Like blood, you get the taste and you can't give it up
Stop Expansion. Rein in routine. Reduce Clutter.
Three simple things to prepare, and maintain, a vagabond lifestyle. Without even thinking about it, I started that when I picked up this gig. The first I messed up on recently as I needed some books and walked out with a pretty hefty bill but otherwise, I am back to the essentials: cook gear, basic clothes, a journal and pens, and a fair amount of drive.
Reining in one's routine is actually harder than you might suppose. While abroad, it helps to simplify the highs-and-lows that one goes through emotionally. Out here, because of the long-ass days, it's hard to even take a shower every day, let alone cook a meal, because your time is limited before you have to hit the sack.
And that is what it boils down to: time. Time is the key between, living off this hotel and working at this gig and, staying at this hotel while working a gig. There is very little free time, albeit plenty of ass time. For the time I do have, I can only allow my mind to wander as my confines, from the pad back to the town, is severly limited. It made me think of how, during a quick trip visiting a friend in Laramie for her wedding, I spent a night on-campus. By that I mean, I literally slept on the grounds right outside the Student Union. It was dark and it was as good as any place.
But I had the time and energy to roam the campus for an hour, scoping out good squatting places while catching the eery shadows that linger while most of the campus is on vacation. I slept well that night. Now, not so much.
Yet the books keep me dreaming. Kerouac, even in all his desolation, still keeps the dream alive; Potts little how-to has a few basic pointers, the opener being one; and Foucault, well, he is just a mind-blown kind of reading. Even the stories that go into the simple task of purchasing these books last night, of a glorious flirtation with a charming woman (herself on an adventure) offering a whole new spring of texts to investigate-it was all so madding. So I will use this time to hone my abilities, focus my habits, and direct them towards more fruitful endeavors. I will reward myself not with new toys but with, simple quick adventures, putting aside a little extra each time for that big-grand adventure that still awaits me.
But I will say this: my adventures, my journeys, look to be slightly more complex than that pocket book indicates. First, the hostels and street vendors are only more common in the larger metros. And they ain't cheap. Out here, there is a little extra planning involved that does require some focus around canned goods, balanced with an occasional salad. When the time comes to purchase a good, make it a trip to a major town if you can, otherwise consolidate your needs around only one run to the store per week (at most). Keep your wits with you: it's easy to zone out to television or magazines but, it's not worth it. It quickly deteriorates the momentum that drives one to cook, clean, and shower, in under two hours.
The other hard part is the stuff. Because of the job, the clothes necessary (several layers worn at once) are substantial-an entire bag is devoted to just my clothes. The food-goods, while easily purchased at the local grocer are however, quite expensive, and fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find. Plus, to keep the perishables, I have to consolidate and plan ahead as one other guy and myself share a mini-fridge. So I have my spices, my cutting board and knife, and I make do with whatever else I can.
To deal with the living situation, I will let the company pay for my arrangements for nearly three months, while I'm out on location. I'll forgo my current dwellings, put those things into storage, and set-up residency in a temporary location. Currently, I am aiming at an older bumper-pull camper that still has the gas lights, a full bath, and a permanent bed (just like the good old days). Then, I can take that where I please and use it as a base camp whenever I please. However if that doesn't come to pass for some time, I can still save quiet a bit of money by simply renting an extended stay hotel (which I'm sure I can find a pretty good deal if I look outside of my home town).
This is the new training ground. While the time in the trenches is not over, it is not wasted. A fresh dawn has come. Rumors are spreading that the weather will break, the mud will dry, and even if we can't go home, at least we can feel the glow of the sun our skin.
Three simple things to prepare, and maintain, a vagabond lifestyle. Without even thinking about it, I started that when I picked up this gig. The first I messed up on recently as I needed some books and walked out with a pretty hefty bill but otherwise, I am back to the essentials: cook gear, basic clothes, a journal and pens, and a fair amount of drive.
Reining in one's routine is actually harder than you might suppose. While abroad, it helps to simplify the highs-and-lows that one goes through emotionally. Out here, because of the long-ass days, it's hard to even take a shower every day, let alone cook a meal, because your time is limited before you have to hit the sack.
And that is what it boils down to: time. Time is the key between, living off this hotel and working at this gig and, staying at this hotel while working a gig. There is very little free time, albeit plenty of ass time. For the time I do have, I can only allow my mind to wander as my confines, from the pad back to the town, is severly limited. It made me think of how, during a quick trip visiting a friend in Laramie for her wedding, I spent a night on-campus. By that I mean, I literally slept on the grounds right outside the Student Union. It was dark and it was as good as any place.
But I had the time and energy to roam the campus for an hour, scoping out good squatting places while catching the eery shadows that linger while most of the campus is on vacation. I slept well that night. Now, not so much.
Yet the books keep me dreaming. Kerouac, even in all his desolation, still keeps the dream alive; Potts little how-to has a few basic pointers, the opener being one; and Foucault, well, he is just a mind-blown kind of reading. Even the stories that go into the simple task of purchasing these books last night, of a glorious flirtation with a charming woman (herself on an adventure) offering a whole new spring of texts to investigate-it was all so madding. So I will use this time to hone my abilities, focus my habits, and direct them towards more fruitful endeavors. I will reward myself not with new toys but with, simple quick adventures, putting aside a little extra each time for that big-grand adventure that still awaits me.
But I will say this: my adventures, my journeys, look to be slightly more complex than that pocket book indicates. First, the hostels and street vendors are only more common in the larger metros. And they ain't cheap. Out here, there is a little extra planning involved that does require some focus around canned goods, balanced with an occasional salad. When the time comes to purchase a good, make it a trip to a major town if you can, otherwise consolidate your needs around only one run to the store per week (at most). Keep your wits with you: it's easy to zone out to television or magazines but, it's not worth it. It quickly deteriorates the momentum that drives one to cook, clean, and shower, in under two hours.
The other hard part is the stuff. Because of the job, the clothes necessary (several layers worn at once) are substantial-an entire bag is devoted to just my clothes. The food-goods, while easily purchased at the local grocer are however, quite expensive, and fresh fruits and vegetables are hard to find. Plus, to keep the perishables, I have to consolidate and plan ahead as one other guy and myself share a mini-fridge. So I have my spices, my cutting board and knife, and I make do with whatever else I can.
To deal with the living situation, I will let the company pay for my arrangements for nearly three months, while I'm out on location. I'll forgo my current dwellings, put those things into storage, and set-up residency in a temporary location. Currently, I am aiming at an older bumper-pull camper that still has the gas lights, a full bath, and a permanent bed (just like the good old days). Then, I can take that where I please and use it as a base camp whenever I please. However if that doesn't come to pass for some time, I can still save quiet a bit of money by simply renting an extended stay hotel (which I'm sure I can find a pretty good deal if I look outside of my home town).
This is the new training ground. While the time in the trenches is not over, it is not wasted. A fresh dawn has come. Rumors are spreading that the weather will break, the mud will dry, and even if we can't go home, at least we can feel the glow of the sun our skin.