I don't know about y'all, but I am getting excited about the Anything Goes Exchange. So I thought I ought to post a reminder that the deadline is in a month, and that anyone who needs the spreadsheet again should let me know.

i got my stuff ready!

I have two questions. How much should we send to cover shipping costs? Should we send our stuff wrapped in separate boxes/packages, or just send Sarah one box full of loose stuf?

Um. Make that "stuff".

I would guess at least $10 for shipping, and possibly $15, depending on whether or not people are sending gnomes. As for packaging...if stuff is little or you want particular things going to particular people, package. If not...

no need to send smaller boxes in one big box. $10 seems plenty for shipping.

if there's extra money left over after i mail everything out, i'll use it to buy you all candy.

Yeah, by "packaging" I meant "wrapping or bagging," rather than boxing. I just mailed my stuff off and it was $7.70 for shipping, and I suspect that my box was lighter than the average.

I am buying my stuff this weekend. Although we are going to the armpit of New Zealand so prehaps I should wait until I come back. hmm.

seeking prehensile thumbs for packing purposes. The Chink. (Tom Robbins?)

Man, I'm so behind. The good news is, I now have a part-time job. Hooray for being a contributing member of society!

I don't know, things from the armpit of New Zealand could be pretty neat to have.

platy's box arrived already. i haven't opened it yet...

Wahoo, glad to hear that it made it safely. The post office lady really tried to push next day air on me for some reason, and I had to fight her for the priority rate. And then I was filled with misgivings, thinking that she would confine it some sort of Postal Hell where it would drift for several weeks before finally being spat out at your house.

Post office? you tell me, I had a hell of experience with one of the post office,(not my town). I told a lady that I wanted the package to be there within 4 day, priority, not MEDIA!. it tooks two week for the package to get there.

Picking my stuff up tonight, should get it mailed soon after.

I've got to wait until I get paid again... I'm excited to buy stuff though!

I'll have my stuff mailed off by Tuesday of next week probably. I tried to suggest another category.. .music... but not sure if the spreadsheet accepted it... do we have to stick to the categories?

I think that people probably didn't know that you had suggested a new category, which is why no one filled out preferences there? But now that they know, perhaps they will.

music is awesome. great idea.

i kind of wish i had gotten in on this. i have a lot of random stuff, some of it obscene, i could offer. in return, i would want old tv antennas; they are my cat's favorite toys.

hmmm, I happen to have old rabbit ear tv antennas if you are serious. I have not sent my stuff to sara yet so will send to you if you send her your addy.

it's not too late, droop. you want in? the only person who haS already sent in stuff is platy. we wouldn't ask her to send in an extra at this point, but everyone else can add you on.

WE WANT DROOPY!

LOL cool -- Now just so I'm clear.. I originally thought it was one thing we were sending, but now it's one thing per person? And we don't identify who gets what, right?

or several things per persons and we can or cannot identify who gets what but it is up to Sara to sort it out so let'smake sure the directions are as confusing as possible, possibly written in different languages might be fun. Jim, are you still in upstate NY? I was born in Olean, and know Conesus Lake less than Seneca Lake, which empties underground all the way into Eldrige Park just outside Elmira. Always was afriad of drowning in one and ending up in the other as a child.

daniel, no was up there for vacation!

Each person sends enough for everyone in the exchange to get something. (Right now there are nine people, so everyone sends eight things. Unless you want something mailed back to yourself?) I earmarked specific things for specific people, but that's not required. And if Droop wants to add on, I can definitely send something else in, Sarah, since there's plenty of lead time.

ok awesome. glad I saw these posts before I shipped my stuff off.

Droop, you in? If so, drop me a line so I can add you to the spreadsheet of DOOM.

and again do we have to stick to the categories?

Well, crap. I didn't see these posts before shipping off stuff. Someone put something extra in from for Droopy.

Jim, NO. Stop being so literal! It's called "Anything Goes" exchange, right? Platy, I need the link to the spreadsheet again. I losted it.

agatha, losted? i think lost is a past word.

lol

Resented, Agatha!

Er, make that re-sented, rather than resented, which is an actual word.

Can't pull a grammatical fast one on Pepper, that's for darn sure!

So, I haven't heard from Droopy...which means that I think we are sticking to the original scheme.

forgot i wrote that. i probably won't join in. but you might save you tv antennas in case i go on the great rabbit ear road trip.

i actually have a tv antenna somewhere. sem, your stuff arrived today. i haven't opened up any of y'alls stuff yet. i don't know why. i think i'm going to wait til it all gets here.

Sending soap and tv antennna this week. Still don't know how to send my art to Spider,just sending art to her since it seems the right thing to do... it might be on a cocktail napkin for sure. But i really wanted to make miniature gnomes for everyone out of fimo but haven't had the chance since I have been busy being a psychopomp for a friend's mother who died, busy pushing her soul out of the body. So no time for fimo. I may in fact get to it, but I would have to stop typing. i should send something for the turducken too I suppose. Ah sarah, you who introduced me to this mad bunch of pixels...Detroit this thursday and friday, in the snow no doubt. I should teach in the south when it is winter.

