Maps

Things Are Ok

2012-01-09T00:08:00.001-08:00

Things are ok right now I guess. I'm very comfortable in my truck / home. Freight is really slow (always is this time of year) so I am tending to have a lot of time on my hands. Time I would prefer to be spending either driving or seeing people. *Sigh* it's ok though. This happens every year. I'm a little miffed at Facebook too because it's not as good as really talking to people, and there's a lot of people on there that I really want to talk to. It's just not the same.
Oh well. Better get some shut eye. Too much time to dwell on this stuff. Tomorrow I'll get up and call some people.

The New Year

2012-01-06T17:24:00.001-08:00

So far so good, 2012. I still have a few things left over from 2011 to worry about (still trying to get my passport, saving for a car for S. California, some medical stuff, etc.) but overall things are looking up. I am very comfortable in my truck / home - in fact I just had the place redone (i.e. new rugs and new bedding). I've go some ideas to make the place even more homey but I've got to keep an eye on my budget.
I have come a long way since this time last year when I was feeling desperate to get out of trucking. Now it's quite the reverse. I'm more than a little hesitant to stop trucking. I am enjoying myself and I can't stand the idea of paying rent somewhere. There's also the fact that in many ways trucking is socially less stressful than the daily whirlwind of life at "home." No bosses, no co-workers, almost no customers, and definitely no employees (although I kinda enjoyed having temps working for me in my previous line of work).
Just me and my truck. When things go wrong, there's no politics. Either I screwed up and it's my mess, or someone else did and it's...well, still my mess but it's not as bad when I know it wasn't my fault.
Do I miss people? Yes absolutely - but a lot of the people I miss I wouldn't get to see AT ALL if I got a local job. Instead of seeing some people all of the time (and a lot of people none of the time) I get to see pretty much everybody, some of the time.
Anywho. Things are good, I like what I'm doing and that's it for now. Oh, and these pictures from New Years.

Blog Fixed!

2011-12-31T03:53:00.000-08:00

Yaay! Goodnight.

A Most Unsatisfactory Day (Jeremiah complains about some stuff)

2011-12-29T03:52:00.001-08:00

Today has just been LAAAAAAAME. It's been kind of a lame day. This morning's cold pizza, though usually quite satisfactory, was lame. Tough tasteless pizza jerky. Lame. I got off to a late start (also lame) and had some other lame experiences along the way. I'm stuck with audiobook reruns at the moment (kinda lame) since I can't afford to spring for fresh audiobooks at the moment. I got to a Truckstop in time for a cold shower (extremely lame) and in addition, the place I stopped for the night has no sit-down restaurants so I had to settle for McDonalds (the lameness is just getting started) which had no ice-cream products of any kind since their machine was broken (nominally lame) and which, though I was the only customer, took nearly 20 minutes (solidly lame) to serve up only 9 of the 10 (lame bonus!) fossilized chicken nuggets (lame score multiplier!) that I ordered. After I laughed that off, I went back to my truck intending to wind down with a Netflix movie BUT, AT&T has throttled down my connection speed so that it now takes 10 minutes to load 2 minutes of video (beyond lame) because they don't want to honor the "Unlimited" data plan that they signed me up for years back, but can't break the contract themselves so they are trying to coerce me into canceling it (forever) in favor of their current per MB plan (which is lame beyond description). So now here I sit, restless as the hours tick passed 3AM, un satisfied, unable to sleep and just generally feeling, well...lame. My truck is a mess, I have a delivery tomorrow that I need to rest up for, and now apparently my blog is broken (the background image is inexplicably missing), and when I try to login in to fix it I get this nice little error page (pictured below)...etc. etc. The lameness just goes on and on. If I can get to sleep somehow, maybe tomorrow will be better. How could it not be? Ok, don't answer that. Just...think happy thoughts. *big sigh*

Really Quick Update

2011-11-07T16:19:00.001-08:00

Feeling much better. Got this flu thing pretty much licked.

Making plans to change my address to the Pacific, WA vicinity.

Somehow lost almost 30lbs over the last few weeks. I didn't really think I changed my habits that much, but apparently it's working.

Got my truck all fixed up finally so I've got heat, a/c and power for my winter travels.

Planning on making frequent trips to Portland and Olympia in upcoming months:)

Home Time Recap

2011-10-26T04:36:00.001-07:00

Here's a recap of the last few days:
10/17 arrive at home yard, check truck into shop
10/18 try to update software on iPad - total fail. iPad completely out of commission.
10/19 - 10/21 awesome times at Nicole & Yannis's wedding!
10/21 - check in with shop re: repairs - shop says had no idea truck was ever checked in. Checked truck in second time. Get iPad all fixed up at Apple Store, and go back to truck yard in Fontana for the night.
10/22 - realize I left stuff at Ace hotel, drive back to Palm Springs to pick up and have more good times with newly weds and crew...throat starts to feel a little itchy, sinuses a tad sensitive.
10/23 - check in with shop. Shop says truck was never checked in for repairs. Check truck in for repairs for the third time. Call supervisor to give them a heads up. Definitely experiencing some sinus discomfort and post-nasal drip; did not sleep at all previous night. Later on truck is reported ready and Dispatch has a load for me. I agree to take load, then call back 20 minutes later and cancel as I am really starting to feel sick.
10/24 - miserably sick all day. Sinus pain, congestion, runny everything, chills, aching joints, pain and congestion in ears.
10/25 - much better than previous day but still congested in ears and developing a painful cough. Hoping for better tomorrow.
10/26 - unable to sleep due to sinus discomfort, congestion, and cough, so decided to write on my blog and tell everyone about it...

It's been a while...

2011-10-16T12:46:00.001-07:00

A lot has happened since my last post. I was offered a job as an apartment manager, and decided not to take it (for the time being - although I was sorely tempted to), I have re-arranged the way I do my banking so that now 50% of my paycheck goes into a savings account that I can only get to when on home-time (which has been both difficult and extremely beneficial), I had a horrific experience at a sleep study center which enlightened me to previously unimagined methods of torture (involving a c-pap machine), I had various familiar trials and conquests in the world of trucking, my best friend moved to Portland (reviving my interest in the city since now I have a place to crash and someone to hang out with there), my aunt and uncle moved to the Seattle area and my grandma is preparing to join them, my brother and his family moved to Cleveland and my mom is preparing to join them, my friend Jeremy McCool and family moved to a house in Apple Valley and I am fantasizing about joining them, I've taken up painting and am having delusions of grandeur about my future as an artist, I've become addicted to Terry Pratchett's Disc-world series on audiobook, I am officiating at my best friends' wedding, I got ordained online (for the wedding) so now apparently (according to the website) I am qualified to do weddings and absolve people of their sins, I finally found an effective sleep aid (melatonin) that helps me go to sleep without giving me a hangover the next morning, I've somewhat broken my addiction to my iPad...ummm let's see what else...I've discovered the wonders of having a George Foreman grill in my truck...I may be closing my Citibank account out of protest as soon as I can find a satisfactory credit union...ummm...I weigh about 330 lbs now and am a little concerned about that since I weighed only about 240 when I started trucking 4 years ago...I started flossing every day and now my teeth always hurt...what else? I think I am getting into the realm of extremely mundane details now so maybe I'll stop. I'll try to do another update after the wedding next week.

To sum up, I'm still very happy trucking, still making progress financially, still dreaming of a home in the desert (though now the dream includes an airstream trailer), still trying to improve my health, etc. More later.

Is digital art really art?

2011-06-14T14:27:00.001-07:00

Short answer? I don't know. That's why I'm writing this post. I am hoping someone will have some feedback. I would love hearing people say, "yes of coarse it's art" but that's just my ego talking. In reality I suspect the answer is probably not quite that simple or flattering. Yes I believe it takes some creativity and skill to take visual concepts and translate them into digital media, and even though modern (or post-modern?) tools like the iPad make the experience of creating these images closer to the "organic" experience, it's still not the same. I would much prefer to be dealing with real paper, ink, paint, and canvas but at the moment I lack the space and the time to do so. What bothers me though, is that the images I am able to create digitally are much more stunning than what I could actually achieve with my bare hands working with raw materials. I have been struggling with how to think of this. The digital versions are still original, still my own work - in fact if I had the skill required (not to mention the time, space, and materials) it is exactly the kind of work I would be turning out. The difference is that while working with limited materials and resources is considered honorable in the art world (or at least the art world in my head), working with limited skill is not. In fact that is the other thing I miss about the organic art process; the sense of accomplishment after investing time and skill into a project. Creating something that is not only a product of my own imagination, but of my own time and skill.

This is going to sound completely unrelated, but often when I think of what I enjoy most about making art, I remember something I used to do as a kid. When I had a few hours to kill (or didn't feel like doing homework - which was always) I would take a pile of pennies, find a flat surface, and one by one stand them all up on their sides. Sometimes I would end up with a hundred or more up-ended pennies on my desk. I know it's not exactly art, but it took skill and patience and to this day was one of the most soothing activities I've wasted time on. This is the experience that I am always trying for when I sit down to make art, and to an extent, it is achieved while making "art" on the iPad.

The other consideration is the question of skill. I know from experiences I've had in the past that if I invest the time, many skills are really within my reach. The fact that I haven't invested the time bothers me, and I intend to remedy that at some indeterminate point in the future. Meanwhile I can hone some of the "little" skills (ones not requiring a lot of space or special materials) and that's worth something.

So is it art? I still don't know. You tell me. To me it is beautiful and it communicates something beyond language, even if the process is less "pure" than I would like. I consider the work I do on the iPad to be shadows of what I would do "organically" given the time and resources.

I hope this isn't to disillusioning to anyone who had assumed that the work they saw me post online was done by hand (or "only" by hand). If it is, sorry to burst your bubble, and no I'm probably not that good in "real life." I am always trying to be honest with my work but I also can't let guilt or thoughts of "I wish I could do this with real materials" hold back my imagination, so I guess I'll just keep doing what I've been doing and not worry about what to call it.

I value your comments and suggestions. Please share your thoughts.

Idealism

2011-06-14T06:39:00.001-07:00

Butterfly

2011-06-13T16:58:00.001-07:00

It's a start anyway

2011-06-13T05:55:00.001-07:00

Well, here's my first attempt at making art on the iPad. I am trying to get more original and rely less on stylized tools and push button effects but it's a start anyways.

