serene

The vast majority of dwellings in New York City are overpriced boxes.

These boxes are typically stacked with other boxes within a brick-and-mortar box, which are jam-packed with other brick-and-mortar boxes upon a grid lined with sometimes motile but mostly-just-emitting four-wheeled boxes.

For the privilege of being within a box, humans exchange significant life energy for pieces of paper, which may require daily transportation (via locomotion boxes such as underground boxes, or angry yellow boxes) to a highly-specialized productivity box. Many humans spend their whole day sitting within these productivity boxes, staring at a fancy glowing box, fingers tapping away at rows of tiny boxes to ensure millions of even tinier boxes are the correct color at the correct times.

Alas, like many, I was in such a boxed situation. But perhaps there’s a better way. So in the summer of 2013, with my 1st apartment lease ending, I decided to make my escape, and ensconced myself upon a Boat.

Why a boat? Three reasons. First, it would be a fun experiment in a living arrangement I had never tried, and therefore a good learning opportunity. Second, because I’m an early-20s software engineer subject to dunning-kruger. Lastly, because boats float and are sexy.

Could things go horribly wrong and end in misery or a watery grave? Absolutely! But, that would totally be an informative character-development experience.

This is clearly a win-win situation.

Update (2015-10-25): Character-development experiences occurred! See Part II: Winter.

Index of Boat Stories

NYC, Oct 2013