The hobo under the bridge.
Since I got back from my short break at my parents I have been massively unproductive. I lost the immersion I had with my thesis and struggled to get back into it. I think the problem was compounded with the fact that I hit a body of literature I did not have a great deal of experience with.
However, I took to working at the Rusty Squid studio. It's no ordinary environment, definitely not scientific in any way. However, the joviality of the people there, and the interruptions to help part mold's (etc) were welcome and got me out of my chair. I definitely did as much procrastination as I normally would, but the environment meant that my procrastination was productive.
Instead of sitting on my own at the lab I would get up and walk around and talk to people. And if I had a big procrastination break, I would get on with a side project for a bit. My procrastination became a feel-good activity. As it turns out, I have got a huge amount of thesis done.
It makes me wonder if procrastination is actually perfectly normal and not some kind of evil to discipline away. In my case, procrastination has improved my morale and helped me to complete many activities at once. In the lab I waste time almost entirely on the internet and feel terrible at home time. In a primitive context, I can't imagine we would focus on one task as we are expected to today. Maybe procrastination is a primitive mechanism to shift our focus and allow our subconscious to digest recent information.
*
Soon my tenancy agreement expires and I have to move out. My dad came to visit me and I went back to London with him, taking the majority of my possessions back. Unfortunately, I still have quite a lot of stuff! It was tough deciding what to send back. I decided to keep my musical instruments and some books. There are other things I forgot about, like my succulent collection, and my OCD-like craft/stationary collection. But on the plus side, I'm pretty much down to my clothes and a couple of battery powered devices.
My tenancy runs out end of June. My bursary runs out end of August. And that leaves me a slightly annoying 2 month gap to find somewhere to live. Most short term agreements are 3 months but its possible to negotiate. The crazy cat lady I lived with had me as a 'lodger' and I never signed a contract. I've been looking at flat vacancies and generally I will have to pay the same amount of rent as I am paying now or more (300+pcm). I'd be happy to budget for a 3 month agreement. And for 2-3 months I'm not to bothered about location or quality. Today Lana sent me a text saying that David lindyhop dance teacher guy has a small spare room for 300pcm. I could definitely negotiate with David and he's a nice guy.
However, I'd be paying 300pcm, plus bills, almost entirely for a roof over my head. I really don't have that much stuff. In some ways it is a lot of money, and in others not a lot. I've been giving a lot of thought about living in a van. I've met 5 people who have done it for a significant portion of their life. The only problem with that idea is that I don't have a drivers license, and I won't get one in time, or have the money required for a van (+ tax etc). So I have to leave that until later.
Today I have been thinking about simply living out doors. After all, a van will simply be a roof over my head and have it's own running costs. Not having a van means I will loose a personal space and comforts like cooking equipment (or the freedom to drive anywhere, obviously). But I am really tempted to see if I have what it takes to get outdoors on a long term basis, and continue with my ordinary activities.
Living in a van was based on the premise that I grew up washing from a basin, and both work and the gym provides excellent hygiene facilities for free if I need it. I was also considering that all my other resources can be acquired in the same way - i.e I can charge my laptop (my main 'tool') whilst I work. I have never woken up in the middle of the night and needed a shit. I think I have the bowel control to make it to work, or a cafe. I used a launderette to wash and dry my clothes for a year. Most my concerns are illogical modern doctrines.
I would need to reduce my possessions a little bit more. I think I can solve this by buying some large plastic tubs and putting them outside the Rusty Squid studio. It has a large yard out back full of scrap materials, and surrounded with a high barb wire fence. With a bit of tarp, I think they would be safe and accessible there, not causing any inconvenience to anyone.
So that means I would have a weekly packed backpack and my valuables. It still feels a bit crazy. But the idea is growing on me, like all my other stupid ideas and ambitions. Outdoors. 2 or 3 summer months. Bristol is small enough to have outdoors and still do the cycle commute. How bad could it be? At least it would be a challenging experience to remember.
However, I took to working at the Rusty Squid studio. It's no ordinary environment, definitely not scientific in any way. However, the joviality of the people there, and the interruptions to help part mold's (etc) were welcome and got me out of my chair. I definitely did as much procrastination as I normally would, but the environment meant that my procrastination was productive.
Instead of sitting on my own at the lab I would get up and walk around and talk to people. And if I had a big procrastination break, I would get on with a side project for a bit. My procrastination became a feel-good activity. As it turns out, I have got a huge amount of thesis done.
It makes me wonder if procrastination is actually perfectly normal and not some kind of evil to discipline away. In my case, procrastination has improved my morale and helped me to complete many activities at once. In the lab I waste time almost entirely on the internet and feel terrible at home time. In a primitive context, I can't imagine we would focus on one task as we are expected to today. Maybe procrastination is a primitive mechanism to shift our focus and allow our subconscious to digest recent information.
*
Soon my tenancy agreement expires and I have to move out. My dad came to visit me and I went back to London with him, taking the majority of my possessions back. Unfortunately, I still have quite a lot of stuff! It was tough deciding what to send back. I decided to keep my musical instruments and some books. There are other things I forgot about, like my succulent collection, and my OCD-like craft/stationary collection. But on the plus side, I'm pretty much down to my clothes and a couple of battery powered devices.
My tenancy runs out end of June. My bursary runs out end of August. And that leaves me a slightly annoying 2 month gap to find somewhere to live. Most short term agreements are 3 months but its possible to negotiate. The crazy cat lady I lived with had me as a 'lodger' and I never signed a contract. I've been looking at flat vacancies and generally I will have to pay the same amount of rent as I am paying now or more (300+pcm). I'd be happy to budget for a 3 month agreement. And for 2-3 months I'm not to bothered about location or quality. Today Lana sent me a text saying that David lindyhop dance teacher guy has a small spare room for 300pcm. I could definitely negotiate with David and he's a nice guy.
However, I'd be paying 300pcm, plus bills, almost entirely for a roof over my head. I really don't have that much stuff. In some ways it is a lot of money, and in others not a lot. I've been giving a lot of thought about living in a van. I've met 5 people who have done it for a significant portion of their life. The only problem with that idea is that I don't have a drivers license, and I won't get one in time, or have the money required for a van (+ tax etc). So I have to leave that until later.
Today I have been thinking about simply living out doors. After all, a van will simply be a roof over my head and have it's own running costs. Not having a van means I will loose a personal space and comforts like cooking equipment (or the freedom to drive anywhere, obviously). But I am really tempted to see if I have what it takes to get outdoors on a long term basis, and continue with my ordinary activities.
Living in a van was based on the premise that I grew up washing from a basin, and both work and the gym provides excellent hygiene facilities for free if I need it. I was also considering that all my other resources can be acquired in the same way - i.e I can charge my laptop (my main 'tool') whilst I work. I have never woken up in the middle of the night and needed a shit. I think I have the bowel control to make it to work, or a cafe. I used a launderette to wash and dry my clothes for a year. Most my concerns are illogical modern doctrines.
I would need to reduce my possessions a little bit more. I think I can solve this by buying some large plastic tubs and putting them outside the Rusty Squid studio. It has a large yard out back full of scrap materials, and surrounded with a high barb wire fence. With a bit of tarp, I think they would be safe and accessible there, not causing any inconvenience to anyone.
So that means I would have a weekly packed backpack and my valuables. It still feels a bit crazy. But the idea is growing on me, like all my other stupid ideas and ambitions. Outdoors. 2 or 3 summer months. Bristol is small enough to have outdoors and still do the cycle commute. How bad could it be? At least it would be a challenging experience to remember.