Feb 27 - More Downsizing Details

nimble - moving quickly and lightly; sleek and agile...

At the risk of re-hashing thoughts I've written about before, I thought I'd write a summary of the key ideas driving the next chapter of our nomadic life. What we're calling "Sabbatical II" will be an evolution of our current fulltiming experience. Driven by our desire to be more nimble and flexible in our travels and explorations... it'll be a hybrid lifestyle that combines a couple of, what we're calling, "mooch-docks" (think mini-home-base or small apartment) coupled with a much smaller camper. These are a few of the key elements of Sabbatical II:

1. Two mini home-bases, one each in Wisconsin and the State of Washington, the two places our family is located.

2. No towing anything. Towing fosters "hub and spoke" exploration. We want to explore in a linear fashion during Sabbatical II.

3. A small Camper... at this point we're focused on either a truck camper or a Sprinter van conversion camper. The RV will serve as both our living quarters and our exploration vehicle.

4. Keep it simple... keep complexity and clutter to an absolute minimum.

Let me expound further on each of the elements above:

1. The mini-homebase: First some background: During our last 6 years of RV fulltiming we've developed a pattern... alternating periods of sitting and traveling. Most of our family is in either Wisconsin or the State of Washington and we find ourselves staying in each of those for long periods... a month or two at a shot. Between those periods of sitting, we travel and explore... usually for a couple months at a time, but perhaps longer if, like this year, we don't sit in one place during our southern escape from Winter. In total, we sit for about 6 months and we travel for about 6 months each year.

So an idea evolved as we talked about the future. If we could re-engineer things so that during the times we're visiting family we had a space we could call home... a place to find a little solitude, to sleep, a refuge... a place to keep extra clothes and stuff needed only rarely... if we could make that happen, our need for a big RV diminishes rapidly. You might think of it as glorified guest room or a studio apartment. In any case, we'd consider it a mini-homebase (or tongue-in-cheek... a "mooch-dock"). But there wouldn't be much mooching as, like most work-campers, we'd trade our services, brains, and brawn for the place to stay.

Of course, with our situation we'd need two of them... one in Wisconsin and the other in Washington. Tentatively, we've got two spaces in mind and have already talked with the landlords. There's still some work to do putting this piece of the Sabbatical II puzzle together, but we're hopeful we'll have both mini-homebases ready by the end of the summer.

2. No Towing Allowed: For maximum nimbleness, we'd like to get away from towing anything. No trailer, no towed car, no utility trailer... no "toad" of any kind. The dictionary definition of nimble is moving quickly and lightly, which pretty much captures our thoughts on the matter. The part of our current lifestyle we really enjoy is the traveling and exploring... and our aim is to maximize that by traveling in a more linear fashion... exploring as we go and finding a campsite when we're tired at the end of the day. With the bus-house and our current system, we have to return to our starting point every night.

3. A Small Camper: Going hand in hand with my comments on towing, nimbleness will require a small camper. And once you take towing out of the equation, there are very few RVs to consider. What we're focused on in our search at this time are slide-in truck campers and class B van conversions based on the MB Sprinter van. What we like about truck campers is the go anywhere capability of the 4 wheel drive truck we'd put it on, the ability to separate the truck from the camper, and the full size queen size mattress we'd be sleeping on. On the Sprinter van side of the equation, we like the high fuel efficiency of the MB diesel (20mpg), the van's stealthiness (without splashy graphics and crazy paint jobs, it doesn't look like a camper), and the all-in-one, motorhome nature, of the van (no need to go outside to start driving). Like almost everything in RVing and the nomadic lifestyle, it's all a series of compromises.

4. Keep it Simple: Small is beautiful in other ways too. We want our next camper to be simple and uncomplicated. No slide-outs, easy to access systems, a 12v compressor fridge so being level isn't as important and no leveling system is needed, and no air conditioner. Instead of a generator, even a portable ultra-quiet Honda, we'll opt for a larger solar PV array coupled with a couple hefty deep cycle batteries... enough to power our simple needs and the 12v compressor fridge too.

As long as we can touch home-base every once in a while, we think we can live for extended periods of time in a very small camper. Remember those folks who live out of their backpacks for long periods of time while seeing the world? I think we'll be a little more comfortable than that. And if we really need a break from the camper during a longer excursion we can always check into a motel for a night or two.

