Besides, very soon after retirement from one career, I will hopefully start on the last one of my life. I have been accepted into the Stevens Transport Driver Academy and will being training as the driver of an 18-wheeler on January 9, 2012. Becoming a truck driver is one of those "bucket list" items that I've had for a long time and am happy to begin the process soon. Of course, there are some worries, not the least of which is my blood pressure. The Department of Transportation'a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations state a maximum BP for a full 2-year medical card and Stevens Transport uses that maximum as a hard standard. So if when I get there my BP exceeds 140/90, I will be returning home until it is at or below the max. I have been working on it since July by eating right, watching my sodium intake, and walking 30 minutes each day. I hope my "numbers" play out right.
I plan to keep this blog active so a reader will get a picture of what I am doing as I transition from full-time "career" employment to full-time "bucket list" employment. The nice thing about this is I will have a pretty good pension to pay for the mortgage and other expenses, so my trucking income doesn't have to be the same as others for whom it will be their primary income.
It will be tough and stressful. An over-the-road driver's life is not easy and is definitely not one of a set schedule. I have been doing that for the 45 years of my previous work life and I know the transition will not be all fun all the time. But it is a conscious choice and I do have a pretty good cushion, so I hope those factors will make the journey a bit easier.
Stay with me, readers. I promise you open, honest thoughts and words. I might - no, probably will - miss days or even weeks at first, so don't expect daily updates. I do promise you enough to have the picture of my journey into the last part of my life. I hope you enjoy reading.
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