One item for BMan 2014 a day

[tamarakay]

Sorting bins. Trying on pants. Ug. Not fun. Waaaaaaaaayyyyyy to much eating and not enough exercise this year. The stallion got to remove four little dead mice from the trailer. They'd gotten into the shower tub and couldn't get out. We found them before it got too awful in there thank god.

[trilobyte]

Got our placement news, sent in the food permit application, picked up a rake (for LNT efforts as well as dealing with pesky ruts), and I sent out a RFQ to some overseas suppliers for a project that may work out for the playa. There's still loads and loads to do, but any little bit of progress is a win.

[tamarakay]

Taking deep breaths as I have yet to receive any tickets or emails about tickets. I know they will eventually arrive, I have my paid receipt and the logical part of my brain says it's ok Tamara, they will come. But the crazy side of my brain says wwwaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaa, I want my tickets now damn it!

[Patsh]

Taking deep breaths as I have yet to receive any tickets or emails about tickets. I know they will eventually arrive, I have my paid receipt and the logical part of my brain says it's ok Tamara, they will come. But the crazy side of my brain says wwwaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaa, I want my tickets now damn it!

+1!

[chuckularone]

Taking deep breaths as I have yet to receive any tickets or emails about tickets.

I'm starting to get twitchy myself. Hearing that you haven't received an email yet either settles me down a bit... a bit.

[lucky420]

I woke up the other night and couldn't get back to sleep so I went online. As I'm looking at someone's posted pic of tix and vehicle pass I panicked. I didn't remember seeing my vp pass, so I get and get my tix envelope out of its hidey spot and...whew it was in there. Just a little peice of extra paper rattling around in the envelope.

[VultureChow]

No tickets here either TK, and I'm a bit freaked too, but it will happen. It will all be okay.

Ordered some extra exodus stickers so I'll have enough for the M&G AND exodus.

Reworking my camp setup/security based on our placement. I was a little lax with keeping things secure last year, especially as I had street frontage, but will try to change up a few things this year. Also figuring out a few ways to decorate camp as well for the hordes of traffic. Gotta step up to represent BDC.

I had a stamp made with my camp logo for some swag. It feels kind of weird and presumptuous to name a camp for one person with just the cougars out front, but it fits me. I have a history of people taking things I mean literally the wrong way, so Cougar Camp is just perfect. The stamp came out great, and was just planning to use for swag, but now I'm wondering if I should bring it with me to stamp the rampaging hordes.

[bluemiragemi]

Laid out my gear and packing containers last night. Two 18 gallon Rubbermaid containers, a rolling cooler and my tent/tarp/shade structure which will be shipped on the Videogasm truck from Detroit to BRC, and a suitcase of clothes to take on the plane. Packaged all of my clothes inside of gallon Ziploc bags. Shorts in one, skirts in another, yoga tops in another, costumes in one, and the "going back to Michigan" outfit in another. Plenty of room for 3 pairs of shoes, whew. Planning and lists = sanity. GYST!! <3

[AntiM]

Packed for the regional. Wonder why I have more burner clothes than regular clothes, and how so much of my wardrobe doubles for either event.

[delle]

Fabulous!

You never cease to surprise and amaze me.

[melodiousdirge]

Two fiber optic whips done.

20140708_042902_resized.jpg

Very sweet. Do you have a thread for the project or any more info/photos to share? I have several miles of fiber optic filament laying around left over from another project. I thought about making some whips and other things but haven't got around to thinking it out.

[tamarakay]

VC - YES! Bring it. AND if you have time, a stamp made from your shirtcocker drawing would be hilarious. I'll help you hunt them down and stamp them lol

[Sic Pup]

Packaged all of my clothes inside of gallon Ziploc bags. Shorts in one, skirts in another, yoga tops in another, costumes in one, and the "going back to Michigan" outfit in another.

I do this but go another route. I pack shorts/tshirt/sweat socks and tighty whiteys in each bag. It sounds Summer Campy but I just find it convenient to reach in blind grab a bag and be good to go (no fashion-plate, I).

I think I bought space on the NYC container, they sold out two train cars in 8 minutes. I didn't make the cut so I'm hoping there's enough demand to warrant a third car. I'm not saying a word to my friends (but Patience is looking at me cross-eyed for some odd reason).

No email/tickets yet here either, misery loves company.

It took all the restraint I could muster to not comment on your last outfit.

[maladroit]

LED shutter shades arrived...darkwads tremble

[media]

[kittyrodriguez]

Very sweet. Do you have a thread for the project or any more info/photos to share? I have several miles of fiber optic filament laying around left over from another project. I thought about making some whips and other things but haven't got around to thinking it out.

I don't have a thread, or any good pics yet, but I can explain it fairly simply. I am not very technically inclined, so this is my cheating version of a fiber optic whip.

I bought a bundle of 200 .75mm fiber optic threads cut to 2 meters in length. One end was wrapped in heat shrink stuff. It looked like this.

Fiber optic bundle.JPG

Then, I had some of these led glow stick things. They just twist on and off. They're about $1 a piece.

glowstick.JPG

I used a candle to heat up a utility knife and cut the plastic tube off of the glow stick, leaving about 3/4 inch attached. This way it would still twist on and off.

Then I heated up that little piece of plastic tube just enough to expand it slightly to fit the fiber optic bundle and I shoved them in there and against the led. Then I let it cool for a second and wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape. Then I cut the threads to varied lengths to maximize the points of light.

20140708_042945_resized_1.jpg

In the end, I ended up cutting the fiber optic threads in half and made two 1 meter whips. They twist on and off, have replaceable batteries, and were really cheap. Maybe $12 bucks per whip. Took me an hour or so to make. Not perfect, not pretty, but good enough for me.