We have a wonderful collection of friends, acquaintances, and adventure travelers who are already living like this. They've proven to us it can be done... that it is being done. And they're having a great time living another version of the nomadic RV lifestyle.

I think we'll join them.

Feb 17 - Living Small... a Follow-Up

Based on page-hits and comments, my last post entitled "It Can Be Done" struck a chord with some. And I'm feeling the need to follow on with some additional musings and thoughts.

When it comes to selecting an RV most people start with "big" in mind. What's the largest rig we can afford? We did. But we found that much of the need for space isn't for us or the demands of our travel style... it had more to do with our assumptions about what we needed to live full-time... what other people told us we'd needed... and, well, we've got the space... let's fill 'er up. Other reasons for going BIG might include hobbies, toys, pets, a large waistline, the unstated assumption that bigger is better, and, perhaps, the All-American need to one-up the neighbors... or some combination of all those. You might feel good about why you went big, but I doubt it has anything to do with what works best while traveling and exploring.

If the goal is to take as much of your suburban life along with you when you go camping, and you tend to sit for long periods of time, then go ahead and get as much RV as you can afford. I mean... be happy. You're not hurting anyone.

But if the goal is to explore, to nose around the countryside, to wander, to see, to learn, I think it'll be obvious to most folks with those simpler interests to see the beauty in going small and living simply.. with less.

What's the paradigm you started with.... the big trophy 3000 sq. ft. house that many of us have lived in for long periods of time??... or... the backpack that many have lived out of for long periods of time while traversing the Appalachian Trail or traveling throughout Europe??

In other words, in thinking about life on the road do you start with that big house and try to figure out what you've got to whittle-down and leave out in order to make it all fit into an RV? Or do you start with the backpacker or the one suitcase lean-mode world traveler and try to figure out what few things you can add to make life a little easier or more rewarding?

In thinking and planning for Sabbatical II (the next chapter of our travels) we're focused on keeping things small and simple.

Feb 16 - It Can be Done.

Fate, (or is it karma... or chance...?) has conspired to connect us with a delightful couple occupying an RV site right across the road from us at the SKP Saguaro RV Park in Benson Arizona. Dean and Carol have been on the road fulltiming in an RV for over 13 years. Like us, they have no fixed house that they call home. What they do have is a collection of kids scattered around the country... from east coast to west coast to Alaska. For the past 11 years they've lived in two different Class B van conversions... their current home being a Sprinter van converted by Sportsmobile.

As we contemplate a smaller and more nimble approach to our lifestyle (what we're calling Sabbatical II), these two came into our lives at a very propitious time. Our nagging doubts and concerns about living in a really small space... with all the compromises that will have to be made... have been an obstacle we've been scaling for some time. And that's why we seek out folks like Dean and Carol... to listen and learn about their experience with a small camper... what they like and don't like... what they've done right and what they'd do differently. Overall, they thoroughly enjoy their life on wheels... a fact that jumps out at you the moment you meet them.

They, like us, are better explorers than sitters. They've driven the Alcan Highway more than a dozen times. They're on the move, exploring and looking for adventure most of the time. In their opinion, the small RV gives them the flexibility... the nimbleness of being able to go almost anywhere whenever they want... with a minimum of hassle. They've made a science out of living simply, without non-essential things, and are always vigilant about creeping complexity. Even after all these years they consider their camper a work-in-process... making small modifications here and there to improve their ability to live comfortably in a small space.

We found them positively inspirational. They prove, to us, that it can be done. Our minds are now clearer... our fears have diminished and excitement and anticipation have grown exponentially.

This year we take our first steps toward a transition to Sabbatical II. For some background, check out my series from a year ago on our thoughts after Five Years.

5 Years - A Home Base

This is the fifth in a series of posts about our lifestyle as we near the 5 year mark, and some thoughts we're having about making changes as we move into the future.

On A Home Base
After almost 5 years of living in our 300 sq. ft. motorhome we're talking more and more about establishing a home base somewhere.

