I work at a small business and wear a lot of hats.

Mann Co. ?

Damn, I hate when I have to google jokes. Sorry bro, don't get it!

Mann Co. is a fictionnal company in a video game where collectible hats take are a thing.

THANK YOU! Upvote for clarifying.

Paper or plastic? Straight bi or gay? age? Gender? Virgin? Favorite color? Food? Ethnicity? Favorite place? Favorite sexual position? Sport? Pokemon or digimon? Xbox or PS3? Console or PC? Ever been arrested? Worst fear? Secret kink you want to try? Are you in school? What do you do for work? Hunt? Fish? Hobbies? Favorite hobby? Naruto or DBZ? Prefer pubic hair natural, trimmed or shaved?(On the opposite sex/same sex) Can you shoot a gun? What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see the word "Warning" or how about "Reddit"? Am I asking too many questions? Should I have turkey or PB&J for lunch? Favorite alcohol? Lucky number? Should I stay or should I go? Will I ever give you up, let you down, run around or desert you?

LOL. Too much man, but you know what? FUCK IT!!! I have all day:

Paper. Straight. 23. Male. No. Green. 0.99 bean and cheese burritos from real mexican places. white. beach. doggy style. basketball. pokemon. neither. pc. yes, just last weekend. getting lazy. anal. no. sales. no. no. guitar, lots of camping, hiking, biking. don't no. don't mind either way. never have. warning: don't try this at home. Reddit: Where did the last 3 hours go??? no. turkey and PB&J, it's called a gooey gobbler, bitch! Lagunitas Sumpin Sumpin ale. 21. Always go. never.

FUCK YEA POKEMON

I dropped out after they added to the original 150. I was into that shit so much, I wanted to do Pikachu's voice, and my mom can confirm I taped myself and was going to send it in. WTF was I thinking?

Never let your dreams die~~

PIKA PIKA!

What were you arrested for?

Suspected DUI. I blew a .03 and the state park ranger was a total douche. Ended up spending the night on the beach because he took my keys to "Headquarters" and they wouldn't open until the morning. I was barefoot, didn't have cards or phone and it was a shitttttttty night!

LOL, I may have been a dick to him too, though.

Where can I get this Legunitas Sumpin Sumpin Ale? I plan on trying it with the aforementioned Gooey Gobbler.

Anywhere they sell craft brew. It's not the regular Lagunitas IPA, but it's the best brew I have ever had. Gooey Gobler's for life. (Anyone who gets the reference can have all my upvotes.)

Even Stevens

(I made an account to answer that, can't believe no else answered it)

Also, super jealous. Sounds like a good way to live

Upvote, muthafucka!!! I thought Ren was so hot.

Dude, this is mindblowing. Specifically because I was totally debating buying a camper and towing it down to San Diego and living in it for a year or so...

The fact that youre enjoying yourself in that sort of situation totally validates my desire to do this!

Go for it! You'll have a blast. Thanks for the comment.

I don't mean to be intrusive but I was just curious what your sex-life is like? Is it hard to get women when you live in your truck or how's that work? Thanks.

Yeah, it's a bit rough. I haven't launched a full expedition to try but it doesn't happen often (read that as - NEVER)

LOL.

Where do you park it?

How do you cook food?

Where do you poop and shower?

1. I rotate. I have been pulled out of it 3 times by the cops. Once at gunpoint. My go to now is a Kohls that turns the lights off at 11. There's a little alcove at the back of the parking lot and I haven't been bothered there.

2. I rarely cook. At work I have a rice cooker, and I make oatmeal in the morning and we have a fridge so I make my lunches there. Dinners are pretty much always eating out. I hate it, and I'm trying to work on it, but cooking has always been a bitch for me. My specialty was spaghetti.

3. Gym membership takes care of hygiene.

You might want to try thermos cooking for dinner, particularly if you have a kettle at work.

The food thing is definitely my next focus. It just takes a little bit of work and commitment. I just need to make the time. Thanks for the tips, though.

