Hey...whatever floats his boat. I hope he lands another job.

 

If the few of you making some of the comments you are making had read the entire blog, you would maybe see it isn't about living free and easy. For one I don't believe in what we as Americans have become and are (in general). Now I am not really talking about us as drivers, but those that live a 9 to 5 day in and day out, living some routine and being comfortable in it and afraid to do anything else in life. Not to mention living life just to work so you can keep on buying things that you need to work even more to keep affording.

For me it is a choice of freedom, a form of freedom few will understand I suppose. I don't see myself as homeless, I see the world itself as my home. Yeah it sucks to 'beg' from time to time, and I haven't done so just to accumulate cash, when I have I did so only for food, it is one aspect I do not like to do, but I will do what I have to to survive.

My main goal in this journey was for personal reasons, which I see no real reason to completely explain here, but secondarily because I have a job offer down here, if this job doesn't materialize as it is supposed to, that is OK and I will continue on down the road until another opportunity to drive comes along.

No I am not doing this for the idea of a movie or a book or anything, though I am keeping intense notes and one day I do wish to write a book, but I still don't know yet what the subject will be, and I am sure my adventures in life will play a role in how and what I write.

Now as far as me smoking some weed, I don't really care what anyone thinks of me about that, it is something I enjoy and I will do so, not while driving a CMV no, but I am not in a CMV right now now am I? If I where I wouldn't smoke, it's really quite simple. I value my CDL and I would never do anything to jeopardize it, I have never failed a drug test and I never will.

What it boils down to, is I got tired of the type of lifestyle most people live, I got tired of the 'routines' we all fall in to, I got tired of the comfort zones I setup around myself. So I set off on a journey, to learn whatever I could out of the experience, to see the world from a different perspective.

Whatever your opinion is of me, good for you, I don't care, all I care about is what I think of me . And make no mistake, this is not an easy way to live, but the freedom and the experience is well worth it.

As an update, I am now at the Petro in San Antonio! I made it here!

 

You do realize how long it can stay in your system I hope.

I don't know you but I wish you the best and hope you find what you're looking for. You're young and single with nothing to lose so yeah, if you want to travel around from truck stop to truck stop then all the power to you. Just don't do anything stupid if you get desperate. And be careful.

Let us know if you meet up with any Arrow drivers :smokin:

 

Rofl, I think most of them found their way home by now .

Yes I know how long it stays in the system, what I smoked would be gone in a week, if it even shows up. The more you smoke the longer it takes to get out of your system. But I don't want this discussion to be about that!

 

Congratulations on making it to San Antonio. I will mention something about the marijuana. What you do is your business. However, some carriers are doing hair tests as part of the pre employment drug testing. It is my understanding that drugs can stay in your hair for months. Although you say that you won't do anything to jeopardize your CDL, you do enjoy smoking a joint. In this profession it can be very dangerous for your career to smoke dope. Even if you are caught smoking or in possession and not in a commercial vehicle, it could be a career ender. I have interviewed a number of people who thought that they could take drugs and not get caught. I am not judging you but questioning why you would take such a risk?

 

You are right, it is a risk even between employment. You are also right, hair tests can show back for years! They could do a hair test on me right now and won't see anything, because I haven't smoked since I last shaved my hair other then in the last week, and it takes a while for the hair to grow out and show anything, it also doesn't show low quantity usage, so even then it wouldn't show.

Like I said, I don't want this conversation to be about that. I am a responsible person, I don't drink and drive, I don't smoke and drive, when I do drive I make sure I am well rested, and ready to go.

I just think it is so sad that there is such a stigma about weed in this country, a drug which has more beneficial values then negative, which is much less impairing then alcohol, and never made anyone do anything crazy, you don't see pot heads out there killing people, or robbing people, or doing much of anything stupid, but you will see a lot of alcoholics doing these things.

But my personal beliefs and opinions are just that, my personal, everyone is entitled to believe and feel what they want.

 

Very interesting decision you've made, please keep us updated.
Stay safe out there.

 

gcal said:

Why I picked THIS one is anyone's guess.... but, here we go: :hellno:

I read his blog, too. And... I've MET him and had a discussion with him about trucking.... especially concerning the O/O he worked for THEN.... and probably still does (or one just LIKE him.)

First, he was "homeless" when I met him. As I recall, he.... like MANY here.... gave up his apartment to "live in a truck." Being single... this was not so hard to do.

THAT O/O... like SO MANY.... was just a POS who was stringing him along for his CDL, and wanting him to WAIT until he had a truck to put him in! THIS experience sounds like an extension of that. I'm not sure WHY Matcat has to settle for these LOWLIFE O/O's unless, of course..... it was that FOG incident!!! He made a ROOKIE mistake.... and he is paying for it.

Wow.... STILL speechless!

I can SEE how you have this denigrating opinion of the homeless.... although MANY these days used to be bankers or TRUCK builders... but, the fact that you emphasized that your opinion was "solidified" by the fact that they were "homeless" (as so many ARE...) shows a totally irrational discontent with anyone who may have fallen on hard times..... and tells me ALOT about you. :hellno:

Please disregard MY statement if I've misread YOU, as you imply you MAY have done.

I don't think he is on a "movie mission." I KNOW this guy, and his current situation is NOT for "personal ECONOMIC gain. I believe it is a cross between a "statement" and an "education." At the LEAST.... it is a "March Madness" of transition into the rest of his boring life!

Mackman said:

Please don't... Mackman. I'd do the same for YOU! :hellno::rofl:

It was a very interesting night... when I met Matcat. And, it only cost me a pizza and a little "spending money." When I drove up, he was standing next to a guy (and his truck) whose job it was to CLEAN the parking lot! Mat was making him feel important. THAT guy even thanked me for showing up! :hellno:

Matcat doesn't WANT this to be about "reefer," and I agree with him.

He doesn't WANT this to be about an O/O who USED him.... but, we all know that SOME of them do.

Matcat CAME onto this board with a story of total stupidity (accelerating into a fog!) and asked us to HELP him understand where his life would go NEXT.

Are we ALL so "perfect" that we won't NOW continue that education and learning experience? Mat is a very "likeable" guy.... but, you don't have to LIKE a driver (or a CAD member) to LEARN from him! But, it DOES help!

 

I am not sure that marijuana is any less impairing than alcohol. Most whom I have known who smoked it seem to be more laid back than other drugs. I never got into the drug scene. I think that I barely missed it while growing up. Alcohol was still the drug of choice for my generation. In any case, I am not one to judge. I believe in live and let live. I was merely pointing out the obvious.

I hope you find what you are looking for, matcat. There are quite a few drivers who are living out of their trucks these days. If you don't have any bills it is a great way to save some money. Without the usual household expenses you could put back a good nest egg and still stay in a motel now and then to get out of the truck.

 

Yes, RonJon, but there is a silver lining.

I have started a company that not only sells "Will Work For Food" franchises, we also offer training, "The AAA Guide to Finer Soup Kitchens Throughout America", a computer program that helps identify lucrative locations for dumpster diving, complete with GPS to help locate those dumpsters, and a lifetime subscription to "Street Beat" magazine.

We also have an attractive grocery cart Lease / Operator program. Two of our grocery cart lease / operators have been so successful, they are going to be featured on the cover of STInc. magazine!!