"If you have the space, take it!" - old truck driver's axiom
I know I've used the phrase above before, but it's actually very important; we, as truckers/drivers are managers: of our own time and space. It's important as we're driving down the road, to make sure we are aware of everything around our vehicle (Trucking 101). Even moreso with me, I have to manage the space inside my trailer, since I'm in there half the time I'm working (probably more). So, I'm constantly moving empty pallets out of the way, clearing out garbage, cardboard, etc. to allow more room to maneuver. It gets especially important during the winter months, when your footing becomes absolutely crucial. The absolute LAST thing you want is to lose your balance as you're bringing a heavy load down the ramp.
Time is another thing. I know most of you experienced drivers out there know how to manage your 14 hours/11 driving, and it's very important. Of course, if you run paper logs you can always fudge the numbers. Heck, I've done it myself. Just don't get caught! ; )
Recently, I've had a different problem; we use onboard recorders, so it's impossible to cheat. I mean, my routes are usually 10-12 hrs at MOST, so I sometimes "pad" my hours, by staying on duty, once I get to the truckstop. Problem is, I get distracted, and forget to go into the berth (on the computer), and by the time I realize it, it's too late. So, I wind up starting too soon, which puts me in violation for TWO days, not just one. There's a pretty tight timeframe that we work with, so having to wait the 10 hours (computer time) would throw things all helter-skelter. Here's an example: I did this the other week, and I didn't realize I hadn't hit the "berth" button on the computer til about 4 in the afternoon (my shift should have ended about 12:30pm). So, you hit the berth button, but now you can't start till 2am. Screw that - I gotta get moving by midnite, so I'm in violation for that whole day, plus having "worked" 3.5 hrs too much the first day. It's a stupid mistake, but that's what you get when you deal with computers. If I were on paper, then it would be no probs to change the numbers accordingly - see what I mean?
Anyways, even the best of us make mistakes like that. I hit an overhanging storefront a couple months ago, busting up not only the overhang, but putting a nice dent in the front of the trailer as well. It was again, a stupid mistake - I was trying to avoid an island in the parking lot, and didn't look to my left, and crunch! One of our top guys rolled his unit in Indiana not long ago, coming back from MI - said it was due to the wind, but some of us think otherwise. Even empty, I've never had it so windy that the truck rolled (or even came close). I've heard of those who've
been "blown over," but those incidents were in open areas, where nothing shielded the trucks from the wind. Ths was on the 80/94 corridor between Michigan City, IN and the southeast Chicago burbs. Something fishy there - I think he fell asleep...
More soon,
Steve
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Back to the Grind...
Yeah, I've been on vacation this past week, and, as usual, got squat done. I dunno what it is, but I have absolutely NO motivation when I'm off. I make a long list of things to do ( I know I've whined about this in the past), and, before you know it, it's time to get back to work, and the whole list is still there. The wife is very supportive - "You should relax, you're on vacation," she
says, but it's of little comfort. Then I get down on myself for not accomplishing anything.
So, I wanted to talk about drinking: I "quit" drinking a few years back, a conscious choice on my part. It really had nothing to do with outside influences, social or otherwise. I just decided that I really didn't need alcohol to make me feel good. Besides, alcohol depresses the brain, which is the last thing I need (being depressed and all). Why not choose stimulants, one might ask. Well, most are illegal (caffeine is my drug of choice), and I really need to be more aware of what I'm putting into the ol' body, a know? Of course, this past week was also the week I was to quit smoking - HA! I always refer back to the saying "If at first you don't succeed, quit, quit again..."
See, the difference is that nicotine is highly addictive, where, at least for me, alcohol is not. Just like when I gave up smoking pot in my 20's, I had no "withdrawals" or even missed it that much. Same with booze. I realize it's a big part of our society and culture. "Hey, let's get together for a drink..." But, I guess I try not to put myself into those situations, consciously or un.
There are occasions when I'll have the random beer; my wife's aunt & uncle used to have a big party Christmas Eve, called the "open house," where relatives and friends would gather for great Italian cooking, and, of course, a couple of cocktails. That was the one night of the year when I would indulge. They didn't live far from us, and all the food absorbed most of the alcohol anyway.
Do I sound like an addict? I dunno, my wife would drive home if I ever drank too much, which was rare. However, in recent years, her uncle passed away, and her aunt was a little too frail and overwhelmed to continue the "open house" tradition. It's kind of sad, 'cause it was a really fun occasion. So, I have to find another day to have my one beer. We went out for father's day, and I had a Sam Adams Summer Ale. Boy, was that good.
I guess I believe that drinking is part of the "dumbing down" of our society: I'm not a prude, and moderate consumption of alcohol is OK with me. It's just these people every weekend, and every holiday, who have to get liquored up, just to have a good time. We just had Fourth of July, and mixing alcohol with high explosives is a sure way to get into trouble. I don't wish harm to anyone, but people just don't THINK! Same is true for those who get behind the wheel after drinking; I just don't understand it. I suppose growing up with an alcoholic father has something to do with my attitude. He recovered, thank God, but the just horrific stories and incidents I could tell you has left me a bit jaded on the whole "partying" scene. I came to learn about, and be on the fringes of 12-step recovery milieu. I never really got into the whole ACOA/Al-Anon life, but perhaps I should have, I don't know. Anyway, all I know is, I don't miss the "sauce," and can have a nice time without it.
More soon,
Steve
says, but it's of little comfort. Then I get down on myself for not accomplishing anything.
So, I wanted to talk about drinking: I "quit" drinking a few years back, a conscious choice on my part. It really had nothing to do with outside influences, social or otherwise. I just decided that I really didn't need alcohol to make me feel good. Besides, alcohol depresses the brain, which is the last thing I need (being depressed and all). Why not choose stimulants, one might ask. Well, most are illegal (caffeine is my drug of choice), and I really need to be more aware of what I'm putting into the ol' body, a know? Of course, this past week was also the week I was to quit smoking - HA! I always refer back to the saying "If at first you don't succeed, quit, quit again..."
