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>I deleted a couple of off track posts, and the rest
>referring to them didn't make sense then.
>
For us who may have joined the regular scheduled program late, we have no idea what is going on! If someone is trying to sneak in a Frank Burns type rant, pull it. But a couple of off track posts? $5.00 on Burntrears, to place in the 7th.
Please let things run until they get WOFC. (Way out of f___ing control)
>referring to them didn't make sense then.
>
For us who may have joined the regular scheduled program late, we have no idea what is going on! If someone is trying to sneak in a Frank Burns type rant, pull it. But a couple of off track posts? $5.00 on Burntrears, to place in the 7th.
Please let things run until they get WOFC. (Way out of f___ing control)
Moot,
Sorry, can't let stuff go that long. I try to let stuff go, but when things "in my opinion" are causing a possible major disruption, I may err on the side of peace.
Many times, someone makes a comment that may or may not be personal. Another person takes it wrong, and off we go. Rather than let it continue, I have some choices to make. Let it go crazy, remove the whole thread, or lock it and let it fade. Instead, I tried to keep a good topic, while removing the building personal insults. As I said, the posts referring to them made no sense then.
It was not intended as personal folks.
I apologized for not posting an explaination, let's get it back on track now.
Thanks,
Dreamer
Forums Administrator
Expeditersonline.com
Truckme.com
"Ability can take you to the top, but it takes Character to keep you there."
- Zig Ziglar
Sorry, can't let stuff go that long. I try to let stuff go, but when things "in my opinion" are causing a possible major disruption, I may err on the side of peace.
Many times, someone makes a comment that may or may not be personal. Another person takes it wrong, and off we go. Rather than let it continue, I have some choices to make. Let it go crazy, remove the whole thread, or lock it and let it fade. Instead, I tried to keep a good topic, while removing the building personal insults. As I said, the posts referring to them made no sense then.
It was not intended as personal folks.
I apologized for not posting an explaination, let's get it back on track now.
Thanks,
Dreamer
Forums Administrator
Expeditersonline.com
Truckme.com
"Ability can take you to the top, but it takes Character to keep you there."
- Zig Ziglar
Dreamer, you claim, "No offense meant, no patronizing, no favoritism..." yet the very post that initially took things off track was left untouched. Is that selective moderating? favoritism? patronizing? ... or just plain bad moderating? Let 'em go until things get WOFC is right, and this comes from an experienced moderator.
I think somebody whined, your knee jerked, and 11 posts got deleted in the process. But, hey, it's not my board.
All I ask is that the rules be evenly applied so we know what the heck we're doin' around here. Easily 95% of all the replies in this forum can be construed as being off-topic in one way or another. This one was no different, and in fact, the off-topic issues that were being brought up were issues that have, or will occur, to a lot of people in one way or another. My own post used my own circumstances as an example and could have given a lot of people something to think about regarding home time and what the possibilities are for what they leave behind when going out on the road. The more people read about how others do things, the easier it is for them to make the informed decisions that affect their lives.
"How long do you stay out?", is such a simple question, but in order for it to have much relevance to others the answers [/]must[/i] be qualified with why's and how's of how they do whatever it is they do. In this case, going off-topic a little is practically a prerequisite.
Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people. - Giordano Bruno
I think somebody whined, your knee jerked, and 11 posts got deleted in the process. But, hey, it's not my board.
All I ask is that the rules be evenly applied so we know what the heck we're doin' around here. Easily 95% of all the replies in this forum can be construed as being off-topic in one way or another. This one was no different, and in fact, the off-topic issues that were being brought up were issues that have, or will occur, to a lot of people in one way or another. My own post used my own circumstances as an example and could have given a lot of people something to think about regarding home time and what the possibilities are for what they leave behind when going out on the road. The more people read about how others do things, the easier it is for them to make the informed decisions that affect their lives.
"How long do you stay out?", is such a simple question, but in order for it to have much relevance to others the answers [/]must[/i] be qualified with why's and how's of how they do whatever it is they do. In this case, going off-topic a little is practically a prerequisite.
Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people. - Giordano Bruno
OK, but I give you all fair warning. This is gonna be off topic now, because I have to qualify this by referencing the now-missing posts, which, apparently, are off-topic, even though they weren't. And, because the referencing posts are not there to be referenced, this might maybe quite possibly be construed as a personal attack, yet that's the exact opposite of what it is.
