I delivered my two stops in CA yesterday, finishing up after our office was closed last night. I made my way to the truckstops an hour away and parked for the night. I'm still sitting here, not making a dime.

They are doing their best to find me a load out of here but freight is slow. I am starting to wonder if I shouldn't be considering another line of work, at least until the economy improves. But of course there's the rub; the economy. People are losing jobs all over the country so going into another line of work may not even be possible right now, at least nothing that pays enough to be worth it.

I guess I should consider myself lucky to even have a job right now, even if it is a job that simply isn't paying anything at the moment. I was talking to someone in our office this morning and she was telling me that most of our office people have been cut to half work weeks due to the slow business. That is not a good sign. I'm just hoping that we aren't about to go out of business entirely.

I'm sure I could get on with some other trucking company if we go belly up, but I like this outfit and it would be hard to go back to working for some large company and be just another number. A warm body filling a seat and who doesn't really matter one way or the other.

It may come to that though.

I have enough money left to eat on for a few more days and won't see another payday for nearly two weeks as I haven't made it back to the yard yet to get my paperwork in on this trip to get paid this week. Slim pickins indeed.

But the weather is nice and I am at a location with restrooms and food available so it could be worse. I have enough cartridges for my e-cigarette to last for several more days yet and plenty of pipe tobacco so no worries on that front. And of course free wifi access. I am even able to pick up a couple of digital tv stations here.

I'd rather be loaded and rolling though. That's what makes my money for me.

I've been watching this hispanic guy walking around the parking lot trying to sell pillows to the drivers. They have logos of ball teams and such, even a Sponge Bob Square Pants one. He has a pretty good act. I told him I was broke and the price for the pillows dropped from $20 all the way down to $7 along with some pitiful hang-dog looks, before he finally took no for an answer. That $7 will buy me a meal.

Despite being somewhat depressed about things in general right now I hoisted myself up by my bootstraps and went inside to shave a bit ago. I had showered last night but when it came to shaving I just said 'fuck it" and didn't bother. I was looking pretty scruffy. I have to admit that it did make me feel a little better just knowing that I looked a bit more presentable.

I was thinking earlier that it was too bad there isn't a bar around here, and then I remembered that I don't have the cash for that even if there were. Bummer on both counts.

After shaving I walked across the road to the restaurant to get a bite to eat. There were two young ladies working in there, both hispanic, and one of them was brand new. She took my order with some prompting from the other, her English not quite up to par but doing ok just the same. They were both curious about my e-cig and I had to show them how it works and such. The more experienced one asked where she might get one for her husband who she wished would quit smoking. She had her laptop handy so I gave her the url for the website where she could get one for him.

The meal made me feel a bit better and I returned to my truck to surf the net and watch some idiot box while waiting for the call about a load that so far has not come.

Looks like I'll be spending another night here.