Back to the bus

Todd received an accidental call from Gypsy. He meant to call someone else on Christopher's phone. They had a nice chat and Todd got to know the guy that's assisting Pher. It was then that we learned that Pher did not go to Birmingham because his friend (Anthony from Fort Wayne) caught a ride to Atlanta instead. Gypsy did head a different direction, and then he headed back to the rail yard and they reunited.

The MegaBus tickets were discussed and it was decided that they could indeed utilize the tickets. Now there was a problem. There were three of them and two tickets. Gypsy went his own way. Christopher and Anthony headed to Orlando.

The last we heard was from Christopher while he was on the bus. He asked for Aunt Jeannie and Uncle Berto's number. Todd gave the house and cell numbers to Pher. As of 10 minutes ago, Aunt Jeannie hadn't heard from them.

And then Spartech found me!

On October 3, 2011 Terex issued WARN notices to 65% of our workforce. A week or two later I called a gentleman I worked with at Terex (in a Traffic/Logistics capacity). He left the company 18 months ago. I asked if I could use him as a job reference. In turn he told me that he had me in mind for a position he was hoping to create. He filled me in on his plan and asked if I'd be interested. Yes, I was very interested. First of all, the job would be negotiating freight rates and assisting business units from a corporate level. Promotion for Barbara! Secondly, since I worked with Johnathan before I already know him and the uncomfortable phase of boss/employee relationship building is over. I know that he has adult ADD or ADHD. I know that he gets excited very easily when it comes to trucks, trains, planes, and cargo vessels. I know that his family is his number one priority and he wants nothing less than the same for his employees. I also know that he is demanding, precise, loves statistics & spreadsheets, and likes to have fun at work.

I received a call from him the week before Christmas asking if I'd be interested in a phone interview. Within an hour I was having an interview with he and his HR Manager. I received a call between Christmas and New Year asking if I'd be interested in flying to the corporate headquarters in St. Louis the following week. On Tuesday 1/3 I flew to St. Louis. On Wednesday 1/4 I had three face-to-face and two telephone interviews at corporate. (At this point I actually received the job description for the job I flew in to interview for. I only had Johnathan's word up to this point. I could not have composed a more perfect job description for myself!) On Thursday 1/5 I received a phone call from Johnathan offering me the job and en e-mail from HR with an official job offer letter. I signed and returned the acceptance letter on the 6th and on the 9th I received a packet from them via Federal Express. In the packet was a job application. It was then that it hit me.

I was offered and accepted a job for which I never applied.

Wrong direction

My sister (Cathy) has been keeping in close contact with Christopher via text messaging. When she hears from him she forwards the texts to me: This is how I woke up at 6:34 the morning of the 5th:
Cathy (to Pher): "How's it going?"
Pher: "Great now that its warmed up from the last few days. Still in Atlanta and probably riding to Birmingham tomorrow to meet a friend."
Cathy: "I thought your mom said you were going to Orlando?"
Pher: "I was. Then I decided to split earlier cause stuff and I don't like being stagnant. And it still a bit early for Florida."
Cathy: "Still with Gypsy?"
Pher: "No. He's heading South and I West. I'll see him in Ocala though."
Me to Cathy: "There goes 50 cents."
Cathy to me: "I was thinking the same thing."

MegaBus

Apparently there is a bus system called MegaBus that travels the East coast (and midwest) for dirt cheap. Pher sent a text today wondering if we (MOM) would get on the computer and investigate this transportation system. So... Mom got online (love how this hobo of ours relies on technology) and researched the system. I found a promo code for FREE tickets (so I ordered 2). They are departing Atlanta on 1/9 for Orlando. FREE wasn't "free." It cost me a $0.50 transaction fee.

So it cost Momma a quarter each for Pher and "Gypsy" to travel from Atlanta to Orlando. And... Momma is sneaky. Since I did not know what the booking requirements would be, I told Pher that I'd need "Gypsy's" name and birthdate. He understood, and I now have both.

I thank you "Mr. Gypsy" for keeping my son safe and free from harm. I thank you for teaching him the ways of the road. If you ever want to travel North with him, you have a soft bed and a hot meal.

