Well. I'm 233 miles north of Houston, so there is a bit of unnerving going on around here.  People have relatives, family and friends that live down there.  We are hearing reports of getting 7 to 9 inches of rain, starting tomorrow.  Though that's a lot, it's nothing like what Houston has been getting. I spoke with a contractor on Friday - just before all this hell was unleashed - telling me about his wife and son that live down there.  I was like, what what are you doing here?  Aren't you going to go get them?
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Started that 2 days ago, got distracted.

I have other things to talk about now, well the hurricane is still relevant.  I saw probably 100 airboats on the Interstate today, 5 marsh monsters and a LOT of vehicles with "vehicle disaster" or other verbiage on the side of their trucks and trailers.  I mean, it was incredible.

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Ugh, I get started on a post and get distracted.  Anyway, hot on the trail of 3 jobs, all very excellent pay. Those lowest one is a 20 grand per year increase in pay.  All of this is hazmat related, of which I went and got that endorsement not too terribly long ago for this specific purpose: find a new job.  When I saw my checking account yesterday and the level it was at, it only motivated me even more to get the heck out of the place I am at now and get myself into a place that pays much more and doesn't, hopefully, have an abusive manager.

I am torn between 3 jobs.  Not that I have specific offers from any of them - they are all doing their federally required background checks.  They all sound good, one of the stands out because it's a national company, but, that doesn't necessarily mean they are the best.  Another is a family owned company with newer equipment and they claim they treat every employee like family.  Excellent pay at that place, btw and home most every night and weekends off.  So that is a huge plus.  The other lus - Keenan Advantage Group - is a huge company with 11 different "sub companies" I guess I would call it.  They have OTR, regional and local work. I applied there at least a year ago, probably longer, but the local jobs aren't available.

What I was told they do have, however, is a regional position based out of a town about 25 miles from here that has you out for 3 night and home 1.  It is also excellent pay.  The other is out a few days at a time. I'm leaning towards the family company simply because the owner of the company called me, the recruiter has been in constant contact with me either by phone or email.  I sent them the 15 page application today via fax.  Yup, 15 pages.  This is the state of affairs today with federal regulations in the trucking industry.  Even more new stuff they are required to ask for had been added since the last time I went through all of this applying at numerous places.

Oh, Keenan called and I did sent them what they needed but haven't heard from them in several days. Not that that means they aren't interested, large companies deal with potential employees differently, well accustomed to that.  Definitely not a deal breaker, but it would be nice to hear from them. I called them yesterday, got on the train of do this and that to speak to who you want to and then, when the person finally answered, the call was dropped.  I didn't call back again, just have too much going on, but I'm definitely excited about the prospect of earning pay that will put me into a position of doing the things I want to do.  I would really like to help out my son in his first year of marriage with things that they need.  My dad did that with me and I would like to carry that tradition on.

I'm really thinking though that this family oriented place is going to hire me, or offer a job position anyway, if all the background stuff is to their liking. Which I don't see any reason why it wouldn't, but you never know.  I don't count my chickens before the egg hatches, it isn't real until I'm there, working for them - or whoever.  I also got a call from a person today wanting me to come for an interview for "heavy haul".  He was very limited on the background of the company, wanted me to come in for an interview instead of talking about it on the phone.

Oh, the other was Baker Hughes. Another large company. I had a call from someone there yesterday. Hilarious, the lady was funny as heck. We hit it right off. Whether that actually amounts to anything or not, who knows.  I'm not ruling much of anything out.  I want out of the place I am at so badly that much of any decent pay offer and getting me home every day or every few days will work for me.

So, this is all on hold til' next week since it's a holiday weekend.  My "excuses", however, are done.  My 2 trips dad related and my trip to California for my son's wedding are done.  The situation with hours at work has only gotten worse and not going to change. One of the inside salesmen is definitely leaving. The other is mum, but the one that is leaving says he is moving on as well.  One of those screw this company moments in time where I hope the aftermath is enough for corporate to take notice.

And then, we have the situation in Houston.  We got some rain from it, but it didn't hit us near as bad as the weather forecasters had first predicted.  In fact, it was just a bit of rain like any other rain.  But the tragedy going on down there is unreal.  So sad the situation down there.

Well, a new job is really the focus of my life right now, that and a new church.