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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual
Rough Living
An Urban Survival Manual
Chris Damitio
Copyright © 2004 Chris Damitio ISBN 1-59113-337-8 Published by Chris Damitio, USA. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA First Edition The characters and events in this book are not fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is not coincidental and is intended by the author.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Chris Damitio 3 .
Chris Damitio 4 .
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Acknowledgements I'd like to thank everyone that has helped me with a couch. or good advice. 5 . a meal.
Chris Damitio 6 .
No Bobo The Call of the Road What is your provocation? What I like to carry. Packing Light Finding Shelter Couch Surfing to Tarpetecture Shelters and Missions Tarpetecture and Huttery Trolls Under Bridges Beach Bummin' 11 14 17 18 20 21 27 30 32 33 38 40 45 46 48 50 51 7 .Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual About this Book The Art of Rough Living So What is Rough Living No Baba.My Stuff… Four ways to get what you want Types of Tramping Tarps in the trees Afraid of the Dark? Packing Heavy vs.
and Leisure Staying Positive and Clean Worksheet About the Author 54 56 57 59 61 63 67 70 77 82 87 140 153 157 162 166 169 173 8 .Chris Damitio Hostels and Guesthouses Hammocks Couch Surfing Urban Camping and Squatting The Importance of Your Bed Living in Vehicles Cheap Vehicles I've Owned Food: How to get the grinds Cooking and Storing Food A Quick Guide to Making a Fire Rough Recipes Cash: Coming up with Jack The People of the Fire People to Avoid Entertainment. Recreation.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual 9 .
Chris Damitio 10 .
It is not directed at street people. the ants control the world. Let me illustrate with a well known fable. the way this story usually ends is the winter comes and the ant watches smugly from his warm house stocked with food as the grasshopper freezes and starves to death. he came home and went to sleep early so that he could wake up again in the morning and do it again. That's because I'm a grasshopper. play in the moonlight. Each day he woke up early. Meaning. The grasshopper loved to play his fiddle. He stored up resources for them. said goodbye to his family. warned the grasshopper that winter would soon come and that he should follow the example of the ant. there's plenty of food." Of course the ant didn't listen. "Come. In the evening. What I mean. The ant did this. Worry about winter when winter comes. They both lived in a wonderful place filled with enjoyable activities and fulfilling opportunities. I never liked that ant. just as the grasshopper didn't listen to the ant.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual About this Book This book is not intended for the homeless. they have been trying for a long time to turn all of us grasshoppers into ants. The grasshopper couldn't understand why the ant would do it. Once upon a time there was an ant and a grasshopper. Now. In doing so. so they could live through the winter. The truth is. The ant. eat fresh fruit right off the vine. he should forego the simple pleasures in life so that he could prepare for winter. and went to work. It is not a how to manual for people who want to live in public restrooms and beg for change. This is a book for people who don't seem to fit into the accepted paradigm. is they 11 . and dance in the moonlight. however.
" the ant told the grasshopper. "You better get to work or you're going to freeze to death this winter.don't worry about me. They want us to validate them by joining them. produce and then consume. It's a book for those hardy souls who 12 . "You better take a second to enjoy your life or you're going to keel over prematurely of a coronary. So this isn't a book for beggars. I say. The grasshopper had enough time to learn where to get food and how to stay warm without the ant's help. that he became a virtuoso! When the winter came the ant waited hopefully to see the grasshopper freeze or to have him come begging for warmth or food. It didn't happen though. or they want to smugly look on as we freeze and starve to death. consume. ever so smugly. he was just fine." the grasshopper said. consume. When spring came around. the grasshopper had so much time to practice his fiddling and dancing. You'll wake up one morning a very old ant and wonder why you never saw your kids grow into big red ants. "My life is my work. I'll be fine. produce. nix to them." The ant continued working and the grasshopper continued playing his fiddle and dancing in the moonlight. In fact.Chris Damitio want us to produce. He spent the winter entertaining friends with his fiddle playing and staying warm using creativity. They want us to give up our pleasure in life and join them in drudgery so that they can feel like they are making the right decision. I've rewritten the ending of the old fable. Here it is. You better worry about you though.
It's a book for grasshoppers and ants that want to live like grasshoppers. I hope you enjoy it. 13 . It's a collection of a few of the things I've learned to get through the winter.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual choose not to be ants.
I wanted to spend most of the day working on a novel I am writing but I also wanted to take a drive. I'm just pretty good at living. and of course. It's great. I took a brief walk through one of the gardens to my main library. French toast. I went for a little breakfast. I paid $25 for six group lessons and in the process made a lot of friends. Plus. if you live in your car. I settled down in the library and began the arduous task of self editing. It wasn't cold. I'm no prince. coffee. That's what I'm doing at the moment. I slept as late as I wanted. I slept a little late. my horoscope. Ouch. I woke up at about 10. Sounds pretty good right? It is. stocks. Last night I played tennis in a public park. While I was there I used the internet to check on the news. Hawaii actually. the hardest thing sometimes is figuring 14 . I'm homeless. The thing is though. because I am in the tropics. Let me tell you what the life of a prince is like.Chris Damitio The Art of Rough Living I am living like a prince. Let me translate. After eating one of my favorite sandwiches for lunch (KimChee and Tunafish) in the garden and drinking some watermelon nectar. I've been studying Japanese and wanted to look up a phrase I hadn't understood. I played tennis until late last night with my new friends from tennis class. After using one of my bathrooms to shave and brush my teeth. So I drove to my other library on the other side of the island. and Dutch apple pie. It's great to be a prince. So anyway.
It's all in how you look at it. It's not that bad. Tennis is a great option. I have a library card so I get to use the internet for free. That's how I got the free French toast sticks and apple pie. it sucks. When I really want to have a shower and don't have one to just ump in. I slept on the floor of the van I bought for $175. But most of the time. That way if someone breaks into my car. it doesn't mean I don't want to learn. Lot's of scuba divers go there for night dives. After breakfast I walked through the capital district to the state library. it sucks. Trust me. After tennis. Lot's of folks don't even peel em off. Not bad. I drove my car to one of my favorite parking spots. So what did the life of a prince cost me today? Including gas? About $3. The coffee cost me 87 cents. huh? The gardens I stroll through are really public parks and I make my own lunches. It's cheaper for storage here. I was near Waikiki for a couple of reasons. When I meet some beautiful chick that is only interested in the money she thinks I have and I break it to her that I live in my car. If you are a 15 . My racket was $3 at the Salvation Army. It's another park that allows all night parking. it sucks. I got this one by trading a VW bus I bought for $100 for it. I can't afford to get a new one. I study Japanese in my car and in the parks. Another cool thing about Waikiki is Burger King. I drove across the island because I keep my laptop (and my novel) in a storage unit on this side. I choose not to work. 1) My tennis lessons were there and 2) I bought a ticket to Hawaii a while back because it's a great place to be homeless. When I get sick and want to lie in bed all day. they don't get the laptop. Right now they have those free food scratch off coupons on fry cartons and large drinks. The key is really in what you do with your time.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual out what to do at night. Why? It's good to have something productive to do. there are times that this lifestyle sucks.
Tennis is fun whether you have a home or not. you're probably going to be pretty miserable if you spend all your time drinking or drugging. Learning is fun.Chris Damitio millionaire or a bum. 16 .
and enjoyable to both vagabonds and armchair adventurers alike. Without food. what the hell is this rough living? Rough living is making due without.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual So What is Rough Living So. Without whatever you might need or want at any given moment. 17 . without money. The following is some of what I've learned and seen in my career as a vagabond. Rough living is also about the rewards that come from making it anyway. I hope the advice is useful. without whatever it is you want immediately at hand. inspiring. Rough living is spending your last dollar without knowing where the next one will come from. without shelter.
and then tucking me in my crib (night-night) before helping my brother with his homework. He sprinted after me and though I ran as fast as my tiny legs would carry me he caught me as I attempted to dart between fast moving cars. He picked me up and shook me asking. No Bobo My mom was working as a waitress and my dad was painting houses. Dad threw all of that out the window and propped me on the couch watching TV while he helped my brother with his homework at the kitchen table. bye-bye. It was at this point that I first heard the haunting melody of what might lie beyond. I was almost two and my brother was about seven. and trying to raise my older brother and me. ensuring that I had a pacifier (bo-bo). 18 . He ran outside and was terrified to see that I was running down the road next to two busy lanes of nighttime traffic. Obviously. playing music. One evening Dad was watching us because Mom was working and he had no gig that evening. no bo-bo. Mom and the baby sitter followed a similar routine in making me a bottle (ba-ba). "No ba-ba. what are you doing?" It was only then that I spoke my first sentence as I tried to explain it to him. I recognized that something lay outside better than what the talking heads on the magic box were babbling about. "Chris. He looked up and realized that I was gone as the screen door slammed in the wind. Dad's first clue was a whoosh of cold winter air blowing my brothers papers from the table.Chris Damitio No Baba. no night-night." If I had been a bit more articulate I might have explained the call of the road like this "I'm pretty sure there's a better life out there for me somewhere".
although as I get older I start to think that maybe things are a little deeper than that. Possibly.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual I'm still pretty sure about that. 19 . it's that I've got to see what's out there so that I can appreciate what's been here all along.
The call of the road is irresistible and though I've tried to fight it. The will to live comes in many forms. Each person has to ask themselves what it is they want out of life. Absolute refusal.Chris Damitio The Call of the Road Chances are. Rough living requires little. Curiosity has kept this cat alive through some desperate times. Even when it seems like that would be the easiest course. There is a philosophy to rough living. The sheer desire to survive. There are far too many ways to end up dead. For me. you need to want to live. If you want to die. The first thing you absolutely have to have is a will to live. but a few things make your life a whole lot better. I have friends that have made it because they love their families. you won't survive a week of rough living. if you're reading this that you've felt the call of the road at some point in your existence. 20 . I am seduced by the desire to see what lies beyond the bend or over the next ridge. first of all. if you want to learn some of the lessons and experience some of the joys of rough living. The important thing is that you refuse to die. It's called me for as long as I can recall. So. there is a need to know what is going to happen next. Still others live to fulfill some religious devotion. I'm eventually powerless to hold it at bay. It's an individual philosophy.
accumulations. It's what we all have to work with.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual What is your provocation? I like that word. Grab hold of empowerment and listen to a suggestion from yourself. It's the same for everyone but completely different. you have to ask yourself what it is that you want in the world. Provocation. Abilities. Be honest…what you seek is self determination and freedom. To get what you want form life you have the three 'A's'. and access. The word vocation is the same as the word vacation except for one letter… Seriously. Are you seeking redemptive social change? A new plasma screen television? More time to be with your family? More time to be by yourself? What PROVOKES you to even consider rough living? Is it that you want a revolution? Are you into shattering the social structure? Unleash your desire. A vocation is the way we make ends meet in the world. Or as they so charmingly say in Asia when languages are not in common…'same same but different'. A pro is an expert. Now. 21 . Divide it into three columns and label each one with one of the three A's. I want you to grab a sheet of paper. At this point. let's take a look at what you have to work with.
More on this later. some people have no stuff. This is your stuff.S. Following is my simple example of a beginning. Your abilities are what you can do. Bush would have become president if his father hadn't provided him with plenty of access? That is what access can get you. put up fences. gives you access to business ventures and politics. Honestly. Never mind if you think you can make money with them or if you think they are useful. Stuff can be helpful and it can be a hindrance. A library card gives you access to books and computers. hold on to that paper. write. that's coincidental" or "What a talented family!" Don't kid yourself. Some people have lots of stuff. accessorize. Can you build a house. A father who is President of the U. That is what access can get you. Access. unclog a drain. fix things? What are your abilities. is there even a remote chance in hell the George W. 22 . garden. George Carlin has a funny bit about how a house is just a place to keep your stuff. dig ditches. You'll find that you can add a lot more to it as time goes on. Take your time with this. paint. Did you ever notice that when you watch the credits of movies there are lots of the same names? Maybe you thought. draw. Access is probably the most important thing you can have in our society. "Wow. When you think you are done.Chris Damitio Abilities. Accumulations. Your abilities are what you can do. Access is who you know and where you can go.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual
Abilities Writing Speaking Computers Driving Guiding Kayaking Cooking Hiking Traveling Digging etc
Chris Damitio Accumulation 1989 Minivan $4.86 camp stove laptop books sleep pad website camera telephone hibachi etc
Public library Public parks Restrooms Coffee shops Bars Beaches Hotels Dollar movie theatres Internet Friends houses Streets Etc.
You get the point, right? So let's get crazy and say I want to have a steak dinner with corn and a big glass of milk. Easy, right? I go to the grocery store, go to the reduced price meat section (more on this later), pick up a steak, an ear of corn, and a pint of milk. Then I go to the park, fire up the barbecue using hardwood sticks to get coals ( you don't have to have charcoal from the store!) and I make my meal. I can almost hear you though. "What if you don't have the $4.86 to get the groceries?" It's still easy. You may not get the immediate gratification of a steak dinner, but you can do it. Look at your list and see what you have to work with. Two quick examples should suffice…. Example 1: I go to the library and post on www.craigslist.com that I am offering rides from one part of town to another for $5 round trip. (I make sure that it doesn't cost me too much in gas of course) and wait for my phone to ring. Example 2: I make a sign that says "Historic Walking Tours of such and such area", I go to the library, do a little research into some history of wherever I am living, learn a few facts, and I either go to a place where tourists gather (rest area, beach, park, etc) and share a part of my local scene with a visitor. I can either set a fee or wait for tips. If I choose to wait for tips, it's always a good idea to mention that I am working for free and that I live on my tips. In all three cases, it is me, using my abilities, accumulations, and access to get a steak dinner with corn on the cob and a big glass of milk. I'm tempted to go on, but the fact of the matter is, my list is different than your list. Give it a try with your list. How do you get that steak dinner three different ways?
