glad to see this thread has been useful to others. i have pretty much cobbled together my setup at this point (save for my adapter woes detailed in another thread). i'll post a picture of the final rigging once i get the replacement parts from B & H and the gear from chris. i think the only missing parts at this point are some tent stakes and bungy cords.
a sincere thanks to all who have shared their setups and tips here. has made pulling everything together so much easier and affordable. cheers!