There's an old saying that we've commandeered that goes something like this: The warm peaceful feeling that accompanies going home is exceeded only by the great anticipation and freedom that accompanies leaving home. In other words, there's nothing like the feeling of coming home... unless it's the feeling of leaving again. For us, we enjoy "coming home", whether it's an extended stay in an RV park near our kids in Washington, parking on our RV pad while visiting the rest of our family in Wisconsin, or an extended Winter refuge down south. There's really something special about coming home that we look forward to... time to work on the bigger projects... a R&R break from traveling... more time to spend with the same people... perhaps put down some shallow roots... get into a mindless routine... a change. But, for true nomads, that "coming home" feeling starts to ebb after a while (hitch-itch?). For us, after a month or so, the feeling that it's time to hit the road again... to leave... overpowers the good feeling of coming home, being home.  But we've learned to savor them both.

Someone said to me recently that, and I'm paraphrasing here, there's an excitement and anticipation that accompanies planning and executing a shorter trip... say a few weeks or a month or two... that isn't present when living as fulltime nomads and all your trips flow together in one long series. I hadn't thought about it that way before, but there's something in there that rings true with me.

Having established that we're really living two lifestyles (being "home", sitting in one place for an extended time versus traveling, exploring), and that the bus-house is really too big for exploring in a nimble efficient linear manner, having a home-base would provide some of the benefits of a fixed home (more space for living, storage, workshop, etc) while making it possible to downsize the RV to one more efficient, nimble, and appropriate for our preferred linear exploration mode. In other words, if done right, we'd get some of the bests of both worlds.

Having a home base also provides other benefits. It's a place, a retreat, a refuge, that you can always go to if necessary. If things go wacky or crazy, if illness strikes, if an accident puts your RV out of commission, you can retreat to your home base and regroup. Most fulltime RVers carry this burden with them as they go about their tenuous lives... bravely going forward, being out there, exploring and living... but always carrying the burden of a riskier lifestyle and the "what ifs" of unforeseen situations. A home base helps minimize that burden.

If we ultimately decide to establish this home base, it will NOT be a hunk of real estate in a traditional subdivision or a condominium. No, an important element of our ideal home base is that it be virtually maintenance free, worry free, and in an RV oriented community - don't want to worry about mowing the grass, trimming the shrubs, shoveling the snow, and what the neighbors are saying about the RV parked in the driveway. And being around like-minded people living similar lifestyles provide, in our experience, an enjoyable tight-knit community that watches out for one another.

At this point we're still talking and pondering the issue. We've taken no action beyond getting on the waiting list for membership in a number of SKP Coop Parks in the south and northwest. Being within an easy days drive of our kids and grandkids is one of the criteria we're considering, but also being a little further south and somewhat warmer is another. Being close to a good airport and good medical facilities are important too.

Timing? We're not rushing into anything. These thoughts are in the realm of short to medium term planning. Perhaps we'll make a move toward a home base in the next year or two.

<< Part 4 <<

>> Part 6>>

5 Years - Size... It Matters

This is the fourth in a series of posts about our lifestyle as we near the 5 year mark, and some thoughts we're having about making changes as we move into the future.

On Size... It Matters
The earlier posts in this series addressed the topics of our travel pattern, family friends roots, and our preferred exploring mode. In this post I'd like to address the topic of our RV... also called "the camper" or the "bus-house" in most of my posts to the RV Sabbatical Journal.

We live fulltime in a "big rig" motorhome. Early in the process of investigating this lifestyle, prior to taking the plunge, most fulltimers we asked said the same thing:  get the largest RV we could afford. They said we'd always covet more space and "big" would always be better in the resale market. And that's what we did... bought a 40 foot long 16 ton diesel motorhome.

For the most part, we've been happy with it. But over these 5 years we've developed a real love/hate thing about space. When we're sitting, for us about half the time, we like having it.... but when we're traveling and exploring, also about half the time, we've come to believe we may have too much. And it's not the space itself that's the problem. It's how space is expressed in a big-rig camper, through it's physical weight and size, that have caused us to ponder the issue.

So often, during days we're driving the bus-house from one spot to another, we see something "over there", or a sign referring to a lake and campground down a little gravel road, or some other natural attraction that we'd love to investigate along the way... but we don't do it. We don't do it because we can see the road isn't appropriate for a big rig, or we just don't know what other obstacles exist that we can't see... things like low branches, tight curves, dips and inflections in the road, no place to turn around. And when pulling a car, like we do, there's no backing unless we unhook first. So we just keep going and may make a note to check it out the next time we're through the area. The inability to go wherever, whenever, limits our spontaneity and the enjoyment of discovery.