So flip your piece of paper over and write down a few things that you want. We all want to be safe. get hired. and most fun way to get where you want to go. For example.Chris Damitio You want to make sure that you weigh the value of what you seek by the cost of what you desire. Instead of saying "I apply for a job. and then go out for my dinner at Sizzler". I went with something more convenient . cash it. work for two weeks. to assimilate and to experiment. Aim for the easiest. Don't limit yourself to the physical side of things. we want to explore. most convenient. There are plenty of other things we all want. go through a lengthy interview process. Leave plenty of room underneath so you can explore different ways to get it. to search. more fun. get my first check. How can you do some of that with what you have? 26 . it wouldn't be worth it for me to use $8 in gas to get a $5 meal. and more easy.
Why are homeless people so obsessed with having stuff? Surf guy. she's a nutter. Obviously. a duffel bag with some t shirts in it. He has a couple of pairs of board shorts.My Stuff… Not everyone that reads this book is going to live the way I do. She had a couple of shopping carts strung together loaded to overflow with stuff. this guy has dozens of bags. I was curious and got closer despite the terrible stench that surrounded her. Here are three examples: Cat Lady. and a rice bowl and spoon. Not everyone wants to. Bag guy.I saw a lady in the park yesterday wearing a couple of taped together garbage bags for a dress.There's another crazy homeless guy around here that carries dozens of plastic shopping bags loaded with all of his possessions. He seems to have a better idea of what is going on. I was amazed to see that this madwoman was carting around about ten cats in travel cages. This is a very individual way of living. What do you need? Do you need cats? Do you need knickknacks? More importantly. since I'm assuming most of us aren't crazy like the people above. Seriously.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual What I like to carry. what do you need with you? 27 . she needs help. Obviously.I'm told that this guy used to be a world class surfer and had an accident that made him loopy. Simple and easy. Most of what she carried was cat food and cats.
You never know what sort of situation you are going to be in. locking blade. a leather punch. Something that fits in my pocket but gives me a can opener. I have friends that prefer a good utility knife with a serrated edge. For anyone involved in commercial fishing this is the knife of choice. For me it is a medium sized Swiss army knife. Add a blanket. and I've got just about everything I need. why would you want to? A clean set of clothes is easy to maintain and carry. driver's license. Sure. smoke pot. go to the park. If you need to. Change of clothes. Fire is too precious not to have available. It behooves you to have a clean and presentable set of clothes you can wear. you can wash your clothes in a public washroom. I'm almost never without a pocketknife. The Knife: Everyone has his or her preferred blade. Unfortunately.Chris Damitio As I said. A sort of catch all thing I like to have is what fur trappers in the Pacific Northwest called the possibles bag. melt plastic. and a jacket. lay your 28 . cut rope. you can wear the same jeans until they turn black from grease and dirt. and a change of clothes. Lighter and/or matches: There's a few ways to light a fire. and birth certificate helps keep you free to do what you want. and much more. and thumb lever. scissors and a screw driver. a couple of blades. tweezers. light cigarettes. I've known a couple of guys that would be dead if they hadn't of had a one handed opening serrated edge to cut themselves out of tangled lines when they were dragged under while fishing in Alaska and the Arctic. you can smell like something the dog wants to roll in. it is a matter of personal preference. You can also use your lighter to light a camp stove. One more essential is proper ID. but honestly. a tarp. we live in a security conscious world and if you want to avoid hassles with the law having a passport. a lighter or matches. The easiest is to use matches or a lighter. These three pieces of ID will help you in other ways too.
It blocks the wind and keeps me dry. Depending on where I am. I use a simple waterproof shell with a hood. it folds up small. Blanket: A wool blanket will keep you warm even if it is wet. More on tarpetecture later. in your pack. a lighter. the contents of my 'possibles' changes. Possibles Bag: The possibles bag is a small bag you can carry on your belt. and if you combine it with the tarps of friends it can become part of a communal tarpetecture structure. dental floss. my knife. or somewhere on your person. A good blanket has a thousand functions. Basically it is a bag that has gear in it to help you in any situation possible. I can wear layers underneath if it's cold. and use it for a cushion. roll it into a pack. You can use it as a pillow. and then put them in your bag. it will keep your gear dry. whatever. and a pen and paper.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual clothes around you in the sun. a poncho. 29 . Tarp or groundcloth: A six-foot by six-foot tarp will keep you dry anywhere. a couple of band aids. Jacket: Even if it's not cold where you are a lightweight jacket is worth carrying. My possibles bag typically has an extra pair of eyeglasses. it's light.
. then I figure out why it is exactly what I need. but I've found it invaluable to get over my shyness or sense of the ridiculous and simply ask. who has it or can provide it. It has a lot to do with access. and then you ask for it. Use your accumulations. cash can get you most of what you need. love. That's probably a part of it though.you won't know until you try it. You simply figure out exactly what it is that you want. shelter. "Can I have this muffin?" or whatever. your odds of success go up exponentially.Chris Damitio Four ways to get what you want Buying The easy way to get what you want is to buy it. Asking This method is almost scary in it's effectiveness. A monk I met in Thailand had this down to an art. It involves looking around at what you already have and then figuring out a way to make it into what you need. "First I look at what I have. If you can ask the right person. but buying is not my favorite way to get what I need and not just because I don't have a big wad of jack. He said. There's no guarantee that it will work. 30 . and access to get what you desire. abilities. I'm not knocking it. or excitement. It's just a lot more satisfying to come up with things in a more creative way. Whether you are looking for food.." I'm not so enlightened as he is but I am pretty good at what the Marines call " adapt and overcome". Making This is probably my favorite method of getting the essentials.
you steal the tobacco from a person or a store. the airlines.you pick up cigarette butts on your stroll around the neighborhood and then smoke the tobacco from them in a cigarette you roll using a cigarette paper or a piece of newspaper. I recommend Abbie Hoffman's "Steal This Book. Let's say you want a smoke and you don't have any money or cigarettes. Sure. but I've done my share of taking.) Buying." Specific Examples. but it feels better to know that the bank. Making. Taking. What are you going to do? (You'll quit if you know what's good for you! That's what my friend the Thai monk would say. give a clerk your money. That's why I choose to get what I want in other ways.Tobacco. and walk out with a smoke. or their credit card company will reimburse someone. II have tried to restrict my theft to what I truly needed or at the least to stealing things that hurt individuals little while stinging the big corporations. 31 . If you truly want to learn how to take things.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Taking I'm not proud of it.you ask smokers you see "Can I bum a smoke?" until someone gives you one. it's justification. What if you steal a bag and it drives someone to murder? Does that make you responsible for the murder? It's all too complex for me to think about. The problem with stealing is that you can never know the results of your action.you walk into a store. Asking.
You need a way to keep dry. For both you and your gear. and the variety of activities. It's all doable.Chris Damitio Types of Tramping Like most vocations. You have to do a little more preparing to tramp in a temperate area. It just requires a little more work. They have to have plenty of gear. it can be done. It sounds almost respectable. Cold weather tramps have to have a shelter (or else they have to be tougher than they are crazy!). They need to eat enough calories to keep the body going strong. Tropical Tramping is definitely my preferred mode of rough living. Cold Weather Tramps work too hard in my opinion. Temperate Tramping is pretty good. but why do it the hard way if you don't have to. Like everything else we will talk about in this book. the lack of necessary gear. Your needs are going to be different depending on where you are and what you spend your time doing. It's a matter of personal preference. They need to have fire on a regular basis. There are a number of different ways to tramp or vagabond. Beach bums are what most of tropical tramps are called. Again. You probably need blankets at night. You are going to have a little tougher time finding a place to bathe. 32 . The thing I like about it is the warmth of the water.
A male voice called down. "I'll just leave the bag down here. Thank you. agreed. you don't know me. they were living primitive. The Ole' Reptile. buckets (used to haul shit and piss). the far off tinkling of laughter came from up high. "This Land is Our Land" and "Save our Forest. A large compost bin and what would probably become a garden occupied parts of the road. "Who is it?" "It's Chris. tarps. shit bucket. but I've got food for Lucky. and even a mysterious tent with a smoking fire still going nearby. and rope creations blocked the roads to keep trucks and vehicles from approaching. like Mirkwood. Rain gear. had asked if we would bring a bag of dog food out to the Fall River tree sit for a dog he knew was out there without proper food. There were signs of people all around. I gave a halloo up to the nearest tree fort." "Great. Banners hung between them proclaiming. a mist drifting through the giant trees. The people vanished into the wood. of course. These people weren't living rough. backtracked." We continued to look around and examine the curious tarpetecture of the feral folk who live in and among the ancient Douglas Fir that were threatened by imminent logging. The 33 . and finally wondered into the encampment. Connected by ropes and pulleys." While we were eating breakfast in Eugene.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Tarps in the trees We drove out dirt roads and hiked up a well-worn trail." There was no one on the ground. We. our friend. High above three log and tarp forts hung in the mist. Suddenly. We took a wrong turn down a trail. Random stick. It was raining.
Chris Damitio tinkling of laughter came from everywhere. Lightly. growing your own vegetables. I live knowing that it does. From nowhere. society won't ignore you. I was relieved when we left to return to Eugene. It's nearly impossible to escape. There's a difference between what they do and what I do. There is a fine art to getting off the grid. It was spooky how nobody came out to meet us. These folks were going feral. These guys were trying to live like society didn't exist. I have a lot of admiration for the folks who are able to go back to the woods. The tree sitters have their own culture. Don't get me wrong. That's why the Fall River Tree Sit looked more like a camp under siege than a homestead. That's why I live within society rather than trying to escape it. The problem is that as much as you might ignore society. 34 . and making everything you want regardless of society.
All budgets run for one fiscal year (usually October to October.000. So. he stopped and asked if they were throwing the stuff away. Having an eye for value. if individual departments have not maxed out their budgets. They operate on a concept called a fiscal year. one day he was driving his pickup past an oil refinery and saw stacks of tools and equipment being carried out by the workers. what was happening is that the big corporations work just like the government does.000 worth of perfectly good tools. But then. the Chief Financial Officer and his accountants figure out where they can slash budgets so they can put money elsewhere.) At the end of the fiscal year. Another 'recycling' tale that is worth the telling is the story of my friend Sam. he loaded everything up in his truck and took it to a drilling supplier in Houston where he sold all of it for close to $90. Sam is a rug dealer from Chechnya who moved to 35 . To prevent this.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual The Junk of Society A guy I know used to buy rejected textbooks from schools in Texas and sell them to other school districts that were still using them. their budget gets smaller. They said yes and when he asked if he could take it they said yes again. You see. That was giving him enough dough to support him and his family. True story. So. departments will review their own budgets before the end of the fiscal year and figure out how to spend all the money they saved over the course of the year (and usually a little more.) A good for instance would be throwing away $90.
giving them one month to leave. The manager didn't seem to mind and so over the next few years Sam filled up most of the empty apartments with just about everything you can imagine. At the end of the five years. Sam had noticed that people in America threw out all kinds of useful things and began picking stuff up on the way home from work each morning. the city granted a special permit allowing the citizens of the building to have a special garage sale to sell off their valuables. Sam ran his own publicity campaign with the newspapers and television stations saying that he and the rest of the evicted had lived there for years and had no place to put all of their 'valuable antiques' and 'ancient family heirlooms. Soon his apartment was full and he asked the manager if he could store things in some of the empty ones. Sam tells me that for two days he and the other residents nearly continuously carried his accumulated trash downstairs and for ridiculously high prices sold it to the predators that were hoping to prey on the misfortune of these poor people. This left a lot of apartments empty over time. After lots of pressure from the public who read of the problem in their newspapers and saw stories about it on their local news. The building he was living in was condemned not long after he moved in but because so many poor people were living there the city allowed that those there could stay for a period of five years but no new tenants would be accepted.000 in 36 . the city took action to evict the last 15 residents.' He further complained about a city ordinance that forbids garage sales on the street in front of the building. He really worked the angle of evicted senior citizens and immigrants. It was a three-day permit and at the end of the second day Sam had nearly $200. He moved into a cheap tenement apartment in Los Angeles and got a labor job.Chris Damitio America about forty years ago.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual cash. 37 . He flew to the Caucus Mountains and bought a huge inventory of beautiful rugs and then returned to America where he sold the rugs and bought a small ranch and an RV with his legitimate profits. He still sells the rugs and he still picks through the garbage despite probably being a millionaire. He got spooked and left the rest of everything to the other residents.
