Long Live the South!

Greenwood, LA


Ah, spring! I can smell it. I know it's still cold in parts of the country, but I've been in Texas and Louisiana for the last two days and it has been absolutely gorgeous. And to top it all off, I'm outta here in the morning and hauling ass for Panama City, FL. It's been a good day.

I found another story from my paper journal that I just have to post. It's a bit long, so bear with me. This was written Dec. 2, 2005.

Dusan, LA


The past 24 hours have been interesting, to say the least. I have so much to write about I scarcely know where to begin.

I suppose I have to start with my encounter with the lovely Twynette. "Who in God's green earth is Twynette?" you may ask. Oh, please. Allow me to enlighten you. I pulled in to Evergreen, AL last night about 9 or so. I was very tired. After turning in my truck at my company's shop for routine maintenance, I walked next door to the Comfort Inn to get a room for the night on Schneider's dime. I walked into the lobby to see a petite, blond woman, about 45 or so, in black slacks and jacket with a white blouse. She leaned against the counter cradling her head in her hands and looked for all the world as though she could very well have fallen asleep in that position. She seemed to be more bone-weary than I was, if that was possible.

And behind the counter, working her magic on the computer, was none other than Twynette. I swear to god, the name tag on her white shirt said "Twynette". Twynette was about 65-ish. Nonetheless, she appeared to have deluded herself into thinking that she was, perhaps, 40. She wore too much makeup, in a vain attempt to mask skin that seemed prematurely wrinkled due to a few too many visits to the tanning bed over the years. Gaudy rings adorned heavily arthritic fingers which could barely move. As for her hair, I'm not sure which was more appalling; the store-bought cherry tint or the massive attempt at a beehive perm that added a full six inches to her average height. A bold choice in any event, it was little more than combover to hide a receding hairline. And her glasses! My god! These things would have given Harry Carey's saucer-sized specs a run for their money. They were freakin huge. She looked like she just escaped from a godawful production of Steel Magnolias.

If my description seems a bit caricaturish, when she opened her mouth, all doubt was removed. She was also incapable of closing it. Have you ever been around someone who found it necessary to verbalize every inane thought which flitted around the dusty confines of their minds like so many unchecked bats? That was Twynette for you. For the 20 or so minutes I stood in the lobby, she prattled on incessantly in that silky soft accent indigenous to the central part of the deep south; Alabama and Western Georgia. A little less twang and more drawl than one generally hears in the movies.

Why so long? Well, it seems that the poor woman at the counter had made an online reservation. Her receipt indicated she had booked two rooms for that evening, but the computer showed the reservation for the following night. Twynette took us step by step through the process of correcting the error, complete with exclamations of "I don't know how that could have happened!" and "I'm not real good with computers", or my personal favorite, "Well, I just don't know if we'll have these rooms or not". When I finally did get my key and made my way to my room, I was able to ascertain through open curtains that only about half of the rooms were occupied. It was a weeknight for crying out loud!

Anyway, on and on she went. The blond said very little in response. I think she was afraid to encourage ol' Chatty Cathy. A couple of times she came up with a feeble "I just don't care, I'll take what I can get." I saw her face and I swear, if she had had a modicum of energy, she would have strangled this harpy with no small measure of delight. Heaven only knows how long this had gone on before I got there.

Shortly before the blond left, another woman came in. She was stout and rather mannish and, it turned out, was already checked in. She simply had a question about something. After the blond cleared out with what I could have sworn was an insane giggle of glee, Twynette looked to this other woman and asked "Can I help you, or would you like me to take care of him?"

Now, up to this point, I had observed this charming scene with detached amusement. I mean, WTF? Excuse me, but I've been standing here losing grey cells for a quarter of an hour and I'd like you to help me, you artificial-old-skag-Scarlet-O'Hara wannabe!!!

But I kept my cool and the other lady politely deferred with a sheepish expression on her face. Now it was my turn to be too tired to care. I waited patiently while the relic checked me in, gave me a key and bid me good evening. I returned her pleasantry and retired to my room for a hot bath and some cable porn.

What a bizarre woman!


Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet as You Go.

A Look Back

Texarkana, AR

I thought it might be interesting to post some of my more interesting paper journal entries from the last nine months. Obviously, my paper journal is much more private and personal, and therefore boring. To be quite honest, a great deal of it is me dealing with various emotions connected with my divorce. It was a lot more difficult to get over my ex-wife than I initially anticipated. I feel like I finally was able to purge myself of any remaining questions, qualms or quiverings regarding my ex. I wrote her a letter detailing my concerns and such. She never replied, and I guess I didn't really expect her to. But I did feel a tremendous sense of relief. This was before Christmas and I haven't lost a wink of sleep over her since. I'm past it and ready to move on with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A little love along the way wouldn't hurt either. ;-)


Anyhoo, here is an entry from September 1st, 2005.


