Full Circle

          Last night, I was all set to share some more thoughts about the 8/2 split when I realized that today I was picking up at the same place I was when I found out that the blog was “a go.”  It feels like I’ve come full circle.

          I had created the blog with six sample posts, created a blog proposal and gave it to David Freymiller the next time I saw him.  I handed him this folded up paper, said “check this out,” and took off like a shot.  I was scared to death.  In my mind, the blog was a good idea, but I wasn’t sure that he would agree.  I’ve had plenty of ideas that I thought were great but couldn’t find anyone to agree with me about them.

          I was shocked about a month later, when I was sitting in a dock at the same place I’m sitting right now, and I got a call from work.  I was expecting it to be Clyde, but it was Denise.  She was calling to tell me that they’d all looked at the blog and discussed it and they wanted to go with it.  It was a mind-blowing moment.

          Sometimes I’m still a little blown away by it all.  Writing is a passion of mine, it always has been, and I’m here to tell you… if you have a passion… don’t give it up.  Keep pursuing it until you get to where you want to go with it.

          More on the 8/2 split next week.  BTW, I saw all the comments on the Facebook page.  WOW!  That’s all I can say about that.

The 8/2 Split

          During the 12 years I was off the road before coming to Freymiller, the Hours of Service laws were changed.  The most difficult part about learning the new rules was understanding the 8/2 Split.  It took me months to really understand how it worked, and I spent those months relying on my brother to tell me when I needed to do one and my Qualcomm to do the math for me.  It took me about 6 months to get a solid understanding of how it worked.

          I would be willing to bet that 50% of the drivers I know won’t use the 8/2 split because they don’t understand it.  I’ve had many tell me as much.  I’ve also had drivers tell me they wouldn’t do one on paper logs because it’s too easy to mess up and go into violation.  On December 18^th, the law requiring all drivers to be on e-logs went into effect.  I know there are some exceptions, but I’m not one of them.

          On e-logs, there are times that I HAVE to do an 8/2 to be able to make on time delivery.  There are also times when doing one is the best use of my time.  Most of the time, both situations involve me getting held up for more than 4 hours, either at a customer or with repairs.  When that happens, it’s usually in my best interests to “finish out an 8 (hour break),” which resets the 14-hour clock back to where it was at the beginning of the 8. 

          The 8/2 Split works like an escalator: whatever falls off the top comes back on the bottom.  Think of it as a revolving 14-hour clock.  This is the visual I use when I’m explaining the 8/2 Split to a trainee.  It seems to help them wrap their brains around it easier.

Drive	5
Break	8 (Sleeper Berth)
Drive	6
Break	2 (off duty/sleeper)
Drive	5
Break	8 (Sleeper Berth)

          This was a quick explanation, I think I will expand on it next week with some examples of when I choose to use it.  I just wanted to show you that the 8/2 Split isn’t as scary as most drivers think it is. 

Blah!

          I’m finding myself very thankful for the mundane continuity of my job right now.  I’ve had some personal stuff going on that I can’t do anything about. Nothing catastrophic; mostly just irritating.

          The hardest part is these things are weighing on me heavy enough that I’ve been racking my brain all week trying to think of what I wanted to blog about this week.  No, I didn’t come up with a good answer. 

          For so many years I’ve had people tell me how strong I am.  I hate hearing that because it usually comes at a time where I’m going through something really hard and I can’t help but wonder if people convince themselves of my strength so they can justify not asking if they can help. 

          I’m okay, really.  I’m just “not feeling it” today. 

The Mad Vacationer Strike Again!

Guess who is going on vacation again?  Yep, you guessed it.  This girl!  Back to Mexico, I go.

Last year on Thanksgiving, my brother called me and said, “let’s do something crazy for Thanksgiving next year and go on a cruise.”  Of course, I was all for that.  It’s a total win for me.  I get to be on a cruise ship and someone else will be responsible for cooking dinner AND doing the dishes.  Plus, the average daily temperature for Cozumel is 77 and Progreso is 87 next week.  Can’t beat that, right?

My friends have reacted with “you’re going on vacation again?”  Darn tootin’, I am.  I’m the mad vacationer this year.   Nothing wrong with that when you consider how many years I didn’t get to take a vacation.

I am going to have to settle down after this.  I told my brother that I’ve been spending like I’m in Congress the second half of this year.  First, it was the motorcycle, then vacation #1.  I bought a new car right before vacation #1 because my other one died and now vacation #2. He told me if I was spending like I was in Congress I would have earned 50, spent 250 and handed the bill to my granddaughter.  Good point, but still.  I don’t think I’ve ever spent like this.

Happy Thanksgiving, my peeps.  Catch you when I get back!

What Did She Say?