You can sit in Denny's reading and nursing that bottomless cup of coffee for at least a few hours. what do you do when it gets dark? In prehistoric times. and run plumbing to your cardboard shack. 3) Be stealthy. made candles. It's either that or go to bed. I mean. and utilized them as soon as the sun went down. I don't mean being afraid of the dark. Society does not want to see us having a great time while they toil and trudge to the office 60 hours a week. you can be sure that Joe Citizen will have John Law sweep through your little enclave and burn your corrugated castle to the ground. The problem we have in being houseless is that we have to fly under the radar. So even if you can scavenge up a decent little hut. all over the world. used torches.Chris Damitio Afraid of the Dark? One of the hard things about being houseless is dealing with the dark. 1) Go to bed when it gets dark 2) Stay up all night and sleep all day out in the open. make your own candles or set up a solar cell. Use only as much light as you need and cover it 38 . Make no mistake. it makes their blood boil. If they see us having a decent time without the toil. People still do that. That's the reason why the police routinely sweep through parks and areas where the homeless set up camps. I'm sure that communities of cavemen and women sat around the fire. So what are you supposed to do? You've got a few options.
Push lights are cool but not very efficient. I've used it to read. Both can be bought at just about any outdoor or variety store. just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they are not out to get you. Within limits. They take a couple of AA batteries and provide a small amount of soft light. I realize that some of this sounds paranoid. An old military trick is to put a red lens on your flashlight to make it less visible to the enemy. but like Abbie Hoffman said. but prefer the white light of a headlamp instead. 39 . My LED keychain cost $8 and provides just enough light to find my way in the dark or find something in a dark van. I prefer a small headlamp that directs the light where I want it and a keychain LED. It works. Obviously you don't want to light up the hobo jungle with an eerie red light that will make Suzy Homemaker think of a Stephen King novel.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual as much as possible.
but what a pain in the ass. a backpacking stove. It all went in the car. electric razor. six sets of shoes. the dog's food. an icebox. I had tried to get rid of things but there was so much that I felt was necessary to my existence. a guitar. and hot coffee. seven blankets. plates. toast. soup ladles. packing heavy. a harmonica. a cheese grater. and about fifty thousand other things. four sets of sheets.Chris Damitio Packing Heavy vs. ten changes of clothing. It was an ordeal each night to clear out a place to sleep. Sometimes. knickknacks. the dog's pack. a dog. I had three pots. art supplies. books. framed pictures. 40 . I would visit friends and they would be amazed when they would say off hand "It's too bad we don't have a croquet set!" and I would pull one out of my bus. three pillows. I slept on top of things rather than move them at night so I could sleep and then move them back in the morning so I could drive. cups. an electric heater. woodworking tools. auto tools. toiletries. and more books. They were sure surprised! It was fun. folding chairs. two pans. books. a fiddle. a camp stove. Packing Light When I first started living this way. The upside was I had just about everything I could possibly need or want. So let's look at the merits of packing light vs. I moved from a house into a VW bus. computer gadgets. my food. three different size packs. four sets of silverware (in case I had guests). I made it in the parking lot of the radio station I worked at for my coworkers. metal tools. the dog's toys. knickknacks on the dash. Or when I made breakfast in the bus for a couple of friends and it turned out to be gourmet omelets with bacon.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual 41 .
I admit it.Chris Damitio Packing Light Plenty of space Easy to move Not obvious Limited functionalitiy Requires creativity Packing Heavy Variety of Goods means lots of functionality Takes lots of space Looks obviously houseless Hard to move Limits your mobility Okay. I still carry around too much stuff but my list is smaller now. The rest of it 42 . so in my biased survey…packing light wins.
otherwise you can drop it off. but it's certainly better than carting all that stuff around. The key is this. What to do with your stuff You can do lots of things with all that extra stuff you have. I have a few family heirlooms and a few things that are too valuable to me to get rid of. If you have furniture and bric a brac you can call a second hand junk dealer and have them come pick it up and give you a few bucks for it. Here is my current list. sleep pad. and local thrift stores. You can drop off just about anything with the Salvation Army. Community Services for the Blind will pick things up at your house. My advice is give that stuff to your family that has space for it. tennis racket. blanket. LED light. They don't pay much. food. guitar. journal. Either give it. This is assuming you still have a house. coffee cup. loan it. One burner stove. knife. flip flops. and a couple of books. or ask to store a few boxes of 'grandma's china' in Cousin Eldon's basement. Storage is a good option if you find yourself in a similar situation. Maybe you have a bunch of things that hold family value. right? Maybe you would feel better donating it to charity though. duffel bag of clothes.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual goes in a storage unit. If you carry something for a couple of weeks and you don't use it at all. This brings us to storage. I prefer paying for storage to keeping things at a 43 . Get rid of it. running shoes. I have a few things I eventually want to hang on walls when I have some. I also have a walkman radio and a couple of cheap tools to work on my car. I use a $20 a month storage unit. Goodwill. hammock. mess kit.
Chris Damitio friend or relative's house because I know that my storage unit isn't going to move. 44 . and because it's one less thing to think about. I'm the only one with access to it (because Cousin Eldon's kids might not know it's grandmas china and use it for slingshot practice).
There are a few key things to look for when you're seeking shelter. It keeps your gear dry. .Finding Shelter Couch Surfing to Tarpetecture You've gotta sleep somewhere. it protects you from the human predators that are definitely out there. Most importantly. Vagabonds living on the edge of society develop a knack for having a secure place to sleep. A good shelter protects you from the elements. It keeps your gear from going into someone else's hands.
or credit cards. If you are packing heavy with things you don't want to lose. but why would they want to steal from me. you might think. I don't mean to sound completely negative about shelters and missions. As for the rest of your gear. I've found that shelters seem to be places devoid of hope. I'm poor too! Exactly. First you should find a way to safeguard your important things. this might be a difficult 46 . I've visited them. keep an eye on it. I'm not interested in hearing about God in exchange for a bed. If you are not a person of a religious nature or if you don't like having religion crammed down your throat. etc. It's easier to prey on the poor than on the rich. but never bothered staying. If you have money. find a place to stash them.Chris Damitio Shelters and Missions I don't like homeless shelters or missions. It's a valuable service. In visiting. Most shelters are filled with unsavory types that will go through your bag. There is truth to the statement that there is safety in numbers. Sure. I've talked with enough people who have to know that it's not for me. You can make friends with these people once you are there. There is an underlying edge of violence and theft that seems to pervade such places. keep them on your person at all times or ask the person running the shelter if there is a secure place to put them. There are many options that are much more appealing. If you need to stay in a shelter or at a mission there are a few things you need to know. important papers. I've met plenty of good people that stayed in them because they needed to.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual place for you to stay. Most of the missions and shelters are religiously based and they love to shove that religion down people's throats. 47 .
There are a few things you need to figure out to make a tarp structure. and spends about half of his time living in one of the remotest places on the planet. He paddles kayaks. I really hate these. bushes. If you are going to build a camp using tarps. The Kalalau Valley on the island of Kauai. make it waterproof. if you want to stay a while. Tarpetecture can be as simple as a lean-to or as complex as a bamboo dome. he lives under the brown tarps too. or frames to shelter you from the weather. So tarpetecture is using a variety of tarps strung between trees. You need to find a good spot. When he is in Kalalau. I'm sure you have come upon tarp structures that someone has built and abandoned in the woods. clean up after yourself. My friend Aquillo Mallot.Chris Damitio Tarpetecture and Huttery If you hike at all. and. I've seen tarps on sheds and even in giant trees. Ideally. The key is using your tarp in the most effective way in the particular environment you find yourself in. I was living in a VW bus on Kauai and Larry had built an incredible little shelter with tarps on the same vacant lot where I parked. rocks. My friend Kalalau Larry introduced me to the term tarpetecture. on the other hand. bakes bread in the jungle. a good tarpetecture structure has geometric implications that are pleasant to the eye in addition to being functional. makes mead from honey and water. You see when Larry isn't in Kalalau he works in the real world and stays comfortably invisible under his brown tarps. is a master of 48 . have it camouflaged. Larry is a modern day Viking.
Everything Aquillo gets is abandoned as garbage. I've seen him build huts from driftwood on the beach. I've seen him dig pits and cover them with fallen logs and tarps. 49 .Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual creating cozy and comfortable huts in the Pacific Northwest. Huttery. He usually has a wood burning stove in his huts complete with flashing glued to the tarps the stove pipe goes through. Aquillo is proof of that. The only limit to what you can do is your own imagination. He's used tarpetecture to make derelict fishing boats into landlocked huts after he uses scavenged ropes and pulleys to drag the wrecks on shore during low tide and patch them up.
Other than that I would suggest that you find someplace else to keep dry.Chris Damitio Trolls Under Bridges If you spend any time traveling among the houseless you will definitely encounter some of the derelicts that live under various bridges all over the country. dirty. and about to eat a VW bug. In my experience. 50 . Bridges are noisy. The one bridge I would recommend visiting is in the Fremont District of Seattle. they are a sorry lot that can't figure out how to keep the rain off their heads any other way. There is a real troll there. made of cement. and uncomfortable.
A lot of public beaches have showers available too. sand gets everywhere. Bathrooms are placed strategically throughout most urban and metropolitan areas so that normal folks don't have to walk over the 51 . This is a great trick to have in your beach bum bag of tricks.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Beach Bummin' The savvy vagabond goes where the going is easy. Let's say that you are sleeping out under the stars and it starts to rain. You are already sleeping on a tarp because sleeping on the bare sand is cold and uncomfortable (it's true. No problem. and generally. you can fish for food and entertainment.) So what do you do? You simply grab an edge of your tarp and roll yourself into a beach tarp roll burrito and stay dry until the storm passes. You don't even need to get up! Showering is easy at the beach. Head to the beach. It's an easy way to get rashes and begin to look like a real bum. swim (if it's warm enough). you can have a fire on the sand provided your not in Waikiki or Laguna. The Beach Tarp Roll 'burrito'. The beach can offer you fishing wrecks like Aquillo uses in the Northwest of the US or wonderful showering and bathroom facilities like you find in Hawaii and Southern California. One thing you don't' want to do is let all that salt and sand accumulate on your body. If they don't you can always get a membership at the YMCA or 24 hour fitness. Most marinas have showers available. Not only that.
your clothing. Simply cover yourself with a tarp if it seems like it might rain and you are 52 . I sometimes have people look at me funny when they come upon me shaving or brushing my teeth in the bathroom. Nobody wants to see you taking a leak or find your wadded up toilet paper in the woods. and generally the locks work. your car. I have an answer ready. They are bigger. If they do. Schedule some time under a tree or in the library. Rinse off well and don't forget to wash your feet. your underwear. every day. No one has ever said anything about it. but it's a good one. It will get in your food. use a stick and bury your shit and shit paper.Chris Damitio leavings of the homeless. They seem to be everywhere and they almost always have public restrooms. That's not the only reason the bathrooms are there. your butt crack. If you are in a place where there are no public restrooms look for a Walmart or Mcdonalds. Including me. The sand can get everywhere. well the chances are pretty good that you can probably find a discrete place to do your business. don't forget to either use sunscreen or at least limit the amount of time you are in the sun.000 liver spots all over your body. Unless you want to be one of those ultra bronze old people with 28. Shelter from the Sun. Relaxing If you are in a tropical climate it's easy to live on the beach. Please though. If you can't find that. cleaner. I think the best restrooms to use are the restrooms and stalls designed for handicapped people. Use public restrooms. "Would you rather have bums with good hygiene or bad?" I don't think there can be an answer of bad from anyone. If you are going to be outside all day. your ears.
If you are in the a little colder climate make sure you know how to build a fire. 53 . I'll give you a few hints later in the book.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual good as gold.
The people that stay at hostels are usually more approachable than the people that stay at hotels. The key to this is to be persistent and honest. Most hostels provide communal kitchens you can store and cook your food in. if you come across as a somewhat normal person that is willing to work hard. Hostels are great places to hook up with cheap tours. internet access. Tell them what you want and offer your services in exchange. more fun. and you meet more interesting people. A guesthouse in Laos can cost as little as $1 US per night for a private room with a king size bed. cheap transport. and information about where you are heading next. and more. In addition to that. A hostel in England will cost you about $20 US as opposed to spending a minimum of $50 at a fleabag hotel. They don't whine about inconveniences and you can usually find someone heading in your direction or willing to accompany you on whatever adventure you hanker. I agree completely. Hostels and guesthouses are also the poor traveler's means of staying in exotic destinations the world over. exciting adventures.Chris Damitio Hostels and Guesthouses My friend Kevin once told me that he no longer hangs out in bars because he has discovered that if you drink at a hostel it is cheaper. activities. Hostels and guesthouses exist just about everywhere. you can usually find a bed at a hostel in exchange for your labor. 54 .
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual 55 .
Get a hammock. I've eaten in it. My buddy Jeremy gave it to me a couple of years ago and since then I've carted it with me everywhere I go. and with two three foot loops of rope. I've made love in it. My hammock is a "Ticket to the Moon" hammock. I've relaxed in it.Chris Damitio Hammocks Hammocks are like a gift from the heavens for the houseless and bedless. I take it to the park and sleep in the morning or afternoon. I always hear people murmur "Gee. hooks or beams. I've slept in it. If I have a hard time sleeping at night. that I have found yet. I've lived in it. 56 . is made out of parachute silk. I can hang it on nay two trees. I love my hammock. It is. that looks great!" as they walk by. It folds up into a pouch about the size of a softball. posts. A hammock makes the difference between people seeing a bum on the ground or a guy practicing the fine art of leisure. and I've hung it up all over the place.