So many words, and nothing to write them on

2011-06-11T00:30:00.001-07:00

I am trying to get organized so I can start writing again but I am despairing in my search for an app to manage (and reliably store online) my various writing projects. I tried Evernote, Notebooks, My Writing, Daedalus, etc, but each app lacked something or was to complicated and distracting to make an effective writing app. I liked organizing things in notebooks as in the Notebooks and Evernote apps, but Notebooks is not really handy when it comes to exporting, and Evernote is just way too complex and distracting. I might take a second look at Notebooks but I'm not very keen at the moment. Daedalus is very slick and simple with an easy way to back things up, but it's not real handy when trying to organize my story projects. There are the blogs of coarse, but like Daedalus, I'm not really satisfied with their organization capabilities. (Big sigh) well, maybe if I can weed my day-to-day notes out of Notebooks and use it exclusively for writing that might work. I dunno. It's a lot of tedious shuffling of files around and I'm not really thrilled about it right now. Time to grab some food and hit the hay. Something will work out.

More Names

2011-04-21T13:42:00.001-07:00

Ash
Elm
Elma
Emma
Leaf (f)
Oak
Ember
Bluejay, Blue Jay, Bleu Jae
Ariadne

Dear Los Angeles...

2011-03-11T00:18:00.001-08:00

Dear Los Angeles,
I know it's been a while since I visited. I really do enjoy seeing you. I know it seems like we've grown apart lately. Don't worry, I still think you're beautiful - yes even the your gritty parts. In fact, those are the parts that make me love you most, precisely because so few really seem to appreciate that side of you. It's that part of you that's always worried about how much you weigh or if you're really keeping up with the fashionable crowd, or if your art is still relevant or always trying to compare yourself with New York or something, that gets annoying at times. Seriously. I guess there are some things about you that make me a little uneasy at times.
I think it's obvious that our relationship isn't what it once was. I've been seeing other cities, Los Angeles. I think you know about the affair I had with Portland. We're still sort of on again off again I guess. Then there was that short fling with San Francisco. You caught me checking out New York, but I swear I didn't go there.
How did we get here? I think sometimes I feel a little bit smothered by your constant need for approval and admiration. You are so unique, and so diverse - why can't you just be yourself and be happy with who you are? I don't care what kind of cars cruise your streets or what celebrities live in your neighborhoods. I don't care how involved you are in "the industry" or what pretentious degrees your colleges offer. That's not what I love about you. It's your diversity I enjoy - in your streets, your people, your food...these are what I come to you to savor; but you're too busy for me. You can't sit still - always rushing here and there trying to please this person or impress that person. You have no time for me, Los Angeles.
I think this is the reason, above all others, that we should just be friends. I really do think highly of you, and I'll still visit from time to time, but I don't think we have any long term potential. I just don't think we're compatible. Maybe it's not you, maybe it's me. I've changed, Los Angeles. I need space. I'll never forget you, Los Angeles, and I hope we can still be friends.
Jeremy

Sleep statistics for 18 - 19 Feb (Fri)

2011-02-19T07:53:00.001-08:00

Went to bed / woke up: 0:20 / 8:27
Total time: 8h 06m

Analysis made by the Sleep Cycle iPhone app.

My sleep graph for the entire night:

Notes:

Woke feeling very tired; did not feel rested.

A question of hours

2011-01-25T17:35:00.001-08:00

So, according to my plans from last night, I should have started off for Rancho at 8:00 am or so this morning. It is now after 5:00 pm and I still haven't left. I woke up exhausted this morning and opted for more sleep. Now I am left with a few options:
1.) set out immediately, and drive a full 10 hours
2.) set out immediately, stop before midnight
3.) wait until I have a 34 reset (7:00 am tomorrow)

Setting out immediately and driving 10 hours
Pros:
Instant gratification
Would arrive ahead of schedule
Would arrive in time to swap important items to/from storage
More miles for the week

Cons:
Would have to drive all night
Would not improve my sleep patterns
Would waste potential reset hours

Set out immediately stopping before midnight
Pros:
Instant gratification
Fewer hours to drive over next 2 days
Could possibly stop to stock groceries
Could possibly stop somewhere with showers

Cons:
Wastes potential reset hours
Less time upon arrival

Set out tomorrow after reset
Pros:
Facilitates normal sleep schedule
Uses downtime for a 34 hour reset
Could take more time to settle into truck

Cons:
Little or no time on arrival
Less miles for the week
Unlikely I will be able to sleep much tonight having slept most of the day

Undoubtedly I have found myself in a funk. This has been a common occurrence when doing short runs on I-5. The only upside to this is the opportunity to swap some items in/out of my truck when I get to Rancho to make things more comfortable. The main downside is that I missed an opportunity to end up in Rancho with a whole day to kill, driving during optimal daylight hours.
Oh well. I know I will eventually get a good rhythm going again. I will just have to salvage this one the best way I can. I guess ultimately I can leave anytime between now and 7:00 am tomorrow and drive for up to 10 hours. I'll see what my gut tells me since all the various pros and cons pretty much make it a toss up. See you in a couple days.

Plans

2011-01-23T01:50:00.001-08:00

It is interesting to see plans change and evolve. Amazing that there can be so many conflicting interests wrapped up in one person. Security, family, friends, freedom, love, comfort, serenity - all these things that tug us in various directions. There is the part of me that wants to travel, set foot on every content, see the great wonders of the world, then there's the part that wants to meet someone, wake up every day with them, spend my life savoring the difference of another person that is not me and yet trusts and cherishes me as much I them and each as much as ourselves, then there's the part of me that wants to bring up a child, introduce them to the marvels of the world, share my experiences and little wisdom, and watch them grow and surpass me, then yet another part of me that wants to bend all my experience and talent to a purpose, to use all my skill to see it flourish and succeed, to turn what I have into something bigger and better until the return on my investments supports me on it's own, while yet another part of me wants to create music and art, to reach a point where I can make it without thinking, where it just flows, to make something profound and timeless and true, and then there's a part of me that would love nothing more than to be a monk on some far off mountain in some far off country, to do nothing but ponder the mysteries of the universe and of myself, to meditate, and to live simply, purely, and serenely. Given unlimited time and resources, I would do all these and more. I'd study science for the pure pleasure of learning and seeing and discovering - from the atom to the cosmos; I'd read, I'd dig, I'd observe, anthropology, physics, geology, biology...
Time, unfortunately, is not unlimited, and we must make the best of what resources we have. Lately I have been setting aside many ideas that would have been good short term solutions, in favor of long term solutions. The things that I used to want "later" I am beginning to want now. Later is catching up with me.
There are still somethings that take precedent over others. The first is serenity. No, I'm not going to become a monk or any other sort of hermit, appealing as it sounds, because after serenity the next most important thing to me is family. This goes beyond the literal and somewhat overlaps with the next thing; friends. Somewhere mixed up in all that is security and comfort, which is in turn competing with the desire for love and intimacy, and with freedom. It is only after all that when the desire to teach, nurture, protect, and in all other ways enjoy raising up a young person asserts itself.
So, all my wants and wishes spring from, more or less, a desire for serenity, familial love, companionship, security, comfort, intimacy, freedom, and...I'm not even sure what to call the last one. Legacy? That sounds wrong. "Investing in hope" sounds more like it, but maybe even that is misguided. Perhaps it's a subconscious instinct to further the race, or to assert myself biologically on the gene pool. I don't really know. Of all my desires, it is the weakest, but even so it is there.

It is good to occasionally remind myself of what drives me and where my priorities are, and maybe this will clear things up for family and friends who don't seem to understand what exactly it is that I want out of life. Either that or it will just be vague rambling gibberish that only makes sense to me. Oh well. At the very least some future self will get a laugh out of it, reading it 10 years from now. How goes it Future Self? I hope I've done well for you! Anyhow, don't worry about me! Focus on the present!

Everything is Groovey

2010-12-30T02:41:00.000-08:00

Thinking about going off the grid for a while. Maybe I just need time to think. Not like I haven't had three years or more of time to think. I got nothin'. No answers (although that's no surprise). At peace with myself, for what it's worth. That's more than some can say I guess. I don't think most of my family really gets what it is I'm after. Maybe one or two people. It's not something I can put into words. There is something I want. Or maybe it's a lot of things. Or maybe it's not a "thing" at all. Trucking has seemed the best way to get at it until this year. Now I am thinking it's potential may have reached it's limites, but I don't have a viable alternative. Suggestions I've gotten recently were so far off they were almost funny if it weren't so sad how little they understood what I really wanted. It was like I was speaking a different language. I recently thought I had found someone who would get me. Now I just feel like an idiot for even trying.
No, I am not consistent. I don't try to be. Consistency is not something I value very highly. So it doesn't bother me to contradict myself. For one, I have no issues with changing my mind. Changing your mind is a good way to avoid making decisions you might regret later. Not that I am indecisive. I just hold my ideas and decisions as being "revisable." Secondly, I don't believe that I am, in reality, inconsistant. I just think that language and dialectic reasoning is too narrow to faithfully follow my way of thinking and being. There are gaps, seeming contradictions, and somethings that are just completely lost in translation. That last one is a good metaphor actually. Reality and reason are two different languages. Sometimes it seems there are parallels but there's never really a one-to-one relationship. It is important to realize that they are separate, however. Otherwise we tend to worship reason, and believe that it alone can tell us what do and think; but reason isn't what tells you that wine is good, that sunsets are beautiful, that hurting others is wrong, or that you love your spouse. Reason is useful, yes. It is not, however, sufficient for life, and if we rely on it too heavily, we will miss reality for the sake of an imagined idealized fiction - the way thing "should" be - instead of enjoying and experiencing the way things are. Sometimes it is better to take sensations, and experiences for what they are instead of trying to find meaning in them. Sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch may tell us more when we aren't looking for specific answers to specific questions. The best and brightest ideas in history manifested without the subject actively looking for them. Sometimes when you pour all you know into a pot, stir it up and then let it settle, something truly genius floats to the surface. Anyhow this ti raid isn't accomplishing anything except allowing me to stir my own thoughts a bit to see what comes out.

What are dreams?

2010-12-10T05:28:00.001-08:00

Heard somewhere that dreams are just random firings of the brain leaving vague general impressions which our conscious mind upon waking tries to make since out of by assigning names, identities, and meaning to things. Out of this second process we get the dream, colored by the biases of our subconscious during the process of sorting and labeling done by our conscious mind.

Need to look this up and verify if this is a real theory and what it's based on.

Read my lips: AL-LEE-GAY-TORS...

