The Things I Do for You

[theCryptofishist]

(AKA: Stupid Things I Did for Burningman)

I know that putting tutus on my little ponies isn't spectacularly shameful, but I can see it's nothing to brag about either.

[Elderberry]

Hey, if it floats your boat, more power to tutus on sparkle ponies. I'm sure there will be others that will enjoy them as well.

[theCryptofishist]

You're sweet, jk, but I'm really more amused than anything else about what I'll do for these damn ponies. But it occurs to me that there's all sorts of silly stuff that we do that "objectively" (as seen by the average american--whatever that means) is utterly ridiculous. I was hoping to collect some of those in here.

[Drawingablank]

HMMM, it stikes me that the average American might consider the following Ridiculous (or worse):

1. Vacationing in such a harsh climate with no modern conveniences.

2. Spending a small fortune to do the above.

3. Spending a week with reduced, little, or no access to gadgets / technology (tv, internet, cell phones). Although from what I understand this is changing.

4. The entire gift economy concept.

5. Spending a week in costume (or naked).

6. Many of those costumes.

7. Spending large chunks of hard earned cash to provide large scale art, bars, mutant vehicles, etc...

8. Driving 2,700 miles each way to make sure my essentials are there with me.

[illy dilly]

1. Not just me, but my family, bought an RV.

2. Check Craigslist every day for 'good' hammocks

3. Hold Coordination meets about hair dying color, so we don't all look the same.

[Elderberry]

Well, what about just going to BM? Our neighbors all think we're nuts!. They see us pulling out all that dusty equipment and cleaning for days on end; then the huge rental truck gets parked out front and we are continually being asked if we are moving! It's sort of embarrassing considering all the furniture we are moving into the truck is what we have been collecting off the street or buying from good will for the previous month! Hope that qualifies.

You're sweet, jk, but I'm really more amused than anything else about what I'll do for these damn ponies. But it occurs to me that there's all sorts of silly stuff that we do that "objectively" (as seen by the average american--whatever that means) is utterly ridiculous. I was hoping to collect some of those in here.

[theCryptofishist]

To be honest, I'd like examples of more than just the event itself. I mean, we all do that. I'm looking for particulars, not generalities. Like this thing about the hair, that's good.

[Elorrum]

wonder if 11 speakers are enough.

[jella]

wonder if 11 speakers are enough.

Elorrum I think I want you to pimp my ride hehe, I can't wait to see your trike

[ygmir]

[youtube][/youtube]

[Jax Dee]

I am strategically delaying my triple cervical vertebrae fusion to attend burns this year. My surgeon and doc are actually helping me do this, filling out my disability forms, and making sure I can do these things in the time that I choose rather than what insurance dictates. That's kinda nuts. But it makes me happy and distracts me from the fear of the surgery which my doc thinks is more important as I prolly wouldn't go through with it otherwise.

[Savannah]

Jax, they sound like wonderful people!

[Foxfur]

I am strategically delaying my triple cervical vertebrae fusion to attend burns this year. My surgeon and doc are actually helping me do this, filling out my disability forms, and making sure I can do these things in the time that I choose rather than what insurance dictates. That's kinda nuts. But it makes me happy and distracts me from the fear of the surgery which my doc thinks is more important as I prolly wouldn't go through with it otherwise.

Holy fucking shit, Jax!
That's exactly what Sweetpea had done after the wreck.
I'm so sorry to hear that you have to go through this, I really am. Sweetpea decided to go with donor (cadaver) bone plugs instead of endogenous. It reduces the risk of infection and speeds healing time. If they're gonna put a tie plate across the fusion stack, I'd suggest speaking with your surgeon about having the plate secured to the center vertebra with an additional screw. Sweetpea's didn't have one and as a result osteophitic growth has buckled the plate and it impinges on the rear of her trachea, makes it feel like there's always something stuck in her throat and makes drinking water in a reclined position impossible. Might want to ask about lysis of adhesions, she has masses of internal scar tissue that further restrict the cervical range-of-movement that remains after split level fusion. And have them look super hard at the imaging (MRI/CT/X-Ray) to be sure there are no ostephytes impinging on your spinal cord within any vertebrae to be fused. Sweetpea had one that was compressing her spinal cord over 60%. Totally missed until she was opened for 3hrs.
I don't want to freak you out, I just want you to be as well as possible after this major surgical procedure.
I think it brings up my fears and worries from her experience that I wouldn't want to see anyone, let alone someone I know and like, have to endure.

Love and Hugs,
Foxfur
(((((Jaxie)))))

[Trishntek]

You mean things like seeing your neighbor rolling a large cable spool to the dumpster and yelling out, "No! Don't throw that away! I don't know what it will be,,,, but I want that cable spool!"

Three months later, I have created this:

spakbenchcorner.jpg

Or constantly bringing home lengths of top rail for chain link fence, 750 feet, and seeming to endlessly measure and cut them in the driveway. Assembling various sizes of shade structures in the driveway, in the yard, clanging and carrying on with Pink Floyd or The Stones wafting over the fence in competition with the Eclectic Multicultural Music wafting from the other side of the fence.

