Writers Block...Or somethin'

Well, I'm back from a month of honestly not giving a damn about the BLOG. My apologies to anyone who listens to my rants and raves, it has been a roller coaster of emotions for me lately. Funny thing is, I have been collecting photos and ideas to write about, but as the song goes "my give-a-damn's busted".

April brought not only my birthday, but also my one year anniversary with Schneider.I had promised myself, and more importantly, Linda, my Fiance' that this would be a one year commitment to over the road driving. I have had my CDL since '87, but there aren't many well paying local or regional jobs for someone without over the road experience, hence the OTR job.
The problem is that I really love what I do, at least for now, and don't let anyone kid you, first year pay for truck driving is not great relative to the trucking world. Linda and I have had many conversations about what my next move in life should be, we both agree that more time at home is a must no matter how this happens it HAS to happen for both of our sanities'.
We figure the smart move is for me to stay put for right now. It's a good job with benefits and a solid company. Not every trucking company can say that right now!

Secretly, I'm lusting to drive flatbed for TMC mmmm shiny black Peterbilts!

Secondly, April was, quite honestly, a crappy run for me. I got stuck at a truck stop in Arkansas for three days waiting for a load. No load no pay... Then I got stuck in New Hampshire for a day and a half to deliver a load. Wheels ain't turnin' I ain't earnin'.
A slow economy and trying to get a load home to Maine compounded to kill my miles last month.

Have I mentioned Linda and I are getting married in Oct? $$$$$$$!

The good part of my down time in AK, was a chance to read a fantastic book I received for my birthday "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. It was an Oprah book club recommendation, which made me cringe, but I have honestly taken a lot of information out of it. It is a deeply spiritual book for those so inclined to such reading.

My truck rolled over the 900k mark on the odometer, that was exciting! I wish I had written down the mileage when I first started driving it, but I have driven about 120k miles this year, which is respectable for a first year over the road, I hope to do at least as well this year.

Currently I'm at our OC in West Memphis, Arkansas taking my break for the night. I had walked over to a local Dairy Queen for a Blizzard, and while waiting in line a well dressed middle aged black man was waiting in front of me and we struck up a conversation. (If you haven't heard on the news the National Weather Service recorded 10 tornadoes in AK this weekend) In the usual small talk of strangers he asked me how I was and I asked him the same. He leaned in to me and told me how he had just lost his house and possessions in one of the storms this weekend. His wife had been in the house while it was being destroyed by the storm, but she walked away without a scratch. "So I feel pretty good!" he said to me with a big smile, and a small tear.

That's what finally made me want to sit down and BLOG a little.
Sometimes everything we all do on a daily basis needs to be put into perspective, and this was it for me.