What's getting crossed off your To-Do list...

PurpleKoosh · Post by **PurpleKoosh** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:08 pm

...for the RIGHT reasons?

We've already discussed the stuff we've had to give up on as the deadline approaches. How 'bout stuff you've actually managed to do?

I just booked my room in Reno for the trip back to Reality Camp; I can make the drive home in one day, but my husband's a little concerned about our car, which has a tendency to run warm. (No clue why; the thermostat has been replaced recently, the heater core was replaced in the last year, yadda yadda yadda.) One night at the Atlantis Casino Resort, courtesy of Hotwire, for $34.95 including tax & fees. Sure it's probably in the motor lodge rather than the Concierge Tower, but after a week on my air mattress and/or my boyfriend's ThermaRest, it'll be heaven.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:57 pm

I got a WHOLE bunch of things that are one step from being done. The Anubis StickHob only needs a tail and polewrap, my two shade structure character columns, Starchaser and Bellatrix, need to be fastened to a couple 2x4s and have a ring mounted to them to hold the canopy's crossbar, the Politics-Free Zone sign needs a couple O-rings and some fringies on the bottom attached, the Silent Striders banner needs the nice silver "swoosh" glyph appliquéd above the "road" glyph, the tile mosaic umbrella stands need some grout, the canopy itself needs some moon 'n stars painted on it, the EL wire Kristi Smart frock coat needs some more EL wire attached.

All of the above except the frock coat will be done tomorrow, when I have some money cleared and the glue from tonight's work has set up (gods, I love that All-Purpose Welder — workable and handlable in four hours!). The frock coat is due to be finished Sunday. Then I start on my Anubis mask for the Opera. I promised Q I'd make an Anthelios balloon for the LARP but you can't make that ahead of time, so I'll just collate the components and it'll be a half-hour Playa time, tops, to put together.

The only thing I've signed off on is the fancy frame that has a plaque attached to it, reading "Nude In Shower", that I made for my shower structure.

Stormy · Post by **Stormy** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:05 am

Oh that does sound like heaven. Don't know if we'll have time to stop over for a night to break up our long trek back. *sigh*

So, umm, accomplished:

-Did a shakedown of two different airmattresses that have leaks, so had to buy yet another.
-Packed non-perishable snacks.
-Tested out tent and shade structure. Both are still fine.
-Purchased new bladders for camelbacks, headlamp, more socks & underwear, jewelry and some costume stuff.
-Borrowed some belly dance items from a friend.
-Made 62 necklaces and 32 goody bags for gifts.
-Cleaned every last playa item that didn't get cleaned last fall.
-Pared down on our "kitchen" items quite a bit.
-Made arrangements for a pet sitter.
-Made a disaster out of the living room.

There's still so much to do though!

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:20 am

Heard that! Actually I took today off to do some damage control/disaster reclamation on my living room, which is functioning as both workshop and staging area for that which is packed and ready to go.

The damn tower of luggage and gear is as tall as I am, and three times broader in diameter. Ay yi yi...

Still have a few items that need buying, and thankfully most of them is food items, which literally wait until the last minute.

So question to the chorus: how do you make your packlists? Do you use Excel spreadsheets, et alia? Here's a cut 'n paste example from my packlist:

Hydrate or Die
X O O 6 CARBOYS OF WATER = 30 gallons
X X X Hydropak + backup bladder
X X O 1 QT. Apas Silver
X O O Nalgene bottle
X X O Bottletop water pump

One X next to the entry means I have it; two X's means I have it and it's packed; three X's means I have it, it's packed, and loaded in the car; no X's means I need to get/finish it. I also colour code the categories: Don't Have is red, Have is black, Have and Packed is blue, Have, Packed and Loaded is green. Right now about 80% of my list is blue.

PurpleKoosh · Post by **PurpleKoosh** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:27 am

diane o'thirst wrote:The damn tower of luggage and gear is as tall as I am, and three times broader in diameter. Ay yi yi...

Knowing your dimensions, m'lady fair, I find that disturbing.... :-O

I can't wait to see the EL wire Kristi Smart. (D'you think she'd start selling 'em that way if she saw pix of it? *grin*)

Piper · Post by **Piper** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:33 am

Done and Done. except..always an except ... packing clothes and buying food. Grocery list written, Clothing list ditto, Water ready. Then again its only 2 hours to BRC so all I really had to do was check over my regular camping gear add BM stuff and take out stuff my camp is duplicating.