I think that because of that I project resentment from them towards me. sensitive. It's just that I'm a little bit. People want to help you. that is it. That's when the passive aggressive behavior begins. they know you don't have anywhere else to go. huh? In some cases. Some definite no no's are hogging the TV. not cleaning up after yourself. As a couch surfer you need to make sure you give your hosts their space. and that's nice." My friends are usually more tolerant. Breakfast is cheap and most people enjoy having it served in their home. Some of my favorite cheapskate gourmet recipes are included in the book. I'm a good cook with a knack for taking whatever is available and making it into something tasty. Weird. 57 . Doing light chores will usually win the gratitude of your hosts. The hardest part for me in couch surfing is dealing with the people that live there. "Houseguests are like fish. Things like washing the dirty dishes. they start to resent you taking up their space. Personally. The key to staying at other people's pads is to remember that they are working to pay for their space. I start to feel guilty for taking up their space after a very short time. ummm. and cleaning the bathroom don't take you long but make you look good. Don't get me wrong. I like to cook meals for my hosts. They don't want to be bad people and tell you to move on. If you don't have the same gift you can never go wrong cooking eggs and toast in the morning. In a few others.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Couch Surfing Ben Franklin said. I am appreciative of what they are doing. and basically occupying space without giving anything in return. it's not me projecting at all. vacuuming the floor. However. they start smelling in three days.
58 .Chris Damitio When I start experiencing passive aggressive behavior is when I would rather live in a doorway.
She didn't. There are different variations depending on your circumstances. Oregon there are a lot of couches on a lot of covered porches. and that you are discreet in how you behave there. On that same trip to England. In most American places they can bust you for breaking and entering if you take up residence in an abandoned building. Urban camping can even be more traditional. I set up a tent in some bushes in Epping Forest for a week. England for three nights in a row. The key to being successful in this kind of urban camping is to find a spot that is invisible from roads or paths. I once camped on a park bench in Regent's Park across from Buckingham Palace in London. Squatting is a very different situation. Once I was caught in a small Colorado town during a snowstorm and managed to stay warm by crawling under a 4x4 that pulled into a driveway at about 10 PM. In a city like Portland. I had a recurring fantasy that the Queen was going to invite me to morning tea. The heat from the engine lasted long enough to get me through the worst of the storm. As I lay there wrapped in my blanket.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Urban Camping and Squatting In a pinch you can do what I like to call urban camping. these hospitable sites can be the perfect place to crash out. For example. If you arrive late enough and leave early enough. fires are probably not a good idea in most cities but propane or sterno is probably fine if you need to cook something. My European friends tell me that the laws 59 . No one discovered me except a few dogs that came galloping in to see what was in the bushes and left in terror when they found me cooking sausages and beans. has an inconspicuous entrance and/or exit.
I prefer older. or garage to get you out of sight and the elements. run down houses. 60 .Chris Damitio are different there. One technique that I have used while hitching in the Southwest is to scout out houses that are for sale as I walk along an hour or so before sunset. shed. as they usually don't have security. If breaking in to the house is too risky. you can usually find a porch. If you can find one you are pretty sure is not occupied it's usually pretty easy to return after dark and jimmy open a back door or window.
here are a few options. and can be folded into a decent chair. My favorite simple bed is my Thermarest. Unroll it when you have a good place to sleep. reading. a wool blanket over that (or two if you are in the cold). and a foam pad on that. If you have the space. I've had lots of bedrolls. Old curtains or material can easily be made into a blanket. Heavy-duty 33-gallon garbage bags can be used to make a ground cloth. The higher the thread count the softer the sheets. Fold the blankets and tarp around the pad. If you don't have a regular bed. and recovering when we are sick. be very glad. rolls up small. If you have the space for them. Foam is good but it collects moisture and can get heavy and cold. Same goes for pillows. The Bedroll. Cusions of any sort can be great to sleep on. We use our beds for sleep. Sheets are important. and roll it up. a poncho. The basic bedroll is a tarp or groundcloth laid out flat.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual The Importance of Your Bed We spend one third of our lives in bed. The ideal size is at least 60" wide by 2 yards. 61 . the trifold cushions you can get at Walmart make great beds. Crappy pillows can cause a bad nights sleep on a million dollar bed. If you have a bed. Soft sheets can make an uncomfortable bed feel wonderful. or a small tent. I like to sew a footbox into the bottom. It has a self inflating bladder. romance. I highly recommend sheets.
Chris Damitio Large ziplock bags filled with air make good pillows. A bunch of them makes a decent air mattress. 62 .
First. and Hawaii. make sure that you can sleep comfortably in it. Oddly. Second. and station wagons are your best bet. The best places to park are places where there are people around and plenty of vehicles moving in and out all the time. Of course. I suppose they all thought I knew someone they didn't know. Third. I did yard work and helped out around the house to keep things nice for them and me. pick your parking spaces carefully. vans. My friends in Seattle allowed me to park behind their house for months. Oregon. Washington. I've found that parking in secluded areas is almost always a mistake. 63 . With the money I saved on rent I was able to purchase airline tickets. the best places to park are where you have friends. Pickups with camper shells. I've parked in cul-de-sacs and had people report me to the police because it was "suspicious" to see a car parked there. make sure the vehicle is legal so that you don't get your home put in an impound yard. not having to pay rent allowed me to live a life I otherwise wouldn't have been able to. I've lived in three Volkswagen Buses in Alaska. I've parked in residential neighborhoods where I didn't know a soul for weeks on end and no one thought anything of it. train tickets. It made them feel secure because my being there discouraged the local druggies from congregating and doing deals in the alley. In every case. or just go out on a good bender.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Living in Vehicles If you plan on living in your vehicle there are a few things to take into consideration.
Legalities. but what about when the kids arrive. As a for instance. If you are parked in front of an elementary school it may be quiet at night. This doesn't just include oil. Parking in some neighborhoods is just plain dangerous. It's not so hard 64 . Each car is going to be different. One good way to do this is to use the city bus if you find a good parking spot. Laws vary from place to place. you better pay attention to the maintenance. Last night. Try to save on gas. it is illegal to sleep in your vehicle from 6 PM to 6 AM. here on Oahu. brakes. Know where you are parking. Localism. Sleeping in can be a problem when you live in your car. Gas is expensive these days. Gas. Sleeping In. There are some places that you don't want to be. If you live in your vehicle. The fine is actually larger than the fine for sleeping in the park. Know what the peculiar legalities are for where you are. They call it habitation. There was a difference of 18 cents a gallon at two stations less than a mile from each other a few days ago. and tune ups. I woke up early.Chris Damitio Maintenance. Think about where you are before you go to bed. I actually went to sleep next to the remote control car racetrack. The urban street might seem quiet until the disco opens at 10 PM. The funny thing is. Otherwise. you might not wake up at all. It also includes keeping your tabs current. it can vary a lot in a short distance. Not only might you wake up without your tires. and your insurance card up to date. your headlights good. you might wake up to a surprise. Getting Comfortable.
Especially when you live in a vehicle. and I put my garbage in trashcans. I just make sure I have space to move in my vehicles. I use parks and libraries for their free public restrooms. you can throw garbage all around your spot. Only drink when you know that you won't need to move the vehicle. I made curtains for my van that look normal. I don't think anyone sees me cooking in the van. a police officer can give you a DUI if the keys are in the ignition and you are drunk. There are better ways to kill or incarcerate yourself. Drinking. You can hang a bunch of towels and sheets in the windows of your car. you can pee in people's front yards. I prefer to be inconspicuous. Being Inconspicuous. Even if you only plan to listen to the radio and go to sleep in the back. Even though I usually sleep during the illegal hours. No one seems to notice or care. I like to barbecue in the park. Besides that. If I go to parks. Cooking and Eating. I don't' have too much stuff. I like to drink once in a while. If you want to attract attention you can do it lots of ways. Basicly.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual for me to live in a car as I'm not a huge guy at five foot seven. I make coffee on a single burner propane stove in the back of my van each morning. It's a good way to end up dead or in prison. Larger folks will have to figure out how to be comfortable if they want to live in their cars. I'm discreet about it. This is not only to keep you from drunk driving. don't drink and drive. put the keys in the ignition when you are drunk. You have to be careful about it though. Never. it is also to keep you from getting a needless ticket. I cook at the picnic tables. I doubt that I'll ever get pegged. 65 .
66 . cheap and easy. Much less than the $700 or higher most of my friends pay for rooms or apartments. I estimate that with insurance and gas it costs me about $100 a month to live in my van.Chris Damitio Living in vehicles can be fun.
I see the price of a new car and I remember that my parents bought a house for that same price back in the 1970's. That gives you two cars a year for the same price. I don't remember the specifics of that. this guy said. the point I'm getting to is that this guy corrupted my way of thinking. why not buy a $500 car. because there are plenty of decent cars out there that are dirt cheap. Ha ha. I wasn't surprised when it came out that fixing the old one is a much cheaper alternative. Chances are some of those cars are going to last longer than a year. That's okay. Here are the last couple of cars 67 . I've never owned a new car. I wish I remembered his name. our gain. thousands of people sell their perfectly good cars every day so that they can get a new status symbol. down by the river. A couple of things this guy told us really stuck in my mind. "Luck is where preparedness meets opportunity. He was the original motivational speaker that lived in a van. If you buy a new car. Lot's of people never own new cars. and drive it until it is dead.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Cheap Vehicles I've Owned I've never been a rich man. What I remember him saying was "Don't waste your time doing something you don't love. So anyway. Maybe you figured that out by now.000. it costs you $10. When I was 17. They're just too expensive. It went something like this. a cheap new car. Just yesterday. Despite that. He had a good 'Don't do drugs' message which is what got his foot in the door of high schools. Their loss. put no money into it." The other thing I remember was his used car economics theory. I heard a guy on the radio talking about the economics of buying a new car versus fixing your old one. Because of that." and. Instead of that. I blame him for everything. I listened to a guy that blew my mind. Find a way to make your passion your career. He was this bald guy that lived in a van and drove around the country giving motivational speeches to high school kids. It lasts you a maximum of ten years.
As of writing this. He took the working TV and VCR.name TURTLE I was looking at this bus when the guy came running out of his house and offered it to me for $100. turned the other sideways. picked up a cabinet off the street. I bought a book on VW's.Chris Damitio I've owned and lived in. I bought fabric for curtains. and moved in. I've been living in it for better than three months. They tried to give it away as a prize and I offered the guy my TV and VCR for it. 1977 VW Bus…cost…TV and VCR…name BELLE This was my first VW.cost $200…. He put a sign in the window and I bought it. She tried to donate it to charity. I cleaned the bus up. and spent $10 to buy flower print fabric for curtains and industrial velcro to hang them with.C.cost $100….name PARADISE There was a hippie guy parking this bus near the kayak shop I was working at. I ditched one of the bench seats. to California. I changed the spark plugs and it fixed the problem. 1970 VW Bus…. The car was sputtering and stalling and no one could tell the lady who owned it why. I traded it for the laptop computer I'm writing this on. nice sheets for the bed. 68 . I was living in the bushes behind the shop where I had cleared a space and set up my hammock. but they didn't want a car with a mysterious problem. I don't know how this dirty guy had lived in the filthy thing. It was rusting away behind the radio station I worked at. So she sold it to me for $175. 1989 Plymouth Voyager Minivan…cost $175…name PIG I saw an ad for this one and had to check it out. 1978 VW Bus…. This is the bus on the cover of my first book. A neighbor helped me get it running and it lasted me three years and four or five trips from Vancouver B.
That hasn't stopped me from driving all over most of the United States in them.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual fixed it. I took this bus to Alaska. Not bad. 69 . They've almost all been pieces of shit. huh? I've owned probably 25 different cars. and then bought the interior from a junkyard Westie and moved in. where I lived in it and sold it for $1200 before leaving.
Foodbanks The foodbank is a free service that is privately funded in most communities to provide food to those who need it. Foodbanks are a great way to eat if you don't have money. and also stuff donated by local people and business. some of them are scams. Most of the food comes from grocery stores that would throw it away if the food bank didn't take it. However you do it. unhealthy foods like powdered milk. The corporate stores rarely participate. Produce that isn't beautiful enough to buy. Unless you are living in a desperately poor third world country. dairy products that reach their expiration date but are still good for a week or so. the food goes to 70 .Chris Damitio Food: How to get the grinds There are plenty of ways to get food if you need it. Some of them are services. canned beef." usually sub par. Once a month the government provides "commodities. and some of them are street smarts. and surplus applesauce. You just have to use the brain you were born with. The best thing about them is that if people don't use them. The following are a few ways to fill your belly. a little common sense. dented canned goods. and maybe even a little bit of muscle and or wit. you're not going to starve in a Western country. there isn't much of an excuse to starve. This is especially true in the United States and other 'Western' countries.
On most trips I've taken to the food bank. Food Not Bombs Food Not Bombs is a group that was born at the height of the Nuclear Protest Movement in 1980. social events. I"ve had salad and vegetable soup." I've been to lots of FNB feedings.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual waste. Here are people that will not be bamboozled by "the laws of the market" that say only people who can afford to buy something can have it. There was also Guacamole and sourdough bread from a local bakery. It is organized collectively and relies on consensus decision-making. the noted historian and author. No consideration of money. no demand for profit." Zinn goes on…"They point unerringly to the double challenge: to feed immediately people who are without adequate food. Food that is donated or saved from dumpsters is prepared into healthy vegan (no animal products) meals. They are good. and human ingenuity.T. Don't be one of those people. I can never understand that. people are bitching about the wait for free food. Forty or fifty people usually get 71 .Lawrence Butler and Keith McHenry. sun. Howard Zinn. and to replace a system whose priorities are power and profit with one meeting the needs of all human beings. describes it in the forward to the Food Not Bombs handbook by C. so you're doing a good thing by taking free food. "The message of Food Not Bombs is simple and powerful: no one should be without food in a world so richly provided with land. should stand in the way of any hungry or malnourished child or any adult in need. The food is usually served in a white plastic tofu container.
