I'd like to travel around the U.S. for a bit to visit landmarks, national parks etc. and I've come to romanticize the idea of living out of a new-ish van, at least temporarily, to make that happen.

Have you ever lived out of a van or other vehicle?

What are some strategies for:

-parking
-shitting
-shaving
-showering
-cooking
-laundry
-general furnishing

and perhaps most importantly

-electricity/internet

Have any van-living stories? Close calls with the cops or crooks? A close friend got addicted to meth, kicked out of his parents' house and survived a year in frigid minnesota living out of a tiny passenger van (he's 6'4) so I figure if he could do it in that state it should be relatively easy for someone who's sober.