2010-12-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

For someone as anxious to get back to the sunny warm west as I am, I sure am taking my time leaving Louisiana - the land of Kermit. I had a 34 hour layover at my last stop waiting for the next load to be ready, then got a let start today. I could have pushed on to Dallas but I know what the truck stops are like there and the chances of me finding parking this late is slim to none, so instead I stopped in Shreveport, LA. That leaves me two solid 600 mile days to go, but I'm alright with that. If I can konk myself out early enough tonight, then I'll have an early start tomorrow and all will be peachy. Wish me luck!

Is it a game or a movie or what?

2010-12-09T03:11:00.001-08:00

Here's a game I recently tried out that I literally wrote home to my mom about. It's called Fable III, for the Xbox system, and though I know nothing about the franchise, I was able to learn one or two things about the game. To avid gamers these may not sound that remarkable, but they tickled me a bit.

First of all, besides having an actual film score (I got a copy from iTunes) this game has well known actors voicing the characters: actors like John Cleese (of Monty Python fame), Ben Kingsley (from films such as Ghandi, Schindler's List and Prince of Persia), Naomie Harris (Tia Dahlma from Pirates of the Carribean), Stephen Fry (V for Vendetta, Alice in Wonderland, the upcoming sequel to Sherlock Holmes), Bernard Hill (Titanic, Lord of the Rings, Great Expectations) and a bunch more. The visual style might fall loosely in the category of "Steam Punk" (do a image search on google or look it up on wikipedia and you'll get the general idea). Anyhow I thought it was pretty fantastic.

The game allows you to explore the world you are in, buy sell and trade goods, as well as real estate, developed relationships with locals, put together outfits for yourself, train your dog (which is your almost constant companion and can help you find anything from buried treasure to lost children - all on his own initiative and according to how you treat him and how well you train him), and of coarse there are battles to fight with your sword and trusty flintlock pistol among other weapons. Relationships and story lines developed according to how you treat and interact with people, and your own character developed according to what kind of decisions you make. I played for about four hours and was pretty well entertained the whole time, though not in the crazy addictive way that the Sims games tend to produce. No therapy needed to quit playing.

Anyhow, I'm not in any hurry to rush out and buy it or an Xbox system to play it on, but for those interested in fantasy fiction and such, it's worth seeing at some point. I like a good story especially when accompanied by rich visuals, good acting, and a good soundtrack. Well anyways, there it is.

A Little Perspective

2010-11-14T16:03:00.001-08:00

I know I often post my complaints about various aspects of my trucking life both on my blog and on facebook. This may make it seem like my experiences with truck driving have been mostly negative, but this is not true at all. Most of my experiences, even my dealings with my current employer, Gordon Trucking, have been mostly positive. If this were not true, I wouldn't still be here. Gordon has some really fantastic people working with drivers around the clock trying to keep freight moving and their drivers happy. No system, company, or individual is perfect however and there are delays, frustrations, misunderstandings, mistakes, bad decisions and just plain bad moods all around that ensure things are never perfectly rosie. This is the human condition. It happens with any job.
Luckily however there is a lot to like about trucking, and a good deal to like about Gordon. Would I refer other drivers to Gordon? Hmmm...the jury is still out on that one. They're not a bad company to work for, and their people - driver managers, fleet managers, driver services personnel, etc. - are certainly their strength. Gordon's tendency to actually pay drivers for what they say they will is also a rare plus.
I think I'd tell other drivers about my experience with it's ups and downs and let them decide for themselves. I certainly have some good things to say about Gordon, but I'd hesitate to tell any driver that I know for certain they'd be happy there. To each his own. Are there things I'd like to be different here? Sure. Absolutely. But not at the cost of what is already good about working here. For now, it fits. It works. I am content.

Gordon Trucking Driver Facilities

2010-11-14T15:39:00.001-08:00

It's still amazing to me that Gordon's main terminal in Pacific, WA has fewer and poorer facilities than most truck stops. Today I stopped by to replenish my supply of Com checks and was sent on a goose chase around the property being told, "We don't have any, I thought they were supposed to have them." In the end I had to get some from a truck stop. Don't even get me started on the walk-in closet upstairs they call the "drivers lounge" or stall showers. The Rancho Cucamonga yard, hailed as the jewel of Gordon's driver facilities might barely live up to truck stop status except for things like the semi-public showers (something I haven't had to put up with since high school), recliners with the reclining function deliberately disabled, inadaquit parking, no auto access (helps when moving in or out of a truck; something that happens frequently at Gordon), weak wireless internet which is useless to drivers because even basic services including personal email and social sites like facebook are blocked. Apparently a little comfort and social interaction is not something Gordon thinks its drivers need.
The world is changing. Trucking is changing. If these amenities - things like private showers, unfettered wireless Internet, and a comfortable place to rest outside your truck - were not available to any driver at any trucking company, that would be one thing; but the fact is they are available - just not at Gordon.

Casual Status

2010-11-11T01:15:00.001-08:00

Back in the truck after a nice long vacation. Took the entire month of October and some of November to recoup and it seems to be paying off. My first day back is going well. Not to say it was free of the usual bumps along the road. Spent the day hunting for empties, taking wrong turns, fighting traffic, squeezing under a low-clearance bridge (trailer: 14', bridge: 13' 10" - still not sure how I pulled that one off), being detained for 7 hours at a customer site, more wrong turns, more traffic, trying to find some oddball unlabeled trailer, cranking up stubborn rusted out landing gear, etc. The nice thing though was that none of this stuff really got to me as much as it did just before my vacation. I feel like I just had more patience and energy and that none of these things were new or surprising. In fact they are all fairly routine frustrations. I guess maybe the trick is having a break now and then.

The Safe Dance

2010-10-19T02:26:00.001-07:00

There was a time when I felt confident enough to dance in public. What happened? I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I no longer have my dancing moral support that I had back then. I once had a close knit group of friends who all loved to dance and were so accepting of me that nothing I ever did seemed to put them off - in fact, they encouraged me to let go of my inhibitions and just be myself. It takes some pretty special people to do that - particularly people who are not inhibited themselves. Unfortunately those friends have all either lost touch or moved away. I have had one or two experiences like that since then, but only briefly and there was no dancing. I think maybe it was just so much easier to not care what other people thought of me when I had friends that I knew (from first hand experience) would love me no matter what. I miss that.

Last night in San Francisco

2010-10-10T23:27:00.001-07:00

Fullerton to San Francisco

2010-10-08T07:57:00.001-07:00

Music

2010-10-05T23:38:00.001-07:00

I just watched a documentary about Danielson, the Danielson Famile, and Sufjan Stephens. It was a heart warming reminder of everything I love about making music. I hope that very soon I will be able to launch into my next project in earnest. I have almost everything I need. I think I also need to stop worrying about how I will pull off songs I recorded on my own, in a live performance, and just write and record what sounds good to me. It will be kinda fun to figure out how to play the songs later.

The Hiatus

2010-09-16T14:49:00.001-07:00

Beginning October 1, 2010 (that's 2 weeks from today) I will be taking a break from trucking. The company I work for has agreed to put me on "casual" status, meaning basically that so long as I put in a minimum few weeks every 3 months, they will keep me on the books; they do want to know when I'll be coming back full time, but I don't have to decide right away. It's just the break I've been needing. What a relief.

Just a test

2010-09-14T23:05:00.001-07:00

Note to Self

2010-09-14T14:10:00.001-07:00

Is the end near?

2010-09-04T00:19:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to think that maybe it's time for me to get off the road and come home. I'm not sure what I'd do but I could find something. Trucking solved the problems in my life that it was intended to solve, and that quite a long time ago. Now the weeks and months are flying past me and I am missing time that I could be spending savoring daily life with some one. Anyone. Everyone. I've had enough of being alone and being gone. I want to come home now.

Another Art Spoiler

2010-08-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Once again I can't help but create something that could pass as a drawing - without actually drawing it. Not really. I'm just not that good. Here's how it was really done:

Check Out My Travel Food Guide

2010-08-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Foodspotting | One for the Road

Zero Day

2010-08-14T21:07:00.001-07:00

I'm calling today a personal recovery day. I'm not sure exactly what I'm recovering from, but it's been keeping me from getting done what I want to get done. It may have something to do with nutrition, my medication, or my sleep cycle. Whatever it is it puts me out of commission for 10 to 12 hours a day. I've already adjusted my diet and it hasn't seemed to help. We'll see. Luckily this hasn't effected me making my loads on time, but I have had to push my eta back on almost every load because of oversleeping or being too tired to drive, and that is effecting my average daily mileage. Luckily I have arrived manager that, unlike previous ones, cares and isn't cracking the whip. I think she knows that I really want to run harder than I am now, and I am trying to sort things out so I can. Anyways, wish me luck!

Joe Christmas "Scrabble Girl" unofficial music video

2010-07-28T23:43:00.001-07:00

Questions You Should Ask When Considering Trucking Jobs

2010-07-28T20:42:00.001-07:00

It's always best to talk to drivers about their experience, but even better to talk to multiple drivers as every driver handles things differently. Recruiters, on the other hand, are paid to convince you to work for their company, and are frequently out-of-the-loop on what's really going on at their company anyway. Whatever the reason, misinformation is common when it comes to recruiters. In addition to this, they tend to emphasize benefits that are either standard for any company, not really important (but since you're not a driver yet you wouldn't know that), greatly exaggerated, not really benificial to you at all (like computerized logs), or are just plain not true (like every truck in their fleet has a refridgerator, an APU, and an onboard touch screen dispatching computer, or that you get to pick your own truck). Recruiters are however good for making travel arrangements to driver orientation once you decide to apply, and can be a great help in navigating through the application process; otherwise, take anything they say with several grains of salt.

GOOD THINGS TO ASK COMPANY DRIVERS

How long have you been driving for your company? Do you still like them?
The honeymoon period at most companies is about 6 months - 1 year.

How long have you been a driver?
10+ years and still happy with their company is pretty darn good. Veteran drivers usually have a better fix on what really matters on the road, and put up with less crap from their companies.

What kind of trucks used?
Just for general knowledge, here are some common types of trucks:
Freightliner (very common; economy truck)
Kenworth (can be good; depends on the model)
International (recent models have good reputation)
Volvo (Very comfortable, but heavy and not very powerful)
Peterbilt (A favorite of truckers; generally thought to be the best trucks on the road)

There are some others but more important are the following questions:
How comfortable are they?
How much room in the cab?
What kind of engine? (there are a lot but Freightliner trucks usually use one of three:
Cummins (red)=good
Cat (yellow)=pretty good
Detroit (green)=average

What MPH are trucks governed at?
A recruiter can tell you this, but good idea to check with drivers. The faster your truck can go, the more money you make.

