After working Friday morning I resigned from Frito-Lay. There wasn't any one thing in particular that I found impossible to deal with. It was the cumulative impact that several factors were having on me. The constantly fluctuating hours, the backbreaking (and in my opinion injury subjective) work, the extra work constantly being created by the shipping department simply cutting corners. I can deal with a certain degree of suck at any job. It's not called "work" for no reason, after all. And as a former Marine... believe me, I'm no crybaby about things. It's simply a matter of what is right for me.
The main reason I wanted to quit long-haul over-the-road driving was to re-capture something resembling a normal lifestyle. And despite the fact that I usually got home after every day's work from Frito, it would be inaccurate to suggest it gave me a normal lifestyle. With the constantly changing schedule, I never knew when to eat, sleep, or anything. My circadian rhythm was all fucked up. It only took 3 weeks of this to realize that the ONLY thing I was gaining was a bigger paycheck.
And money isn't everything. I've just been re-schooled in that lesson. So I pocket another $20,000 a year... but have to deal with all of the above-mentioned issues. I genuinely was worried about blowing out my shoulder. Anyhow -- the point is that you can't live in a healthy manner when you're constantly stressed out and not sleeping somewhat regularly.
On Wednesday I interviewed for a driver position advertised in the ProJo by Lagasse-Sweet in Mansfield, Mass. I generally interview pretty well, and it didn't hurt that the general manager conducting the interview was also a former Marine. I'm young, but have a decade of commercial driving experience. My license and criminal record are both 100% clean. I'm easily employable, and the fact that I beat out 20 other drivers for the one opening is a testament to that. He offered me the job on the spot, and I requested a couple of days to decide. So now I've accepted, pending the usual rigmarole of background and license checks, and pissing into a cup. Assuming all goes well, I ought to be able to start working around the middle of this week, give or take a day.
It's also a bit closer to where I live. 20 mles, all highway. (Getting to Frito was 30 miles along Rte. 6 and 101 through Scituate and Foster... which I imagine might suck during the winter).
So Lagasse-Sweet will offer me an hourly salary. No more getting irritated by traffic jams! Uniforms provided. No waiting period for health care or 401k. Almost always working normal waking hours (I think he said they have one 3am start route that comes up once every couple weeks, since they rotate the assignments). 45-50 hour work-week. And as I proclaimed repeatedly in my last blog, weekends off. The down-side is that I can expect to make an annual salary in the upper 40s, which is a pay-cut for me compared to any of my more recent jobs. I can make it work. And assuming I don't screw anything up, I could get a minor (0.25) raise after 90 days.
So I'm optimistic. I'll keep the blog updated with my impressions of the job once I begin.
Yesterday I got the windows on the new Civic tinted by Sun Patrol in Coventry. Technically this is illegal in Rhode Island, but the law is kind of bullshit if you ask me. Look at virtually EVERY mini-van or SUV on the road today. Almost all of them have dark tint on the windows (except the driver windows). According to Rhode Island law that is illegal. But that is how these vehicles come from the factory, for crissake. So HOPEFULLY no cop will be an asshole and pull me over and ticket me for it. I went 35%, which is not opaque. You can still see into my vehicle. The only other potential obstacle is that once I need to get the car inspected, I'll need to find someone who will pass it, despite the tint. If any of you Rhode Islanders have a "friend in the business", let me know.
Looks cool though. I'd take a picture except it's raining and I'm still in my bathrobe.
Saturday afternoon I got a massage at Blackstone Massage Therapy Center in Providence. I've had some massage work done in the past and found it incredibly helpful, especially considering I carry a LOT of tension in my shoulders due to so many hours behind the wheel. I had my first professional massage perhaps 20 years ago, because my father trained in the profession about that time. Unfortunately I do not have a good relationship with him at this point. But I'm still sold on the genuine benefits of this kind of therapy. The last massage I had was overpriced and mediocre, and was during my trip to Las Vegas. I spent an afternoon at the Mandalay Bay spa. The overall experience was outstanding, (seriously, click that link and check this place out... amazing!) but the massage itself wasn't anything special. Don't get me wrong... it was beneficial and relaxing. But didn't really address my problem areas. So yesterday at Blackstone, I spent a long time talking to Chris about my profession and lifestyle, and I think he did a great job of starting to undo some of the "damage" I do to myself. I'll return again in a couple of weeks for more work. Finding a therapist you like isn't always easy, but I think I lucked out with this choice. I feel confident enough after one 90 minute session to give him repeat business.
