Comments By Greg H.

It's sort of crap anyway, because I know someone who got a DWI while driving their personal vehicle, holding a Class A CDL License, and they only suspended their license for 90 days. This was after 1999... pft, who knows sometimes now days. Probably best to just to not get any convictions that will keep you from either getting or keeping your Class A CDL.

I use to run a route down to Houston and then come out of Houston on 59, down through Lufkin and Nacogdoches, picking up work along the way, then over to Jacksonville and into Tyler from there. It was a nice little run. I ran it for 2 years, 6pm to 6am.

I still might do some double checking on it. They use not to count previous DWI's or DUI's, or whatever, against you. Now, they all, no matter how far they go back, count against you, in a court of law that is. The 3rd offense is a Felony now days I believe.

Congrats on your CLP. What school are you attending again?

Thank you, PackRat, Retired Army.

I am attending, Swift Driving Academy, in Corsicana, Texas. They have a terminal in Landcaster, Texas.

I just looked it all up on the map... I was meaning to. Corsicana is around 83 miles from my city of residence. And Landcaster isn't but, another hop skip and a jump of 45 miles from Corsicana.

Not near as bad as I'd originally thought. Landcaster isn't but 117 miles from my city of residence. I was thinking that it was further. And yes, I suppose it is, if I were to go back down to Corsicana first, instead of hopping up on the Interstate. Still not much further. Might decided to go the country, scenic route. :)

My recruiter got back in touch with me. I'm enrolled for the 28th, and will be leaving on the 27th to go to the Hotel. She was telling me that I couldn't get signed into the Hotel until 3pm. I think I was hoping that this time would be earlier. It doesn't leave much time before having to get to bed and get up in the morning for School. I would have liked to have had a day. Ah well.....

Anyway, thank you again....

I started sweating it a bit thinking about passing or trying to learn everything to pass all the test. I took 4 separate test. No endorsements.... truth be known, I'm not much interested in Tanker or Hazardous materials. Maybe someday, naa, not. :) lol

I still am a bit surprised I passed all of them.... 20 questions on the first test (and I would sit there at question number 20 before comfirming my answer going, come on, come on, lol... pass, You can do it..... and I'd press the button to see the results of the test), then uh 20 I believe again, then 50 and 25. They saved the airbrakes test until last. They wouldn't even put it on the screen until after I'd finished the other test.

Ok..... oh, they have a fitness room too. Now that's something I want to check in to.

Oh, and they have some good fishing holes around that area. Thinking seriously about taking my catfish pole with me. :) Yes, that will be me at a rest area where I can find a grill. :)

Found it again while studying for my CLP.

TEXAS COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVERS HANDBOOK

1.3.7 – Traffic Violations in Your Personal Vehicle

The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act (MCSIA) of 1999 requires a CDL holder to be disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle if the CDL holder has been convicted of certain types of moving violations in their personal vehicle.

If your privilege to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, cancelled, or suspended due to violations of traffic control laws (other than parking violations) you will also lose your CDL driving privileges.

If your privilege to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, cancelled, or suspended due to alcohol, controlled substance or felony violations, you will lose your CDL for 1 year. If you are convicted of a second violation in your personal vehicle or CMV you will lose your CDL for life.

If your license to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, cancelled, or suspended you may not obtain a “hardship” license to operate a CMV.

Well, I hope that anything that has gone on before this hasn't completely turned anyone off. It's funny, because I'm normally accused of being to serious. I have my reasons. And because of this, I may be a bit over zealous sometimes but, I assure you, I am a pretty serious, direct and straight forward person. Even though, I do tend to like to steer clear of conflict, at least, as much as possible.

I seriously just like to share things. And, I believe it's good to share our experiences with one another.

Ok, moving right along.....

Boy, some of those are some pretty wacked questions.

115 questions, I got 8 of them wrong. I did quite a bit better than I'd expected to do. I've been cramming all week. Whew, and the wait at the DMV isn't getting any shorter. I was talking with a guy in the restroom, and he said that Fridays are the worst, especially in the evening. Good thing I got there early.