Ok so I was gonna get everything in the mail today which was going to require one more shopping trip and the post office, but it's snowing (and here in the DC area if a cloud drops any more than 3 flakes it sends drivers into a major panic) and I have a 16 year old soccer mom van with a flat tire (again!), it'll have to wait til later in the week.

I can't shop until I get paid again. Three more days!

I have half of the stuff. my first severance payment was supposed to arrive but hasn't. so I'm delayed hopefully no more than another week.

I'm delayed for two weeks at the moment - over 2k vet bill and my freakin truck needs a new exhaust and fuel pump (although that part is covered by warranty).

Wow, we had some bad news, first; we are getting 5% (FIVE PERCENT) cut out of salaries. second; we have to do a V.T.O. ( VOLUNTEER TIME OFF), and now everyone is pissed off.

uh oh iqbal

somebody just emailed me this link: http://zipskinny.com/ my zip code rated above average in "unemployment" and "below poverty line."

droopy, I think zipskinny is full of shit or bull shit, it claimed that my old zip code does not show any percent of native indian??!!?? of course. there is native indians living in dallas!

Dr. Pepper: that website uses official US census data. What you are probably missing is that while there are probably Native Americans there, they probably represent less than 0.1 percent of the total population - hence they do not show up as the website only shows population percentages of one decimal place.

I am aiming to mail my stuff out on Wednesday. It's eye-opening, comparing where I currently live to where I used to live.

Spider, Wow! 91 percent of native ndn lives at this zip code; 59043. And now, you lives in Massachuest?

Yes, but that figure means that 91% of the 2,908 people who live in Lame Deer are Native American, not that 91% of all Native Americans live in Lame Deer.

BTW, I've heard that the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota is the poorest zip code in the US. I don't know if that's true, or still true, or what, but...just throwing that out there.

Pine Ridge is indeed poor. There are places in Oklahoma that rival it, but Pine Ridge like most rez locations is a center of poverty and lack of services. One of my AA sponsors is Lakota Souix and travels there yearly. I have never been there. One of the poorest places in the states which I have visited is the San Xavier Del Bac reservation south of Tucson, home of (White Dove of the Desert) Franciscan mission on the Tohono Odham or Pima, can't recall, rez. I grew up in western NYS among the Seneca nations' lands, also a fairly poor area. But these Indians did not participate in the massive relocations westward, instead staying put and either acculturating into the white populace or fading invisibly into the woods. When the US govt flooded Kinzua resevoir, and displaced thousands of Seneca, Cattaraugus, and Allegany indians, and smaller lesser know nearly extinct bands like the Salamanca and Ischua, the federal government built ranch homes for the natives, who never moved in, preferring to live traditionally in huts and woodland cabins...using the new ranch homes with plumbing, and central heat, as storage buildings. What I saw a poverty was a culture rich and teeming with live amidst the coal oil and kerosene heaters. I feel impoverished because I cannot afford my health insurance. But I have food, a pillow top mattress, hot tub and swimming pool. What constitutes poverty, really?

finished the gnomes Sunday but the artwork is , well, sucking. Tech parts for Droop's cat, and chocolate from local chocolatier, and miscellaneous soap will all be shipped to Sarah tomorrow. ANy final requests?

yay chocolatier chocolate!

How is everyone else doing? I'm getting excited over here.

I'm nearly done, I have my list of things to buy just have to get them - which will be done then mailed next week YAY

I will be mailing mine off tomorrow. :)

I have everything packed up and will be mailing it on Saturday. Whew!

I'm probably not going to be finished until the middle of next week. Sorry, peeps!

Mailed it! (7-day mail)

will send it all on tuesday a week from when i thought i would get it to the post. had fun packing it all up today but the post is closed tomorrow. happy president's day. i gotta work.

dan, your stuff arrived yesterday safe and sound. i still haven't opened anything up yet!

Hope you got the check in the mail too for the shipping.

i did, thanks. i sat down with a glass of boddington's after dinner tonight and opened up what has arrived so far. you guys are getting some badass stuff!! i'm so impressed!

We haven't heard from Nate in awhile...I wonder if he is out hand harvesting mysterious items from the wilderness or something.

Agatha, are you sending 10-year-old mail art? ;)

I actually thought about digging it up...

Yessssssss....DO IT. :)

I think that mailart is an entirely separate endeavor. Although it would be nice to see, someday...

When you least expect it!

spider, your package arrived.

Yay, this is getting more and more exciting.

spider, you booger. you wrapped everything so i can't see what people are getting!

That sneaky little wench. She probably sent sex toys.

brown paper? hmmm. plain brown paper. I should resend everything in plain brown paper...or old liquor bottle bags. Do you have an anticipated ship date...let us know. Where I live I have to fight off the meth heads stealing mail and packages. mmmm, chocolate.