Churches Many churches and missions have regularly scheduled free meals. jump through some administrative hoops. and spare changers.Chris Damitio fed. It is inspiring. and overall behaving exactly as anyone behaves as they get food at a picnic or barbecue. Most meals I've had at churches or missions were cooked and served with love. All you have to do to get food stamps is go to the office. I would rather see the money go there than to building new prisons or supporting the wars on drugs or 72 . If you have one of these meals. I'm all for it. I've heard numerous stories of people taking advantage of the generousness of food stamp programs. Food Stamps Food stamps are as simple to get as having valid ID and an address and phone number in most states. meeting new people. A couple of bags of clothing get handed around and shared throughout the meal. bagladies. They were crackheads. People who volunteer their time to make the world a better place cook most of these meals. Most of the people who were eating were the homeless people you don't really notice when you're downtown during business hours. They picked through the clothing occasionally making an exclamation of delight as they found something that would keep them warm or that appealed to them. There are lots of hands helping the FNB folks unload and then pack it back up. It was an atmosphere of respect and human dignity. and claim to be homeless (whether you are or not). Everyone sat around having discussions with the people they knew. please take the time to thank the people that serve you.
but it works if you're hungry and 73 . It's all about knowing your dumpsters. donuts. I'm one of them. house. I'll do it again if I need to. that diver might end up a friend that can show you where the best dumpsters for clothes. food. I've used food stamps to get me through tough times.) A lot of people don't like using food stamps. After all. Dumpster Diving I've read reports that claim Americans throw away enough material goods every day to feed. I'm a healthy. I've had burgers from the dumpster that were completely wrapped and still hot. and other things are. Dairy products are usually good well beyond the 'sell by' date on them but are thrown away anyway. Successful dumpster divers usually have rounds and sometimes if you hit a dumpster that is on someone's established rounds they can react as if you are robbing them. clothe. my advice is to simply apologize and offer to give back what you've taken from that dumpster. or fried chicken out of the trash with the wrappers still on. Don't get me wrong though.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual terror (or anything else we've had a war against in my lifetime. I believe it. You never know. Most grocery stores throw away produce that is perfectly edible but not visibly appealing enough. If this happens to you. somewhat intelligent man. and educate everyone in this country. I prefer to struggle a bit rather than have the state provide for me. Cafeteria Grazing I've only done this a few times. If you get to know the restaurants in a certain area you can pull unsold hamburgers. in my early thirties.
Chris Damitio have no other option. the kind of place where you put your dishes in a bin before you leave. He had taken literally thousands of dollars in food and clothing without ever coming close to getting caught. Seconds later a hand clamped down on his shoulder and he was quickly escorted to the managers office where he was made to wait until a police officer arrived before being told anything. It's unsavory. My good friend George Hush was an expert shoplifter for years. The problem with shoplifting goes beyond morality to the fact that in all likelihood. With a casualness born from years of lifting he dropped them in his pocket. you will get caught. but if you hang out for a bit and watch you can usually find someone who eats nearly nothing from their plate and looks clean enough to alleviate any fears of catching a rare disease. If you go to a self-cleanup kind of restaurant. The risks are too high. Shoplifting As a youngster I did a lot of shoplifting. I used to buy something trivial with my pockets loaded to alleviate any suspicion. If you're going to shoplift there are a few ways to minimize the risk involved. One method is to have a baggy coat with big pockets and to slyly slip a few items in while you shop. I don't recommend it. One day he was in the grocery store and saw a 99-cent package of fresh herbs that he thought would go well with some pasta he was going to cook. to say the least. you can usually find large uneaten portions sitting on plates. He was 74 .
There are some simple things you can do to save lots of money where ever you are. it would have been a lot better for George if he had bought those herbs. I can buy a pineapple for $6 75 . 1) Pick the store that has the lowest prices for what you want to buy. (it was the store with the best deals on beer too!) and had to pay a hefty fine. It's amazing how many 'weeds' are actually nutritious and delicious. Most major cities have a Chinatown or Asian Grocery stores. and The Grocery Outlet has the best prices on canned goods. In the Pacific Northwest you can get by eating dandelions. banned from that store for a year. you can probably survive. All in all. In these times of fancy yuppie grocery stores you can pay double or triple the price for the same item at grocery stores a few miles apart. and blackberries. mangos. Know your grocery stores.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual charged with theft. Natural Resources If you are at all familiar with the plants that grow in your area. In other places you can go to the library or a bookstore (you don't have to buy the book!) and usually find books on what grows wild and is edible. Shopping Smart Shopping smart is the real way to make sure you have enough to eat. Check them out. guavas. nettles. Sometimes Safeway has better prices on meat. In Hawaii you can live on coconuts. 2) Asian markets. and taro. Foodland has better prices on potatoes.
Don't be scared.50 in Chinatown. 5) Reduced meat section. if you eat a pound of meat. I can pay $2 for a loaf at the grocery store or $.Chris Damitio at Foodland or $1. and potatoes are cheap. 76 . and filling. 3) Food choices. It's been said plenty. This is the leftover and damaged bread from local bakeries. three times a day. Atkins said. I can pay $3 for a can of sweetened condensed milk or $.75 Asian immigrants generally eat well on a low income. you're probably pretty unhealthy. nutritious. I can get that at a bakery for half price or less. Follow their lead. noodles. If I want to get day old good bread. but obviously. The meat that doesn't sell while it still looks pretty gets the price cut drastically. 4) Bakery Thrift Shop. Most grocery stores have a reduced price meat section. learn to eat the cheap foods you can get in Chinatown and Asian Grocerys.20 for a loaf at the bakery thrift shop. they won't sell you diseased or spoiled meat. you are not only spending a lot. I don't care what Dr. Rice.
refrigerators. I think it's good. Refrigerators I haven't had one in a few years. having showrooms. It seems almost impossible to most people in the US that have never been without one. They took a page form the car companies and began making new models. The reason for that is that I think food is one of the great pleasures in life. Take a look at the labels of just about everything "Refrigerate after Opening". or ice room. Is it really necessary? People existed on this planet without refrigerators until about 100 years ago. The thing that bothers me is when the big production companies didn't have anything to produce following the second world war. they decided that everyone in America should have a refrigerator. root cellar. There are folks that have lived on sailboats for years on end without having a reefer. At that point some whiz kid came up with a pretty cool way to extend the shelf life of perishables without having a cool well. Hell. I'm not knocking refrigeration as a concept. In this chapter. you don't even have to have a kitchen. I believe that the refrigerator is part of a massive conspiracy by General Electric to enslave us all by making us need electricity. I'm going to talk about some of the options available to people that don't have stoves. There are people all over the world that have never had one. Pretty cool. ovens. You don't have to have a gourmet kitchen to make a meal that satisfies your soul. and lobbying the government to require 'safe 77 . or cooking pots.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Cooking and Storing Food I spend a lot of time talking about food and cooking in this book.
When I was a kid and lived on a farm. This is usually good for about four days barring too much heat. This seals the pourous shells and prevents air from getting inside. To test them. Meat lasts a while. Soft cheese should be thrown out once it begins to mold.Chris Damitio food handling'. Eggs in the shell can last anywhere from a week to six months without spoiling. don't poison yourself. Sometimes I'll buy a quart of half and half and it's good for a day or two. This extends the shelf life of them. Milk has a shorter shelf life. I'm told that it's the fat that keeps milk good longer. I feel fine waiting twenty four hours to cook it. I enjoy it. They lobbied the food companies to put those 'refrigerate after opening' tags on the food. I just thin it with water when I use it on my cereal. Cheese has a long life. On the farms we would put milk in those big canisters and let it sit for a day or two and it would be just fine. it is no good. 78 . but it's not necessary. Dairy products like butter are just fine left out of refrigeration. I'm not sure why this is. Store them in a box on soft material. What I do is buy perishables as I need them. Most fruits and vegetables don't need to be refrigerated. To extend the life of eggs in the shell coat them with Vaseline or shortening. I'm not recommending that anyone test the limits of how far you can let something go before it spoils. Wrap hard cheeses in vinegar soaked cheesecloth or rags to keep them from molding. For goodness sake. Eggs can be cracked open and put in a plastic container. That's why half and half or whole cream lasts longer than skim milk. I visit the grocery store every day or two. anytime we butchered something we hung the carcass up in the barn for several days to 'season' with bag over it to keep the flys out. If I buy a steak. If it floats. drop the egg in a cup of water. If you use one with a spout the eggs will generally pour out one at a time.
or white gas. You can get them for anywhere from $5 to $100 and they work every bit as good as a kitchen stove. A simple stove can be made by putting corrugated cardboard in a roll inside a tuna can and melting wax over it. 79 . gasoline. There are12 volt DC ice chest / reefers available fairly cheap. For backpackers there are a variety of lightweight stoves that burn anything. propane. I prefer the single burner propane stove. but it works.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Now. This is the same as sterno which will cost you about $1 a can. One canister of propane is usually about $3 and the burner itself usually runs anywhere from $5 to $20. huh? Stoves There are a lot of options available if you want to use a stove. They are legal in most parks and easy to use. some thrift stores. most box stores. They burn kerosene. They cost form $60 up and they aren't very practical for car or boat living. if you want to have refrigeration or an icebox. You can find coleman two burner camp stoves that run on propane or white gas at any outdoor stores. The canister lasts me one to two months cooking twice a day. but only use it for backpacking. You can also get a standard ice chest and put block ice in the bottom. with perishables on top. there are options. I have one. Not a very efficient way to cook. Pour water on the sand and put a wet cloth over the top and it creates a natural refrigerator in the smaller pot. In Africa. and garage sales. they will put a small clay pot inside a large clay pot and pack sand between the two. Pretty cool.
and easy cheese can make a nice treat. Convenience foods aren't' very convenient. What they do is bring water to a boil and pour it in a thermos with their noodles. rice. Of course. Microwavable foods are a pain in the ass and usually don't' taste very good. toss it on the grill or coals. You can make a frying pan by twisting a loop into a wire coat 80 . and wait for it to be done. it's fast. things like chips. Foil cooking This is one of my favorite ways to cook. or what have you . crackers. and the cleanup is minimal. Basicly. Seal it up and let the boiling water cook whatever you have. cereal.Chris Damitio Convenience Foods As far as rough living goes. you wrap what you want to cook in foil. It's easy. Thermos Cooking There are a number of people out there that cook most of their meals in a thermos.
and have hot fried chicken waiting for us under the hood. cover it with foil. Placing it with the opening down on the coals. potatos. Because engines will vary. You can put a can of Campbell's soup on the engine and drive to the next rest area to have hot soup. or just about anything else by wrapping it up and wiring it to the manifold. cooking time will vary. Then we would go drive out in the woods to some remote lake.using the manifold I had a step dad that used to use this method. You can actually cook steak. Next they took a cleaned out tuna can and filled it about half way with cake batter and placed it on top of three rocks on the tin can stove (this keeps the bottom from burning by allowing air to circulate under the can. and wire it to the manifold of his Bronco. Mom would cook up a mess of fried chicken and he would put it in a metal bucket. they continued to feed twigs and brush through the hole. I saw them use the same coffee can bottom to fry up bacon and 81 . Baking with a Tin Can Some hobo friends taught me a simple way to bake using tin cans.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual hanger and then filling the loop with foil and wrapping it around the edges. Car Cooking. First they took a large coffee can and cut a hole in one side.) Then they covered the 'cake' with another can and fifteen minutes later they had a little cake.
The true key is to hold yourself back from piling everything on. Use patience. If they make a distinct snap when you break them and they break clean they will probably work.Chris Damitio eggs. shredded cardboard. A good place to get dry ones is right off of trees or bushes. Have a good supply of twigs. 2) The base is something small and dry (known as tinder) such as shredded tree bark. 3) Place a few twigs on your tinder and light it. 82 . A Quick Guide to Making a Fire 1) Start by gathering all the materials you will need before you light the fire. branches. and logs. As the flame grows feed it more twigs and gradually work your way up to sticks. or steel wool. That's it. paper.
If you are going to cook directly over the fire (no pot cooking) then cook over coals. There are a few things to remember. or other large amount of food. 1) Coals cook more evenly than flames. The fire can follow the roots and burn down a forest. Hardwood coals are the best for no pot cooking as some soft woods contain foul tasting smoke. and other tribal peoples use pit cooking for village 83 . 2) Never build your fire over tree roots. You use the fire just like you would a stove. the oldest method of cooking is using the fire. Hawaiians. 3) Build your fire at least 15 feet from any brush or overhanging trees The Basics of Pit Cooking Pit cooking can be a lot of work and is really only worth it if you are cooking an entire pig. deer. Native Americans.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Cooking with Fire Of course.