During our first 5 years, we've observed all sorts of people in the RV community. Most, like us, live in a big-rig camper, sit in one place for extended periods, and explore with a smaller vehicle. These folks almost always use what we refer to as the "hub and spoke" exploring mode... driving out to see or do the activity of the day and returning to camp each night.

But we've also been intrigued by a few, including some folks we've run across from Europe and Australia, who do it differently... who live and explore in a much smaller rig. They're here to see the country. Their focus is exploration so they rarely sit in one place for more than a few days. They're packed light and efficiently. They don't tow anything. They can go almost anywhere, camp anywhere. And they're exploring as they travel... in a linear fashion. But what they don't have is space. Compromises and trade-offs.

Because we have only one camper and we don't have a home base of any kind, we're hauling around all our stuff all the time. Despite our best intentions, and best efforts, (and because we have a lot of space), we still have too much stuff that we almost never use, need, or even look at... or, at most, use just once in a blue moon. But it's our home, and that's the definition of a home: a place to store all your stuff.

But what if we could separate the two parts of our fulltime life? What if we had a big rig RV we use while sitting for extended periods of time, and another smaller rig for exploring?

One idea we've bounced around is getting a small pickup truck (Toyota Tacoma or equiv.) coupled with a light weight pop-up truck camper that we could pull behind the bus-house. We'd park the bus-house at a campground or RV park for an extended period of time (two weeks? a month?) and use the truck camper for extended multi-day explorations into the surrounding area. It's kind of a hybrid idea... a mixture of hub/spoke and linear exploring modes... some of the best of both worlds... with some of the negatives of both as well.

Another idea is to get an RV lot somewhere in the Northwest (close to our kids) and put a fifth wheel trailer on it. This would be our home base during those periods of time we're sitting... regrouping and resupplying for the next travel and exploring trip. In this case we'd also sell the bus-house and downsize to a much smaller exploration rig.

Still another idea, really a variation of the one above, is to have two RV lots... one in the Northwest near our kids and grandkids, and another in a more southern locale... perhaps Arizona or Texas. In this case we might keep the bus-house and just shuttle it twice each year between the southern and northwest locations. We'd still have a smaller rig for those linear exploring trips we'd do during the rest of the year.

In the past year or two we've gone out of our way to talk to folks exploring with small RVs, many who had a big rig in the past and decided to downsize... to a small Class C, even a Class B or a truck camper. And the common thing we're hearing from them is that they're happy they made the change... wished they had done it earlier... are thrilled with their ability to go anywhere... the ease of driving a smaller rig... and wouldn't think of going big again. In general, they're having a blast with the new phase of their nomadic lives. Of course, they're not living fulltime in the small rig... they universally have a home base of some kind... but they're out there enjoying the wandering life more than ever.

But wouldn't we go crazy living in a much smaller rig? First, we wouldn't be living in it in the same sense we're now living in the bus-house -- 24x7, 365 days each year. The travel and exploring excursions in the smaller rig would be for shorter periods of time... a few weeks, a month or two? And we believe we can live almost anywhere for a relatively short time. And whatever need for more space would, in theory, be satiated during times sitting at our home base.

The overall objective of making any change like this is to maximize the enjoyment we get from exploring North America, which, remember, is our primary reason for our mobile lifestyle. Even RV fulltimers can get in a rut. And there's certainly more than one way to skin this cat. Depending on individual preferences and interests, and our willingness to change, to try new things, we believe we can inject new energy and excitement into this old Sabbatical project of ours and keep it going for another 5 years.

Size does matter... and in this case, smaller can be better.

Hmmm...?

Where are the wheels??

<< Part 3 <<

>> Part 5 >>

5 Years - Exploring Modes

This is the third in a series of posts about our lifestyle as we near the 5 year mark, and some thoughts we're having about making changes as we move into the future.

On Exploring Modes
Those who live in RVs for extended periods of time fall into certain patterns or modes of existence. For some, the RV seems to become a purpose unto itself, and life becomes a series of rituals about the machinery, the systems, maximizing the comfort of living in a small space, and socializing with like-minded neighbors for extended periods of time. For others, the RV is just a tool that allows them to travel and explore... to go to and experience places on their own schedule... for any period of time they choose.