See, the difference is that nicotine is highly addictive, where, at least for me, alcohol is not. Just like when I gave up smoking pot in my 20's, I had no "withdrawals" or even missed it that much. Same with booze. I realize it's a big part of our society and culture. "Hey, let's get together for a drink..." But, I guess I try not to put myself into those situations, consciously or un.
There are occasions when I'll have the random beer; my wife's aunt & uncle used to have a big party Christmas Eve, called the "open house," where relatives and friends would gather for great Italian cooking, and, of course, a couple of cocktails. That was the one night of the year when I would indulge. They didn't live far from us, and all the food absorbed most of the alcohol anyway.
Do I sound like an addict? I dunno, my wife would drive home if I ever drank too much, which was rare. However, in recent years, her uncle passed away, and her aunt was a little too frail and overwhelmed to continue the "open house" tradition. It's kind of sad, 'cause it was a really fun occasion. So, I have to find another day to have my one beer. We went out for father's day, and I had a Sam Adams Summer Ale. Boy, was that good.
I guess I believe that drinking is part of the "dumbing down" of our society: I'm not a prude, and moderate consumption of alcohol is OK with me. It's just these people every weekend, and every holiday, who have to get liquored up, just to have a good time. We just had Fourth of July, and mixing alcohol with high explosives is a sure way to get into trouble. I don't wish harm to anyone, but people just don't THINK! Same is true for those who get behind the wheel after drinking; I just don't understand it. I suppose growing up with an alcoholic father has something to do with my attitude. He recovered, thank God, but the just horrific stories and incidents I could tell you has left me a bit jaded on the whole "partying" scene. I came to learn about, and be on the fringes of 12-step recovery milieu. I never really got into the whole ACOA/Al-Anon life, but perhaps I should have, I don't know. Anyway, all I know is, I don't miss the "sauce," and can have a nice time without it.
More soon,
Steve
Monday, June 22, 2009
You're Getting Sleeeeeepy!
Part of the schedule I keep involves, of course, sleep. I'll go through an average week for ya, then you tell me if it's normal, fair enough? Sunday, being my only "real" day off, is usually filled with catching up on stuff I haven't got around to during the week, again, because of my schedule. And, this time of year, add mowing the lawn to the list. Of course, if it's Father's Day (yesterday) or if it's rained in the recent past, then you can kiss that one goodbye. So, I putz around, and try to get stuff done, as much as I can. After dinner, about 7:30 - 8:00pm, I start to get REALLY sleepy. So, after watching "Ice Road Truckers," I'm done, off to bed (9:00). I sleep a few hours, and I'm up Monday am about 2-2:30. On the computer all night, in the morning, run around and do errands, get ready to go out Monday night. I usually hit the sack about 2-3:00pm, and sleep till 9:00 or so. Get ready, and make it over to work by 10:30 or thereabouts. My Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday route takes me until about 6:30-7:00am, and I'm done for the day. Then comes the tricky part: trying to sleep in the damn truck!
I can't remember how long this has been going on, or if I have EVER slept in the truck, but I JUST CAN'T DO IT! I don't know why; I've tried pills, potions, herbal supplements, you name it (almost). No luck; in the 12-14hrs I spend in the berth, I'm lucky if I can manage 1-2 hours of sleep. That's it. So, needless to say, when I "wake up," I'm groggy as hell, just draggin' ass.
Once I get to my first store, and I'm actually moving around and working, I'm ok, but the coffe and other (legal) chemical stimulants need to be working. Of course, I've already spoken about truckstop coffee previously, so no more; beggars can't be choosers. I've found that, as daylight breaks, I get a little bit of a "second wind," but still, when you think about it, it's pretty dangerous having me out there in my condition. Get home Wednesday, and I sleep from noon till midnite? I mean, it's insane, really. Then, up all night on the computer. So Wed. is a wasted day. Thursday is a repeat of Monday, basically, except I don't have to start as early, so I can go to bed an hour later, if I choose (about 3:00pm). Then I repeat the process; get done with work on Friday, off to the truckstop, where I pop my pills & eat, then try to rest. Sam story for Friday night; go to work, get done about 7-7:30 Saturday morning, go home and collapse. For some reason, I don't sleep as long on Saturdays as I do on Wednesdays. So, I get up at 2 in the afternoon, watch sports on TV (I'm useless for anything else), eat dinner, crash, and up all night again. It's not a fun schedule, but I can't really do much about it.
I've talked to other drivers, some who have the same problem, most don't. One guy summed it up perfectly "It's not home..." Same holds true for a motel, which I rarely do anymore. Can't sleep there, either, because it's just not home. Well, I might have to resort to one final trick (and this leads up to my next post): drinking. Yeah maybe a couple of beers will do the trick. Hell, I've tried everything else...
More soon,
Steve
I can't remember how long this has been going on, or if I have EVER slept in the truck, but I JUST CAN'T DO IT! I don't know why; I've tried pills, potions, herbal supplements, you name it (almost). No luck; in the 12-14hrs I spend in the berth, I'm lucky if I can manage 1-2 hours of sleep. That's it. So, needless to say, when I "wake up," I'm groggy as hell, just draggin' ass.
