I’ve been thinking about the direction I’m taking this blog (stories, van dwelling info, stripping info, etc.), and I have some questions for you guys. If you’re reading, leave a comment and let me know:
How did you get here?
How long have you been reading?
Why do you come back?
What do you want to see here?
And, of course, who are you?
Last time I did this there were a ton of responses and they were enlightening at the time, but I think I forgot some key questions.
Ok, here’s my answers:
How did you get here?
My truck broke down. As strange as that sounds… It was time to replace the water pump, but we were having problems removing the fan and fan clutch. So I did a Google search for tips and found you’re article on replacing the van’s pump. I started to read further and continued to come back.
How long have you been reading?
Not long. A month or so now.
Why do you come back?
I like the way you write. And some of the cliff-hangers have me wondering what will happen next.
What do you want to see here?
I can’t think of anything, but I know I don’t want to see your administrator posting that you have been hurt, so be careful!
And, of course, who are you?
I’m a lifetime drummer in local bands and a production worker in a garment factory. I live up a lonely country road with a few horses and other assorted animals. And I enjoy what little distraction time I can get in this busy life.
Maybe I have a friend who has lived what must have been a similar lifestyle.
i don’t quite remember how i got here. it was probably just one of my late night internet wonderings.
i’ve been reading for a couple months now and i keep coming back because . . . i just like you. you seem very down to earth.
i just want to see more of you and your life.
my name is Destiny and i’m just your standered freaky chick turned mommy. well kind of. i have two live in lovers and i’ve just signed up to work as phone sex opperator so that i can stay at home with my son. i am mostly looking to “phone Domme” since it’s something i know i can enjoy with a broader range of people.
i’m really interested in “living naturally” but right now i’m just cloth diapering. i’m also interested in herbalism. i live in Iowa and strangely enough, it suits me most of the time, but sometimes i really wish i was 17 so i could run away again.
How did you get here?
Through the Poor_Skills community on Livejournal
How long have you been reading?
About a month, maybe. But I’ve read all the old posts
Why do you come back?
Because I like your writing style, & I find your life very interesting. I would love to be able to just leave everything & live in a van
What do you want to see here?
I’m happy with whatever you write about.
And, of course, who are you?
A freelance fantasy artist who lives in a craptacular apartment in a smallish town.
How did I get here? Hmmmm I think it was another blog but I can’t remember which one, the name of your blog intrigued me so there you go. I have been reading for about 2 monthsish maybe. I keep reading because I like your writing style, your perspective on life is interesting. I’m a bit of a voyeur in that I enjoy finding out a person’s life story and their reasons behind doing the things they do.
What do I want to see here? whatever you choose to post.
I am student about to graduate, with no idea where I am gonna go or what I am gonna do, I love biking, yoga, blacksmithing and I am a big time plant and politics nerd
How did you get here?
Must be a link from your SW profile
How long have you been reading?
a couple months, your writing should be published.
Why do you come back?
See above. I enjoy your prose. Genuine and to the point
What do you want to see here?
Keep it simple like you are doing
And, of course, who are you?
I am the CarGuy…you may remember, Toyota Tacoma, Pontiac Sunfire…sawing plywood in the middle of the night…I have some pics somewhere of you, your crew and the bus. Your roomate “N” was pretty cute if I recall correctly.
Hey there. I came upon your blog one day when your stripping 101 post was linked by Dominatrix Next Door- good stuff.
I enjoy your blog because… it’s interesting! I love to read about how other people manage and organize their lives and their (sex) work, and your posts are particularly thoughtful and insightful. I like your stories. My blog is brand new, and linked you on my blogroll… check it out if you’d like, and keep up the good work!
graham
How did you get here? — someone gave me the link in my my blog, suggesting I’d like it.
How long have you been reading? — less than a week at the moment, but I’m hooked!
Why do you come back? — I think you are awesome! I want to learn about how to live in a van.
What do you want to see here? — More vandwelling stuff.
And, of course, who are you? — I’m Jo… I recently joined vandwellers too. I’m going to be embarking on a cross-continent road trip soon, and I’ll be living in a van for part of it. I’m really excited. I had no idea that a minivan was even an option.
