I've been sent home as "permanently medically disqualified" by the company. Reason: A motorcycle accident 35 years ago resulted in a skull fracture. Since there will be no records for that, the company assumes the worst and assumes I will suffer seizures.
The problem with that line of thinking is that I had to prove to the FAA medical staff that I would not have seizures while flying airplanes. That process took 2 years and $10,000 back in the early 1970's. And I flew passengers for years, getting medical exams emery six months until I went to work for the FAA.
Oh well. It is what it is. Now I have to develop Plan B.
Showing posts with label driver. Show all posts
Showing posts with label driver. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Good freaking bye, miserable, stinking 2011
Today is January 3, 2012, and I am among those who are very happy that 2011 is now what we will call "history."
A year ago, my professional career choices were very different than they were in December and in April, the elected idiots we have refused to discuss, negotiate, and bend at all, so the federal government, of which I was an employee, came to the brink of shut-down once again. I lived through the two FAA shutdowns in 1995 but this one felt different. In fact, in April, I was driving back to my Michigan home from a temporary detail in Springfield, Illinois. The drive is only 8 hours but I left Springfield not knowing if I was going to have a job waiting for me when I arrived in Michigan or if I was going to be furloughed.
Things did not improve after April, so I very quickly came to the decision, which happened on December 31, 2011. I had planned on three more years of working but I just could not stomach the thought of that much more stress in the Executive Branch of government. So, after 27 years, I've terminated my "full-time" employment in favor of my "bucket list" employment, which is what this blog is all about. I will take my federal pension into a new civilian life as a rookie truck driver.
After lots of telephone calls to the recruiting staff, a cursory background check (made much easier because of having had only one employer, the federal government, for more than 25 years) I will be leaving Michigan on Saturday, January 7, for Dallas, where I will begin training at Stevens Transport to become an over-the-road truck driver, a training process that takes about 5 months or so, depending on all kinds of external factors and one internal factor---my own ability to learn what has to be learned.
For the past week, I have packed, unpacked, repacked, and repacked the one duffel bag I will take. I am an experienced traveler, but I tend to overpack, something that cannot happen now. I will be sharing a very small, two-bunk truck sleeper with another human being for 13 or more weeks, and carrying "too much stuff" just isn't a good thing. But I have only a couple more days before I toss that duffel bag and my one carryon bag into the belly of a Greyhound Bus and head south for what I hope will be a long time away from home.
I plan to keep you up-to-date as much as I can, considering that learning to drive a truck is a pretty big jump from what I've done for decades and I must pay attention to the details. Failure is not an option. I will be using my iPad which is a very nice balance between this Mac laptop and my iPhone, so what you see should at least be readable.
So, once again, dear reader, it is off to unpack and ponder.
A year ago, my professional career choices were very different than they were in December and in April, the elected idiots we have refused to discuss, negotiate, and bend at all, so the federal government, of which I was an employee, came to the brink of shut-down once again. I lived through the two FAA shutdowns in 1995 but this one felt different. In fact, in April, I was driving back to my Michigan home from a temporary detail in Springfield, Illinois. The drive is only 8 hours but I left Springfield not knowing if I was going to have a job waiting for me when I arrived in Michigan or if I was going to be furloughed.
Things did not improve after April, so I very quickly came to the decision, which happened on December 31, 2011. I had planned on three more years of working but I just could not stomach the thought of that much more stress in the Executive Branch of government. So, after 27 years, I've terminated my "full-time" employment in favor of my "bucket list" employment, which is what this blog is all about. I will take my federal pension into a new civilian life as a rookie truck driver.
After lots of telephone calls to the recruiting staff, a cursory background check (made much easier because of having had only one employer, the federal government, for more than 25 years) I will be leaving Michigan on Saturday, January 7, for Dallas, where I will begin training at Stevens Transport to become an over-the-road truck driver, a training process that takes about 5 months or so, depending on all kinds of external factors and one internal factor---my own ability to learn what has to be learned.
For the past week, I have packed, unpacked, repacked, and repacked the one duffel bag I will take. I am an experienced traveler, but I tend to overpack, something that cannot happen now. I will be sharing a very small, two-bunk truck sleeper with another human being for 13 or more weeks, and carrying "too much stuff" just isn't a good thing. But I have only a couple more days before I toss that duffel bag and my one carryon bag into the belly of a Greyhound Bus and head south for what I hope will be a long time away from home.
I plan to keep you up-to-date as much as I can, considering that learning to drive a truck is a pretty big jump from what I've done for decades and I must pay attention to the details. Failure is not an option. I will be using my iPad which is a very nice balance between this Mac laptop and my iPhone, so what you see should at least be readable.
So, once again, dear reader, it is off to unpack and ponder.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Less than two weeks more
Today is December 17, 2011. As of yesterday, I have two weeks of full-time federal employment remaining and I am as happy as I hoped I would be. Seeing the end of a pretty long career, with all the stability such a condition holds, could have been stressful and filled with negative anticipation and worry. But my decision to retire from federal employment was conscious and made with the right thoughts in mind.
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.
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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