Once I get to my first store, and I'm actually moving around and working, I'm ok, but the coffe and other (legal) chemical stimulants need to be working. Of course, I've already spoken about truckstop coffee previously, so no more; beggars can't be choosers. I've found that, as daylight breaks, I get a little bit of a "second wind," but still, when you think about it, it's pretty dangerous having me out there in my condition. Get home Wednesday, and I sleep from noon till midnite? I mean, it's insane, really. Then, up all night on the computer. So Wed. is a wasted day. Thursday is a repeat of Monday, basically, except I don't have to start as early, so I can go to bed an hour later, if I choose (about 3:00pm). Then I repeat the process; get done with work on Friday, off to the truckstop, where I pop my pills & eat, then try to rest. Sam story for Friday night; go to work, get done about 7-7:30 Saturday morning, go home and collapse. For some reason, I don't sleep as long on Saturdays as I do on Wednesdays. So, I get up at 2 in the afternoon, watch sports on TV (I'm useless for anything else), eat dinner, crash, and up all night again. It's not a fun schedule, but I can't really do much about it.
I've talked to other drivers, some who have the same problem, most don't. One guy summed it up perfectly "It's not home..." Same holds true for a motel, which I rarely do anymore. Can't sleep there, either, because it's just not home. Well, I might have to resort to one final trick (and this leads up to my next post): drinking. Yeah maybe a couple of beers will do the trick. Hell, I've tried everything else...
More soon,
Steve
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Weights
So, I've been focusing a lot on my internet marketing - for those of you interested, click on the "Rolling into money" link to the right ; )
Ok, so we're not talking about how much truckers weigh, although I've seen a few "fatties" out there (hey, can't take a joke?). And, of course, it's not about "Weight a minute!" No, this post is all about truck (axle, to be more precise) weight, of course. Now, I want to again distinguish between "truck driver," (which I am) and "trucker." Truckers have to deal with the weight issue much more than people in my end of the business. I know, because when I first started out, it was with an over-the-road company, and we had to scale our loads pretty much every time. I had a trainer who was very meticulous, and would make sure it was correct, if we had to stay there all day. We went so far as to move the fifth wheel, and I don't think I've ever had to do that since. So, my sympathies to all you guys & gals who have to deal with that on a regular basis, "I feel ya."
When I went to work for this company, I DID have to deal with scaling the loads, at first, when going to MI. I remember taking overweight loads out (40k +), and, in the ice and sleet, trying to pull the damn pin, and slide the frozen, rusted slider. Not fun. In fact (and I'm sure others discovered similar tricks) I would purposely take the toll-road (I90 in IN) to US 31 north at South Bend, then back to 94E to get to Grand Rapids, or Detroit. Though there's another scale at Grass Lake, I believe, so, in that case, I ride either US20 or the Ohio turnpike over to Toledo, then jump on US24 north, up to 94 or 96, I can't remember. Better to pay $7 for the toll-road, than $10 for a scale ticket, then possibly have to re-scale several times. That scale at New Buffalo would ALWAYS be open, too, and no pre-pass. They STILL don't have it in Michigan. Even Wisconsin has pre-pass now; I mean, I don't mean to belittle someone's home-state, but c'mon, let's get with the 21st century here. I guess they just want to be A-holes...
Anyway, I recall many an instance of slippery, wet roads, and watching all the Amish in Indiana, coming toward me in their covered horse-drawn carriages. Quite a sight. When I reached my destination, I'd usually have some down-time, get reloaded and head back, but this time it would be like "screw it, I'll just scale the load, and take 94 back..." I'd generally have less weight coming back, so not as much to fret about.
About 3-4 years ago, my company re-vamped their equipment, giving us new Freightliner trucks, and brand-new 48 foot reefers with the nice Thermoking reefer-units. Until then, we pulled 45-foot trailers, which were beat to hell, with these Carrier units that sounded like small aircraft engines. I've discussed these before in my "Reefer Madness" post : ) The stories I could tell. So, now I don't worry as much. These days, my only concern (and it really isn't one) is when I go pick up cheese in WI on Wednesdays. It's not a big deal, though, because I know EXACTLY how much weight I have, so I know exactly how many holes I have to go back to make the load scale out perfect. I usually do the "dicking around" with the tandems the day before, either at my last stop the first day, or at the truckstop. That way, it's all taken care of far in advance of me running into the weigh stations. Only problem is: either way we come back, there's a scale.
I generally come back via Madison, WI, and just south on 90 is a nice new "scale-in-motion" weigh station. Depending on the time of morning I'm cruising past, about 50/50 chance of them being open. But, like I said, if I've been able to get my "9 holes back" then it ust becomes a pain in the ass, nothing more. I HAVE had a couple of times, where, for some reason, the slider just would not budge, or the pin wouldn't come out. In that case, it's the back roads - always have a back-up plan, a MUST for any "trucker," or "truck driver."
More soon,
Steve
Ok, so we're not talking about how much truckers weigh, although I've seen a few "fatties" out there (hey, can't take a joke?). And, of course, it's not about "Weight a minute!" No, this post is all about truck (axle, to be more precise) weight, of course. Now, I want to again distinguish between "truck driver," (which I am) and "trucker." Truckers have to deal with the weight issue much more than people in my end of the business. I know, because when I first started out, it was with an over-the-road company, and we had to scale our loads pretty much every time. I had a trainer who was very meticulous, and would make sure it was correct, if we had to stay there all day. We went so far as to move the fifth wheel, and I don't think I've ever had to do that since. So, my sympathies to all you guys & gals who have to deal with that on a regular basis, "I feel ya."
When I went to work for this company, I DID have to deal with scaling the loads, at first, when going to MI. I remember taking overweight loads out (40k +), and, in the ice and sleet, trying to pull the damn pin, and slide the frozen, rusted slider. Not fun. In fact (and I'm sure others discovered similar tricks) I would purposely take the toll-road (I90 in IN) to US 31 north at South Bend, then back to 94E to get to Grand Rapids, or Detroit. Though there's another scale at Grass Lake, I believe, so, in that case, I ride either US20 or the Ohio turnpike over to Toledo, then jump on US24 north, up to 94 or 96, I can't remember. Better to pay $7 for the toll-road, than $10 for a scale ticket, then possibly have to re-scale several times. That scale at New Buffalo would ALWAYS be open, too, and no pre-pass. They STILL don't have it in Michigan. Even Wisconsin has pre-pass now; I mean, I don't mean to belittle someone's home-state, but c'mon, let's get with the 21st century here. I guess they just want to be A-holes...