[EmilyD]

Taking deep breaths as I have yet to receive any tickets or emails about tickets.

I'm starting to get twitchy myself. Hearing that you haven't received an email yet either settles me down a bit... a bit.

Same here...but it'll be fine! We won't get left behind, not to worry!

Today's efforts:

* Ordered a Durocool pad from Amazon...just couldn't find a local source.
* Started my calls to campmates to check that I have their data correct in my camp spreadsheet. Only 38 more to go!?!
* In progress "expanding" my light-up coat for my bigger ass (I sure I'm not the only one!)

We have a river camping trip next weekend on which I will be able to test the new bike rack (due in on Monday) and my mini-evap cooler for our tiny trailer (Figjam, probably shaking head in a tsk tsk.)

[Elorrum]

I was checking my spam folder, and my inbox, looking, but did not get an email.... then knock knock knock on the door after work yesterday. "Sign, please."

[EmilyD]

I was checking my spam folder, and my inbox, looking, but did not get an email.... then knock knock knock on the door after work yesterday. "Sign, please."

CONGRATS!!!! ooooo!

[FIGJAM]

I don't "tsk, tsk" anyone.

I "tic, tic, TIC"!!!!!!!!!

[Elorrum]

some plates for the meet and greet. I hate it when my roasted peep runs into my wild boar bacon.

[Patsh]

What a Perfect Plate there, Elorrum! No more intermingling of delicacies for you!

[VultureChow]

I don't know... Candied bacon is pretty awesome too.

For me it's two steps forward and two steps back.

Found a key that I had lost for my bike. Was going to have to replace the ignition. Huge weight off my shoulders.

Computer running the engraver has kicked the bucket. At least I hope that's the issue. Time to go cannibalize another ancient desktop. The good news is I finished all the fronts, and was starting on the backs. Worst case scenario is the dog tags have only one side engraved,

[melodiousdirge]

20140708_042945_resized_1.jpg

Wow that turned out great, and such a simple build. Thanks for sharing!

[trilobyte]

Take deep breaths and relax regarding tickets... it's nowhere near being late yet... I haven't gotten my ticket yet either.

It's been a really insanely busy week, but I've managed to knock out a few things... I put in an order for another spool of tie line and a couple rolls of 2 inch gaffer tape, plus a couple skinny rolls of UV gaffer tape that I'll use to mark the edges on the top of the ziggurat. Since there will already be UV lights in the area, that'll be perfect for making those edges visible at night. I also placed an order for another UV light for the installation. We also picked up a couple cases of my girlfriend's favorite plonk for the playa. Last year it took ages for the stuff to come in, so this year I figured we'd let them know early so there'd be no scrambling... and our wine guys were able to make it happen in no time. Woohoo for them, she's got her favorite drink sorted out.

I also picked up an impact driver and bit set, a bunch of heavy duty chain segments, and big-ass lag bolts for securing my structures on the playa. In realizing that I'll need to replace half the heavy duty hurricane stakes I've been using on the playa for the last 8+ years, I figured it was time to make the switch. The impact driver will mean a lot less swinging of sledgehammers on the playa for my team, I like that idea a lot.

We also ordered replacement gas caps/pour nozzles. At a recent campout I realized that a couple were dodgy and there were leaks and drips when pouring. While looking for a replacement that fit our red gas cans, I discovered a big ass ball of crazy that happened a few years back... apparently most of the caps/spouts on all the plastic red cans from before 2009/2010 are pretty fucking hazardous. We do have a couple newer cans, but most are older so I ordered replacements.

There's also been much in the way of haggling and negotiating with overseas suppliers, I'll hopefully be able to place my order for materials in the next day or two. I admit that it's a crazy exercise, but having professional experience as a buyer I can manage it and it'll hopefully pave the way for some other stuff I want to do down the road.

[melodiousdirge]

and big-ass lag bolts for securing my structures on the playa.

Hey Trilo, someone turned me onto these last year and I used a few 18" beasties here and there. How long are the ones you found, and do you have anything to say about how strong of an anchor they make? One of the most tedious and exhausting parts of my camp setup is staking everything down; I have 15x 2 foot long candy cane stakes to hold my 24 foot dome down, and several more to pin down guy wires; if I could just drill some 1/2" holes in my dome feet and lag bolt the thing down it would save a lot of misery.

[trilobyte]

I'm a long-time rebar-hater... it's just a material I don't want to work with, so couldn't compare it to candy cane stakes.

What I've seen and what I'll be using are 3/8 x 14" lag bolts. They're a little shorter than the 18" hurricane stakes I've been using in the past, but will still be long enough to get the job done right. They make an incredibly strong anchor, the only thing I've seen that can equal or better the system I've been using. Check out Figjam's thread on the subject for more info.

[Jovankat]

I spent a pretty big chunk of my day yesterday thinking about and explaining why I don't think it's reasonable to exclude me from a public event that I've been helping to plan for over a year and that is now the official on playa meet up for people frommy country because two people in the camp dont want me around. Your feelings, your responsibility people, there a a million other things you could do instead. That put a dampner on my day and I didn't get much else done. :(

Although I did do a partial stocktake of random postcards I have that I'd like to use to make a "send a postcard to a random" art project. It might need a better name though...

[geospyder]

Another brick of Sculpey clay for more pendants...

[AfricanFire]

Bought a new bike rack to haul my bike to the playa.

[lucky420]

Since 7/5 when I got my ticket I've kicked it into gear.

Have bought new prescription glasses and rx sunglasses. I just don't think I'm going to be able to wear my contacts (hard/soft hybrid).

My new doc martens. I'm in love with these...

Checking stuff I have and making lists

And art. Making art for our camp.

So after buying the glasses and boots I'm pretty much broke until next week so this weekend I will work on Art.