                I swear, sometimes I make my job way harder than it needs to be.  It’s my nerdiness coming into play.  I try to be detailed when I’m explaining something to a trainee while also explaining the “why” behind it.  Sometimes I go a bit overboard.  There have been times when I’m hearing myself talk and think “This is making no sense.  I’m confusing myself.  There is no way she is understanding this.”  I’m usually right.

          Really, this job is not rocket science.  If I were to boil it down to the simplest form my job description is this: To pick up and deliver freight safely, efficiently and on time. 

How do we do that?  There really are only four things we need do.

    1.   Know where we’re going.

    2.   Know how to get there.

    3.   Manage our schedules so we can get there on time.

    4.   Stay in communication with dispatch.

Obviously, a lot of information needs to be factored: Appointment times, Hours of Service, routing, directions, fuel stops, etc, etc.

Most new drivers are very surprised to find out that there is a lot more to this job than sitting behind the wheel.  Driving is what we spend most of our time doing, but it’s really the least of what we do.  A lot of mental preparation goes on before we can even start driving.  I know it’s very overwhelming for new drivers and it doesn’t help when they have a nerd trainer who makes it harder than it has to be.

Get Off Your Butt!

                About a year ago, I wrote a post about the challenges of living healthy on the road.  In the past year it has not gotten any easier, but I don’t think it’s gotten any harder, either.  I think the hardest part about living healthy on the road is overcoming my own complacency.  What’s easy to do is easy to not do. 

I’m not going to keel over today if I choose to spend my 30-minute break on Facebook as opposed to getting off my posterior and taking a couple of laps around the parking lot, but 10 years of sitting for those 30 minutes instead of getting some type of exercise will add up to obesity and metabolic syndrome, two conditions we can correct with some effort.

          Who loves you?  I have a hard time believing that there is even one of us who can’t think of at least one person who loves us.  When we neglect our health, we’re sending the message that we don’t care about the people who love us.  I heard Jim Rohn say “I will take care of myself for you and you take care of yourself for me.”

          I challenge you to take a few minutes today and ask yourself… who would be affected if I died today and how?  If I died today, no one would be affected by the loss of my income, but many would be by the mere loss of my presence… my kids, siblings, granddaughter, my friends… people would notice my absence and I’m willing to bet there are a lot of people who would notice your absence as well.

          Please, give this some serious thought and decide if the people you love - who love you, too – are worth getting off your butt for 30 minutes a day.

Survey Says!

          I’ve given plenty of reasons why I love driving for Freymiller, but the cynic in me can’t help but wonder sometimes if you think I only say them because I’m paid to say them.  That really isn’t the case, honest. 

To show that I’m not just bloviating, I decided to ask a few friends what their favorite thing is about working here.  Their experience ranges from 1-17 years.  I found their answers interesting and wanted to share them with you.

                                         

Kirk: “Being part of the family, they treat their drivers like family and always have.”

Mike: “The compassion they’ve shown me through two major illnesses and the illness and death of a family member.  They didn’t hound me about when I was coming back to work, they just told me to go take care of what I needed to take care of.”

Steve: “Freymiller is big enough to be recognized, but still small enough that I don’t feel like just another number, the family atmosphere.”

Charlie: “Most companies advertise an open-door policy, but they really have one.”

Davina: “I love the fact that when they give me a job to do, they trust me to get it done.  They’re not breathing down my neck all the time.”

          None of my friends said anything I have not personally experienced.  I want to publicly thank them for their willingness to help me with this.  Really, that was a tough question… I’m not sure I would be able to nail down just one thing about working here as an absolute favorite.

I Hate Cell Phone Chargers

          When I bought my new phone in August, I had to buy new charging cords because my new phone is a “USB-C.”  I guess whoever decides what charging port will go into a phone decided that since most Android users probably have at least 10 Micro-USB cords it was time to change.

          I bought a new charger (plug) because it had a second USB port.  It died before I went on vacation a month later.

                  

          Remember the good old days when cell phone chargers lasted longer than air fresheners?  Me, too.  Oh, how I miss the days when the cords were hard-wired into the plugs.  Just the phrase “USB port” is enough to trigger a bout of Tourette’s in me.

          I heard a quote several years ago. “Build ‘em cheap, sell ‘em cheap, sell ‘em often.”  I tried searching but couldn’t find out who said it, but I’m convinced that is the marketing strategy of the companies that produce cell phone chargers.

          With the bouncing of the truck, I can’t seem to get one that lasts more than three or four months before the USB cord can’t make a solid connection.  I feel like captive consumer.  Living without a cell phone charger isn’t a viable option, but I feel like all there is available to buy is crap.

          Am I the only one who feels this way?

My Heavy Heart

One of my unstated goals for this blog was for it to be different from most of whatever else you expose yourself to online.  I wanted it to be lighthearted, even when I’m covering serious subjects.  I wanted it to be someplace you can get away from all the crap that goes on in the world… even for just a few minutes.

