Help Desk

About... America

2011-01-12T07:24:00.000-08:00

Tragic news in Arizona this week! I feel for the victims.

How did it get so out of hand and where is this going?

You have the gun laws in that state that allows anyone to carry and conceal a hand gun. As long as you pass the mandatory legal check. So the shooter was perfectly in his right to have and carry the gun. But this person, described as a nut-ball, had to have a fuse lit from somewhere or someone.

Being on the road I have lots of time between stops to listen to the radio and the CB chatter. I have satellite radio but occasionally I'll listen to the local stuff, usually on late-night radio. It is amazing what the freedom of speech allows over the airwaves. You can hear moderate ideas to ultra extreme venom, liberal to conservative. Then there are the religious stations that pump out hour after hour of give us your money, but that's another subject for later. On the CB, you usually get about 1% that spew their point of view and will curse you to oblivion and call you every imaginable name if you disagree, even invite you to stop and discuss mano-a-mano on the road side. (no one ever does, cause these a lot of bravado behind a microphone)

People down there are passionate about what they think they believe. They are firmly convinced that they have the truth, be it religion or politics and that anyone that disagrees with their opinion is in need of severe correction in any way, shape or form. There's no middle ground anymore. Partisan dichotomy rules. It's OK to be passionate but there has to be a limit. When is too much, too much?

Listening to the way a certain news media network (named after a small canine quadruped) and a particular speaker (some Irish name I can't seem to recall, O' something or other); They're right, your wrong if you don't think like them. Interviews with invitees are basically talked over, cut off in mid phrase, spoken down to, statements are twisted and always ends with the interviewer restating his belief. End of story. "We report, you decide."

The politicians are no better, as they are the source for the media. Verbal attacks on opponents are strident with character assassinations and so on.

In the news, politicians and media are decrying the link between the alleged assassination attempt and themselves saying that it was the work of one unbalanced individual who is responsible for the actions. They have nothing what so ever to do with this person of interest.

Bull

What's the difference between this current situation and Iran's Mullahs that issue fatwas against the US or individuals. Nothing, they both incite the population, mostly the unstable, to action.

Follow the link while it's still up:
irregulartimes.com

If they delete it, I have a copy that I can post. ed.

About: Queueless Imports

2010-08-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

This one is going to be bad! Racist even, and I'm hesitant to write but it goes with what a lot of people are thinking but are afraid or wary to speak about. So brand me if you like!

Queueless Imports is a small play on words. It has a literal meaning; Queue as in lining up for service and clueless which is obvious. Imports is used rather than saying immigrants.

I was at one of the now rare service centers on the 401 between Montreal and Toronto last week. I stopped for a coffee at Timmy's. The place was packed due to the closing of most of these service areas for renovations.

Now, I don't mind the place being packed by travelers and I don't care if they're Caucasian, Black, Asian, Pakistani or what have you. I do have an issue with people who don't have a clue to what basic politeness and respect for others is.

While lining up for a coffee there must have been four or five people with families, uncles, aunts, brother, sisters, friends and a myriad of kids in tow that didn't even try to line up like the rest of us. (Note that I didn't point out what nationality I'm talking about here, you guess.) They just cut past the line and went directly to the counter. It's very clear that there's a line, with the usual poles and ribbons that guide the masses to the counter. But no, that's not for them. They're more important than the rest of us. Now, they weren't in any hurry since they milled around the parking lot for quite some time after being served. The staff at Timmy's was either oblivious or didn't care. More to be said about this later.

A lot of people just don't get Canadian society (or maybe they do and just play the system knowing what they can get away with.) And that's our problem! We're too polite. We accommodate, we include, we allow, we put up, we shut up because we're afraid to be labeled racist. After all, we have a Human Rights Commission that runs to the aid of anyone who feels slighted in any way. You get hauled into court or tribunal for objecting to the incursion. Freedom of speech isn't for Canadians, it's for the others. (cringe). Speaking your mind, that's hate speech!

The Americans have it right in some respects. First, they assimilate new-comers into their society. It's their way or don't bother coming over. Second, you have to at least speak their language; in our case, one of the two official languages.

So here's my point. How long will it be until we're the minority and start loosing our rights to be in our country? Don't kid yourself, it's already here.

R.I.P.

2010-03-20T12:56:00.001-07:00

Lady K
March 20, 2010 @ 13H45

About. narrow mindedness

2009-09-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

This goes to the heart of my previous post, Quebec's Taliban.

