Nov. 5th 2023
After my negative thoughts about job at laundromat post things changed. The woman was in negotiations to sell the place same time I applied. That's why she didn't respond to me. I actually talked with her in person the day of settlement. She's a very nice lady and explained things to me. She passed my job application to new owner. I also had mentioned nonchalantly to the owner of my.gym I was seeking a winter job. So you guessed it. They both contacted me a day apart. Originally I was going to take both jobs and juggle the shifts. After some thought I opted to pass on the laundromat job and take the position at the gym.
The job is basic enough, front desk clerk. Check people in when they enter , update payments, wipe down cardio machines, etc. I report at 0430 do the morning routine then open gym for business at 5am. Yeah, nice early hours just like commercial crabbing. Wake up for me is 0345 .
The sweet part is I get to parking lot early , have a coffee while waiting for 430 so I can enter. I have a code for front door but I don't want to enter any earlier then suppose to. Once inside I have my very own bath room for morning routine. As a vanner this is GOLDEN !!!!! I do the assigned tasks pre opening. Basic shit, check paper towels, squirt cleaner into toilets, wipe mirror and sinks. Both male and female bathrooms 🚻. 10 mins. Turn on music for weight room, lights, check towels and paper cups in weight room ✔️ . Upfront of gym, turn on the multiple TV sets, lights unlock front doors. BAM ! Ready for business 💪. There's a few more chores throughout the 5 hour shift but again, very basic stuff. The rest of the time I'm forced to look at very attractive women whom are dressed in spandex . 😁
I'm also back in to the auction hustle. I just bid on and won many nice items from an online estate auction. 👌. I'm gonna post on Face Crook mkt. and sell along with word of mouth and of course direct contact with the lovely women I meet at my place of employment.
The buy and sell auction hustle is a lot easier these days with a smart phone in everyone's hand. I was buying and selling at flea market level before we had the giggle button . I kinda had to know the mkt. back then . Now I can see items that are interesting and just search online for price comps. BAM !!! Easy peasy.
I drive my van as a daily driver. I park at my gym when using the gym and have been since I bought my roadtrek. I don't live on the lot. Before that I lived in my white Ford cargo van and parked that same place while using the gym. I think a few people have figured out the van is my house. I park out and away from gym front doors, mainly to keep cars from dinging me. I really don't care who knows my deal but I don't advertise it. Funny story,I was doing laundry 2 weeks ago . Lady who also was doing laundry asked me point blank " do you live in your camper van " . I smiled and said Yes I do, for 13 years now. She's into the tiny house thing on TV.
Years ago there was a guy in my gym who was a van dweller. He parked his van behind a gas station a quarter mile from gym . Never moved it. It was parked in plain sight on a very busy corner. No one ever noticed what he was up to. He had permission from gas station, that's all he needed. We'll my buddy knew Tom, I didn't. We all belonged to same gym. My buddy was telling many people about Tom's set up, unbeknownst to Tom . Remember this is before it hit YouTube and became trendy. Flip phones were still the thing. Tom was a private kind of guy but friendly.
I started considering doing the van house thing after I learned of Tom . I was a long haul trucker for 15 years. Before that I was an Army paratrooper in the infantry. I was made for van dwelling. So I started researching on my old dial up desk top computer. Wasn't much to read back then on van dwelling. This was probably about 2004 . I ran across a few cool blogs and started following them. Hey Chris Harne 🖐 . Well back to my original thought. Lots of people knew about Tom and his van set up. He remarked to me " man I been doi g this shit for years and NOBODY knows . " I informed him I've known for a few years and lots of people know thanks to our friend Kenny. He wasn't amused. So I wonder how many people over on that side of town know my set up . 🫢 No worries 👍
So this little job is made to order for me, and the auction hustle is also a worthwhile venture.
August of 2011 I started this van life. I do not want to own a house again. I fell for that scheme once, that's enough. 💯