Well, I *did* wrap everything in a brown paper bag... ...but only because I needed to keep everyone's multi-piece gift together and that's all I had. I guess I should have used saran wrap, for Sarah's sake. :)

Ah I KNEW IT... love em plain brown wrappers. Looking forward to receiving everyone's gifts, wrapped or not. Some of US are pretty loosely wrapped...

I still haven't mailed mine- sorry! We were really broke until two days ago, and now I need to finish my shopping and assembling. I'm hoping to get it sent off on Monday.

Don't worry I only finally figured out what I was doing today so am in assembly mode now :) Sarah can you put something on amazon or a wishlist somewhere that I can buy you to cover shipping to me??

please do not buy me anything, just send some pineapple lumps and we'll call it even.

Those were so strange.

I already have yr pineapple lumps :)

Agatha, not as strange as the Idaho spud.

I'm totally sending you another one, just for that!

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! I still have nightmares. ANYTHING BUT THE SPUD!

Are those the ones that look like over-size bonbons and come two to a package? What's wrong with them?

But you liked the Hokey Pokey right Agatha?

send it to me, i am not embarrassed to admit that i loved the idaho spud, and actually wished i could get my hands on more.

Hokey Pokey is awesome! Although I have to admit that I am not down with pineapple lumps. The Idaho Spud was...deeply problematic. I can't decide if it was the peculiar filling, or the intense sweetness, or its deeply ominous appearance...

you gals are talking candy code. I feel so burzwah sending just chocolate.

https://www.idahospud.com/products.htm#idahospud I went shopping tonight!

For that matter ...

i liked the idaho spud. i think. and the chick-o-stick started something that might now be considered problematic ;)

I might have to make one more store trip. I'm not totally satisfied with the candies I selected. although they are nothing if not bizarre.

If you can find a Twin Bing, I might forgive you for the Spud Incident.

Are they the ones that look like bonbons? Because I think I've had them before. And they were good. Agatha's link is tempting me...

Weirdly enough I have minties and pineapple lumps in my parcel which is scarily heavy.

more salsa then

oooh good idea.

Can we have an update? So far I think you've got packages from me, Sem, Daniel, and Spider? No word from Nate, and no packages yet from moonit, Agatha, or Jim?

that's exactly right. but Jim tells me he's almost ready, and fears he may be last. but moonit's will still have to travel a long way.

Mine is very close. There is a component I hope to finish on Sunday. Everything is bagged and ready to go aside from that.

I feel so plebian and boring around all you creative types. Thought i was doing good finding a local chocolatier...but nothing like Idaho spuds and pineapple lumps.

Daniel, I would much rather have interesting local chocolate than mass-produced stuff, personally. Spuds/pineapple lumps/the ilk are way too sweet for me!

I am coming honest, just had a bit of a drama with bloody dogs vs vet bills again. But package will be on its way this week :)

Spider?

Spider?

What?

SPIDER- Hi! Sorry, only mass produced junky candy from me (plus a few bonus items)! I'm also glad you're sending handcrafted items, Daniel. It's all about the variety, in my opinion.

Hi Spider!

I'm confused. I also didn't know it was Daylight Savings Night last night.

I think they were originally asking where you were with your exchange items. Also, I thought daylight savings started tonight, not last night, so you aren't alone in being confused by that.

Time is quite impermanent on this side of the planet. Just thought I'd say hi too. Anyway. Are you confused at the miscellaneous greetings or at the loss of an hour last night sometime arbitrarily in the dark when no one was looking, counting or whatever they do when time slips away? Spring forward!

My date book said I had to change the time on Sunday, I guess in themorning, but gee, could they be more specific. Is it tonight (Sunday) or was it last night (Sat/Sun?) I would vote for tonight but the computer itself changed the time (it usually asks me about DST) My oven says 241 puter says 341 and cell says 341 so I think the change has already occurred deep in the dark. Was anyone else awakened about 3 am this morning? I have friends in Europe who wrote me about their waking, and I did too, and a few of us here in MO did. (usually in MO it's because of an earthquake or pelan tan explosion in the swamp)

in fact, the opposite here. the turducken slept until 9:45 am and the two year old twins across the street reportedly slept til noon.

I sent my stuff in on Feb 14, and Sarah confirmed five posts above "Waiting" that she had got it. So what's the problem? I hate Daylight Savings Night. It fucks with my sleep, which is an unforgivable offense.

With you, Spider, there is no problem; you're in the list of people who are all squared away!

Ahhh, so now it is I who is confused. I thought someone was calling out to spider for a status check. NEVERMIND!

Waiting must be impatient or whatever. Has anyone heard from Nate lately? You are just fine Spider, I am sure.

Nate? hmm, no I haven't heard from them

Mailing tomorrow! Scout's honor! Sorry for slackage!

I mailed mine last week. They said it would be 4-10 days!

