I hope everyone's weekend is going well.

[Tobin S.]

I haven't been around much lately and I just thought I'd pop in and say hi and see how you all were doing.

I've been really busy with school and work. Also, the job search is on for me. I simply can't make it with what I'm earning at my current job without putting in about 70 hours a week, and that wouldn't be available even if I wanted to do it. So I'm looking around and trying to make myself a better job candidate.

I'm a trucker, for those of you who are new, and jobs in this area for truckers are plentiful right now. However, good trucking jobs are harder to come by. And I need something where I'm home much of the time. I asked my wife about it and she's willing to part with me for two nights a week, but she really wants me home every day. I'd prefer that, too.

So, I'm looking for home every day with good pay and benefits. I'm in the process of getting a hazmat endorsement on my CDL to open up my options. I think I'm also going to get a passport so I can truck it up in Canada if need be. We live about four hours from Windsor, Ontario, and a lot of international freight passes through there and into southern Ontario.

How are you all doing this weekend?

[lunatica]

1. I wish you all the luck on finding the perfect job

[Tobin S.]

3. Thanks!

[auntAgonist]

2. We're good here Tobin. Wishing you all

the best in trying to find something that gives you what you need. I KNOW how hard it is.

It looks like it will be into the New Year till we see you guys again

Talk soon.

aA
kesha

[Tobin S.]

5. Hi, Kesha.

I'm glad you and D are doing alright. When you have time, you'll have to come down here and we'll treat you to the finest Italian dining this side of New York City: Fazolis. Just kidding. We do have an excellent Italian restaurant here that is locally owned called Galo's. We'd love to treat you guys.

[auntAgonist]

7. It's been way too long since you guys visited and we do need to get together. Hopefully the

weather in the coming months will cooperate and we can drive over to see you.

Merry Christmas to you and Jen.



k.

[In_The_Wind]

11. ~

excuse me but I had to

[auntAgonist]

15. awww HI J. I miss you

I hope things are going better for you guys.



I wish you'd come back this way again, I'd love to have you here.


aA
kesha

[In_The_Wind]

19. If I make it that way again we'll share a cuppa of coffee.

A few months ago I found my last living relative. I haven't seen her since I was 9. She moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. We'll catch up as much as possible by emails and phone.

Driving west may not happen for a few years.

[In_The_Wind]

4. Good luck on finding the right company to work for.

I'm enjoying a quite weekend at home.
Not doing pilot car work until spring.
[img][/img]

[Tobin S.]

6. How is that pilot car deal working out for you?

If you don't mind me asking, what does a decent gig pay?

[In_The_Wind]

10. It's been a real learning experience for me.

I lost over three grand (1/2 was my invested $ to run the load) when Tommy Hoots of Nationwide didn't pay me on my first OTR.

I've seen more of the USA (from coast to coast) & Canada that I ever thought to see.

I missed seeing my Golden Retriever. She hung on until I returned home. I was there for her during the last 6 months of her long life. My parrot acts like I never left. She'll go with me if I ever do another long run.

The money end isn't too bad. Escort fees have become cutthroat. The low priced drivers are only putting themselves out of business because they can't afford repairs.
Some loads are short miles, pay well. Some have too much deadhead and cut into the profit. It cost a lot to run: commercial insurance, repairs, fluctuating gas prices, hotel rooms and food. I'm going to keep my driving to within 500 miles from home in 2013 unless the load is too good to turn down. I've found a truly good broker to work with. They keep my fee up where it should be. My goal was to become one of the best escorts on the road. I've succeeded, drivers request me again and again.

[Tobin S.]

12. 10-4 on the Fuck Tommy Hoots

It's good to hear you are doing well.

[In_The_Wind]

18. I warn everyone about Tommy Hoots every chance I get.

We're broke at the moment due to moving. I couldn't see myself giving my all to a very dangerous job while I was distracted. It's going to be a lean winter. I have an old friend brokering some of the rocks and crystals I collected back when. We'll make it until my cosmic wheels go rollin' again.

"

[rug]

8. Go all in and become an Ice Road Trucker.

You can take off the rest of the year.

[Tobin S.]

9. Ice Road Truckers are fucking crazy

Note: "Fucking crazy" being above and beyond the "just plain crazy" you have to be to be an ordinary trucker.

Midwest winters can be brutal enough for me. I wish we lived somewhere where I didn't have to worry about snow and ice.

[auntAgonist]

17. my first husband does ice road trucking in the winter months when his other business

is slow.

I would have loved to have gone along on a trip.


k.

[Denninmi]

13. Weekend is good.

Life is a lot better, and I owe a lot of it to you.

[Tobin S.]

14. Good deal. Thanks for the compliment.

Attitude is everything sometimes, and I think that is the case with you. Sure there are other issues, but the main thing has been keeping your chin up. If you can do that, things become manageable to say the least, and it's possible that solutions will start to appear everywhere. They were there all along, but you have to have your gaze situated somewhere above your feet to see them.