You could also look into cooking using the heat from the engine of your car: http://www.wisebread.com/cooking-great-meals-with-your-car-engine-the-heat-is-on

I have seen some of that!!! The ones I saw were about hobo stew on the engine block. I haven't had the balls to try it. I imagine carrots and beef all over my engine and get sad.

I also saw some lady that "bakes" cookies on her dashboard. Pretty sick.

Just get one of these for $35. http://www.amazon.com/MSR-11792-Pocket-Rocket-Stove/dp/B000A8C5QE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345917655&sr=8-1&keywords=msr+pocket+rocket

Then order some 8oz fuel cans to your work. We fed 8 people off 2 cans for 8 days on our last camping trip. I'm guessing you could do 10-12 meals per can pretty easily.

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/5667/MSR-IsoPro-Fuel-8-oz.html was the cheapest i could find it online.

You could in the can cook any soup, stew or veggies in less than 10 minutes on this thing. I've even done steaks on it.

That's what I have, I just don't make the time to cook.

You could always look into what some call 'uncooking'. The simple way of saying or understanding is eating mostly raw fruits and vegetables. I guess I cook some things myself though, like oatmeal.

That would work. I am interested.

Wal-Mart offers (or at least used to) overnight parking for RVs, I'm curious if you could park your rig there overnight.

It's kind of a myth in LA. There's also not a Wal-Mart close to me. I think in other cities they do, but I have never tried it. I'm really trying to find a business that would let me park and I could just ride my bike back and forth to work.

Put an ad on craiglist offering a kind of free nightwatchman service in exchange for free parking in a business's parking lot.

Also... search for RV/motorhome on craiglist as I have seen businesses offering free parking to RV owners just so they have someone around their business at night to keep criminals away.

I have done a bit of research for this. From what I gather, you have to actually have a license to be a nightwatchman/security guard at a place. Fuckin' California. I guess they don't want vigilantes.

this would be an informal thing. You wouldnt be acting in any official capacity. No uniform, no gun, no badge, etc etc.. Just a "friend" keeping an eye on the place for another friend. You wouldnt get paid for it either.

Probably. I have just had too many encounters with cops and not knowing the law. There's so many laws!! I miss New Hampshire. Live free or die.

Libertarian?

Yeah, mostly. I went hardcore for Ron Paul when I was in NH, but I've sort of given up on politics. It's pointless when they won't pass a law that requires them to read the laws they vote on.

EDIT: I met him

What made you move from here to there? Also, Live Free or Die!

The job. I quit a year ago because of my manager. They fired him and hired me back. Awesome fuckin' year over there though. That will be where my permanent residence is some day.

Why don't you park at work?

Don't dip your pen in the company inkwell!!

One of the old lodges, can't remember which, if you get a membership they'll let you camp in their parking lots. The membership is rather cheap, IIRC.

Waw-Mart will let you camp in their lots too.

Edit: The Elks, I think?

Elks sounds right. I grew up a block away from an Elks lodge and there were always RV's there.

Wal-Mart is hit and miss, I tried a few times in LA and they have a little security guard that will knock on your door and kick you out. I think it's the Wal-marts that are completely on their own that will let you do this (Not in a mall)

So are you living paycheck to paycheck or building a savings (if so, what are your long term plans)?

Definitely have a fat savings. I plan on taking off around the world next March, sort of vagabonding style, like Rolf Potts. I love traveling and I want to spend my money on the things i love.

Welp, I have no idea why I'm going to school...

LOL. I didn't either, that's kind of why I stopped. But I don't hate on school, if it's for something you know you want to do, go for it, it will be worth it.

I'm a chem major, so as soon as I learn how to make meth I'm probably out of here.

LOL. That's what the cops think I'm doing when they pull me out.

unlike the rest of us, when you say lol I feel it's a legitiment LOL and you actually laugh out loud

hahahaha. Bro, I just laughed the fuck out loud at that. I just had this discussion with a friend of mine. Have an upvote.

