Just Switched Occupations Again

I decided to go another route and became a Commercial Truck Driver now. It takes a special person to live on the road as a profession. I plan to gain enough experience to have a local or dedicated route so I can be with my son more frequently.

Andy's Post

It all started when I was little, my first job ever was babysitting for a family down the street. I didn't really like it, but I earned enough money so that I could go downtown to buy junk food. I would spend hours at the "Little Store" deciding what candies and soda pop to buy. I would then go to the local park, elementary school, or church to enjoy my reward. I rode all over that little town on my bicycle. Those were the "care free" days of my life, not a worry in the world.

When I was about 12 or so, I noticed that my brother Spencer was making some pretty decent money working for Elaine, the old lady that owned the apple orchard. So, I decided that I would go talk to her about picking apples. The kind lady agreed and I was on my way to picking apples. I picked apples for the next couple of seasons. It wasn't the easiest job, but my Spencer made it look easy. He would just grab a bunch and toss them in his pouch like there was no tomorrow. I can't remember how many bushels he was picking per hour, but I was only picking like one or two bushels an hour. We didn't get paid until the end of the season, but it all added up. I think I made enough money to invest in my first gas powered RC airplane, with the help of my parents. Never once thinking that I would need the money for something of more importance in the future.

At about 14, I noticed that the same brother, Spencer, was making even more money as a beekeeper. Our friends in the same town had a business collecting and processing honey. I wanted in, so I asked my buddy, James, if I too could help out with their family business. His family decided that I could come learn the ropes and help out with their business. I thought this would be an awesome job, so I could save up money to buy that dirt bike that I been dreaming of. I did this for one season and earned enough money to buy the dirt bike. I did not go back to work for them the next year. I was too busy riding my dirt bike with my friend Jimmy. Again, I didn't think anything of saving the money for something of more importance in the future.

The next year, to pay for the gas to ride my dirt bike, I mowed lawns with Jimmy. We did so much riding that we entered in a few motocross races. I never did very good, but I didn't ever come in last place. I think that if I would have had a newer dirt bike than the one I had, I would have probably placed in the top four in every race.

When I outgrew my dirt bike, I wanted a bigger one. So, at about 16, I landed my first food job at a Drive Inn. It was in the City that was about 15 miles away from our little town we lived in. Luckily, Mom and Dad were nice enough to let me use their car to go to work. It wasn't the most glamorous job, but I was dedicated to get that bigger and newer dirt bike. I hadn't worked there for more than one month and met some friends that worked at a busier Drive Inn. They said that they loved their job and made better money doing easier work. Luckily, my Dad knew a lady that worked her second job at this Drive Inn. She told me that if I took her daughter on a date, then she would be happy to help me get the job. I thought it was kind of weird that I had to do that since I never really been on a real date before. Luckily, it wasn't that bad even though I had no interest in this girl. Before I knew it, I had the job and made more money than ever. Once I made enough money, I blew it on that bigger, newer dirt bike that I had always dreamed of.

This is when I really should have been thinking about the decisions I was making as far as spending my hard earned money. I never thought real hard about what I could be doing in the future. Always living for the moment, spending more and more money. I guess in my defense, I could say that I was just enjoying my childhood. I guess you could say I was selfish in spoiling myself with the material things in life. But, that doesn't justify anything about how I'm doing now at the age of 29.

Ive done many more jobs through the years then the ones just explained, such as: Pizza Delivery, a Lift Operator at a ski resort, as a Telemarketer, a Fencer for a fence company, a gas station Clerk, as a Waiter, a Customer Service Representative, an Assistant Manager, a General Manager, Garden Recovery at a hardware store, and an Iron Worker. I could go on and on about my occupation biography, but I won't because I want to make my point clear.

I recently quit my Iron Worker position. I couldn't handle being out of town, with the newest responsibilities in my new life, my son and fiance whom I love very much. That job left a bad taste in my mouth and is not meant for having a family lifestyle. I hardly saw my son, which is now five months old. I was only able to spend time on the phone with my fiance. Now I am about to start work at a Walmart Distribution Center as an Order Filler. This will be decent money and I can see my family every day and on the weekends. I'm also going to try to pursue making money at home on the Internet in my spare time.

I think that I have finally learned the lesson of life and am trying to better my future. Let my experience be an example for all that read this blog. Let your focus be on the future and what you want to do with your life. Don't just squander everything you have on "The Now".

I would like to thank Dannie at "A Time To Remember Photography". Please visit her website at http://www.rememberphotography.com/
Check out my other blog at http://randieandyraidon.blogspot.com/