[Denninmi]

25. Hey, man, no words come to mind, just this:

Well, ok, this comes to mind - that was my parting take away from the PHP therapist - his exact words "attitude is everything, it is what will make all of the difference in the world to you."

Great minds think alike, you and he are among the people who saved me from myself.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. My dear Tobin!

My weekend's going well, thanks. I'm glad to hear you're being proactive about what you need in your job and your life. I hope something really good shows up very shortly!

I spent yesterday putting the holiday cards together, and I'll mail them later today. Yours is in there too! I hope you enjoy it.

[Tobin S.]

22. Hi Peggy

We'll be looking forward to the card.

I signed started doing homework at around noon eastern and just now got done with my math. Seven hours and I still have writing homework to do! I'll be glad when this semester is over. Almost there.

[Kali]

20. Hey Tobin,

This weekend is consisting of extreme mundane AND something unusual.

The mundane is laundry. Our $50 machine that was supposed to tide us over for a few months and actually lasted several YEARS finally died last week. I was scraping change to try and find another $50 to 100 temporary replacement when I recived a little windfall in the mail. That made making the search easier. Much as I would love a fancy low-water use front loader or even a Made-in-the-US Staber, it isn't going to happen until we win the lottery. So, since all a basic machine does is swish water, detergent, and clothes around. And since energy ratings on washing machines have to do with spin and water removal for the eventual dryer use that we don't do. And since I am a cheapskate even when I do have a little money, I was still looking through craigslist for a used machine. I had planned out a day to go to Tucson and check a few out and maybe even look at a few low-end new ones at the big box stores when I found an ad for a couple right in the area. Retired guy fixing up a half dozen washers and dryers in his workshop and reselling. Wow. I was so happy. Glad to pay a little more, got a 30 day warranty, local business, recycling etc etc etc. So instead of spending the whole day today fighting traffic, paying for extra gas and probably a meal too and just the overall annoyance of going to the big city (and always a risk of breakdowns in the shitty vehicles we drive) we are doing laundry! woo hoo - the simple pleasures of hot water and clean clothes. heh.

The unusual event is a photography/filming project that may be happening here this week. I am waiting on a call and of course will post more about it when things are set or finished. I really don't want to jinx it by talking about it too much, they have already backed way off from the original plans (that is normal with these things) but I am hoping we will get at least a couple days out of it and they were even talking about hiring my sons for some general labor while they are here so...cross fingers and knock on wood. This kind of thing is good business if you can get it. A relatively clean industry that pays well, and needs a lot of "help" in terms of hiring people including locals. And location fees are the easiest money a ranch can make! (in fact, probably the ONLY easy money a ranch can make LOL)

[Tobin S.]

23. That filming project sounds pretty cool

I'd never thought of someone using my property in that way. Of course, we don't have hundreds of acres here. Just a little corner lot in a small town.

I hear you on the appliance woes and it's good that you got it sorted out. Right now our water heater is acting up. We've got the part, but won't be able to get someone out here to install it until next week.

[Kali]

26. water heaters are cake

I would do it for you if I was nearby!

[OutofMindOUTBody]

21. I just woke up

I need to go to the bathroom when I woke but I decided I was going to fight it instead. I hate waking up on the weekend like that. I mean how much fun is it to wake up and say oh I started my weekend on the pot? I mean seriously do we always have to start are weekend out going to the bathroom? What if I wanted to start my weekend out watching a movie or just lazying around with a video game can't I do that before I have to use the bathroom? I hate always waking up and having to go to the bathroom to start my weekend. Why do I have to start my weekend on the pot always? I'm lazy !

[Tobin S.]

24. I wouldn't mind waking up and having to fgo to the bathroom

if that's not what woke me up. Then again I guess the alternative is a spoiled bed.

[silentwarrior]

27. sorry to be a killjoy

but I hate weekends, i always have

[hrmjustin]

28. My father was a trucker. He loved the job till the day he had to retire for health reasons.

I used to go over the road with him to see what the country was like, and I used to collect the local newspapers when we made stops to see what the local issues were. And when I saw the twin towers I knew I was home. After 9/11 it was the Empire State Building. I miss those days with him over the road. Best times with my dad I every had.

[love_katz]

29. I am not a new poster.

This is luv_mykatz.

Doggone DU. Everytime I came on it would take me to the log-in page. I can't remember my password, and my old account was registered with my old email address, so I couldn't send myself even a temporary new password. There appears to be no way to change the email address, and I couldn't contact the admins nor post a thread on the Welcome and Help page, so creating a new account was the only option. This is very frustrating, especially since I don't post too often, so my post count was somewhere in the 400's.

Anyway, I am not a troll nor a newbie here.

I hope you find a much better paying job very soon, preferably immediately.

I know too well how it is to try and get by on not enough income. I have been driving school buses for over 17 years, for various employers. My efforts to 'pull myself up by my bootstraps' have not worked out well for me. I feel your pain, because I am living with it as well. Somehow I need to find a second job, which will hopefully mesh with the one I am currently working.
Wishing both of us Good Fortune and Better Luck in 2013.

[love_katz]

30. Ice trucking...

Yikes!