Anyway, yeh, passed.... I've got my learners permit and am trying to get in touch with my recruiter now. Voicemail...... :(

And I'm still gathering things together before leaving for Corsicana. I also called the Hotel and asked them a few things. They DO have microwaves.... that's a good thing. Especially since I've already bought a large quantity of food to take with me. :) They ALSO have coffee makers. Oh, and free coffee.... that's cool though, I'll buy my own coffee. I'm not a caffeine drinker and want to have plenty of decaf on hand. Even though I did buy 2 jars of instant coffee. Oh, that and tea. I'll either brew some tea or use the instant. Ah, and the pool.... I haven't swam in a pool in years. I may have to make time for it. Breakfast is $6. They give rides to Walmart but, they only give you 20 minutes to shop. This is ok also because, I'll be taking my own vehicle to drive around in.

Alrighty, this about wraps it up for today... later gators.

I still need to give my employer notice. I hope my recruiter calls me back shortly, or I can get in touch with her. I want a set date before I do anything.

My mothers sick, and I have been caring for her for the past couple of days. I don't know, she has 4 to 5 symptoms of food poisoning. She has a headache, fever, stomach pain and chills. These are all signs of food poisoning. I spent the better part of yesterday sitting with her and checking in on her.

I guess it worked out, not that this is a good worked out situation. I spent the day making copies (I gave mother my printer/copier because, well, she needed one and I hardly ever used it. So, anytime I need to print or copy anything, I use it.) of everything that I think I may need for school. I bought a folder to hold all of the copies in. It looks all nice and tidy and professional, lol .... Honestly, I just like being prepared for anything.

Otherwise from those things, I was going to spend the weekend studying (refreshing my memory) for the Permit. I'd told my recruiter Thursday that this is what I would be doing, and hopefully going to take the Exam early next week. I don't think the early week is going to work out. I'm still feeling a bit uncomfortable about the Exam and would like to do another serious study before going. So, later this week will have to do.....

I think you guys have misunderstood me and a lot of things that I have written here.

I can understand that the subject matter may seem mean or inappropriate at times, and for this I would apologize. And I also have to admit that I have been wrong on some things, which I do again apologize for.

But, honestly, it wasn't at all meant to be mean or belittling to anyone. The last thing I wrote, involving Gabriel was more or less just playing a bad experience down. And to be completely honest, not trying to be mean here but, I wouldn't recommend to anyone to go to the same place I did for an exam. I found them to be unprofessional, for a few reasons. As for the doctor recommending that I go get it checked out, it was the way he went about doing it, not that he did it.

Anyway, sorry for any misunderstandings. I'm not a very aggressive person, as this all may have made things to seem.

Farmhouse Cheddar? Perhaps a horseradish infused Dubliner? Tasty. All will pair quite nicely with your whine.

Greg, not sure if you are spoofing us, but if you're not, the incesent complaining will not help you at all. It's chronic and petty.

I am being totally sincere here; you'll have a whole lot more material to critique once in school, then with you mentor. Try not to self-destruct.

I now understand why you selected; "my head will explode" for your title.

You're forgetting, it's a diary.... not everything, everyone thinks or goes through hits the floor. I'm trying to be honest about my thoughts and reflections on what I'm going through. I don't usually outwardly show it to all the world to see but, like I said, it's a diary. A very private thing.

Honesty about someone's wrong doings isn't being petty. It's recognizing a wrong being done....

I wanted to share something a little funny about Gabriel. It's in relation to my recent experience with Quack 1 and Quack 2, I will call them. :)

As I've mentioned, once upon a time, Gabriel is very acute. I have to be careful about dealing with him, or talking to him. My tone seriously affects him. You'd really be surprised how perceptive animals really are. They are more sensitive in some ways and more numb to life around them in others. I mean, take you and me for instance, we're all basically spoiled. I love the trips down memory lane to the old days. Back then there were a lot more people who had it hard. I mean, water well water, really? Now days there are so many different types of crisp clean water that you can drink, it's ridiculous. Anyway, Cats and Dogs, in general (many different types of pets), they don't have it so easy as we all do. They always have either fended for themselves or eatin' and drank what's given to them. And also, they don't get the attention that most of us get. They don't have mommy's and daddy's that they grow up with all of their childhood lives. They have you and me. And sometimes that attention is far, few and between. A lot of people think that pets have it easy, no they don't. We have it easy....