Anyhow, time to wrap this up. Think I'll take The Mom out for breakfast at the Modern Diner.
The main reason I wanted to quit long-haul over-the-road driving was to re-capture something resembling a normal lifestyle. And despite the fact that I usually got home after every day's work from Frito, it would be inaccurate to suggest it gave me a normal lifestyle. With the constantly changing schedule, I never knew when to eat, sleep, or anything. My circadian rhythm was all fucked up. It only took 3 weeks of this to realize that the ONLY thing I was gaining was a bigger paycheck.
And money isn't everything. I've just been re-schooled in that lesson. So I pocket another $20,000 a year... but have to deal with all of the above-mentioned issues. I genuinely was worried about blowing out my shoulder. Anyhow -- the point is that you can't live in a healthy manner when you're constantly stressed out and not sleeping somewhat regularly.
On Wednesday I interviewed for a driver position advertised in the ProJo by Lagasse-Sweet in Mansfield, Mass. I generally interview pretty well, and it didn't hurt that the general manager conducting the interview was also a former Marine. I'm young, but have a decade of commercial driving experience. My license and criminal record are both 100% clean. I'm easily employable, and the fact that I beat out 20 other drivers for the one opening is a testament to that. He offered me the job on the spot, and I requested a couple of days to decide. So now I've accepted, pending the usual rigmarole of background and license checks, and pissing into a cup. Assuming all goes well, I ought to be able to start working around the middle of this week, give or take a day.
It's also a bit closer to where I live. 20 mles, all highway. (Getting to Frito was 30 miles along Rte. 6 and 101 through Scituate and Foster... which I imagine might suck during the winter).
So Lagasse-Sweet will offer me an hourly salary. No more getting irritated by traffic jams! Uniforms provided. No waiting period for health care or 401k. Almost always working normal waking hours (I think he said they have one 3am start route that comes up once every couple weeks, since they rotate the assignments). 45-50 hour work-week. And as I proclaimed repeatedly in my last blog, weekends off. The down-side is that I can expect to make an annual salary in the upper 40s, which is a pay-cut for me compared to any of my more recent jobs. I can make it work. And assuming I don't screw anything up, I could get a minor (0.25) raise after 90 days.
So I'm optimistic. I'll keep the blog updated with my impressions of the job once I begin.
Yesterday I got the windows on the new Civic tinted by Sun Patrol in Coventry. Technically this is illegal in Rhode Island, but the law is kind of bullshit if you ask me. Look at virtually EVERY mini-van or SUV on the road today. Almost all of them have dark tint on the windows (except the driver windows). According to Rhode Island law that is illegal. But that is how these vehicles come from the factory, for crissake. So HOPEFULLY no cop will be an asshole and pull me over and ticket me for it. I went 35%, which is not opaque. You can still see into my vehicle. The only other potential obstacle is that once I need to get the car inspected, I'll need to find someone who will pass it, despite the tint. If any of you Rhode Islanders have a "friend in the business", let me know.
Looks cool though. I'd take a picture except it's raining and I'm still in my bathrobe.
Saturday afternoon I got a massage at Blackstone Massage Therapy Center in Providence. I've had some massage work done in the past and found it incredibly helpful, especially considering I carry a LOT of tension in my shoulders due to so many hours behind the wheel. I had my first professional massage perhaps 20 years ago, because my father trained in the profession about that time. Unfortunately I do not have a good relationship with him at this point. But I'm still sold on the genuine benefits of this kind of therapy. The last massage I had was overpriced and mediocre, and was during my trip to Las Vegas. I spent an afternoon at the Mandalay Bay spa. The overall experience was outstanding, (seriously, click that link and check this place out... amazing!) but the massage itself wasn't anything special. Don't get me wrong... it was beneficial and relaxing. But didn't really address my problem areas. So yesterday at Blackstone, I spent a long time talking to Chris about my profession and lifestyle, and I think he did a great job of starting to undo some of the "damage" I do to myself. I'll return again in a couple of weeks for more work. Finding a therapist you like isn't always easy, but I think I lucked out with this choice. I feel confident enough after one 90 minute session to give him repeat business.
Anyhow, time to wrap this up. Think I'll take The Mom out for breakfast at the Modern Diner.
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Also, sorry I have been a penis lately. More on that later perhaps.
eh, I got nothing.