I'm just back from several thousand kilometers on driving through the US and Ontario. One of the things I have noticed is the presence of bilingual road signs where road safety is involved. But not in Quebec.

In Ontario as well in upstate New York, Vermont and New Hampshire, even though it is not obligatory, you will find bilingual advisories. This kind of thinking ensures that road users do not become statistics. Some of this is official law, like for Ontario, but beyond that, it's just polite and safety mindness. I have found tri-lingualism as far as Minnesota, just because public safety is a concern.

In contrast, I recently read of a Montreal bus driver, who when asked by an immigrant student in English, for the time, flatly stated, "I don't speak English". The driver, after being told by the asker of her ability to both understand and reply in English, pushes the button that calls police and takes the bus and twenty other passengers to a nearby depot.

Oh, the shame of being part of this society. What arrogance! If you couldn't reply because you didn't speak the language but understood the basic question, would you point to your watch? Poor tourists... Sure we want your money but we're not civil enough to speak to you in your language. No basic courtesy. Pity.

The same goes for the road signs here in quebec. (Lower case used for the small minded)
but that's another rant for later

About: Quebec's Taliban

2009-06-24T05:36:00.000-07:00

[Picture shown linked to the Gazette, June 18th, 2009, Quebec's Brown-Shirts, Friends of Pauline]

This post will not be politically correct. It will offend and I will not apologize to those who are offended. If you don't want to be offended, stop reading now and go away. If you continue to read and are offended, too bad. You were warned and by electing to continue to read, you abrogate your rights to be complain about being offended.

Note: I embrace and enjoy the French Quebec culture and to this point, I have remained in Quebec, unlike the car people of 1975, who took off down the 401 to Toronto. I married a French woman, I pay my taxes, vote, and work in French, etc. I agree for the most part in the preservation of the French language and culture in Quebec.

However...

I'm getting tired of the radical elements within this province. So here goes. Leave now if you wish.

Definition: Racism is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. In the case of institutional racism, certain racial groups may be denied rights or benefits, or get preferential treatment, while reverse racism favours members of a historically disadvantaged group at the expense of those of a historically advantaged group. Racial discrimination typically points out taxonomic differences between different groups of people, even though anybody can be racialised, independently of their somatic differences. According to the United Nations conventions, there is no distinction between the term racial discrimination and ethnic discrimination.

Just like the middle east, who have their radical fundamentalists, I believe we Quebecois have ours. (Hey, the Americans have Fox News) They're called the SSJB (Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste) and the JPQ (Les Jeaunes Patroites du Quebec). The latter is the militant wing of the PQ like the former FLQ. I have decided to refer to both as the Quebec Taliban. Little has changed since the FLQ; they're still dinosaurs. Just like the middle-eastern antique fundamentalist relics and ethnic purists of tribes long since past, these continue to dwell on past offenses and "humiliations", perceived or actual, inflicted by the English bourgeoisie from Westmount and interpret historic humiliations such as the defeat of Montcalm to Wolfe to their ends to justify their actions. Today, these fundamentalist purists despise any reference of English, foam at the mouth if the English text isn't smaller by the prescribed format compared to the French text, refuse to learn or use the language. Example: They are currently petitioning to have the street renamed from Amherst, in Montreal. What does this truly show? They could be referred to as xenophobic and racist.

The SSJB and JPQ are the mouthpieces for the Partie Quebecois, at the provincial level, and the Bloc Quebecois, at the Federal Level. These receive their funding and support from radical elements within the general public and certain members of parliament; The PQ and the Bloc. [List of contributors can be found in the Gazette article]. Unwilling to voice their own opinions publicly, they secretly send their money to these groups, thus quietly supporting the continued repression of a specific sector of the Quebec population. The current Liberal government silently supports them through their inaction and capitulation, ever fearful of their future re-election opportunities.

These radical groups promote Quebec sovereignty and separation from the ROC in a more physical fashion. In addition, they promote the use of French in Quebec through threats of violence. They're also abhor anything remotely English: signs, English musicians singing at local festivals, etc.

Recently in the news, a local Montreal business threatened to withdraw funding support to a festival because two bands in the entertainment lineup were English, singing in both English and French. When revealed in the news, the decision was quickly reversed, having been sufficiently embarrassed by the obvious racist slant of their press release. The concert when off without a hitch, with only minor elements voicing their opposition.

