May the Schwartz Be Witcha!

My nomadic existence has become very very official!  Last night was the first night I spent in my new old van. She has been dubbed "The Schwartz", as she is such an old bucket of bolts she reminds me of the movie Spaceballs. The Schwartz is a 1990 Ford Econoline 150, with a scant 90k miles on her and an inability to reach speeds over 85mph. Frankly, I'm terrified to try and take her above 65, so my mom should be ecstatic about that. She is a tragically beautiful garbage heap of a van, with a very retro pale horrendous pink interior. My dog, Clooney, saw fit to baptize her by vomiting on the bench/bed where I sleep. Seemed appropriate.

Vomit cleaned, I proceeded to collect supplies for the actual act of living in this thing. I am truly Macguyver- I have created a campstove out of sterno pods and shit collected at Goodwill. So, I am lucky enough to be able to make hot water for my crap instant coffee and ramen! It's an exciting prospect.  Really,  the only thing I really wish I had in here right now is booze. Or other substances that happen to be medically abundant in the great state of California.  Because dude, even with my dog, sleeping in this thing is fucking surreal.

There's just this intense, isolating feeling going out alone. I finally have no real responsibilities, and I can run away from everything whenever I so desire. And that is awesome. But, at the same time, these nights when I don't have people to visit? Makes it that much lonelier. Clooney is a shitty conversationalist, and sleeps through half my rants anyway. I'd text or phone more, but the discovery that the Schwartz's electrical system isn't fully hooked up to support my car charger has made my phone that much more of a specialty resource. All there is to do once the sun sets is wait for sleep, and with my mind going a million miles a minute, it is waaaaay more difficult to do without chemical assistance. All of my wine is currently taking up a small bit of real estate in my new friend's (the Barista) garage to prevent temperature damage during my travels. Which is a great thing, I cannot thank him enough, but goddamn I could really use a drink.

...Hm. Apparently I just broke the back passenger door lock, permanently locking it. This keeps getting better!  :D

Rambling Woman

I have had wanderlust as long as I can remember. This trip has really been a great way to scratch the itch! And it occurred to me that, being young and reckless, I don't really have to have it end just yet. I want to stay in California, for sure, but I don't want to commit to an apartment quite yet. Not until I have a secure job, you know? And even then, I want time to kind of ease in, test the waters, save some money...

So I'm buying a conversion van.

The first vehicle I have owned in years, this van is going to be the ultimate symbol of this year for me, and the freedom and adventure I've been searching for forever. It's a 1990 Dodge Ram van 2500, in shockingly good condition. And it is going to effectively be home for me for at least a month or more, while I get the whole "responsible adult" thing figured out. I'm honestly pretty excited about it. I want to hang on the coast? Done. Feel like taking a mountain getaway? Home's where I hit my E brake! It'll be an adjustment,  for sure, but I'd rather just pay for gas and insurance than overpriced rents until I can afford it. I am going to try to convert it into as much of an rv as possible, to make life a bit easier, but otherwise I'm just going to take things by ear and make it work. It's Adventure Time, bitches!

Along this same wanderlust craving, I seem to have hooked myself a follow-up internship to this current one. It'll take me from the Sonoma Coast to the Napa Valley. It is a fantastic opportunity, and I am supremely grateful,  but at the same time, I am finding this hilarious. The time I am putting in at these wineries is very reminiscent of my days in culinary school, where I had no plans or desire to follow the career path- I distinctly remember my classmates asking why I was wasting my and everyone else's time. I have an idea of why I'm doing this now- and it's certainly not for any decent reasoning.  But ultimately? All I want is to have fun. This life path is just full of nonsense, hilarity, and a healthy dose of spite. This seems to be covering my bases for now.