Which way to go? (Probably not a good title for a wannabe trucker!)

I put a lot of thought in everything I do, especially when it comes to my financial stability. I've been looking for a way out of the gaming industry for about 3 years. Driving truck has always been on that list. It's been a fantasy of mine for years, but I am just now in a place where I can do it (raising a kid as a single mom, taking care of sick parents, etc. You know, life). I want the experience. It is also one of the few careers that I can train for where I can make anything near what I make now. And actually it will be a cut in pay. But all that being said, this pandemic has taught me that our whole family CANNOT be in a career that is fueled by tourism. We did fine through the shutdown, etc, but now our incomes are cut in half, and even my longevity of over 20 years is no guarantee against layoffs, furloughs, etc. My husband's income is based on tips, and our hours have been cut in half. So that is one huge reason why I don't go with a stage coach, especially at first. Another is the $35k number. That's where I'd start, especially right now. There aren't a lot of tour buses running right now in our area...COVID and all. So there's that. But it's always a consideration when things improve. It's just not feasible, financially right now. Plus, tourism based....I want something that is pandemic/recession proof. Or as close as I can get. And off my feet lol

As for the people person thing...when I was younger, I was a people person. I still am in some ways. I just cannot suffer idiots and aholes any longer. I bet I speak with, deal with and coddle a million people a year on a regular year. Maybe 1/2 that now. And even though I never stand for abuse by a customer, there is a certain amount of BS you have to eat when you work with the public. I am done with it. If I never speak to another drunk, another person who gambled away their mortgage payment, some person with a ton of money and thinks they own the world, I will be good. Most of my interactions outside of work are online anymore. I just don't have the spoons to deal with the general public for 15 more years before I retire. Also the world is changing (we all say that when we get old, right lol). There's been a lot that happened that made me want to quit working with the public. 2017, the Oct 1 shooting. 59 innocent people dead because of a madman. I was driving Uber that night to help pay some bills. The people I used my backcountry first aid on, the people I took to the hospital bleeding out in my car, the guy who tried to pull his dead brother into my car...It changed my outlook on people. We now have active shooter drills at work. In 2018, one of our employees got angry and shot 2 of our gaming executives at a company picnic. One died, one lived. We now have workplace violence training every year. Earlier this year I had a Facebook post go viral. I had 1 million followers at one point. While we raised 80k for a food bank, 10k for animal rescue and other donations to local charities, I had a taste of what "people" is like. You can have the majority of them. When we reopened from the pandemic, it was even worse. Our clientele has changed (and they weren't all that to begin with lol). There's shootings/fights/arguments almost every night. People are on edge (and I don't blame them, this sucks for a lot of us). But I can choose not to deal with it. And that's why the "people person" thing may not apply to me anymore.

 

She was cool too. She said Vegas is perfect, it's halfway between us and SoCal. You can just drop the trailer in the yard and bobtail home for your 10 hour if you have time there. Same for home time. I cannot WAIT to see our HOA when I park a bobtail truck in our community

 

That was my thought. People will always find a way to eat. It's our survival instinct.