Anyway, I recall many an instance of slippery, wet roads, and watching all the Amish in Indiana, coming toward me in their covered horse-drawn carriages. Quite a sight. When I reached my destination, I'd usually have some down-time, get reloaded and head back, but this time it would be like "screw it, I'll just scale the load, and take 94 back..." I'd generally have less weight coming back, so not as much to fret about.
About 3-4 years ago, my company re-vamped their equipment, giving us new Freightliner trucks, and brand-new 48 foot reefers with the nice Thermoking reefer-units. Until then, we pulled 45-foot trailers, which were beat to hell, with these Carrier units that sounded like small aircraft engines. I've discussed these before in my "Reefer Madness" post : ) The stories I could tell. So, now I don't worry as much. These days, my only concern (and it really isn't one) is when I go pick up cheese in WI on Wednesdays. It's not a big deal, though, because I know EXACTLY how much weight I have, so I know exactly how many holes I have to go back to make the load scale out perfect. I usually do the "dicking around" with the tandems the day before, either at my last stop the first day, or at the truckstop. That way, it's all taken care of far in advance of me running into the weigh stations. Only problem is: either way we come back, there's a scale.
I generally come back via Madison, WI, and just south on 90 is a nice new "scale-in-motion" weigh station. Depending on the time of morning I'm cruising past, about 50/50 chance of them being open. But, like I said, if I've been able to get my "9 holes back" then it ust becomes a pain in the ass, nothing more. I HAVE had a couple of times, where, for some reason, the slider just would not budge, or the pin wouldn't come out. In that case, it's the back roads - always have a back-up plan, a MUST for any "trucker," or "truck driver."
More soon,
Steve
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Sickness
I've decided to make a concerted effort to post more often on here, so stay tuned...
Yeah, I've been sick the last couple days. It's weird, not like other jobs, where you can take just one day off (mental health day?). No, I have to take 2, because 80% of what we do are 2-day runs, so you use up your sick days pretty quick. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have the extra time to recuperate, but I only get 8 hours for each day off, as opposed to the 10-12 I put in while working. Sure, sometimes there's other local stuff to do, but it's usually "bottom-of-the-barrel" B.S., so I really don't want to deal with it. I'm pretty much a creature of habit, and when the habit gets broken, I get angry.
I won't mention the gory details, suffice to say it was a "gastro-intestinal" issue, for lack of a better euphemism. I woke up to a sharp pain in the gut, and the rest is history. As I write this, I'm still not 100%, but good enough to go tonight. It feels strange, being around the house, watching daytime TV, hanging with the family unit. The same is true on vacation, which I just wrote about. You make a list of things you want to accomplish, then after the week is up, look at the list and say "Well, that didn't go so well..."
At least the "sickness" didn't come during the run; I've had that happen. In fact, I think I've already blogged about it, so I won't touch too much on it here. The same symptoms, though, and it has happened not only in the sleeper, when you can actually do something about it, but on the road as well. I've made good use of my milk carton (pee jug) and my knife, if you know what I mean. Hey, it's better than doing it all over the inside of the cab. How do you explain that to your boss? If you own the truck it's one thing, but having to spend a couple hours cleaning up after yourself, so the next driver doesn't choke on the stench is quite another.
A rule of thumb: bring an extra roll of toilet paper. It should be in every trucker's cab, because
you never know when you'll eat that bad piece of ______, then you're literally "up shit's creek."
Having some Gatorade or water handy is probably a good idea as well. I bring that stuff to hydrate myself during the sweaty summer months. That's my main problem - my diet. I eat a lot of crap (I know a lot of truckers do), and don't take proper care of myself. Not enough fruits & veggies (don't preach, I've heard it all before), too much fried, processed, junk. That, along with the smoking, are probably going to do me in.
See, my eating/sleeping schedule is all out of whack, and has been since I started this friggin' job. When you're eating lunch at 10:30 in the morning, and your next meal doesn't come till the following morning, it screws your body all up. The wife wanted me to go to the doctor's office; she even looked the number up in the phone book. However, when I called, they didn't have a chart on me (it's been more than 4 years), nor could they even see me this week anyway - so much for that idea. I mean, since the other night, my body has clenched up, and I have the opposite problem - yep, I can't go! So, better pick up some laxative at the drugstore today...
More soon,
Steve
Yeah, I've been sick the last couple days. It's weird, not like other jobs, where you can take just one day off (mental health day?). No, I have to take 2, because 80% of what we do are 2-day runs, so you use up your sick days pretty quick. Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have the extra time to recuperate, but I only get 8 hours for each day off, as opposed to the 10-12 I put in while working. Sure, sometimes there's other local stuff to do, but it's usually "bottom-of-the-barrel" B.S., so I really don't want to deal with it. I'm pretty much a creature of habit, and when the habit gets broken, I get angry.
I won't mention the gory details, suffice to say it was a "gastro-intestinal" issue, for lack of a better euphemism. I woke up to a sharp pain in the gut, and the rest is history. As I write this, I'm still not 100%, but good enough to go tonight. It feels strange, being around the house, watching daytime TV, hanging with the family unit. The same is true on vacation, which I just wrote about. You make a list of things you want to accomplish, then after the week is up, look at the list and say "Well, that didn't go so well..."
At least the "sickness" didn't come during the run; I've had that happen. In fact, I think I've already blogged about it, so I won't touch too much on it here. The same symptoms, though, and it has happened not only in the sleeper, when you can actually do something about it, but on the road as well. I've made good use of my milk carton (pee jug) and my knife, if you know what I mean. Hey, it's better than doing it all over the inside of the cab. How do you explain that to your boss? If you own the truck it's one thing, but having to spend a couple hours cleaning up after yourself, so the next driver doesn't choke on the stench is quite another.
