A Simple Mind

Maybe it was when we moved to our current apartment, 27 months ago, that I noticed we had way too many cocktail (AKA, Martini) glasses.
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Mess, lots of glasses, etc. on table
I had to empty our china cabinet
12 Martini glasses, etc.
A dozen Martini glasses, we've got more
Cardboard box with 1 inch high fence-like supports
Carboard fences to elevate the base
Flat base sits on top of fence-like structures
The base sits on the fence
Second layer of cardboard with tight slots to hold glasses by base
A secondary base clamps the glasses down
Detail showing original box's folding slots being reused to hold down th
Detail: I reused the box's folding slots to hold down the glasses
An inner box now surrounds the glasses
An inner box keeps the glasses from moving side to side
A layer of cardboard resting on the cups of the glasses
First part of the top layer being built
Glasses covered with a layer and more one inch fences
Almost done, top layer fences keep the glasses from moving up and down
Sealed cardboard box
All boxed up
During a recent clean out of our china cabinet, I was reminded of just how many we had. I see how it could happen. I've been drinking Martinis since shortly after college, that is, the late eighties. Courtney enjoys the occasional Vodka Martini, straight up, dirty, with extra olives. Then came the Cosmo craze, and you need a few extra for entertaining or parties. They will even do for serving Margaritas. And they make great gifts -- four will do, whereas with wine glasses, belonging more with traditional dinnerware, you might feel obligated to give what? Eight?

We accumulated at least 20 Cocktail AKA Martini glasses.

I asked my brother-in-law, Brian, for help. Please, could you possibly use a set of Martini glasses for your swank new pad? Yes, of course.

I waited for sufficient materiel and inspiration to come my way. Weeks passed. Finally, on November 6th, a Monday, came an evening Fresh Direct delivery, with its collateral cardboard boxes. Then Courtney cooking away in the kitchen gave me a good 40 minute window -- to do so something.

I assessed my supplies: a good amount of cardboard, not much else. Picture one of those scenes from "A Beautiful Mind" (which I always recall incorrectly as "A Simple Mind") where complex spatio-geometric formulae (relating to blondes) twirl about Russell Crowe's head in computer generated elegance. Now dumb them down, fog the beautiful mind a little, and take out any actual math. That's it!

What resulted was a lightweight, highly protective, cardboard cocoon, without benefit of packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or inflated baggies, which would shepherd its contents across the globe if needed. In other words, plenty strong to make it down I-95 to DC. That was my hope, at least.

I even bought a roll of brown craft paper to cover the ugly Fresh Direct labeling. I took pictures of the box internals, through various steps of assembly. Unfortunately, I neglected to snap a pic of the box in its final, brown paper wrapped glory.

The glasses made it to DC without damage. Brian remarked that it was actually difficult to get the glasses out. That old box didn't want to give 'em up.
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