+- Vandweller Forum (https://vandwellerforum.com)
+-- Forum: Forum announcements (https://vandwellerforum.com/forum-1.html)
+--- Forum: Welcome Center (https://vandwellerforum.com/forum-2.html)
+--- Thread: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) (/thread-1338.html)
Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - Kaylee - 05-04-2018
Greetings!
I'm a middle-aged (50s) female Geek, and 13+ years TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) survivor.
The main lingering TBI issues are noise and smoke/perfume/etc sensitivies.
I've been a Nomad for more than two decades, doing IT contract work, typically moving twice each year. Since the Recession, it's been stunningly difficult to find even barely adequate (i.e. quiet & smoke/etc-free) short-term rental housing. I've had some truly evil landlords, and spent far too much time in bad motels.
The last year was particularly vile, and in March, I hit rock-bottom, but was researching something unrelated on Youtube when I stumbled upon stuff about sleeping in one's car, which led to CRVL & other great sites, and boondocking.
After about a month of research, I made the decision not to do commercial work this year, and spend the summer living in my station wagon, pure boondocking, and working on passion projects.
If all goes well, I'll continue, and eventually switch to a van.
My previous Nomad experiences have given me many of the basic skills that I'll need.
Generally, when travelling, I sleep in my wagon instead of using hotels, since it's quieter and less stressful. I'm also experienced at cooking in motels, sometimes with neither fridge nor microwave. At one rental, I went a month and a half without running water (fascinating experience!), and I've camped and done winter survival exercises (while in the Air Reserves, Search and Rescue).
While I feel I have "no choice" in moving to this lifestyle, I'm also in happy awe of how perfect it fits my needs, and am looking forward to doing a Noise Detox.
Has everyone seen videos of Wood Duck ducklings leaving their birth nests for the first time?
Wood Ducks nest in tree cavities, fairly high up. Their ducklings peer down, then Leap... then Bounce.
That's how I'm feeling right now.
Yes, I'm a lifelong Birder, and really looking forward to living full-time in the wonders of Nature.
If my (pending) solar setup has the occasional day or so of overcast, I can always Go Birding.
Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling - Cammalu - 05-04-2018
Congratulations on your big jump from the nest! That’s pretty great that you can work from the road.
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - Queen - 05-04-2018
You sound uniquely suited to making that leap, hope your bounce is soft.
Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling - Blanch - 05-04-2018
Welcome. This is a very helpful and resourceful place.
June 30 will be my two year anniversary on the road. Life out here can be challenging but I am healthier and happier.
I am an IT refugee. Mainframe programming and database management. I miss the challenge, but not the stress.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - Wabbit - 05-04-2018
Best of luck Kaylee.
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - frater secessus - 05-04-2018
(05-04-2018, 12:33 AM)Kaylee Wrote: Greetings!Sorry to hear of the TBI.
I'm a middle-aged (50s) female Geek, and 13+ years TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) survivor.
The main lingering TBI issues are noise and smoke/perfume/etc sensitivies.
One of the reasons I prefer solitude is the quiet. Dunno why noise bothers me so much but I've always been that way; my parents always described me as a "sensitive child", which I suspect meant "nervous wreck". :-o I keep a pair of foam earplugs in my pocket.
Quote:I've been a Nomad for more than two decades, doing IT contract work, typically moving twice each year.
I'd sure like to read more about how your approach (or the world) has changed over those decades.
Quote:Since the Recession, it's been stunningly difficult to find even barely adequate (i.e. quiet & smoke/etc-free) short-term rental housing. I've had some truly evil landlords, and spent far too much time in bad motels...
I stumbled upon stuff about sleeping in one's car, which led to CRVL & other great sites, and boondocking.
I suspect this will be a Great Leap Forward for you. Sometimes onlookers folks see the small space and think "I could never do that." I see these small spaces as refuges where we can stay out of reach of evil landlords, hoteliers, and obnoxious neighbors.
My previous Nomad experiences have given me many of the basic skills that I'll need.
Quote:While I feel I have "no choice" in moving to this lifestyle, I'm also in happy awe of how perfect it fits my needs, and am looking forward to doing a Noise Detox.
Absolutely!
Quote:Has everyone seen videos of Wood Duck ducklings leaving their birth nests for the first time?
...
Yes, I'm a lifelong Birder, and really looking forward to living full-time in the wonders of Nature.
Yes, those ducklings are amazing. It's just unreal watching them leap off like that.
I have latent birdwatching tendencies, I think. I like birds that most folks ignore or actively hate: sparrows, grackles, etc. My deepest bird love is reserved for elegant waterbirds like cranes and herons. I have to be sure not to get fixated when crossing bridges...
I live in an area with a lot of bald eagles. I saw one (and also a golden) in my back field this year. But I like cranes better. :-) Grass is always greener, I guess.
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - Queen - 05-04-2018
Frater, I wonder how many of us have issues with noise? Loud noises cause me to jump out of my skin. One of the reasons we chose a 55+ apartment building way on the edge of town... it's very quiet.
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - Motrukdriver - 05-04-2018
I know the bad motel thing. Spent the 80's doing contract engineering work all over the US and that is what drove me to find other accommodations. That 12' Scotty camper was my life saver. I was a nomad when it wasn't "cool". Retired now but the last 14 years of my working career I drove a semi so I ended up on the opposite side of noise. Lived full time in the truck for most of it and the idling and noises of the truck stops sang me to sleep at night. When I stopped driving life was almost too quiet for me. Now it's back to the quiet and other than the voices in my head all is well.
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - Blacktank - 05-04-2018
since i am plan on having two stereos maybe we shouldnt park to close to each other?maybe
the big key is attitude and comfortable climate,we have folks here who have done this for decades so dont be afraid to ask any and all questions
we also have a hidden female only section i will add you to if you want
RE: Kaylee about to emulate a Wood Duckling :) - tx2sturgis - 05-04-2018
I have tinnitus, so quiet environments are a distant memory....I need noise!
White noise, road noise, distant highway noise, wind noises, A/C running, rustling trees, idling engines, music, generators running, a radio.....SOMETHING making noise or I get to listen to an annoying, buzzing squeal in my head.
On the other hand, I 'bounced' out of the nest back when I was 18 and haven't looked back....and I'm sure you will do well out here Kaylee!