Milford, CT (50 miles NE of NYC)

Can't sleep. I spent the better part of the day driving around NYC. It wasn't too bad, but I hope I don't get stuck there often. Not that I didn't find it fascinating as hell. It's just that I would like to return for pleasure and not business. And not driving a 65-foot rig. :)

Nonetheless, it was quite exciting. I delivered a load of cloth in Long Island City in NW Queens. It was bitch to get into, but with the help of a friendly Korean dockmaster, I was able to get backed into the dock.

I think, now that I look back on my first real NYC experience, I was struck most by two things. First of all, the sheer length of the Manhattan skyline. The number of tall buildings is impressive. I've been in every major city in the eastern half of the country. NYC has more skyscrapers than any five of them put together.

The second thing that struck me were the cemetaries. I've never seen graveyards like these. Obviously, space is at a premium in this town. There is no discernable room between the headstones. They are stacked so close together, one wonders if the occupants were buried standing up. It looked so much like column after column of stone walls. Very strange.

The city is vibrant and alive. Full of energy and panache. But, underneath that, is a sense of great age. It's a very old town. Not in the sense that London, Rome or Athens are old, but by American standards, ancient. New York reminds me of a once great Broadway diva gone slightly to seed. She has a few extra pounds in the hips and a few grey hairs at the temples, but she's still sexy as hell. If she cocks her eyebrows and gives you a "come hither" with those stunning blue eyes, then watch out! People might get hurt in your mad dash for a piece of that action!

I saw a few interesting items. The world famous Jersey swamps; the Brooklyn Bridge; the Statue of Liberty; the rockslide on the Henry Hudson Highway from some months back; oh, and let's not forget, the World Wrestling Entertainment HQ in Stanford, CT. YEEHAW!!


So, anyway, that was a taste of my impressions of the Big Apple. I'm sure far more accomplished persons have waxed far more eloquently. But, you know, I just calls it like I sees it. ;-)

I have a few more interesting anecdotes from my travels that I'll share at a later date. Until then.

Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet as You Go.

Death and Taxes

Jeffersonville, OH

Yay! More Texas! I love driving in Texas. I'll be heading that way after picking up in Columbus tomorrow.

Oh, by the way, I almost bought it in Atlanta the other day.

I was on the 285 loop heading for I-20 on my way to Alabama. It had been raining all day so the road was slick. I was coming up on the exit ramp for I-20 which was around a bend in the road. There was no indication that traffic had stopped because of an accident on 20. I had to come to a hard stop, but not hard enough to lock my brakes up and go into a skid. Fortunately, there was no one in the lane next to me so I could around the truck in front of instead of headfirst into him. God, I hate this job.

On a positive note, my income tax returns came through today so I'm hoping to get my truck up and running so that I might actually be able to socialize with all the wondeful people I'm reconnecting with on MySpace. :)


Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet as You Go.

On the Road Again

Knoxville, TN

I know it's been awhile. I just came off a five-day furlough at the house and I wasn't online much. Not a whole lot to talk about really. I watched quite a bit of olympics and hung out with my sisters. I did go to Richmond on Friday to see Dr Wolf and re-establish myself a bit. Much love to Amy and Ben Whom I ran into and got to visit with. I enjoyed it immensely. I just wish I had had more time to spend in town. I intend to get back more in the coming months to work on some auditions with Dr Wolf. I really can't wait to get back to my life's calling and am mas excited.

Need to sleep. Got to get to Atlanta early. Laterz.


Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet as You Go.

Yada, Yada, Yada...

Hammond, LA


Have you ever been so bored that you find yourself contemplating the back of your eyelids? I have and it was about five minutes ago so I decided I should attempt to write something. I've been laid over in this thriving metropolis since last night and I'm about ready to pull my hair out. I'm taking this load to New Jersey that doesn't have to be there until tuesday. With the extra time, I thought I'd take a day off and let this nasty snowstorm blow through the northeast.

Actually, I could think of many worse places to be for a day. It's pleasant and sunny out and I have net access. I just get bored with the internet after too long.

I hope anybody reading this doesn't think my dull because I have the occasional dull post. I just feel its therapeutic to write every day, even if I don't have much to say.

I love The West Wing.

Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet as You Go.

Mush, Miss Teschmacher! Mush!

San Antonio, TX


And so, it is north I return. I delivered in Laredo this morning and got a load out heading to Cranbury, NJ. It's a good trip, I just hope I manage to stay south of any snow as long as possible.

