A bunch of useless crap
Published on August 19, 2006 By MasonM In Blogging
I'm having my morning coffee and shaking the cobwebs out of my head. I woke around 6:00 this morning, which is my normal wake up time, realized that I really don't need to get up early, and went back to sleep for a couple more hours. Just being lazy.

I am about 8 hours from Eau Claire where I'll be delivering on Monday morning. Two whole days to make an 8 hour run from here. I'm debating whether to just stay here until tomorrow morning or go on up the road a little way and split the trip into 2 parts.

I have paperwork to do. I've been procrasatinating on it and really need to get it done so I can get paid the end of next week. I didn't get paid this week because I hadn't turned in the paperwork yet. No biggie as I still have plenty of cash left from the previous payday, and when I do get paid at the end of next week it'll be a nice two week check.

The ladies in the office get a bit testy at times because of late paperwork, so I really need to make sure it's in there before one of them calls me up and complains about it. They usually get the most grumpy about it around the end of the month when they're trying to close out the month's billing so if I get it all turned in on Monday it'll still be ok.

I have no good excuse for not getting it done. I just hate paperwork and let it slide. My bad. I have a system set up to make doing the paperwork as quick and easy as possible. Most of the drivers do it all by hand. I use my PCMiler routing software and spreadsheet templates I set up. I just copy/paste, enter a few small details, and hit print. Not exactly difficult, yet somehow I still wind up putting it off no matter how many times I vow to keep up with it.

It really would make my life easier if I just did it as I go, but somehow that just never seems to happen. More often than not after driving/working all day I just don't feel like doing paperwork so I wind up letting it slide until crunch time and have to commit to the time to get it done.

As I have loads of extra time this weekend I'll go ahead and get it done. That'll make my wallet happy as well as the ladies in the office. Being as they do my payroll, I like to keep them happy.

I was thinking about the boss asking me to come and work in the office. If my hip continues to degrade I may have to seriously look at such an option, but I really don't want to move to WI. I wonder if we could set up a telecommute situation? There could be some advantage to having a satellite office in Florida I suppose, but I'm not sure how open he would be to something like that.

I could easily set up my home PC to route into their system from there, and telephones are easily forwarded and/or rerouted these days so it would be possible enough, they would just have to FedEx me the paper forms they use.

Next time he and I are having a beer together I'll feel him out on it to see how he might feel about it. That would allow me to still live in Florida and be able to work if I get to the point I can no longer drive. WI is just too damned cold in the winter.

Comments
on Aug 19, 2006
Your idea of telecommuting should have plenty of merit for your boss, unless they need a lot of face to face time. Heck, even that isn't that difficult with video conferencing type features that are no available if you have hi-speed internet available.

Thanks to technology like VOIP (where companies like Vonage can give you a phone number from any region of the country no matter where you sit) and the video phone technology added on top of it, it would be hard to tell if you weren't in the main office in most cases.

Good luck with either direction you pursue though. I understand not wanting to move up too far and get yourself stuck in a position you don't really want. There's a lot to be said about being a worker bee, as management is typically the first to take the brunt of labor cuts, or at least they get the worst of it when released and then hunting for something new.
on Aug 19, 2006
#1 by terpfan1980
Sat, August 19, 2006 09:40 AM


Thanks. I did the management thing for a number of years and am really not interested in going back into it. This is a small family operation so I'm not too concerned about labor cuts or anything like that, I'm just not sure I want to go back to working in an office environment again.

I agree that the technology part is easily doable. These folks aren't exactly well versed in technology so it would pretty much be up to me to show them how it could work. But for now at least, I'm just knocking the idea around. I'll keep driving for as long as my hip will allow and seriously consider other options when it no longer is possible.
on Aug 19, 2006
Hi Mason.

Just popped in to say hi. It's nice glad you are having some down time.
on Aug 19, 2006

I'm just not sure I want to go back to working in an office environment again.

Given your alergies to Paperwork, I dont think Dispatcher is your cup of tea (or Beer).  After all, Dispatchers live in paperwork!

But whatever you decide, the best of luck.  Any good stops on the way between IN and WI?  Might want to visit some old haunts since you have a lot of time.

on Aug 19, 2006
#3 by KellyW.
Sat, August 19, 2006 10:30 AM



[KellyW.]
Hi Mason.

Just popped in to say hi. It's nice glad you are having some down time


Thanks Kelly
on Aug 19, 2006
#4 by Dr. Guy
Sat, August 19, 2006 0:49 PM



[Dr. Guy]

I'm just not sure I want to go back to working in an office environment again.

Given your alergies to Paperwork, I dont think Dispatcher is your cup of tea (or Beer). After all, Dispatchers live in paperwork!

But whatever you decide, the best of luck. Any good stops on the way between IN and WI? Might want to visit some old haunts since you have a lot of time.


Yeah, I know what you mean. When I worked in an office all the time I didn't mind the paperwork, it was my job. It's different when driving. It's still a part of my job, just not the part I really enjoy.

I'm actually a pretty well organized person when I want to be. Being on the road just makes me not want to be.

No, after Lebanon there really aren't any fun places to stop. I considered hanging around there today as the bar has a band playing tonight, but I decided to go ahead and move on up the road a piece.

Breaking it up by driving a part of the way each day seems to be better than just sitting in one place for a long time. I'm now parked once again an will hang out here for a while. Not much to do in the way of entertainment but that's ok, I need to spend less money anyway.
on Aug 19, 2006
Not much to do in the way of entertainment but that's ok, I need to spend less money anyway.


Socrates is cheap! besides, he probably likes the attention!

You should see Sally now that my wife is gone! I love cats, but not as a neck stole!
on Aug 19, 2006
I'm a "Billing Babe" and end of the month is big crunch time.
If you're a Bill of Lading, a freight invoice, or a fuel surcharge and get near me at the end of the month - you get billed.

Hope you enjoy your down time. I know what you mean about winter. It gets plenty cold in Ohio - I don't want to be any further north.
It would be worth a question to your boss - telecommuting - might put an idea in his head.
How Socrates? Give him a lovin for me.
on Aug 19, 2006
I love cats, but not as a neck stole!

on Aug 19, 2006
#8 by feisty_in_ohio
Sat, August 19, 2006 3:38 PM




I'm a "Billing Babe" and end of the month is big crunch time.
If you're a Bill of Lading, a freight invoice, or a fuel surcharge and get near me at the end of the month - you get billed.

Hope you enjoy your down time. I know what you mean about winter. It gets plenty cold in Ohio - I don't want to be any further north.
It would be worth a question to your boss - telecommuting - might put an idea in his head.
How Socrates? Give him a lovin for me.


End of the month is crunch time for everyone I think.

Socrates is good, napping at the moment.
Thanks
on Aug 19, 2006

Hey!  Eau Claire,  back in the old high school days,  was the team to beat ( I'm from Chippewa Falls)  the town sure has grown though!

Whatever you decide about work best wishes! 

It IS cold up here in winter!

 

on Aug 19, 2006
#11 by Trudygolightly
Sat, August 19, 2006 4:43 PM



[Trudygolightly]

Hey! Eau Claire, back in the old high school days, was the team to beat ( I'm from Chippewa Falls) the town sure has grown though!

Whatever you decide about work best wishes!

It IS cold up here in winter!


Too cold for my thin Southern blood.