Where is most freight?
Ask drivers not recruiters. This will give you a good idea of where you will be driving. A few things to consider; Flat empty places = easy boring driving, mountainous areas = beautiful but more work especially in winter, highly populated areas = traffic, and California and Oregon are 55 MPH states.

Where are yards?
A recruiter can probably email a list or spreadsheet. Look for a good spread of terminals over the area you are going to be driving in.

How many yards have laundry & showers?
A recruiter can probably email a list or spreadsheet. Talk to drivers; they can tell you what the facilities are really like.

Min. Drive time / Max home time?
Standard is one day home for every seven on the road. Companies differ on the minimum time they want you to be out; anywhere from 12 days to 21 days; also may depend on how big a region you are driving - the bigger the region, the longer you will be out. Also ask how long you can be out of the truck before they want you to move out. About 1 week is pretty standard.

Tuition reimbursement?
Drivers may not know. Recruiters usually can be trusted on this, but no one is going to remind you to get it set up once hired. You have to get on top of this or you wont get it. Most companies hiring new drivers will reimburse up to $4,000 for tuition over the course of your first 2 years working there. Some companies take longer, some will pay up front but will require you to sign a one year commitment contract.

Slip seat?
Means you share your truck with other drivers. Usually considered undesirable.

Tri-PAC? APU?
Basically a generator. Non-idle climate control and power. Don't expect to get one right off, but the company should at least claim that most of their trucks have them. Reality is usually about 50% of the fleet at most has them regardless of what recruiters claim.

Pets?
$500 non-refundable deposit is standard; some companies limit the size, breed, type, or number of pets.

Vacation pay?
Some companies offer a bonus equivalent to 1 weeks pay instead of paid vacation. Some companies just offer an annual bonus.

Log books?
Ask drivers only! Anyone working at the office will tell you that you must log exactly as it happens and that furthermore, Big Brother is watching!
First thing to look out for is computerized logs; paper logs are not hard to do and it is to your advantage to be in charge of your own log book. The less "computerized" a company's logbooks are the better. What you really want to find out is how drivers actually log; there are several ways:
1. Real; "I log it like it happens;" this is a good "clean conscience" way to log.
2. Log by milage; Miles Driven divided by Legal Speed Limit equals Hours logged. Very common way to do logs. Usually ends up being close enough to reality to be passable.
3. Re-written logs; ("science fiction" logs); maybe what you did was not quite legal, but it looks legal now! Most drivers have done this at least once or twice.
4. Multiple log books; logging more than one version of your trip; depending on who's asking and what time it is, you show them which ever log book would make what you are currently doing look ok; highly illegal. If caught you will lose your license and probably never drive a truck again.

Short haul pay?
Rare, but a very good bonus!

Detention pay?
Most companies will pay you for being held for over 2 hours at a shipper. Ask drivers if they ever actually get paid on this. Companies commonly claim to do this, but not many companies actually do.

Lay-over Pay?
Standard is $25-$30 for sitting 24 hours due to repairs or lack of frieght. Every recruiter will tell you they pay this; ask the drivers if they actually do it.

Hotels?
Usually this only comes up if your truck is in the shop. Again, many companies claim to do it but reality is a different story. Ask drivers.

Cash Advances?
Ask drivers. Chances are, until you get some money built up in your savings account you will need this benefit every once in a while. Some companies will advance you up to $150 per week and take it out of your next pay check. Others don't do advances at all. Ask drivers; recruiters may either not know, be misinformed, or make something up that sounds plausible and attractive.

Dispatcher culture?
Basically find out how respectful and considerate dispatchers (also called "Fleet Managers" or "Driver Managers") are and what the drivers experience has been. Drivers love talking about this, and if nothing else you'll hear some entertaining stories. Keep in mind that drivers and dispatchers commonly don't get along. Usually, being able to solve problems on your own, good trip planning habits, and clear professional (and well documented) communication can go along way to help that relationship. Don't even bother asking recruiters about this unless you want the fairy tale version.

Safety Rating?
Recruiters usually know this by heart unless their rating is particularly embarrassing, in which case they may make something up; you can also look this up online (http://www.safersys.org/). A good safety rating usually means good driver training and less hassle from DOT and highway patrol. There are some skeptics of the whole Safety Rating system however (if you're curious you can look up "Driver Safety Rating" on Wikipedia.com)

Common Fuel stops?
Less of an issue now that most truck stops are owned by one of 3 companies but find out if they use Comdata or EFS to pay for fuel.
Just for general information here are the common ones:

TA (Travel Centers of America):
Showers, Laundry, Places to sit, Cable TV, Repair shop, Fried food, Restaurant, Buffet, A/C & power hookups (called "Idle Air;" only at some locations)

Petro:
Showers, Laundry, Places to sit, Cable TV, Fried food, Restaurant, Buffet, Idle Air (some locations)

Flying J (now partners with Pilot and Loves):
Showers, Laundry, Places to sit, Cable TV, Fried food, Pizza (most locations), Restaurant

Pilot:
Showers, Laundry (sometimes), fast food

Loves:
Showers (most locations), fast food (most locations): some Flying J's have now been converted to Love's

Little America (AM Best):
Excellent showers, Laundry, Places to sit, Cable TV, Repair shop, Grill (Burgers etc.)

Questions? Comments? Did I forget something? Let me know!

A Drama of Table Condiments

2010-07-27T23:15:00.001-07:00

It's the midnight at a Kansas truck stop diner and I'm just finishing a meal that I don't know what to call. Dinner? Lunch? Breakfast? It's my first meal of the work day and I really don't want to think about what I just ate. Just think of the worst three things on a Denny's menu and you'll be on the right track.
All that aside I am actually feeling pretty good. I got a shower, laundry, a meal and all my paperwork done yesterday and even got to bed early enough to get some sleep in. Good thing too, because I have to leave at 2:00am to get this load to Missouri on time. The math is a little complicated, but it's also the earliest I can legally drive again according to the Hours of Service laws.
Anyways, I kinda like the idea of starting my next work week this way. It gives me a lot of flexibility.
This diner is way too quiet. The loudest audible sounds are the refrigerator running in the kitchen, the chink of the only waitress here sorting silverware, the cook's radio playing some old U2 song ("still haven't found what I'm looking for"), the creek of the door, the ice rattling in my plastic glass; all the sounds usually masked by conversation or restaurant music. Even the sound of street traffic or customers in the adjoining gas-mart is missing. Too quiet. I should go.
Crap. I still have an hour to wait before I can leave. I guess I could play with my iPhone. I just got a new app that allows me to make stop-motion animation movies of table condiments chasing each other around my table. It's amazing that something which used to require so much time and ambition has now become an idle pass-time.
Anyhow. I think I have an idea for a short film involving a spoon and a pepper shaker, so I'm gonna go. I should probably get some coffee as well.

Exciting New Sounds!

2010-07-12T10:44:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my Over The Road trucker studio! My ensemble of instruments now includes:
Fender Telecaster
Mini Fender Twin Amp
Casiotone Keyboard (1980's model)
Acoustic Guitar
Ukelele
Glockenspiel
Child's Acordeon
Tamborine
Jingle Bells
Egg Shaker

Now just imagine what I could do with a loop pedal!

A Good Thing Gone Bad

2010-07-12T09:14:00.001-07:00

It's really dissappointing when a shipper or distribution center changes their policies and practices for the worse. The General Mills facility in Fontana used to be such an easy pick up. It was a 7 day a week 24-hour facility, and 100% drop & hook. Check in, grab your trailer, check out. The loads were (in my experience) virtually always at legal and balanced weight, and the whole thing took about 15-20 minutes.
Recently they have cut their hours back to Monday-Friday regular business hours, and have cut their employee's work hours, and also added an on-site scale. The limited hours mean drivers have to wait until regular business hours to pick up loads even when they were ready the day before. In other words, a driver may have to wait 2 days for a load that was ready on Friday evening.
The scale, I don't understand. It should have improved things, allowing drivers to scale before leaving etc. This scale, however takes 3 people to opperate (no joke!) and somehow the loads are now ALWAYS over legal weight and have to be re-worked sometimes 2 or 3 times, taking several hours, before they can get it right. No idea why this is. I suspect it has something to do with the shippers thinking now that they have a scale, they can squeeze more freight on each load, but that's just a guess.
The bottom line is a shipper that used to be fast and efficient has now become a colossal waste of time for drivers.
Difficult to say how this will pan out. Drivers are collecting detention pay for being held over to rework overweight loads, and the shipper is charged a fee for this, but it still doesn't amount to as much as drivers make when actually driving. If the detention fees plus the extra work hours paid for dock workers to re-work loads are enough to out-weigh (no pun intended) whatever the shipper is saving by squeezing on extra freight (if that is in fact what this is all about) then maybe we will see a change for the better down the line.
From a drivers perspective it's hard to tell what will happen. Hopefully something will change. It's a shame to see a place that was once so efficient and easy become such a hassle.

Music Update

2010-07-07T17:05:00.001-07:00

I've been using the Four-Track app on my iPhone to record music while on the road for the last couple months and it has dramatically increased my music productivity. I'm up to about 7 or 8 songs just in the last couple months. Not all of them are keepers of coarse but there are one or two gems. Mostly I have just been experamenting and learning how two work with this way of recording. The recording environment is usually pretty noisey, there is no way to add any effects like reverb, and the iPhones mic distorts easily (which can be a plus in some cases but mostly just makes mic placement very interesting). On the plus side, the four track app does have overall EQ and Compression tools, and bouncing tracks does not degrade the sound as much as a traditional analogue four-track would (although, analogue four-track veterines know this can be used as an advantage too, if you plan things right). I've also been working with a slightly different set of instruments. I finally got a ukelele (as some friends predicted I would) and have been using that a little excessively, as well as a harmonized chorus of vocals (oohs and aahs), and of coarse glockenspiel and organ. I've also finally picked up some precussive instruments like the egg shaker, a tamborine, and some jingle bells (also not suprising in my music). I've been doing so little guitar work in fact that I'm starting to get kinda rusty on that instrument. My fingers aren't as fast as they once were.
I've also noticed a definite shift from electronic beats to more organic/folk rythms. Not sure how I feel about this. I am thoroughly enjoying the folk feel but am a little concerned that influence may be homoginizing my music. I kinda want to preserve a somewhat awkward and suprising element to what I do while still writing stuff that is beautiful and has emotional content. I dunno. I guess I just I don't really think about it that much while I'm doing it (which is as it should be). In the end it just is what it is, and so long as I'm enjoying myself doing it, I consider it a success.

