had 825 Volunteer Shifts; 578 were covered (70%), 155 shifts were signed up for but did not show up to work (18.8%) and 92 shifts had no one sign up and no one covered them (11.15%). There were a total of 3,050 volunteer hours to cover the event. Of those shifts, 774 volunteer hours were considered Graveyard (midnight to 8 AM), and of the graveyard hours, 469 hours were covered and showed up (60.6%), 139 graveyard hours were signed up for but had no shows (18%), and 166 hours had no signup and no coverage (21.45%) Parking was in the usual location known as the Bacon Strip and was able to accommodate all vehicles and some added RVs. Most cars were kept off of the event fields with the exception of decorated or disguised vehicles above the lower field. Keeping the lower field clear of vehicles was mostly successful this year. Earth Guardians report should be forthcoming but overall, the lower field was in great shape post event. All that remained during clean up weekend was one event structure, and mostly flags and pyro debris, in addition to the burn scar clean up. The event was cleared by the landowner by Saturday afternoon, 10/19. SAFETY MEATS: See medical incidents above. Volunteering was good this year. Shift coverage was somewhat light, but only one no show for a shift and MEATS did not have to be shut down at any point during the event. Sanctuary: 88% of all shifts were covered by 60 volunteers with 412 total hours total worked. 10% of shift hours were picked up on site. Sanctuary encountered 25 documented visitors, 5 of which involved MEATS and 2 involving Rangers. 40% of the visits occured on Sunday. 80% of visitors stayed less than 1 hour. All shifts were well staffed. Sanctuary did not close at any time during the event. We were overwhelmed with generous donations of art supplies and water. Overall, this burn was cold and quiet with a high volunteer turnout and low incident rate. Rangers: Rangers had volunteers on all shifts, covering close to 90% of total shifts filled! In years past the Ranger department has averaged around 70-80% shift coverage. Ranger teams responded to one major medical incident (and did an AMAZING job securing a perimeter and assisting the outside emergency response teams to navigate the property), one consent violation report, and the unsanctioned shooting of fireworks. Fire: Fire team had minimally adequate coverage for both Burn Events and could have used more qualified people for rotations. The cool weather assisted in preventing teams from overheating, but in the future, more volunteers will be needed and training will be provided to anyone interested. Fire team also responded to the medical incident and was able to do so quickly thanks to the availability of carts. Minor responses needed throughout the event for unattended fire pits or fire pits without visible extinguishers; reminders to store fuel cans AWAY from generators and exhaust, as well as away from tents due to ventilation risks. |
Author2017-2021 Information Manager, Viv, is an Amazon potato who lives under a bridge, occasionally popping out to throw cabbages at edge lords. 
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