Besides I am on my yearly 3 month paid sabatical

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:33 am

Crossed off:
Clothes packed.
Costumes made (except 2nd bonnet).
Pottie signs made. (need to copy same still)
Political bullshit: X'd off my list

Overall score?
I'm going back to bed.
(2 weeks and counting for me)

Das Bus · Post by **Das Bus** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:33 am

As far as packing lists go, I just use a notebook. Last weekend I went over my grocery list and redid it into three lists:
*Non Perishables I'm buying this week
*Stuff to freeze that I'm buying the week before
*Perishables to buy the day before
(nothing too spectacular, but it seems to work). : )

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:55 am

PurpleKoosh wrote:Knowing your dimensions, m'lady fair, I find that disturbing.... :-O

Don't be, you're not the one who has to load it up!! ;D

PurpleKoosh wrote:I can't wait to see the EL wire Kristi Smart. (D'you think she'd start selling 'em that way if she saw pix of it? *grin*)

She doesn't have to see a photo, she's seen mine. And she will see a photo post-playa.
And I think it's not an entirely unreasonable expectation that she would do lit-up coats, especially with her new line of Vampire and Pirate coats she's working on right now. Gimme a few months

For those who want to see what it is Koosh and I talking about:
http://www.kristismart.com
Drool alert

[/url]

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:13 am

Hey koosh,

I stayed at the Atlantis last year (in the motor lodge) and I was surprsingly pleased. I already booked a room there for Monday night.

I crossed some stuff off my to-do list but it wasn't BM stuff, but stuf I had to get done so I could get back to working on my BM stuff. : )
Yestarday I ordered my dog tags and the driver for my EL wire, and made an emergency card for my friend. Today I will make mine and a plate for my bike with my name & location on it.

I loaded the ballerina costume onto my dress form last night (which was an ordeal unto itself) even though i didn't get any work done on it. But now I am motivated to strt working on it.

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:56 pm

IEY IEY IEY!!!! Thanks for the reminder on the dog tags Ivy. I'm still wearing last year's ones. Need to get new ones now that we have a new address for "home base".

Living room is a staging area? The whole apartment has been a staging area. Yesterday we got rid of our unused fish tank that was in our living room because it wasn't BM-related and was taking up too much space! Camping supplies in the living room and dining room. Yes, the portapotty is still under the dining room table. The rebar is in the hallway. The lanterns and stove are in the living room. Upstairs are my gifts and donations to the community art space our camp will have. The bikes are still in storage and need to come out.

We just finalized the reservation for our rental vehicle so now we have a good idea of how much stuff we can bring. Unfortunately renting means we can't actually load anything into the vehicle until a few hours before departure. I think it took us 5 hours to load up last year. I imagine this year will be more like 9. Now that I know we'll have room to bring 3 bikes, I can add to my to-do list of playa-fying a bike. I was prepared to go without one.

Still to do- buy fresh socks and undies for happy feet and body parts on the playa. Also need to assemble the dome once or twice more. Probably twice. Need to assess dome coverage materials and adjust as needed.

In process- taste-testing and menu preparations for playa-friendly meals.

Done- gifts are made, camping gear is bought and somewhat inventoried, vehicle is reserved. I think I know what I'm bringing for clothes and essentials.

Not sure if we'll do- make reservations for hotels or just wing it and hope to get a room when and where we need to.

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 2:25 pm

I found I have to replace my campstove, there's a sexy-as-hell Coleman stove that's half grill and one burner, but it's $70

Not a happy price, and I'm running low on money.

I gotta pick up some silk longjohns to sleep in, a couple deep cycle batteries and a box of contact lenses.

I admit, not everything is in the living room but I got a gigantic living room

The sewing machine and projects are on the dining room table, the StickHobs are in the hall, the small projects are sitting on the coffee table, the bike's here in the computer room, I'll make the Anubis mask in here too, simply because the light's good; thanks for the dogtag reminder, I'll probably do those tonight.

Just finished up the Politics-Free Zone sign and a couple ankhs, waiting for some money to arrive so I can run out and get some fake fur and armature cloth for the StickHob and the mask. I was going to make little gift bags for my giftables but I just decided to hand whatever I was going to put in them out. Just made a MOOP container to carry around with me last night, cut a water bottle, Fusion-sprayed it and decorated it up with Scribbles.