Laredo cracks me up. Let's see, a little background. American Commercial driver licenses are not valid in Mexico. So, all the freight that goes across the border either goes across on a train, or is carried by an american driver to a border transfer agent where it is picked up by a mexican driver who has special dispensation to cross over to pick up the trailer. There are hundreds of these border transfer agents in Laredo. The vast majority of truckload freight crossing the border to or from the eastern half of the United States crosses here. So, needless to say, there are TONS of trucks bopping around Laredo. And these Mexican drivers, God love em, drive like maniacs. It's very different than any place I've ever been before. I enjoy going there though. It's always good miles and an easy drive.

God, that was a boring story. I may delete it. Than again I may not. I try to be real, folks ;-)



Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet as You Go.

Heartland Notes

Dallas, TX


I had one of those rare, special days where I actually get to see a bit of the countryside. My route to Dallas consisted of about 300 miles or so of US highways 69 and 75. I love being able to get off of the interstates and see something of the world I'm traveling through. Every interstate has the same crap lining it. The fast food joints, hotels, truck stops, yada, yada, yada. But when you get off of them, you can see some really interesting things. Like today, for example. As you travel south on US 69 in Oklahoma, you come into a town called Atoka. There's a bridge over a small creek on the north side of town and a sign designating said waterway as "Muddy Boggy Creek". Does this not just smack of bad, midwestern colloquial grammar. I'm thinking, maybe they should decide on a designation. Is it muddy? Or is it boggy? Make up your mind already! Perhaps it should be "Muddy Bog Creek", or "Boggy Mud Creek". Or, for the grammatically anal amongst us, "Muddy, Boggy Creek". And the kicker, the piece de resistance (interpolate snooty French accent here).
As I left town, I passed over another bridge over a similar sized body of water. I glance over at the sign to see the name. Yup, you guessed it. "Clear Boggy Creek". At least they know which way the water flows. On the whole, I was very much charmed and amused.

You just can't get that kind of ambience on the interstate, generally speaking. Unless you go to Arkansas or Louisiana. Just outside Little Rock, on I-40 is a sign that says "Toad Suck Park-Next Exit". I don't think I want to know.

On I-10 in Louisiana is an exit sign for "Baptist Pumpkin Center". Who are these Baptists and what are they doing with pumpkins. I been a Baptist all my life. My parents are Baptists. Both of my grandfathers were ordained Baptist preachers. I know of no rite or ritual involving pumpkins!

Did I tell you I found the Bat Cave? Yup, that was in Tennessee or North Carolina, I'm not sure which. An interstate exit sign that says "Bat Cave" with a number. I wonder if Bruce would mind if I dropped in for a spot of tea and a round of golf.

I think my favorite off-the-beaten path experience happened just last week. I had picked up part of a load in Miami, FL and had to get over to Tampa to pick up the rest before heading up to Louisville, KY. I could have taken I-75, but it's a toll road there and one of the few my company won't pay for, for whatever reason. So I decided to take US 41 out of Miami over to Naples and get on 75 there past the toll section. This highway is a narrow, two lane road that runs along the Everglades National Park. So, I'm driving along, the road is straight, it's a nice day out. To my right there is about 12 feet or so of right of way and then a canal about 10-15 feet wide, and on the opposite bank, sunning themselves for miles and miles, are hundreds, if not thousands, of alligators. Big ones. I saw several that were every bit as big around as I am. If anyone reading this doesn't know me, I'm about 6'3", 280. These were some pretty big critters with nothing between them and me but this canal. Hello! Alligators are amphibious! Duh!

Actually, I wasn't worked about it at all. I found it fascinating. I'm glad the road was straight so I could let my attention wander a bit. What really got me, were the people out by the road, fishing in the canal, or just taking pictures of the menagerie. I saw several signs that said "Panther Crossing". I never saw any panthers though and I found this most disappointing. I wanted to see if one of the old lady panthers had an orange vest and a cap and would walk out to hold up traffic so the kiddies could cross to panther junior high (home of the Fighting Mail Carriers). Or maybe if the state had sprung for radar devices to bring down a crossing arm whenever a panther pushed the "walk" button. Actually, it was neither one. I drove under an elevated walkway that said "Panther Crossing" across the front of it (I swear to God I'm not making that part up). Very fun.

The part that sucks about all this is that I'm chained to this 65-foot long rig. I mean, there's only certain places I can go. I would love to take a road trip some time in a regular vehicle so that I could have the time and the opportunity to investigate some of this stuff.

Anyway, If I see anything else, I'll let you know.


Any Questions? Any Comments? Be Quiet As You Go.

Bibbling and Scribbling

Granite City, IL
(just outside St. Louis)


I'm so freaking tired. I overslept this morning and was several hours late getting out of Green Bay. Isn't that the way of it? You inadvertantly get a few extra hours sleep, but you end up tired the rest of the day. Damnable.