How did you get here?
Audacia Ray listed your blog as one of her favorites
How long have you been reading?
a few weeks
Why do you come back?
because it’s personal without being particularly self-indulgent. i like your writing. i like reading about tinctures and survival and healthy strong career sex workers. and because i don’t feel like i belong anywhere, and i enjoy the thought of bringing my life and my home with me on an endless moving trip.
And, of course, who are you?
I’m a sex-toy designer and artist who recently got into lapdancing to fund my work.
How did you get here? Random search via google.
How long have you been reading? About two or three months?
Why do you come back? You’re living a fantasy I wish I could live.
What do you want to see here? All of your adventures travelling, the wildlife, the stories.
And, of course, who are you? I’m Nina, a 24 year old artist and musician from DC.
I can’t remember who showed me your website, but I love it. I’m a former hobo (though still a migrant worker), and a weekend, paying-my-way-through-college-but-not-admitting-at-school-or-in-my-blog stripper (on the job ~a decade now).
Mainly, I’m all about food, my cat, and doin’ the whole education thing.
Hello, Tara! I’m glad you posted this blog because I’ve been wanting to say hello for some time but I’ve been shy. (Is that not the silliest thing ever???)
Anyway:
How did you get here?
I actually linked here from an herbalist blog. While I was looking for van-dweller tips/ideas/blogs, I didn’t expect to run across this one! It’s by far one the best and certainly one of the most intriguing. 😀
How long have you been reading?
Since at least October. I read whenever I get access to the internet. ^.^
Why do you come back?
I love your writing style. I’m a writer myself and I appreciate the bite and wit your writing portrays. You’re doing what I dream of doing – of living in a van, with such a sense of freedom and instinct for survival. I know I could never be a stripper, but I love reading your writings on the subject (I even read the Stripping 101, lol!). You’ve probably heard this before, but you’re something of a role model to me. *cheesy grin*
What do you want to see here?
I pretty much like your blog the way it is. Some more tips on surviving in a van would be fantastic (especially for women!). I’m seeking the sort of independence you exude through your writings.
And, of course, who are you?
My name’s Alaina, but I go by Ally. I’m a writer and I have a blog (www.wanderinghen.com), though it’s not as interesting as this. Right now I’m on something of a quest of self-discovery and healing. I’m trying to break free from years of conservative thinking brought on by being caged in the conservative mid-west. (Which is why I really felt for you when you were in that area!!!) My interest is in Herbalism and once I complete several goals to free myself of financial burden, I’d like to find a serious herbalist/flower shaman to study under.
I did the hobo thing for all of five days and I loved the sense of freedom as well as the challenge of living on instincts and whatever fate hands you. It was more of an ice-breaker for me, so I’m not at all afraid of doing it again.
Anyway, thanks for your blog and your inspiration! 🙂
I’m a bit late on replying to this, but I just wanted to let you know who I am, and that I’m here.
How did you get here?
I found you by just browsing the web… I came across your ‘101 things people say when you tell them you’re a stripper’ article. To be honest, I almost passed it over, thinking it would be just another mindless, ‘humorous’ post so often seen online, but you sucked me in with your very first words, and opened my eyes to the beauty of others, especially those from other walks of life.
How long have you been reading?
Only about a week or so. Since I found your blog, I spent an entire night just sitting, reading every thing you have written. And I don’t consider that time wasted. I am glad of your words.
Why do you come back?
I come back simply to absorb a little of your essence and beauty through every word you write. I come back because your blog reminds me that there are other ways of living, and tells me to open my eyes and see all the possibilities that lay ahead of me.
Mostly, though, I come back because I love the way you write, and what you write about. Your words inspire me to go outside and bathe in the moonlight, to kiss the feet of mother earth and feel her pressing up against my body. You reminded me of the splendour just outside my door, and that I am in tune with this amazing and beautiful earth, and that it is waiting for me.
What do you want to see here?
I’m perfectly happy to just see more of your posts each day, as and when you feel you should write them.
And, of course, who are you?
I am Christine, I am student from London, UK. I live in a tiny flat, and while I envy your existence, I love my personal space, my foothold in the world, where I can bring my own peace of mind and know that it is always waiting for me.
