bummer you left Chapel Hill, but NYC is awesome as well.
@Birch999, I have tried and bought the green foam from michaels and dont waste your money. It is "open celled" and it extremely flaky. I tried painting a sample of it to see if it would change the outside of it and it did not. Also I think its overpriced. Specifically, i tested the stuff from the "floral arrangements" aisle. However, if you aren't able to get that insulated stuff thats denser, you can try polystyrene that doesn't have open cells like the stuff from a new tv box. I just put mine together and I'm using it as a false bottom rather than looks as the_deeb is doing, but all-in-all im pleased with how it behaves.