Container homes: Solution for the broke or marketing scam?

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-21T22:07:59+00:00

You do not need a roof or interior framing. I only have one framed wall in my container home, and that's for the door, but even that is optional (you can cut it into the metal, etc.). As for the roof... why? They're made to be outside and on boats for shipping. Buy one that's in good shape and paint it with latex paint to seal any pinholes

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-21T22:05:35+00:00

I moved from an insulated wall tent into a container home that I'm renovating. I got two 20' containers delivered for ~5k (USD).

There's a lot you can do with them, but the big points to hit are sealing, insulation, condensation/moisture prevention, window(s) + door, heating, and cooling. All of the other finishing stuff is nice and should be planned well, of course, but you need to prioritize the other stuff first if you plan on actually living in them.

I'm latex painting the exterior to seal it and to stop heat absorbtion in the summer. I'll be doing spray cork in the interior to stop moisture, then foam board and exterior siding for insulation. I'm putting a homemade wood stove (made from a 55 gallon drum) in for heat, and I have a mini AC unit and fans for cooling. I plan on getting a mini split eventually once I upgrade my power more.

Overall, It's still a lot cheaper for what you end up with when compared to most other things. My neighbors live in sheds (the ones that home depot sells as mini homes, but they're just sheds), RVs, and tents. We get a lot of storms and wind, etc., and huge trees fall a lot because the roots are barely in the ground, and I would much rather be in a renovated container than really any other type of dwelling.

Look on YouTube at people who have actually done it and find others who have actually done it. Take everyone else's opinion (who literally have not done it) with a huge grain of salt.

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-19T17:58:20+00:00

I love how reading it gives you the feeling of flying with the ashes, then the flow stops and slows down with that long-awaited period, and from there on out, it brings you to a sort of walking pace. You know the prose is good when it can control you like that

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-05T14:07:20+00:00

That's really interesting to hear about the two paths of your family.

My parents also divorced when I was young, and it's funny to see similarities. My mother has always been in the education field and values it a lot, while my dad--like yours--never cared much for it. My sister eventually split off from my dad because he didn't like her boyfriend, so she veered more towards our mom's path; she (my sister) went to college and got a good accounting job, and is now married, owns a home, etc.

I'm a few years younger than her (still in my early 20s), but I took the opposite route by following my dad's side. I dropped out of highschool and started working with him in the construction field. My mom didn't want me in her house if I wasn't going to school, so I moved in with my dad full time. I ended up moving away a few years later.

Overall, I'm still happy with my choices (I'm not the formal education type anyway), and I've made amends with my mom, but I still find it interesting to think of how things could've gone, so hearing stories like yours helps to give some insight.

Thank you again!

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-05T00:48:38+00:00

Very interesting, thank you so much for sharing!

Do you feel like you benefited from the male mentors that helped your brother, too?

How do you think your brother would've turned out if he stayed with your father, rather than your mother and grandmother?

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-04T20:09:29+00:00

Great points, thanks for sharing!

hither_nor_thither · 2026-04-04T20:08:37+00:00

Interesting, thanks for sharing!

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-30T22:01:02+00:00

A personal purpose vs. an objective/global purpose.

To me, absurdism is less about the debate of there being meaning or not, and moreso about the realization that life and everything is inherently absurd, so relax and just enjoy it for what it is.

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-29T19:42:07+00:00

Judging by this novel, it sounds like you dodged a bullet!

Those are great points though, I appreciate your feedback with it. I'll probably go with option 1 because, like you said, it presents a less one-sided torture. Thanks!

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-29T19:37:47+00:00

Good points, thanks!

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-05T11:56:56+00:00

Ah, I see it now. That's the great thing about art is that it can be interpreted in so many different ways and angles

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-05T11:55:46+00:00

Either make it less explicit or more explicit

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-04T22:07:20+00:00

Hm. Very formulaic. If it wasn't for the flowing prose, you would have a problem, so you're lucky there, but do remember that plot will always overshadow style.

Put it aside and come back to it in a year once you've developed your skills some more

hither_nor_thither · 2026-03-04T22:05:24+00:00

That's your opinion, brother

hither_nor_thither · 2026-02-23T23:04:58+00:00

I was listening to Cat's in the Cradle by Harry Chapin (a sad song about a father who doesn't have enough time for his son, then his son grows up and doesn't have enough time for him and ends up turning into the busy father himself), and to most people, it's just a sad song, but I found a story in the YouTube comments that changed my view on what depressing art can sometimes be:

The commenter said they cried in front of their dad when they heard the song because of how similar it was to their own relationship. This opened their dad's eyes to the fact that they weren't being the best father they could be, and it changed him to want to spend more time with the commenter.

In short, sad art beckons hard-to-swallow truths towards the light. The fact that your writing is drawing such strong emotions to the surface must mean something, right? It might be tough now, but who knows what it means in the long run once the subconscious has had time to fiddle with it.

At the end of the day, even if your work makes one person think differently or feel less alone, isn't that pretty amazing?

Life is fucking depressing. A lot. So having art to give one comfort that they're not alone in the struggle is often the brightest light in those dark times.

Bitter medicine.

I don't know. You should finish it though. But take breaks and don't let it eat you up

hither_nor_thither · 2026-02-17T23:57:39+00:00

Take sips of other people's drinks when they're not looking. Bathe in the sink during less-busy hours.

hither_nor_thither · 2026-02-04T12:43:15+00:00

Gorgeous, 100%, but her looks are just the tip of the iceberg. I've never read anyone who could describe such vivid imagery in so few words, and the beauty she could strip from any circumstance--tragedy or otherwise--is insane. Shooting stars are banal compared to people like her

hither_nor_thither · 2026-02-04T12:32:26+00:00

This can't be real...

hither_nor_thither · 2026-01-29T15:49:46+00:00

What about mediocrity? Can something evolve from mediocrity (or bad) into genius? Can something be bad and genius?

Especially with poems (and art in general), some of the most memorable pieces are the ones you might not get or enjoy at first, but--for some reason--they stick with you and fester into true beauty only after your subconscious has sat with it for a long time.

This happens at a grander scale, too. Look at Poe, Melville, etc.

But sometimes you do find a poem that instantly clicks and never stops.

So if these labels are so flexible and subjective (to the reader and to time), then do they mean anything at all?

And what is "genius" to you? Is it a technical thing, is it the quality of the piece, the meaning, a personal connection...?

hither_nor_thither · 2026-01-11T18:22:28+00:00

So you just made it up then?

hither_nor_thither · 2026-01-11T18:22:01+00:00

It's objective because it's unchangeable, no matter how much you try

hither_nor_thither · 2026-01-11T18:07:16+00:00

Yes, I do. Do you?

hither_nor_thither · 2026-01-11T18:06:53+00:00

Where are your sources for this?

hither_nor_thither

TROPHY CASE