the Little John experience

I just love a question that brings a smile to my face and makes me laugh out loud. I might as well post my reply to this email, just in case any other girl out there has trouble peeing into her own female adapter. If you are a man, you can just stop reading now. lol.

subject: tips to make my girl's Little John experience easier

"Hey. I know this sounds like a weird question. I bought and have been using the Little John for awhile now and recently bought the female adapter for my girlfriend as well for use on road trips. She hasn't had an easy time using it so far, do you have any special techniques that make it easier for you to pee into? What positions are easiest, etc? Thanks."

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My response:

"Hey there, sorry about the delayed reply. Did you girlfriend still need help with this?

I must admit, your email made me laugh out loud.

Does she have the blue one (female adapter)? That is the one I've got.

First off, it might be upside-down. She should try it both ways to see which way "fits" against her best.

Lets see... tips on peeing into a curved funnel.

Kinda lean/tilt forward.

Don't stand up too straight.

Pee slowly.

Hold it tighly against yourself.

I think that's pretty much all I've got. "

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I do want to add, however, that the female adapter (when positioned correctly) is such an essential piece of gear. I use it practically every day inside my van, and I also take it with me whenever I'm out on a boat. There is nothing worse than being a girl and waking up inside your van in the middle of night, having to pee, when you are parked somewhere with no 24-hour stores around, in a place where you cannot squat outside your vehicle without risking exposure. I don't know how I would live without it. I store the adapter inside a ziplock bag, with a paper-towel wrapped around it, and I wipe it off with paper-towel really good after every use. It also gets its share of bleach, whenever I get a chance.
Men are pretty lucky that it is so easy for them to just pee wherever. Women have to use something silly like a curved pee-funnel. Well, whatever works! I'm glad that someone created this little gadget. Hmm. Now I wonder if it was invented by a man or a woman.

My Van Routine While Working

I have officially completed my one week of temporary work that I found using Craigslist. It was a serious Valentine's week fruit frenzy, consumed with preparing melon, kale, & strawberries, wrapping fruit arrangements, boxing up chocolate-dipped berries, loading trucks, doing dishes, and so much more. It was work, but it was wonderful. After heading out of there today with 320 bucks in my pocket, new job experience, fun memories, and an open invitation back, I felt like a million bucks. I felt complete and accomplished, knowing that I had done something really worthwhile this week. I had given a new job my 110%, helped create stunning edible art that made their recipients happy, met a group of extremely kind & hardworking people, and completed every task that they had needed me for. I truly feel blessed to have stumbled upon that job! It was everything I love doing and more: working with my hands, being precise & detail conscious, multi-tasking, and being surrounded by colorful, beautiful, delicious fruit... I especially lucked out that their kitchen crew was so friendly and fun. They felt like family after only 6 straight days, and they gave me an incredible parting Valentine's Day gift (thank you Diane, Kathy, Dawn, & Brian)...

I have no problems working while living in a vehicle, but that is because I'm quite used to it, and I try to plan everything ahead. You can just park at your job overnight, allowing you to sleep in later & save on gas, among other conveniences. Every working situation is different when it comes to your parking arrangement, shower set-up, etc., but for this particular job, here is a description of what my typical routine was.

Parking:

For the first few days, I parked about 20 minutes away in a friend's driveway. Work started daily at 7am, so I got up at 6:00 every morning, got ready inside my van, headed out by 6:30, and arrived at the job 10 minutes early. I definitely felt like part of the busy-city job-commute, jumping on the freeway every morning with the intense mad-morning traffic rush. Driving to work was always this fast blur of red brake-lights, tail-lights, speed-racers, and congestion. Driving in AM-hour work-traffic like that is not my thing. I am much more of a country mouse than a city mouse. So after 3 days of the Tampa workforce commute, I decided to change my routine. For my last 3 days of work, I just kept my van parked in the lot where I was working. That was just wonderful, because it was a shared business lot that contained a busy supermarket, so there were other cars parked there all night as well. Nobody bothered me or my van a bit, and I didn't even change parking spots because I was just so lazy and tired when I got out work. Parking there allowed me to sleep in half an hour later each morning, still get ready inside my van, and then just walk only 30 seconds to get into work.

