Are We Crazy?

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Am I crazy? Some people clearly think so. I hand them my card with website and details on it. And I explain to them that my mother started teaching me that magic is very real and not fantasy, way back when I was two years old. She showed me by doing magic (the real thing, not tricks) and then taught me how to do likewise, which came easily at age two.

It's usually very hard for adults to learn -- if they can learn to do it at all -- but at age two, there is no need for faith to overcome one's unbelief, because at two, one does not have any unbelief to overcome! So I hand them the card and explain to them -- as they look at me incredulously -- that I wrote a 33,000-word book (free and online), that tells many of my personal magical experiences through life, and that I did this because so many adults I see around me don't believe in magic anymore at all. "They think it's just fantasy for children!" I tell them, "and I want people to know the truth so they can learn to make use of it!"

A fair number of people give me a look as though thinking "Oh man, this guy has totally lost it! Over the edge even! Clearly heading for an institution, maybe the 'men in white coats' or at least a retirement home for the senile. We better humor him for the moment, and then 'get the hell out of Dodge.'"

As I finish, they politely tuck my card into a pocket, thank me, and promise to examine my website as soon as they have an opportunity to do so. But I later check my website stats and discover most were never there. Instead, I think the card most often goes into the nearest trash can when they're sure I'm out of sight.

But that's ok. I don't feel bad about it, because I give them an opportunity to change their lives for the better, an opportunity to learn how easy it can be to manage one's environment (and happiness) with magic. The many who instead hold onto their problems and emotional distresses are making their own personal choice, which they have every right to. My job is only to offer an alternative, so I'm satisfied with fulfilling my role. 😌
As they say most think it is impossible so they never try and leave us "crazy" people to actually do what appears impossible then wonder how we do it lol....worlds within worlds..all inside of our own imagination
 

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... I am trying to figure out if they are realistic...shower would be a must have...
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2003, for our ExpeditionVehicle, we engineered a rear-entry.
At the stern of our rig, we have a permanent porch with permanent roof.
The deck is expanded metal, similar to stout window-screen.
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We shower on the deck.
We installed 'Eye-bolts' on the underside of the porch roof, with the 'eye' down and the bitter-end sky-ward.
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We carry fresh drinking water in stainless-steel five-gallon retired Pepsi kegs.
For our shower, we use a dedicated three-gallon 'Torpedo' keg, a miniature of the Pepsi kegs.
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To heat water, we use 'sous vide' circulation heaters designed to hold cooking water at a set temperature.
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For a shower, we clip the curtain on the 'eye-bolts'.
In cool weather, the shower curtain can clip around the open door to share the interior heat.
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Why move the shower out of our quarters?
Two reasons:
* why have a 24/7/360° interior shower going unused twenty-three hours every day?
* humidity.
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Humidity is also the reason we cook outside.
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We have an advantage over first-time builders:
* after a half-century of make-do camping in lesser rigs...
* after a year and a hundred thousand miles delivering RecreateVehicles manufacturer-to-dealer and dealer-to-shows...
We had a pretty good idea of the stuff we could happily live without.
* we can live simply, without complexity.
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We tend to follow the weather.
Never saw much purpose of an air-conditioner.
 

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A couple of suggestions. I have not read all of the post so these may have already been said by others.
To keep you van/vehicle cool.
1. Insulation to maintain the temperature change you make with the air conditioning.
2. Shade. Pitch a tent over the vehicle to prevent sun shine on all sides. Make sure there is at least a foot of space between the tent/awning and vehicle to prevent temperature transfer. Two or three would be better. Have venting at bottom and top to allow cooler air in and hot air to escape.
3. Don’t discount moving air. Keeping the air moving helps to make it seem cooler. 80 degrees in still air is much hotter than 80 degrees with a breeze. Keep a small fan pointing at your dog’s bed. Also fans consume less energy than AC.
4. Water, always have water available. I think we all already know how important that is.
Using these with the AC should help keep the temperature down and reduce some of the energy cost. I am happy to hear how important it is to you to include your dog and that you are making sure it is comfortable and safe.
 
It doesn't matter if you're crazy. If you're crazy, you won't know it. So do your thing and work on the fun and happy, with a large side of satisfaction.

Unless absolutely necessary I would keep the house and rent it or Airbnb it like suggested above. It's an investment that will continue to appreciate over time. It's also a fallback if something major unexpectedly happens and van live didn't fit anymore, or for a longer stretch. The mechanics of renting it are simple assuming your get the right person or company to handle it for you. Out of sight, out of mind. But still increasing your wealth and giving you options down the road. Options are good. Potential options that pay for themselves are better.

I don't know your exact situation, but that seems like a good way to go if it can work for you.

Since you probably need Internet for your businesses, you might want to check out the star link thread. It's interesting and informative to say the least.
 
It doesn't matter if you're crazy. If you're crazy, you won't know it. So do your thing and work on the fun and happy, with a large side of satisfaction.

Unless absolutely necessary I would keep the house and rent it or Airbnb it like suggested above. It's an investment that will continue to appreciate over time. It's also a fallback if something major unexpectedly happens and van live didn't fit anymore, or for a longer stretch. The mechanics of renting it are simple assuming your get the right person or company to handle it for you. Out of sight, out of mind. But still increasing your wealth and giving you options down the road. Options are good. Potential options that pay for themselves are better.

I don't know your exact situation, but that seems like a good way to go if it can work for you.

Since you probably need Internet for your businesses, you might want to check out the star link thread. It's interesting and informative to say the least.
That is what I am planning to do, live in van and rent house.
 
I, like you, think the ability to shower inside is essential. If you are going to use it often, I recommend you look into a recirculation system with filters. That way, you don't have to be as concerned about the amount of water each shower, as you would if you just dumped it into a grey tank with every shower. You need to be willing to change 3 filters about 1X week, but to me, that beats constantly running to re-fill your water tank. If you don't put a shower pan inside the van, you can plumb it so that you shower just outside the van, with a van door open, and a shower curtain that pulls around you while you shower.
I really like this idea! Do you have an Infinity Recirculating Shower system in your rig? I've heard of them, but ive never seen one for sale.
 
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