showering logistics

[Kaylee]

Weird... I was kinda poking fun at myself there.
Seriously, of the exactly two serious romantic relationships I've had, my Geek Peers claimed that #2 was Geekier than me... which really takes a lot.
He delighted my Dad (a supreme-ultra-Geek), and kinda startled my Mom who was Nerd-ish but not True Geek - close to TX2's species... see, I'm not prejudiced against Muggle-Nerds, or even Pure-Muggles.


Since we're talking Geeks & hygiene, and September is Firefly Appreciation Month...

Of the many things I truly love about Firefly, one of them is realistic hygiene.

Brothers (and some Sisters): I'm sure you all recall Inara having a sponge bath.
Then there was the Zoe & Wash discussion of hitting a port, and Zoe dreaming of taking a real bath (and Wash dreaming of watching Zoe (his wife) taking a bath).
Soooo, no showers on board that future space freighter.

 

[badmotorscooter]

Being accused of being a bit geekish myself, I watched Firefly and liked it. But I thought Babylon 5 was one of the best sci-fi series. Of course all of the Star Trek series were good including the original, but Babylon 5 was my favorite.

There is also quite a few newer Star Trek shows made with alternate actors that follow the original timeline. They take a little getting used too, but are definitely entertaining.

Why couldn't the Firefly crew use a Big Kahuna along with a plastic tote and wrap a plastic curtain around it? Unlike a car or van dweller, they have plenty of room and storage for water. FTL drive spaceship and no shower? C'mon, that's just a little too dramatic/hollywood...

 

[Kaylee]

Agreed 100% about Babylon 5.

The very first complete TV series I watched on DVD in my van was Firefly.
#2 was B5 (much longer, of course, and Firefly was a great way to "christen" it).
That was during my first two months full-time, before I landed somewhere with a Library that granted me guest privileges, so I've been watching mostly Library stuff (catching up on recent movies & TV seasons).
When I leave the area, I'll be switching to my personal DVD collection, and plan to rewatch both Firefly & B5, followed by all of ST DS9, then a few shorter series that I haven't watched in a while.

My entire DVD collection takes up (roughly) the space of two gallons of water, just to motivate you about space.

Firefly wasn't FTL. It was all local planetary travel within one system.
Valid point about rigging up some sort of shower - "Kaylee" could have done that!

 

[badmotorscooter]

Sorry, got parts of Firefly mixed up with Dark Matter, watched it several years ago.

Watching Prospect on Hulu right now.

Sounds like a killer DVD library!

 

[Kaylee]

Non-spoiler Reviews please - we Geeks have a few threads dedicated to SF TV/movies/books.

My collection isn't huge, but it's high quality, and was patiently built mostly before my accident.
When the Star Trek series first were released on DVD, they were mostly over a hundred dollars per season. I waited until DS9 got to around twenty bucks per season.
One can now buy the entire series for about eighty bucks.

It makes it relatively painless to pick boondocking locations that don't have cellular. I can still get my Geek Fix.
Fewer distractions (i.e. no internet) mean I get a lot more (volunteer) Work done.

 

[badmotorscooter]

I first saw Prospect 2014 (short movie) and then saw the trailer for the full length 2018 movie.

Prospectors for alien jewels on a toxic moon. Western style plot, realistic, kind of ghetto style tech. If you like Firefly you'll love this.

I'm hijacking my own thread and we are geeking way off topic!

We should continue discussions on pm or even e-mail?

 

[Ticklebellly]

I sport quite short hair these days. I also use a couple of non-scented Baby Wipes to finish off a visit to the Porta Pottie. I have now gone up to a week having a sponge bath each day rather than using several litres of water to shower each day. I don't suffer from dry skin or dry scalp these days either. If really sweaty after heavy yard work, I'll seek out a shower but just sitting around enjoying retirement, I have no need for a daily shower.

 

[ckelly78z]

Absolute non-geek here, I have always been a gear head, and car guy. Even though I was 12 when Star Wars came out, I never saw any in the series until "The Force Awakens" came out in 2015.

I did watch Star Trek "The next generation", but hated the originals, and most of the spin offs. Most of the people in my life are into Sci-Fi, fantasy, and online gaming, but I prefer to work on a motor in my barn while listening to country music.

 

[badmotorscooter]

I think I'm kind of the odd duck, half geek and half gearhead. Need to have a large dose of classic rock everyday.

