Phoenix
It’s 1:15 AM, and as I write this, I am sitting on my couch in my new apartment. In the small space of time consisting of Sunday and Monday, I have managed to pack up all my belongings and travel almost 1,200 miles. To top it off, I also have unloaded the entire uhaul truck (with help from a few friends) into my apartment on the fourth floor. Yes. We even carried my gi-normous couch up four flights of stairs.
My back is not too happy right now.
I was hoping that I would be able to connect to the internet wirelessly here, bumming off of some neighbors or what not. Unfortunately, the apartment walls and ceilings consist entirely of concrete, a foot thick, crammed full with who knows how much re-bar. Suffice to say, just about any feasible signals are blocked. Yes, including my cell phone. If I stand in the middle of my apartment complex my phone has zero bars. Stupid thing.
Anyways, so I went out on my balcony with my trusty Linksys WRT54G wireless router (with upgraded firmware), and attempted to scour the landscape for a usable signal outside of the complex. I found a couple of weak signals, including one from a t-mobile hot spot at a starbucks a number of blocks away.
The signal was very faint, so I increased the power on the router to 200mw. Still not quite usable.
Using duct tape and a piece of plastic from a modular shelving unit, I proceeded to create a makeshift platform that stretched out past my balcony and away from the concrete walls by a foot or so. I then proceeded to place the wireless router out on the platform, now hanging precariously four stories above the ground.
Success!
So. Yeah. I’m surfing the web and writing in my journal using a starbucks far away. I’m not sure why, but this concept makes me humourously pleased. Too bad I have to hide my duct taped contraption from the sight of the road, come day time. Somehow I don’t think the apartment manager would find it to be parallel with the current decorum.
More will be written later… Probably after a couple of days once I start getting settled in.
I need sleep badly.
November 1st, 2005 at 9:15 am
Tommy, please tell me you are going to buy internet access like a decent human being at some point. Although the thought of your duct-tape-and-bubble-gum wifi-snarf-o-matic ghetto signal-acquisition thingy is quite amusing.
I hope the trip was without incident and so forth . . let us know when you’re settled and post some pics!
Oh, and by the way, your landing page at tommychapin.com still has you living in Shertown. Just so you know.
November 1st, 2005 at 9:55 am
hey buddy man im missin you already, but i think i do ok. maybe corben and zach can keep me moving. like corben said post pics so we can see your crib…keep tight and do get to messed up there! Peace !
November 1st, 2005 at 10:02 am
Hey! Tommy, I knew you could pull off another contraption for internet, hehe. I wasn’t expecting you to have it so fast. Anyway if its not that great connection you might want to consider purchasing internet access. Good luck unpacking & such. I miss ya so much already…Remember I am proud of you for doing this & I hope that it works out.
November 1st, 2005 at 10:38 am
Hey Bubba!
Glad you made it safely and hope you get some rest!! *hugs*
LOVE YOU! Call me soon… I need to talk to you about something.
November 1st, 2005 at 11:04 am
WELL…..
You even have your MAMA cracking up here! Definitely LAUGHING OUT LOUD!
I love you!
Glad you made it there safely!
Mom
November 1st, 2005 at 12:02 pm
Don’t worry. I already placed an order for high speed internet (4 Mbit) from Cox. My free one-day trial of the starbucks internet will expire this evening, so yeah. That was pretty much short-lived.
November 1st, 2005 at 2:39 pm
Hey Tommy,
Wow! I didn’t realize you were going to be here in Phoenix this soon. I knew you were coming but I didn’t know when. We need to hang out sometime….You will be able to see your second cousin when she is born (Matt’s daughter)! Lol. Anyways, see you sometime soon! Love you!
Rach
November 1st, 2005 at 4:57 pm
yeah, it sound’s like you could use some sleep.
when are you starting your job up there?
November 1st, 2005 at 8:35 pm
Gonna be starting on wednesday (tomorrow)
November 1st, 2005 at 8:54 pm
Whoa. What Tommy-ish kind of genius. LOL. Bumming off of Starbucks, eh?
You likin Phoenix?
November 6th, 2005 at 12:26 pm
Men always find a way when they really care about something… glad youve made a safe move. Still havent talked or hung out with Sam since you were here. -Jacque