I’ve purposely not weighed in on world events because of this.  I figure the last thing you want is one more idiot, standing on a soap box, blabbering on about politics, religion, the NFL, and e-log mandates (among other things) so I opted not to do that.

I was in Winslow, AZ on an 8-hour break when Stephen Paddock changed the world forever by opening fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas at 10:05 local time Sunday night.

I don’t watch or listen to much news.  I turned the news off years ago because I was becoming addicted to it.  I decided that if something truly important happened I would hear about it, but I couldn’t function with a steady stream of negativity so I just shut it off.

After seeing more than a dozen posts on Facebook… ”Pray for Vegas,” I finally asked someone what was going on in Vegas.

I have nothing to add to the conversation that you haven’t already heard.  I’m sitting here thinking the same thing I thought after Jonesboro, Columbine, 9/11, Ft. Hood, Orlando, San Bernardino, etc, etc.

I just don’t understand.  I pray you have peace today.  I pray you see something that gives you hope for humanity today.  I pray you find and take advantage of an opportunity to make the world a better place today.

What's On Your Facebook Page?

          On my 40^th birthday, I created my Facebook page.  We’ve had a volatile relationship, at best.  Sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it.  I love the fact that I can connect with friends and family that I don’t get to see often and get to keep up with what’s going on in their lives.  I hate seeing people airing their personal problems or posting something vague and cryptic, then getting offended when asked about it.

          The year I was home, working on a home-based business, the woman training me cautioned me about what I post on Facebook.  She told me that people who are interested with working with me will go check out my Facebook page to check ME out.  Social media has been a real game changer.  What used to be private is now public because we’ve willingly made it so.

          I have seen and heard of cases where people have lost their jobs because of what they have posted on various social media outlets.  Several messages have come out from the Safety department reminding us that they are watching.  I know it sounds very “big-brother-ish,” but it’s just the way of the world we live in.  I don’t care what your settings say.   There is no privacy on the Internet.

          I regularly remind trainees to “pay attention to what you’re doing.”  We   have to do the same thing with our online presence.  Our online presence has consequences.  I guess this goes back to what I’ve said in other posts… be mindful.  Be intentional.  We can’t go through life like a bull in a China shop, crashing around into things and expect that nothing bad is ever going to happen.

Yay Vacation!

While you’ve all been slaving away this past week, I’ve been eating like a pig, drinking like a fish and getting sunburned.  Woohoo!  Yay vacation!

I’m a creature of habit.  This year I took the same cruise I took last year, just on a different ship.  I also took a friend this year.  Originally there were supposed to be six of us, but life happens and in the end, there were only two.  It was still good.

When was the last time you took a vacation?  I was talking to another friend who told me “one of these days, I’m going to get on a cruise ship.”  If you’ve ever said something similar, I would encourage you to take the “someday/one of these days” out of it and get to planning.

It’s been my experience that when someone says “someday, I’m going to…” they might as well replace the “someday” with “never.”  “Never, I’m going to…”  When we say “someday,” our goals remain nothing more than an abstract idea, but when we attach details (timeline, location, etc) they take on a life of their own and we’re more likely to see them come to pass.

So where are you going on your next vacation?

Off the Beaten Path

          I really love it when I get to get off the beaten path and go through the small towns.  Today was one of those days.  I went from Lawton to Elk City (OK) and there is no interstate connecting the two.

          To me, Smalltown America is still Real America.  There are still store fronts and brick roads, old theatres and diners.  I love seeing how the small towns decorate for various holidays. 

          The stretches between the small towns are dotted with farms or ranches.  I can’t seem to go fifty miles without finding an abandoned, run down farm that I imagine in its former glory and think about how cool it would be to buy and restore.

          I’m always glad to get “back to the big road,” where I can make better time, but it’s still nice to be able to get out on the smaller roads, slow down a bit and see what there is to see.  

People Are People

                I was walking into the TA in Barstow Saturday night when a gentleman sitting on the curb - with what I assume was all his worldly possessions in a backpack - asked me for a cigarette.  I was on my way to work out, so I didn’t have any with me and told him that.  When I came back from working out he was gone, but when I came out from my shower he was back.  I deposited my shower bag in the truck, grabbed my smokes and went over to him.

                I sat on the curb with him for about 30 minutes just having a normal conversation.  His name was Jacob and he had hitch-hiked from Oklahoma to California with a plan of doing construction work down in San Diego.  He’d been talking to someone on the internet and was told he would have work if he got there.  He told me that this was the 4^th time he had crossed the country hitch-hiking and told me of some of the more interesting things that have happened to him in his travels.  I asked him if he’d ever considered writing a collection of these stories and getting them published.  We talked about our kids, work, my upcoming vacation and our faith.  (He is a Christian, too.)  I gave him the rest of my pack of cigarettes and bought him a shower with loyalty points and then I had to get to bed.

