12.23 Studios

(05/03/25)

Ok, the anxiety and chaos from the administration of the Felon In Chief, the sheer dumbassery, and the pre-occupation with doing the new podcast has really cut into these journal entries this year, but frankly, we're finally getting into bike weather now, so let's see how it goes from here...

I'm actually starting this in the final few days of April, once again waiting to see if Elon's DOGE assholes have screwed up SSA enough to make me miss a check...

Lately, I've been staring at the space taken up by my bike and the rack, and I really want to readjust that general area to accommodate the boxes and assorted items and get them out of that tiny and rather expensive storage space. I need that cash for other things and I want access to all my misc. stuff. Most of the current boxes are also a dozen years old and have to go, and there are still some items that can be discarded...

Stacking boxes in this area will only be possible because the bike on the vertical rack doesn't have to lean so the handlebar rests against the wall...

Ok, my money came through normally, so I cut my rent check and went to the U-Haul store and got 8 fresh boxes and a roll of packing tape. The plan is to first move out all the items in the bike area, prep all the boxes for use, then stack them into the corner and readjust the new arrangement.

Because this will be fairly labor intensive in such a small space, I'm waiting until after I drop the 5/02 episode and make a weekend of it.

And just like February, I'll spend most of May moving stuff a load at a time, using my big backpack and the small sport bag to carry a box's worth on the bus. I'll only use the bike for a single run - hauling the big Rambo touring trailer uphill, which will be the next to last thing to go.

On Sat. afternoon I cleared out the space, stacked the boxes in the corner, moved everything back, and it looks as well as expected...

Once the boxes are filled a lot of the loose bike gear will come off the floor and sit up top. The shelf fits as well. I can also get a couple more boxes if needed. The bike rack bites into the space for the big backpack, but that can be shifted...

The existing box from the move last summer is a convenient prop to rest the rear bike wheel against for now...

The corner space is a rough equivalent to the 4 x 3 foot storage locker, and I have the luxury of not needing to rush, but if I can get things transferred by the 20th, I can close out that particular bill...

(05/05/25)

Ok, I made a run yesterday and this morning, and based on the two misc. items moved so far, I think it'll take this month and half of June to finish the task, and I will need a few more boxes.

For reference, this is what I started with - moving many of these misc. items first, I've already tossed a few pieces of research gear not worth keeping...

It'll take a full week just to clear out these items around the cart and frame. Half of this is heavy stuff. The few bulky items that won't fit the backpack can go in the roller duffle not seen..

By the time I get to all these boxes, the toolbox, anvil and green studio bag will be moved. This part of the task will take longer with having to take out the touring trailer gear and put it back each time...

(05/06/25)

Ok, the big toolbox and the anvil are settled. The big block of marble is the last misc. heavy item to move, and it'll go under the rack with the rest of the stones...

At this stage of the operation, I'm pretty sure that everything will be shifted around by the time I'm done, so I pulled the empties out of the corner now to make stacking them by weight easier as I go...

(05/08/25)

Before getting on with producing podcast episode 25, I hurried down to the storage locker for the big marble block. Bringing it back turned into an ordeal the minute I struggled to put it in the messenger bag. It was heavier than I remembered; walking 2 1/2 blocks to the bus stop was a pain in the ass, back and legs. The bus ride was a half hour of enduring giant baby strollers, wheelchairs and more than one old bastard who exuded the funk of sleeping on the street and not bathing for months. Once back in my neighborhood, I had to slowly walk two blocks downhill to my building, then had to walk like a sumo wrestler up the flight of stairs to get it home. This has me seriously considering the hassle of using the shopping cart to bring two boxes at a time...

After I took a break for lunch, I put the block on the scale before moving it in place...

I'd completely forgotten that this thing was almost 60 lbs. I already have the vision of the piece buried within the marble - I swear, it'll be less than 30 lbs. when it's done...

For now it's under the bike. Hard to believe it's been 10 years since I took those Sculpture classes...