I love the earth around me, I want to make the most of it.
I have a blog, but it is not yet a regular thing, I want to widen my mind and experience first. I feel I should have more stories to tell, before I begin telling them.
That’s what I’m doing now, living and experiencing, and your words are an inspiration.
“How did you get here?”
I found your blog via stumble… and I liked what I read so I keep reading. I am gradually working my way backwards through your archives.
“How long have you been reading?” about a week
“Why do you come back?” Because I like your blog – it is interesting, funny, well written, insightful, thoughtful…..
“What do you want to see here?” I am pretty happy with what you write so far… maybe some more pictures of the towns you visit and the places you drive to… otherwise, keep it exactly the same as it is!
“And, of course, who are you?” I am Lotte – I am probably one of the most boring people you could ever meet to your mind!
I am 38 years old, married and with 4 daughters. I am a stay-at-home mother. I am an English immigrant in Canada (lived in Calgary for the last 2 years). But I love reading your blog – I love the way your vitality shines out of every word you write. And I wish I could be as free as you, but Van living with 4 small children would not only be impractical it would drive me insane 😉
>How did you get here?
Followed a link from “Eros Blog”
>How long have you been reading?
About a week.
>Why do you come back?
I’m curious to see what’s happening next in the life of someone I admire and who’s viewpoints I appreciate, and I want to learn a thing or two.
>What do you want to see here?
More of the same is good!
>And, of course, who are you?
Now that is a tough questions. I am a fellow living in northern Maine – so much of the Alaska experiences are very easy to relate to. It’s a bit more populated in parts of Maine than most of AK, but parts of it are still very much away-from-everything. While I currently work at a university, my steady job from my mid-twenties to my mid-thirties, and I enjoy my work, I also enjoy taking long trips during the summers, mostly living out of my car and a tent, and getting to see some of the less-travelled spots. I’d like to live a simple-ish life with a lover in a spread-out small town, but with the option to head into the big town once a week or so. Or even to work every day, so long as each day brings something of interest.
How did you get here?
Glasserella’s blog (she and I have known each other for ages, it seems)
How long have you been reading?
A couple of days…there is so much and it’s all so good! (Ive been late for work even!)
Why do you come back?
To read, of course.
What do you want to see here?
More of the same (as in excellently written documentation of the travels and adventures of a van dwelling stripper!)
And, of course, who are you?
A Nurse, from Australia.
Hi. This was posted 8 months ago so I don’t know whether you get notifications but I’ll reply anyway.
How did you get here?
Link from Renegade Evolution. One of the few blogs still being updated from her sidebar 🙂
How long have you been reading?
2 days. Heh.
Why do you come back?
I am completely addicted to your writing style and the way you think .
What do you want to see here?
Erm, whatever you want to put here. Really.
And, of course, who are you?
I’m a 23yo non-sex worker in New Zealand. Tried stripping for half a night, kind of regretted not sticking it out a little longer (I think I talked myself out of it more because it was a new job than because I was uncomfortable with stripping).
Have a personality that’s half hippy and half scientist, and hence get into arguments with myself a bit
How did you get here?
Followed some random link from boingboing
How long have you been reading?
less than a week, but demands for my skills have been low, I’ve been sick with low attention span, so sucking down stream of consciousness was working good for me. I sampled here and there and then went through the last 18 months of posts or so.
Why do you come back?
It was (and you were/are) interesting. I have friends which are strippers, herbalists, articulate writers, minimalist lifestyles, lesbians and self-sufficient living women, but not all in one package.
What do you want to see here?
I particularly enjoy hearing your take and philosophy regarding stripping and your Alaskan adventures.
And, of course, who are you?
I’m a 40yo techie living in rural Vermont with a 14 mo old Newfoundland puppy. I’ve lived on both coasts and in the midwest, but like it here with the trees. I’ve visited Alaska and want to go again and spend more time, but I like living within a few hours drive of a major city and being able to visit family easily. I’m currently in the opposite situation to van dwelling — I have a 3000 sqft house that I’m slowing upgrading to a real family home … it was last lived in year-round sometime in the 50’s and needs a lot of love.