                If you’re a Christian, you’ll understand what I mean when I say, “I felt like God wanted me to just go sit and talk with him.”  It was the type of normal conversation I’ve probably had 100 times with various friends.  He never asked me for anything but a cigarette.  I never felt unsafe; we were out in public in a well-lit area.

                I’ve thought about that conversation a few times over the past week.  There was nothing profound said, and probably nothing particularly important.  I didn’t do anything great.  I just had a conversation with a stranger.  What was important to me was just following my instincts and doing what I felt I was supposed to do.  I’ve also been thinking about some things that have been going on around the country that show us to be horribly divided; i.e. the Charlottesville riots a few weeks ago.  But, also the images coming from Texas of people coming together to help random strangers after Hurricane Harvey.

                It costs nothing to be nice to someone, but taking the time to do so changes the world… even if it only changes the world for that one person.

Motorcycles For Dummies

          

          Two weekends ago, I took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s “Basic Ridercourse,” which I have been affectionately referring to as “Motorcycles For Dummies.”  There is nothing derogatory about that nickname; I love the “Dummies” and the “Idiot’s Guide” books.  I relied on those when I was homeschooling my kids.  Those books take you from A to Z on whatever topic.  They’re still my “go to” when I want to learn something new. 

          At the beginning of the course, we all got to introduce ourselves and tell why we were taking the course.  I told them I bought a motorcycle and need to learn how to ride it, which is true.  I left the part about the suspected mid-life crisis out.

          About halfway through the course I realized another benefit I was getting.  I knew this course would make me a better trainer.  It's had been a very long time since I truly felt like I had no idea what I was doing.  I felt like a fish trying to learn how to ride a bicycle.  I was uncoordinated, lacked confidence and wondered if I hadn’t lost my mind.  Voices from my past snuck up on me to tell me I couldn’t do this.

          The motorcycle I bought is at my brother’s house and at one point I considered walking out of that class and calling him to tell him to sell it.  When I told him that he said he would have told me to suck it up and get back in the class.  He knew I could do it, even when I didn’t. 

          The last time I felt like that was June 1991 when I started truck driving school.  It’s been so long ago, that I know I’ve ignored the fact that most of the trainees I get probably feel the exact same way when they climb in my truck.  I think this is going to make me more compassionate and patient as a trainer.  I’ve been driving a truck so long that it comes as naturally as breathing for me.  But it hasn’t always been that way.

She's Ba-ack!

          After three weeks with very limited technology… I think I’m back; at least I hope so!  (I just got an error message on my laptop, I’m hoping it was a fluke.)

          I’m not exactly sure what happened or what I was supposed to learn from it, but both my laptop and phone crashed within a week of each other and my tablet has always been moody on a day by day basis.

          I got my first computer in 1997 and my first cell phone in 2003, but if you had seen me in action over the past three weeks you would have thought I was born with one in each hand.  I could hardly function… as evidenced by two weeks without a blog post, right?

          I won’t chalk it up as a completely negative experience.  I got caught up on reading the books I had downloaded to my Nook months ago.  (Okay, yes, that’s technology, too.)  I seem to have broken my addiction to a few games I had on my phone, as well as Facebook.  I probably got more sleep.

          I had a lot of time to think about life before all this technology.  Remember when we used to hang out with friends and actually talk to each other instead of sitting in a room with a handful of people staring at their phones?  Maybe that was the lesson in all of this?  Technology is good when it’s used accordingly, but it’s not the be all and end all of everything.

Tech Hell Continues

     The upside to procrastination is when your phone crashes right outside St. Louis there is probably a spare in your laptop bag you've been telling yourself you need to get rid of for 3 years.  No?  Maybe it's just me?

     Last week it was the laptop, this week it was the phone. The tablet has never worked right. Today I bought a new tablet that will not work with Blogger.  I'm typing this between freeze ups on the phone that crashed yesterday (hooked up to my Wi-Fi.)

     Tech support thinks the SIM card went whacko.  They are sending a new one so hopefully my phone will be working properly by next Thursday.

     In the meantime, it might be a good idea to keep your electronics away from me. I think I'm the lowest common denominator.

     Have a great week!

Technology Hell

     I am in technology hell this week.  I tried to turn on my laptop last night to write this week’s blog post and nada. I got an error message about Windows failing to load and blah blah blah damaged files with an option to try to repair the damaged files. Three hours later… still nada.

     I spoke with Scot in our IT department this morning but didn’t get the easy fix I was hoping for. I’m going to have to run the rescue disk. The problem with that is I have moved three times, gotten married and divorced since I bought this laptop. Your guess is as good as mine as to where that disk might be. I will be contacting the computer repair store that fixed my laptop last year when I get back to OKC.  In the meantime, I get to write and upload the blog posts on my phone.