(05/10/25)

I made a quick run down to the locker on this beautiful second half of Spring morning, decided not to use the roller duffle or the shopping cart...

After another load of misc. items this is what it looks like now. I haven't had to remove the trailer to get at the boxes yet, so it only takes a leisurely 10 minutes or so to load up...

After a couple more trips next week, then I'll remove the trailer and bring all those top boxes down. Once they're sorted, I can use the shopping cart to haul two boxes at a time. I just might be able to do this by the 20th...

I made another trip later in the afternoon. Now I can pull the trailer and the base unit and get at these smaller boxes on Sunday. Two trips should make a big difference...

(05/11/25)

This is what it looks like today. One of the boxes is empty, but there are no available trash cans in the area to toss them, so I guess they'll pile up for now. I'll also need to buy another six storage boxes, probably 12 in. cubes...

I decided to just do one trip today. I pulled the trailer and the base unit out and shifted all the topmost items forward, then loaded up the equivalent of two boxes. I'll put off using the roller duffle or the shopping cart until the last two trips before hauling the trailer and gear up...

(05/12/25)

Lots of running around today...

I had another Nutritionist appointment in the morning. I was advised to add more green leafy veggies and fish to improve my Vitamin D numbers, and look at milk alternatives to raise my Calcium intake beyond yogurt and Cottage Cheese. I agreed to give Almond Milk a try instead of Soy or Oatmeal Milk...

Next stop, the storage locker...

With this trip, I have at least three boxes empty or holding junk to toss (the 'House F' pile), leaving about eight solid boxes of stuff to go...

After lunch, I went back down to the Mission and got eight book boxes, the 12 in. cube types. Next, a grocery run where I picked up some Almond Milk. Back home I tried it and was pleasantly surprised.

The book boxes are rated to hold up to 60 lbs and don't have hand holes on the sides, so I can pack them pretty full...

I set up four of them for now. I'm gonna try making two trips per day this week, whether or not I can move two boxes worth each time. I'm trying for the 24th as the new final day to clear the locker; a week's notice should save me from having to pay for June...

(05/13/25)

All right, lots of morning running...

I went and picked up a fresh batch of lancets for the blood sugar testing next month, then did the first storage locker run before 10 AM. After sorting those items I made the second run and was back home before 1 PM...

The status now is half and half - I have four boxes, the two milk crates and the 5 gal. food canister left to move, and about six empty boxes remaining. One thing in my favor is that the original boxes weren't packed full, which is why so many have crushed sides...

Those empties are getting in the way; I may have to burn a trip just to flatten and cart them back to the neighborhood for disposal...

Ok,the four boxes in the corner are now full, heaviest up to lightest. The next four are partially full for further sorting...

The two book boxes contain the last of my clay, jewelry and wax tools, along with a few pieces from pottery classes. As these cubes are as wide as the shelf unit, once I have six of them full, they'll sit against the wall for more efficiency...

(05/15/25)

Ok, today I tried to put one of the milk crates in the sport bag but it wouldn't fit, so I put all the books in it and put the other crate's contents in the big backpack. That's two boxes worth, so I'm just gonna make this one run and spend the rest of the day sorting this load and producing the show...

So this is what's left - the equivalent of three boxes of stuff along with the bike trailer, base, milk crates and the food canister. The empty boxes are really piling up...

The two white boxes are fairly heavy, so they'll require their own trip. The two brown boxes and maybe the bucket is another trip. Then the trash run, which could be done with the bike and shopping cart bringing up the crates, and finally assembling and moving the trailer gear. That's five trips. At the latest, I could be done by Wed. the 20th, and close out the storage locker on the 21st. If I give them formal notice tomorrow, that's plenty of time to officially cancel my account and the June bill. Cool...

(05/16/25)

All right, Wed. and Thur. was spent writing and rewriting the script, and this morning was production. I got the episode out before 11AM, then went to the storage locker. I loaded up and gave my official notice, took a short break and went on the final run...