Houston, We Have a Problem

2010-07-05T17:57:00.001-07:00

Driving along in the idylic baren wilderness of US Highway 95, a several hundred mile stretch of nothingness that goes from Idaho, through Oregon, and down the length of Nevada, I noticed my "check engine" light come on. Not too alarmed, I checked my gauges. Everything normal, engine sounds fine, feels fine, and smells fine. I continue driving but a moment later the check engine light is joined by the "engine protect" light. Somewhat concerned I double check my temperature gauge. Normal. Hmmm. Must be low on fluid. Should have checked that last stop. Maybe I should -
Now the engine light starts flashing. I have time enough to think aloud, "uh - that's not good."
Suddenly the engine turns of. The dash console lights up like a Christmas tree, and I lose power steering. Just coasting now. There's no shoulder to pull off onto, the road drops off steeply into a ditch. I turn the ignition on and off try to restart the engine, and it finally fires up again. I am looking around for any place to get off the road now. I see a spot but the whole thing happens again before I can get there. Luckily I am able to coast and using all my strength to turn the wheel (now unassisted by power steering) I manage to get off the road.
Under the hood, I find that the coolant is indeed low, and I soon discover why. Alerted by flecks of coolant on the fan and elsewhere in the engine, I look for and soon find a steady dribble of coolant leaking from the radiator. Time to call in the bad news.
After alerting my company's over-the-road breakdown department, I put all the water I can find on the truck into the coolant reservoir and continue driving. I keep hoping to find a fuel station or some place that will have more water, but all I find is an abandoned looking gas station with a closed sign in the window. A few miles later the engine stops again. So here I sit. Luckily there is at least phone reception here (can't imagine how or why this is so) and I am able to communicate my plight to the OTR department. Help is on the way in the form of 2 gallons of water from the nearest service station. After that, the goal is to make it 1.5 hours further to Winemucca, NV for repairs. Meanwhile the load I am carrying is getting less and less likely to be delivered on time. Oh well. What can be done is being done. Not feeling too bad about it.

Note to Self

2010-06-03T11:59:00.000-07:00

Updating The Plan

2010-05-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

Since I am awake anyway, I thought I'd take a moment to update this thing. Nevermind that I would have had a night of uninterrupted sleep if my dispatchers could make up their mind about wether they wanted me to complete this load or relay it to another truck. When I went to bed they said complete it. Then a few hours later I get woken up by a driver knocking on my door. Says he's here to relay the load. Well anyhow at least the load will be ontome and it's no longer my problem.
So, about the plan. Yes it's changed. As we approach September it would be good to let y'all know. Most likely I will be driving just a little bit longer. Here's what's going on. After much consideration and a little looking around, I have decided to pursue a cosmotology apprenticeship instead of attending a school. I won't bore you with the pros and cons. Basically it's the best way to approach it while still keeping my options open should I decide it's not what I want after all. The place I have my eye on is in Cathedral City, CA. I will have to wait for a spot to open up after I apply for the apprenticeship, so the timeline is not definate. Once I apply I will continue trucking (or whatever else I find to do) until I get a position.
The nice thing about this plan is the part about living expenses. Since the place is out in the Coachella valley desert area, it will be possible for me to just get a camper trailer (I am saving up for a Scamp, Casita, or possibly a mini-Airstream) and camp in the desert, desert rat style, or possibly on a friend's property (I have a standing offer in Joshua Tree). Either way, much cheaper than rent - and no I am not planning on staying in an RV park because, yes, I already know that's about the same as paying rent for an apartment. I have some experiance camping in the desert; I did that for a semester at the local community college. This should be much more comfortable and is even an upgrade from living in my truck. There are some cons, but then there are for everything and the pros outwiegh them for me in this case. Anyhow, I see I haven't quite cured last night's grumpiness so I'm going back to bed. Thanks for reading and for your support.

Hooray for Cold Weak Showers!

2010-05-10T00:05:00.001-07:00

Love's just can't seem to pull off the basic service of providing decent showers for professional drivers. It has been my repeated experience at many locations that the showers tend to be weak and cold. Especially cold. If you get any hot water out of a Love's shower, consider yourself lucky. You must've caught them on a good day. This frustration comes quite besides the fact that Love's frequent fueler rewards showers now expire after 1 week. This policy has sadly become common at the larger truck stop chains, but I don't think Love's can afford to charge drivers $9 per shower when they're not even providing hot showers. This is also aside from the fact that the facilities available for drivers are pretty lacking to begin with. No driver's lounge (i.e. no place to sit after Arby's closes) and at most locations, no laundry. So tell me, Love's...why should drivers stop at your locations? No hot showers, no laundry, no place to sit, and frankly I'm sick of Arbys but that's beside the point. I have no reason to stop there other than needing to park because my hours are up (which I will continue to do though I will not be a customer. Try and stop me). Fuel stops? Well my dispatcher is going to be hearing "woops! I passed my fuel stop!" any time it's Love's. Get it together Love's. Let me know when you do.

How It's Done

2010-04-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

At the risk of spoiling any notions that anyone might have about me actually being an artist, I decided to post this little demo of how I make my comics. It's actually incredibly easy and though I like to think it takes some creativity to put together an actual composition, anyone can do it.

STEP 1: Take an interesting photo. It doesn't even have to be a good photo. It just needs to illustrate whatever is going on in this frame of the comic. It's a good idea to take several similar shots so you have options in the following steps. It also helps if there is a good deal of contrast in the photo as far as lighting and color, but even that can be adjusted later. Once you've got some photos, the rest of the process is really really easy.

STEP 2: Using a iPhone app called PhotoPaint (available on iPhone and iPad - there is a PC version but it's worthless) convert the photo into a black and white drawing. There are some simple settings to help fine tune the image, but essentially you just hit a button and the program does the rest. At this point you have the option of coloring the image yourself in PhotoPaint, but for some really fantastic results go on to the next step.

STEP 3: Here I use another iPhone app called Montage to lay the drawing over the original photo. Adjust the drawing's transparency just enough for the color to come through a little, and now you have a color illustration.

STEP 4: You can take it a step further if you want and fine tune the colors with your favorite photo editing app (I used an app called Format 126 on this one) and the all that's left is to lay it out in your strip and add text. I use Strip Design and Montage depending on what I need. Pretty easy stuff. The strip above took probably about 15 minutes to make.

An Update on the Plan

2010-04-23T13:04:00.000-07:00

I have been really enjoying the last couple days. I had sort of a rough start to this run when I left. Freight has been slow and my sleep rythm was a bit off so I was constantly tired which just basically messes everything up. My break in Portland was grrrreat! I had enough time to really enjoy my stay and not feel rushed. I got a good dose of Portland people, food, music, books, and beer; I also picked up some environmentally friendly / sustainable apparel. I have been replacing a few essential articles of cotton clothing with wool garments and the difference is amazing. Next time I stop by home I will be dropping off about 20 pairs of cotton socks and boxers and almost as many T-shirts that have now been replaced by two pairs each of their wool equivalent. This has made life easier on so many levels, including space and showers, laundry time. Wool clothing is no doubt expensive, but so far it has been well worth the expense.
Other than that and my new iPhone - which has also revolutionized my trucking experience - it's pretty much the same deal as before. Pick this up, drive it over there, etc.
The plan to retire from trucking is still in effect but the timeline has changed a little. I found an Aveda Salon in Cathedral City, CA (near Palm Springs) that has an apprenticeship program, which means I can work my way to a cosmotology license instead of paying to go to a school. This is also fortunate because Palm Springs is a much cheaper place to live than Fullerton. It is unfortunate that this means I won't be living in Fullerton, but I will at least be around a lot more than I am now. Anyways, as I was saying this changes the timeline. Now the plan is, as soon as I have made certain living arrangements (I am saving up to buy a camper trailer - gonna live desert rat style!) I will put in my application for the apprenticeship program. There may be a bit of a wait for a spot to open at the salon so in the meantime I will keep trucking. So that's the plan. Wish me luck!

003

2010-04-17T02:16:00.000-07:00

002

2010-04-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

001

2010-04-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

Web Comic Idea

2010-04-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

I really want to start a web comic but I am having trouble coming up with story ideas. The easiest would be to do one about my daily life but that sounds tremendously boring. I dunno. Maybe I'll try a day-in-the-life episode as a test and see what I think.

Weekend Break in Portland

2010-04-08T23:10:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since I got to spend some quality time in Portland, OR, especially as it is on of my favorite cities in the US, so when I saw that my next load was delivering in Clackamas, just a busride away, I determined to take a couple days off here. Originally I'd planned on staying at a hostel downtown for $25, but when I got there all they were completely full. An expensive lesson learned. I booked a room at the closest hotel a few blocks away, conveniently across the street from Powell's books (where I intend to spend most of the day tomorrow) and as luck would have it they upgraded me to a "Jr. Suite" - which is basicaly a small apartment complete with kitchen, etc. - at no extra charge. Much nicer than staying at the hostel, I gotta say. So, I spent more than I'd planned on but I am definitely getting my money's worth. Anyhow, time for bed - I wanna be up in time for the complementry breakfast!

New Features!

2010-03-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

The map is now updated in real time! No more wondering where I've been for the last few weeks!
Also, I now have the ability to post blog entries and twitter updates by dictating them to my phone!
Aint technology great?!