MY PACKAGE IS ON THE PORCH!!! I hope it doesn't get stolen, and I hope that it survives the trip intact. Packing was a bit of a sketchy affair because I had to force everything to fit in the only box I had that would work.

i got a delivery notification via email, but no package was on my porch when i got home, and senor was home all day long, supervising the dudes who were sawing trees and digging up a garden for me.

oh, i just re-read the email i got from usps. it says it is scheduled to SHIP today, not arrive today. i will keep a lookout.

Yeah, they just picked it up this morning, so that would have been freakishly fast! Sarah, I just realized that I didn't send you money in my haste to mail- can I paypal you or would you prefer cash mailed separately?

i haven't opened it yet, but wanted to let you know that the package you mailed arrived today. don't know nuthin about paypal.

Wow, that was fast. I'll send you some well concealed cash via mail, Sarah. Sorry 'bout that!

i'm not that worried about it. no rush at all. we're still waiting on Jim's stuff and Moonit's stuff to arrive. and Nate's too, but... ? if Nate doesn't make an appearance, you know where we'll be sending his stuff.

Brother Aloysius' Home for Wayward Boys?

Yeah, Nate seems to have disappeared again... hope he's okay.

my stuff better arrive soon.

It will, Moonie! No frets.

Moonit, your package arrived tonight. Jim? Are you close?

woohoooo!

Woohoo! So close, I can practically taste it.

Might have to email you my work address Sarah rather than getting it sent to home...

"I have two more to finish, which I plan on doing tonight. Got 4 of em done last night. Will mail them Saturday morning." -- Jim aka

Coming into the home stretch! Has anyone emailed Nate?

i did today, yes.

I feel like such a slug... I looked all through this thread and I made so many promises LOL thankfully I UPS'd my box yesterday. They tell me it'll arrive in Austin on Friday. Thanks for your patience guys.

Don't worry about it, Jim! Life gets in the way sometimes. I was only slightly earlier getting mine there...

yeah me too. freakin life, how dare it get in the way of our weird exchange.

ok good. :) I had to get it done and mailed Saturday because I'm moving on April 18 and hadn't done one thing to get ready... otherwise it wouldn't have been mailed out until after my cruise the 1st week of May!

are you staying in DC and just moving to a new place?

Yeah. Brand new building, was supposed to be condos but people weren't biting, so now they are apartments, and people still weren't biting too much so we got a sweet deal. almost $500 off the montly rent. and it's a brand new unit that's never been lived in. (new address included in the package in case)

Sarah, you might get the box today! Here's the tracking info: AUSTIN, TX, US 04/09/2009 7:28 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY

it's here! i haven't opened it up yet, but y'all can be assured i will be mailing out everything on monday, as senor is anxious for me to get the boxes out of his beloved utility storage area.

But what of wayward Nate?

Oh, we have a plan for our little lost boy.

Also, YAY!

woooHOOO!

Excitement! Shipping money is coming, Sara, sorry I spaced...

Hey gang; Sarah wants everyone to update the spreadsheet with their addresses for mailing purposes; if you lost the link, email me and I'll send it again.

platy beat me to it. i already have mailing addresses for Daniel, Platy, and Moonit, but nobody else.

I just facebooked my addy to Sarah

Oh, yeah, I should have added that people who didn't want their addressed floating around for whatever reason could also email Sarah.

addresses, gack.

i know i already sent a package to sem and kazu, but i lost your snail mail, so you're going to have to email it me too, or put it on the spreadsheet, whatevahs.

My address is the same (20 Stearns etc.).

that doesn't help, spider, because i don't have your address, at all, anywhere. i know i used to, but i don't anymore. i'm forgetful, and when pregnant have a difficult time planning ahead.

LOL

sweet, is it my home addy? cause the postie put a parcel in the middle of my driveway in the rain; so I'm thinking i should change to my work one...

i'm pretty sure it's your home address. the C/O address. it's not too late to submit a new mailing address to the spreadsheet or facebook or email or WHATEVER.

Ok it is a major dreary day in DC today. Blargh!

Oh, sorry! I'll add my address to the spreadsheet right now.

Okay, I added it to the second column (next to my email address).

Spider, do you use microsoft excel? I use this for recording the incoming call on my caller i.d.

Pepper, that might be the strangest thing you have ever said on here. Why would you record your incoming calls on Excel?

i imagine that there are many many lists.

wait. just what is so strange about recording one's incoming calls? i'm just sayin'.

Dr P, never change. You are perfect the way you are. Love, beta

I recording incoming CIDs by carving them into my thigh.