A rule of thumb: bring an extra roll of toilet paper. It should be in every trucker's cab, because
you never know when you'll eat that bad piece of ______, then you're literally "up shit's creek."
Having some Gatorade or water handy is probably a good idea as well. I bring that stuff to hydrate myself during the sweaty summer months. That's my main problem - my diet. I eat a lot of crap (I know a lot of truckers do), and don't take proper care of myself. Not enough fruits & veggies (don't preach, I've heard it all before), too much fried, processed, junk. That, along with the smoking, are probably going to do me in.
See, my eating/sleeping schedule is all out of whack, and has been since I started this friggin' job. When you're eating lunch at 10:30 in the morning, and your next meal doesn't come till the following morning, it screws your body all up. The wife wanted me to go to the doctor's office; she even looked the number up in the phone book. However, when I called, they didn't have a chart on me (it's been more than 4 years), nor could they even see me this week anyway - so much for that idea. I mean, since the other night, my body has clenched up, and I have the opposite problem - yep, I can't go! So, better pick up some laxative at the drugstore today...
More soon,
Steve
Monday, June 8, 2009
Summa Time
Hey yo,
It's that time of year again, when the coolness of winter/spring gives way to the heat & humidity of summer. One more note on vacations: It's really nice to be able to actually get away for a week, to go (drive or fly, doesn't matter) somewhere you've never been, or some favorite place. That's why Florida was such a big deal for me. I hadn't even flown since '04, when I flew to Ireland for my bro's wedding. Having said that, it's good just to be away from that friggin' place for a week, even if you don't go anywhere or do anything. This year was the first time I got three weeks vacation, so I'm able to spread things out a bit. The next one, coming up in a couple weeks, we're just going to stay around Chicago I think. We might go downtown for the Taste of Chicago, but it's always so damn crowded. Haven't been in years, though.
Summer is always a time when you worry about two things: thunderstorms and street people.
Don't get me wrong, driving in a thunderstorm is ten times more preferable than a blizzard, but it still kinda sucks, not to mention delivering in a downpour, that's the absolute worst! I always make sure I have a change of clothes handy, and plenty of towels, because I've been literally soaked to the skin before.
Street people come out when the weather gets warmer, that's just a fact of life. And, if you think it's only in the large cities, think again. Most of my encounters have come either in suburban areas, or in towns not far from Chicago (Rockford, Madison, etc). See my older post on "Night People" for examples. Yeah, I got propositioned by a hooker about 10 days ago. I was just about to start my delivery, when, seemingly out of nowhere, she comes shuffling down the sidewalk. I was flabbergasted when she suggested what she did, but not entirely surprised. In fact, I actually thought about it for a second. But, with my luck she'd either have been a cop, or had some horrible STD. Besides that, I only had about $20 on me. I dunno if you can even get anything for that these days. Still, it made me feel, in a strange way, wanted, ya know?
So, it's that time of year: BBQ's ,baseball games, amusement parks, fun stuff. The work is the pain in the ass (as usual).
More soon,
Steve
It's that time of year again, when the coolness of winter/spring gives way to the heat & humidity of summer. One more note on vacations: It's really nice to be able to actually get away for a week, to go (drive or fly, doesn't matter) somewhere you've never been, or some favorite place. That's why Florida was such a big deal for me. I hadn't even flown since '04, when I flew to Ireland for my bro's wedding. Having said that, it's good just to be away from that friggin' place for a week, even if you don't go anywhere or do anything. This year was the first time I got three weeks vacation, so I'm able to spread things out a bit. The next one, coming up in a couple weeks, we're just going to stay around Chicago I think. We might go downtown for the Taste of Chicago, but it's always so damn crowded. Haven't been in years, though.
Summer is always a time when you worry about two things: thunderstorms and street people.
Don't get me wrong, driving in a thunderstorm is ten times more preferable than a blizzard, but it still kinda sucks, not to mention delivering in a downpour, that's the absolute worst! I always make sure I have a change of clothes handy, and plenty of towels, because I've been literally soaked to the skin before.
Street people come out when the weather gets warmer, that's just a fact of life. And, if you think it's only in the large cities, think again. Most of my encounters have come either in suburban areas, or in towns not far from Chicago (Rockford, Madison, etc). See my older post on "Night People" for examples. Yeah, I got propositioned by a hooker about 10 days ago. I was just about to start my delivery, when, seemingly out of nowhere, she comes shuffling down the sidewalk. I was flabbergasted when she suggested what she did, but not entirely surprised. In fact, I actually thought about it for a second. But, with my luck she'd either have been a cop, or had some horrible STD. Besides that, I only had about $20 on me. I dunno if you can even get anything for that these days. Still, it made me feel, in a strange way, wanted, ya know?
So, it's that time of year: BBQ's ,baseball games, amusement parks, fun stuff. The work is the pain in the ass (as usual).
More soon,
Steve
Monday, May 25, 2009
Vacatione
tip of the hat to Kevin James, Doug Heffernan on "King of Queens"
Well, hello again, I know it's been a while. What can I say? I've been busy doing the internet marketing thing, living life, etc. I wanted to mention that I had not been to Florida since I was a sophomore in college, and since my old man retired down there over 10 years ago, I thought the time was ripe to pay him a visit. So, since I was able to schedule my vacation the same week as my daughter's spring break (the wife didn't want to go, for reasons I won't discuss here), we decided to make the 2.75hr flight from Midway to Orlando. Booking the flight online was no prob., but finding parking (again, the wife wouldn't drive us) was another story. I found a place whose parking lot was a mile or two from the airport, but damn! Like $75 to park for 5 days.
