Incident

My body's a bit achy today so I decided to turn in early. 
After a while, sleeping in my little home feels natural. 
I did have a slight alarm yesterday, though.
I saw some cop lights flashing!
I thought I was sunk for sure.
I turned off the laptop to be in complete darkness and risked a peek out the curtains.

OK, it turns out, the cop just stopped a motorist nearby.
Whew... I spied on them for a bit. Got nothing else to do.
I did not feel like turning on my laptop again until I was totally alone.
So I just sat in the dark interior of my van listening... looking out my curtain.
They took forever to ticket the guy.
I thought they'd never go away.

Finally, they did.
Whew... It's not the equivalent of being rousted, but it was a close brush.

It brings me to my second thought as I sat there peeking out of my van...
It seems to happen to every van dweller that it's only a matter of time, I guess.
And it is beginning to feel like when I read about someone announcing they were rousted for the very first time, do I sense a feeling of subdued pride there? :) 
It's like "street cred" or something to be rousted it seems. heheh.
I could be wrong, though or just misreading it.
But I mean that in the best way. 

I don't wanna be rousted. One day, when I can get a battery and a roof rack and all that good stuff... and the time to set it all up! :)
I still work long hours and barely have time for anything else.

Well, I am signing off for now. 

Good night, America!

Bibimbap! bibimbap!

After a while of not having any, I prepared my favorite Bibimbap dish. Very easy to prepare for someone who has few facilities. It's a bit of a juggle with counter space, but manageable.
I was able to use up some bean sprouts I saved from when I went to a Vietnamese Pho place and that's a treat... additional veggies.

The rest of that is 2 fried eggs, white rice, shredded fresh lettuce, red onions, rehydrated seaweed tossed with sesame seeds and a bit of olive oil, crab sticks, avocado and some chopped nori. Sauce is made of soy sauce with a spoonful of brown sugar and sesame oil.

Good for a fast dinner and economical. :)

When I get my future kitchen, I'll be able to make more of this and more food types.

This happens to be very timely this Thanksgiving. :)

In a strange way, I do qualify as one of the lucky 8% and all the rest apply to me as well.

Very lucky to have found this life and am glad I do have savings in the bank and money in my wallet. 

Blessed with good health and a live thinking brain that is in good shape.

My part in the Thanksgiving dinner was to make gravy and mashed potatoes. Bought a whole sack of potatoes 3 days ago in preparation for today. It's been wonderful... My brother did the turkey and ham... our sister came in with cookies... their mother in law came in with apple pie and green bean casserole.

Perfect day to spend with family and good food.

Good night America and happy Thanksgiving!

contentment

As Thanksgiving rolls around, I am reminded of the blessings I do have in abundance.
I have friends and family.
I have good health and working limbs... all my body parts are all fine. (which is a huge thing)
I have my sleeping capsule in my van.
I have a bunch of electronics which allow me to connect with you and everyone on the internet.
It is a good life.

About the only thing that may make it better is if I find someone special that can share this with me.
But even without that, I feel I am lucky enough as it is.
To be free from disease, debt and any other affliction is a huge thing.

I type this tonight half asleep as I digest a good meal and good times had at a steak house.
Safe and snug in my little nest...
Just another animal on this good earth preparing to sleep in his burrow for the night.

Good night, America!

Thanksgiving Week

Thanksgiving comes early to this van dweller.
First it was yesterday's office TG party. Beef and chicken fajitas with all the trimmings. Mexican food galore.
Then today, I was invited with 2 other artists in our company to a private dinner with our Editor in Chief at a swank steak house. I had me a 16 ounce rib eye medium well. Texas Roadhouse does their steaks really well. It was an awesome treat. I haven't even begun Thanksgiving itself!

So as I digest this sumptuous meal tonight, I am thankful for all the blessings of the year.
Each time I go to a buffet, it IS Thanksgiving all the time. :) Just last week, I went to one which featured all the Thanksgiving treats minus the turkey. It was fine because I had me some fried catfish.

It's certainly been a challenging time but here I am still up and working away hard.

I just got a couple of checks this week and last which make me thankful that I worked hard and hung in there.
Finances are again stable and a savings is once again building up. Thanks to my really frugal living, it's beginning to pay off again.

Good night America!

Happy Tonight

Today was a very good day.
Went out on a date.
It was good. She doesn't mind me living in a van. She's very cool about it.

I am glad.
As we left the Vietnamese place where we had dinner, we came upon a beggar on the street. Even living in my van, I am so blessed. More than that fellow on the street who has nowhere to go. I gave him a bottle of water and we went on our way.

It is amazing how very happy it makes me to have these few possessions. And how lucky I am to have shelter tonight... a warm comfortable bed... a small house to call my own. I am truly happy and content. Even when we measure me and my meager belongings to the world, I still come out part of the 1%.
I have a full tank of gasoline.
Savings in the bank (I can go 3-4 months without earning anything).
A space to call my own.
Clothes to keep me warm.
Food to keep me fed and healthy.

We need so little to keep us happy. This I am discovering each and every day.
I sleep tonight in my little nest warm and cozy from the night air.
At one with the world.
At one with nature.

Good night, America. Sweet dreams to you.