What...stilts?
...What?

Good luck in your hobo adventures!

>>1520
It's an odd situation, but I'm making the most of it. So far, it's been awesome. Also, time to leave the library, be back for more hobo stories tomorrow.

You sir are a bro.

Stilts. Katana, brah.

I'm serious.

I would be quite worried in your position, so I like your outlook on the situation. It seems you have everything covered anyway.

Good luck!

You could turn this experience into something wonderful to be honest. Don't look at it as homelessness. Maybe look at it like a nomadic lifestyle, living off the grid and outside society.

Are you familiar with that one guy who lives in the woods and builds stuff? He has no job or anything and lives in the forest and just designs things. He's a professor but does not use money or anything and lives all DIY.

>>1529

What does he eat?

>>1529
What one guy? Whats his name?

I will be watching these manly tales closely.

they probably mean jmemantzel on youtube

>>1530
he said in the IRC that he has money, but eats things like raw ramen.

>>1533
He doesn't, and hasn't, taught at a college.

This is really fascinating. It reminds me of a Asano Inio story or something.
I totally wish I could be a hobo. Although, I must say, I do romanticize a life like that. I'm pretty sure my sentiments are shared - And why not? Some hobos are total bros.

How cold is it where you are?

>>1537
That was my main concern for him too. He didn't seem too concerned about the weather, but I think he mentioned it being below freezing at night. Hope he has enough to keep warm.

The first evening of hoboness has had mixed results. The good news is that I only slept two or three hours, but woke up feeling amazing, and wasn't dead. The bad news is that according to a man named Evan, the police check the park area occasionally for homeless people, such as myself. After I woke up around midnight, I was heading to use the restroom in the park and met him. He seemed to be a pretty cool guy, and had an intense library of knowledge about the area. We talked for about two hours, and he shared some pretty interesting stories, and reccomended some bands. Of the conversation, I would share all, but that'd be two hours worth of conversation. The few things that jump to mind are:
-He knew Steve McQueen pretty well, and once even fished with him in the very park I am currently living at.
-Iron Maiden is badass
-At a speach given by Lindon B. Johnson about how his presidency would improve economic conditions, even as the president was talking about the oppertunities for everyone he would create, he was badly beaten and partially lost his hearing in one of his ears because of it.
-Bill Gates is a communist.
-Vinyl records are far superior to anything digital.
-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD1eOEItcmg Seems like this happened pretty close to where I live.
-Cops are racist, don't care about you, and enjoy abusing thier power. (Though, this is something I already knew well.)

>>1524
I think a machete would be more useful. It's good for cutting down brush, the edge lasts a while, and it's portable. But yeah, a katana would be pretty sweet.

>>1527
The night before I got kicked out of my dorm I was a bit worried about it, though when I woke up all my anxiety had dissapeared. And thank you, I'll need all the luck I can get.

>>1529
That's pretty much what I'm looking at this lifestyle like. It's actually a lot more entertaining than I imagined. Tons of free time, lots of places to explore, and you enjoy everything a lot more. I'd like to say my quality of life has improved. As for the professor, I hadn't actually heard of him unless he's the guy who builds all those wind powered complex machines. More information would be welcomed, he sounds like a pretty cool bro.

>>1536
It's surprising how little being homeless is from having a home. Perhaps it's just me, but the only downside is not having a safe place to store your belongings or sleep (The only safety being seclusion). It's not quite as romantic as it'd seem, though the people you meet are the best part. I have yet to meet another homeless person who isn't a chill guy. Some/most are a bit off/crazy, but then again, most of society would say I'm crazy for doing this.

>>1537
It's 42F right now. This time Saturday the forecast says a low of 31F, so I expect keeping warm to become more difficult as time passes, but I have more than enough ways to keep warm. (Comforters, gloves, thick jacket, and warm clothes)

[Picture : A makeshift bottle pipe I found near my campsite, abandoned in the woods.

>>1539
I'm excited about your hijinks. Perhaps physical strength or knowledge isn't the most important thing in a person, but emotional resilience, and you seem to have a lot of that.

>>1540
You're pretty much correct. You don't need to be strong or well-read in order to survive, you just need ingenuity, the ability to adapt, and the ability to deal with stress. It's always been rare for me to be stressed over anything, and I always wanted to try being a vagabond, and being a bum is good preparation for that, if I ever should so wish to pursue that lifestyle of endless exploring.