To set the tone of this post, allow me to state a few things first. Our definition of exploring is: to travel for the purpose of discovery. This could include experiencing new places, historic sites, museums, or unique geographies such as those offered by National or State Parks, National Monuments, etc;  and recreational activities like hiking, biking, climbing, kayaking, sailing, etc; or even experiencing big cities and what they can offer. As long as you're outside your RV and seeking new things to discover, to learn about, to experience... you're exploring.

Second, about a year ago we identified two styles, or modes, of exploration that are used by RVers we've observed. One we've come to call "linear exploration mode", which is where you and your rig... together, are moving from place to place and exploring as you travel. The alternative is "hub and spoke exploration mode", which is where you park your RV at a point (the hub), and use another smaller vehicle to explore in large loops or "spokes"... out and back to the RV each day. I'm sure there are permutations of these two broad modes, but for the most part it's an either/or thing.

The exploring mode used is determined by personal preference, camping or parking location, as well as the capabilities of your RV. We've found it hard to really explore in linear mode with the bus-house as it's often just too big, too cumbersome, for where we'd like to go. We're usually towing our car when we travel and unless we know, in advance, or have a strong suspicion, that we'll be able to successfully get in, get parked, and get out again... we don't make the attempt. The common hazards, for us, include low hanging branches or low clearance objects, small narrow tight roads and parking areas, and dips or inflections in the road that can cause long low-hanging vehicles like the bus-house to drag it's rear overhang or high-center the whole vehicle. And, often the road is just not appropriate for a 40 foot long 16 ton vehicle with a car in tow.

And so, over the past 5 years, we've generally used the hub and spoke system of exploring. But the more we do it the more critical we are of it. Why?

The way we explore it's hard to really plan a day. The tendency is to pack more in than can be reasonably be accomplished. Because you're exploring you really don't know everything there is to see and do... and unexpected things pop up all the time. This isn't such a big issue if you're exploring a few short miles from camp... it's easy to come back the next day and continue. But if you're exploring 40 or 50 miles or more from camp, you'll have to commute back to camp and then back out again another day to accomplish your objective.

For example, let's say we plan to stop and see or do three different things during the course of a day, with the furthest being 50 miles away. Along the way we discover some new and unexpected things that cry out to be explored... and three stops turn into four or five. We alter our plans, do one of the unexpected things, and, as time passes during the day we find ourselves pushed by the clock, running out of time... bumping up against closing times, maybe even darkness. And then, to top off the day, we're faced with that 50+ mile drive back to camp... while tired and when what we really crave is a little relaxation and solitude to absorb and let the discoveries of the day flow over us.

On the other hand, in linear exploring mode you can be more spontaneous and flexible in your explorations. Having your "home" with you while exploring has other benefits. If you find the perfect spot to stop and have lunch... on a beach... a cliff-side park... a wayside along a swiftly flowing river... you can, since your home and your food supply is right there with you. In linear exploring mode the clock is secondary... doesn't have to matter at all. If you want to stop someplace for an hour or two... or all afternoon... or even overnight... you can. If you don't get as far as you expected that day, just find a place to overnight (much easier with a small rig) and continue on the next day. You can be much more relaxed and spontaneous... exploring while wandering with your home.

The most enjoyment we get from living fulltime in our RV is being able to travel, explore, and experience North America. In the future, we'd like to optimize those aspects of our life on wheels.

<< Part Two <<

>> Part Four >>

5 Years - Family Friends and Roots

This is the second in a series of posts about our lifestyle as we near the 5 year mark, and some thoughts we're having about making changes as we move into the future.

On Family, Friends, and Roots
One of the things that fulltime RVers forfeit is roots. A few days ago a post by another blogger (Glen at To Simplify) got me pondering this. He wrote:

The lack of the kind of deep social intimacy that often typifies the mobile lifestyle is, after all, difficult to ignore, and while I have made great strides towards dealing with it, I still can't deny that it is one of the few (possibly the only) lingering rubs to living the way I do.
... the telephone, video chat, email, and this blog help to maintain some sense of community and connectedness, but I wonder if all of these methods combined even come close to duplicating the kind of friendships that only develop when one is "around" day after day after day. And as this quality of friendship may very well be an essential requirement for long term happiness, I find myself wondering exactly how much longer my desire to wander will sufficiently outweigh the need for this sort of regular connection.