Nightly Prep:

Every night before I went to bed, I made sure to set out everything I needed for the next morning. That made getting ready much easier each morning since I'm always a little sluggish when I first wake up. I have a tendency to hit snooze several times before getting out of bed (using the alarm feature on my iPhone) if it is still dark outside ...

I keep all my clothes folded neatly inside plastic totes so they don't end up all wrinkly. I laid out the clothes that I wanted to wear the next day, and I put my vitamins in a little plastic baggie to take to work with me. If I needed to make a lunch for the next day, I made it the night before. I also made sure that I had my laundry done ahead of time and that I had something in my van to eat for breakfast. I emptied out my portable urinal so it wouldn't be full when I tried to use it in the morning while half asleep, and I made sure that I had enough water for the next morning: to drink, rinse out my cereal bowl, brush my teeth, and things like that. Usually I've got at least one extra jug full of water, but I double-checked at night, just in case. It is no fun to run behind in the morning or make things harder for yourself when there is no need for that. Just plan ahead. The place I worked this week was right next to a supermarket, which was wonderful. It was easy for me to re-fill my gallon water jugs in the evening for only 30 cents each.

Going to the Bathroom:

When I wake up, I need to go to the bathroom. Doesn't everyone? For going #1, I use a Lady J (like a funnel for a woman to easily pee into a bottle) and the complementary portable urinal (both of these gadgets are essential for me, I use them all the time!!). Even if I am parked outside of a 24-hour Walmart, I prefer to just pee inside my van, using my Lady J and my leak-proof bottle. For going #2, I've got a coffee can & plastic bags inside my van (just dispose of them in public garbage cans), but I hardly ever use that method. I'd rather sit on a toilet, so when it comes to going #2, I look for a bathroom. If I am parked outside of a Walmart or truck-stop, I just go inside and use the bathroom first thing in the morning. For the first 3 days of this work week, when I woke up parked in my friend's driveway, I used the toilet that is hooked upto sewer in his backyard. For the last 3 days of work, when I was parked in the job's parking lot, I just waited until I actually went into work and used the bathroom there. No biggie. You never really have to worry about it that much. Just get yourself a pee bottle and park somewhere where a public bathroom is pretty close nearby. When you've gotta go, you've gotta go, and something will come up. There are bathrooms (and bushes) everywhere. Just keep toilet paper inside your van :)

Showering:

For different options of where to get showers, first check out this earlier posting where I gave various possibilities. My favorite places to shower are at community swimming pools/aquatic centers, state or city parks, and friend's houses. If you've got a long-term job or are staying in one place for awhile, a fitness-center or gym is a terrific shower option.

This week, I washed my hair 3 times, but only showered twice. The first time I showered, I used a friend's house. The second time I showered, I used a solar-shower in my friend's backyard. The next time I desperately needed a shower (but one wasn't readily accessible), I simply washed my hair in the bathroom sink at the place I was working. The owner was extremely nice about it, he was more than willing to let me clean up in there (I asked first) :)

Solar showers are the best shower option, though, in my opinion. I love solar showers because showering outdoors is the most refreshing feeling ever (on a warm day), and using the sun to heat up your water is free, environmentally friendly, and efficient.

If you don't have time to wait for the sun to heat up your solar shower (or if it is a cloudy day), you can just fill up your solar shower with hot water from a sink in a bathroom somewhere. Fast-food restaurant bathrooms work well because the bathrooms are usually private, with only one door that you can lock. Put the solar shower in a backpack, go into a bathroom, and fill er up (as much as you can)!

I actually filled up our solar shower in a Wendy's bathroom the other day and took a shower inside my van. I bought an inflatable kid's pool (4 feet across) at Walmart, and it fits perfectly on the floor inside my van. I hung the solar shower on the bar for the pop-top, sat down in the kiddie pool, and showered. It worked great! :) Then I just emptied the pool out into a nearby patch of grass.

My morning getting-ready routine:

Hit snooze a few times, get out of bed, turn on my bright little LED lantern, pop in my contacts, wipe my face off with some witch hazel on a cotton ball, eat a chocolate calcium chew, pee into my portable urinal, wash my hands with an antibacterial wet-wipe, eat a bowl of cereal (with semi-warm soy milk), swish some water around in my bowl to rinse it (dump the water on the ground outside the van), dry out the bowl and spoon with my dish-towel, get dressed, drink some water, take a couple vitamins, brush my hair, brush my teeth, rinse out my mouth with water, spit it on the ground outside the van, put my phone in its holster on my hip pocket, put my ID in my back pocket, slip on my shoes, grab my key, lock up the van, and head out to work for the day.