Phil, you put up a rather eloquent posting about how long you stay out, and more importantly, how and why are are able to stay out as long as you do. The how's and why's are easily as important as the bottom line answer.
You mentioned that you sold your house and cars and that you instead "rent low-cost, maintenance-free residential space." No one knows what that means, though. It's vague, albeit exacting language, and reads like it's purposefully used in order to be vague. Since no one talks like that, and no one knows what it means, readers are left to infer what they will.
Someone brought up the possibility that it might be a storage shed. Whether they were serious about it, or it was a joke, is irrelevant. It's a very real possibility to some. Fortunately, before a new expediter read that and started to get ideas in their head, someone else reminded us all of the legal ramifications of using a storage shed as a permanent residence.
Then, for whatever reason, ostensibly to ensure that no one thought you went home and lived in a shed and the legal implication that would entail, you posted a pointer to an earlier thread where they could find the "facts" regarding your situation, but all that was there was the same exacting, vague language that talked about low cost rental space in rural MN. That's all fine, well and good, but no one knows what that means, either. It's not very helpful to someone who may be in, or may want to be in the same situation.
If it's an apartment, call it an apartment, or a trailer, or whatever it is, for the same reason you call a garbage man a garbage man, and not a sanitation engineer. If you don't want to tell people what this mysterious rental space is, fine, don't. But don't bring it up so that people are left to infer whatever it is their imaginations can come up with, because it may very well lead them to an uninformed, very bad, decision. (Incidentally, I don't pirate software, I'm a Software Evaluation Specialist. :+ )
Now, having said all that, hopefully my own situation will make some sense, and hopefully it won't be deleted as being grossly off-topic.
I'm in the same situation as you, Phil, in that I sold my house and car. Not in order to buy a truck (a Sprinter), but because I felt it was no longer worth it to try and maintain the property from out of town. (I bought the house on a 30 year note, and paid it off in 15 years. That was a tough decision to sell it, let me tell ya.) All of my household goods that I didn't sell or give away I have stored in low cost rental space in rural Kentucky (A.K.A., a 10 x 20 storage building).
When I go home I stay in one of the spare bedrooms at my parent's house, for which I pay nothing. This, I consider, to be low cost residential space. If this situation were to change, I could stay in a spare bedroom at my brother's house, or I could put a small trailer out there on the property. The point is, I don't pay full time rent for a few day's residence a year. No rent, no mortgage, no utilities, no maintenance. About the only personal bill I have other than my PO Box fee is my cell phone bill, and even that's a business expense.
Selling your home and banking the money for future use is not a decision for everyone, that's for sure, and it's one that should not be made lightly, but it's something to consider if you want to stay out on the road full time and want to keep from having to use a sizable chunk of your revenue to maintain a home that you no longer use. They key is to have some place, be it a low cost apartment, a trailer, a room, that you can go to when you need to, but something that isn't going to be a stain on your revenues while you're away.
I stay out for 2-3 months at a time, or even longer, or generally until something at home requires that I be there, like renewing my CDL, or licensing the van, or a scheduled maintenance for the van. When I do go home it's usually for about a week. In the case of the shelves, sway bar, shocks, insulation and a few other things, it was the entire month of June.
So there you have it. There isn't a single thing in this posting that is meant, or should be taken, as an attack, an insult, or as anything other than as information to be assimilated and used to make your own decisions on matters that effect you.
Slow and steady, even in expediting, wins the race - Aesop
Phil, you put up a rather eloquent posting about how long you stay out, and more importantly, how and why are are able to stay out as long as you do. The how's and why's are easily as important as the bottom line answer.
You mentioned that you sold your house and cars and that you instead "rent low-cost, maintenance-free residential space." No one knows what that means, though. It's vague, albeit exacting language, and reads like it's purposefully used in order to be vague. Since no one talks like that, and no one knows what it means, readers are left to infer what they will.
Someone brought up the possibility that it might be a storage shed. Whether they were serious about it, or it was a joke, is irrelevant. It's a very real possibility to some. Fortunately, before a new expediter read that and started to get ideas in their head, someone else reminded us all of the legal ramifications of using a storage shed as a permanent residence.
Then, for whatever reason, ostensibly to ensure that no one thought you went home and lived in a shed and the legal implication that would entail, you posted a pointer to an earlier thread where they could find the "facts" regarding your situation, but all that was there was the same exacting, vague language that talked about low cost rental space in rural MN. That's all fine, well and good, but no one knows what that means, either. It's not very helpful to someone who may be in, or may want to be in the same situation.
