Some random liveaboard notes

I wanted to note some behavior changes I have noticed since the big move. I thought they might be interesting to think about.

Bathroom Awareness - I now seize every opportunity to use a public bathroom as early and often as possible.

Meal Scheduling - I now prefer breakfast more and dinner less due to the corresponding schedule of bowel movements. In the morning, there is nothing more uncomfortable than having to go #2 and having to put on pants and shoes, unbatton the hatch, walk up a ramp, open a gate and then provided you remembered the bathroom key, open the bathroom. With any luck the bathroom will be vacant so you don't accidentally kill an innocent bystander with the ensuing cannon fire. This is another reason that Bathroom Awareness is important.

Water Collection - I bought a little 1 liter, stainless steel water bottle. Not so much to save energy and resources by avoiding plastic bottles, but as a way of grabbing fresh water anywhere I can. Namely the bottled water dispenser at work. Drinking two liters a day and then having a third to take home usually means I won't need to use the bottled water I purchased at the store. Running out of water can suck. I tried the hose water. Not yummy.

Long Term Food - I am now constantly on the lookout for food that doesn't require much or any refrigeration and doesn't spoil. Food that requires no cooking is also really nice. Although I have a rice cooker now, I have not used it. I have actually become slightly biased toward not cooking anything inside the boat for fear that it might create more mess than I want to clean up. It occurs to me that cooking on a stove inside the cabin may distribute grease around the surfaces and odors that might be hard to get rid of. I have used the hot water kettle extensively to make ramen noodles, tea and hot buttered rum. This cooking subject is an evolving subject.

Day Bag - I bought a bag that I carry around everywhere. It contains my bathroom kit, knit gloves, knit cap, coat, towel, laptop, power cord, mouse, headset, checkbook, water bottle and ballpoint pen. I use it to carry things between my car and my boat. This includes laundry, groceries and other things I need to add or remove from my boat inventory.

Car Storage - I put things in the car that I need but don't need to be on my boat. If I go grocery shopping, this could include half of the groceries that won't make it in one trip to the boat. Convenient that I am buying mostly food that doesn't spoil to make that work okay. It also includes a giant stockpile of socks that I compiled during the move. I am still trying to determine the optimal number of socks needed to live through two weeks of laundry.

Trash Discipline - I have become infinitely more neat than I used to be. Some of my friends might recall the famous Vinny ownage, "Does Aaron own a dog?" No longer. If I have an unwashed cup in my galley, the boat looks like a pig sty. I cannot let it go even a day unorganized. Every night I hang a trash bag on my pad lock so that when I reach for the lock I also get the trash bag and I never forget to take it out. This goes a long way toward keeping everything ship shape.

Ownership Resistance - I believe I have talked about this before but it is worth mentioning in the context of this list. I no longer buy things on impulse. Everything must have a purpose that it serves daily and is worthy of the space it takes in my boat. If it is needed and not used daily, it is demoted to Car Storage. If it is not needed weekly, it is demoted to my storage space on Brommer Street. If it is not needed monthly, it has a great chance of getting thrown out, given away or sold. Beware gift givers, there are few exceptions to this rule.

I might add to this list, but this is pretty good for now. In other news, I am starting do do SCA stuff with the local group. This weekend, I will most likely be going to 12th Night. If you clicked on all three of those links and still don't know what the hell I am talking about ... I can't help you.

EDIT: Additions...


Sea Legs - I no longer feel the difference between land and the boat so going from the boat to land no longer feels funny and going from land to the boat no longer requires an adjustment to balance.

-Aaron