     I could do it on my tablet… you know, the tablet I bought specifically for the blog and never got comfortable using.  Yes, that tablet.  The one that I can’t access Google Play Store with when I’m connected to my wifi hotspot, but can when I’m connected to any other Wi-Fi.

     Sometimes, it’s really interesting to be me. On a positive note, I think I like this MS Word app I downloaded on my phone today!  It’s a lot easier to use than I expected it to be.

     Well, it was easier until I tried to copy this post so I could paste it into Blogger. OY!

www.spiritleadrevival.org

          Have you heard?  Our chaplain has a new website!

www.spiritleadrevival.org

          This website is one of the foundational steps in creating the vision the chaplain has of expanding his ministry beyond the gates of our terminal and out into the world to serve the trucking industry as a whole.

          I have spoken with Chaplain Olen several times about this grand vision he has where truck drivers can come to a safe place where they can get spiritual and physical needs met, while experiencing the love of Jesus.

          At the website, you will find information about the ministry and the people involved.  There are links to resources where truck drivers can find help for specific needs, along with opportunities to become part of the team or to partner with the ministry financially.  Also, there is a contact form and a place to send prayer requests.

          I would encourage everyone to visit this website and get more information.  There is so much more than I can share here and I don’t think I would do it justice.

Who Put All This Stuff in My Truck?

          I have no idea how it happened; but once again it looks like an award-winning episode of Hoarders in this truck.  I can’t figure out for the life of me who keeps putting all this stuff in my truck.  I take stuff out and more stuff finds its way in.  It’s mind-boggling, I tell you.  Maybe it’s gremlins?  Clutter-fairies? Ghosts?  It couldn’t possibly be me.  No way.  Okay, fine… Denial is not a river in Egypt.  It’s me.

          I was talking with Clyde this morning because I’m scheduled to pick up a trainee next week.  He asked me if I wanted to get there the day she is to get out of orientation and I said “No, I want to be there the day before,” and explained why.

    1.   I want time to get a reset before we leave so our hours are balanced.

    2.   I need to get some of this stuff out of the truck to make room for her stuff.

     Half way through writing this post I had to run into the truck stop to go potty.  What did I come back out with?  Another book; go figure.  I guess we know who the culprit is.  Don’t judge me, I’ve seen some of your trucks and I know a lot of you are just as bad as me. 

     I’ll make you a deal… if you don’t rat me out, I won’t rat you out.  😉

The Seven Day Water Challenge

          Recently, I came across an article on Facebook titled “I Drank Nothing but Water for Seven Days and This Is What It Did to My Body.”  I was intrigued because I know I need to drink more water, so I clicked on it.  There’s 10 minutes of my life I wish I could get back.  I was hoping for something profound, but what I found was an opportunity for a narcissist to show off a dozen creepy selfies with her water bottle.  The great epiphany?  The author had caffeine withdrawal headaches for a few days and spent more time in the bathroom.  Seriously?  I would love to see this girl on “Are You Smarter Than a 5^th Grader?”

          I decided to take my own 7-day challenge.  My sub goal was to drink the recommended amount of water for me.  Body weight divided by 2 = the number of ounces of water daily.  150 lbs = 75 ounces.  I’ve also heard that anything non-carbonated and non-caffeinated (milk; juice) counts towards water consumption.

          Days 1, 2 and 7 I did not hit my ounce goal.  On day 5 I caved and had a diet soda; day 7 I caved and had an energy drink.  I had 1 bottle of milk, no juice.

          So, what happened?

    1.   I lost 3 pounds.  Woohoo!

    2.   Being properly hydrated, I didn’t experience the nosebleeds I usually do from the lack of humidity in the Rocky Mountains.

    3.   My sock line was noticeably reduced. (Drinking carbonated drinks causes water retention and usually at night I have sock lines from my legs swelling.)

    4.   Without the rollercoaster of spike/crash from energy drinks, my energy level was consistent throughout the day and I slept better.

          Moral of the story?  Drink more water, my peeps!  You’ll feel better.  No great epiphanies here either, but at least there’s no creepy selfies!

Handicapped Bathroom Stalls

                A couple of months ago, I raised an absolute RUCKUS on my Facebook page by making the comment that it really ticks me off to see someone use a handicapped bathroom stall who obviously doesn’t need it. I was told I was judgmental and just because someone doesn’t have a wheelchair or a walker doesn’t mean they don’t need hand rails or elevated seats.  I was surprised by how much flack I caught over that comment.

          Of course, I can’t tell just by looking at someone if they need that stall, but I can say for certain that there were two people in the Love’s in Lodi, CA that evening that definitely didn’t...  the 12(ish) y/o girl - who was skipping through the store bumping into people – and me.

          If there is a line and that stall comes open when it’s my turn, I won’t take it.  I went into a restroom once where the only stall that had toilet paper was the handicapped stall.  I grabbed some paper and went to another stall.

