So, on a whim, five of us got together and exchanged goods. @japhroaig, @chgoliz, @redesigned, @renke, @awjt… I don’t know exactly how it happened, but it did. It has been super fun! So, we thought we’d roll out this idea to the larger BB BBS community.
I sent three of the others some chili powder, and one of them got chili powder & also some mother-of-vinegar organic cider vinegar starter. @renke is sending cake-baking materials for a special German cake. @japhroaig sent off some peachy concoction that needs to age a bit and the others are working on their stuff… @chgoliz is sending a fat stack of 100’s or something like that.
So, that said, a few caveats.
This is the internet, so be careful who you band together with… Trust is an issue. In the case of the four other mutants and I, we all decided we trust each other so it was no big deal sharing a mailing address. If others try this, caveat emptor and be sure you’re sure. And don’t do it in this public thread. Form your group and break off into your own private email thread among only the members of your group. That way you keep your secret identity only within a select few mutants’ inboxes.
The other thing we figured out is that the groups should be small. More than about 5 or 6 people and the task of prepping and sending gets too big and possibly very expensive if you are sending to another continent. So we suggest that you keep it small.
And keep it crafty. This idea worked because we are sending something home-made. I smoked the chilis myself, made the labels, etc. It was super fun doing that and sharing…
And lastly, this was much more than about getting… way more… when I saw that picture of my chili powder sitting on @renke’s computer in Germany, I yippeed into the room! My homemade Texas chili powder is somewhere in Europe now!!! How awesome is that? So if you approach it like that, you are sure to get back something cool and walk away with that awesome feeling of sharing something unique with someone in a faraway land!
Enjoy! Please post up pics and ideas, and I’d love to see how the groups work out if you want to do this. This is intended as self-organizing, and I am not intending to be the curator of ideas or interject myself in any way into your transactions.
I am such a lazy bones. But in my defense I had to find bottles, order gaskets, figure out which whoppers would work, cut down an oak tree, cure it for five years, grow a beard, learn hurdy gurdy, and partially host a Viking Party (the last is true).
Oh, and I’m on my third fried chicken test.
When I get too depressed working for The Man I am gonna open a food cart that sells four things.
Fried chicken biscuits with gravy and mashed taters
This sound like fun!
I went to the fridge and I noticed I’m out of a really tasty hot sauce (My aunt’s very own secret recipe, she did not look happy when her best friend accidentally spilled the beans ) but that just means I get to make a new batch!
That’s a good strategy: regional exchanges. I think I’ve finally figured out what I can send those on the North American continent (hint: I’m going to a pumpkin farm today) but how to transport it quickly enough to Germany? I’m going to have to look into @miasm’s suggestion, as well as customs regulations.
Keeping it all within one domestic shipping system is probably a wise move.
So this is all self organizing, and everyone will have to use their own judgement. Even though we are all friends here, it isn’t insane to use some kind of proxy address (p.o. box, army ranger friend, whatever).
Keep addresses in private messages, trade or gift and everything should be shiny
P.s. don’t give your address to OtherMichael, you will receive Rumchata.
) but that just means I get to make a new batch!