Turns out the second white box was marked 'Clothes' and had leftover items I can discard, so that clears out the boxes. Now all that remains is the trailer, base, trunk, bucket and the crates.

The plan for the weekend is to do the trash run and the crate run, stay home to avoid the Bay to Breakers traffic on Sun., then on Mon. haul the trailer gear...

(05/17/25)

Yeah, I changed my mind and left the bike at home today. Instead, I went to get groceries, then walked up to the storage locker to sort the trash...

I pulled the items out, bagged the trash and junk, then broke the boxes down with the box cutter, bagged them, then swept up the locker and the floor area. Nice and clean...

The trailer, base, cargo trunk, and the two trash bags are all that's left in the locker now. Those two bags are their own trips, and I'm glad I didn't ride today; it would have been a slog with a stiff headwind going uphill...

The crates and the bucket just fit the plastic bag, and the strong gusts made the short walk to the bus a bit challenging, but now i just have to make sure I have room for the trailer...

Tomorrow will be bike cleaning and tune up day...

(05/18/25)

All right, the stone storage area is neat and tidy now...

The space on top of the crates had to be cleared for the bike tire...

Ok, the full storage area is about 90% done. Three book boxes are left - items on the shelf can go in them...

The space where the bucket sits will hold the trailer; the base and cargo trunk will be trickier, but I'll address that during the final tweaking of the area...

Ok, it's a liitle after 7PM. I'm done cleaning and tuning up the bike. I have light surface rust on some of the wheel spokes, but I don't have any fine steel wool in my garage kit. None of them are compromised, though, so it won't stop me from making the three runs this week...

(05/19/25)

Ok, I got my workout in for the day...

I lugged the bike and cart down to the street, hooked them up and took a leisurely ride downhill to SoMa. I took the heavier trash bag from the locker and was about to roll out, when I asked the clerk if he knew about any dumpsters nearby. He saw my single bag of trash and opened up their dumpster. He said I might be lucky with the other clerk tomorrow, but we'll see. After I left, I rolled down Minna to 11th St. and there was an open dumpster there - maybe tomorrow's run will be ok...

Anyway, I rolled empty back up to Nob Hill and took a short break at City Hall Plaza...

There was still a headwind going back up Polk. I ran into Michael Warr on the way and spent a few minutes catching up, then I continued, ending up walking the rest of the way from Geary...

Later in the day I boxed up the rest of my bike gear and moved the shelf. The last items to reshuffle are all those tarp bags to make more room for the trailer...

I think I want to do the trailer tomorrow and leave the bag of cardboard trash for last...

(05/20/25)

Ok, all done with the locker...

I left the bike home again instead of attaching the big elevated trailer hitch to the rear rack. At the locker I didn't waste time trying to bolt the cargo trunk to the base - I just strapped it in place, re-attached the top rails to the uprights, bungeed the base to the trailer after putting on the wheels, and put the trash bag on top.

I formally checked out and asked this clerk the dumpster question, and she graciously opened it up for my bag of flattened cardboard. Very cool...

I took this pic outside the storage building, then began the casual walk over to Polk St and all the way uphill to my crib. It took about half an hour as I enjoyed the morning sun.

I broke it down and lugged it inside, then went on another grocery run for lunch. A few hours later I got the cancellation email and closed out my info on the storage app...

The Bikepacking and Touring tarp bags and gear fits around the trailer nicely. For now, that wraps up my storage wall, and for the first time in many years, all my stuff is in one place and accessiible...

(05/25/25)

Ok, it's a week after I cleaned the bike and lubed the chain, but the spokes had a bit of hard oxidation that a simple wipe down won't fix. I'm now waiting for next month to get a few things to go with the WD-40 to clean and rust-proof the spokes, something I need to stay on top of due to the Bay Area having more of a corrosive marine climate...

In addition to steel wool pads and shop towels, I'll need carnuba wax to finish up the bike cleaning job. Making the frame nice and shiny will be a nice touch...

Youtube Channel