This is one of those issues that really lights me up.  I have a sister who had a leg amputated above the knee. She uses a walker or a scooter when she’s out in public, so yes, this is personal.  While I can’t tell on sight who may or may not need that stall, I don’t ever want to be the reason someone who legitimately needs it can’t get to it.

Just a Girl in a Truck

          I took this picture the other night at the Love’s in Salina, UT.  Yes, my foot is on the steering wheel and no, I did not need a crane to get it back down. 

          When I bought this nail color last summer, I laughed like a hyena when I realized it was the same color as my truck.  Apparently, I’m more single-minded than I knew.

          There are times when being a woman in a truck is a real challenge for me.  I like to girl up sometimes.  I’ve always been a tomboy, but there are also times when I’m a real “girly-girl.”  You won’t catch me wearing a dress in a truck, but I do care about my appearance.  I find it interesting that it’s never been the guys working at the truck stops being rude when I take a long time in the shower, but the women.  I don’t think they think about how much time personal care can take because they go home to their own bathroom every night.

          There are also times when being a woman is an advantage.  Some dock workers will put my load locks up for me, but they don’t usually do that for guys.  I’ve been allowed to use restrooms at customers to find out later that the same forklift driver told a guy that they didn’t have restrooms for drivers.  It’s crazy, but I think the pros outweigh the cons overall.

          Really, I’m just a girl in a truck… out here doing a job, just like everyone else.  Do I look better doing it?  Maybe to some.  Do I do the job better than others?  Probably, but I’m sure there are many that do it better than I do.  I’m just out here doing what I love, to the best of my ability.

No Opportunity Wasted

                Several years ago at the public library, I stumbled across the book “No Opportunity Wasted: Creating a List for Life” by Phil Keoghan.  

          This book really changed my philosophy about goal setting.  Like most of the population, before reading this book I had a “bucket list.”  I had a list of things I wanted to do someday, before I die.  Part of the problem with that philosophy is I don’t know when I’m going to die, so it’s hard to plan events leading up to it.  The other part of the problem – at least for me – is that putting anything in the context of “someday” puts it too far out there for my nerd brain.  I need more structure than that.

          I changed my mind from a “bucket list” to a “NOW list.”  One of the goals that came out of reading this book the first time was a cross-country bike trip.  When I say bike I mean bicycle, not motorcycle.  I put a five-year timeline on that goal, not even owning a bicycle or knowing that two years into that timeline I would be climbing back into a truck.  So, no, I didn’t reach that goal; but I do own a bike now, I’m working on increasing my endurance, and I’m in the beginning stages of planning a bike trip next summer with my niece.  One of the tricks to reaching a goal is knowing when to be flexible.  That initial five-year timeline is out, but I’m still working towards accomplishing that goal.

          I bring this up because my first idea for the bike trip was to ride US 50 from Sacramento to Washington D.C.  I have run a portion of US 50 twice in the past three weeks that I’d never been on before so I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.  People think I’m crazy when I tell them I want to do this.  I don’t remember which personal development coach said it, but I heard one say, “If at least three people don’t tell you you’re crazy, then you’re not being creative enough.”

          I’m okay with people thinking I’m crazy.  After all, not every driver is writing a blog for their company.  If I hadn’t had that “crazy” idea and acted on it, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now, living out my dream of being a freelance writer.

Graduation Day

Yes, this really is me in a dress.

          I am a proud little sister this week!  Out of five kids, my sister Margaret is the only one of us to have a college degree.  The rest of us have done other things (i.e. truck driving school) but Margaret is the only one with a diploma from a university.  Both of our parents have passed and there have been plenty of times in my life where I have thought “I’m really glad they’re not here to see how badly I’ve screwed this up.” Sunday afternoon when I watched Margaret walk across that stage I was thinking “I wish Mom and Dad were here to see this.”

          I asked Margaret if she would mind if I posted about this here after I realized a second blessing this weekend – being able to go there in my Freymiller truck.  My second summer here, I got disgruntled and started calling other companies.  One of the things I was asking when I made those calls was about time off… can I take time off wherever I want? More than one company told me no, I could only take time off at “home.”

          One of my favorite things about Freymiller is I can take time off wherever I want... within reason, they have to be able to get a load that goes there.  I have taken time off in Indiana, Alabama, North Carolina and even Wyoming.  I’ve been able to spend holidays with different family members, made it to my sister’s graduation and got to see one of my best friends get married - without having to fly or drive my own car to do it.  This takes a great burden off me not to have to take extra time off and incur the expense of travel.  I admit that this is a major benefit for me because I’m cheap, I hate flying and driving long distances in a car.  I don't think I need to mention how much more comfortable the ride is in a Kenworth 660 than a Pontiac Sunfire either.

