Third day – Snow Day

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Third day – Snow Day

School called for snow so I went and renewed my license. They would have expired in a couple of weeks.

This is one of the trucks that we will be training in.

I went to work and took care of an engineering change and lined up some additional designs that I can do at home.

Day Two of CDL School

Tuesday February 26, 2008

Day Two of CDL School

We studied log books all day to day. We will start to fill them out everyday and turn them in the next morning. It went well. We will be in the trucks in a few days. Snow is predicted for tonight. I will see how that effects school tomorrow.

First Day at CDL School

Monday, February 25, 2008

First Day at CDL School

I started my first day of CDL School at Tennessee Tech @ Nashville.

For those that are interested in the process and events of the school I will try to keep my blog updated with what we do and also some pictures as I go alone. I will not be posting everyday on http://www.cfidrivers.com so for more detailed information and pictures go to my link for my blog. http://mytruckingbog.blogspot.com/ I will try to keep it current.

Tennessee Tech Center @ Nashville link. http://www.nashville.tec.tn.us/programs/truck-driving.htm

First Day Events: We get out student ID’s and sign paper work and spend day going over what we will be learning. It was a busy day. I am glad that we only have 6 hour days. We received started in out text book and review what we would need to study. We have our learners permits so we won’t have to do that when we take our test for the CDL. I am glad to have that out of the way.

Start CDL School Tomorrow

Sunday, February 24, 2008

CDL School Tomorrow.

I finished my last day at work Friday and all went well. I am now officially unemployed. It hasn’t sunk in yet but it should tomorrow when I go to school instead of work. It will become more real in a couple of weeks when I don’t receive a check. I have tried to prepare financially and should be okay if I don’t have any emergencies.

One Day Left

Thursday, February 21, 2008

One Day Left

I paid my tuition yesterday and I am ready to start truck driving school Monday. I have one more day left on my present job and then my new career starts.

I am going to continue to do some design and programming for them on a part time consulting basics. That means that I can still earn some income while I go to school. Also I will be doing most of the work at home. That works for me.

The classes are from 7:45 – 2:15 M-F for 7 weeks. We get a week spring break which extends the time to 8 weeks. It starts February 20 and ends April 19. I am hoping to get on at CFI. The school is PTDI certified and the instructors (Gary Warren and Al Bentley) are third party examiners for the state and will be giving the driving test to get the CDL licenses. I like that part. I won’t be as nervous hopefully.

The class only has 8 students and two instructors. If you do the math the tuition doesn’t cover the cost of the class. The total cost is about $1200.00 but that include the DOT physical, the drug test, the license fee, $200.00 for truck maintenance, insurance cost of $160.00 excreta. Only $564.00 goes to the school for the program. For 8 students that totals $4,512.00. For 7 weeks of class for two instructors that comes to $322.29 a week for each instructor or $9.92 per hour for a 6 ½ hour day and that doesn’t include benefits or other cost such as taxes excreta. Maybe they make minimum wage or do it because they enjoy it. :>) I am sure that is not what they are paid and I am sure that is not what the school is collecting for us. But I am happy to have the opportunity to get the training. I believe that it will be a good place to go.

Can’t Wait to Get Out of Here

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Can’t Wait to Get Out of Here

I can’t wait to get out of here. I am giving a weeks notice Friday. That never is a pleasant thing to do. They depend on me a lot and they have no one that can take over my position. In spite of their attitude I know what my experience is and it is about impossible to find anyone that can even come close to doing what I can do. I don’t expect for them to ever recognize that fact. They are just too dumb. One thing I have learned in my 40 years in this industry is that the more knowledgeable the person is that I have worked for the more that they recognize what I can do. The dumb asses don’t know the different between a Mercedes and a Yugo. They are both vehicles so why not get the cheapest?

I have to admit that my attitude sucks. It couldn’t be much worse. It hasn’t always been this way. I have been fortunate in the jobs that I have had. I have usually defined my own duties. Most places have been real happy with the money that I have made for them and give me the freedom to do my thing. They just smiled all the way to the bank.