I have decided OP is a pretty chill dude. Upvotes all around!

Peace be with you, and you, and you, and you. Now drink the Kool-AID!!!!!

[deleted]

Right now, I don't smoke. I have been bugged by the police too many times, I don't want them to have anything on me.

[deleted]

No worries. There are tons of jobs out there. I've only taken a few classes in community college, but I have never had a hard time being employed. Look for small businesses, and always research how you can be better at your job. Google is the shit, you can learn everything.

Posted my paycheck as proof. ASK AWAY!!!

Just take a picture of your paycheck. And that is fucking awesome btw. I would love it if I could do that! And even though you are in a big gas guzzling truck you probably have a better footprint than a majority of people. okay, okay here's my question:

1) Do you have a relationship? 2) Do you have sex in your truck? 3) How do you use the bathroom/shower/general hygene?

1. Just got out of one before I moved out. Extremely amicable and we're thinking about getting back together.

2. Only once. It takes the right chic to be into that kind of thing.

3. I have a gym membership for $30 a month. I shower everyday, and we also have a nice bathroom at work that I can shit in. Thanks work.

EDIT: posted a screencapture of my paystub.

Thanks work.

Thork.

No upvote for you. Come back 1 year!

HAVEN'T WATCHED LOOK AROUND YOU IN SO LONG. YOU DESERVE A FUCKING UPVOTE!

Did you get a chance to meet the Soup Nazi? He travels in a truck where he serves soup to people in major cities. He recently came to Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA. Never seen Harvard Square so crowded in my life.

I didn't, but that sounds fucking awesome!!!

I wrote you a Ballad.

Oh listen my friends

as I tell you the Tale

Of a hard working man

who never will fail

He works fourty hours

and lives in his truck

but the man in this song

isn't down on his luck

He sleeps down at Kohls

When the sun goes down

eats what he can

but never will frown

living his life

as free as a bird

The man and his truck

Living as he would perfered

Now the story is closing

but don't feel sad

As the man lies down

on his carpet pad.

He made his own way

through his own life

The sweat and the blood

The tears and the strife.

HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT.

100% honesty reddit, I just got misty eyed.

I never thought you'd actually see this. I've got a grin from ear to ear for so many reasons. First because I lived out of my car for several months last year and through no one would ever understand how it felt, and secondly because I stopped writing for several years, feeling inadequate.

Dude, I still have chills. This is going in my book. You are the man/woman of my dreams. I would consider a sex change, if it was required.

What's your favourite type of prostitute?

LOL. I've never had one. I have tried to get in the mindset of getting one, but I'm 100% certain I would just talk to her the whole time, possible end up crying and would have to tug it out on my own.

Side story: first time going to the strip club I got pressured into paying for a lap dance and ended up trying to talk to the lady while she was grinding on me, but she kept doing her job and wouldn't reply. So Awkward...

What do you do at the end of the day when you want to unwind? I see the beer, but what do you do... Go to Kohls, set out a lawn chair and crack a cold one while the world passes you by (although that does seem to be fun)...

I usually skate to unwind. I skated through highschool, but then my little brother got better than me and I stopped: collin skates

But I realized I love to skate, so I took it up again.

Your little brother rips. That nollie tre flip was dope as fuck

Seriously. I fucking hate it!!!!! but not really, cause i get cheap boards and stuff.

In another section I mentioned that a lot of rock climbers live out of rigs exactly like yours in order to be climbing bums (same idea as being a ski bum.) Watch out - climbing can be super addictive, and a lot of climbers, like me have a background skating. The junkie in me says "Try climbing, you'll love it!", but the sensible person in me says, "Dude, watch out - you are at serious risk of getting sucked into the crazy world of being a climbing bum..." Lots of climbers would kill to have your rig and money in the bank to spend a year or more living out of a truck in Yosemite, Colorado, the Red River Gorge in KY, Rumney in NH, etc.....