Elk City Tornado

·         Picture courtesy of and used by permission of OKIE Livin

·         https://www.facebook.com/okielivin/

          Tuesday evening I was down in Elk City, OK to pick up a load when the tornado sirens went off.  When I left OKC about 4:00, I assumed a quick trip down, drop and hook, straight back and home by 9:00.  You know what they say about assuming, right?

          News9 reported 1 confirmed fatality and at least 100 structures damaged with more than 50 destroyed.  The tornado has been estimated to be an EF2.  I’ve lived most of my life in the Midwest, so while this isn’t my first experience with a tornado, it is the closest I’ve come to seeing one.  I think I was about 5 miles from the path of the tornado, but I’m not familiar enough with Elk City to say for sure.

          I was sitting in the storm shelter with warehouse employees, office employees and other drivers - listening to them chatter - but staying mostly quiet.  I was praying for the safety of people who didn’t have the luxury of a storm shelter when I had the strangest thought.  “God, you know how I feel about moving into a truck, I need you to keep her on her wheels out there.”  I wasn’t concerned about my safety; one of the office people had made the statement that the shelter was built to withstand 300 mph winds.  I was more concerned about my truck.  My concern doubled when I remembered that my phone was sitting on the dash.

          By the time all the excitement was over and I got out of there; I had been there for almost 4 hours.  I didn’t get home until after midnight, undamaged but exhausted.  I’m certainly not looking forward to a repeat performance.

          Many prayers are going up for the victims of the tornado in Elk City and for the safety of all those who live in tornado prone regions.

Clyde Watanabe (favorite peeps)

          I’ve not been shy about the fact that I think I am blessed to work with an amazing group of people. I’m also not shy about stating that I think I have the best DM (driver manager, aka dispatcher) at Freymiller; Clyde Watanabe.  That’s not to say that the other DM’s aren’t great; they’re just not Clyde.

          Clyde has been around Freymiller for about 17 years and in the trucking industry for over 40 years.  (I think he started working when he was 10.)  When he decides to retire, you’ll probably hear my sobs all over the country.  I tell him that when he’s not there when I expect him to be, I get separation anxiety.  If he only knew how true a statement that is!

          What I love most about Clyde is he knows his drivers.  When a situation is coming, he knows how I will handle it before I even know it exists.  He is also on top of what’s going on.  If I have a question, he usually knows the answer.  If he doesn’t, he has it for me within a few hours.  He’s never left me hanging. He is also very even tempered.  I had one driver tell me “I love Clyde, it doesn’t matter how whacked out I get, he still stays calm.” 

          When I asked Clyde what he likes to do when he’s not at work, he mentioned hanging out with his homeless friends.  You can tell a lot about a person by how he treats people who can do nothing for him.  It’s easy to throw money at problems in our society, but not everyone makes time in their busy life to get into the trenches.  Clyde walks the talk.

Happy Birthday, Blog!

          This Sunday, May 7^th marks one year since we launched the blog.  My, how time flies.  It took me almost six months from the time the idea formed in my head until I worked up the courage to propose the idea to David Freymiller.  A year ago I had two concerns: what would I write about?  Would anyone even read it?  The fear that Freymiller would decide it was a waste of time and money after the ninety-day test run kept me up at night for a long time. 

          I can honestly say I have only sat in front of a blank Word document once hoping it would tell me what to write and that was when I was going through some very stressful personal stuff.  You almost got a blog post about relationship woes that week.  I usually know days - sometimes weeks - in advance what bizarre thoughts and experiences I will be sharing with you.

          I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it.  When I look back over the past year, I’m not sure I have accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish, but I know I have accomplished some things that were a nice surprise.  I believe this experience has made me a better writer.

          I don’t pretend to know what the future holds.  At some point, the time may come to close this chapter in my life. Ten years of recovery from Codependency have taught me to live on the “one day at a time” plan.  So, for today… we have a blog.  I’m thankful for it, I’m thankful for the opportunity and I’m outrageously thankful for you, the reader.

          Peace out, my peeps!

Random Acts of Kindness

          On her internationally known talk show, Oprah Winfrey declared Feb 15^th 1994 “Random Acts of Kindness Day.”  This sparked a movement that quickly blew across the country, probably the world.  A follow-up show highlighted some of the ways people took action to show kindness to others, mostly strangers.

          In 2006, John Mayer had a hit single titled “Waiting on the World to Change.” Note: I hate that song.  I have always hated that song.  The first time I heard that song I thought “Why don’t you get off your butt and be the change you want to see in the world?”

On Day 13 of Purpose Driven Life, John Warren describes different ways people worship God.  When I read the words “Activists love God through confronting evil, battling injustice, and working to make the world a better place.” I thought “Yes! That’s me!”

