I am fortunate in that my lifestyle allows me the opportunity to travel full time. As a trucker, I spend the bulk of my days cruising down the highways, streets, and country roads of the U.S. looking at the scenery as it drifts by. Occasionally I will stop to look at some particularly beautiful scenery or check out some interesting looking tourist trap. One of my favorite pastimes is wandering the streets in some some burg that I haven't visited before, checking out the little shops, diners, ...

Hello all. Finally repaired my not-so-trusty laptop and am now able to get back online. I am writing this from the sleeper of my truck while parked (much to the relief of my fellow motorists) in a Flying J truckstop in Sioux Falls, SD. It's really great to get a nice high-speed WiFi connection without having to carry the gear out of the truck. I am currently on my way to Tacomah, WA from Wisconsin hauling a 40,000 lbs snow blower. I have to deliver it to the sea port so it can take a b...

Hello everyone. My poor old laptop finally gave up the ghost. The harddrive went south on me so I haven't been online much at all. Just using the computers in the public library whenever I get the chance. I hope to buy a new harddrive for it in a couple of weeks and then can be online more and post some new articles. A lot has changed since I last checked in. I am still living in Florida, but am back to driving a truck because the income is so much better. I am leaving in the morning (if...

I just finished my second week at the new job. Last night I was asked if I would be interested in applying for a promotion to a management position. I was really surprised as I have only been there two weeks. My manager told me about an opening and said that he would really like it if I would apply for it. He said he'd recommend me for it to the hiring manager as I have a strong management background. I guess I'm doing something right. I brought the promotion application home with me an...

I have been in orientation/training since I started my new job. They are teaching us company policies and procedures, their software, products, and the State/Federal laws which govern the industry. (Telecommunications). While a great deal of this is old hat for me as I have been in the telecommunications industry most of my life, there is some company specific information that is very important for the job. In the beginning there were 22 people in the training class. Now, just over a week ...

I have started doing some writing and will be posting sections of it in my blog as I go along. I am hoping to get some critique on the story as well as the writing itself. I'd really appreciate it. The story will be called J'Abar (at least for now) and I will be posting the sections titled as "J'Abar 1a, J'Abar 1b" ect.... They will be in the "Art section" for anyone who cares to give them a read and (hopefully) provide some feedback. Thanks all.

Wow, I have really missed JU this past week. My modem took a lightening jolt last Sunday and hasn't worked since. I finally got around to buying a new one and some heavy duty surge protection today. The new job is going great, It's already been suggested that I could see a promotion after 90 days. That's a good deal, I can use the money. I found a house to buy. I went by and looked at it today and, after negotiating the price down to 1/3 the asking price, I agreed to take it. It has an ...

In the small southern Virginia community where I lived for over seven years people are very friendly. As you walk or drive down the street, people wave as you pass by and you wave back. It really doesn't matter whether you know them, it's just the neighborly thing to do. Folks stop on the sidewalk or in the store and chat a while with each other. When they ask how you're doing, they actually mean "How are you doing?". It's not just platitude uttered in passing. They actually want to know h...

It's amazing how life can do an about face so suddenly you have to stop and ask "what the hell just happened?". A couple of weeks ago I was just about as low as a person can get. I was unemployed, in physical and emotional pain, and depressed to the point of just giving up. I just couldn't see how things could ever get better. This past weekend I moved to Florida to stay at my mother's house while I looked for work and a place to live. I really didn't feel hopeful about the employment pros...

Ok, so it's not the greatest job in the world, but it's a start. Today I interviewed for a position in a telecommunications call center. While it's a pretty low level position, it's a start. and it does pay a little better than average for this area. I just got to Florida on Monday evening and here it is Wednesday and I got hired. Happened quicker than I expected. It's an indoor job that won't be hard on my bad back and it's a pretty nice and comfortable office environment. Business cas...

The trip down here was pretty unevent. I made it to Plant City around 4pm yesterday. It was good to see my mother again. I immediately dove into my job hunting and have a few prospects lined up to contact today. I may have to accept a postion that is somewhat less than I want for the moment. I'd rather have some immediate income than to wait around for the "perfect" job. Right now anything is better than nothing. Not much else to say at the moment. Going to set up an interview for this ...

The past few days I had been feeling pretty low about my current situation. Mind you, NOT feeling sorry for myself, more just a mixture of anger, frustration, and a bit of depression. At the same time, while I was feeling so low myself. I had been chatting with a couple of people who were going through some tough times and feeling depressed. I had been thinking about this as it relates to my own emotional state. During our chats I had not let on to these people that I was going through a "...

Just returned from my afternoon walk/hobble/wobble. It's the hottest part of the day now and the sun felt very good. There is just enough of a breeze to stir the palms and cool the cool. While it isn't full summer yet a hat is already a good idea as the sun here can be brutal even this time of year. I donned my trusty Panama before heading out. While I was working my way slowly toward the end of the road I was thinking about all of the hiking I had done over the years. I love hiking and ju...

I did my morning walk. Starting today I am going to do the walk twice a day instead of one. I am hoping it will aid in speeding the healing process. Despite waking in the middle of the night in extreme pain possibly as a result of moving wrong in my sleep the hip feels pretty decent today. The pain is somewhat tolerable. The first 3/4 of a block of the walk I used the cane very lightly, only really leaning on it a couple of time when my balance became a little off. Amazing how much the hip j...

Ok, now this just ain't right! Not only do I have to sit around doing nothing thanks to the injuries I incurred in the car wreck, and the lack of income that goes with not having worked in nearly 5 months for the same reason, but now my damned TV is going out on me. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. Ok, not exactly a catastrophe, or even a major emergency. But Damn! It's not like I exactly have a lot to do other than sit here and watch the boob tube right now. The fates are sooooo cruel. If I ever...