DUDE! It's so true. Side story for you:

I did a weekend trip to Yosemite in June to hike half dome at night and be at the top for sunrise. It was fucking awesome. So I get to the top, the sun is just cracking up, and there is about 4 of us up there. (I picked up a French Hitchhiker, another story) These 3 rock climbers get to the top and they start tying a tyrolean traverse out to the diving board. I'm tripping out, but he's letting me help him build the anchor. I have no rock climbing experience so I'm just pulling and holding. He puts on his harness and goes across, about 250 ft. and 4000 ft. down to the valley floor. I freaked out, most amazing thing I have ever seen. He gets back up, looks at me, and says "My harness will fit you, if you want to go." Greatest fucking moment of my life followed: YEAH

How do you keep from getting your balls busted by police? Do you have private property you can park on? Or do you stealth boondock on public streets and parking lots?

A number of years ago I did a LOT of research about living fulltime in a van or small RV.... and ran into a TON of stories of cops harassing people for it. I decided against taking the leap since my rent is cheap and I didnt want to constantly get fucked with by the cops.

Edit: here is a tip. Make the windows of your camper opaque so nosy cops cant see into it with their flashlights. I always thought an ideal solution would be to install a small wired security camera outside the vehicle (like a licence plate back up camera) and connect it to a small video monitor (Like an old handheld casio tv ... I have one).... this is so if anyone comes a knockin... you can turn on the camera/monitor and see who it is... if its criminals or cops. I once read a blogtype post about a guy in california who lived in his vehicle and he would just not respond when cops came calling. Sadly, cops would occasionally break his windows because of their hard knocking with the flashlights. COps really seem to hate people who live in their vehicles. They know they are vulnerable (probably homeless) and will be extra hard on them because they know they dont have the ability to "fight back" as it were.

Yeah, it's definitely frowned upon. I heard but haven't researched it, but apparently it is a law on the books that you can't live in your vehicle in the whole city of Los Angeles.

I have been accosted by the cops 3 times. All 3 they have taken me out, cuffed me, put me in the back of their car and searched the front of the truck. Since I don't have anything in the back that they can go off, I never get the back searched.

Now, I just sleep most of the time at the parking lot at Kohls now. It's private property and I guess I'll do that until they ask me to leave. I've done streets and stuff, too though. It's crazy how many people I have noticed doing the same thing now. Times are tough!

Edit in response to your edit: That is a great idea. I have it tinted to the darkest possible, but the flashlights can see in. I was trying to work on hanging curtains. I just made a little chain and quick link to lock it from the inside so they can't just barge in. That was a nice addition.

made an additional edit, to my original edit.

also... look up stealth boondocking tips

And I wouldnt put up curtains. You dont want it to look like you are living in your vehicle to cops. Put up something opaque ... something solid. SO that when cops shine a flashlight in.... they see nothing. They will think it is an anti-theft thing instead of a "hiding from the cops" thing.

Good point, I never even thought of that. Stealth boondocking tips is next on my google list. Thanks for the tips.

Not a question, but more of a statement. You are awesome.

Upvote for you, bro. I just got brochills!

what is your job?

On paper, it's sales. We manufacture parts for Loading Dock equipment. It's a bizarre niche, but it's a small business so I have had the opportunity to do things like set a budget, reverse engineer parts, work with accounts payable and receivable. Basically I get to see how the whole office works together. It's a great job.

Man how does a 23 year old get such a sweet sounding job? I'm 27 and I just got denied a job working phones at Geico.

It was a little bit of luck and a lot of perseverance. I started at $10 an hour and just really learned about the product and did research on how to make the company more efficient. You would freak out about how inefficient small businesses are. That's my ultimate goal, to be an efficiency organizer/helper/guy that makes people's lives easier.

fat paycheck - low expenses = so much money. i'm jelly

Get on it, bro. Drop those expenses!

Where can I find a job making 20 dollars an hour, that is all.

I started at $10. You only have to make as much money as you spend.