 

[SheketEchad]

Since I have been living in an S&B without running water or hot water for around two years, this part of mobile life isn't very intimidating to me other than the logistics of doing it inside a vehicle, so I hope to have one that I can stand up in.

But you can do an awful lot with a half gallon of water if you really want to bathe fully every day. One thing I have found to be critical is getting the washcloth dry quickly if you're using a cloth instead of wipes. I hang mine on a clip in front of a fan overnight, and that eliminates any weird musty smells from the cloth that come from slow drying in a humid climate (my humidity in the house here runs about 80%) And I always also keeps wipes on hand if I need to dash out into public. No one's ever shied away from me yet (or maybe I just didn't notice, lol)

I currently use a small rubber stock tank for my showers, and recycle the water for the flush toilets (which don't flush because the well doesn't work). I can't think of a use for it on the road though, lol. I've been thinking of putting a hula hoop on the ceiling to hang a shower curtain from, but haven't practiced (no rig yet) the way that might get onerous to get out of the way each day.

The battery powered shower heads are nice, that drop in a pail, but it's very wasteful to me. I prefer a cup instead. But the showery part sure feels nice.

You will value things more that you once took for granted, or at least I do, and I've not even hit the road yet! Unlimited water is something very few folks on the planet enjoy, and it did make me stop and think about it. Now I harvest rainwater and adjust my usage based on what's in the reservoir ( a marine cooler under the eaves). We are conditioned to do things that 100 years ago did not even exist for most people - my parents were kids before there was even running water in the house. It's all perspective I'm learning.

PS and I must be at least partially geeky, as I have things plugged into lithium battery packs to measure how much they use over time. Tomorrow will be how long it takes a solar panel to refill them, LOL.

 

[Qxxx]

"I'm sure you all recall Inara having a sponge bath".

I just watched that episode last night. A big sponge, a dainty hand, and a smile on her face cause she likes being clean. When you live in a Firefly class spaceship, far out in the black, you don't have piped in city water.

For non-believers: what do you get when you combine an 1870s 6-gun cowboy lifestyle with a spaceship? Firefly.

 

[Kaylee]

PS and I must be at least partially geeky, as I have things plugged into lithium battery packs to measure how much they use over time. Tomorrow will be how long it takes a solar panel to refill them, LOL.

Your posts about water conservation have, in-and-of-themselves, proven your Geekiness.
And they're genuinely helpful to all.

Please do share your numbers.
We need more of them.

P.S. Have you assimilated into the Cult of Firefly? We're mostly harmless.
P.P.S. Qxxx, duck while I toss another Browncoat GeekPoint your way!

 

[crofter]

Another source of cooling down and also cleaning up is a dunk in the nearby lake or stream with no soap please. You will be as clean as the fishies and frogs that live there.      ~crofter

 

[SheketEchad]

Your posts about water conservation have, in-and-of-themselves, proven your Geekiness.
And they're genuinely helpful to all.

Please do share your numbers.
We need more of them.

P.S. Have you assimilated into the Cult of Firefly? We're mostly harmless.
P.P.S.  Qxxx, duck while I toss another Browncoat GeekPoint your way!

Re: Numbers
I plan to do a summary, once I figure out WHY the advertised wattage is not computing with how much the battery is dropping.  I started with silly things, but tomorrow, after a full charge today, I plan to test only the things I am contemplating actually using in my vehicle, and in the way that I would use them daily.  It will probably take a couple of days doing that to get good numbers as an average.  I forgot about things like charging my wireless headset for conference calls, the light on my desk, yadda yadda.  Every little bit counts if you're boondocking!  And I am having to change my mindset about leaving the personal laptop plugged in all of the time just 'cuz it's easier to pop over to it on a break instead of booting it up. 

I'm using a 500W Solar UPS  system combined with a little 240W Jackery and far too many little handheld solar chargers than a normal person would have. 

There is a lot to learn, and I'm loving it.

PS Re Firefly - while I am not a true fandom person, my oldest daughter is very into it and turned me on to it several years ago.  I may borrow her DVDs when I hit the road and give it another watch.

 

[Kaylee]

and far too many little handheld solar chargers than a normal person would have. 

Porn please - we need proof!

I leave my laptop plugged in all the time, but have not measured how much of a drain that is.
If you're in full out Geek Data collection mode, please do measure that.

P.S. Yes, definitely bring Firefly along!
Living in one's vehicle gives one a new perspective on it, plus, it's one of the most rewatchable series of all time.