I Guess I Should Really Apologize For My Absence...

[Greenguy]

Most of you know about my physical & mental problems. Lately, it seems like both are getting worse & worse. My online time has been scattered & reduced, therefore my priorities change from day-to-day.

One of the things that I tend to "blow off" is the board - and that's going to stop as of today. My old routine had me coming here after I accomplished a couple other tasks each morning, but it seems that those tasks are taking me longer & longer each day, if I get to all of them at all.

So I'm going to do my best to make sure I get here each morning, as well as a couple of time throughout the rest of the day.

I'm sorry
Mark - Greenguy

[Cleo]

You have a board?

[Greenguy]

Originally Posted by Cleo

You have a board?

Yes! A very boring board!
(see what I did there? I crack myself up lol)

[ArtWilliams]

There is a good line from the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I like to think of it when my day is not as great as it should be.

“We get up in the morning. We do our best. Nothing else matters.”

Some Sundays even the Bills catch a break!

[hincapie]

Anything that we can do to help ?

[Greenguy]

Originally Posted by artwilliams

There is a good line from the movie The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. I like to think of it when my day is not as great as it should be.

“We get up in the morning. We do our best. Nothing else matters.”

But what if you're overcome by the feeling - or even knowledge - that you're not doing your best?

Originally Posted by hincapie

Anything that we can do to help ?

A time machine would be handy. That & a cure for cancer to take back with me.

GEEZE! I'm f'ing depressing...

[Ramster]

Yes you need to pick up the slack around here

[Simon]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

But what if you're overcome by the feeling - or even knowledge - that you're not doing your best?

You can always take solace in knowing that...

"If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." -- Catherine Aird

See, even if you're not doing your best, you still serve an important purpose in this world.

[ArtWilliams]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

But what if you're overcome by the feeling - or even knowledge - that you're not doing your best?

Whatever you can muster for the day is your best. Learn to accept that. Don't compare what you can do to other people because everyone's ability and make up are different.

Every day is different. Some are harder than others. Try to build on a streak of good days and maybe you'll get something going. Don't beat yourself up if it doesn't.

Learn to lean on those who care for you when times are bad. Remember that whatever the task is at hand, you're not only doing it for yourself, you're doing it for them too. They want you to succeed and be happy too.

[Cleo]

I'm sure that Simon and hincapie could come up with a way to keep you in front of your computer.

[hincapie]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

A time machine would be handy. That & a cure for cancer to take back with me.

GEEZE! I'm f'ing depressing...

Ouch .... ill start out by watching Back To The Future on repeat till i figure it out!

Hmmm but nah seriously, if we can lend a hand with any of the chores here or on other sites - im sure im not the only one who´d be happy to, just yell.

But for now i need lots of and flying skateboard to start my investigations

[Greenguy]

Thanks everyone - I do appreciate your help, especially what Art wrote:

Originally Posted by artwilliams

Whatever you can muster for the day is your best. Learn to accept that. Don't compare what you can do to other people because everyone's ability and make up are different.

Every day is different. Some are harder than others. Try to build on a streak of good days and maybe you'll get something going. Don't beat yourself up if it doesn't.

Learn to lean on those who care for you when times are bad. Remember that whatever the task is at hand, you're not only doing it for yourself, you're doing it for them too. They want you to succeed and be happy too.

That hit me, but in a very good way

[JAI-LING]

Originally Posted by Greenguy

Most of you know about my physical & mental problems. Lately, it seems like both are getting worse & worse. My online time has been scattered & reduced, therefore my priorities change from day-to-day.

One of the things that I tend to "blow off" is the board - and that's going to stop as of today. My old routine had me coming here after I accomplished a couple other tasks each morning, but it seems that those tasks are taking me longer & longer each day, if I get to all of them at all.

So I'm going to do my best to make sure I get here each morning, as well as a couple of time throughout the rest of the day.

I'm sorry
Mark - Greenguy

You have just about...the only board that matters anymore. Real adults show up here. Helpful people. Good people. You made that, man.

I often get the doldrums and slumps and feel overwhelmed due to huge tasks or being "tired." It will pass, have patience and don't forget, you have something in common with The Clash - good thing is - you are still here.

I can count the people I still respect in this biz on one hand and they are all here...including you, GG.

[Greenguy]

JAI-LING - Thank You! And I did see the email about your PM, so I will look into that, too!

[Kdog]

Mark you may or may not remember me much if at all. You are a helluva guy. This board is friendly and helpful. I have severe back problems and can relate to the pain and shit from my back. Try not to beat yourself up over things. Most everyone here it seems to me would be willing to help you out if you need it. Myself included.

If there is anything I can help you with please let me know as I would be glad to help.

Kdog is my nick name I got from the trucking industry. I went by Smokey back in the day when I was one of the CONDOM officials. Then a different Smokey appeared and I had to pick something else to not be confused with another person. Now at 41 I'm feeling alot of the effects I have put my body through when I was younger. I'm here to help all you need do is ask brother.

You still rock in my book!

[Greenguy]

Kdog - I remember you!