I watched the Super Bowl last night. I found everything about it to be decidedly underwhelming, from the pregame right through to the end. The national anthem was an abomination and the Stones got jobbed by faulty sound work. A lot of radio types were blasting Jagger and the stones today, but i think if the balance on the other guys mikes had been in proper adjustment, it would have been better. All you could hear was Mick and those songs have more of a group sound than that. Mick did, however, get off the line of the evening when he prefaced one of the tunes with "This next song we could have performed at Super Bowl I". That wasn't it verbatim, but you get the idea. The Rolling Stones are truly marvels of our time.


During the game, ABC kept showing these intriguing teasers for their followup program, a new episode of Grey's Anatomy, which I have never seen. The ads sold me so I decided to check it out. It was alright, the first of a two part cliffhanger involving a trauma patient with a bazooka shell lodged in his chest (don't ask). Christina Ricci had a guest spot as the EMT with her hand shoved in the guys chest wound to keep him from bleeding out and therefore keeping the shell stable. Anyway, my point is this. What the hell happened to Christina. It seems she as allowed herself to succumb to the hollywood stick figure syndrome. She used to be a buxom, full-bodied young woman with a killer smile. She's slimmed down so much she's starting to get a hint of that "Mary-Tyler-Moore-I'm-So-Skinny-My-Face-Is-Stuck-In-This-Perpetual-Nightmarish-Grin" look about her. Just a bit. And it distresses me. I've always thought she was uber-hot. It's bad enough that the celebrity machine punishes the women who have to conform to this stereotypical nonsense, that's insulting to the wide variety of sexy feminity to be found in the world. More to the point, at least as it concerns me, I find it insulting to the millions of men like myself who have enough depth to appreciate this variety. I mean, come on, is it really so bad to have a thing for a little junk in the trunk and a decent sized rack with matching curves?

That's all I'm asking.

Well, I guess that was my first rant. I feel a little better, I suppose.


Any Comments? Any Questions? Be quiet as you go.

I Hate Snow

Gary, IN


Actually, I love snow. I'm just not terribly fond of driving a 38 ton rig in it. ;-) Actually it wasn't that bad, just a little wet through Ohio into Indiana. I'm psyched. I gotta drop this load in Green Bay tomorrow, then head up to Michigan to pick up a load of paper going to Laredo, TX. That ought to keep me out of the snow belt for at least a week. Nothing beats south Texas in winter except perhaps Florida. It is my hope that in about 4-6 months, I'll have my truck running again and have my financial situation under sufficient control that I can quit this job and resume my life. I haven't been able to sing or do anything theater related for over a year. I feel like part of me has been amputated. or at the very least muted. One day at a time, man.


Any questions? Any comments? Be quiet as you go.

Scruffy as Hell 

Austinsburg, OH

Hello. My name is John. I had been keeping a paper journal and now that I have this lovely laptop and semi-regular wireless net access, I thought I'd switch over to this medium. I'll see how it goes. I guess this is just a place for me to dispense with the copius amounts of drivel clunking around the confines of my cranium. I have been employed as a truck driver for the last year or so and I find myself with lots of time during the day to do nothing but think and keep my rig from plowing through a guardrail. It really is a soul-raping existence. Thank God for satellite radio and wireless internet or I would lose my mind. I mean, I've been to some neat places and gotten to see a lot of the country and all, but let's face it. If you've seen one stretch of 12-foot wide blacktop, you've pretty much seen them all.

Let's see. Who am I? That's a fair question. If you ever get an answer, would you mind filling me in? ;-)

Anyway, I'm 27 and recently divorced. I guess it was recent. Is a year recent enough to be considered recent? It was an amicable enough separation. We both wanted it and didn't really blind side each other. Still and all, it was harder to get over it than I might have thought. I still miss her from time to time, but i also remember how, i don't know, uncomfortable we became around each other. I think Annie summed it up best when she told one of her friends that "we love each other, we just can't live together".

*le sigh*

On a happier note...


Well...


ok, so there aren't any happy notes. I'm kinda stuck in neutral right now. I came out of the divorce saddled with a lot of debt that I'm working to pay off so that I can resume a life more normal. I'm getting there, but i have always been a generally impatient person, making it easy for me to become discouraged. I'm finding lately that if I just focus on having one good day at a time, i feel better about myself and have more of a sense of purpose and accomplishment. I've spent most of my life, particularly the last few years consumed by thoughts and dreams of the future. Consequently, I've wasted a great deal of time.

I also find myself terribly lonely. I miss people. I'm out here by myself all the time and even when I'm home, I can't really go anywhere. (My truck is dead, hence my career choice.) It's difficult to keep paying off debt and not get my truck fixed, but one thing at a time I suppose. Perhaps this will help me to reconnect with old friends and find some new ones out there. I hope so anyway.

I think this is all I'll go with for now. I'm sure I have a lot more to say, but they'll keep for another day. I don't want to go overboard my first time out. Maybe the second time.


Any comments? Any Questions? Be quiet as you go.