Well, needless to say, things did not get off to an auspicious start: first, I inadvertently left a small knife (which I use for work) in my backpack, and the security screeners at Midway were none to happy with me. They let us pass, confiscating the knife, of course. My daughter was livid, which I can't blame her for. The flight (airline withheld) was uneventful, save for some turbulence near Orlando. When we touched down in Orlando, I was soon on the phone with the old man, who was waiting in a nearby spot (they use "kiss & ride" or something). We got our bags, and met them outside baggage claim, when, what to my wondering eyes, my wallet was missing. My daughter nearly had a coniption; she went sprinting back to the terminal, as I ran into the "lost luggage" room to report the incident. Well, long story short, they had found my wallet (containing my cash, credit cards, basically my whole life) on the airplane. It had somehow fallen out of my back pocket as I was getting up. Unbelievable. My daughter had to go all the way back to the gate, where she retrieved it & brought it to me. Again, not a happy camper.
From there, things improved; we had decent weather (Tuesday it stormed all day), although cool for Florida in April, and we got to swim, sun, shop, and even hit a few balls at the driving range. My dad & stepmom live in a retirement community in central Florida called The Villages, which is basically a small city unto itself, with shopping,gas stations, you name it. Golf, of course is the big deal down there, and there are dozens of courses, ranging from the small par 3's to the Championship Arnold Palmer & Nancy Lopez courses. Alas, we didn't actually get out, but still enjoyed motoring around on the golfcarts. They're everywhere down there. In the evenings, we would go down to the village "squares" where people would congregate to hear live music (the line-dancers were hysterical), mingle about, shop, etc. Very neat. And all Spanish-themed, so pretty cool.
Thursday we drove 1.5 hrs to New Smyrna Beach, on the Atlantic - that was nice; you can drive your car right down on to the beach, set up your umbrella, chairs, and all. It was quite windy that day, but that didn't phase us much. I went running into the surf at full speed, letting the cold salt water swallow me up, but always aware not to venture out too far, lest the rip currents take me away. But I can truthfully say that I swam (and peed) in the Atlantic Ocean;) A very nice day. We strolled around the streets, picked up a couple souvenirs, then had dinner at a little fish place near the inland waterway, before heading back. Lots of tourists and spring-breakers there.
Before you knew it, Saturday had rolled around, and it was time to come home - not a welcome
feeling, but whatcha gonna do? I had secured my wallet in my FRONT pocket throughout the entire trip, after the fiasco on our arrival. Looking back, I was very lucky. Anyway, back to the windy city, which was living up to it's monniker that day. We got home at 6:30 - 7pm and collapse, with a ton of laundry awaiting us the next day. But, all in all, it was an enjoyable experience; I had fun, and I know the kid did.
More soon,
Steve
Well, hello again, I know it's been a while. What can I say? I've been busy doing the internet marketing thing, living life, etc. I wanted to mention that I had not been to Florida since I was a sophomore in college, and since my old man retired down there over 10 years ago, I thought the time was ripe to pay him a visit. So, since I was able to schedule my vacation the same week as my daughter's spring break (the wife didn't want to go, for reasons I won't discuss here), we decided to make the 2.75hr flight from Midway to Orlando. Booking the flight online was no prob., but finding parking (again, the wife wouldn't drive us) was another story. I found a place whose parking lot was a mile or two from the airport, but damn! Like $75 to park for 5 days.
Well, needless to say, things did not get off to an auspicious start: first, I inadvertently left a small knife (which I use for work) in my backpack, and the security screeners at Midway were none to happy with me. They let us pass, confiscating the knife, of course. My daughter was livid, which I can't blame her for. The flight (airline withheld) was uneventful, save for some turbulence near Orlando. When we touched down in Orlando, I was soon on the phone with the old man, who was waiting in a nearby spot (they use "kiss & ride" or something). We got our bags, and met them outside baggage claim, when, what to my wondering eyes, my wallet was missing. My daughter nearly had a coniption; she went sprinting back to the terminal, as I ran into the "lost luggage" room to report the incident. Well, long story short, they had found my wallet (containing my cash, credit cards, basically my whole life) on the airplane. It had somehow fallen out of my back pocket as I was getting up. Unbelievable. My daughter had to go all the way back to the gate, where she retrieved it & brought it to me. Again, not a happy camper.
From there, things improved; we had decent weather (Tuesday it stormed all day), although cool for Florida in April, and we got to swim, sun, shop, and even hit a few balls at the driving range. My dad & stepmom live in a retirement community in central Florida called The Villages, which is basically a small city unto itself, with shopping,gas stations, you name it. Golf, of course is the big deal down there, and there are dozens of courses, ranging from the small par 3's to the Championship Arnold Palmer & Nancy Lopez courses. Alas, we didn't actually get out, but still enjoyed motoring around on the golfcarts. They're everywhere down there. In the evenings, we would go down to the village "squares" where people would congregate to hear live music (the line-dancers were hysterical), mingle about, shop, etc. Very neat. And all Spanish-themed, so pretty cool.
Thursday we drove 1.5 hrs to New Smyrna Beach, on the Atlantic - that was nice; you can drive your car right down on to the beach, set up your umbrella, chairs, and all. It was quite windy that day, but that didn't phase us much. I went running into the surf at full speed, letting the cold salt water swallow me up, but always aware not to venture out too far, lest the rip currents take me away. But I can truthfully say that I swam (and peed) in the Atlantic Ocean;) A very nice day. We strolled around the streets, picked up a couple souvenirs, then had dinner at a little fish place near the inland waterway, before heading back. Lots of tourists and spring-breakers there.
Before you knew it, Saturday had rolled around, and it was time to come home - not a welcome
feeling, but whatcha gonna do? I had secured my wallet in my FRONT pocket throughout the entire trip, after the fiasco on our arrival. Looking back, I was very lucky. Anyway, back to the windy city, which was living up to it's monniker that day. We got home at 6:30 - 7pm and collapse, with a ton of laundry awaiting us the next day. But, all in all, it was an enjoyable experience; I had fun, and I know the kid did.