There is the infamous language police AKA; Tongue troopers, who chase down any reported infraction of the French language charter, which in itself is a manifesto of the primacy of the French language, under the guise of preserving the French language and culture by the suppression of the English language.

Historically, the English and the French have warred for centuries back. England and France are full of wars, incursions and subjugation of each other. Other historical comparisons of cultural and ethnic cleansing occurred might include Turkey and the Albanians, the Hutu's and the Tootsies and Germany for which no additional references are required. You don't need to kill to exterminate.

The media has pointedly avoided the use of the R word but I can't help thinking out loud the things that need to be said. Let's call a spade a spade!

About... since January

2009-06-24T05:28:00.000-07:00

So the last iteration was six months ago, egad! Where to start?!?

Ok, back to where I left off in January.

First, I survived the winter driving a truck. No accidents. I did hit a snow bank slightly, just enough to bend the side bumper up by an inch. So the gap between the grill and the bumper closed up a bit, it was easily pulled back into place with a block and tackle, so no harm there.

I found that the truck steer tire will go straight in deep snow at low speeds, even when you turn out of the bank. It has to do with all those drive tires at the back of the tractor that push in straight lines. The steers cannot overcome the drivers.

Black ice; I saw plenty of that first hand. Once occasion made my butt pucker. Fortunately I wasn't going too fast. I did see the consequences from others that weren't so careful. Some died from it, too.

Snow banks are the biggest problem. They tend to tighten up a customers' yard, so what was difficult under normal circumstances becomes next to impossible.

So here are some of my more distant destinations: Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, Evansville, Kentucky. Wooster, Canton, Mogadore, Ohio. Rockford, Victoria, Minnesota. Winnipeg, Manitoba. Just about everywhere in a straight line from Kingston to Windsor. Lafayette, Wabash, Indiana. There is lots of closer stuff, like up state New York and the New England states. Many places have weird names like Unadilla, NY or Ashtabula, OH.

I have hauled a variety of things, some with little value and little weight, like Styrofoam ( you can fill a 53 foot trailer from floor to rafters and barely have 8 thousand pounds). Other times the value can be quite high. Most times a full load weighs 44 thousand pounds. That plus the weight of the truck can weigh up to 80K lbs.

Next..., politics! You've been warned!

About Blogging

2009-06-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

It takes a bit of effort to blog. Like cutting the grass before having to call the local farmer to mow and bale the hay, I sometimes just have the energy to get to it. Call me lazy, perhaps. I do work long hours and am away from the house on the average workweek, which can be up to 70 hours max. So blogging can be a bit of a chore. But once I get into it, it's fun.

More to follow

About... lousy weeks

2009-01-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

When I was taking my commercial license courses, they told us of the adventures we: 1. might, 2. probably, 3. would, encounter during the working day. What they didn't say was it might happen all within the same week. Murphy's law applies here.

This week will go into my personal diary as the week from hell.

To start off, the previous week, I had a truck that had an injector problem, so they traded my International for a Freightliner. The Freightliner had minor problems too but off I go, it's manageable.

First was the departure from the terminal. Tried to hitch to a trailer and couldn't lock up with the 5th wheel (the saddle that attaches the tractor and trailer. It 05h30 on Monday and there are mechanics available. We tried numerous solutions, one is to douse the apparatus with antifreeze, that didn't work. Next torch the metal with a welding torch until the grease catches fire. Still didn't work. All this time, we are working outside in minus 20. Finally, the mechanic brings the truck into the garage to let it heat up naturally and to apply more torching. He discovers that a piece has broken off and that whole assembly needs to be replaced. All told, it took three hours before I could leave the garage bay. As I was leaving the garage doors, one of my brake boosters blew out. That makes for a loss of air pressure and a pressure drop automatically applies the brakes fully. Couldn't move, so the mechanics had to drag me back into the bay using a forklift. Another hour down as they replace my booster!

Finally get underway, 5 hours late. Get to the client the next morning at 09h00.

Next was the load on Tuesday afternoon (13th of Jan) at a salt mine on one the Finger lakes in NY state. I arrive only to be told I'm a day early. What!?! Call my dispatcher. They are strangely cryptic with their reply. I manage to sweet talk the load master to reconsider. It pays to be nice with people. (attract more bees with honey than vinegar) I got loaded with more than 46K lbs of table salt that was loaded on 42 feet of van. It had to be reloaded because it would have been over-weight on the drive axles. Wasted time there.

