Getting started

Monday, April 4, 2011 started extra early.  Since Aboy drives over the road – someone always drops him off in Dallas, at his job – so the car is not sitting there for days at a time.  I had work, and Aboy had to be in early to be down in Houston to drop a trailer off for the temporary seats that would be disassembled after the Men’s NCAA Final Four that evening.  So, I was elected to make the 30 mile schlep.  We left the house at 6 am (we woke up at 4:30am), got to Dallas by 6:45 am and waited.

I didn’t sleep well the night before. I stayed up late watching the NCAAW Notre Dame/UConn game.  By time I fell asleep – it was way after midnight.  Then up at 4:30am… let’s just say – I need my beauty sleep!! 

We had to wait at Aboy’s job because no one was there to give him the key to the truck.  It was cold and rainy.  I was getting more and more in the “Fuck it” mood – and thinking about calling in.  The week before I had finished the original project I was hired for at Sally and was moved to assisting the regulatory department to help get their data organized.  If you had bamboo shoots to shove under my fingernails – it would be less painful than doing that regulatory crap.  Finally at 8 am, someone showed up. I got on the road and was at work by 9 am. 

Now, one of the main reasons I didn’t like doing the regulatory work – they didn’t move as fast as I do.  So, she gave me (what would take the other temps) 4 days worth of work – I got it done in 40 minutes.  I have always been the type, when I was a manager – “if you don’t have anything to do, don’t do it here”.  It’s not like I didn’t warn them. The previous Friday I sent them an email and asked them to have some work ready for me to keep me busy for the entire day on Monday.  When I got to work at 9am there was literally 10 minutes of work for me to do.  That was it for me.  I emailed the temp agency and told them I couldn’t do it anymore.  I am not good at acting like I’m busy and especially when it’s something I despise doing.  I told them it was my last week. 

I left at 12.  I was exhausted, there was no work to do and I was having a bad hair day (any excuse will do). I went home and took a nap.  When I woke up, I had an email from the temp agency that I didn’t have to go back. Sally understood how frustrated I was and the temp agency was going to send someone else over.  YEAH!! 

My intentions were to stay at Sally’s – until I could study for my CDL and get my permit.  Change of plans.

Wednesday night April 6, Aboy came to Denton in the truck and picked me up.  He asked me earlier if I wanted to ride to Houston.  It’s not like I had to get up for work in the morning!  I packed my bag and we headed back to Dallas and the Trucker in Training program began.

The decision

I boast a diverse professional background and can do almost anything related to business management, operations and administration.  I have a BS in hard work and a PHD in life.  I’ve worked my way up the pay ladder over the years. 

I’m a software trainer by trade.  Not exactly what I used to tell people when I was a kid… you know when you get asked that age-old question “What do you want to be when you grow up?”… Software trainer was not on my list.  Opportunity and ability presented itself and because I don’t have the traditional 9 to 5 mindset, I saw the potential to use my creativity and charisma and turns out – I’m pretty good at it.  If I earned a real degree – I’da probably made a good teacher… I hate kids though (I’ll talk about that later).

In saying that, I’ve been working for myself as a software consultant.  My largest customer was finally ready to become independent and was no longer in need of my services.  I was happy that they were independent of me, but found myself with next to no income.  I’ve always been a hustler.  In NY when I needed money, I’d hop in the cab for the weekend and make a couple hundred bucks to hold me over.  Problem is: I’m in TX – not exactly the cab Mecca of the world.  Everyone here has a vehicle. I could probably make a couple hundred in a couple weeks… not a couple days.

So, I did what else I’m good at – I signed up with a temp agency. My first (and last) assignment was at Sally Beauty Company. They brought me on to help them catch up with some data entry that they had fallen behind with.  About 8 to 12 weeks worth of work (by their estimation). I was done in 21 business days.  AND, I made less than 1/3 of what I was used to making.  Very frustrating - to say the least.

I was almost done with the Sally assignment.  Aboy had a load to NY. Ben & Raquel were all ready in NY, visiting.  I wanted to go.  But, I had the commitment to Sally.  So, I went to my supervisor and told her the situation.  I explained that I hadn’t been to NY since 2009 and my family was up there and it was a great opportunity for me to go. I told her to get me remote access and I would dial in from the truck and do my work from there.  Long story short, she said “no”.  Honestly, I was ready to walk out.  But, I finished the assignment and made up in my mind that no one will ever have that much control over my personal life again.

Like I referenced earlier, people would ask me that question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” and they’d usually finish it off with “a nurse like your mother?”, and I would defiantly answer “NOPE! I’m going to drive a truck like my Dad!”. 

I just turned 45 in February.  Old if you ask my kids, not even middle aged if you look at the longevity in my family and at a crossroad in my professional life.  Do I want to work in a corporate environment, a slave to someone else’s demands?  Do I want to work for myself and all that goes with that (feast & famine)… or do I get my CDL, team with my husband and tour the country while we’re getting paid for it? 

When Aboy and I first got together, I remember like yesterday laying around on the weekends and talking about “when we get older”, “when the kids get grown” - you know those “when I hit lotto” conversations J.  Well, we used to say “when the kids get grown, we should buy an RV and ride across the country”.  The kids are grown.  The time is now. Even better, we don’t have to pay for gas and someone deposits money into our account for riding around all day.

So, now the Trucker in Training journey begins!

The introduction...

Every journey starts with the first step. I guess that means every blog begins with the first word.

Before you read any further, I have to warn you… I am a retired NY cab driver and a “Trucker in Training” so, I am going to use colorful words.  I’m not trying to offend anyone and if you are offended by “Fuck”, “Shit” and “Dick”…there’s no need to read anymore. Sometimes I make up my own words too; just try to follow along. 

I’ve lived in the south on and off since the 90’s.  I can’t say it has rubbed off on me, though.  I don’t say “y’all” – I say “yous”.  When I offer directions it may come out like “Youzzle have to take a right at the corner, then youzzle see the gas station on the left” and shit like that. I don’t like biscuits and gravy (the white gravy that looks like puke) or mustid on my boiga’s. I drink soda. I stand on line when I want to pay for my groceries. I love buttered rolls with my coffee and a danish is a meal when you buy it from a diner. This probably means nothing to you if you’re from NY but trust me, once you get past Jersey – the nation becomes a whole different universe!

So, sit back and enjoy the ride with me as I take you on my journey.  I’ll visit some of my past because you’ll have to understand where I came from. My past is the foundation of what got me here today.