The Watering Hole

A little over a year ago, actually about a year and four months ago, I posted here that I was moving in with my latina girlfriend and that it was going to safeguard me from the effects of the recession and that I would even be able to afford an Axe FX after doing so.

Well, some of you were like "hell yeah good idea go for it" while others were saying "no don't do it". This month I moved out of there and into a Townhouse on the Westside of Jax (just a few blocks from where I was before I moved in with her). Shit just was not working.

Sorta scary being out here though because I have no real job, still making a living just playing covers, which is really feast or famine (mostly famine). I have had to work in 2 bands and an acoustic project just to keep a full enough schedule to pay my bills.

In September I went to a truck driving school, got my class A CDL, and still cannot find work unless I want to live in an 18 wheeled on the road. I am really searching hard for a decent day gig in the Jax area, I dont care i it is driving a trash truck, concrete mixer, delivery, etc...  the school's big selling point was "lifetime job placement services"... yeah, OK.

I am quitting one of the bands because it has been a constant source of drama and aggrivation for over a year now. Luckily the other band is going to ramp up our gig schedule so I should be able to stay busy.

Well, that's about it.

Not sure what the "Some of you were right" thing is about.

But good to see you around again.

Had no better idea for a title, that's all. And, the ones who said "no dont do it" were right. What's worse, i never did use the opportunity to save for an Axe FX.

I checked into the truck driving thing myself. It's kinda hard to find a job where your home at night, but they are out there.

I stumbled into a situation where, if I got my license and went to school, I could do the same run everyday and be home everynight and weekends. I would have to move though. It was a run from just east of Atlanta to Savanna Ga and back. Paid 50k to start off with.

Point is, the jobs are there, it's just hard to find them. Most of the time, experience is preferred but if you can find someone with 4 to 6 trucks, an individual usually, your way better off!. Especially if you don't want to be gone all week.

Sorry it didn't work out with the lady!  

I don't remember which side of this I came down on (I'll have to go back and read the posts), but I'm sorry to hear things didn't work out.

The good thing is, at least you didn't marry her and discover it didn't work (silver lining?).

I'll be in Orange Park next week for a few days, but I've got a lot of family and kid responsibilities, so I most likely won't be coming out. If you're gigging anywhere nearby, I'll try, though.

Good luck with everything - I wish I knew someone who could help you with the driving...
Tripper

Thanx guys. I am losing absolutely no sleep over the woman. The job situation is irritating, hoping January will bring improvments there.

Tripper I don't have a single gig scheduled until New Years, and that's at some biker bar in Starke. Would have been cool to have you out, I would have called you up to do a few tunes with us.

Sorry to hear about your troubles Spai. I also went to a driving school but in Sanford Florida, Truck Driver Institute, I got placed with Covenant Transport, I worked a few months with them over the road and then quit, and went with Transcontinental Refrigerated Lines (TRL) lasted a few months with them. I then quit driving and went back to bricklaying and rejoined the union in Jax. After moving to Arizona I did get a local job driving flatbed with a company called Total Warehousing (Part of Knight Transport). That job lasted a year or so, then I just got tired of being just another part of the truck that could be replaced easily. My advice for you is get a job driving a dump truck or contact Hunt Transport and get a local job.

Also check out this link;

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/job-search-l-Jacksonville-FL-c-Transportation_Logistics

There is a nice Flatbed home daily job three or four down under a company name of NFI