My biggest serious bit of advice. Avoid all the big corporations and find a small business. Get hired doing anything, sweeping floors, cleaning bathrooms, warehouse shit, whatever. Once you get in, do a shit load of research and find out how to do what they do and they will appreciate the hell out of you. From there it's just a matter of applying what you learn. Never be working at a job that you're not learning something to apply at your next job.

Good luck, man. Upvote for you, if that helps.

Have you thought about upgrading to a small RV? There's a guy that works at the Home Depot behind my office - he was living in his pickup truck with his (large) dog up until about 3 months ago, but now he's upgraded to a small class-A Winnebago. Just parks it on the street right behind the store he works at...one hell of a short commute!

That is awesome. I did think about it, it would definitely be more comfortable. I kind of like the incognito aspect of the pickup, though. If you meet me and drive around with me, you wouldn't know I live in the back, which I like. I'm not embarrassed at all, but it's really fun to see people's reactions after I tell them.

A smallish panel-van might be pretty stealthy as an intermediate option.

Yeah, that could be the next upgrade. I'm super satisfied with the truck, though. We'll see how it goes.

[deleted]

THIS! Any Redditors in Los Angeles that would cook for me, I would teach you to surf, play guitar, play piano, or how to have sex better (if you're female).

drive down to san diego, i'll take surfing and piano!

PM me. OP will surely deliver. I love SD!

So I'm curious as to what you use as an address. You said you have a savings, so that means (as far as my experience goes) that you had to have at least a non-PO Box address, so are you using a girlfriend/parents or just making one up? When self-analyzing whether or not I could go off the grid for whatever amount of time, this has always been a sticking point for me. Well, that and the hygiene thing, which you have solved easily.

I'm impressed that you've been able to do this and wish you lots of luck continuing this life/adventure/"craziness."

Yeah, I use my parents address. That would be a tough hurdle, but I imagine you could find a friend/coworker/random stranger that would allow you to use their address. 99% of the people out there are awesome and want to help, you just have to bridge the gap to them.

I would try and encourage you as much as possible to try it. The biggest reason I did it was simply to see if i could. Right now, I could easily afford an apartment, but later on, who knows. I could loose this job tomorrow and I would be forced to do what I'm doing. With the experience I have gained, I have dropped my standard of living that much lower. A wise man once told me, live like you're poor, and you'll never have to be poor.

how much money do you think you saved so far? i bet you saved a bunch of money.

Well since I have been back (March) I have put away 15k, but most of that is because I make a shitload of money. Strictly from living in the truck I would say I have saved around $4k give or take.

Looks like that bed sucks :/

To be honest, it's a bit rough at first. I have one of these: Thermarest Pad

It helps tons, too the point i don't even notice. Before I had that, it was definitely a stiff rest. I have a pad underneath the carpet as well.

Freaking awesome rig. I'd love to set something like that up for summer shenanigans.

How do you go about Showering/bathing?

It's awesome, and the platform was basically free. I used 2X4's from pallets and the plywood was from an old shed. It was not hard to make at all. I got the camper shell for $695 used and it matches!

The best part about having the camper is that I can drive people around and they won't know I live in the back right off the bat. The bike usually isn't in the back.

How do you handle winter? Or if you're in that other hemisphere, how are you planing on it?

I'm in SoCal so winter won't be bad, just another blanket. It's this summer that is rough. I don't get to sleep in unless I'm in the shade, and even then by 8AM it's pretty stifling. I need to get a fan or something, but I figure another month and it should calm down.

If you've got a light top sheet, soak it in water and ring it out - Add a breeze and you've got a very basic evaporative cooling system.

I'm guessing you don't have a fridge. Is food either eaten or kept at work?

If anything, what do you miss about renting?

1.No fridge. My current research is on the "Extreme Ice Chests". Supposedly ice stays for about 5 days.

2Food is eaten at work, and kept in the fridge. Not too much, though. I guess the most obvious "This guy doesn't have his own place" item is a gallon of milk. I love chocolate milk.

