Living in a Van, Down by the River

 

by Raymond M. Coulombe

One of the wonderful things about being a writer is the portability of the job. Theoretically, a writer can write just about anywhere. That includes living in a van down by the river. It’s worth checking out that classic Saturday Night Live performance on Youtube. It’s not just a SNL bit, but an actual valid strategy.

That’s what this blogger will be doing the next few months. I’ve done it before. My van is actually a former ambulance that’s been converted to a low rent mini-motorhome. If I’m really lucky, I’ll get a prime stop down by the river.

Competition is pretty stiff for those primo spots down by the river. Other writers are already out there ahead of me. Of course, it’s not just writers competing for parking spots. There’s Amazon warehouse workers, retired people on fixed incomes, hurricane refugees, meth dealers, homeless vets, and Liberal Arts Majors.

Seriously though, my wife and I will be living in a van the next four months or so. It’s a better option than feeding a woodstove all winter in the frozen north. In a few days we plan on being deep in the middle of a National Forest in a warmer state.

I hope to keep up with this blog. It’s going to take some planning as there’s no wifi down by the river. If for some reason I’m late with a post, just assume I’ve had too many beers to drive into town to find a hotspot.