Dar and I, during the early and middle part of our lives together  (while working, raising kids, etc.) moved around a lot as a result of my job and my ambition to do new things, to live in different parts of the country (a closet nomad even then?), and to be a corporate team player. As a result, we didn't put down deep roots anywhere. Sure, we have friends from those days we still stay in touch with, but there are no deep roots that can only come from being around and involved, day after day, for years and years.

I often ponder how having deep roots would have changed me. When observing and hanging out with those who have roots, I feel I've missed out on something. I feel a sense of loss for something I never had, at least since I left home and went to college. But, like many things in life, there are compromises. By being more nomadic I've grown in other ways... it's easy for me to introduce myself to new people, to make acquaintances, to inject myself into new situations, more flexible and adaptable to change. And perhaps my world-view is a bit more rounded?... my perspective a little more sharp? But then again... maybe not.

Some RV fulltimers will say that they make more friends and deeper friendships than they ever did while in their previous lifestyle. To some extent that may be true... you do meet and connect up with a bunch of people who happen to share some of the same interests. But in our experience those "friends" are what I'd often call passing acquaintances. We have a handful of, what I'd classify as, really good friends that we've made during our travels... and we cherish them and have a great time when we're together. But I wouldn't call what we have as deep roots, which to me, must involve a community in addition to great friendships.

If I had deep roots someplace, getting into this lifestyle would be tough. But since we don't, it was probably easier for us to fulltime, and to continue this nomadic wandering existence.

In a lot of ways, Dar and I, both of us, are a weird combination of introvert and extrovert... we like group activities, on our own terms, but many times... perhaps most of the time, we prefer solitude and doing our own thing. We don't belong to groups that regularly socialize, we don't travel in caravans with a string of other RVers, and we don't plan travels around rallies and social meet-ups. We, she and I, share a lot of interests (exploring, history, travel) and truly enjoy spending time and sharing discoveries we make with each other. It works for us.

How about family? For longer than we've been fulltiming, we have lived a long way from family. Trips to visit them tended to be short and sporadic. One of the real benefits of our current lifestyle is the ability to spend extended time with them... a month? two? even three? And we probably see them more now than we did before.

We will always make extended stays with family a part of our lifestyle, regardless of where or how we're living. Being close to family is important.

So, how do I summarize this point? For us, deep roots in a community is something we haven't had in a long time -- and probably won't for some time more, if ever. And we're OK with that -- for now. While I may long for it at times, it's really a trade-off for being nomadic, which we both crave even more at this point. That said, we do enjoy the friends and acquaintances we make along the way. And the key point here is that family is still our primary consideration and will be foremost in our minds when making plans for changes in the future.

<< Part 1 << 

>> Part 3 >>

5 Years - Our Travel Pattern

We're coming up on 5 years living this way. By the strict definition of the American Full-Time Rv'ers Lifestyle and Information Federation (AFTeRLIFe)  (no fixed home; live in a functioning RV 365 days per year), we are certified fulltime RVers. We've thoroughly enjoyed the lifestyle but have reached a point where we're pondering the future, questioning and critiquing how our current lifestyle has evolved -- what it's evolved into, and are considering changes we might make to enhance things a little in the future.

With all that setting the stage, I'll be writing a series of posts on topics relating to our lifestyle and future changes we're thinking about... in order to get them into the record.

On Our Travel Pattern:
Our fulltime RV lifestyle is NOT one of fulltime travel and I think our experience is typical of many who claim to be fulltimers. It's one thing to live in a little box on a fulltime basis; it's quite another to be on the move, traveling, all the time. As I look back over the last almost 5 years, there's a pattern that's developed in our case. In short, that pattern is a series of alternating periods... one traveling (or wandering, exploring), and the other sitting in one spot for an extended time, either visiting family or hiding out from winter. 

Our periods of "sitting" are in Wisconsin (family) during the summer, in the Northwest (family) during either spring or fall, and Texas (or someplace warm, someplace south) during the core of winter. The time spent in this sitting mode has ranged from a month to three months, with the average being about two months.

Our periods of "travel" fill in the gaps between the periods of sitting and have ranged from two weeks to three months... but the average is about two months, maybe a little less.

So that's our pattern. Each year there are three sitting periods and three travel periods, with each period averaging two months. And that means, in summary, we're traveling about half the time and sitting about half the time.

OK, but what does this all mean? Why are you bringing this up?

I'm not sure... let's see where this goes in the next post.

 >> Part 2 >>