Industry has gone through some real changes in resent years. Most I don’t like. I understand the changes but I don’t always agree with them. Some of the worst changes are the just the way that business is done. It is hard to survive today as a small business and I am talking about a few million a year small. We are going to end up with all large corporate type companies. Of course we are seeing that in the retail, medical, as well as manufacturing. Why should we be concerned? Over 50% of all new patents and products are made by small companies and individuals. There are a lot of products that serve limited use needs that large companies will not do.

I have to admit that I will miss what I have done for 40 years but it is time for me to move on.

2 Week Count Down

Monday, February 11, 2008

2 Week Count Down

I went for my orientation Friday. I did the drug test and filled out the paper work for the Hope Scholarship money. That is Lotto money for education. I should get $667.00 from that. That will sure come in handy. On the 20th of February I go and pay my tuition and get my student ID. They wouldn’t take it while I was there. They wait till the drug test results are back.

I am sure getting anxious now. It is scary not having a job and starting something new.

Orientation Tomorrow

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Orientation Tomorrow

Today sucked. Before 7:00 this morning my boss comes in wanting a job done for a client that is going to be here at 8:00. (Anytime he is here early it is going to be a bad day). I had started the job but had been taken off and had not got back to it. My boss had been out for a week and had just got back in this morning. (Again any time he has been out he comes in being an ass hole). Anyway the hot job that I was working on got put off till tomorrow. I am not going to be here tomorrow! Tomorrow is orientation so guess where I will be. Not here. I only have two more weeks, thank God.

Attention Deficient Disorder

Wednesday February 6, 2008

Attention Deficient Disorder has become a major industry today. We have doctors who specialize in ADD, support groups, and drugs for the disorder. We do not have ADD in our family. My mother (rest her soul) had the care. You paid attention or you got your head knocked off, no attention deficient here. Today I am sure it would be called child abuse but it worked. Making child abuse a crime certainly has created a lack of discipline in this generation. This is another area that we need to change in our society. I am not talking about the sever neglect or abuse but the everyday job of disciplining your child so that they become a happy and responsible adults. Children are adults in training and it is our job as parents and community to see that these little adult are property trained. I propose a five minute rule: If you are in a public place and you can not get your child in control after five minutes it is open to anyone else to step in and do it for you. After one or two times a stranger smacking your child to stop his temper fit he will become aware of what he tries the next time in public. You will also become more of a disciplinary in controlling your children. So the next time you are in public with your child and he is misbehaving, or another child is annoying you, remember the 5 Minute Rule and see if it wouldn’t make you feel better.

For more innovative ideas on how we can make life better keep a watch on my Blogs. All comment all welcome.

Orientation Friday

Tuesday February 5, 2008

Orientation Friday

I haven’t written for a while. I hate to disappoint the thousands that read my daily blog but sometimes I must take a break for all the adoring fans (ignore the hit counter, I sure that number is times thousand). I have been busy getting ready to change careers. I go for orientation Friday and then I have two weeks left here at work before I start school.

I wrote my resignation today. I haven’t given it to them yet. They really have a problem with people leaving on their own. It is like run away slaves.

I made it generic with a lot of bullshit. I used words like pleasant memories, good luck and continued success, experiences have been invaluable. What I would have liked to say is I am tried of working for retarded assholes that treat you like shit and I don’t have to take it anymore.

When I leave February 22 I will be two weeks short of 41 years in manufacturing. I started while still in high school working nights. I serve an apprenticeship in tooling and design. I went to school for 4 years while serving the apprenticeship. When cad/cam became a part of manufacturing I went back to school to learn them and then taught cad/cam in Florida and later in Tennessee. I have continued to go to school during my career and I hold teaching licenses in Florida and Tennessee. Now I can not get a decent job that pays.

I am excited to start school. My family and friends thinks that I have gone off the deep end. I am turning 60 so I must have some senility going on. What are you thinking leaving an engineering job to drive trucks across the country being gone weeks at a time? It makes prefect sense to me but don’t expect me to explain it. It doesn’t sound too logical when put into words. They haven’t tried to have me committed yet. They are humoring me so far and waiting to see if I come to my senses. Or they are waiting to see me fall on my ass. The problem is that I don’t fail often. That probable has them concerned.