On the Freighliner, I had had the garage fix the heating control that was very difficult to turn. Ended up braking off the knob. They fixed only the knob without fixing the mechanism underneath. Left the terminal for a short haul to St-Albans NY. Quickly discovered that I had no heating in the front end on the tractor. I was able to turn on the heating in the back sleeper part but my feet were frozen by the time I reached my destination. Sent a message over the system to the garage telling them to prepare for my arrival later. They haven't got the part so I have to switch trucks (back to the International) to continue my week.

Next there was the load of waste paper going to the mill for recycling. First, I was told to go directly to the mill. The mill said, "No we have no place for this, it must be taken to the overflow depot in the next town." At that time, the over-flow depot is closed until the next morning. So I found a truck stop nearby and shacked up for the night. The next morning, it's minus 30 degrees celsius and the truck batteries are dead, the truck won't start, the oil has turned to molasses. This was as 05h30. No power to run the auxiliary heating either. No booster cables, and none long enough to get the battery box anyway. Call the company and got assistance. The road assistance that they sent tried unsuccessfully. The company sent their own road service. They put a charger on the batteries and a heater under the engine. After one-half hour, it finally starts but the master mechanic says that one of the batteries has frozen; the battery walls are now bowed outwards indicating some internal expansion has occurred.

Finally get to the overflow depot only to be told that the mill will accept the load and to go back there. Arggg! Finish my drop finally and go back to the terminal to have my batteries replaced. That took three hours. So I went home to shower and shave.

So off I go to Johnson City, Ny. 10 hour trip. It's Thursday. I do my drop on Friday morning and go for my pick up at the salt mine again. Usually pick ups at the mine are by appointment and those without just get in line and wait for availabilities. My dispatch gave me a generic Rendez-Vous (before 10 PM) which means basically no appointment. It took five hours to get loaded. It's now 17h30 on Friday, it's dark and I have five hours left on my log. I'm not getting home tonight. So I'm heading up the I-81 towards Watertown and the border at Landsdown Ontario. At exit 32, the snow starts. In a matter of one kilometer, one cannot see the road. I stop at exit 34 to get dinner and fax some papers to the broker for customs clearance. I get stuck in the truck stop yard because the truck has older tires and is not as effective in deep snow. (24 inches, no kidding). The yard master pulls me out and I go on my way. By exit 44 the snow has stopped quite a ways back, shows no sign of moving northward and I'm out of hours so I stop at the rest area for the night. It' 10 PM. The road is clean and dry. The next morning I awake to 24 inches of snow on and around the truck. Shit! I've been plowed in too. OK, I can manage if we go slow. As I engage the clutch, my drive wheels slip sideways from the ice that has formed under them during the night. I'm also on a slight incline towards the ditch. My drive wheels slip towards the ditch and end up on the soft shoulder. It isn't long before I'm stuck in mud and almost jackknifed. It's 07h30. Call the garage and have them authorize a road service. the road service arrives about 30 minutes later, takes 20 minutes and costs 500$ just to winch me out.

Finally I get home on Saturday at about 15h30. I had it up to here with this week. Call my dispatcher because my next trip should depart on Sunday at noon but I have to reset my log (36 hours of off-duty time.) He says "no problem, you can leave on Monday morning.

So there you have a week in the life of a trucker. It pays but isn't without its' issues. I hope that my Freightliner is ready and fixed as they said and that this coming week is better than the one I just had.

Pictures available on Facebook. Look for me there.

About... Arg! Perhaps separation is an option!

2008-12-05T04:23:00.000-08:00

I am so angry, I could spit, but if I do, it'll be in Harper's direction. This weeks shenanigans in Ottawa are simply unacceptable from all sides. (December 2, 2008)

Harper was asking for trouble when his government presented their fiscal plan at the beginning of the week. He did it with premeditation. Hit the bees nest, then run to Mommy (GG) for help when the bully gets his up and coming. Harper misjudged the reaction of the opposition, what does that say about his thinking processes?

BTW, is the GG now Harper's lapdog? Sit Fifi, Sit!

Definition of "Doesn't play well with others" should be:

Arrogant trouble maker.

Proroguing parliament to avoid a vote of non-confidence: cowardice, in my opinion!

Does Harper, with 38% voter support, really represent Canadians? It appears that his supporters are cut from the same cloth. Vocal minority that uses the same mean-spirited tactics as the leader. (News item: Linch mobs in Alberta.) Do we want a leader like that?