It costs little to nothing to show kindness to someone.  The other morning I was in line at a truckstop to pay for a few things when a man came in the door, carrying a plastic bag with things he’d already purchased.  He grabbed two bananas and got in line behind me, making the comment “I knew I was forgetting something.”  When it was my turn to be rung up, I asked the man “is that all you forgot?”  He said yes, so I told the cashier to ring his bananas up with my stuff.  She looked surprised and he said, “you don’t have to do that.”  I said, “well I know that, but I want to.”  After a little back and forth, I paid for his bananas and we both went on our way.

That little interaction cost me $1.50, whoopee.  I recovered that before I drove to the other side of Tucson.  My hope is that my small act of kindness set the tone for his day.  I also hope it sparked him to do something nice for someone else.

There is so much discussion about how bad the world is getting, how we long for the “good old days” when people treated each other with kindness and respect.  Can we be the change we want to see in the world?  I admit, there is a lack of consideration in our society today, but that will never stop me from being nice to people.  This is just who I am.  I certainly don’t have the influence that Oprah Winfrey has.  I will probably never start a global movement, but I will always work to make my little corner of the world a better place.

Will you join me and look for some opportunities to commit some Random Acts of Kindness this week?

truckersfinalmile.org

                When Bobby passed away in February one of the concerns his family expressed was how they were going to get him from Washington, back home to California.  I told his father that there were organizations set up to help families of truck drivers in times like this and I would do some digging around and call him back with some information.  I called back about an hour later with the name and phone number for truckersfinalmile.org

          I want you to know about this for two reasons:

    1.   If you’re reading my blog, you’re probably either a truck driver or you know one and I want you to know about this resource if you ever find yourself in the same type of situation as Bobby and his family were in.

    2.   This organization runs primarily on individual donations.  It needs our support and I’m not too shy to ask you to help me support it.  Any amount…  $10, $25, $50 or more, combined with the donations of others makes a difference in the life of grieving families.

Three different family members of Bobby’s called me and thanked me for giving them the contact information for truckersfinalmile.org.  This organization is literally answered prayer for families in grief without the financial resources to bring their loved one home.

There are several organizations that have been created to help truck drivers in crisis, but after losing Bobby and knowing what his family was going through, this one is heavy on my heart.  I have a real passion for getting the word out about truckersfinalmile.org

I hope you will help me get the word out about this worthy organization.

RIP, Nacho

          On February 26^th, I lost one of my favorite people on the planet, Bobby Lopez.  I met Bobby in 2013 when he was driving for Freymiller.  We lost him just over a month ago, when he died from complications after surgery in Seattle, WA.

          There has been a combination of laughter and tears as the people he left behind have shared stories of him and grieved together with the knowledge that we have to go on without him.

          Bobby never met a stranger.  His daughter and I laughed together when she told me she used to tease him about “his new best friend that he just met in line at Wal-mart.” 

He had such an amazing heart, levels of compassion that knew no boundaries.  If you had a need, he would turn himself inside out to meet it for you.  He wasn’t afraid to tell you he loved you.  Many times, Bobby gave me hope for humanity, showing me that there are still good people out here and not everyone is just out for what they can get from you.

I believe I will see Bobby on the other side.  An hour before he went into surgery he and I had a great conversation that I am very thankful for.  We talked about God, family, and faith among other things.  He reminded me that I still owed him a steak because the Raiders beat the Panthers.  I would give way more than the $50 limit we set to be able to buy him that steak today.

I miss my friend.  My world is definitely a little darker these days without him.

Fuel Stops - Trip Planning

          When I send in my Depart Shipper macro (aka Loaded Call) it triggers the fuel solutions program which calculates the fuel stops for the load.  The program is an algorithm that takes into consideration how much fuel is in the truck, MPG’s, fuel prices and IFTA taxes; it then creates a fuel solution based on those factors.

I teach my trainees that it’s their responsibility to know where their fuel stops are.  They’ve all accused me of being a walking truck stop guide and maybe I am.  I tell them in time they will be, too.  I can predict my fuel stops on regular routes with respectable accuracy.  Until they get to that point, I teach them to use a dry erase marker and write their fuel stops up in the corner of the windshield.

         

Contrary to popular belief, our fuel solutions are not merely suggestive, nor are they in place to make our lives difficult.  They are in place to help keep Freymiller running “in the black.”  A company that runs “in the red” cannot stay in business.  Fuel is a major expense for any trucking company.  At a national average price of $2.55 a gallon and a fleet average MPG of 6.89, it costs $0.37 a mile in fuel to run a truck.  That adds up quickly.  That cost can be reduced by fueling where we get the best prices.  A $0.30 discount on the price of fuel brings the cost down to $0.32 a mile.  It makes sense to go where the discounts are.

          I teach my trainees that since Freymiller is paying for the truck, the fuel and us, it’s important to fuel the way we are told to fuel.  Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.  If I am loaded so heavy that filling my tanks all the way will put me over gross, then adjustments must be made.  But, overall…