Aloha
I somehow expected New York City to be something else, but really it is just a smelly city with badly maintained roads where people are rushing to-and-from lost in their own world. For a badly needed dread-maintenance I go into Manhattan, where a full-time dreadologist keeps shop. On every corner and frequently in between, people harass me asking for money or trying to shove a leaflet into my hands, doubtless advertising for more ways to get their hands on my money. The buildings are clad with advertisement.
The dreadologist (his salon is called dreadology) is not too worried by the state of my dreads, in fact compliments me and is jealous of the way the gray mixes with the brown. He knows dreads, and when I leave I’m not only glad my dreads look sharp and vibrant again, I also have learned a lot.
The next day, I wake up late. I spent too much time watching tosh.0 on the tv-on-demand appliance in my temporary bedroom. I have some time to kill before heading out to
I’m getting tired. I’m ready to go home. Yet I have some spaces to visit before I end in Miami. Driving up to Philadelphia, my t-mobile 3G internet decides to not load several sites. Among which the site of hive76, as well as hackerspaces.org. And I did not make a note of the address. I get off at a random exit to regroup, and drive into a ghost-town. Here and there the suggestion of people, but mostly abandoned industrial buildings and fallow plots. Interesting, but not all-together an inviting place. I decide to get to a McDonalds for the free wifi (and “dinner”).
Meanwhile, I have the t-mobile rep on the phone and try to work through the scripted diagnostics guide with her, not really paying attention to the surroundings when ordering some MacCrap with a medium coke. It is only when I sit down and take out my laptop, that I notice the large proportion of shady people in the restaurant. It doesn’t take long before a guy sits at my table and starts asking me for money. I hand over some change, but now he wants my fries. In the back, I hear shouting. I decide to shove my BigMac into my mouth and eat the rest in the car. Meanwhile, the police and an ambulance arrive. By that time, I have the address for hive76 and quickly make my escape.
At hive76 I arrive together with a small group which looks like to be a father-and-son type of situation. As we walk up the stairs, it turns out they are also heading to hive76. Coincidentally, Jerry Ishdale and family arrived at the same time as me! I was planning to meet up with Jerry in Philadelphia, he has been involved with the founding of crashspace in LA, and is now working on Maui Makers, an Hawaiian hacker/maker-space! We have a good chat, and make arrangements for an interview on Signal sometime soon. When they leave, Far and me adorn the ceiling of hive76 with small carton battle ships and a fort. After a bit of party, I go to sleep in the cat-filled house (human occupancy: 3, feline occupancy: 5).
Next up in this last leg of the trip the south. I’m even heading into Alabama, something I promised I would not do. But well, the people from makers local 256 can be quite convincing! More on all that in a later post.
December 5th, 2010 at 20:57
It was good to see you at Hive76 – and meet Far too! It was indeed a father-son-son event for us. My dad, my son, bro-in-law and his son were with us. My Dad was thrilled to see the stuff – although he remarked later that he had more and better junk in his basement. I told him he needed to donate more of it. Apparently he has manuals, etc for the heathkit box Hive76 had on a shelf and offered it to Far (who accepted graciously). The boys loved seeing the space, even if the video game machines werent working.
You did, however, forget (i think), to mention your visit to the BotCave – and being the first ever customer at their new store: http://blog.makerbot.com/2010/11/26/botcaves-first-customer/