7) Cover the meat and vegetables with more pulpy material. 1) Dig your pit about 2 feet deep by four feet around 2) Line the pit with rocks (Don't use river rocks or other rocks that hold moisture as they might explode. 10) Enjoy your day 11) Carefully excavate the pit and remove your delicious meal steamed by the water in the grass. At this point you should have a pit filled with red hot rocks and coals. (Bananna leaves are what they use in Hawaii) 6) Place your meat and vegetables over the pulpy material. 5) Lay a pulpy type of leaves or grass over the top. There are many ways to do this. This needs ot be a big fire with lots of wood. 4) Light it up and allow it to burn to coals. 8) Place more rocks on the pulp.) 3) Lay out your fire leaving an easy way to light it. 9) Build another huge fire over the rocks and allow it to burn down. Pile lots of rocks in and on the fire pile. 84 . Other Ways to Cook Here are a few other interesting ways to cook without a kitchen. Something that contains a lot of water so that it will not burn. This is one way I have learned.Chris Damitio celebrations.
fork. 3) You can poke a green stick or a clean wire hanger through your food and cook it over flames or coals.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual 1) You can cook eggs and bacon in paper bag by layering the bottom of the paper bag with bacon and then putting the eggs on top. 6) Fish with the skin on can be laid directly on whit coals too. and seasoning. Then blow the ash off. Fold the bag over. 7) A camp oven can be made by cutting the flaps off a small box (9" x 6" x 6") and lining it with tinfoil. place the lid on the larger box and put it in the coals. 4) Cook eggs or meat inside an onion or orange then wrap in foil. Utensils I keep it pretty simple on the utensils.) Line the empty space inside with newspaper or sawdust. Just lay the bread on the coals and allow it to toast. You can also cook a cake inside an orange and you end up getting a nice 'hint of orange' taste. 85 . 5) Toast bread on white coals. Find a box that is a little bigger and place the small box inside (a box with a lid works well. simply put it in the small box. Cover it with foil and put it in the fire for 30 to 45 minutes. Meat. When you are ready to cook something. poke a stick through it. 8) Use tin cans for cooking by layering your food in the following order in the can. Put more hot rocks on the wrapped chicken. and hold it over your heat source. You can also cook eggs and other foods on flat rocks around your fire. vegetables. 2) You can put hot rocks from your fire inside a chicken and then wrap it in foil. This takes practice to get it perfect. Line it with foil too. I have a can opener.
Cleaning up Not having a sink can be a bit of a pain but you can still keep your gear clean. Back when I used to carry a lot of stuff I used my hand mixer. and cheese grater a lot. you can wipe the dishes clean 3) Sand and gravel work as natural abrasives 4) Vinegar in a burned or stained pan usually will work it loose with soaking 5) Keep it simple. That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a good set of cooking gear though. Lot's of folks swear by Dutch ovens. pan. Old mesh orange sacks work well as a carryall bag or a pot scrubber. spatula. One of my favorite things to cook with is a big cast iron frying pan. I use a lot of foil. set of chopsticks. and a simple mess kit with a pot. I can pretty much cook anything with what I have.Chris Damitio knife. I use a couple of simple methods to wash up. the less you have to clean 86 . The less you dirty. It all depends on what you want to make a priority. 2) If water isn't available. 1) I usually have a container of liquid soap with me. Filling egg carton cups with sawdust or lint and pouring old wax over the top can make fire starters. and plate. If I use my creativity to fill in the gaps. spoon.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual
Rough Recipes
Here are some of my favorite recipes using a variety of cooking methods. Most of them can be prepared anywhere.
Chris Damitio
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual
90 .Chris Damitio Rough Living Scramble This is my favorite breakfast recipe. Use your imagination or your host's pantry to fill in the blanks. Like all of the recipes in this section. most of the ingredients can be whatever you find or have handy.
and herbs. 91 . cover for 1 minute. If you fail to flip it in one piece. onion. just scramble the whole thing until all the egg is cooked. vegetables. Pour off the excess oil. and cayenne). salt. Pour eggs over the top and cook 1-2 minutes before flipping the entire thing. pepper. Mince garlic. Put shredded cheese on top. Beat the eggs in a small dish. Drop the potatoes in and cook on high heat for 5-10 minutes allowing them to brown and or burn slightly. Drop in your minced goods and cook 3-5 minutes adding spices (like a pinch of cinnamon. and serve it up.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Ingredients 4 eggs 2 large potatoes 3 tbsp cooking oil garlic small onion various vegetables and herbs (whatever you can find) shredded cheese spices Directions Cut the potatoes into small cubes (1/4 inch) while you allow the oil (or butter) to melt in a skillet.
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I like to use Hot and Spicy Spam but any meat will work.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Vagabond Sandwiches This is a fun meal to make. 93 .
wrap in foil. chopped 12 hotdog buns or folded pieces of bread Directions Mix all together and fill hotdog buns with mixture. onion. cooked meat. mayo 3 Tbsp. chopped 1/2 c. cheese. chilli or bbq sauce 1/3 c. 94 . olives.Chris Damitio Ingredients 1/2 lb. cubed 1/2 lb. cubed 2 hard boiled eggs. chopped 1/2 c. and heat 10-15 minutes.
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This is the first version I learned following is my current favorite.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual George Hush's Hobo Supper The Hobo Supper or Hobo Packet can be made about 5000 different ways. 97 .
Add salt and pepper to taste. sliced 1 medium onion. carrots. Divide potatoes.Chris Damitio Ingredients 3 pounds ground beef 4 medium potatoes. quartered 3 carrots. Delicious and easy 98 . Place a spoonful of mushroom soup on top of vegetables. for 45 minutes. and onions equally and arrange on top of patties. sliced salt and pepper to taste 1 can cream of mushroom soup Directions Form ground beef into patties and place each on a square of aluminum foil. Seal foil tightly and place on grill or directly on coals for about 45 minutes to an hour. Can also be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees F.
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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Uncle Larry's Hobo Packet 101 .
sliced salt and pepper to taste chopped red chili peppers juice of half a lemon clove of garlic.Chris Damitio Ingredients 1 pound of sliced pork 4 medium potatoes. chopped 102 . quartered 2 sweet potatos 1 large onion.
Put equal parts in the packets. lay out your foil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chop up your pork. for 45 minutes. garlic. Can also be cooked in the oven at 350 degrees F. Seal foil tightly and place on grill or directly on coals for about 45 minutes to an hour. Delicious and easy 103 . pepper.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Directions Same thing. and onions equally and arrange on top of meat. Divide potatoes. sweet potato.
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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Adventurer's Onion 105 .
(1/2 stick) butter Salt Pepper 106 .Chris Damitio Ingredients Large onion 1/4 C.
salt and pepper on top of onion and close the foil securely. Unwrap and enjoy! 107 . Set directly in the fire and cook approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Put butter.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Directions Score onion across the top several times and place in aluminum foil.
Chris Damitio 108 .
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Scallywag Potatoes 109 .
salt 1/8 tsp. celery and water. Top with 110 . or butter or margarine Directions Combine potatoes. Drain. peeled & cubed 1 cup chopped onions 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots 1/2 cup diagonally sliced celery 2 T. carrots. crisply cooked and cut into 2" pieces 1 T. then stir in salt and pepper. onions. water 1/2 tsp.Chris Damitio Ingredients 2 cups potatoes. Boil until vegetables are hot and just beginning to cook. stirring once or twice during cooking time. pepper 8 slices bacon. Place potato mixture on a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil.
4" to 6" above medium coals. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Place on grill.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual crumbled bacon and dot with butter or margarine. Bring up ends of foil to wrap securely and fold top of foil to seal. 111 .
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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Hopalongs Cattail Salad 113 .
They are those tall weeds with the bulbous brown tops that grow in thick patches. 114 .Chris Damitio Cattails grow along the road in ditches and standing water throughout the United States.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Ingredients As many Cattail stalks as possible (peeled down to the soft white centers) Bacon (minced) Fine Mustard Vinegar Directions Boil the hearts of cattail for 30 seconds. Heat the bacon in a skillet. Add the mustard and vinegar. Add the cattail hearts. 115 .
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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Aquillo's Favorite Cheese Steak 117 .
Chris Damitio Ingredients Cheap sandwich meat Onions Cheese Rolls Pickled Peppers 118 .
Cut baloney into long strips. Stuff the rolls with your "steak". Cook till the meat is slightly brown.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Directions Mince onion. 119 . Top with peppers cheese. Wrap in newspaper and enjoy. Sauté onions till slightly browned add meat.
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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Piggery Pie
Chris Damitio Ingredients Shredded pork Blue sweet potatos 2 baking potatos 3 small red onions ½ clove of garlic salt and pepper snap beans cilantro small hot peppers butter milk
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Directions Cook the pork onions garlic cilantro in a frying pan. In a kettle boil the baking potatoes and blue potatoes (thinly sliced or minced) and snap beans until soft. Drain the water. Add butter and milk. Whip. Add the pork mixture. Serve with salad.
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Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Poor Guy Pasta Pesto 125 .
Meanwhile heat olive oil in a cast iron pan. 126 . Add cilantro pesto to the pasta and mix until mixture is evenly distributed over the pesto.Chris Damitio Ingredients 1 package of pasta 1 bunch of cilantro chopped fine half a clove of garlic. Drain water from pasta. Mix thoroughly. Turn off the heat. shredded and minced calimans olive oil vinegar salt and pepper Directions Cook your pasta. Add all the other ingredients to the oil. peeled and minces 3 small red onions peeled and minced ginger.
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Chris Damitio Philippine Pork Adobo 128 .
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Ingredients Garlic Vinegar Soy sauce Onion Salt Pepper Pork 1 lb Kalimansi (small lime) 129 .
1/3 soy. 1/3 soy. juice and seeds of 2 Kalimansi. Red onion and garlic in sauce is optional . and small hot peppers minced. and finely minced garlic and onion. Create a dipping sauce from 2/3 vinegar. Allow to sit for several hours. Serve with rice. Cook in a frying pan or skillet on medium heat in olive oil.Chris Damitio Directions Cut the pork into bite size pieces and marinate it in a mixture of 2/3 vinegar. 130 .
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Chris Damitio Tim's Fish Taco's
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Ingredients Fish fillets eggs Flour Corn tortillas One head of cabbage A lemon Ranch Dressing Pico de Gallo Hot Sauce Salsa Guacamole
Directions 133
Chris Damitio Beat the eggs in a bowl. Lay the four on a flat surface. Dip the fillets in the egg and then into the flour. Cover both sides. Fry the fillets in oil for approximately one minute per side. Heat the tortillas. Slice the cabbage into slivers approx. ¼ inch wide. Mix the ranch dressing and a healthy amount of tapetio. Fill tortilla with fish, cabbage, salsa, and guacamole. Top with special sauce and lemon juice.
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Chris Damitio Quickies 136 .
Slice your spam thin and cook it like bacon. 137 . Cook for another minute. Stick bread Mix flour. Pull the bread off after a few minutes and fill the hole with jam or peanut butter. baking soda. Drain. and water to make a thick dough. Drop an egg or two into the mix. Wrap it around the end of a clean stick and hold it over coals. Other Special Ramen Meals Add vegetables. butter . Add season package. salt. Boil a package of Top Ramen. Smoked Salmon Chowder Cook a can of cream of potato soup and add in a piece of smoked salmon chopped into fine pieces. meat. or peanuts to ramen to make ti special. Spam Eggs and Rice This is a favorite in Hawaii. Anything livens up ramen.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Fried Ramen with Egg. Flatten it with a can. Add smoked salmon. Serve scrambled eggs with rice and spam. Fry in oil for a minute or so. Smoked Salmon Hash Fry potatoes and onions in small pieces.
138 . Rinse your rice. Fry until brown on a dry pan. Heat a few corn tortillas. and whatever else you think will taste good. Fry a couple of eggs. Put tuna and cheese on bread. Put it in the pan. the eggs on the beans. garlic. Put mayo on the outsides of both slices of bread. Tuna Melts Mix the tuna with onion. Boil until water is gone. and salsa and sour cream on top of that. Perfect Rice The secret to making perfect rice is simple. and cilantro make this one ten times better. Leave covered for five minutes before eating. Add enough water to go from the top of the rice leveled to the first joint of your first finger. Toss the beans on the tortillas.Chris Damitio Huevos Rancheros Especial Cook a can of black beans. Chopped onions. garlic. The mayo has enough oil.
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kayaking. ran meetings. door knocked. I've managed buildings. bussed table. I've had "good" jobs. my time is worth a lot more than $60. Don't get me wrong. the pay was decent. When I was in 4th grade I had a paper route. and cleaned all the stuff money can buy out of people's garages. bartended. The problem is that if somebody is paying me. when I was 14 I got my first job at a restaurant. I've dug ditches. As soon as someone starts paying me for my time. Things like skiing. Job's where I was treated right. and answered phones.50 an hour. And the problem is. cold called. and I don't see why I should give it to someone else unless it's really what I want to be doing. I was born with all of it. a radio producer. and shoveled shit. and hosted in dozens of restaurants.000 dollars a year let alone $6. a band manager. waitered. and an air traffic controller. built houses. painted houses. I've found jobs that were based around things I like doing. my parents paid me for chores. my time quits being mine and becomes his or hers. and hanging out in bars. I've had jobs. The problem with all of them is that I like my time. I realize how much it's worth to me. I've been a DJ and done craft services on a movie set. I've had lots of jobs. Since then I've washed dishes.Chris Damitio Cash: Coming up with Jack For most of my life. I've been a stand in. Employment is slavery. I've tried to find "my calling" in so many different career paths that I've nearly run out of choices. cooked. and the "benefits" were 140 . I've filed papers. served as a Marine. when I was in middle school and high school.
