so it's been over three weeks since i moved into the van. let's check in and see how systems are operating.
1. bathing--seems to be pretty easy, i shower at yoga 3 times a week, i bathe at E's house when i'm over there, or i take a mini-bath in my van with a tub of warm water and a washcloth.
2. peeing--easy. in a bottle when i'm in the van or in public restrooms. have to disinfect the bottle every other day with some bleach or whatever other cleaning solution is in the bathroom i'm using.
3. pooping--slight challenge, usually timed for a public restroom, but the body doesn't always cooperate. in the bucket with kitty litter works, but i feel kinda criminal disposing of it. oh well, some sacrifices are necessary.
4. staying warm--very easy, between the down comforters and the electric heater, i usually end up waking up too hot. when i don't have electricity, i take a hot water bottle to bed and that does the trick on nights that aren't too freezing. i haven't used my propane catalytic heater yet.
5. staying cool--challenge. on sunny days it's hard to find a shady spot to park when i go to work. i believe i'll have to plan ahead this summer to park in the mall parking garage when going to work which is a few blocks away. at other times, it can be difficult to find a satisfactory place to park when i'm out and about. this is where not having a cat would make things easier. not an option!
6. eating--slight challenge. it's so much easier to go out for a bite, especially when there's wifi there! this is more a matter of discipline which i intend to get better at.
7. public relations--big challenge. it's much easier to keep quiet about my situation than tell people because reactions are not good. i don't like to lie and it's hard for me to live in the shadows, but it's necessary to some degree. i wish i'd been more secretive at work. oh well, lesson learned and no real harm done, just annoyance for me.
8. finances--easy. the relief i feel at not owing any rent at the first of each month is enormous! i can't emphasize this enough! it's an awesome feeling.
9. entertainment--easy. there's always a project to do in the van, and if not, then i'm out enjoying the spring air, reading a book, or writing. i do miss my friends though, and i feel kinda lonely here now. why am i here? oh yeah, financial goals...

well, i'm off to get plates for the van today. i don't know what to say about my address. i might just use my old one since i don't have any mail that proves my new one in the eyes of the dmv. hmmm.