The Plan

2009-12-21T19:26:00.000-08:00

Well, I've spent the last couple years devising my plans for my next career move as I've been trucking around the country, and the time has come to put the plan into action. I have finally put a deadline (though tentative) on my transition from trucking to the next thing.
The plan is to have enough money saved by next fall (2010) to enroll in the cosmetology program at Fullerton College in California. It's going to be challenging since I intend to have enough, not just to pay for school and supplies, but to pay for room and board for the duration of the program in the event that I can't find a job that will work with my school schedule. Most importantly, I want to pull this off myself without going into debt again. So yeah, I have a lot of saving to do in the next 9 months.
What makes this easier is that my only expenses at the moment are my cell phone and insurance on the 4-runner which together only amount to about $106. Besides that there's food and incidental stuff that I am trying to keep at about $140 a week, but every week is different when it comes to that stuff.
Other than that I do have a small worry in the back of my mind that maybe cutting hair won't be as enjoyable as I imagined at the outset. In particular I worry about finding a salon I will be happy working at. I dunno. Some people have been surprised at my interest in cutting hair and site my loathing for the shallow, image crazed culture so prominent in Los Angeles as one reason I should think twice about it. I can't deny that I will be confronted with this culture, but I also don't think all stylists or all salons or even all salon customers will be this way, in the same way that not all truck drivers fit the stereo types common to the trade. Even so, there is a sort of majority culture in trucking that I have learned to put up with that doesn't make my job any less enjoyable and I am hoping the same will be true in cosmetology. Any comments on this topic in particular would be welcome.
Other than that there is the challenge of saving the money itself. It's a rather aggressive, though I think achievable, savings plan amounting to about 75-80% of every paycheck (and this only possible because my expenses are so low).
Still, I realize that many of my friends and family are going through hard times and I need to remind myself of how many times I have received help in the past and not be a miser. I hope I will always be in a position to help my friends and family, though even there I should remember moderation so I don't end up needing to borrow again on my own account. The sort of "borrowing money from Peter so I can loan some to Paul" situation is just the kind of thing I can imagine myself doing. Anywho, hope everyone is doing well and preparing for a happy holiday. Those of you that I will see soon, I can't wait. I miss all my friends and family, I wish I could be with you all.

A Drawing

2009-12-04T00:22:00.000-08:00

I drew this little doodle as I sat watching people at a truck stop this morning. The overhead speaker was playing some appallingly cheery Christmas music, but the faces I saw did not look cheered.
So many people are without jobs, some without homes, and some even without food this holiday season. Some can't afford to be with family, or feel they are not wanted or welcome. Be grateful for what you have, and try to be more generous to those who clearly don't have what you have. Who knows, someday it could be you sitting in that truck stop.

Cat Power!

2009-10-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

Chicago

2009-10-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

Truckin' with Biodiesel

2009-10-18T21:13:00.000-07:00

2009-10-15T09:02:00.001-07:00

"Irrationally held truths may be more harmful than reasoned errors." - Thomas Henry Huxley

No Sleep No Sanity

2009-10-14T05:28:00.001-07:00

It's been a very emotional night. Fits of rage. Tears. I need to sleep very badly but can't. Also I am hungry. I really need to take better care of these things. I have a full day ahead today and I don't feel prepared to face it.

Something I saw that cheered me up a little.

2009-10-14T04:43:00.000-07:00

2009-09-25T19:50:00.001-07:00

Law is the crystallized prejudices of the community - Anonymous

Alarm Bells To Ring Me To Sleep

2009-09-20T00:11:00.000-07:00

Just parked for the night and as I am getting ready for bed, I notice a black VW Jetta pull up to the building next to my destination. I notice because it's a large-ish office building in the middle of a large-ish quite industrial commercial complex and it's around midnight on a Saturday. Kind of an odd hour for people to be showing up for work. A guy and a girl get out and head towards the door. They pause a minute, then the guy gets out his keys and unlocks the door and goes in. I figure the guy left something and dropped by to retrieve it. In fact I really didn't think much about it at all until the alarm went off. Then my thoughts shifted from, "Huh...that's interesting," to "Wow, that's annoying." Dufus forgot to turn off the alarm I guess. Super loud. I waited as I visualized him picking up the call from the security company, giving the company password, explaining that he didn't get to the alarm on time, or forgot the pin number or something like that. I wait...and wait...and wait some more. The alarm is still sounding quite loudly as I begin to wonder if perhaps maybe there is some other explanation. Then I watch the girl come out and start the car, soon followed by the guy who exits the building, alarm still blaring, gets in to the car and rides off into the night. that's when I think, "WTF?" I sat wondering what to do. Call the police? No, most likely they were already on their way. Then all I could think was, "Well I hope they hurry up so someone can turn the damn alarm off. Then I thought, "Aw crap. Now there's going to be alarms and sirens most likely in conjunction with flashing lights." Not knowing what else to do, and not really being able to sleep with an alarm bell screaming at me just outside my window, I got out my computer and decided to blog about it (I considered posting I cry for help via twitter but figured it wouldn't be very effective). Right about the time I decided on a title for the post (My first idea was "No Alarms And No Surprises, Please") the alarm stopped. Peace and silence reigned again. So what the heck was that all about? No idea. Don't know don't care, so long as it's quiet again. And it is. So now I will sleep.

When Art Turns Ugly

2009-09-06T10:45:00.001-07:00

I decided to spend my time working on an art concept I had. It involved finding actual photographs of violent acts (non-fatal) such as punching, slapping, kicking, choking, etc. and converting them into line drawings, stamps, prints and such with the possibility of making a collage or series of some sort. The initial attraction to the idea came from the sheer energy of the images, and how simplifying the images, stripping away colors, shades, etc. distilled the energy of the original image. As I continued however, something more emerged; being confronted with violence in this way, often with women or children as the subject, couldn't help but evoke some emotion. Eventually some of the images I found, even though the victims suffered no worse than bruises, became so disturbing that I had to take a break. I think for me it was the emotion displayed by the attackers that finally got to me. The emotions ranged from mere passionate rage, to utter malevolent hatred. I think for this reason alone, I am motivated to go through with the project. Whatever art comes from this is not likely to sell much, but I think it will do a good job of illustrating the ugliness of violence and explore what creates it. If only I could find a way to not be "preaching to the choir" so-to-speak.

Update

2009-09-06T09:07:00.001-07:00

While sitting here relaxing at Starbucks is nice, it does mean that I am not working and therefore not making any money. This my second day back on the road, and things seem to be going pretty well, except for this fact. I do have a load but can't pick it up until 2:30pm, and it is going east (Salt Lake City) but doesn't deliver until Tuesday. This is the kind of pace I enjoyed when I either was new enough to still need to take things this slow or just didn't really need to make that much money. As it is I am still trying to pay off the expenses I incurred during my Tonsillectomy and recovery. Well, stressing about it isn't going to change anything, so I suppose I'll just enjoy the gorgeous weather and find something constructive or at least enjoyable to do with my time.

Adventure of the Haunted Copper Mine

2009-08-13T00:22:00.001-07:00

This is by far the spookiest place I have ever visited in my travels, and definitely the spookiest place I have ever had to spend the night. At the end of a long winding dirt road that lead me far from the beaten path in the back hills of Montana, I arrived at my assigned destination. To say the place is "remote" would be a drastic understatement. It was the dead of night when I arrived, and only the stars and a waning moon lit the cluster of abandoned and dilapidated buildings that must have been the original copper mine. The buildings look very old. The one pictured above was the largest of the buildings and happened to be the one I parked next to. I managed to get that shot using a 15 second exposure and then lightening it up a bit more in Photoshop. Even as I type this I can hear the wind howl softly and the building next to me creak, whine, and moan as if shifting in its sleep. I hope it doesn't wake up. Out of sight of any town, with no cell phone or internet reception, with not even the faint glimmer of a city or highway on the horizon, I think it's safe to say I am thoroughly spooked, and those who know me well know I don't believe in spooks of any kind. Fortunately there is another Interstate truck here to keep me company and make me feel that I am at least not alone. It should be an interesting night. I can't wait until morning.

Five things you would put in a trap if you wanted to catch me

2009-08-08T18:40:00.001-07:00

1. Sharp Cheddar Cheese
2. Home Made Fudge
3. Hundred Dollar Bills
4. Rhodes Electric Piano
5. Potion for extended Life

She Passed The Torch...And He Dropped It.

2009-08-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

In case you hadn't heard my Fleet Manager (aka Supervisor, Dispatcher, etc.) is no longer with the company. I can't even begin to explain how dramatically that changes things for me as a Truck driver. It literally feels like I am working for a different company. The new guy (and yes I mean that in the most demeaning way possible at this moment in time), has so far botched every load I have gotten so far - which normally wouldn't bother me, but he has botched them in such a way that makes me look like I am the one screwing up. I obviously can't prove anything since I haven't bugged his phone or cubicle but I am getting the impression that he is blaming his mistakes one his drivers (i.e. me) which is really unnerving. If this really is the case then there are going to be problems and soon. I am still debating how to play this one, but for now I think I will wait and see what develops. If he really is blaming me for stuff and his supervisors don't see through it he will have to confront me directly at some point, and if that happens then we will definitely have some words and I will have his supervisor on speed-dial.
On the other hand...all this could just be chalked up to settling in to a new Driver-FM relationship, especially as he just inherited 50+ drivers basically overnight. Time will tell. If things start running smoother over the next few weeks then maybe that's all it is. We'll see. Anyways, if you call me and I sound grumpy, this is why.

2009-07-27T14:33:00.000-07:00

2009-07-21T17:58:00.001-07:00

"It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers." -James Thurber

Tonsillectomy Update

2009-07-11T16:33:00.001-07:00

I am currently in Huntington Beach recovering from my Tonsillectomy. The surgery went very smoothly and even waking up from the general anesthesia was much easier than my knee surgery all those years ago. I was awake and lucid and able to think and communicate clearly so the hospital staff was able to keep me very comfortable during my post-op recovery time. They offered pain killers after surgery but the local anaesthetic hadn't worn off yet so I wasn't yet in much pain, and I was enjoying feeling so rested and alert. Unfortunately I had failed to fill my prescription for the pain medicine I was supposed too take home with me before going into surgery so I had to wait until the next morning for that pain medicine - completely my fault. Also my uvula after surgery was approximately five times the normal size so I was dealing with an awkward gagging sensation that night in addition to the pain that increased as the local anesthetic wore off, but the next morning I got set up with my pain meds and everything else I needed thanks to my mom, my brother Ben, and his fiance Kareen (Ben & Kareen are graciously hosting my recovery here in Huntington). Yesterday I even had a visit from my friend Nicole though I didn't get a chance to visit with her man Yannis as he just returned to France. We went to Soup Plantation and I tried several soft foods (I was starving since I hadn't eaten for two days) but the only real success was the Jell-O. Kareen graciously made me a batch when I got back and that's been my mainstay. Today my uvula is much smaller so less gagging sensation and my throat is much less tender in general. The weather is gorgeous and my pain medication is working beautifully. That's all for now. Thanks everyone for your concern and help and support and love.

The Final Score

2009-07-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

Me 1 tonsils 0

Tonsils Never Say Die

2009-06-26T19:12:00.000-07:00

It's beginning to be difficult to swallow food. Good thing these bad boys are coming out next Thursday. That one on the right is really becoming a problem. He's starting to have his own personality. And I think he just decided he doesn't like me. Well, it's mutual, buddy.