The NDP and the Liberals as a coalition collectively hold 114 seats and 44% of the popular voter support. BQ support is only required in order to obtain a majority of seats (163) in the house and is not part of the coalition. But Harper consistently twists the true about the BQ participation in this coalition. What does that say about this man's integrity?

Some stats from Quebec perspective:

The BQ got 66.7 % or 1.3 million out of 3.6 million registered Quebec votes.

Harper's Torys: 13.3 percent; some +/-780,000 votes.

Liberals: 17.3% or +/-859,000 votes.

That doesn't mean that Queberers want to separate but rather they wanted to stop Harper... and with reason perhaps?.

Quebecers have usually been on point when electing leaders. Duceppe's performance this week has been surprising, despite his parties position in general.

And why are sovereignists suddenly separatists?

In 2004, Harper enlisted the support of the Bloc to pass legislation. The BQ were sovereignists then. That made it OK for him then but not OK now when the Liberals and NDP do it, now they're separatists ?

Harper is counting of the unwashed masses to not remember this fact. Thankfully the media remembers. Spin masters would have you believe that it is out of context. It's all bullshit! Yesterday was OK, today, not. Gimme a friggin' break! Harper lost the support of Quebec in the last election and is now enlisting the support from the ROC. Polarizing the country and furthering the aspirations of the PQ. Way to go, buddy! Stay tuned, this is going to get worse.

Dion's being sabotaged from inside his own party as much as from the Tory's. (Who is the twit that made that video reply on Thursday?) If you remove the video element, Dion's reply was on point. Liberal spin machine sucks big time.

Until the Liberal party gets their shit together and elects and supports a leader that is capable of dealing appropriately with the Tory's, I am seriously considering voting for the BQ in the next election. And that doesn't seem to be too far down the road.

A Canada with Harper is not a country I want to live in. So I say, separate...

Harper from Canada!

About: week one done.

2008-08-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

After much door banging in the job seeking department, I finally found something with some solidity.

Previously, I had been with a agency who took me in as a temporary driver for Provigo (aka Loblaws, Maxi & Co). This involved a commute to Boucherville, about an hours' drive. It was full time. I would start my day at random hours, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm or 9 pm, and deliver groceries by the van-load to the local stores on the South shore, Montreal or Laval. This could last until midnight, 2am, 3 am or even 5:30am.

It was interesting to say the least. Most of the deliveries avoided major traffic periods with exception to the 4pm start. In the evening, traffic drops substantially and after midnight, the streets are mine.

So I did this stint for two weeks while looking for something a bit closer to home as my commute gas bills were running higher than I liked.

Finally, I hit a local company, Distribution Marcel Dion, right here in town. After a weeks evaluation and training, they assigned me my own truck with sleeper and sent me to the US doing deliveries and pick ups. The sleeper compartment has a comfortable bed, Space for storage a microwave oven and a mini-fridge. A bit like a compact camper.

What do I deliver... right now, paper, either in hugh rolls to printers or scrap in bales to mills for reprocessing.

This week was only three and a half days but I covered over 2,700 kms. Not too shabby for starters.

The most difficult part of all this driving business is finding the client. The Americans don't believe in civic addressing too much or if they do, they do it poorly. Old places with no signage indicating possible location, no doors or numbers at the front, and even frontages behind other buildings. It's amazing they get any business at all. Other times, you have buildings that were never designed for 53 foot trailers and 20 foot tractors in mind. Back when these builds were erected 53 foots trailers didn't exist so the truck has to be parked to the dock in "jackknife" style.

Then there is the technique of backing in on the "blindside".

The best situation when backing into the loading bay is to do it from the left side or drivers side of the truck. Mirrors and leaning out the drivers side window ensure you don't hit anything. Blindside is where you have to back in from the passenger side. Mirrors need to be re-pointed outwards and you frequently need to use the "goal" method: "get out and look" just to ensure you're not taking out posts, cars and buildings.

For the most part, backing up is fun and challenging.

So here's the rant. Isn't there always and rant. After all the blog would be fairly bland if not for the rant.

A caveat to parents, I'm not referring to you, Mom, Ron, Dad & Norma.

You little four wheelers with white hair and hats. STOP DRIVING! You're no longer competent to do so! Get the f*** off the road. Lady, I can't understand why you insist on waiting behind me for up to five minutes while I am stopped, me having my four-way flashers on. I'm not moving and as long as you're behind me I'm not going to.