They encourage us to consume. In today's world. I've broken up concrete driveways for Irish Gypsies in England. Here is some of what I've used to get by. These things also help you out if you are applying for any type of government 141 . spend. that was still unacceptable.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual comprehensive. Physical Address. I'd rather eat cat food from dumpsters. radio. it is almost impossible to get a job without looking like you have a place to live and a respectable past. I just knew that my time belonged to someone else. moved tons of rocks in Hawaii. The advertising companies work for the factories that churn out more and more useless 'necessities' every day. The plus side is that it's not just a way for potential employers to contact you. you are a worker. I've never had a wage slave mentality. The bottom line is you gotta do what you gotta do to get the money to survive. Meaning. I refuse to get a minimum wage job at Wal-Mart. Since I don't know when I will die. and taught conversational English to schoolchildren in Indonesia. but so far it hasn't worked for me. consume. and print campaigns. Working while you are on the road is generally more fun than having a real job because you know that you are going to be leaving. The guys at the top aren't working. They just encourage us to fill our garages and our stomachs with things we never would have thought of were it not for their non-stop television. If having a career works for you. it also gives your family and friends a way to contact you. consume and spend. more power to you. Phone. spend. It's more than helpful. and E-Mail Address If you want to get employment it is always helpful to have a phone number and address.
and www. Then I pull over and surf the net in my van. You just go to a neighborhood where someone might have a wireless network and not enough savvy to have it encoded. Laptops With my laptop I can find internet access pretty much anywhere. There are commercial products you can use to find these 'hotspots' but what I do is put in my wireless card and drive around the rich neighborhoods slowly until I get a good signal. you're missing out on a great way to keep in contact with the people you know and the people you meet.yahoo. If I want to buy additional minutes I can buy 150 for about $40. Buy a used phone and minutes.com still offers free e-mail use. internet café's are plentiful and cheap. This includes voicemail. Less than $50. Lot's of business's provide free wireless laptop access if you buy a cup of coffee. Most libraries offer free internet access.Chris Damitio benefits or a job. It's called WiFi. E-Mail and Internet If you don't have e-mail yet. My first prepaid cell phone and 200 minutes of prepaid anytime use cost $138 at K-Mart. Phone Prepaid cell phones are a relatively cheap and convenient way to not only get messages but also to have a phone. 142 . If you don't want to buy a cup of coffee you can do what they call war dialing. You can get them cheaper now.
When I moved from North Carolina to Washington State.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Who would of guessed the homeless would get internet from the rich for free? Address Sometimes you can use a friend's. The problem is that you need to get there early. Under the Table (Risks and Benefits) Working for anyone under the table is always a risky venture. and the work usually sucks. You are putting trust in someone that you probably don't know very well. but there are other ways to get a physical address. I've used services like Labor Ready only twice in my life because I can usually find a better way to spend my time and get what I need. The advantage of this over the Post Office is that you can use the physical address of the place on resumes and job applications. I used some of my limited resources to get a post office box at a shipping supply store. the pay isn't necessarily good. The truth is that if they choose not to pay you or to short your pay there isn't much you can do about it. Daily Labor Daily labor is a way to get some money in your pocket. 143 .
I have known people that had wonderful times picking apples in Washington State or Australia. I don't' recommend gambling to anyone. and every time I win anything in excess of my original amount I put it in my pocket. The hours are long.) Farms If you arrive at the right part of the year. shelter. (We can always anonymously donate to causes we do agree with. if you are getting paid under the table you aren't paying taxes and your boss isn't paying taxes so you are both making more than if you were legitimate.Chris Damitio On the positive side. pulling potatoes in Idaho. The reason is that most people lose. Once I lose the amount I planned on. I leave…usually. There is a reason why the casinos are so fancy. I stick to that. hard cash. Personally. Gambling Gambling is a risky venture. or sometimes even cold. I have a simple system that has actually left me a bit ahead. the work is usually dirty and labor intensive. you can almost always find farm work in exchange for food. I like that none of the money goes to supporting programs we don't agree with. or working on organic farms in the Cascades and Kauai. Farm work isn't easy though. However. I decide how much I can afford to lose. but the combination of unemployment checks and casino winnings took me on a four month 144 . and the pay is usually minimum wage or less.
The pay is roughly $100 a day. Unfortunately. It's a good gig. Malaysia. The last legitimate job was trying to book people into timeshare presentations in Waikiki. I know that I hate to work for some jackass that makes more money off the work I do than I do. It's a periodic struggle and I've fallen prey to it before. Legitimate Work I hate legitimate work. I don't consider it real work. The first step is 145 . Problem is I've only got four days of work this month. Thailand. I know how to get a job. It all sucks. I quit. Indonesia. Now I am taking periodic work as a production assistant on films that come here to Oahu. So I probably won't do it. Sometimes it works out…but only if you're lucky. It was so gross. The work is easy. At this moment. Laos. I'm broke and it sucks. the restaurant thing. I wanted to murder these nice people sometimes when they would put up their hand in the ""talk to the hand" gesture.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual journey through China. So I did the right thing. I had to walk up on people trying to enjoy their vacations and try to sucker them into going to a timeshare presentation. I hate it. If I lived in LA on the other hand… Enough of my work problems though…you want to know how to get some cash… Creating a Resume Despite my lack of money. as I write this I am struggling over whether to re enter the work force. I'd like to be traveling or drinking with some fancy woman. I wanted to scream at them that I was a nice guy only trying to make a living but knew that wouldn't earn me any commission. The people are generally cool to work with. the construction thing. I did the stockbroker thing. and Taiwan. It's true.
very 146 . At least two years of restaurant Management experience required. Put your name in bold letters across the top. So I made a resume that said I had worked at a four restaurants on the mainland during the past ten years. Then make up whatever they want to hear. Not 'personality conflict' or 'personal reason'. Dot coms are great for this. 3) A work history that has you scattered all over the globe. Strong refrences. Read the ad. I turned it in and then. Here are a few things employers don't want to see: 1) A long list of short term jobs. If you get asked for a reference use a friend and prep them ahead of time. Put the address where you can get your mail.Chris Damitio to have a dynamic resume. Assistant manager wanted at upscale Waikiki Restaurant. Even though I hadn't. It's interesting but they want an employee who will be their wage slave for years to come. and then figure out how to change your experience so that you are exactly what they want. I needed a job. Instead list one or two jobs that lasted a couple of years. Put your cell number and email address. 2) Think of reasons employers can feel good about why you left your last jobs. Pick places that you know went out of business. So there was my made up resume. Here's an example for you…I saw this ad in the Honolulu Advertiser about three months ago when I got back from the Philippines with almost no money and was couch surfing at my passive aggressive friends house. look at what they are asking for.
The bartender looked at me and thought . He had checked my phony references and apparently I passed. I knew the managers name because I had asked for it when I handed my resume to the hostess. that's how you get it. Two days later he called me for a second interview. I had done my homework and answered his questions with the right answers. I followed up with a personal visit two days later. He told me it was on his desk and I asked if he could please check as there had been a lot going on when I gave it to the hostess. I'm not real sure why. He went and checked and that forced him to look at my made up credentials. He was impressed and asked me to sit for an immediate interview where he asked me lots of questions about the work I had done at my phony restaurants. A week later he offered me the job. 147 . I think it's because I hate working for some company that makes more money off of my work than I do.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual important. Tell them what they want to hear. If you want a job. For some reason I took the timeshare job. I asked for him and when they asked me why I wanted to see him I told them that he wanted to see me about the assistant manager position. "This guy might be my next boss" and he went and got the manager who then came out and greeted me with a confused handshake. I was dressed nice. I turned it down. I told him that I had dropped off my resume a couple of days ago and wanted to make sure that he had gotten it.
I don't recommend hitchhiking to anyone. or just a feeling) makes you nervous about the person then come up with a reason to tell them why you don't want the ride. I think it is a lot less risky than most people think.ask where someone is going when they stop. before you get in their car. There are a few things that can minimize your risk if you choose to stick out your thumb. ask 148 . but I've had some great experiences thumbing it in twenty states and five countries.) (4) If during the course of the ride you begin to feel nervous. You should know that before you even consider it. Personally. the way they talk. a smell. (1) Trust your instincts. there's probably no need to explain how to drive somewhere.. If anything (like crushed beer cans on the floor. Don't get in the car if anything tells you not to. (3) Tell the person that you are expected someplace up the road and that you have recently talked to someone from where they picked you up (even if you haven't. If you have a car. What are your options? Hitchhiking Hitchhiking is risky.Chris Damitio Getting from there to here There are plenty of ways to get where you need to go.. but there are plenty of horror stories about what happens to hitchhikers. The important thing is that you need to get somewhere. (2) If at all possible keep your bag where you are riding until you trust the person. particularly women by themselves.
Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual to be let off. shower. don't tell them they are wrong about anything. If you disagree so much about something that you can't contain yourself. as I've never had to use it. After all. People from all walks of life have picked me up. but I like to have my knife accessible and close by (7) Get to know the person. Make sure there is an area that drivers can pull safely off the road past you. but it's not for everyone. 2) Pick the spot you hitch from with care. 149 . and talk to them about them rather than about you. or have a meal unless I feel positive that the person has no ulterior motive. even if you are not. 1) Dress nice and look clean. who would want to steal a 1977 Pinto? 4) Flying a piece of cardboard with a well known destination shows motorists that you are a legitimate traveler trying to get to a legitimate destination. Why put yourself in a wolf's den unnecessarily? All I want is a ride. so even if you disagree with a person. (6) I don't know how much good it would do in any circumstance. hitch where there are more poor people on the road. Nobody wants to pick up someone who smells bad or looks like they don't take care of themselves. Even psychos feel more kindly about someone who takes an interest in them and doesn't tell them that they are wrong. but by and large poor people understand what it means to need a ride better than the rich do. Poor people are also much less suspicious that you are going to try to rob them or take their car. ask them to pull over and get out of the car. (5) I rarely accept invitations to stay at someone's house. I like hitchhiking. ask questions. 3) If you have a choice. A ride is not the time to get on your soapbox. There are a few things that can increase your chances of getting a ride. Insist on being let off.
it's good for the beach. It's not very practical unless you want to swim across the Rio Grande. It's good for downtown. and it's good if you have a problem you need to think about and the time to think about it. I try to limit my walking to a couple of miles a day.Chris Damitio Swimming I'm not a good enough swimmer to get anywhere but from the beach to about 100 yards out and back. Forest Gump ran for what seemed like years. and that you can carry the gear you will need. This is a good way to get from one place to another. Walking and Running Run Forest Run! That guy Peter walked across America. If you want to bike long distance be sure you have a decent bike. that you know how to fix it. I have other friends that have rode to Alaska. Bus and Train 150 . I hear that some people can swim miles though. Biking My good friend George Hush rode his bike from Los Angeles to Seattle.
Sometimes you get lucky. Travel by Boat Traveling on the water is always fun. The ship 151 . Unfortunately. You can move around. There is still a feeling of luxury as the passengers applaud the flight attendants in Taipei or when you are served a truly gourmet meal aboard a flight in Laos. I've rode on passenger trains in England. The worst time I've ever had on a boat was when my brother and I took a cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Grand Bahama on a bonafide cruise ship. it takes forever.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Traveling by bus is relatively cheap. For now. and the ride is generally uncomfortable. The exception to that is when you fly on the airlines of second or third world countries. who's going to sit next to you. Travel by Plane I'd have loved to live in the days when people dressed up to fly. but the trip is always worth it. The drawback's are that you never know who you are going to be on the bus with. is romantic. Traveling by train. China. I'll talk strictly about passenger trains. You can consume alcohol. Flying takes you from one place to another quickly and sometimes that results in culture shock. on the other hand. sometimes you don't. Thailand. Scotland. flying is not too much different from riding on a Greyhound in the sky. Trains cost nearly as much as flying and take far longer. They are comfortable. and America. Someday I will hop a freight train but I haven't yet. Trains are by far my favorite way to travel. Canada. Greyhound stations are always in the seedy part of town.
white tourists. I've found that if you don't hurt anyone your life is generally better for it. riding the ferry to the San Juan Islands. it was the passengers that sucked. Alaska. riding the ferry between Malaysia and Sumatra. Other than that I love to travel on boats. old. From that. catching a lift on a fishing boat in Juneau. You might even do something illegal once in a while. But. Sunset cruises in Hawaii. Sure. By Hook or By Crook The bottom line to all of this is that there are ways to get and do what you want even if you are a person of limited means. you might have to bend the rules a little to make a situation more favorable. Fat. I know that I will never willingly take a cruise liner anywhere. by and large. Boats are cool.Chris Damitio was nice. 152 . The only problem with boats is the people you sometimes end up trapped with.
