I’m starting to realize that I have a marketable trade. It isn’t a new skill of mine, but it is one that I’m just now starting to exploit. It is, of course, web design. I don’t fancy myself much of a designer, and I have no graphical skills to speak of, but I know what makes a good website, and I know my way around WordPress. I have recently, or am still in the process of, bartering redesigned websites for a wood stove, music (concerts and songs), and a custom hood ornament. I get the feeling this is only the beginning. It’s easy for me to do, and make a huge impact on the people I do it for. I’m making sure I pace myself – I don’t want to kill my love of it and turn it into a job.
Blog
Dawn
I’ve decided I’m going to name the 300 SD Dawn. It feels right. On that same note, I’m scrapping plans (ethereal as they were) for the Caracycle. I’ve seen similar projects, and it has become far too clear that such a trailer would either require too many bikers to make it fun, or would be utterly unusable on hills. Either way I think I’m going to stop pursuing it. I have plenty of work to do on Dawn anyway. I just ordered a centrifuge and pump today, which will be installed on the bus, so I can refine oil to the tolerance I need to for the grease car kit. I’ll be ordering that soon as well. I’m still hoping I can have this 100% by May. That seems realistic. Though I’m near as busy as I’ve ever been, projects are tapering off, and giving way to my mechanical endeavors. This should be fun.
Budgeted
I’ve roughly blocked out what it will cost to turn the bus into a full-time livable dwelling. That, combined with the cost of converting the 300 SD to run on veggie, means I will have very little money in savings by the end of this year. But it also means my cost of living going forward will be pretty damn low. Seems like a good trade.
I’m getting lots done across the board – I’ve been getting better at budgeting my time. It felt last week like I had bitten off more than I can chew, but I think I’ll be ok. I can tell myself that this is just a period of time in which many projects overlap, and it will pass. I know other projects will rise to replace the fallen, but I can ignore that for now.
Too Much
It’s been a while since I’ve had a day to relax. I’ve had things scheduled after every work day, through every weekend, and I have no time to just sit and think. It’s making me depressed, and I’m getting less done in general. Not a good trend. I’m thinking more and more that I may deviate from the five year plan, and take things easy. Work somewhere part time, learning something I enjoy, saving up a little at a time. It will take longer to achieve total independence, but the freedom afforded me seems like a fair trade. I’ve gone back and forth on this before. Screw around now, and work towards independence later? Or do it now and retire at 30? Maybe I can reach a happy medium.
300 SD
I bought a car. I’m pretty excited. It’s not my first vehicle, but it is my first car, and it’s going to be a veggie burner as well. A 1983 Mercedes 300 SD. It’s in fairly good shape, though there is definitely some aesthetic work to be done, it’s mechanically sound. Here’s hoping in one year’s time I’ll own my own home, and my own car, and both will run on waste vegetable oil.
Full Plate
Stunningly busy as of late. I’m stunned. Long days dealing with waste oil, then nights at my computer designing websites. I don’t feel like a webdesigner, since I still have a fairly light load, but I’m finding myself always having something to do. I’m looking forward to that tapering off. I’m confident it will. The apartment is only getting nicer, and it’s great having cool people in it.
I think I’ve settled on the direction in which I’ll be moving forward. I’m going to convert the bus into a full-time livable rig, making Anne Marie my new home. Once I move in, it should be three to four years until I’m ready to retire, or at least give up full time work for good. I see no reason I wouldn’t be able to move in by next spring. I’m sure I’ll find a reason, but I don’t see one yet. It seems I’m actually on track with my five-year-plan, which is surprising.
The other option was building a tiny trailered house, and I think that wouldn’t be the best option for me. There is more space in a bus, it looks a lot cooler, and I have most of the stuff I need already. Buying a trailer and a truck to tow it, and getting a foot less width were all deal breakers. I love the aesthetic of tiny trailered houses, and I’d love to help build one some day, but I don’t think I’ll build one for myself. I keep looking at these pictures and dreaming about what my bus will look like in twelve months. It’s nice to be daydreaming again.
Life is pretty good right now.
Domesticated
New apartment is fully functional. It is really quite nice, and I’m pleased with the amount of cheap or free things we were able to furnish with. Our living room is literally lined with seating – the only gaps are the two doors. There is presently no TV in the room, and I’m a fan of that. Sure, it’s not ideal for watching movies, but it makes the room seem much more inviting as a place of conversation. The bedroom has a real bed (it’s been a while), and places to put our clothes, and nightstands for storing random crap. Nishi has figured out what to do with hers, but mine is basically functioning as a junk drawer. The kitchen is bright, open, and able to seat anywhere between two or ten at our fantastic drop-leaf table. I have a wok that I’m still breaking in, but will start working its way into daily usage. Our hallway is lined with books, and our office/guest room is ready for use. This is by far the most presentably place I’ve ever lived in.
Resolve
I’ve done grammatical resolutions for the past few years, and I want to stay in that same vein this year. I find more and more people using the phrase “I feel like” in place of “I think.” I understand that this is supposed to express uncertainty about whatever follows, but I really dislike it being used that way. I hear it enough that it slips into my vocabulary often enough to bring it to my attention, and my resolution this year is to completely stop using “I feel like” in that way.
It irks me in the same way that interviewers who prompt with “Talk about…” do. While I wish I could make interviewers actually ask questions, I don’t really have the power to change that, so I’ll just quietly cringe until one of us relents.
Trendsetter
Nearly two years ago, I started carrying a flashlight, pocket knife, and lighter around with me day-to-day. This was largely a result of the bus trip, where I took to carrying a flashlight around with me to better see vegetable oil. I also carried a lighter around with me, so I could light our propane stove. I noticed that just having these tools available to me presented a host of opportunities to use them. After the trip I got a good pocket knife/multi-tool, that has been solely responsible for fixing several minor (yet incapacitating) bus repairs. I use each of these once a day on average, often just lending them to someone else who needs a good tool. It sets me up for jokes about being a boy scout and always prepared and all, but Christmas has come and I’m vindicated.
As of right now, my uncle and girlfriend both have the same flashlight and knife, and my dad just sports the knife for now. I’m glad people can still realize the value in a good tool.
Unqualified
After a little back and forth with a mortgage broker, I now know that I am not qualified for a mortgage of any significant amount. Nishi’s self-employed income won’t count until she has two tax returns filed, and the commission from my job won’t count for just as long. What’s more, my base pay won’t count for another three months, so I’m very unqualified for any kind of mortgage. I guess this is good in some sense, since it seems they’re actually checking who can afford a mortgage and who can’t. The funny thing is that a few years ago, while unemployed and still in college, I probably could have gotten a loan for whatever. Oh well, no matter, on to other options.