Then there are the clueless boys with their girlfriends who don't (can't) observe the stop line clearly painted at the stop light. This is for you and you should know that road planners put lines on the road for you to stay inside of. I suppose that as a child, you were one of those that just couldn't keep the wax crayon from going over the outline of your coloring book and so you've carried this impediment into adulthood.

Case in point: My light is green, yours is red. I'm turning left, you're at my left going perpendicular to me. You've stopped over the stop line by three feet. That is my space and my trailer wheels are going to go there... right there! So did your life flash before your eyes when I stopped inches from your grill? I would have hoped so but from what I saw after you had to back up to let me move forward and keep yourself from being squished like a bug. No... after I passed, you moved right back into your original position. Talk about clueless. Next time, it may not be me and the next driver may not stop in time. Bye, Bye nice white Jetta!

So after all this, this week was a good week. A good week is when I've not hit anything, I haven't killed anyone.

TBC...

About: the last year & a half

2008-06-29T09:07:00.000-07:00

... other than general news

Well the CFTR training is finished as of last Friday June 27th. That would be the "Centre de Formation Transport Routier". Four and a half months of full time training to get my Class 1 (or commercial drivers license). This is so I can get back to work. First, two week in a work/study program. Then the diploma, yes there is one of those, too.

A year and a half of not working can be a tad boring while at other times worrying. Frequently, both occur together. It also drains the savings.

When I initially got laid off it was a relief because I had been doing work I wasn't comfortable with even though I managed to do it pretty well (according to my yearly reviews). Relief was slowly replaced with a bit of panic and frustration due to unsuccessful job searches. I quickly found that lack of university diploma was preventing me from continuing in the same career path and that I was looking at being a greeter at Wal-Mard. Sales-associate at Home-Depot, shit, the hell I will!

Back to relief... of being sacked
It wasn't anything ethical but rather I was doing tasks based on ambiguous requirements. I guess I don't like ambiguous and YP is the champion of ambiguous as are most big corps these days. That comes from middle management, being unable or unwilling to communicate effectively. Unable, because they don't have the skill set to effectively communicate or unwilling because they themselves don't understand the requirements so how could they possibly communicate effectively? (man, with an attitude like that, no wonder I'm gone!)

Anyway...
I don't believe I was let go because of my dislike of ambiguous. Years prior to me going, YP was consistently sacking good people who were either close to retirement (years of service was up there and a fiscal move was required to stave off the pension pay-outs) or the last one in (as in the least number of years) and replacing them with contract workers. It looks good on one side of the ledger and serves to justify the managers bonus. What doesn't show as much and is a real shame, is the knowledge base that they were throwing away. Replacement personnel took up to six months to become proficient enough to be useful. Little newbies on contract, with freshly minted diplomas, and totally clueless.

The worst part...

For the most part (I still have issues), I've gotten over the part of being sacked. (first time ever in my career). I do miss the interaction with my colleagues, whom, by the way, disappeared about as fast as me being walked to the door. It wasn't for the lack of trying to stay in touch on my part, no one writes or calls. Until six months ago, I tried to connect with a colleague with whom I had had the most exchange. Many apologies for not calling were offered, but that was the last words that were spoken. Pity!

So after a number of tries, one gets a message which could be interpretation as, "you're not part of us anymore". This kind of thinking could be damaging. I try to look at it this way: In reality, these people are just busy with their own little lives and their own issues so I shouldn't take it personally. Plus, I'm out of sight therefore out of mind. (damn, am I waxing philosophical now?)

So here I am at a new set of crossroads in my life; ready to start on a new career path, driving the highways of Canada and the US. Wish me luck!

Next time, It'll be news from the road.

About 191 kms

2008-05-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Gee! Look ma' no rant. (Must be my meds :-) )

Today was a good day. Eight hours of training period. Big Frightliner Cascaia, 450 hp Mercedes turbo with intercooler under the hood, 1650 foot-pounds of torque: the caddie of trucks in my opinion, with a 32 foot flatbed trailer.

Went driving out past Racine Quebec. Pretty countryside, all new green. I should have taken pictures but being in the drivers seat sort of prevents that from happening safely.

Had a different trainer today which also helps. This one doesn't get in your face if you miss a gear. She lets you figure it out for yourself, which one quickly does anyway. Thus the stress level never escalates to a point where additional errors are made compounding the problem. So today was actually pleasant and relaxing and I didn't miss any gears either!