One day one of them gets up and turns around. These are the people of the fire. They get told they are crazy for it. None of them have ever looked anywhere but the wall of the cave. I like to think of rough living sort of like that.e anyone who enjoys a good book while leading a "normal" life 153 . i. He sees what causes the shadows and he even wanders outside of the cave. It's amazing! He sees the whole world and rushes back in to tell the others. I think that's the reason why a lot of them actually go crazy. Maybe you will run into the same people at the food bank or the unemployment office. A lot of the people you meet when you are living this way have discovered a world outside of the cave. It's not the reality that is important. He sees the fire. It goes something like this: A bunch of people are sitting in a cave watching the shadows flickering on the wall as a huge fire burns behind them. It's the experience you get from it. All they know is the shadows on the wall and they think that is all there is to reality. The fire makes a pretty good allegory. Maybe it won't be the fire you meet people by. They don't even know about the fire. They want to share it with someone.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual The People of the Fire In junior high school I remember hearing Plato's allegory to the cave. None of them believe him and eventually they convince him that the shadows are all there is to the world. Armchair Adventurers Someone who lives vicariously through the writing of others. Maybe it will be in the park or at the library.
the self proclaimed hippie can be identified by astro fascist ideas. "Of course you don't get along. usually by train. Hippies Usually a person who tuned in. and dropped out in the late 1960's or early 1970's or a person who is attempting to live like the original hippies did. these people refuse to believe that anything can be determined without the proper astrological reading i. or too many opinions on the bumper of their welfare wagon. Too often today.e. I'm sure he's a Leo" Bum Someone who doesn't go anywhere without visible means of support. without visible means of income Homeless 154 .Chris Damitio Astro Fascist Usually hippies. turned on. Hobo Someone who travels about from place to place. Often energy vampires. militant veganism.
travelers are usually on a tight budget that has to last a significant length of time and are not to be confused with tourists Trustafarian 155 .e. usually meaning someone who carries their home in their heart i.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Someone who has no home usually conjures up images of street people Houseless Someone without a house. home is where you hang your heart Tramp A person who travels about. usually on foot without visible means of income Traveler someone on a journey from one place to a series of other places. generally a lifetime occupation involving learning about other cultures and experiencing them.
Either look them in the eye and tell them what your beef is or put enough distance between you and 156 . the Caribbean. sometimes existing without income. It is simple and clear. and sometimes bending the law to provide what they need. accommodations. The tourist is to be pitied for their useless attempts to see all of Europe in two weeks or see Alaska. or the South Pacific from a luxury cruise ship Vagabond Someone who moves around freely from place to place sometimes having visible means of income. If you let people walk all over you. they will usually do it again and again.Chris Damitio Usually a rich white kid advocating all sorts of protest while living on the income of their parents. Treat people with respect and dignity but don't take anyone's shit. and attractions and so feels that everyone they come into contact with is somehow responsible for their having a good time before they return to their home and career. Tourist Someone who has paid too much for their tickets. Code of Conduct There is a code of conduct among people who are living rough.
Let's say a redneck picks you up to give you a ride after you've been standing in the freezing rain somewhere for five hours. People to Avoid There are millions of people out there that are worth meeting and talking to. You 157 . There are also people it is worth going out of your way to avoid or avoid spending any significant time with. country music. The bottom line is that a redneck is someone who hates you because you are different than they are. If you have a fire and someone calls from outside saying they are T H and C (tired hungry and cold). invite them to sit down and eat if you have food to share. if only to hear their perspectives. Rednecks are clannish. share. calling from outside the fire's light is a way to keep from getting shot. or region. The rest of the code is pretty simple. It also gives you a chance to see if these are people you want to interact with. I consider rednecks to be the most dangerous hazard out there. If it's your fire you can always tell them to move along. Really.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual them that you don't have to deal with it. your life is worth less than a dogs. If you got extra and somebody else needs it. If it's you coming on a fire. If you don't share their beliefs and values. Rednecks and Redneck Tramps There are a lot of definitions to the term redneck. There are a lot of jokes about rednecks. There is really nothing funny about them though. My definition of a redneck doesn't have anything to do with race.
If you come upon a fire built by redneck tramps there is a good chance that they will beat you and rob you because you are not a part of their group. it is best to put as much distance between them and yourselves as possible. Even if they seem to think you are okay." If you let the redneck draw a distinction between their belief system and yours there is no telling what will happen." Maybe you are one of those faggot environmentalists. The crazies can be entertaining but unless someone I know can vouch for 158 .Chris Damitio really want the ride. A typical redneck will start right off by saying outrageous things to see how you react. When you recognize a redneck. Redneck tramps usually hang out in groups and are very closed to new people. just say something like "I'm glad I don't look like those guys. Redneck tramps usually give away their true nature a little slower than the traditional rednecks but the hate always reveals itself. Bush. Redneck tramps are similar to the traditional rednecks except they seem at first to be travelers or hobos and so earn a measure of compassion from you. Things like " I only picked you up cause you don't look like one of them faggot environmentalists. so is George W. they might change their tune when they get drunk and decide to come shoot you. but they are unpredictable. Hitler was a redneck. Rednecks make themselves obvious by pointing out who they hate and who they think deserves to die. Crazies Crazies are usually harmless. You don't have to lie. but don't fall into the redneck's trap.
I believe that most gang bangers become part of a gang because they are essentially powerless by themselves. As a result their actions become more and more outrageous and violent as they attempt to prove they deserve to be a gang banger. because of the base worthlessness of their character.' Wannabe's are even more dangerous than gang bangers because they are usually loose cannons looking for a way to prove that they deserve respect. Gang bangers can be any race and anywhere. Gang Bangers and Wannabe's Gang bangers are similar to rednecks in their clannishness but usually aren't as overtly hateful towards entire groups of people. Energy Vampires Energy vampires are everywhere. I've known friendly bums who have been beaten and killed by stupid kids with low self esteem who simply wannabe part of some stupid gang.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual them I usually prefer to watch them interact with someone else. What makes gang bangers dangerous is that they are usually are trying to earn 'respect' from the people around them. 'Respect' basically means that no one messes with them. The best way to spot them is when they first approach you (they always approach you) and for 159 . None of them do. They can flip at a moments notice when an outsider violates their ambiguous code of 'respect.
If an energy vampire is in your midst. 160 . a place to crash.Chris Damitio some reasons you can't understand. A lot of energy vampires pose as hippies because real hippies are probably the most likely to let an energy vampire suck off them for an extended period of time. Drugs. they probably are an energy vampire. They can draw the life out of any conversation with constant interruptions and meaningless stories that no one wants to hear. preprogram a voice in your head to remind you that whatever you are experiencing is only temporary. When you do decide to indulge. they decide that they want you to be their best friend. cash. Energy vampires like to be the center of conversation. What an energy vampire does is feed off the positive vibes you create in order to get attention that they don't deserve. and whatever else they can get. If someone wants to be your friend for no apparent reason. and Trippers I've had great experiences abusing substances. you might notice that the people you want to talk with no longer hang out when you show up with your new best friend who follows you wherever you go. food. Alcohol. Not everyone can hang with it though. The best advice I can give is to be moderate in all things including a little excess. three things will help you come through it: 1) know what you are taking and where it came from 2) have someone with you that you trust and 3) if the world turns upside down. Along with that they usually hit anyone and everyone up for smokes. Learn to recognize them and tell them bluntly that you don't want to be their friend because there is no cure I've seen for an energy vampire except to make them find another victim.
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They make your life longer. Except in China where you have to pay to go in the parks. but sports make you feel good. Read in the park. but I love playing sports. All you need to run is a pair of shoes. I'm still not a big fan of watching sports. or ocean. Not only that.here are a few suggestions…. Sit in a park. Parks Every city I've been to has parks. A racket will run you a couple of bucks at the thrift store and you can bounce the ball on the wall all day long. There are Frisbee golf courses all over the Northwest. Sports I wish I would have discovered sports when I was younger.Chris Damitio Entertainment. If you can't think of anything else to do. They make your body strong. lake. pick garbage up from around the park. The park is a place where you are allowed to be without having to pay anything. I can take it or leave it. and Leisure You've got all the time in the world. 162 . Recreation. Tennis is free in most US parks. What do you want to do with it? So what if you don't have any money…. I prefer movies. Play sports in the park. Respect the parks. swimming is free if you have a river. You don't need $100 Nikes. You can use $5 rite aid shoes. Parks are wonderful.
Malls I never liked malls before going to the Philippines. or find out about anything. and shopping centers. You can get a classin first aid. You can even escape the heat or cold in the mall. Go to the library and ask about classes. Think about it though. Ask the research librarian about anything you want to find out and she will love helping you. The public library is your gateway to your future. in CPR. watch videos. in researching your genealogy. They are free. You can people watch to your hearts content in the mall. take classes.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Classes Most cities offer free or cheap classes in all kinds of things. 163 . use the internet. Sometimes they have concerts. attend meetings. Be sure to say thanks. Free Concerts There are free concerts in malls. They have neat stuff you can play with. You can study a new career. parks. Or ask the librarian where to look. Pick up a local paper and read the events section. Libraries If Ben Franklin were alive I would write him a heartfelt thank you letter for creating the world's first public library.
Visiting Visit some folks you haven't seen in a while. There are even fifty cent theatres where you can watch second run films. Make some new friends. In Honolulu it costs you about a buck to watch a movie. Never mind what I do when I go by Prada or Louis Vitton. It can whisk you away to another time and place. Window Shopping Take a walk through downtown and see what the rich folks are buying. There are too many people who don't take the time to 164 . Sit in the park and chat with a stranger.Chris Damitio Malls are fun. In Portland you can watch art films for a couple of bucks and drink beer while you're doing it. Try not to laugh when you see how useless and expensive some of the items are. Cheap Movies Most cities have cheap theatres. I still laugh every time I pass a doggie bakery or doggy boutique. It can allow you to discover yourself or live the life of someone else. Reading Reading can give you ideas.
medicine. or math. learn about astronomy. and wasting their lives on worthless trash. Learn or die. Use the library. 165 . Autopsies have revealed that Alzheimer's patients have the most shriveled dendrites. biology. Learn a language. Watch Good Will Hunting if you want to be inspired. Scientists say that when people stop learning the dendrites in their brains begin to shrivel up. law. Learning on your own Just because you can't afford to go to college doesn't mean you can't get an education.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual read a book because they are working too much. watching too much TV.
Keep yourself clean. On top of that. and feet. At the worst do this. unclean beggar. There are showers in colleges and in many parks. Showering All you need to shower is water and a rag. lock the door. There is no need for it. your arms. Wash your crotch. If you let yourself look and smell like garbage. Mostly at the park. negative. and use a sponge or washcloth to give yourself a good bath at least every other day. It doesn't hurt to have soap. hands. your pits. Don't treat yourself like one. I shower two or three times a day.Chris Damitio Staying Positive and Clean I don't ever need to see another stinky. Keep your pride and keep yourself clean. it gives you greater access. your ass. (Not necessarily in that order. There are showers at ports. There are plenty of places you can wash up. You're not a piece of trash.) The importance of Hygiene Hygiene not only keeps you feeling good about yourself. you are going to start thinking like garbage. I like to start with my face. legs. Go to a restaurant or public bathroom. Remember the three A's? A clean and healthy looking person can go just about 166 . It's a waste. Churches and missions will let you shower. it keeps you healthy. your face. There are showers available at the YMCA.
When I wake up and when I go to sleep. Laundry Washing your clothes should cost you about $3 to wash and dry a load. but for goodness sake man. you're forty five! Brushing and Shaving I brush my teeth twice a day. It's also a nice place to stay warm when it's cold out or dry when it's raining. Please use deodorant. and walking in the store.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual anywhere but a foul smelling bum will get stopped going in the mall. wandering around the campus. There are natural deodorants available. 167 . Using Deodorant I went through a phase where I refused to use deodorant. I usually have a water bottle and I will spit the toothpaste in the bushes or on the street if I have to. If someone doesn't like it I will ask them to please smell my breath. They are not that expensive. "It's not natural" I would tell people when they told me I should use it. I know it's hard to get rid of your Iron Maiden concert shirt. I don't care where I am. Clothing You can buy good clothes at thrift stores. You will feel better and smell better. Try to blend in and you will have more access to a better life. Pay attention to what is currently fashionable for someone your age.
Being a bum vs. go ahead. I am a regular person. I put some soap in it.Chris Damitio I use an old fashioned shaving brush to lather up my face. and then use my Trac III razor to shave off my stubble. live in the bushes. People are always surprised when they find out I don't live indoors. I just don't have a house or a real job. You can live in a car. lather it up. or live on the street without looking like you are "homeless". I have a really tough beard and this combination works best. If you want to be that. 168 . Being a regular person Just because you live this way doesn't mean you have to be a wretched bum. put some water in it. The Trac III blades last about a month and a half each with care.
1) What is your provocation? 2) What do you need? 3) What are your abilities? 169 .Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual Worksheet The following are some questions you can ask yourself to figure out where you are going or what you want to do. I like to use these questions periodically to check up on myself or to inspire myself to write or learn something…..
Chris Damitio 4) What are your accumulations? 5) What kind of access do you have? 6) Who are your major influences? 7) How do you get cash? 170 .
Good Luck! 171 . and year? I believe that if you write it. It will happen. That's why I know that I'll be a millionaire very soon.Rough Living An Urban Survival Manual 8) What do you want? 9) What do you always have? 10) Where do you want to be in a week. month.
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He somehow bumbles and fumbles through amazing adventures in exotic and tropical locations. He is the author of Rough Living Tips and Tales of a Vagabond (First and Second editions) and Slackville Road. Currently he is sitting in a late night coffee shop waiting for normal people to go to sleep so they don't notice him sleeping on their front porch. his first novel.com 173 . Chris can be contacted at: email@example.com Living An Urban Survival Manual About the Author Chris Damitio is a world-traveling bum that can't hold a decent job.
Chris Damitio 174 .