Truckers Like Starbucks Too

2009-06-21T15:31:00.000-07:00

Starbucks is missing out on a huge potential customer base.

The Tonsils Strike Back

2009-06-16T21:38:00.000-07:00

The tonsils are making a desparite last stand sensing their eminent removal. Especially the one on the right. He's got the heart of a champion. I can't help admiring my adversary. Anyways, I'm coming home to get them out.

New Map Format

2009-06-14T15:40:00.001-07:00

I figured out an easier way to update the map using "My Maps" on Goolge Maps. It's going to look a little different - not as dynamic as before with the close up maps, but it will be way easier to update, and anyone who wants a closer view can do so just by zooming in, etc. Anywho, I'm happy I found a way to keep the map!

Tonsils vs. Jeremy Round IV: The Final Confrontation

2009-06-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

I have been dealing with a cold lately, which always sucks on the road. It's not as bad as one's I've had in the past, I am still able to drive, etc, but it seems to be hanging on longer. Gradual sickness rather than the sort of flash-in-the-pan illness the blew my tonsils up to jumbo marble size back in March. Speaking of which it looks like I may finally be getting those tonsils removed as soon as I can finish jumping through all the medical hoops of referrals preliminary appointments and such. Taking the time off to get all that done is the hardest part. Since I can't wait around home for my next appointment along the road to tonsil removal the appointments are being spread out anywhere from 3 weeks to a month apart meaning at this point I expect it to happen some time in October. Meanwhile I am dealing with obstructive sleep apnea and this gal-darn cold. Luckily however, the cold is not messing with my tonsils at the moment so I am at least grateful for that. If those two team up on on me, that could be pretty miserable.

Hard to Keep Up

2009-06-07T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy with loads over the last month that I have not had time to really keep up with this blog, especially the map. Although I love having the map, it's not much good if I don't use it so I am thinking about removing it. Updating the map involves going to Google Maps, entering my stops, generating the code for an embedded map, cutting and pasting that into my blog's code, editing the code to keep it consistent with my blog and updating the date. If I could find a quicker easier way to do it maybe it would be worth keeping. I dunno. I'll think on it.

5 Things To Know About Obama's Public Health Insurance Option

2009-05-13T00:30:00.001-07:00

Whatever you think about President Obama and his policies, I think it is worth while to hear what this plan is really about, especially considering all the false information circulating in the media. Try to suspend your forgone conclusions about whether or not you think public healthcare is a good idea, and really think about this.

1. Choice, choice, choice. If the public health insurance option passes, Americans will be able to choose between their current insurance and a high-quality, government-run plan similar to Medicare. If you like your current care, you can keep it. If you don't—or don't have any—you can get the public insurance plan.²

2. It will be high-quality coverage with a choice of doctors. Government-run plans have a track record of innovating to improve quality, because they're not just focused on short-term profits. And if you choose the public plan, you'll still get to choose your doctor and hospital.³

3. We'll all save a bunch of money. The public health insurance option won't have to spend money on things like CEO bonuses, shareholder dividends, or excessive advertising, so it'll cost a lot less. Plus, the private plans will have to lower their rates and provide better value to compete, so people who keep their current insurance will save, too.⁴

4. It will always be there for you and your family. A for-profit insurer can close, move out of the area, or just kick you off their insurance rolls. The public health insurance option will always be available to provide you with the health security you need.⁵

5. And it's a key part of universal health care. No longer will sick people or folks in rural communities, or low-income Americans be forced to go without coverage. The public health insurance plan will be available and accessible to everyone. And for those struggling to make ends meet, the premiums will be subsidized by the government.⁶

Sources:
1. "Words Designed to Kill Health Care Reform," Huffington Post, May 7, 2009 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51414&id=16123-15078537-lh8gaTx&t=4
2, 3, 4, 5, 6. "The Case for Public Plan Choice in National Health Reform," Institute for America's Future http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51396&id=16123-15078537-lh8gaTx&t=5

Another Dream Fulfilled?

2009-04-29T16:07:00.001-07:00

I have been daydreaming for a while now about one day making my very own web comic but until recently have not had the tools. At least not the tools that would make it possible for me to crank out comics on a regular basis. I recently stumbled on a program however, that might make it possible. I am still limited by my knowledge of the program and my very limited illustration skills, but it at least seems more possible now than it did before.

The main challenge is making organic or even basically spherical shapes. Robots are no problem but as tempting as it is to settle with a world peopled entirely by squarish looking robots, I think I'd like to push for something a little more interesting. Will I be able to pull it off? Only time will tell.

2009-04-08T14:42:00.001-07:00

On my way to Las Cruces, NM

SHARP MR-990 Boom Box with built in mini-organ & sequencer

2009-03-31T21:11:00.001-07:00

It's not often that I blog about something I saw on eBay.com but this one ranks pretty high on my list of coolest things I've ever seen. The MR-990 has a built in mini melody computer keyboard in sliding shelf and it's detachable.
The melody computer has sequencer function, so you can program your melody by step by step
and the melody computer automatically adds suitable accompaniment (chord and bass) for your melody. You can also just play this keyboard alone. According to the seller, it has a very warm analog sound. There are 3 sounds and 4 rhythms are selectable, has 2 octaves.
Lest we forget, this thing is also a boom box equip with twin cassette tape player/recorder, FM/AM radio tuner, 5-band equalizer,
detachable speakers and each control knobs etc.
If you want to check out the auction, it is eBay item#110370471690...and just a reminder, my birthday is coming up in a few months...

♪ Somewhere on the wrong side of the Rainbow... ♫

2009-03-28T07:44:00.001-07:00

There's no place like home [click click]...there's no place like home [click click]...there's no place like home [click click]...
Darn. Well, that didn't work (friggin' converse shoes...) so here I am in the flattest state of all, and I thought I was off to see the wonderful mechanic of Fontana, in the Emerald truck yard (in my emerald truck!) with my cat To- er, I mean Bowie...but anyways, it looks like I am going to be here for a while; and by here I mean this:
Yeah. I am not moving in this picture. In fact I am still not moving as I write this. I have not moved since last night. I used to say I was a "middle of the road" kinda guy but this is ridiculous. There was a snow rescue crew out here earlier who asked if we wanted to be taken into town, but I and the driver ahead of me declined as it is generally company policy to stay with your load, besides which I have the added problem of a battery that won't last more than a couple hours with the truck shut off. Now however, it occurs to me that I am low on fuel (I am 4 miles away from my fuel stop) so I won't be able to idle my truck much longer...I wonder how long it will be before I can move again? To be continued...

The New Setup

2009-03-26T19:49:00.001-07:00

After reviewing my budget and my progress towards my financial goals, I have somewhat revised my proposed music gear setup:

The Wallpaper makes it cool so I'm okay with it. It's also several hundred dollars cheaper than my other idea - which is admittedly the most attractive feature. There is something to be said about simplicity in performance as well. Fewer moving parts means fewer things can break, so to speak. There is also the space issue - this set up would be infinitely easier to transport.

I missed the beginning of the Apocalypse! Must've slept in that day...

2009-03-21T17:56:00.001-07:00

I am often asked what kind of interesting people I meet on the road and I admit I have been remiss in my account of the various characters I run into. I intend to be much more faithful in blogging about these encounters in the future, but in the meantime I hope this one will make up for the opportunities I have missed so far.

Today at a truck stop in Oklahoma I met the head of the American branch of the Draconian Order (he's a truck driver). I guessed that they must claim some affiliation to the old Templars of the crusades like the Masons and Shriners (and hundreds of other societies), but according to the Draconians, those guys were just "hired swords - mere mercenaries..." and the Draconian Order (aka The Order of Light) are the "True Knights of God." The order actually claims some affiliation with the real Count Dracula though I regret to say I didn't get a chance to explore this connection further. Apparently the order recently discovered an empty Egyptian crypt that supposedly had held the Anti-Christ, thus the events of the Apocalypse began on March 17th, 2009. Wow. We both expressed some sympathy for President Obama who besides being elected in the middle of a national financial crisis and a mess in the middle east, was also unfortunate enough to have become President during the advent of the Apocalypse. Geeze, and I thought my job was tough! This all came out in a discussion about why freight was so slow. I guess that would pretty much explain it.

He continued the conversation with an air of someone bragging about their custom hot rod that he was also a "reader" and has been developing his clairvoyance since age 11. He entertained me further with some anecdotes which demonstrated his prowess as a clairvoyant and I was tempted to ask for a sample but I didn't want to give the impression that I was questioning his abilities. He seemed like a nice guy, describing himself as "spiritual but not religious" (remind me to watch out for that designation on dating sites in the future) and as a good person with a "Santa Claus" like affinity for children, and I gotta admit, the conversation beat "talking shop" about suicide and anti-depressants with the other truck driver who was also there. The head of the Draconian Order was kind enough to let me take a picture of his signet ring (see above), as he told me all about the creatures (including dragons, of coarse) that existed in the world before God created light. It was a pleasant conversation, and I especially appreciated that while he extolled the virtues of his Order, he made no effort to recruit me or draw me into an argument, but simply shared the things that he was impressed by, or proud of, or especially passionate about until at length he excused himself as he was eager to get his character to the 21st level on World of Warcraft.

Just one more reason that I love my job. Now I wish I had been blogging all those years I was riding the city bus. So many stories.

The Most [superlative] Trip Ever.

2009-03-12T01:58:00.000-07:00

This trip was the most...narly? no, exhausting? scenic? mountainous? off-the-beaten-path? I guess maybe all of the above. Nearly 1,000 miles of mountain roads all in two days (and on less than 8 hours of sleep). The moonlit mountains, the snowy vistas in the California Sierras, redwoods, lakes, the rugged high desert mountains capped with snow, the skyline of snow capped mountains...did I mention there was snow? and Mountains? I wish I had some pictures to share but I was concentrating on driving. Maybe next time.

Watchmen: Reflections on the graphic novel

2009-03-09T03:47:00.001-07:00

Warning! Spoiler Alert: This blog post may give away plot lines to the graphic novel and the film, Watchmen.

After hearing about the eminent release of a film version of this comic book classic, I decided I'd better go back and read the whole thing before seeing the film. Amazing. I rate this right up there with Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984 only I think this one hits closer to the mark, confronting issues that became all too real and relevant less than two decades after it was written.

