Downsizing

Her: Long time, no update! Well... we've not dropped off the face of the earth, there's just been a lot of changes around the ol' brick-and-mortar abode (as well as several birthdays, an anniversary, and all sorts of other personal stuff). Can't speak much for the Boy, but I've personally been doing a lot of "downsizing." The perpetual planner that I am, I'm trying to sell items *now* instead of waiting until the nth hour, wherein I may then be forced to have to give it all away for free. Recent items I've unloaded include a desktop setup (to go to the Boy's brother), external hard drive (to a friend), and one of my MANY bicycles* (sold to one of the Boy's new coworkers).

Cheap RV Living

Her: Wow... the Boy hit the mother-load when a friend sent him the link to this Web site: Cheap RV Living.

VALUABLE informational links include:
Workamping for Vandwellers
Living in a Box Van
How to Have Electricity
Going to the Bathroom
and
Solar Panel Installation
... just to name a few!

Check out the plethora of additionally helpful (and insightful) links on the site. And, I've added the Cheap RV Living link to the navigation of this site, underneath the heading "Resource Blogs."

Poppa Neutrino - Random Lunacy

Her: When the Boy and I first started learning that we shared similar dreams of traveling, he made mention of some strange fellow who moved his family from place to place in, among a number of things, a self-made "boat" made of found objects. However, it wasn't until just recently that I finally had the opportunity to sit down and watch the movie about this seemingly crazy* man. But... let me tell you... what a man! His story (and the story told by the rest of his family) is amazing and inspiring, to an aspiring nomad such as myself!

The man is "Poppa Neutrino." The movie is "Random Lunacy." Instead of trying to explain the premise behind the man (and the moments he captured on film that would later be used in the documentary of only a segment of his life), let me quote Erik Spink's IMDB review of the movie:

Portland Alternative Dwellings (PAD)

Her: Whilst out-and-about in North Portland today, I stumbled across woodworker, Katy Anderson's, live/work home/studio. Katy is a partner in Portland Alternative Dwellings (PAD). She builds her homes on wheels so that they can be transported anywhere! Besides her display model, the "Don Vardo," which sits outside on her front lawn, she was kind enough to show me a small home she's currently working on for a private buyer. It's being built to the customer's specifications with a small kitchen, bathroom with shower, sitting area, and sleeping loft in the "attic." The structure was about 10 or 12 feet long (I believe), 8 1/2 feet wide, and approximately 9 or 10 feet high (maybe higher, considering the pitch of the roof?). When asked how much something like that would cost, she told me around $33K. Not bad, when you consider the amount normally needed for a down payment on a house. Not to mention, you can transport her PADs anywhere!

Great job, Katy! Keep up the good work!

Tumbleweed Tiny Houses

Her: A great video featuring the founder/creator of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company.

Click here for video.

What I really like about the interior of these houses is the industrious use of space! For a home that's smaller than 100' sq., it seems so open and spacious! And, as Mr. Shafer mentions (and what I've always believed), it's amazing how little a person actually *needs* in order to live comfortably!

Inspiration

Her: Whilst researching the web for inspiration, I stumbled upon this Airstream interior designed by DWR. It has all the elements the Boy and I are hoping to incorporate into our urban RV... clean lines, livable interior, nice colors, modern aestheticism, etc. Really, we want to be able to invite our (perhaps somewhat skeptical) friends over and kinda WOW them with our home! We know van living isn't for everyone, but we *would* like to break the stereotype of "dirty hippies living in a van." The Boy and I are anything but!

Anyways... just wanted to share some of our inspiration!

Ephemeralization

Him: Ephemeralization from here.

Ephemeralization is partly the outcome of multifunctionality, a principle observed in nature. R. Buckminster Fuller adapted multifunctionality from "nature's technologies," one could say, noting that our designs could accomplish more with less – less human and resource expenditure, less waste.

The concept can be seen in action with electronic devices, especially those manufactured since the invention of transistors and silicon microchips. The principle can, and is, being applied in the macro worlds of architecture and other forms of practical design, construction, transport and many other fields.