...with a rusty spoon.

agatha, you will never know, I mean, A lady called my number 4 time for the last two years, wonder why she tried to call me, but at that time, I wasn't at home. but why 4 time for the last two years? That is why I put it down on my Microsoft Excel, also, I use that to list people's name and address and telphone number and so on. and for my trip schedule. I hated carry few of timetable with me, so I put down three timetable into one piece of paper and it comes in handy. Antigone, would it be nice if you tattooed your CIDs name and number on your tight? it would be nice and permament. Awesome!

beta, thank you.

on tiggy's tight what? you sure are saucy dr p.

heather! seriously.

heather remains OUT OF CONTROL

LMAO

hm. at least i have joy division

So....Nate. If he has bailed on the exchange, that's fine, but I'd like him to get what I made for him (I owed him a shrine, and I made him some art instead). So Nate, you pip, if you're out there, send Sarah your address so you can get my art.

i got his address and we've been emailing. i'll make sure he gets your stuff. i know what platy wants me to do with the stuff she sent. anyone else have a preference for what happens with the stuff meant for nate? personally i'd like to just keep what Agatha sent him :)

If you're mailing Spider's thing to Nate, you could mail mine as well, assuming it hasn't already been...disposed of...since I made it just for him.

Do whatever you see fit with mine.

same with mine :)

if you've the address, send it on to nate

I will leave it up to you, Sarah!

Send mine on to Nate with my best wishes and hope for a return to Sorabji soon.

platy, did you get my email last week? i want in on whatever this is. i liked art exchange we did a few years ago.

I did, Patrick, sorry I didn't get a chance to get back to you. You can't get in on this exchange because everything's already been submitted/mostly mailed out at this point. Hopefully next time!

Speaking of which, IT GOT HERE! And OH MY GOD, you people are AWESOME. I only just got a chance to peek because I am theoretically working, but there is some amazingly cool stuff in here.

i mailed platy's first. the rest of you probably are going to get yours in another 5-7 days or so. sorry about that. in my current state i can only carry X amount of boxes at a time without incurring injury.

woooHOOO!

I'm so excited!

DIT-TOE!

Man, I feel so guilty for being first. But, believe me, the excitement is well merited.

aawwww man

moonit, obviously yours is going to take a little longer. also, i just discovered that spider's package hadn't been mailed, so i'll get that off today or tomorrow.

Patrick... shoot me an address and I'll send you something. I had many options of what I was sending and didn't use them all, so I have extras. :-)

Or you could just organize a whole new exchange, Patrick, since they usually take around six months anyhow.

I'm in with Patrick if he wants to organize easpecially an art exchange, though I am not sure what I would be clever enough to send. My last painting (a ditich, as in triptich but only two panels...??) was started three years ago in January and is not finished yet. I haven't touched it, sits on an easel, fornlorn, half finished, abandoned. But art would be nice. Some of you are about to see my weak attempt at sculpture in Sculpy...I once made a whole chess set for my boys of it...

I suck at art. I only do candy.

I think you rock at found object art. Those salad tongs you sent are fandiddlyantastic.

i suck at art, but i definitely have enought crap in my apartment i could send. early this morning i was reading an old ray bradbury story over coffee and a bagel. it was about an old woman who starts giving away or burning all her old stuff so she could live only in the now. it was actually kind of depressing; it was written when bradbury was just shy of his 30th birthday and a bit naive. still, it made an interesting point. looking around the room i'm in, i could send: -a pornographic aluminum casting of an anus and genitals side view of two people fucking. -an aluminum cast ashtray showing a short old rich man goosing a tall young woman (two views, front and back) -a wooden nutcracker in the shape of a reclining native woman -a real longhorn bull femur -a real twig and mud bird's nest -a tomahawk that is not made by american indians but is so old-looking you could probably lie about it. the guy who made it 40 years ago did. in my kitchen there's a wild man bottle opener that can have an erection. in a drawer in my bedroom are a couple of early-sixties slides (remember slides?) of a naked asian woman. it can all be yours.

droopy, you could of give it to people at the bus stop?

smile. for some reason I have a lot of monkey things. at some point my mother decided I needed monkies. every occasion I get several monkey cards (I think this birthday the count was 5). but I have a lamp, a hat, a tail (don't ask) a mask, key chains, magazines (again, don't ask LOL)

Uhmm, by the way droopy, don't you have any woman? I mean those pornography stuff you have at your apt. I mean, why would people buy those stuff like we do , and somehow later, we throw away those stuff that people made and rendered useless? Yeah, we do find this depressed too...

heh I thought you might like them. I only had two sets so someone else got the other pair :) hehe.

Dr. Pepper, do you have any man? I'm all out.

Spider, I don't have man stuff...

all of the "pornographic" items are actually a collection from years of going to estate sales - each one from a recently dead man. they just fascinated me. the first one was the aluminum "two people fucking" cast. this is the only one i know the back story to: he was a friend of my grandfather's - a machinist like him - who had died back in the early nineties. he had designed and cast the thing himself in his workshop, and i found it in one of his old toolboxes. i'm not prudish about sex - mostly cynical - so these items have no prurient sexual value to me. it's just that these evidences of a secret life buried in toolboxes, closets, and garages really amused me. so i collected them; no one else would.

I just had to pop on here to say that the thingie you sent, Spider? With the wire and the beads? I have no idea what you call it. I have seriously been wanting one of those for *years*, no foolies, and I actually squealed like a little girl when I opened that parcel. I have this cockamamie idea that I can use it to force my hair to stay in a bun when I put it up. Also, thank you for the imps!