If it's an apartment, call it an apartment, or a trailer, or whatever it is, for the same reason you call a garbage man a garbage man, and not a sanitation engineer. If you don't want to tell people what this mysterious rental space is, fine, don't. But don't bring it up so that people are left to infer whatever it is their imaginations can come up with, because it may very well lead them to an uninformed, very bad, decision. (Incidentally, I don't pirate software, I'm a Software Evaluation Specialist. :+ )
Now, having said all that, hopefully my own situation will make some sense, and hopefully it won't be deleted as being grossly off-topic.
I'm in the same situation as you, Phil, in that I sold my house and car. Not in order to buy a truck (a Sprinter), but because I felt it was no longer worth it to try and maintain the property from out of town. (I bought the house on a 30 year note, and paid it off in 15 years. That was a tough decision to sell it, let me tell ya.) All of my household goods that I didn't sell or give away I have stored in low cost rental space in rural Kentucky (A.K.A., a 10 x 20 storage building).
When I go home I stay in one of the spare bedrooms at my parent's house, for which I pay nothing. This, I consider, to be low cost residential space. If this situation were to change, I could stay in a spare bedroom at my brother's house, or I could put a small trailer out there on the property. The point is, I don't pay full time rent for a few day's residence a year. No rent, no mortgage, no utilities, no maintenance. About the only personal bill I have other than my PO Box fee is my cell phone bill, and even that's a business expense.
Selling your home and banking the money for future use is not a decision for everyone, that's for sure, and it's one that should not be made lightly, but it's something to consider if you want to stay out on the road full time and want to keep from having to use a sizable chunk of your revenue to maintain a home that you no longer use. They key is to have some place, be it a low cost apartment, a trailer, a room, that you can go to when you need to, but something that isn't going to be a stain on your revenues while you're away.
I stay out for 2-3 months at a time, or even longer, or generally until something at home requires that I be there, like renewing my CDL, or licensing the van, or a scheduled maintenance for the van. When I do go home it's usually for about a week. In the case of the shelves, sway bar, shocks, insulation and a few other things, it was the entire month of June.
So there you have it. There isn't a single thing in this posting that is meant, or should be taken, as an attack, an insult, or as anything other than as information to be assimilated and used to make your own decisions on matters that effect you.
Slow and steady, even in expediting, wins the race - Aesop
Turtle.
That was a very good post, and is relavent as to why the posts were pulled. Putting out a vague piece of information and then attacking someone when it is in question, wasn't warranted.
What I seen this morning was baiting someone for the sake of drawing attention to oneself and derailing a thread.
That was a good example of PM'ing someone for clarification as I had indicated rather than questioning what they meant in the thread.
Ok.......back on the topic of hometime expectations.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
That was a very good post, and is relavent as to why the posts were pulled. Putting out a vague piece of information and then attacking someone when it is in question, wasn't warranted.
What I seen this morning was baiting someone for the sake of drawing attention to oneself and derailing a thread.
That was a good example of PM'ing someone for clarification as I had indicated rather than questioning what they meant in the thread.
Ok.......back on the topic of hometime expectations.
Davekc
owner
23 years
PantherII
EO moderator
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Well this is a mess.
First things first, the question - how long do you stay out for before going home and how long will you stay home?
For me it is as long as I have to, over 11 weeks the last trip out and I hope to stay out when I return from my vacation till Christmas.
It is not a matter of going out and staying out, it is a matter of adjusting me to being out of the truck – 11 weeks did take a bit of work to shed the ‘living in a box’ syndrome.
Now the other thing I am going to say and hope that this don’t get deleted is I am going to defend Turtle’s post # 36 – to me there is something of value in the post for some who don’t understand that this is a lifestyle. If some don’t get it – ok it needs to be investigated or questions asked, but if some get offended, too bad (my personal position is simple; teaching is something that does sometimes offends others to make a point or illustrate an issue) we are here to help others when we can, so what I read pre-edited was not as bad as it could have been and I think would have helped a few people - but again I was on the road all last night and today so I could have missed something.
If I could do what others have done, I would in a second, but I can’t right now – maybe in the future. This for all intent and purpose would be a contributing factor in home time and a direct issue that needs to be discussed when the question is asked “how long do you stay out for before going home and how longwill you stay home?â€
First things first, the question - how long do you stay out for before going home and how long will you stay home?