Today was an unusual day. I ended up wandering around the deserted campus around 5AM, and settled in on a bench outside as all the building were closed. Eventually, the morning cold began to get to me, and I ended up trying to find an unlocked door into a building. My searching ended up leading me to an unlocked stairway, which led into a second story room with four windows, an elevator, and two locked doors leading further into the building. A sofa was in this room, as well as an electrical outlet. This discovery meant I now have a place to access the internet, get out of the cold, and charge my electronics even when the library is closed. Hopefully it will remain unlocked in the future, as the room is far too suitable to my needs to have it go to waste.
After staying in the Room of Fortune for a few hours, I decided to head back to my stash spot in the woods to grab my gloves and some ramen. I loaded up my backpack with six packages, and put on my gloves. I headed towards the library, and stopped at a bridge along the way, eating one of the packages raw with the flavoring sprinked on top. Believe it or not, this is actually a pretty filling way to eat ramen, and the taste isn't bad at all. It's a habit I got into a little over a year ago, when I got too lazy to cook. After eating, I walked the long way to the library, and in doing so I found a small shack I hadn't seen before, despite having taken the route before. The home was small, and other than clothes and a sleeping mat inside, the only belongings I saw were books. I decided to leave the person a gift, and upon seeing lighters scattering the area I decided cigarettes were an appropriate gift. After this, I finished my walk to the library.
Once in the library, I immediately set up on a chair near an outlet, and began charging my laptop whilst doing things on it. Randomly, the hobo I met the day before, whom I shared a drink and smoke with, came up and started a small conversation. He offered two slices from a pizza he didn't finish, but I declined. Immediately, I regretted that decision, but it wasn't a large loss. It seems that after we had gone our separate ways he had been arrested for public intoxication and had to spend the night in jail. Seeing that he was no longer in jail, it didn't sound like it was anything major legally.
About 3PM I left the library, too tired to continue as I had only gotten two or three hours of sleep the night before. I made a quick trip to my stash spot to change socks and smoke a bit. After that, I headed to explore a forested area near the park and ended up finding the tent and furniture of someone who had made the place their home. I avoided the area, as I didn't want to cause any conflict, and settles in a place by train tracks, with two large cement cylinders to either side of me, and a tree to my front, making me much harder to see. I fell asleep here for two and a half hours, then woke up and headed to Subway to get a sandwich.
After eating, I decided the day was mostly done, so I decided to head on campus (The library closes earlier on Fridays) to post, and do various other things on my laptop.
Also, I have plans to make a zipgun in the future, as they are inexpensive and highly effective. In case someone doesn't know what that is, it's a very small (About the side of a screwdriver, if not smaller) single-shot pistol. They aren't all that hard to make, and the supplies would only cost about fourty or fifty dollars in total. This isn't an investment I'm willing to make currently, but it will be worth looking into when I have a job. As for now, I'm going to make a bow. They are even easier to make, requiring only something to serve as a string (I have electrical tape I could make a string out of, and if not I can use a good vine), and a yard-long bendable stick. If I complete that project, bow and arrows will serve well for personal protection and amusement. Not to mention the pleasure you get from making tools using your own hands.

Today's Rhyme:
Sleep is for the weak willed; though my body isn't thrilled. You'd think not sleeping would be cool; but it just makes me feel a fool. One thing I know for sure; two meals a day has no allure. Three times would be even better; four would be an attention getter. Five rhymes at once looks bad; though six in a row is pretty rad.

!!!
As I was finishing up this post, a friend randomly called me and asked if I wanted to live with him over the break. The only catch is he wont be back in town until Monday. One thing worrying me is that I actually considered turning him down. Life as a hobo has been pretty amazing thusfar. What do you guys think? Take the offer of a place (It's on-campus, too), or live out the full break's month time as a hobo?

>>1551
>What do you guys think? Take the offer of a place (It's on-campus, too), or live out the full break's month time as a hobo?

I'd take the offer. It might be a nice experience right now, but you never know what could go wrong. It's up to you though.

>>1553
I think it depends on how these next two days go. As far as things going wrong, my stuff could get stolen (Though it's under that dirty rug I talked about earlier, and moderately deep in the park's forest), and I could get a 500$ ticket for trespassing (But I fixed that issue by finding that new spot to sleep)

Also, I forgot pictures.

[Picture is of the shack I found on my way to the library.]

>>1554

You could tell him to take care of your stuff while you live outside if that's what is worrying you.

>>1555
I was thinking along these lines as well. I could store my clothes and hygiene things at his dorm, come and go as I please, but otherwise continue my hobo adventure. I was actually reading earlier about other people's experiences being homeless, and it seems pretty entertaining, especially given I've never cared in the slightest about owning a home.

