I'm baaaaaack!!!!!!!!

Spoke with terminal manager this morning, actually a lengthy conversation. I opened with, "I'm going to preface everything I'm about to tell you by saying that this is in no way an attempt to dodge responsibility or consequences for my mistakes, or to slander or make trouble for anyone."

I had her full attention at that point.

I then related, in a concise and respectful manner, my lousy couple of weeks. I finished by telling her that because of my position (living in the truck with my wife, and a kid in college), I am not just motivated to work with Gordon and keep the company happy, I am EXTREMELY motivated to do so, but that I'm feeling like I can't do anything right, and am afraid for my job. I told her how excruciating it is for me to be the problem child because I'm used to being the guy the dispatcher never has to worry about. Then I said, "So this is me trying to clear the air with Gordon. I'm trying but obviously something has to change; you've been here a lot longer than me and I was hoping you could give me some advice to turn this trend around before I find myself in real trouble."

She told me she has seen this numerous times and thanked me for asking for help before she was unable to do so. Short version--I have a 60mph truck and a 68mph habit and skill set. Apparently many drivers are so ingrained to a 65 or 68 or 70 governor that their trip planning assumes that speed by reflex. In short, a slow truck does not mean a slow pace. I've been seeing preplans and planning my trips on autopilot (she was looking at my logs) and unable to keep up with the work. Then my thinking when I got delayed was still on a reflex keyed to a 60mph average, which you cannot do in a vehicle governed at 60. So I was waiting too long to communicate delays since I was assuming I could make it.

Essentially, I need to recalibrate my thinking to a 60mph governor, which means thinking 50mph average speed instead of 60-65 (something I didn't even realize I was doing but she could see and reveal to me through looking at my logs--like I said apparently a lot of drivers do this at first).

I was a little embarrassed that I had fallen victim to such a fundamental error. I felt better when she told me that firing me is the last thing on anybody's mind (she mercifully left out the "you paranoid twit"). She said good drivers are hard to come by and terminating me this early in the game is a lose lose situation for both of us and it is better and easier on everyone to cure bad habits early and retain drivers so they can become seasoned veterans who are more efficient.

I promised her I would alter my thinking and they would see an immediate change.

I didn't even realize I was still thinking in terms of 600 miles a day. Or how frustrated I was getting over it. Seems fundamental and obvious, I know, but apparently the 68mph thing was an autopilot setting and I didn't even realize I was thinking that way.

Well, tomorrow is a new day. You may all refer to me as Pudding Head until Monday.

Good thing this little tale had a happy ending.

 

It's kind of a soap box I get onto sometimes. I share these stories because I'm as human as the next man, I get just as frustrated as the next man, but I can set myself apart from the next man by being careful how I handle that frustration. The yelling and screaming happens in private, nobody sees that except The Hot Chick. When it is time to deal with fellow human beings, the Wisdom of the Ages says it best: "In your anger do not sin; instead, when you lay in your bed at night, search your heart and be silent." To me that means it isn't a sin to get mad, but before you blow up at anybody you'd best take some time to look in the mirror since that's usually where the change has to occur.

Guess I'm hoping someone who likes to take the offensive sees this and maybe rethinks his approach. There usually isn't any percentage in going in with both guns blazing (unless you're putting the moves on The Hot Chick).

I'm tired and farting too much. I'm going to sleep and hoping i don't wake up with a cork in my hey nonny nonny. The Hot Chick is becoming less tolerant of noxious gasses as she (GRACEFULLY) ages.

 

TB John is the king of those little animated smiley face thingies. Somewhere there is a whole army of those little things, training in their little training camps with their tiny little machine guns and rocket launchers, with little flags and posters of TB John's face everywhere, and they're just waiting for him to give the order so they can burst forth like a tiny little flood and take over the world. Should be the cutest little revolution ever.

 

Inna shop again. Engine light on 5X in 3 weeks. Also lane departure warning system going haywire. (Drumming fingers, humming tune, mindlessly glancing around)