For me it is as long as I have to, over 11 weeks the last trip out and I hope to stay out when I return from my vacation till Christmas.
It is not a matter of going out and staying out, it is a matter of adjusting me to being out of the truck – 11 weeks did take a bit of work to shed the ‘living in a box’ syndrome.
Now the other thing I am going to say and hope that this don’t get deleted is I am going to defend Turtle’s post # 36 – to me there is something of value in the post for some who don’t understand that this is a lifestyle. If some don’t get it – ok it needs to be investigated or questions asked, but if some get offended, too bad (my personal position is simple; teaching is something that does sometimes offends others to make a point or illustrate an issue) we are here to help others when we can, so what I read pre-edited was not as bad as it could have been and I think would have helped a few people - but again I was on the road all last night and today so I could have missed something.
If I could do what others have done, I would in a second, but I can’t right now – maybe in the future. This for all intent and purpose would be a contributing factor in home time and a direct issue that needs to be discussed when the question is asked “how long do you stay out for before going home and how longwill you stay home?â€
This is only a lifestyle if you choose to make it one. Large carriers expect you to stay out long periods of time, smaller carriers can have you home every week, and others like myself deadhead home after every run. If you choose to make this a lifestyle, that is fine. If you choose not to make it a lifestyle then that is fine to. It all depends on how you want to do it.
Turtle's post is an excellent example, a leadership example, of how to get information and questions onto the Open Forum without disrespecting another member or putting things in a way that become or might become negatively personal.
I thought the word "residence" would suffice in describing our housing. I now see that it is not. To clarify, we do not live in a storage locker. We do not even own one or rent one. When we go home, we live in a two-bath, four-bedroom house with a walk-out basement and a second kitchen in the basement.
Our living arrangements there, as specified in our attorney-drafted (Diane) and written rental agreement with the homeowner (a relative), will pass muster with the IRS any way any auditor wants to look at it (along with the statements and receipts that docment money flow).
While we own few household goods, the ones we have are used at home. Two of our favorite pieces are matching platform rockers that we purchased at an Amish store in Ohio and brought home.
Our keepsakes are stored in one of the rooms to which our rental agreement gives us exclusive use. The agrement specifies exclusive use of some rooms and shared use of other space, both in the house and on the land (counted in acres, not feet).
Outside, we have spent over $5,000 for property improvements to pour concrete for truck parking. Annual maintenance costs that we pay include tree trimming so we can get the truck up the long driveway without having it scratched by tree limbs. We also have rights to one of the out buildings, a large pole barn, in which I keep some of the tools and equipment I use to maintain the truck when we are home.
When I refer to the property as "maintenance-free" I mean that we do not need to return home to do the maintenance ourselves. The homeowner is responsible for all maintenance, except tree trimming that we pay for.
Clear enough?
Had the person simply asked for clarification for our living arrangements, an answer would have been provided. The thread went south because the disrespectful implication was made (and/or taken) that our living arrangements were fraudulant and amounted to no more than a storage shed. Turtle showed how to get clarification without being disrespectful or misunderstood.
That is the right way to behave in an Open Forum. When someting is not clear, do not use it as an opportunity to make a negative implication about another member, or a joke at another member's expense. Instead, simply ask for clarification, in a way that is itself clear, and not a way that is vague and might be interpreted as a disrespectful jab.
For example:
ATeam, in your reply number 4, you said, "We do not own a house but instead rent low-cost, maintenance-free residential space." That could be taken to mean anything from a storage shed to an estate. Could you explain further what you mean by "low-cost, maintenance-free residential space?"
I thought the word "residence" would suffice in describing our housing. I now see that it is not. To clarify, we do not live in a storage locker. We do not even own one or rent one. When we go home, we live in a two-bath, four-bedroom house with a walk-out basement and a second kitchen in the basement.
Our living arrangements there, as specified in our attorney-drafted (Diane) and written rental agreement with the homeowner (a relative), will pass muster with the IRS any way any auditor wants to look at it (along with the statements and receipts that docment money flow).
While we own few household goods, the ones we have are used at home. Two of our favorite pieces are matching platform rockers that we purchased at an Amish store in Ohio and brought home.
Our keepsakes are stored in one of the rooms to which our rental agreement gives us exclusive use. The agrement specifies exclusive use of some rooms and shared use of other space, both in the house and on the land (counted in acres, not feet).