More soon,
Steve
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Boredom
Hello again!
I've been thinking a lot lately about life, my place in it, etc. This job of mine can become so tedious, especially in winter. Week after week, the same old BS, and sloshing through the snow,
it's all very monotonous. I guess I'm just tired of being cold all the time. I must admit, though,
this temporary warmup we're having is a nice respite. The snowpack is melting, and they're calling for rain next week. Rain! Did you hear me? Rain! Not snow, not ice, not hail, but sweet, wonderful rain! Thank God!
I've been having problems dealing with all the bullshit at my workplace. I'm sorry (I know you're probably thinking "Not more whining!"), but there ya go. It's like, some people at our facility don't give a shit, and just refuse to do their job the right way. You know, I have become aggravated in the past, but no more. If I let the screwups of a few ne'er-do-wells bother me, I'll just lose my mind. Let them deal with the consequences, because I will not. My "major premise" or "state of being" is going to be love & happiness, no matter what. This petty squabbling is beneath me, and that is where it will stay. I've done my complaining, and I'll do no more (although I've taken some juicy pictures of the fucked-up loads, just in case).
A "funk," I think is what they call it. Soooo, I'm waiting for my vacation, which isn't until April, but it should come quickly. I suppose I should be grateful that I'm still employed in this economy and all. And, despite all the talk of "a glut" of drivers, I'm pretty confident I could find work if I had to. I have almost 7 years experience, with no problems, so it wouldn't be a big deal. See, you can't let negativity, in any form, bring you down. I just have to focus on what I am grateful for, every day, and that should get me through. So, as I've said before, I make it a point to thank God for each day, each morning, each time I make it home safely.
So, that's where I'm at right now, kind of a reflective time for me (winters usually are). To quote a wonderful song by Genesis: "Spring will strike again, against the shield of winter..."
More soon,
Steve
I've been thinking a lot lately about life, my place in it, etc. This job of mine can become so tedious, especially in winter. Week after week, the same old BS, and sloshing through the snow,
it's all very monotonous. I guess I'm just tired of being cold all the time. I must admit, though,
this temporary warmup we're having is a nice respite. The snowpack is melting, and they're calling for rain next week. Rain! Did you hear me? Rain! Not snow, not ice, not hail, but sweet, wonderful rain! Thank God!
I've been having problems dealing with all the bullshit at my workplace. I'm sorry (I know you're probably thinking "Not more whining!"), but there ya go. It's like, some people at our facility don't give a shit, and just refuse to do their job the right way. You know, I have become aggravated in the past, but no more. If I let the screwups of a few ne'er-do-wells bother me, I'll just lose my mind. Let them deal with the consequences, because I will not. My "major premise" or "state of being" is going to be love & happiness, no matter what. This petty squabbling is beneath me, and that is where it will stay. I've done my complaining, and I'll do no more (although I've taken some juicy pictures of the fucked-up loads, just in case).
A "funk," I think is what they call it. Soooo, I'm waiting for my vacation, which isn't until April, but it should come quickly. I suppose I should be grateful that I'm still employed in this economy and all. And, despite all the talk of "a glut" of drivers, I'm pretty confident I could find work if I had to. I have almost 7 years experience, with no problems, so it wouldn't be a big deal. See, you can't let negativity, in any form, bring you down. I just have to focus on what I am grateful for, every day, and that should get me through. So, as I've said before, I make it a point to thank God for each day, each morning, each time I make it home safely.
So, that's where I'm at right now, kind of a reflective time for me (winters usually are). To quote a wonderful song by Genesis: "Spring will strike again, against the shield of winter..."
More soon,
Steve
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Deep Freeze
Holy shit, it's cold!
I think I must be on an episode of "Ice Road Truckers" or something. Temp today in Chicago is supposed to be at -2 for a high, not to mention the wind chill. I know, I know, other places are going to be even colder but damn! Anyway, visions of Florida, California, the Carribean, etc. are flowing through my mind lately. My dad, who lives in central Florida, told me "yeah, it's going to cool down here, gonna get down to the upper 60's" He's always rubbing that stuff in my face, except in summer, when he & the old lady get outta there and come up here because of the heat. Kinda like "reverse snowbirds."
I uaed to make fun of those people, usually older folks, than went & hid "down south" for the winter. But now, I wish I were one of them. A gal I chat online with is moving to Clearwater, and she said "You should get a route down here..." If only. Actually, we do have a distribution center in Orlando - at least one of our drivers transferred down there- but I dunno. You have to take the bad with the good; hurricanes scare the crap outta me!
So, I bought this face/ski-type mask, where only your eyes & mouth are exposed; seems to work pretty well, in fact, too well. The two times I've used it already, my head became all hot & sweaty! I know I rhymed there, unintentional. But tough times call for tough measures, as they say, or something like that. It's a good thing to have on hand, rather than expose onesself to frostbite, which, I hear, can occur after only 10 minutes in these conditions. That's why I
enjoy watching "Ice Road Truckers," to see the techniques they use, not only for self-preservation, but also on their machines.
Only two months till spring - I hope that groundhog sees his friggin' shadow.
More soon,
Steve
I think I must be on an episode of "Ice Road Truckers" or something. Temp today in Chicago is supposed to be at -2 for a high, not to mention the wind chill. I know, I know, other places are going to be even colder but damn! Anyway, visions of Florida, California, the Carribean, etc. are flowing through my mind lately. My dad, who lives in central Florida, told me "yeah, it's going to cool down here, gonna get down to the upper 60's" He's always rubbing that stuff in my face, except in summer, when he & the old lady get outta there and come up here because of the heat. Kinda like "reverse snowbirds."
