Originally Posted by Micah 5.56

Glad you got the GPS worked out. Sucks Garmin's customer service isn't better. Especially when you don't have a whole lot of free time to begin with, wasting time getting wrong answers from the people who should know better would be pretty irritating.

Where are you getting your supplies, San Angelo? I've driven past Sonora on the 10 a few times and although I never stopped off there, it doesn't seem like there is much there.

Any idea when you will get out on your own?

yes, i did get my garmin nuvi straightened out but its not 100% reliable. Its still great though and just like any tool, it takes a little skill to use from the operator as well.

Yes, i go to san angelo for some supplies and just for something to do. However, i get most of my stuff here in sonora. Its a small town but i personally like it. I am here to work and thats my life now. I love the oil field and i love my job and i cant get enough.

Yes, as a matter of fact i am finally on my own. I can tell you personally that its great just like i thought and everyone told me. I got all the room i need for my gear and tools and stuff and i can ride with the window down, turn on the heater or air conditioner whenever i want, basically do whatever i want. It was a long road from the start of cdl school all the way to finally being on my own. I never want to repeat that experience ever again, it sucked but was worth it in the end.

I feel a new vigor now and i am running till the wheels fall off!

Originally Posted by Seattle206

I agree 100% when I call and hear one bed rooms for $450 a month 700ft^2 I know I made the right choice to go for Texas. I will make enough to take care of both places and still save some money. Till I get the family down to the Dallas Suburbs. Maybe West Plano or McKinney, or Frisco.

Yeah, that dakota situation sounds too unreasonable for the average person. Texas makes for a great choice for those that just want to work and not deal with too many unreasonable discomforts. The oil field is hard enough as it is with the long hours.

Originally Posted by Gisquid

Paulcouto, if only you had waited till after Turkey day!! I found tons of GPS units on sale everywere here!! Most of them were 50% off or more!! I found the same one that I paid $140. on going for $25!! So how is the gps working for ya?? If it is still giving you trouble maybe it is not too late to take advantage of the deals going on around you!!

Actually, ive had my garmin nuvi for quite some time. I just couldnt get it to work the way i wanted and customer service said it wouldnt do what i wanted as well. Well, that was bs and i got it to work perfectly for what i want. As a matter of fact, i like the nuvi so much, i might buy another just for back up. How much are they going for now?

Originally Posted by WHO KNOWS

Hey Paul isn't it getting expensive living in the motel?

I pay 550 a month now and all my cable, internet, heat etc is included in that price. Its very convenient and private. I could probably save a little more finding another place but it aint worth it to me. Who knows, maybe if a cheaper oppurtunity comes my way i'll jump on it but as of right now, i'm not looking for another place. Ive done enough looking since i been here with places and other companies down the road supposedly paying more etc. etc.....man i am tired of "looking" and i am done with all that. I got my job, i'm on my own, i like my place and job, now i'm slowly working to get into cruise control mode and just grind out the hours. I dont want to think of nothing else now.....except for maybe a cool chick to hang out with on my limited time off but even so, i'm happy by myself and my b i t ch is my job and truck.

Originally Posted by Tractor7127

Nice thread, I am enjoying the stories, and the can do anything attitude Paul.

Nice to hear thanks, i definately got some new stories and i will type them out shortly.

ok, so i was with a trainer the other night and he was snoozing in the passenger seat and i got sleepy as hell. I got near a disposal site and told him i was going to shut my eyes for 5 minutes. Where i pulled over, there was some house with all these little white christmas lights all over the front yard. I closed my eyes and completely passed out. I was dreaming a bit about driving on the road and then i snapped out of my coma thinking i was still driving and all i saw was those #### lights in front of me. I thought for sure it was headlights coming straight at me and i "fell asleep at the wheel" (a driver's worst nightmare) and i screamed out and stomped the floor board, completely missing the brake pedal and then i realized i was still parked. It was the scariest experience of my life.

My trainer woke up when i screamed out and asked what happened? I said, "dude, i thought i was still driving and fell asleep at the wheel!!!!". Then he started laughing and i thought it was funny too. He said he heard me scream out and i asked him what i sounded like when i yelled out. He imitated it and it sounded like a girl "AAAAAAHHHHH"........and then i started really laughing and so did he. For the next 5 minutes we were driving down the road and giggling and laughing like little kids about how girlish i sounded and how crazy the whole thing was. He was calling it the "paul story" and he was going to get a kick out of how other co-workers were going to react to the story......and then we both started screaming out "AAAAAHHHHH" like girls going down the road and laughing our ##### off.

Needless to say, other drivers thought it was hilarious as well......."AAAAAHHHH".....STOMP. lol i thought i was driving the opposite direction on I-10, IT WAS FUNNY AS HELL BUT ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING AS WELL.

ok, so i finally realised on my last pay check that i'd been paying california state income tax to the tune of about 200 bucks for every two week paycheck. When i first applied at nabors, i didnt have a texas address, so i put my old cali address and since then, i been taxed as an out of state worker. Now i finally realize why i havent been making as much as my co-workers.

So now i got to deal with that issue and get this whole thing resolved. I got to go to hr block and see if i can get that money back. I got to make sure nabors has my new address in texas updated as well.

The good thing about this is now i know i can reach my goal of taking home 2500 bucks for every 2 week pay period. All i have to do is work about 80 hours a week to do this. To be precise, all i need to do is work about 157 hours every 2 weeks to clear 2500. This means i can save about 4k a month easily.......which means i can basically save about 50k a year because i know i can save a little more than 4k a month because my monthly expenses average about 800.

So there you have it folks, straight from the horse's mouth. Thats how much a stone cold rookie can make in texas, all you have to do is put in the effort and make the sacrifices. I'm sure a person can make a little more or a little less but thats what i'm making and you can to.

The Cali Curse strikes again!!

Did you have to get your license changed to Texas to get hired or was it to get the hazmat.

Originally Posted by Gisquid

The Cali Curse strikes again!!

its my curse, life has always been that way for me, thats why i always got to be careful about everything i do. Thats also why i can drive people crazy with a ton of questions because i just know that the one question that even i think is rediculous is the one thats going to bite me in the ### if i dont ask.

Originally Posted by Lghrcountryboy

Did you have to get your license changed to Texas to get hired or was it to get the hazmat.

i'm not sure but i think you can keep your out of state license if you show an out of state address? Like i said, i'm not really sure. Besides, keeping my cali address got me screwed to the tune of 750 bucks total since i started working here. It makes me sick to know i been supporting the left coast over here in texas.

If i recall correctly, nabors wanted me to get my license changed to texas but i'm not sure if its the law. All i know is that in my case, it was hell to change it over because of my social security number issues. I had to change my hazmat over too which meant i had to pay tsa their money and basically start over with the finger prints etc etc.

Its an experience i am trying to forget, sorry i cant be more of help.

I was just wondering. I have applied up in N Dakota and wanted to keep my CO license so I don't have to buy a out of state hunting license.