Anyway, Gabe, acute, sensitive to his surroundings.... Gabe doesn't have it as hard as a lot of animals. He's an indoor pet so, he's not subject to being outside. Hey, if it's to cold for him, or starts raining, he's whimpering at the back door wanting in. :) lol

I'll get to talking to Gabe sometimes..... back when he got infested with flees (still angers me when I think about it), he would gnaw and chew and scratch until he drew blood. So, I look at him and see the blood and with this concerned tone in my voice, I'm like, ' Gabriel! what have you done to yourself? ' And he'd look at me with this concerned look like, ' oh no! am I dying? ' Seriously though, he'd give the same look as you and I when we're diagnosed with something severe and we're sucking it up thinking, ' oh my god!!!! What???? '.

So, needless to say, I watch what I have to say to him now days. Or I at least keep it to myself and just pat him on the head and say in this, ' awe, you poor thing, you got a booboo ', type voice.

So, getting back to Quack 1 and Quack 2. :) lol, you get my message.

Greg, they take it serious because if something medically happens to you, or you fall asleep (why they test for sleep apnea) while you're behind the wheel of a rig chances are very high that somebody will be seriously injured or killed. When I went for my physical my blood pressure came up at like 165/96 or something crazy like that. They ended up having me lay down for 20 minutes in a dark room to relax and retook it and was ALOT better. It's something worth seeing your doctor just to be certain. Let me tell you about a driver who fell asleep behind the wheel That I posted elsewhere about a month ago . I don't know if he has sleep apnea or not. He left our terminal with a loaded 48 foot trailer, I believe it was 30k pounds he had on it. He fell asleep behind the wheel with cruise set at 65 mph and didn't wake up until he slammed into the back of a box truck that was trying to get up to speed as they were merging onto I-80. Our driver rolled the truck on the side when he went into grassy median after hitting the truck at 65 mph and slid into oncoming traffic. They shut the interstate down for 4 hours to clean up and do their investigation. Thankfully our driver, and the driver of the box truck suffered minor injuries, spending a night in the hospital. Luckily there was nobody in the way when he crossed the median. It's scary to think how different that could have turned out.

Thank you for your response. Even though, it's not as simple as my making the mistake about the measuring of the neck. It's like a question on the form I had to fill out. I needed to discuss it with the doctor/nurse, and the lady at the counter told me to tell them when I go back. Sooo, I brought it up, and the nurse pretty much didn't want to hear me. She pretty much just shut me down. My end sentence to her was very calm, quiet and polite when I simply told her, ' I just didn't know If you needed to know or not. '. I mean, hey, a question on the form, is a question on the form. And if it's left blank, I feel obligated to answer it. Why is it on the form, if you don't want it answered? Anyway, and as for the bp, wayyy more complicated than needing to go get it checked out. When I came home and checked it on the home monitor, it was the same as when he took it. Meaning that the monitor works fine. And if I'm getting the same reading as the grocery store is on the home monitor, then that would be highly coincidental if both were out of calibration or whatever you call it. And seeing how most of my readings are pretty consistant with the 120/70 readings then there is no need for alarm. My blood pressure does tend to jump to over 130/80 when I've been active, up and about or exercising. It's just the way he presented it to me. And I was really stressed yesterday, more than I realized. So, again, no worries.

I've got a story for you. My trainer, back when I drove in 1994, told me that he was asleep with a trainee driving when he suddenly awoke to the truck being on its side. He said that he heard the Emergency brake and parking break or one of the two engage while they were sliding down the road on their side. :) The ole boy/trainee evidently reached down, while the truck was on it's side, sliding down the road and pulled both knobs. :)