It is hard being on the road over 200 nights a year...away from your family, isolated in many ways. It definitely isn't for everyone. This blogs represents the thoughts of just one such person. Read along and find out if the road is for you.

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United States, Georgia, Gainesville, Unity of Gainesville, English, John, Male, reading, RE Investing. :)

Monday, December 01, 2003

 
Back on the blogging trail…

Well, it is the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Looking back, I have plenty to be thankful for. You know that old saying about the person who complained about no shoes until he saw someone with no feet?

That has pretty much been my experience over the last week. I AM thankful for people that I work with who help make this job of living on the road easier. So…a heartfelt thanks go out to Neil, Natasha and Katie. There are a few others at work who do a lot to make me who I am at work and I thank them as well. But these people are special and I feel like I can count on them if needed to help me if it is at all possible. I don’t see any of them going to the ends of the earth, but that is as it should be.

I really missed my kitty’s this past week while I was in California. And when I came home last night, they really let me know they missed me as well. After Julie played with them for a while upon our return, they both got up on the couch and snuggled with me. I have to tell you, I had a big ole smile on my face. It was like my family was complete.

I have my health. I got into California on Sunday and besides Thanksgiving itself, there wasn’t a day that I wasn’t at a doctor’s office or urgent care with my Dad. When he took a shopping bag full of prescription medications with him to tell the doctor what he was taking, I was astounded. There must have been at least a dozen different meds. The meds take up 40% of his monthly fixed income. That is tough at any age.

On top of that, my step-mother’s relative called on Friday to let her know the doctor’s have given him less than a year to live. That is difficult for someone to come to grips with.

I know that my Dad’s time more than likely will come before mine, but it isn’t going to be any easier when it does come. I am already having to make decisions that I am not enjoying making. He needs a new vehicle and I would buy it for him, but fear that in less than a year, no matter how much he wants to, he won’t be driving. I am not looking forward to that time of telling him he can’t drive anymore. I don’t begrudge spending the $1,200 we just put out last month for hand controls, but wonder if I made the right decision in getting them for him. His driving was pretty good overall during my trip to visit, but there were a few moments that gave me concern. On top of that, with all the meds he is taking, am I endangering others?

I did need the time off though. I didn’t think about work at all. I didn’t answer any business emails or phone calls. The only thing that I could have asked was some time to myself to get my life in order for the next year.

Remember the definition of insanity?? (Doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome.) Am I insane to keep on this treadmill? I just got a change to my travel schedule that is causing me to drive 2 hours because the customer didn’t want to spend money. I can complain with Da Company all I want, but is it ever going to change? When I am truthful with myself, I know it isn’t.

So I need to make changes. Inwardly, I knew that and acknowledged as much when I made a timeline to leave Da Company. Now the real question is this…what am I doing to insure that I really can make this plan a reality????

I did start the pool service business this year. And while that looks good for 2004, I know that it will be at least another year before I can really think that it will be substantial enough to bring me off the road.

Real Estate? While that is also going in the right direction, it has to get there sooner, quicker. I can see the possibilities here. I have even thought of quitting cold turkey and doing either sales or mortgages. We will see about that.

If not these, then what does God have in store for me? Although I have been contacted by someone I know about consulting, I don’t feel that is what I want to do at this point. It would take too long to get going and I could die on the way to the banquet.

Something to meditate on over the next few weeks. I have scheduled 10 days off at the end of the month. Even that plan has changed 100 times since I put in for the time off in September. We were going to Salt Lake to visit Julie’s family, but as luck would have it, most of them aren’t going to be there.

Then there was Maldives. (Check out the Hilton site and put in the country as Maldives) That is an awesome property and someplace I am definitely going to get to, but they are booked solid except for the $850 @ night suites.

I could always stay home, but it was my idea to get away this year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. More meditation.

I am about to land in Boston for the week and then a two hour drive.

Blog on!