Here's the site I was reading earlier, in case anyone is interested:
http://guide2homelessness.blogspot.com
It's got a ton of really good tips (Such as valuable items you may not have thought of, or ways to avoid detection) and other useful information.

I tip my hat to you, I've always wanted to try being homeless for a week, just to see what its like. For various reasons I haven't, and for you having the courage to do what I haven't, though forced to I applaud you, and wish you good luck.

This whole thread is reminding me a lot of Disappearance Diary (you guys should read it if you haven't)

Taking on from where I left off at my last post, I headed to the Room of Fortune from subway. I was there for half an hour or so before deciding to go smoke, and hopefully see Evan in the process. I headed to the park, and after looking around for an hour I went to my cache spot, dejected at my inability to locate Evan. I rolled the rest of what I had, and smoked it on the way back to the Room of Fortune. I was there until about 2AM, when someone who looked like a professor entered in to use the elevator from one of the locked doors that led into the room. He seemed surprised to see me there, and I immediately knew from his questioning voice that he did not approve of my being there.I said that I was a student, and that I found it very difficult to go to sleep early at night, both of which are true. After a small amount of conversation, he left. I, fearing the worst, immediately packed up my things and left as well.
After leaving the Room of Fortune, I walked to Walgreens, which was a good twenty minute walk away. I was relaxing under a bridge when I heard voices. I grabbed my stuff and ran up to Walgreens, stashing my backpack in a bush nearby and then I entered the store. I bought some food and supplies, then left and went to the HEB one store down, leaving my things in the bush. As I was entering HEB, I saw a police car pulling out of an area very close to the bridge, and drive over to Walgreens. I ignored it, and bought more supplies inside of HEB and left. The police car was still parked in front of Walgreens, so I couldn't get my backpack. I waited. The police car waited. I decided to risk it, and grabbed my stuff before heading off. I returned to campus to go to the Room of Fortune. The stairwell door was locked. Since it had been open the entirety of yesterday, morning, evening, and night, I assume it was because of that professor. I found another unlocked stairwell nearby and entered, finding electrical outlets on every flight. I went to the fourth story and charged my things.
At about 8AM I left to the park, intent on making the bow and making a aluminium can stove I had read about online. I built the stove first, but my first design was awful, and didn't light correctly. I went deeper into the forest and searched for a branch that would work for a bow; bendable and dry. With enough searching, I did end up finding a stick that was suitable. I spent a while carving out the notches and touching up the shape when I decided to try to redo the can stove. I completed the design and began to test it out when I realized something a little late: I was in the forest, everything was dead and dry, and the stove was surrounded by leaves. A fire sprung up around the can, the leaves nearby lighting up. I grabbed the can and threw it at the river, but as I did it flaming liquid splashed on my coat, and more fed the already significantly sized fire. I threw myself to the ground to smother the fire on my coat, then immediately began kicking the leaves to put out that fire. I finally extinguished it when I noticed my backpack was smoking at the top, and a fire was burning it slowly. I ran over and tried to pat out the fire, but didn't realize the synthetics used in the backpacks construction turned to molten goo with heat. My hands were scalded by the hot sticky goo, and I gained second and first degree burns all over the palms of both hands. Defeated and injured, I headed to the library to try to lessen the negativity of the day. I was only there for a short while when I realized how exhausted I was, and that sleep deprivation must have been the cause for why I had been making so many silly mistakes lately. Two hours of sleep a day will do that to you after long enough, it seems. I headed to the spot I had discovered the day before, by the train tracks and between the two concrete pillars, and slept for a few hours there.
When I awoke it had been four or five hours (It was now about 4:30), and I decided that I felt awake enough to continue my day, so I headed to Jack in the Box for some breakfast to wake me up. Whilst I ate my food I typed up this post, knowing that if I didn't write down the events soon they would begin slipping from my memory.
So, the moral of the story is that only sleep can prevent forest fires. And Yogi Bear.

Rhyme of the Day: I don't want to set the place on fire; you're only awake so long before you tire. Hands charred black as night; forest fires causing a fright. The only upside I know; it's that I'm still a hobo.

[Picture : Myself carving the stick for use as a bow.]

Sucks about the forest fire. Good thing it didn't get worse though. Crisis averted!

Also I don't think that bow would work, to be very honest. As a 13 year old I tried making one out of a stick and found that it'd always splinter before I could put any decent amount of pull behind it. You might be more skilled than me. But I think, a spear would be a more reliable, simple and effective weapon. Maybe some large pebbles could be a good, portable ranged weapon.