I uaed to make fun of those people, usually older folks, than went & hid "down south" for the winter. But now, I wish I were one of them. A gal I chat online with is moving to Clearwater, and she said "You should get a route down here..." If only. Actually, we do have a distribution center in Orlando - at least one of our drivers transferred down there- but I dunno. You have to take the bad with the good; hurricanes scare the crap outta me!
So, I bought this face/ski-type mask, where only your eyes & mouth are exposed; seems to work pretty well, in fact, too well. The two times I've used it already, my head became all hot & sweaty! I know I rhymed there, unintentional. But tough times call for tough measures, as they say, or something like that. It's a good thing to have on hand, rather than expose onesself to frostbite, which, I hear, can occur after only 10 minutes in these conditions. That's why I
enjoy watching "Ice Road Truckers," to see the techniques they use, not only for self-preservation, but also on their machines.
Only two months till spring - I hope that groundhog sees his friggin' shadow.
More soon,
Steve
Monday, January 5, 2009
Holi - daze
Hello,
So we've made it through another holiday season, I see. Hope all went well with you & yours.
Back to my regular schedule, Thank God. It really wasn't too bad, and the extra $ will come in handy. See, I not only have to deal with Christmas, but also my daughter's birthday, which is January 9th. She's turning 17, a weird age for girls. I asked her what she wants for her birthday, and she said "Oh, I dunno". Look, I know she wants a car of her own, and she's also talked of wanting a dog/puppy. I can't decide which of those two are worse, honestly. The winter actually helps, because it puts a damper on some of these things. I mean, who in their right mind is going to get a new dog in the middle of winter? Same thing with a car - I sure as hell am not going car shopping in these God-awful temperatures. Yeah, I know a lot of it can be done online, but you still have to test-drive the thing, right? Anyway, the winter buys me some time to get the dollars, and the head, together.
I would always think to myself, "OK, I've made it through Christmas, now just the kid's birthday." I know that sounds kind of callous ("Where's your holiday spirit?"), but it really has been something, at least over the last few years, that I've had to "make it through." It's almost like winter, especially for truck drivers in the snow areas. "Yep, made it through another winter." I see my job the same way, "Made it through another trip/route, whatever" Stopping to "smell the roses" is not in my vocabulary. If I stopped, all I'd smell is diesel and shit! So, you "keep on keeping on, till the day breaks, and the shadows flee away..." (one of my favorite quotes, by the way).
I've probably said this before, but, as I get older, I think I'm getting crabbier. It's funny, because
we always made fun of grumpy old men, and now I find myself turning into one. The Archie Bunker Syndrome, as I call it. I know, I can change, just as Ebeneezer Scrooge did, but it can be really tough, you know? I get annoyed more easily; it seems as if I'm being pulled in several different directions, by the demands of: my boss, my wife, my daughter, my sleep, my business, etc. I need a vacation. I get three weeks this year, Yipeeeee!
Look, I'm not a "Debbie Downer" (Wah, wah, wah...),. In fact, this time of year, the New Year, brings me a sense of hope. Not necessarily resolutions, which most of us fail at anyway, but a hope that the coming year will be better than the last. I hear song lyrics popping up all over the place here. It's definitely a time for reflection on life (for me) ; you know, where have I been, where am I going, that kind of thing. I still smoke, I still over eat, don't take particuluarly good care of myself, that has to change, because I DO want to dance at my daughter's wedding, and I DO want to hold my grandchildren in my arms, and I WILL!
Time to go car shopping...
More soon,
Steve
So we've made it through another holiday season, I see. Hope all went well with you & yours.
Back to my regular schedule, Thank God. It really wasn't too bad, and the extra $ will come in handy. See, I not only have to deal with Christmas, but also my daughter's birthday, which is January 9th. She's turning 17, a weird age for girls. I asked her what she wants for her birthday, and she said "Oh, I dunno". Look, I know she wants a car of her own, and she's also talked of wanting a dog/puppy. I can't decide which of those two are worse, honestly. The winter actually helps, because it puts a damper on some of these things. I mean, who in their right mind is going to get a new dog in the middle of winter? Same thing with a car - I sure as hell am not going car shopping in these God-awful temperatures. Yeah, I know a lot of it can be done online, but you still have to test-drive the thing, right? Anyway, the winter buys me some time to get the dollars, and the head, together.
I would always think to myself, "OK, I've made it through Christmas, now just the kid's birthday." I know that sounds kind of callous ("Where's your holiday spirit?"), but it really has been something, at least over the last few years, that I've had to "make it through." It's almost like winter, especially for truck drivers in the snow areas. "Yep, made it through another winter." I see my job the same way, "Made it through another trip/route, whatever" Stopping to "smell the roses" is not in my vocabulary. If I stopped, all I'd smell is diesel and shit! So, you "keep on keeping on, till the day breaks, and the shadows flee away..." (one of my favorite quotes, by the way).
I've probably said this before, but, as I get older, I think I'm getting crabbier. It's funny, because
we always made fun of grumpy old men, and now I find myself turning into one. The Archie Bunker Syndrome, as I call it. I know, I can change, just as Ebeneezer Scrooge did, but it can be really tough, you know? I get annoyed more easily; it seems as if I'm being pulled in several different directions, by the demands of: my boss, my wife, my daughter, my sleep, my business, etc. I need a vacation. I get three weeks this year, Yipeeeee!
Look, I'm not a "Debbie Downer" (Wah, wah, wah...),. In fact, this time of year, the New Year, brings me a sense of hope. Not necessarily resolutions, which most of us fail at anyway, but a hope that the coming year will be better than the last. I hear song lyrics popping up all over the place here. It's definitely a time for reflection on life (for me) ; you know, where have I been, where am I going, that kind of thing. I still smoke, I still over eat, don't take particuluarly good care of myself, that has to change, because I DO want to dance at my daughter's wedding, and I DO want to hold my grandchildren in my arms, and I WILL!
Time to go car shopping...
More soon,
Steve
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