I've stopped playing nice, easygoing classical, I'm into my rock, metal and industrial CDs now...Meat Loaf is spinning now...a good deal more adrenalizing than, say, Saint-Saens

PurplMyst · Post by **PurplMyst** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 2:43 pm

costumes done
food lists made
gear checked
I thought I had my gifts all done, & then I came across more materials & so now I'm making more
Car all checked out, lubed up & ready for the venture.
Final shade structure construction scheduled for this weekend

So all I have left is a trip to the grocery store & a trip to Target for the last odds n ends.

wooohooo!

PurpleKoosh · Post by **PurpleKoosh** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 2:47 pm

diane o'thirst wrote:I found I have to replace my campstove, there's a sexy-as-hell Coleman stove that's half grill and one burner, but it's $70 Not a happy price, and I'm running low on money.

It's SO worth it, though, if you can pinch a few quarters elsewhere...that's the model the boy's got. He also acquired a propane "tree" last year, to upgrade from the little Coleman bottles to Blue Rhinos - the lantern screws into the top, the stove on the side, and we've still got a couple-three more slots for other things we may acquire.

I went thrifting this afternoon, and I now have a mailbox for camp. Sure, it's about six inches long, and it appears to have originally held conversation hearts, but it's a mailbox.

Now I need to figure out what to mount it to, and how.

Fat SAM · Post by **Fat SAM** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 4:15 pm

got some clothes packed
got water
got booze
got about 50 necklaces and what not made - still working - goal is about 150
300 glow bracelets
got little metal sculptures made
got flashlights, babywipes, sun block, tent, chairs, gazebo type thing, folding table, loveseats, carpeting, sleeping bags, dehydrated food (beans, hummus, tabhouli, falafel, onion soup,) tea, coffee, percolator, camp stove, tiki torches, blankets, pillows, filter masks, goggles...

Still need to work on robes, get more necklaces made, get fuel for the torches. The problem is that everytime I think if what I need, I always forget 5 things I thought of yesterday.

PurpleKoosh · Post by **PurpleKoosh** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 4:43 pm

Scratch the tiki torches, Sam. Quoting from the Burn Plan:

Winds pick up without warning and blow things over -- tent fires have started due to tiki torches, candles and lanterns being blown over in or around tents. Tiki torches are restricted to The Esplanade, the pedestrian boulevard at the fron of our city; Villages; in our Center Camp; and within the two Plazas on 2500' at the 90° and 270° intersections. We are tentatively allowing their reintroduction only in specific pre-approved locations along the esplanade.

Icepack · Post by **Icepack** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:36 pm

diane o'thirst wrote:I got a WHOLE bunch of things that are one step from being done. The Anubis StickHob only needs a tail and polewrap, my two shade structure character columns, Starchaser and Bellatrix, need to be fastened to a couple 2x4s and have a ring mounted to them to hold the canopy's crossbar, the Politics-Free Zone sign needs a couple O-rings and some fringies on the bottom attached, the Silent Striders banner needs the

OOO! A Politics-Free Zone sign.... I gotta get me one of those! Maybe one I can wear. Whereever I go will be a request for a politics-free bubble around myself. How fun could that be?

Fat SAM · Post by **Fat SAM** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 9:00 pm

Well, maybe Long's will take them back...That's cool. It's $8 I could spend on something else. I won't say I'm not a little bummed, though. I really like the idea of those torches. Ah, well.

Yeah. Two pouches of tobacco for gifts. That's where it'll go.

maxwells · Post by **maxwells** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:44 am

Bah! Going almost got crossed of the Burning Man list. The person my significant other spent 3 months bringing up to speed on his job so he can take that one week off JUST QUIT. Argh.

His boss offered to reimburse him, but they worked it out that this person will stay through that week, and we still get to go. It was nice hearing that he was going to put his foot down, and get everything from the notions for my dresses to our booze reimbursed. Ya, you betcha!

Talk about nerve wracking. With 3 weeks to go, everything (almost) bought.

Rian Jackson · Post by **Rian Jackson** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:48 am

I GOT A FUCKING TICKET LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fat SAM · Post by **Fat SAM** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 10:52 pm

Took back the tiki torches - though I was loathe to do it. We'll just buy more water with the money, I suppose.

unjonharley · Post by **unjonharley** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:04 pm

Sterio built into the scooter.
Extra batteries and switch over for scooter.
Storage battery bank set to go.
Genorater runs good.
Praticed shelter set up and repack
Food pantry packed.
Kitchen packed.
Coolers clean and ready.
Bedding in the van.
Toiletry ready.

