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I’ve signed up for welding classes at The Crucible and gotten some welding videos from Technical Video Rental.

I’ve always felt that I have a much harder time learning if I can’t find a practical (that’s practical to me) application for the subject matter. Well, here’s my chance!

I’ve just arranged to have all my stuff shipped from New Jersey to California via UPS. Let me tell you a little about my experience:

I’ve got 2 shipments… 150 lbs of computer equipment being shipped to my apartment. It’s going 2 day air because such packages are usually treated kinder in the UPS system. Cost: about $350. I’ve also got 1,100 lbs of stuff being shipped directly Ground to a storage space in San Francisco for about $700. Total cost: about $1,100.

I found that any other option would have cost two to four times as much. If you can find cheaper, please tell me! PODS would cost a cheap $200/month for the storage space but $3,000 to ship it cross country. Movers charge $0.50-$1.00 per mile…. * 3,200 miles is expensive. It would have been nice if a mobile storage unit company like PODS would work with a rail line to get the cost of a long haul shipment down.

Packing boxes for UPS is much different than packing boxes for moving. It takes quite a bit longer and is quite a pain in the neck. 50 boxes all carefully packed with cushioning and styrofoam peanuts. Ugh.

To accept the packages at the storage space, I’m going to have to sit there and wait all day for them. But it’s better than finding 1,200 lbs of stuff at the door of my second story apartment! Not all storage spaces will let UPS pull up to their loading dock.

Pyrophage has been kind enough to get me a Livejournal Syndication. So you can now view my blog inside your Livejournal Friends Page by using http://www.livejournal.com/users/gadlenblog/.

I believe I’m going to be helping to build a really big, really dangerous, really freaking heavy sculpture to be placed in a desert for all to enjoy.

I just got back from a Burning Man preview event:

The Crucible Hosts: Burning Man’s Desert Arts Preview: Free Admission
See and hear what some of this year’s Burning Man honorarium artists are creating for Black Rock City! You’ll also hear members of Burning Man’s Art Department give an overview and highlight of Burning Man’s theme and grant process.

The tagline of the Colossus project reads “30 tons of granite and steel spinning overhead. 70 feet tall. Radically radially interactive.”

Find out all about it.

I’ve got to contact Corbett in the morning but I think since they’ll need a welder, I’ll be taking welding lessons soon. Maybe I’ll rent a video on the subject too.

I’ve started a cell phone photo blog. I’m not sure I’ll be using it all that much but you can find it at http://www.t-mobilepictures.com/gadlen

If you’re all gaga over seeing the pix, you can subscribe to an email list on the above page. It’ll tell you when I’ve posted new photos without you having to check both of my blogs on a regular basis.

I’m building up a long list of restaurants, dining and the like to go to in SF. When I tell friends where I am, they wax poetic and start telling me where I -have- to go! It’s far less fun to go to such places alone so I look forward to friends buzzing me up and asking to go out with me [hint hint!]

After several days of homelessness in the Bay Area, I’ve found a temporary home, Hussah! I’m in the Mission District not far from Caesar Chavez (the road, not the person)

This is my first night here and so far the place is really good. The housemates are real, kind, and stimulating to talk with. I’m looking forward to this all.

I may have found a temporary place to live in the Mission district.
cool.

About 3,500 miles later, I’m writing this from Milipitas, CA, about 30 minutes from Oakland. I’ll tell more soon.
I only have internet-cafe internet access for now.

I’m writing from my old friend Zim’s house in Denver Colorado. This at the end of 3 days travel. I spent each night in Elyria OH, Iowa City Iowa, a campground west of Grand Island Nebraska, and now Denver!

Tomorow I’m seeing Stevie near Boulder. Then it’s on to the south and Arizona. I think the Grand Canyon and some other spectacular places are in my future.

I’m so glad I stopped to see Zim, his wife and son. They’re just terrific.

Later!