Or maybe it is renting out the other half of my duplex so I have space to build shit. Just because MY double garage is so full of camping shit that we barely have a path to the laundry machinations. And not only that, but turning The Place Next Door into a stay and play,,, Retrofrolic in defaultia kind of place.

It's time to bring the burn home!

[Jax Dee]

I am strategically delaying my triple cervical vertebrae fusion to attend burns this year. My surgeon and doc are actually helping me do this, filling out my disability forms, and making sure I can do these things in the time that I choose rather than what insurance dictates. That's kinda nuts. But it makes me happy and distracts me from the fear of the surgery which my doc thinks is more important as I prolly wouldn't go through with it otherwise.

Holy fucking shit, Jax!
That's exactly what Sweetpea had done after the wreck.
I'm so sorry to hear that you have to go through this, I really am. Sweetpea decided to go with donor (cadaver) bone plugs instead of endogenous. It reduces the risk of infection and speeds healing time. If they're gonna put a tie plate across the fusion stack, I'd suggest speaking with your surgeon about having the plate secured to the center vertebra with an additional screw. Sweetpea's didn't have one and as a result osteophitic growth has buckled the plate and it impinges on the rear of her trachea, makes it feel like there's always something stuck in her throat and makes drinking water in a reclined position impossible. Might want to ask about lysis of adhesions, she has masses of internal scar tissue that further restrict the cervical range-of-movement that remains after split level fusion. And have them look super hard at the imaging (MRI/CT/X-Ray) to be sure there are no ostephytes impinging on your spinal cord within any vertebrae to be fused. Sweetpea had one that was compressing her spinal cord over 60%. Totally missed until she was opened for 3hrs.
I don't want to freak you out, I just want you to be as well as possible after this major surgical procedure.
I think it brings up my fears and worries from her experience that I wouldn't want to see anyone, let alone someone I know and like, have to endure.

Love and Hugs,
Foxfur
(((((Jaxie)))))

Thank you for the concern and the info. I will be sure to discuss this in depth with my surgeon. He is actually using a cutting edge new technique that seems safer and has less possibility of issues that he has pioneered and been using for years. He scrapes a little of my own bone off the vertebrae he's fusing for the graft, slips it inside a small plastic PEEK collar, slides that between the vertebrae to be fused and screws in. Much smaller screws and no metal plates at all. He is literally the best neurosurgeon in the area. I don't mess around

Savannah - Yes, my docs are wonderful and I am lucky to have them.

[Foxfur]

You're in good hands, Jax. It sounds like surgical technology has improved dramatically in the last decade. I'm so glad to hear it

Now back to our regularly scheduled thread...

[illy dilly]

You mean things like seeing your neighbor rolling a large cable spool to the dumpster and yelling out, "No! Don't throw that away! I don't know what it will be,,,, but I want that cable spool!"

Three months later, I have created this:

Is that some sort of sybian?

[Trishntek]

You mean things like seeing your neighbor rolling a large cable spool to the dumpster and yelling out, "No! Don't throw that away! I don't know what it will be,,,, but I want that cable spool!"

Three months later, I have created this:

Is that some sort of sybian?

A hybrid sybian/ spanking bench,,,, you betcha!

[illy dilly]

Neeto!

[theCryptofishist]

Of course, the winner this week is: I got on a computer board and told some pathetic tale of suffering to people who couldn't help me and wanted to slap me away the way you slap a needy, drooly dog with muddy paws away from sitting in their laps in the faint hope of getting a ticket.

Maybe I should go to Dick's thread and suggest golden showers, now that's humiliation.
:professorplum:

[youtube][/youtube]

[Trishntek]

To be honest, I'd like examples of more than just the event itself. I mean, we all do that. I'm looking for particulars, not generalities. Like this thing about the hair, that's good.

Trish and i were at the thrift store the other day and were looking at this HUGE wooden desk,,,, we both said out loud simultaneously,,,, "you could fuck on that!" We burst into laughter as others kinda strayed away from us. It is amazing how often we go thrifting with something in mind,,, for instance,,,, we want a dozen wooden TV trays like they sell at Targe' for $20 each. Several small tables are more handy than one big one around camp. We've found THREE sets of FOUR upon three separate visits to three separate thrift stores!

I labored for TWO DAYS last year to build a baffle box for our genset out of concern for disturbing our playa neighbors. Never used it and probably never will,,,, cuz the genset is only backup for our solar array, we only use it for power tools and coffee maker and OUR NEIGHBORS WERE MUCH NOISIER than our genset!

[theCryptofishist]

Yeah, but the generator is always louder on the other side of the fence.

[Trishntek]

The point I was making is that we didn't even use a half tank of fuel all week and it was always in the middle of the morning. The baffle box was something "I do for you" in futility.

[theCryptofishist]

And the point I was trying to make is that I can always make a feeble joke rather than respond in a pertinent manner.
(Good on you for taking care of your bafflement. Your neighbors didnt' deserve you, apparently.)