Dang Droop,you have quite a collection,and I thought I was the sh*ts cause I had a penis with balls roach clip.

it sounds like a big collection, but it's really just a part of the huge amount of random stuff that is all over my apartment. all those the most pornographic items are out in plain view - even when my mother comes to visit - but are lost in everthing else.

in everthang else, shee-it.

by the way, J - the bottle opener would go perfectly with your roach clip.

no shipment yet. One of my most commented upon pieces of art is a somwhat imperfectly made clay bowl with a statues of an upright wolf wearing a hat inside the bowl. the wolf has a unique hat and a sly smile but what is most obvious is that he has a giant erection. I called it bowl with wolf, and dozens of people are surprised at what they see, and I am always surprised that my guest never say anything about the phallus, but always comment about the oversized hat...

I cannot wait to get my box! (this from the last man standing to get his stuff to Sarah!)

Platy, I'm so glad!

no ackage yet. p...

got ours today! Unfortunately, it sat outside in85-degree weather and some of the chocolate melted. but othwise, intact and awesome! we love everything! Moonit, the little kiwi shoes are the best - and they're a little big, which is good because he'll grow into them!

yay I'm glad you like them, I thought they were so freakin cute!

yeah, and it was nearly 90 degrees here the day most packages got sent out. i wouldn't be surprised if everyone got a little melted chocolate.

The attrition wasn't too bad - only total losses were the things Danielsss sent which arrived as chocolate lumps.

Moonit, I finally got to try some of the candy you sent, and the Smithfields Raspberry and Whittakers Caramel meet with my seal of approval. I knew New Zealand had some good candy hiding somewhere!

The suspense, it kills.

I got those especially for you Platy, cause I know you love dark chocolate. That raspberry one is freakin awesome.

They are both pretty scrumdiddly. Are those brands pretty popular in NZ, or are people there mostly like Americans, and not that into dark chocolate?

Whittakers is - thats like the real kiwi chocolate, they do these toffee milks which are awesome. Andrew loves dark chocolate so I get to try some when he buys them, but I am more of a milk person :) Cadbury's here are importing more choc from Australia so its not as flavourful as it used to be.

no ackage yet. can resend those chocolates Sem, but I'd better wait until winter. I hope it wasn't the gnome that melted... (I did poke holes in the box so he could breathe...

while the thought of another box in our new apartment doesn't exactly appeal to me, I'll make an exception for this box. YAY!

oh crap. jimbabe, i think it got sent to your old address, not your new one.

no worries, Sarah. that's my mother's addy, so I will still get it! :)

whoa, what a freakin' bonanza! some very cool stuff.. Mel... LOVE the salad things. :) will comment more soon.

I got mine yesterday! Are we allowed to talk about stuff yet? Who's still waiting for their plunder?

Talk, talk! I'm dying to know what other people got.

I'm still waiting :~(

spider, yours got sent, errrrrr.... just this morning. i'm sorry. same with Moonit.

I was waiting until i found the package on the front porch... wonderful good stuff and lots of weird candy and a great head warmer and close to goat stuff, wooden pigs, minature dead birds with smiles, gummi everything, and even a review by cleo et al on favorite candies, a neato pic from a beach some great art and stamped bags and and ego stamp...heh heh...and a llama like totem complete with texas salsa and idaho spuds candy...and yeast and a challah recipe ...but i think i've forgotten bunches ... and it was difficult knowing who sent what but i think i figured most out. i grazed through some of the candy late last night early this morning before heading off to vancouver washington -portland area for the next few days. now exhaustingly ensconced in the hilton there. thank you everyone! makes my little packages to you seem paltry by comparison. the truffles were outstanding! and not melted at all. Sorry that yours arrived on a hot day sem!

and while I spewing forth the contents of the aforementioned long awaited box of goodies, I forgot to mention theinteresting gummi burgers and hotdogs...and the outstanding StL postcard from some paper fanatic. Perhaps the next exchange could be anything goes but within certain parameters, like it must fit into a 8x10 envelop flat and weigh less than 10 ounces and be purple, or something like that! Hope i'm not leaving anyone out as it was very late when i opened it, ate chocolate, and slept for two hours before leaving for the airport.

postcards are from me.

aww, that was sweet. I love the Eads Bridge. One of my only photos that ever won any award was a sunrise shot of an eighteen wheeler coming across theMLK bridge with the eadsin background or something like that, on an annual report cover. What was the name of the sunset photo you took over the volcanoe in HI? I keep thinking Fire Pond, but that was the title of a story written by another friend. I still have the photo, but can't recall what you called it...and the salsa? I really love the postcard/art of the face and etc. Thanks Platy for the wonderful gift to keep my gray long hair in warmth... At first i thought it might a a kknitted thingy from Moonie. I loike the iconographic totems received, and Jim's photo and frame, hey, Rehobeth Beach NJ is great. Like the composition of the photo; a different R, Rehobeth Mass is ancestral ground for me... who sent me the "know your ego" stamp? it is interesting to THINK that i know who sent what, but really not be sure. Sorta sorabmysteries.