Outside, we have spent over $5,000 for property improvements to pour concrete for truck parking. Annual maintenance costs that we pay include tree trimming so we can get the truck up the long driveway without having it scratched by tree limbs. We also have rights to one of the out buildings, a large pole barn, in which I keep some of the tools and equipment I use to maintain the truck when we are home.
When I refer to the property as "maintenance-free" I mean that we do not need to return home to do the maintenance ourselves. The homeowner is responsible for all maintenance, except tree trimming that we pay for.
Clear enough?
Had the person simply asked for clarification for our living arrangements, an answer would have been provided. The thread went south because the disrespectful implication was made (and/or taken) that our living arrangements were fraudulant and amounted to no more than a storage shed. Turtle showed how to get clarification without being disrespectful or misunderstood.
That is the right way to behave in an Open Forum. When someting is not clear, do not use it as an opportunity to make a negative implication about another member, or a joke at another member's expense. Instead, simply ask for clarification, in a way that is itself clear, and not a way that is vague and might be interpreted as a disrespectful jab.
For example:
ATeam, in your reply number 4, you said, "We do not own a house but instead rent low-cost, maintenance-free residential space." That could be taken to mean anything from a storage shed to an estate. Could you explain further what you mean by "low-cost, maintenance-free residential space?"
I just wish I could get by with only a storage building. I don't think the rest of the family would appreciate that though. I've seen some "micro" houses that are interesting. Some are a cross between a mobile home and a trailer, being 400 square feet so they are movable over roadways. One difference though is the "upstairs" that's about 48" high and 150 or so square feet. That would be good storage area for off season clothes etc. I've also seen some that are log cabinesque and as little as 150-200 square feet total.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
OOIDA Life Member 677319, JOIN NOW
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
OOIDA Life Member 677319, JOIN NOW
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
hptptrucking
Seasoned Expediter
Hey Ya'll,
I have to say that I love reading all your post. We are still enjoying being the newbies in the expediting world but I do have to say that I AM READY TO GO HOME for a couple days. We have been out here now for almost 3 weeks on the road plus the 1 week we were in route and at Panther orientation. I need to get home to get my memory foam mattress so I can get some better sleep and help my back from this pain it has. WAIT.... THAT PAIN MIGHT BE OLD AGE....LOL.....
Hopefully we will get home to get all our other belongings at the end of this coming week.
For right now we are going to stay out 3 weeks and then go home for 2 or 3 days because Big Pappa has a little one he has to see once a month but hopefully someday we can stay out longer because we are enjoying it so far.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Teresa & Harvey AKA
Lady Tee & Big Pappa
I have to say that I love reading all your post. We are still enjoying being the newbies in the expediting world but I do have to say that I AM READY TO GO HOME for a couple days. We have been out here now for almost 3 weeks on the road plus the 1 week we were in route and at Panther orientation. I need to get home to get my memory foam mattress so I can get some better sleep and help my back from this pain it has. WAIT.... THAT PAIN MIGHT BE OLD AGE....LOL.....
Hopefully we will get home to get all our other belongings at the end of this coming week.
For right now we are going to stay out 3 weeks and then go home for 2 or 3 days because Big Pappa has a little one he has to see once a month but hopefully someday we can stay out longer because we are enjoying it so far.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Teresa & Harvey AKA
Lady Tee & Big Pappa
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
my usual plan is to stay out 10 to 12 days,and home 3or 4.this plan gets a pay check everyweek,the out three weeks and home a week only gets 3 checks a month.Since co-drivers like a weekly check,we just try to be home everyother weekend.
now,if we are on a roll,we will run the roll til it ends,if you end it by going home,you will be off the roll for awhile.
no matter what your plan is,it wont work for everyone,and the way I work myself,when I want to go home,well its my football,so its my rules,home i go,and if i get mad for one reason or another,well it wouldnt be the 1st time ive went home from california empty,and no, im not going to make some broker rich hauling his cheap freight.
now,if we are on a roll,we will run the roll til it ends,if you end it by going home,you will be off the roll for awhile.
no matter what your plan is,it wont work for everyone,and the way I work myself,when I want to go home,well its my football,so its my rules,home i go,and if i get mad for one reason or another,well it wouldnt be the 1st time ive went home from california empty,and no, im not going to make some broker rich hauling his cheap freight.