>>1566
You need to find wood that's dead, but hasn't been dead long enough to begin rotting. Certain species of wood are better than others, but trial and error works too. I think finding a branch that was of the right size and flexibility took more time than carving out the shape and shaving the bark off. The only thing left to do is find something to use as a bowstring. The issue I have with spears is that they aren't very reliable unless you have a good bit of skill throwing them. Something that would work well for catching animals and is easier to make would be a bolas. Sadly, though, I scrapped the bow project after the fire incident because I lost my knife somewhere in the leaves. I'm going to try to find it later, because it was a loan from a friend, but I don't know if I'll be able to. In a few weeks I plan on making a zip gun, and I'll post a few pictures on the thread when I do.

Haha, this reminds me of Clockwork Loyalty as he used to be homeless for quite a while. Good luck bro.

>>1593
I meant a spear more in the sense of a melee weapon rather than something you throw.

Actually, what are you making a bow for anyway? Hunting?

Though many good things have happened since my last post, it feels as though life has gotten more mundane and boring. It's somewhat depressing.
Last night, after I made the post, I found a new place to charge my things indoors: a stairwell nearby the Room of Fortune that had electrical outlets on every flight. I set up my things on the top floor (Because it was least likely to be visited, anyone going to the top floor would use the elevator instead) and was online for a few hours. Pretty soon I was getting rather tired, and decided to head to the forest and sleep.
Once in the forest I made camp like normal, hiding my things inside trash bags and under the dirty rug I had found, and then taking my two comforters and pillow out a good bit and spread one on the floor and then lay down, pulling the other one over my entire body, including my head so as to camouflage myself. No one can see a black blanket in the forest at night. Surprisingly, before I even fell asleep, a good friend of mine texted me asking how I was doing, and I explained that I was perfectly fine, other than minorly paranoid about my things being stolen. He asked if I wanted to spend the night, and knowing that my mother was picking me up for my birthday late the next day, I agreed. Since the rest of the night and following day is non-hobo related, I'll quickly summarize it.
>Watched Alice in Wonderland (The remake that recently came out. I've seen it before, but it was nice to see it again.)
>Slept
>Ate an awesome breakfast he prepared. Bacon, french fries, beans, pancakes, and buttered toast. Compared to ramen and small amounts of fast food, it was a feast.
>Went job searching the entire rest of the day. Results were substandard. (I basically was accepted at one place, but they wont hire me until after Christmas, so I wont get a paycheck in time to pay the ticket)
>Got picked up by mom
>Wrote post.

As you can see, it's a depressingly small amount of things that occurred. How is this so? Why is normal life so much less fulfilling than life as a hobo?

>>1663
That's odd. I guess in the end when you actually do it, it's not nearly as exciting as one would assume.

My guess is the reason it's so unfulfilling is you're still tethered down to one spot. You really don't have any of the absolute freedom generally associated with being a hobo, because well, that absolute freedom doesn't actually exist. In a way you're far more stuck in that lifestyle than someone with a job and means to accomplish what they want.

In a phrase, vagabond freedom is an illusion.

>>1680
I don't know about that. Freedom for me is being able to choose what you want to do at any given time. A job forces you to do something for a period of your life. Having a home forces you to pay the bills for it. Sure, being a vagabond means that you don't have the financial means to change your lifestyle, but from what I've seen it gives you far more freedom. Perhaps I'm being fooled by an illusion, and don't actually know anything, but after trying both I'd say that I enjoyed sleeping in the woods way better than sleeping in a bed (I slept for less time, and felt more rested when I woke up), I had greater quality of life and enjoyed everything more (Because when everything is easy to get, you don't care for it as much), and I had more free time than I knew what to do with. Maybe that's just me, though. Truthfully, if anything, this period of homelessness has inspired me to be a car hobo in the future. No house, just a car, a job I only work at a few days a week, and all the time in the world.

Wonder what our local hobo is doing for Christmas...?

>>1796
well he told us in IRC that he's staying at his mom's house for christmas, since she wanted him to stay with her

be a homelss for a month then you can call yourself a hobo
otherwise it's just a vacation

>>1796
As said by DESU, I'm at my mom's house currently. For Christmas, we're going to my mom's boyfriend's. It's bound to be quite boring, but ah well.

>>1798
I'm going back to homeless after this short interlude. If my calling of myself a hobo is to your disliking I apologize, but the duration isn't what's most important. I'm simply sharing experiences I'm encountering during my duration of being homeless, not trying to convince anyone of anything. If my situation doesn't count as being a hobo to you, that doesn't affect me in any way.