I sent that stamp. Mystery solved! :) (It just spoke to me in your voice, so I had to send it.) No worries, Sarah. The antici.......pation makes the spoils better.

Daniel, thanks... FYI, though, it's Rehoboth DE. :)

Guys... sorry I haven't had a chance to post about my delivery much, leaving tomorrow pre-dawn on a 10-day vacation to the Caribbean. Promise to reply when I get back!

I want to wait until spidey gets her stuff, anyhow. Have an awesome trip!

Also, I SAW THAT SPUD, AGATHA.

Heh! I actually made a second trip to go buy those.

Gah! I just remembered I forgot to send Sarah her shipping money. What a douchebag. I'm going to send that this weekend, Sarah, so sorry about that.

I ATE the Idaho spud last night when my puter coughed up its virus...thanks spider for the stamp...and Rehobeth MAss is my family's place and I've been to Rehobeth (I think) NJ but you say it's Delaware?? Hmm, well you took the shot, and it's a nice one, wherevere it came from. I was wishing I hat me new at when I was in Portland last week. And no, I never connected with anyone there as i was hoping to talk to Pez beforehand. off to detroit tomorrow. Again.

Danielssssego, I rather stay away from New England area. I believe that there are demons living in the area.

*sigh* i hate being on the other side of the world sometimes.

hopefully it won't be too long. i sent it airmail.

Mine arrived at the post office yesterday, and I will go tomorrow (hopefully) to pick it up. Yay!

OH MY GOD YOU GUYS IT'S LIKE CHRISTMAS Candy, kiwis, bright pretty colorful things from sundry islands, candy, fuzzy scarves, candy, soap, gnome and gnome lore, tribal mix with awesome packaging, a lovely photograph coincidentally (OR IS IT???) of a town I'm contemplating moving to, candy, love, candy, poetry, toys, candy, and candy Thiswasfunletsdoitagain!

Yay! Moonit, you get yours yet?

Oh God, I've eaten too much candy. I'm like a child with no self-control.

Its coming to work, so fingers crossed this week :)

omg you guys are freakin amazing. my workmates are so jealous.

Nearly all the candy is gone - i think the malted milk eggs were the first to go. Trying to figure out where to put the picture - kitchen seems likely. We have not tried the Idaho spud-it is somewhat intimidating. My favorite NZ candy was the odd red licorice with chocolate (?) filling.

Oh man, the two darks you sent are AWESOME, moonit. I am never going to finish all of this candy.

Is everyone accounted for? I think so? Hooray! Lengthy exclamatory essay on anything goes box will ensue...

Anything goes is such an excellent idea. I love my zine - you guys are all so talented. I think my picture will go in the lounge on my bookcase. I must take a photo of my computer at work though because now its very exciting with its gnome/dog/frog playground. I can't wait to go home and look at everything properly - and wear my hat - its bloody cold here - snow is on the mountains so very well timed :)

Yay! It hadn't occurred to me that winter would be coming on down there and that a hat would actually be totally apropos. Agatha, I used the rice block thing the other day, and it was way more fun than should have been legal. Although it did add a pretty cedary flavor; I think that will wear off with time though.

I want to know what pictures Sarah sent to whom!

sarah sent me a woodland nymph and an Eads Bridge.

i kept the photograph of the cherry blossoms and the capital. i sent the red bull one to agatha. the cathedral to spider (no coincidence). the castro to platy. can't remember the rest.

oh you meant what pics from you, Jim, well I think I already established which...the rehobeth Beach photo.

I got a hawaiian girl. She's very cute - I might frame her.

We got the Pride Pinatas! (Agatha- that Idaho Spud is horrifying. Thank you.)

the hawaiian girl is from me. it's actually a greeting card, i believe. i just LOVE the spud. love it. i ate mine in three sittings over the course of a week, just so i could savor it.

Man, I should have given you mine.

LOL

Agatha... so you got the red bull pic. LOL the guy who had set that up, spent seriously an hour getting that pose before he snapped a more upclose shot. I was probably 15 feet away.

I love the trike pendant - who sent that, I have to buy a chain for it on the weekend...

Moonit, thanks for the sheep tea towel and the down under candy. The chocoalte makes me sit up straight! I missed the sheep first time browsing through the wonder bag. So my apologies for not saying thanks earlier. My travels are nearly over--am stuck in airport now enroute to OKC but once home Friday, staying there for acouple weeks. I ingested some really interesting sweets from the bag last night...I am taking the guidebook provided seriously.

Andrew really liked the boston beans. The spud remains unopened.

senor took that guidebook very seriously as well. he would choose a piece of candy, then look it up in the book before unwrapping and eating it. every time he did this, he would have to find me to tell me what the book said, show me the pictures (as if i hadn't already looked at it 50 times already) and then announce that he agreed with it. it's like a candy encyclopedia, but funnier.

