I woke up at around 2:45 am, well before I needed to.  I also knew that I would never get back to sleep simply because the work day loomed in m mind, instantly and so, get up early.  I didn't feel bad then, but I knew later on I would be paying for it.

Same thing as always: get to the yard, hook up to the appointed trailer, pre-trip inspection, check pressure, fill out paperwork, head to plant.  Showed up at plant early, like 4:40 am.  But, the guy working the Ethylene rack was already at the scale house, waiting on me. 

I mean, he got right to work and tit was over fast enough, faster than normal really, but then< i had to wait for an extended period at the scalehoue because we had switched drivers.  I was supposed to be subbing for the second driver, I ended up subbing for both, which threw the plant paperwork off, they had the BOL ready for the first load, not the second. 

By the time I was leaving that plant, tho, I was starting to feel it. It always hits me on that early load time, which is why I hate it and will defer from it any time I can.  My head started aching, I was feeling very poor and I just wanted to go home. thank God that's exactly what I did after I got back to the yard.  I never saw the other driver, but he wasn't  able to fire up a truck and leave with it until later anyway.  Which was the whole point, he was schedule for X loading time, he couldn't do it because he was on reset. 

Got home, slept for 3 hours, got up from that and still felt miserable. Went out to Kroger's, bought a bunch of meat that was on sale, probably 70 pounds worth.  They are moving back, they have much bigger appetites than any of us, they are not in a position yet to be able to afford better meals, I'm in a position where I don't mind helping out for a while until they get back on their feet and can contribute. 

That's what I do in life, that's what I've always done my entire adult life.  I know these people, they are worth the investment.  She will get a job, he will get his training and go OTR.  Not a move I would pick, but he's got to live his life.  I just say that because of his kids.  But, there are other reasons that really do make more sense for a person like that to go that route for a career.  He's a great person, I'm not saying anything bad about him at all.  The other concern I have is that eventually ... and ti may be years or even decades down the road - the industry is going to switch to autonomous trucks - no human drivers. 

I think especially for someone just going into the business. In my case, I'm fairly confident I have enough time left to finish out my career and be done with it before they figure out how to deal with driverless trucks doing hazmat.  And for now, they are only designed these trucks to be aids to a human driver, not to replace them. But it's coming.  Robotics are going to take over a lot of jobs and I have to wonder about the future of this nation.  Will robots do more damage to the economy by eradicating so many jobs that they companies using the robotics end up losing business because  too much of their clientele have been put out of work? 

This is the first Sunday in quite a long time that I have been able to be home.  And since I made a couple hundred dollars today, I don't mind this at all.  Tomorrow, I wasn't given a run so I assume Tuesday I'm out of town.  I hope a 4 day run, get back on Friday and then 3 days off.

As for the rest of this day?  I doubt I'm going to be doing much of anything.  Unless I get a call to go somewhere tomorrow, I intend on getting some stuff done tomorrow but relax today.