...or maybe I remember the other Smokey

In any event, thanks for the post

[Kdog]

It's been a long time.. bad thing about how scatterbrain I can be.. I should have given you a shout back in April when I was in Buffalo.. Me and the wife went to Niagra on Saturday night and spent the day Sunday in Niagra.. loaded a shipment monday in Buffalo area.. very near Orchard Park even.. Could have gotten together for lunch or something.. Anyhow in a semi NYC is for the birds.. I love upstate NY and especially around Buffalo and the western side away from all the clutter and shit that is very unfriendly for a truck..

Got a ticket in CT just the other side of NYC for being on the wrong route though it wasn't clearly posted.. fuckers! .

I'm off the road now due to my back. It's just as well. My back can't handle the long drives and loading the truck like I used to be able to do.

Anyways I enjoy this board. Friendly folks offering friendly advice or just having friendly conversations. It is very refreshing.

[Greenguy]

Kdog - Who do/did you drive for? My "real" job before all this was Dispatcher & Dock Supervisor at ABF up in Tonawanda

[Kdog]

I drove for Atlas Van Lines.. so not only a driver but a mover as well. Not a surprise I have bad knees and back lol..

ABF does the you load it we haul it type of moving don't they as well as freight?

[Greenguy]

Originally Posted by Kdog

ABF does the you load it we haul it type of moving don't they as well as freight?

Yuppers! It's called U-Pack and it was just starting when I quit in 1998. It's a cool concept, where they drop off a trailer at your house, you load up the nose (front) with all your shit, ABF nails in a bulkhead (wooden wall), and along its merry way it goes to wherever it is you're moving to, ABF drops it off at your new house, you unload it, Bob's Your Uncle

The only thing I saw that could be a potential problem is that, if something got damaged AND you were able to convince ABF's OS&D Dept (Over, Short, and Damaged) that it wasn't your horrendous job of loading the trailer that caused the damage, the fine print says that you only get $0.10/pound for the damaged goods. So, that 25 lb HDTV you spent $400 on that now has a broomstick thru the screen? You get $2.50 for it

Gosh Darn! I miss talking freight!!

[Kdog]

The moving companies do something similiar. Even if it is the fault of the company most people elect the 0.60/lb option. Full value protection is much higher. Most of the time the big moving companies have a 3rd party come and crate the plasmas or lcd/led tv's. Then it is on the 3rd party companies if those get damaged.

My claims were very low. Worst I've had that was my fault was I broke a big green egg grill and had to buy the customer a new one at $900.00. He did have full value protection on his stuff.

Some people have used ABF trailers and hired some of our local guys to load the trailer for them at their hourly rate and just paid our guys cash. Basically the dispatcher would ask if someone wanted to go help a family load their own trailer and get some cash on the side.

The ones I liked to haul were Old Navy stores fixtures. It paid for exclusive use of 53' trailer and it was no touch freight. Didn't cost me anything in labor just drive and pay fuel. Last one of those I did went from twin cities to freeport, ME.

You can talk freight anytime lol

I like being off the road but I still miss it and have that itch to take a run somewhere.

[Greenguy]

Exclusive use of a 53' trailer?! HOLY FUCK! How much did that cost? LOL

[Kdog]

It gets somewhat complicated on the answer to that one lol

exclusive use of 53' trailer is considered the same as if they had 20,000 lbs of freight.

Given that to get the account and keep them satisfied, the sales people offer huge discounts. My cut was 45% of the calculated linehaul. From there I had to pay for fuel and tolls. IL-IN tolls, OH tolls, NY thru-way, 75.00 to just cross the GW bridge, CT, MA, NH, ME tolls as well. After all that and fuel I still put close to 2K in my pocket though. Too bad I couldn't run a couple of those runs a week.

Only reason I went through CT instead of taking NY thru-way to MA then to ME. I slipped a small shipment on the ass end going to CT on the way for extra 400.00 cash in my pocket. What old navy didn't know won't hurt them since I was there on time for delivery.

My closest guess on the cost for the company to get exclusive use since I wasn't priviledged to such information, around 8-9K. I only got 45% of calculated linehaul. The other charges, etc I have no clue about as they had to pay for the labor provided by the local moving company agents, truck, fuel surcharge(which was also given to me), interstate tariffs, etc.

The only information I was ever given was the parts that I received something from. The company is making billions. I can attest to the fact that the drivers are not lol. Still made decent money for 5-6 months of work though.

Btw picked up a nice snowblower from one of my customers almost brand new. He sold me troybuilt snowblower and riding mower for 800.00. Slightly used and in excellent shape. Sold riding mower for 500.00 to a friend as I already have a Deere riding mower. Which reminds me I need to check fluids etc on it as snow will be flying here soon.

Self propelled, 24" snowblower that did great last season. Electric start but have never used that as it starts easily on 1 pull and it is definately much easier on my back and makes easy work of clearing the driveway. 300.00 well spent in my opinion.

[Kdog]

[Greenguy]

OOPS! I didn't actually expect you to answer that question lol