Terex left me

You remember those super cool pictures I posted of our super cool concrete mixers? Well, on October 3 I was told (along with 60 co-workers) that my job with Terex would be ending on December 2. Sad? You bet. Mad? Not at Terex. Mad at Obama for his "shovel ready" job plan and job creation stimulus package(s) that didn't work. Hell yes, I'm pissed off at this administration. Our country needs infrastructure development. We need to re-build our highways and bridges. Our rail system is embarassing and we need high speed rail. How many jobs do you think this would produce? These few development projects that Barbara J Nobody from Fort Wayne, IN realizes we need would produce a shit-ton (one of Pher's favorite phrases) of jobs.

But I digress, December 2, 2011 was one of the saddest days of my life. I loved my job. I loved those crazy people I worked with. I told Todd that it's like having family in the office and 60 big brothers on the production floor. The first two weeks I cried every day. Every. Day. I'm crying as I type this. I miss those guys. I miss our big beautiful front discharge mixer trucks. I don't miss the corporate shennanigans and misrepresentations.

So, I've been unemployed since December 2nd. My resume is on so many job boards and corporate websites that I may as well travel from bar to bar and hang it on the walls and restroom stalls. 2012 will be the year for me. I will find another job. I will find a company that respects me as much as I respect them.

I have several job opportunities that have presented themselves lately (at year end). I fly to St Louis on 1/3 and have a full day's worth of interviews on 1/4. I have several other opportunities for phone and "in person" interviews. Something is going to come my way. I worked too hard for my degree. I've worked too hard to establish my core of values and integrity in transportation and supply chain. I'm well-known in this area as being a reasonable and fair freight manager with priorities for bottom line, relationship building, and integrity.

I will be OK, but your prayers are still certainly welcome and appreciated.

Deer Meat and Freight Trains

"Sun's shining. Clouds breakin'. I got meat in my belly and my ass on a train."
Text from Pher to Dad (with a picture of the countryside from a freight car) somewhere between Chattanooga, TN & Atlanta, GA.

PS... They (yes, "they", remember he's traveling with 'Gyspy') got off train in Smryna, GA

On Emma

Little Miss Emma Carole Meyers turned 10 (Extend left hand and open fingers... bam; extend right hand and open fingers... BAM. Now do it really fast... BAM, BAM!!!) Ten whole fingers is how old that little girl is now. She is quite an amazing young lady.

She's now in fourth grade. She has the BEST TEACHER EVER... I mean EVER! Miss Molinari has adult onset ADD or ADHD (Mom's personal observation). However, she is completely focused as she randomly changes avenues of thought and story progression all while telling kids what to and not to do. She comes full circle in everything and wraps it all up beautifully.

In the classroon they have two geckos, turtles, cockroaches, fish, and other critters. One of the class positions of the week (lunch counter, door holder, caboose, telephone operator, etc) is veterinarian. This is Emma's all-time favorite position. (Aunt Cathy better watch out. She may end up with a fully staffed office with just her own kids and her niece.) She wants a gecko. I think it's specifically a tiger gecko. Whatever it is, she isn't getting it... yet. She has to keep her room clean. We need to keep a classroom gecko over Spring Break (So she can show responsibility and so Mommy can see how much urine and fecal matter these things produce.).

Emma has kept her old friends from K-3rd grade, and she has made several new friends this year. I don't know if anyone can relate to this, but for me this is amazing. I love that she is building friendships and expanding on friendships. So many girls stick with a small circle of friends. This 4th grade group is pretty much all friends. Some are closer than others, but they all (for the most part) seem to accept each other. The mom of one of Emma's closest friends is also the elementary school counselor. She also has a daughter in 6th grade. The older daughter has a small circle (or click) of friends. This friend's mom doesn't remember seeing such a large group of girls (Emma's & her younger daughter's 4th grade class) so accepting of each other.

Emma ran Cross Country this year. I'm amazed at how many 3rd-5th graders participate in this sport. Anyway, she ran, and she ran well. There were three meets. She ran 8 minute miles. An 8 minute mile, you say? Doesn't seem that fast, you think? Yeah, you go do it.

I'll post some CC pics sometime in the future. Remember, I'm just now catching this thing up on 2011.