I was reading over my last post, where I mentioned needing some lounge/game-room functionality in the van for lazy Saturday mornings when I get high before getting out of bed. This raises the issue of US citizens enjoying fewer 4th amendment protections while in a vehicle. To search your home, a cop generally needs a warrant (there are exceptions); to search your vehicle, they only need probable cause. Like, if they smell weed.
So that’s a problem. It’ll be a non-issue in a Canadian campground, but I don’t live in Canada (yet). And it would be (I think largely at least) a non-issue if I’m parked up on my own land out of the way somewhere. But if I’m roaming around, sleeping in parking lots and residential neighborhoods, it will be an issue.
To be clear, I’m not talking about driving high. I don’t do that, and won’t. But I would like to be able to get high in my home (which is a vehicle) when it’s not to be driven for the rest of the day.
It’s something to consider.
It does look like I’ll be able to teach here at SUNY over the Summer, which is good. I’m worried about my financial situation. I’ve had some unexpected bills (including to the dentist, who I’m going back to see this morning), and still haven’t filed my taxes yet. The plan right now is to get all my high-interest debt paid off (still working on that paypal line of credit, and should get it cleared up some time in March), and have several thousand dollars saved before trying again to buy a van.
I don’t think there’s any way I’m going to be able to do the full build the way I want to with the money I’ll manage to scrounge before this lease is up. But I really don’t want to rent again (and wouldn’t under this landlord, the lying fuck). So I may end up buying the van with a loan, insulating it, and putting a heater and a cot in it. Maybe a minimalist solar setup. We’ll see.