It really is as easy as 123. There is a simple solution for just about everything, you just need to be optimistic, flexible, and open-minded. I tend to rough it a little bit, but it works well for me, and I have fun doing it. That is the most important thing. Just to have fun. If you aren't enjoying what you are doing, then perhaps you should be doing something else, or you should try to do what you are doing a little bit differently. Trial and error is how we all learn, and eventually you will get down the routine that works best for you.

Personal Hygiene - Showering and Keeping Clean

It is still very possible to take care of yourself while you are living a mobile lifestyle. I eventually just got used to not waking up and heading straight for my bathroom anymore. When you don’t have a bath “room,” you just find ways to improvise. Lots of people on the road have different tricks and methods, so browse around and figure out what will work best for you. This is just an over-view of how I get by. I like to stay clean. I have various ways to brush my teeth, wash my hair, and maintain personal hygiene, even though I don’t have my own faucet running or a tub to climb into.

Face & Body Wipe-Downs

For quick wipe-downs, I use a spray bottle containing water, a washcloth, and a tiny dab of camp suds. (That spray bottle is also used for keeping my plants happy, and I re-fill it at drinking fountains) Wet-wipes are also extremely handy for helping to keep your body clean - your hands, armpits, wherever. Every time I wipe myself down, I put on fresh deodorant (aluminum-free) and spritz myself with a very light lemon~scent (Have a favorite perfume or essential oil? That will work too). For my face, I like to wipe it down with Witch Hazel (a mild, natural astringent that you can find and purchase inexpensively in Dollar Stores). Doing that always makes me feel refreshed and removes excess dirt & oil from my face.

Brushing Your Teeth

For brushing my teeth, there are a couple options: In my van, I just pour a little water over my brush and add a tiny dab of my normal toothpaste. When I'm done, I just swish a little water around in my mouth (from my water bottle) and spit it outside my van or into a container (and dump it later). My favorite option is to just use a public bathroom somewhere (a library, gas station, grocery store, Walmart), and not eat again that night after I have brushed my teeth. Baking soda also works well for brushing your teeth in a vehicle, since it is very simple and cheap to do. Click here if you'd like to read more about that. BUT don't use baking soda as your recommended method for brushing your teeth, as it will eventually strip your teeth of their enamel. It is good in a pinch, for occasional cleaning and whitening. It is extremely important to take care of your teeth, whether you are living in a vehicle or not.

Washing Your Hair

Amazingly enough, whenever I feel disgusting and crave a shower, simply washing my hair will often suffice. If you are unable to easily shower nearby, you can truly feel better by just washing your hair & face. For an inexpensive hair wash, click here to learn about using baking soda and vinegar. I will try that sometime, but I have still been trying to use up my normal minty-fresh, Biotin-enriched shampoo...

I have read different ways that people actually wash their hair inside their vehicle, but they all just sound too messy for me at this time. My hair isn't very short. Here are 3 ways that I have washed my hair:

1. If I'm feeling lazy and don't want to leave my van, I use a no-rinse shampoo instead of my normal shampoo. Just lay down a towel, use a spray bottle to get your hair wet, tilt your head upside-down over the towel, pour some of the no-rinse shampoo over your hair (or put it in a sprayer and just spray it on), rub it in, and towel it dry. It really isn't as bad as it sounds! :)

2. Sometimes it is convenient to wash my hair at the beach, in a lake, or a river. I get in, swim around, and wash my hair with a tiny dab of camp suds or Dr. Bronners. I try to do it where there isn't really anyone around.

