Movie Previews

Its been a while since I have updated my blog. I have been working a lot, looking for more work, and went through some kitty drama. She had severe constipation. I took her to the vet and they gave her 2 enemas. She is better now. She is also on laxatone which is amazing stuff for eliminating hairballs. Not sure if its on the open market. The vet bill was 100 for an x ray, exam, and the hairball stuff. My other girl will be going to vet soon as well to get everything checked out before we head out west for the winter.

I have also been visiting friends, seeing some movies, and have gone to the beach a few times. Today I cleaned another garbage bag full of stuff from my rental room and cleaned the van. I am working on saving up to upgrade to a larger van. A trailer would be nice but for the winter and the impending drive through the moutains, a 4x4 van seems better or at least a Class B. I am looking for a cheaper rental room in the mean time even closer to work while I save up the rest of the money needed for my trip to Quartzite this winter.

Things I have learned living in my van:
 I need AC. I know many can live without it but the cats and I are tired of living without it, so I need a van with at least a spare battery, inverter, vent, rooftop AC and shore power hookups. Its very hot in the rental room even with several fans and ice in the water. 4x4 is mandatory for winter driving and something a bed will fit across the back or leave room for a small desk and bed behind the drivers seat. The mini van is nice but its small on its own so this winter if I don't upgrade, I will either need a rooftop carrier or cargo trailer.

So onto the movies: Inception: http://inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com/ 5 stars out of 5
This movie is like Fight Club meets 6th sense meets Matrix. Its about a dream within a dream within a dream. Its about the idea of dream sharing and planting an idea in the son of a major corporate giant on his deathbed. The idea has to be simple and seed on its own like it wasn't planted. This leads to 3 levels of dreaming that are all tied together. Sound confusing, it is. This is an excellent movie and I am hard to please. Don't be late and don't plan for a bathroom break, one look away and you will miss what is going on. Its a sequential movie that is constantly moving. Leoardo DiCaprio plays his part very well  and his assistant architect (the person that designs the physical landscape of the dream scenario and the person fills in the details themselves) does a stellar job. Its ruthless, well timed and a movie that must be seen more than once to catch everything.

Cats & Dogs, the Revenge of Kitty Galore: 2.5 out of 5
This movie is okay. Its a lot of hype and advertising for what you get to see. This is a good movie for the younger kids. The movie is like Spy Kids meets the traditional comic sequence. Its done Marvel comic style but not near as good. I saw it in 3D. This movie is about Kitty Galore (formerly a member of MEOWS) making a satellite that will render all dogs insane and then enslave all of man kind. Dogs and Cats work together and Diggs (a not so good police dog) is the main character and does a decent job.

Salt: Great Movie, 5 out of 5

Sorcerers Apprentice: 3 out 5 This movie was decent, a good Disney flick, great for the adventure and thrill of it all. It does seem like a knock off of National Treasure which was better. However, this movie would be great for popcorn night at home. But in the theatre it was okay. It was a bit predictable for this genre which is perhaps being overdone as of late. DaVinci Code and then National Treasure and Night at the Museum, all great movies but its time for something new. Its about Merlin having 3 apprentices which one turned evil. One of his apprentices, Belthazaar, is given a ring from Merlin to defeat the evil Morgana and the turned apprentice. This is done on his death bed. A nerdy kid a few hundred years is given the ring and from there the adventure is off.

Pics of the Van

The photos below are: cat kit for when they travel in the van, my desk that can be used behind the passenger seat or from the drivers seat, compass that clips to dogs leashes, o2 cool fan, entire filing system, right side of van with bag mentioned below with blankets, feline pine litter for cats in basket, water jug, and bed roll in middle that is rolled up either direction, left side of van with container of things like kitchen items, lighting, batteries, jewelry, ect. and bag on top with more blankets, clothes ect, straight talk card for communications, tire gage, water jug and wipes. Not pictured is the hygeine kit that fits in a bigger carry bag with towels, face washers, and flip flops.

The van is constantly evolving. More things to come but this is the coziest set up so far. I still have room for my 3 other bins that are in the room. At this point I am looking for a workamping position and then a travel trailer (will get prior to leaving with current job)

I visited wal mart the other day for their 4th of july sale. i got a new water container that holds 7 gallons and a camping blanket that folds up into a purse. I also bought some plastic top material storage containers. These stand well in the van. I put my blankets sheets tarps and pillows in them. They can also be stacked to form a couch. I personally stand them up and they come down for easy opening along the wall of the van like giant garbage bags -:). They really expand storage as they are not rigid besides being cheaper and lighter. 


The 7 gallon jug increases the time between fill ups and is still light enough to carry. I plan to add a hand pump system and a small counter with sink and 1 burner removable propane stove. 

The Van

House living seems to feel like I am suffocating, stationary, stuck. In the van its like a cacoon, its mine, and it has wheels. Sure there are risks but so does a house have its risks. I own less and so have to reach out to achieve those things but after sleeping in a house last night, I remember how comfortable and more secure I feel in the van. Poem: I am not homeless, I simply choose: to live in a van, my home, my abode, that can go where I want to go, where my dreams can come true, where life makes sense, things are small, life is large, I am not homeless. I merely choose: a home on wheels, that can move, travel, a nomad on wheels, thats my van, the dreamer, the betsy, the minivan, the everything, I am not homeless, I just live in a van. I am self sufficient, reliant, safe, explorative, creative, and can design what I own as I choose. Its my home.  It changes scenery and landscape often, it gets tired, and we move. We move onward and upward. I am not homeless, just vanfull, my home on wheels.