Yes, the guidebook was totally awesome. It made the candy experience so much more excellent.

I got a couple music cd's which I want to listen to, but the box kinda got buried under an avalanche of moving stuff so once we get that under control, and I find the box, it'll be very exciting again! :)

Awww, shucks. Thanks, guys. I'm glad you liked the books. I loved everything, but I think my favorite item was the plastic lady toilet paper cover. I was confused by a Hawaiian fannypack type bag- Sarah, was that you? Can you explain how to use that bag to me? I got a beautiful handmade scarf, awesome library ephemera including a book page with a picture of Victorian era novelist George Gissing, an a great religious tract entitled "Religion won't get you to heaven... what will?" The answer is the NEW BIRTH. I got a picture of a Ken doll straddling a pole with a can of Red Bull (?)(!). I got a chocolate camera. I got a cigar! I got a pig coin purse, and another little zippered bag with bears riding bikes and bunnies in striped suits. I got the best soap ever, and a gnome whose little red hat fell off during shipping but I am going to repair it shortly. I got CANDY which Cleo infiltrated so fast I barely got to see any of it. I got librarian tattoos! Postcard of Detroit which must be a thousand years old because Detroit certainly doesn't look like that any more. I got a Hawaiian card with a recipe on the back for banana, chocolate chip, and macadamia nut muffins. Also, some very cool handmade flower pins, and Crunchie in bar form AS WELL AS egg form. I got perfume which actually smells really good, as I'm not generally a perfume fan. I think that might be most of it! Seriously, you guys are the best. xoxo-

Seriously Daniel, that soap is the bomb. You'd give Lush a run for their money.

I am trying to remember seeing a bar of soap, and I don't. Damn I need to find that box!

omg the soap. everyone at work was jealous of the soap. so freakin awesome. I am saving my vanilla coconut cigar.

I don't think we got any soap. That makes me sad.

I think Sem said no soap, can't recall if Jim said likewise. Shipping was driven by spreadsheet. So if you'd like some, be glad to send. i'll see if there are addresses still on spreadsheet. If not, Jim and Kazu, please add yours and I will send. glad folks like the soap.

hmmmm...I don't know why sem would say no soap. Weirdo. I don't know about this spreadsheet but my address is the same as sem's. Let me know if you can't find it.

And here was I thinking candy,something that would go straight to my ass.Dang!

LOL

we currently are using up bar #2 of soap, which is even better than the bar #1 of soap we used up a few weeks back. awesome. yes, the fanny packs are from me. here's the story on that. my dad works for a company that distributed them as corporate gifts. my dad sent me like 30 of them. W T F you may ask, as i did. so i got rid of as many as i could and the rest were piled up in the utility room. the utility room... senor totally owns that space. when we moved in to the house four years ago it was simply the laundry room. since then he has transformed it into a beautiful storage mecca worthy of a Container Store catalog appearance. if i need anything out of the utility room i basically have to fill out a requisition in triplicate. so having those fanny packs piled up in an unsightly manner and taking up space in the utility room really chapped his organized ass, and he literally BEGGED me to give them away in the exchange. the postcards are from me. they are all circa turn of the 20th century. i got them from a guy who only deals in antique postcards. the most valuable ones are those that were stamped and dated by the post office.

Daniel... my addres should be on the spreadsheet, if not, let me know. :)

soap ought to last at least a month of two person showers, except the shea which I am experiemtnting with.

experimenting ... plus in between clients...... shea seems to degrade more quickly. It is best to always keep the soaps on a stand such that they dry well in between uses. And keeping them in the shower or on the tub wall where they can get wet repeatedly without their being used as soap simply wastes the soaps. commercial soaps have so much more stuff in them they can withstand a constant barrage of water or actually sit in a wet dish. These like any handmade soaps degrade faster because they do not contain artificial stuff gluing them together. But with care (I travel with mine on a soap stand wrapped in saran wrap in a baggie (TSA requirements)) each of the bars ought to last over a month. I'd be interested in knowing which flavors folks like. I've been using the hell out of the shea cinnamon clove variety. And I really don't know how it stands up since it is a new version/recipe. It is a softer soap than the goat's milk. Also the time curing outside the wrapper makes a big difference in the lasting power of the soap. Problem is that the longer outside the wrapper curing, the longer lasting and more resistant to water degradation the soap, but unfortunately the more the loss of scent and flavor from the unstabilized herbs. This is probably more than you needed to hear. Spider, how is your weekend planning going? Everybody be safe out there.

Actually, I found that soap talk quite interesting. I might have to try to rig a proper soap holder in my shower now...

I have no weekend plans, save the one I just accomplished, which was to pay a $4.20 library fine for a book I never read. (Cormac McCarthy's "The Orchard Keeper," if you're wondering.) That cinnamon clove soap is fabulous. I love the scent, and I love how mild the scent is. Oh, I do have plans! I am going to finish Dostoevsky's "The Idiot," and I'm serious this time.