Still to go.......
repack trailer wheel bearings.
Set up camp mates motor bike.
shade over top and fun lights.
Get chairs out of storage.

Hey this was fun.

sparkletarte · Post by **sparkletarte** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 2:01 pm

Thanks for the heads up on the tiki torches, oh purpley one. I was eyeing some up the other day.

Done- silver hot pants. Yes! Hot! My legs are now covered with mercury. Next up- matching top and arm warmers.

Also done- mini Kootenay camp with a few friends in Woonami village. Yes! Kootenay zone! Yay for my organized Kootenay friends...this wasn't actually my done, it's their done, but I get to partake in that done. Thanks Woonami for giving us our chill space home base!

BAS · Post by **BAS** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 11:18 pm

Hey, on the bright side I am getting a good idea of where I am going to be getting the stuff I will need for 2005!

I've found out that Farm & Fleet is better than Menards as far as getting rope, straps, and stuff like that. They also seem to have a better selection of dust masks.

I might like Menards selection of camping supplies such as ice chests, Coleman equipment, and other things like that.

Home Despot is having a sale on lumber..., and I have a guesstimate on how much I should be able to get 2x4s for. (I'll still shop around when I actually figure out where I am going to cut them and store them at.)

Now, all I need to do is raise a few hundred dollars....

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 11:37 pm

Bought 12 hurricane lanterns for the camp...we'll be decorating those up, frosting the glass parts with microbeads so they'll shimmer softly with a million refracting photons...kind of similar to a crystal chandelier...
Finishing the Anubis StickHob tonight...
Sourced a local supply of batteries for 50¢ each, any size...
The people at Wheeler Dealer and Jerry's Home Improvement know me on sight now...
Silent Strider banner more or less finished, need to dig up some gold fringe...
Anubis headmask armature is finished, we go on to upholstering it now...then I go to the taxidermy supply to get wolf eyes and put those, the ears, nosepad and teeth/tongue in...
Bed has mostly been made in the back, I'm stalling because I'm still sleeping on the featherbed component...
Gathered a bunch of plums and pears via my gleaning group, they're freezing now...
Bought some buffalo meat yesterday...
Looking for a couple 8' 4x4 posts and some lattice to stabilize the structure of my shadespace...
I will be taking care of my EL wire needs tomorrow evening...

All in all, a fairly productive day

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 12:25 am

diane o'thirst wrote: Bought some buffalo meat yesterday...

Interesting, I hear ostrich is good too, yet to try it.

Oh! Crossed off: Soldered a new triac into my light controller tonight so all channels flash again, yipee!

diane o'thirst · Post by **diane o'thirst** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 3:31 am

Definitely! You owe it to yourself. There's a farm on the road into Solvang off 101 through SoCal, you can just pull up to the stand and buy some. It's incredibly red meat, red as venison, redder than beef, so much iron that you clank when you get up from eating it. Beats everything — read: EVERYTHING! — for low cholesterol and high protein, including turkey and venison. So healthy that it has no right to be as tasty as it is, either, but in this case it's definitely brawn, brains and beauty, all three

Oh, and I just finished the Anubis StickHob. He's got glow-in-the-dark eyes and a little water bottle and Intergalactic Towel slung over His shoulder. I tied a little gold bell to the end of the water bottle's string, very very cool

Two Hobs down, one to go...

orangepeelmoses · Post by **orangepeelmoses** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:22 am

piss clear wordplay:)

opm

Ivy · Post by **Ivy** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:25 am

Last night was our 2nd local burning Man-inspired belly dance showcase. people kept asking me what I was working on for BM...I kept telling tham that now that the showcase was over, I could finally start working on my BM projects!

Crossed off my list: one showcase and everything involved with it, YAY!

robbidobbs · Post by **robbidobbs** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:05 am

Just crossed off: 2 pair knit cotton shorts. I'm never satisfied with the ones made commercially, so I sewed them last night. With my schedule, they are the bomb for keeping the inner thighs cool and dry.

What's getting crossed off your To-Do list...

What's getting crossed off your To-Do list...

~

to-do list