3. 100% honesty for me on reddit: fapping is a bitch! You have to be all creeper getting porn from free internet and whatnot.

I have one, tap in the bottom for letting out water. AMAZING. Kept ice and food cold for 5 days in 30-40deg (Celsius)

A bottle of milk doesn't seem odd at my work, and we mainly work shifts. You've made me suspicious of everyone.

Torrents are good! >.> Though I can see how that would be awkward.

LOL. Maybe it's the norm! The only thing that is keeping me from the ice chest investment is making sure I use it! I have limited space, so I have to think about each acquisition. As an added bonus, though, all my stuff is automatically my favorite stuff. Minimalism is the shit.

Oh! Do you use a laundrette for washing clothes or do you hand was them?

Laundromat. I have 1 load for work clothes and 1 load for my regular clothes. It's nice.

Laundromat. I have 1 load for work clothes and 1 load for my regular clothes. It's nice.

How does this affect your social life?

If anything, it has affected it positively. I only really sleep in the truck so I'm constantly out skating or trying to make friends (WHICH IS FUCKING HARD!!!!)

I'm sure someone has already asked this, but what do you do about bathroom essentials? Are you one of the creepy guys who washes themselves with handsoap in a public restroom?

Another thing, everyone knows that pooping in your own house is most comfortable, so do you ever have a comfortable poop or are you always anxious?

1. I have a gym membership, $30 a month, I shower everyday and shave as well. I have missed a few here and there due to being out late, but I have discussed it with coworkers and I don't appear to smell.

2. I haven't thought about that until now. Pooping is going to suck from here on out....Thanks.

Seriously, though, I can pretty much poop anywhere, I take my shirt off, and when I make noise, I throw my hands up in the air like a touchdown.

Why?

100% because it's practical. I go away on weekends, and I don't want a place to take "refuge" at. If I had my own place I would just end up wasting time on reddit.

Edit: Reddit is never a waste of time...

honestly i envy you...my childhood best friend's aunt did this (even though in retrospect i'm almost positive she was a hooker in that thing) but i've seriously always wanted to live like that for a short period of time

I would do everything I can to encourage you to try. If you succeed, you know you never have to pay for rent, if it comes to that.

Also, you gain a shitload of perspective, and that's always good.

How much do you spend on gas? Does your business pay for any of it? Do you ever go to the gym just to wash up or do you feel obligated to workout to use the facility?

I spend about $80 a week on gas, but most of that is on the weekend when I go on trips. Business doesn't cover any gas. I almost always go to the gym to shower, but I never feel obligated. I pay for the facilities, so I don't think I'm taking advantage of anybody. I really try not to do that as much as possible. If I'm using internet from a business I will try and patronize it a few times.

This may have already been answered but do you have a college degree?

..........................................................................................

What are the top 5 most bothersome things about living in your car?

..........................................................................................

How much did it cost to set up your car rig?

..........................................................................................

Do jobs in Cali pay more due to the high cost of living?

..........................................................................................

Are you generally as happy as you would be if you had your own place?

..........................................................................................

Ever tripped balls?

..........................................................................................

Thanks for the AMA man, one of the more interesting ones I've seen in a while. Also mad respect for the minimalist lifestyle.

1. No college degree. I went to a community college for a while when I was deciding what to do, nothing interested me enough to invest $20k.

2. Don't know if I have 5. Right now it's the heat. Also, the food situation I haven't quite worked out to the best possible way. Other than that, it keeps me organized, I don't accumulate a bunch of shit, and I can move at a moments notice.

3. $695 for the camper. The platform was pretty much free (recycled wood), and a little bit of gear for around $200.

4. Sometimes, but I would say not really. It's fucking expensive to live here, and there's a bunch of people, and traffic sucks. I'm out of here as soon as I get bored.

5. Yeah, other than the temporary stuff, (Heat etc.) I don't think i would be any better off with my own place.

6. Not on anything but weed. I Want to try shrooms if anyone is around LA.

Thanks for the nods, minimalism is awesome.