I know it's been a while since I've really written anything, but today marks an anniversary of sorts. It was a year ago today that I said goodbye to a life in a house, and hello to a life in a mini-van. A few people have asked me how much longer I intend to keep on living this way, and I simply tell them, "just as soon as I get my boat."
Like all things, there have been some ups and downs along the way. So below is a list of pros and cons in no particular order that I've made about living in my van during the last year.
PROS:
1. Getting to do things I've always wanted to do, but never could because of money (ie: learning to sail and going to Europe.)
2. Because there isn't really anywhere for me to stay, I have a lot of time to wander (especially on weekends.) Which has actually aloud me to see some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises that I normally wouldn't have ever bothered to notice while living in a house.
3. I LOVE that one of the last things I see before falling asleep at night are the stars.
4. My monstrosity of a student loan doesn't seem so impossible anymore.
5. I never have to take out the trash, do the dishes, refill the toilet paper, pull weeds or any other household chores for that matter.
6. Living this way hasn't made me anti-materialistic or anything like that. If anything, I appreciate these luxuries even more.
7. I have no creepy neighbors that I have to put up with or deal with. Actually, now that I think about it. I suppose I am that creepy neighbor.
8. If I ever get too tired while driving, there's always a comfortable place for me take a nap just 3 feet away.
9. I don't flake out on hanging out with people as much I used to because quite frankly, there's no where else for me to go.
10. I have never been more free.
CONS:
1. I miss playing my guitar whenever i want to.
2. I REALLY miss cooking. Restaurants and take out are fine, but there's nothing quite like a home cooked meal.
3. I haven't felt the warmth of a bed in 9 months. (Although, a couple nights ago, I did get to sleep on a couch for the first time since last winter which was pretty fantasmical.)
4. I sometimes feel like a criminal when I have to sleep with a ski mask and gloves on to stay warm.
5. That fear of being totally hosed if my van were to ever get stolen.
6. I miss being able to just invite someone over to hang out. I don't like that if I want to see someone, we have to always go somewhere, or that they have to invite me over to their place all the time.
7. I don't get to play video games or watch tv anymore. But that's probably a good thing.
8. Couches, carpeted floors and comfy chairs are wonderful inventions. I miss these things as well.
9. Waking up in the middle of the night, or early in the morning because a car decides to floor the gas pedal only three feet away from you really gets annoying.
10. I am often referred to as: "Justin, the guy who lives in his van." I guess a part of me wishes that the perception of who I am wasn't based on where I sleep at night. But such is life I suppose.
So there you have it, a year of living in ones van summed up into a list of 10 pros and 10 cons. And in my opinion, the pros far outweigh the cons. I think Chuck Palahniuk said it best:
"It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything."
Like all things, there have been some ups and downs along the way. So below is a list of pros and cons in no particular order that I've made about living in my van during the last year.
PROS:
1. Getting to do things I've always wanted to do, but never could because of money (ie: learning to sail and going to Europe.)
2. Because there isn't really anywhere for me to stay, I have a lot of time to wander (especially on weekends.) Which has actually aloud me to see some of the most beautiful sunsets and sunrises that I normally wouldn't have ever bothered to notice while living in a house.
3. I LOVE that one of the last things I see before falling asleep at night are the stars.
4. My monstrosity of a student loan doesn't seem so impossible anymore.
5. I never have to take out the trash, do the dishes, refill the toilet paper, pull weeds or any other household chores for that matter.
6. Living this way hasn't made me anti-materialistic or anything like that. If anything, I appreciate these luxuries even more.
7. I have no creepy neighbors that I have to put up with or deal with. Actually, now that I think about it. I suppose I am that creepy neighbor.
8. If I ever get too tired while driving, there's always a comfortable place for me take a nap just 3 feet away.
9. I don't flake out on hanging out with people as much I used to because quite frankly, there's no where else for me to go.
10. I have never been more free.
CONS:
1. I miss playing my guitar whenever i want to.
2. I REALLY miss cooking. Restaurants and take out are fine, but there's nothing quite like a home cooked meal.
3. I haven't felt the warmth of a bed in 9 months. (Although, a couple nights ago, I did get to sleep on a couch for the first time since last winter which was pretty fantasmical.)
4. I sometimes feel like a criminal when I have to sleep with a ski mask and gloves on to stay warm.
5. That fear of being totally hosed if my van were to ever get stolen.
6. I miss being able to just invite someone over to hang out. I don't like that if I want to see someone, we have to always go somewhere, or that they have to invite me over to their place all the time.
7. I don't get to play video games or watch tv anymore. But that's probably a good thing.
8. Couches, carpeted floors and comfy chairs are wonderful inventions. I miss these things as well.
9. Waking up in the middle of the night, or early in the morning because a car decides to floor the gas pedal only three feet away from you really gets annoying.
10. I am often referred to as: "Justin, the guy who lives in his van." I guess a part of me wishes that the perception of who I am wasn't based on where I sleep at night. But such is life I suppose.
So there you have it, a year of living in ones van summed up into a list of 10 pros and 10 cons. And in my opinion, the pros far outweigh the cons. I think Chuck Palahniuk said it best:
"It's only after you've lost everything that you're free to do anything."