3. A good option for washing my hair on the road, however, is the same as my favorite place to brush my teeth - I use a sink in a public restroom (one made for a single person, not a multi-stall bathroom). There can be a nice personal restroom in a library, bookstore, grocery store, fast food restaurant, on a college campus, at your job, etc. Gas stations work, too, but they are often pretty gross, so I'd recommend sticking to one of the others. It doesn't look odd for a woman to carry a large purse or tote-bag, so I use one to carry the following items into a public bathroom - a small handtowel, my spray on conditioner, a hair-pick, and shampoo. If I feel like being more inconspicuous for some reason, I might wear a hat into the business and also wear it back out (so it isn't as obvious that my hair is dripping wet). I have mastered washing my hair in a sink, although shorter hair would be an advantage in this situation. Once I get into the bathroom, I'm quick! I whip off my shirt, drape my tiny towel over the edge of sink (if it will stay there), and I get my hair wet (First I lean over the sink, forwards, and wet the under-side of my hair. Then I flip around, squat down, and bend over backwards to wet the top side of my hair). I lather up my hair with shampoo, and rinse it by again first leaning over the sink forwards, and then leaning over the sink backwards). I towel it dry as best as I can, spray on some detangler, pick thru it to make it straight, throw my shirt back on, and pack my things back into my bag. If I am in a bathroom that I don't think anyone is waiting for, I will take a little more time to brush my teeth, clean myself more thoroughly, and use the bathroom.

Showers

I love taking showers, and I am assuming that most people are like me in that sense. If you live in a vehicle and there is ever a free shower available to you, I'm sure you definitely take advantage of that opportunity. They can be somewhat difficult to come by for free. I was recently reading "Ten Consecutive Years Living in Cars," and he showers in approx. 90 seconds by simply standing outside his car door (behind a business/store or out on a secluded road), lathering up his hair and privates, and pouring 2 jugs of water over himself. I haven't tried that, but I think it would work best for someone with really short hair and who doesn't necessarily need warm water. I personally think that a solar shower is essential to have if you live in your vehicle. Just fill it with water, warm it up on your dash, and have a hot shower outside in the woods or somewhere secluded. I am planning on eventually hanging a shower-curtain around my van's rear-hatch when it is open. Then I can use a solar shower to comfortably take a shower from the privacy of standing behind my van. Here is a list of possible places to shower:

Friend's or Relative's House - Free

Public Beaches - Free

Your Job - (I have worked at places that had showers available)

County Parks - I have occasionally found little county parks that have showers available. I'm not sure if they are just for campers, but I haven't seen any signs. They are open, available, and free.

College Athletic Facility - Can be an excellent opportunity for a free shower, since many colleges do have showers available. Perhaps ask around to some students walking on campus.

Hotels - Many offer usage to their pool/hot-tub area for a small fee (I found a local AmericInn that charges $3.00). Another option, (shhhh...) may be to sneak into a hotel pool area. Park along the side of a hotel and see if you can get into a side door. If it is a busy hotel, you could wait and head towards the door right behind someone else, and enter the hotel with them. Carry a tote bag with your towel and bathing suit, dress like a hotel guest, and perhaps carry a can of pop and wear a headset. The key would be to look like you belong there. Head to the pool area in your flip-flops & knock on the pool door if it requires a room key. Pretend you forgot yours in your room, and that your room is way up on a high floor. If you put some plastic baggies in your tote, you can fill up on hotel ice for your cooler on your way out of the building.

Public Swimming Pools - Go for a swim, use a hot tub, and then shower! Costs a small fee, but definitely call and ask when the cheapest swim times/nights are.

Gym/Health Clubs - Will cost a daily rate or a monthly membership fee. Might be worth it, depending on your situation and your desire to exercise. Depending on where you are living, some gyms offer a membership that is nationwide, such as 24hr.Fitness.

Truck Stops - Usually costs around $7 for a shower (sometimes more, sometimes less). Call ahead and ask if you are curious. If you are sleeping there anyway, ask around for a free shower coupon. They give them out to people who buy certain amounts of gas, and some people living in their big RVs might not need their coupon if they've got their own RV shower.

Campground/RV Parks - Free if you are already camping there anyway! But if you are planning to camp there just for a shower, it would probably be cheaper to go use a public swimming pool, truck stop, or someplace else.

Laundromat - I have yet to find a laudromat out there that has a shower available, but I have heard that they exist...Can anyone tell me if they've ever found one? Oh well, if you can't find one with a shower, you can at least wash your clothes there and charge your small appliances from a 120 volt AC wall outlet while you wait.

As of right now, I am still enjoying my showers at a local gym and several friend's houses.. Once I'm on the road again (the 24th of this month!!), I will continue to keep you posted on the situations that arise.