The madness starts...

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   Well, my wife and I went to Home Depot yesterday to buy some piping. When a department manager asked us if we needed help, we said we were fine. Seeing how much piping I was buying and no wire or boxes, he asked us if we were retrofiting an installation or something. Nope, we're making leaping arches for our Christmas display!

Well, the guy almost died. He asked us if it wasn't way too early to do such things and we said no, that these things take lots of planing not counting the fact that each sequence has to be reorged in order to accomodate more controller boxes.

At that point, he was lost. He quietly and politely told us he had something else to do (walk his goldfish or something) and left.

Have you guys been in a situation like this before, where people look at you funny because you're making your christmas decoration, in july, when it's 100 degrees outside?

If not, maybe I should get back on my meds and head back to the asylum for my weekly treatment!

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BigDPS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 471	Quote Reply Topic: The madness starts... Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 10:33am
	Well, my wife and I went to Home Depot yesterday to buy some piping. When a department manager asked us if we needed help, we said we were fine. Seeing how much piping I was buying and no wire or boxes, he asked us if we were retrofiting an installation or something. Nope, we're making leaping arches for our Christmas display! Well, the guy almost died. He asked us if it wasn't way too early to do such things and we said no, that these things take lots of planing not counting the fact that each sequence has to be reorged in order to accomodate more controller boxes. At that point, he was lost. He quietly and politely told us he had something else to do (walk his goldfish or something) and left. Have you guys been in a situation like this before, where people look at you funny because you're making your christmas decoration, in july, when it's 100 degrees outside? If not, maybe I should get back on my meds and head back to the asylum for my weekly treatment!


rmonty Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Nov 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 12	Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 10:41am
	I was actually making my arches about two months ago out in the driveway. I had several people that were walking by take a double-take and look at me pretty funny. Also had the same thing happen at the store when I was checking out. They asked me what I was buying the material for and when I told them they got real quiet and seemed to speed up a little. Ryan

BigDPS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 471	Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 12:03pm
	Priceless! It is funny to see the reaction of people when you tell them what you're doing. The one reply that urks me the most and gets me really mad , is this one "You really have way too much time in your hands" I mean, I don't go fishing or anything like that, which takes a lot of freetime, except ride our motorbike once in a while but the weather in my area has been less than favorable for biking so I get a head start in my decorations. I tend to think that people that say this type of smart remark are those that don't have anytime on their hands and are jealous of me cause they can't plan anytime for themselves. I just got in the house to get some wire and glue and took the time to read if someone had replied to my post. Now I'm heading back in my shop, listening to Classic Vinyl on XM and drink maybe a beer or two and just relax while enjoying the preparation of my display for 2009. Light show-ers of the world! Unite!


bdkeen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Location: Easton,PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 380	Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 2:41pm
	Same sort of reaction here too. The basement is begining to look like a Christmas bomb went off. Friends and family that stop by are mostly dumb-struck. This year I think I'll host a 'Lights Raising Party' and invite them all to help setup the display . Top it off with a Megatree raising ceremony I'm looking forward to being the 'crazy old guy down or up the street with all the lights' again this year.


JohnnyL Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Pre-Order User Joined: 17 Dec 2007 Location: Merced Ca Online Status: Offline Posts: 67	Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 5:36pm
	we get the same reactions from people around here too. my neighbors are used to seeing us working on various XMAS projects and their comments are usually something like "whats new this year?" ya know...if people that work in the box stores (Lowes etc.) wouldnt ask us what were doing buying dirrerent "dodads" we wouldnt get any enjoyment in seeing their reactions :)
	"In God We Trust" all others pay cash

bdkeen Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 31 Dec 2007 Location: Easton,PA Online Status: Offline Posts: 380	Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 5:39pm
	Sometimes the reaction is well worth the price of the item


Buckeyelights Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Feb 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 124	Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2009 at 10:32pm
	Those stories are all pretty funny. The reaction that I get most often is from my teenage daughter. It is a simple "DADDDD" with that look of what are you doing now and make sure my friends don't see you. It's priceless. Joe

BigDPS Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 471	Quote Reply Posted: 02 Aug 2009 at 11:36am
	Well we have 1/2 of an arch done so far. My wife is helping me so I'm kinds dependent on her timings... However, she is pretty good while she does help me. I tried using one of the methods as seen on PC to make an arch by wrapping lights around a PVC pipe using a drill but that proved to be too dangerous. Never trust a 5/8 power-drill with an inexperienced handler ie: the wife. The drill would go slow and all of a sudden, it would pick up speed while I'm holding on the strand of light. Nearly had my hand caught and wrapped around the pipe!!! So after one segment done with a drill, I had enough of the close calls, so to speak, and decided that my better half would have to use some elbow grease. I made her a crank to turn the pole instead. It works like a charm. Much better control, lot safer and very energy efficient. We are going green!...oh wait, that's the color of the wire of the lights. My bad. Anyways, when someone calls for me and that my wife answers telling them I'm (or we) are busy making our Christmas decorations, the conversation doesn't seem to go any further. Imagine that!!! Oh and one more thing. I added a gadet on my desktop to show me how many days before Christmas. Just adds a bit of pressure on my part!!! Edited by BigDPS - 02 Aug 2009 at 11:38am


autotime Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 05 Sep 2008 Location: alaska Online Status: Offline Posts: 39	Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 8:24am
	I got same reaction here at lowes and home depot. but i went to michaels craft store and they are already putting xmas stuff out, must mean its getting close. i went to kenny chesney concert this weekend, had a pretty good light show my son turned to me and said out of the blue dad you should do that for christmas light show, maybe hes getting the bug, hmmmm.


Jonathan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Beta Testers Joined: 07 Sep 2008 Location: SoCal Online Status: Offline Posts: 1237	Quote Reply Posted: 04 Aug 2009 at 9:55am
	My family recently went to Las Vegas where they saw the Bellagio water / light show. After one of the songs was over, I'm told my 7 year old nephew announced matter of factly that, "Uncle Jon's show is better." (I do a water / lights show for July 4th; the videos of the show are now up at www.youtube.com/jonathand1027 btw.) I almost feel sorry for my brother. I'm giving my nephew the bug early.
	~Jonathan