For those who haven't read it yet, first I recommend stopping here, and either reading the graphic novel or (for those with shorter attention spans) seeing the film. I haven't seen the film yet, but if it touches on half the material in the graphic novel, it would be worth checking out. For those who have already determined not to do either, I will briefly sum up.

Rather presenting a possible future, the story presents a possible present, much like our own with a few very important differences. Rewind the clock to the early twentieth century, and the advent of fictional heroes like The Shadow, The Green Hornet, and early Superman. Inspired by the fictional characters, real life masked heroes begin to emerge and soon vigilante-ism becomes not just accepted, but popular. It quickly becomes an important part of American society. The presence of masked vigilantes causes important shifts in the historical events of the twentieth century as these heroes participate in everything from WWII to Vietnam. The result (in the graphic novel version) is a present where Richard Nixon is still president (by changing legislation to extend term limits) the cold war is still gaining momentum, and technology has developed in a slightly different though not necessarily any better direction. Along the way, the popularity of masked heroes fades in the wake of civil unrest and police strikes.

[Here comes the spoiler - seriously, turn back now! last chance!]

That brings us to the current day and the main events of the story. Here's the quick and dirty version. As the world hurtles towards an inevitable nuclear crisis an subsequent self annihilation, a plot is uncovered that could save humanity from almost certain destruction, but would involve deliberately killing half the population of New York City, then covering it up citing some new previously unknown threat as the cause. Needless to say, many ethical questions arise at this point. If you knew of such a plot, would you try to stop it? More importantly, the person responsible for the plot thinks himself a watchful protector (a phrase used to describe Batman in the recent film "Dark Night" incidentally), but that gives rise to the question (currently one off the tag lines for the upcoming film) who watches the watchmen? The protectors who are supposedly making sure the rest of the world is held accountable for their actions - who holds them accountable for theirs? This question cuts to the core of the ideals behind vigilante-ism.

If there is one over all theme to the graphic novel it would be summed up in that tag line, "Who watches the watchmen?" but there are plenty more moral dilemmas and complications in the actual reading. Questions about justice, forgiveness, the basis for morality, torture, retribution, etc. Unfortunately some of the content is pretty disturbing, painting a pretty bleak picture of the human condition which I think is frankly a little pessimistic and exaggerated, but then again, much of this is from the vigilante's point of view, so maybe that's part of the point. I did however, appreciate not just the moral dilemmas, but the political implications. It was interesting to compare the plot to save the world with the Bush administrations "War against terror" and it's justifications.

[here comes another spoiler]
In the story, the basic idea of the scheme to save the world, is to fool humanity into thinking that there is much worse enemy to be feared than any human rivals, with the idea of uniting the world in light of this new threat; this being accomplished by introducing a sort of alien biological bomb into New York City which wipes out a good chunk of the local population while psychically attacking survivors causing madness and nightmares in another large percentage of the population. Had this been written post 9-11 the parallels would be a little suspect. Regardless, what's really interesting is comparing the aftermath in both cases. The idea of uniting people via fear of a new threat, whether real, contrived, arranged, or imagined, is the driving force of the scheme in the book, and was also used to garner support after 9-11. In the graphic novel it seemed to work - peace was achieved and a nuclear war was averted. In real life however, we became engulfed in a war. A generation that had become notoriously apathetic suddenly became passionately political.

9-11 was used to justify a lot of executive actions that followed, not the least of which were the Patriot Act which removed rights of privacy and fair trial to anyone suspected of having terrorist ties (though many Americans seem to have forgotten the difference between suspected of a crime and actually being guilty). We watched our government use methods in treatment and questioning of prisoners that we had condemned in other countries less than 50 years ago. At the same time, the reaction on the other side was a passionate revival in concerns for human rights and a more global awareness. So some good came out of it, right? That makes it all okay, right? That sounds like the architect of the world's salvation in Watchmen as he asks a colleague in the closing chapter, "I did the right thing, didn't I? It all worked out in the end..." to which his colleague replies, "In the end? Nothing ever ends..."

So basically a lot of good food for thought in the book. How far should one go for the sake of "justice"? At what point does the "greater good" out-weigh the good of the few or the one? Do the ends justify the means? What's worse: punishing the innocent, or failing to punish the guilty? What's better: justice or mercy? And of coarse, "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Who watches the watchmen?

2009-03-08T18:08:00.001-07:00

"We have labored long to build a heaven, only to find it populated with horrors." - Alan Moore (Prof. Milton Glass in Watchmen)

Just a Quick Update

2009-03-05T01:02:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to let everyone know i got back form the Hospital OK. They gave me a couple shots and some anti-biotics and I am doing better already. More later!

Me VS. My Tonsels

2009-03-04T03:13:00.001-08:00

These things have gotta go, man. I put up with the pain and the swelling for more than a week but when I woke up gagging tonight I had to draw the line. I called a local clinic near the Tacoma, WA Interstate Yard and the nurse told me I should just go to the ER so here I go. The midnight fleet manager didn't want me driving there but there's no way this calls for any personal medical escort with flashing lights on it (too expensive - I think they must charge extra for the flashy lights) so I am calling a cab. Anyways, like I told my fleet manager, it's only a problem when I try to sleep - as long as I am awake everything is honky dory; and I am awake...here at 3:00 am...and I really really don't want to be awake. So I'm off to see the wizard in a yellow cab. I am taking my cell phone with me, but here's the hospital info just in case:
St. Clare Hospital
11315 Bridgeport Way,
Lakewood, WA‎ - (253) 588-1711

PS
Like I said, this is no big deal - worst case scenario, I get my tonsels out - yay!

On The Mend

2009-02-27T15:20:00.001-08:00

Feeling much better. Turns out I had the flu. No doctor restrictions on driving but he recommended more rest. So I rested. Now I am feeling much better (though my throat is still a little sore), and I am waiting on a load. Apparently freight is slow in these parts at the moment so it may be a while so I am catching up on laundry and some other things.

Did I Just Get Taller?

2009-02-27T00:35:00.001-08:00

Hey guess what? I am 6' 4.5"! I know, that may not be a big deal to anyone older than 5 but it was news to me. For the past 10 years I have been quoting my height as being 6' 3" or at best between 6' 3" and 6' 4". Now it turns out I am at least whole half an inch taller than I thought. More like 1.5" because I had seriously settled on 6" 3' in recent years. Did I get taller? That seems unlikely. But I guess anything's possible.

Down For The Count

2009-02-25T13:43:00.001-08:00

I pushed until it became clear I was getting too sick to drive. I made it as far as Orland, but this morning I was feeling even worse and the symptoms seemed to be pointing towards strep throat. After handing off the load at Orland I made an appointment to see a doctor tomorrow. I sure hope this doesn't turn into Albuquerque all over again. So long as nobody says the word "vertigo" I think I'll be okay. Also, if I have a concrete day when I can go back to work that will help too. Meanwhile I feel pretty crappy.

Faces (#004): I don't feel so good...

2009-02-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

This is the 'caughy achey sneezy I wish I could rest' face.

My Shoes

2009-02-21T15:05:00.000-08:00

This where my feet belong.

Band Stuff

2009-02-19T23:31:00.001-08:00

Just daydreaming about my one man band set up again. I think I might have a possible set-up:

Yes I am such a nerd that I actually looked up pictures of my gear and made this in Photoshop. If it makes it any better this is more for my own reference than anything. I don't have all the pieces yet but almost. The basic idea is that this will all (theoretically) fit in my truck so that I could do music on the road. Not sure though. Even small amps take up a lot of space. Maybe a small pa would be better. I dunno. I am excited that I finally discovered a loop pedal with all the features I am looking for including the ability to link up to a sampler (or drum machine - which is what I'd basically use the sampler for anyway) so that the loops will sync with the sampled beats. The Casiotone MT-70 I have already and it is sweet. It's one that Hot Chip uses - though I didn't realize that until after I got it. One of the greatest things about this set up is that it will allow me to faithfully perform my older songs while at the same time giving me a ton more flexibility to write new material. The loop pedal (by the way) also allows me to make 4 separate loops that I can start and stop individually. Sweet, huh? Oh yeah, and you can pan them too. Stereo output. That accounts for two of the three amps. Of coarse, you could just manage those as two separate outputs instead of R and L stereo, but I digress....

Anyhow this is just band nerd stuff.

Thus Far Shall Ye Go And No Further

2009-02-14T22:22:00.001-08:00

After getting a little bit of a late start this morning (having slept in a little) I reached the several mountain passes that interstate 5 winds through as it crosses the border between Oregon and California. Just before the boarder I found myself on slippery ice and snow and had to slow down quite a bit. I was actually surprised that chains were not required and was considering putting them on regardless when conditions improved as quickly as they had deteriorated. Not long after the border however, and just before the final mountain pass between me and the much easier terrain that begins just north of Redding and continues south all the way until the Grapevine, I came upon a road closure. The last pass was closed, due to snow and ice no doubt, and I was obliged to stop for the night. I'm not sure when the road closed so it's hard to say whether an earlier start would have helped, but most likely it would have. Temperatures tend to drop at night, and with the low visibility and poor conditions, road closures (at least in this area) seem more common after dark - unlike Wyoming where winter road closures can come at any time day or night and can even last for days at a time. With any luck, I'll be back on the road early tomorrow - with a rather more daunting days drive ahead. I am expected in Los Angeles at 10 am day after tomorrow. Wish me luck!

34 Hours Turns into 64 Hours

2009-02-10T17:15:00.001-08:00

Sometimes you just can't know what's going to happen. For the last week my assignments have come in before I was even finished with the one I was working on. This is ideal because it allows me to plan ahead and figure out how to make the best use of my hours. I was driving so many miles and burning up so many hours that I was about to run out so, in order to make the most efficient use of my available hours I opted to take 34 hour reset upon my arrival to W. Sacramento (allowing me to show a full 70 hours available instead of a dozen or less for my next assignment). This seemed to be a good idea, and I got up bright and early this morning ready to roll. No assignment came until 1:30pm and the load doesn't pick up until tomorrow at 2:00pm. Bleh. So I sit around half of yesterday, all of today, and half of tomorrow waiting to roll. At least it's not too cold.

Oh, So Wireless!

2009-02-05T19:47:00.000-08:00

Oh hell yes. Once again technology triumphs over the lack of internet access. Now only one dilemma remains...Pandora.com or Last.fm?

Bowie vs. Del Taco

2009-02-04T17:06:00.000-08:00

Bowie attacking fish tacos...with extreme prejudice.