From last post

Below is from one of our driver's on the last post titled Amazing..

I know the type, MOSTLY try to be rude and bully their way through life, ONLY folks who they are scared will stand up to them do they respect, the only way to deal with folks like that is to call them out, explain to them it's way easier to just smile and be nice....AND DO YOUR JOB!I think I know who you are referring to, had numerous problems with the person until I laid it out...ALWAYS had a problem with bullies...



Just for the record when I write any personnel stories they are usually not about any one particular person and maybe not even from my present job. I have been in Management for over 35 years and for Retail, construction and Moving. The story lines remain the same no matter the job.
There are always those that will pull in a different direction and those that want to go it alone. And unfortunately those that want to sabotage or pull others down to build themselves up.

That is where YOUR will power comes in and your faith in YOURSELF.

Yes, as this driver says you should stand up to bullies BUT there is a time and a place.

CHOOSE YOUR TIME. 

Do not play in their backyard or on their turf. Stay positive and work with what you have in front of you.
When you lower yourself to their standards or their playground YOU lose.

When you get totally frustrated and angry try to concentrate on what is positive in your life and why you get up every morning and do what you do.
Is it your wife or husband? Your kids? Your grandkids?
What makes you happy and smile? Think about that and let the rest of it roll of your back like water off a duck's ass.

Amazing

It is amazing to me how people act differently to others.

Some people barely say hi or smile when you pass them in the work place- yet those same people when a executive or " higher up " passes them they are all smiles and happy greetings.

I just do not get it.

Are people that insecure ? Do they feel that power and money will be bestowed upon them by those that have it if they kiss their behind enough?

I watched it in front of me when Paul Arpin was alive , people would act completely different in front of him. And most of the time he knew it.

One man , who was the absolute rudest individual I ever knew, he would turn into this completely different person when he was in Paul's presence. His whole demeanor was transformed, even his infliction and tone in his voice was not what I was used to, he was smiling and positive none of which he was outside of Paul's office.

Needless to say that man moved on... it all caught up to him.

Amazing.

The thing is that men like Paul Arpin see right through it and others see it also.

Be the same person in front of everybody. You will feel better about yourself and people will respect you a heck of a lot more.

Power and money should not change how you speak to someone or act.

Want to feel better about yourself.....just smile more and help where you can.....with all that you pass or have contact with. It will start to encompass you in a positive way.

Maintenance

From our Road Warrior....Skip...



After talking to a bunch of drivers, I think the first step would be to teach them maintenance for their truck.....

Things are tough, but you can't ignore the simple upkeep...

Oil changes, the air cleaner, grease jobs...I know that JB and Snyder do a 25,000 mile oil change, but, they trade trucks in at 2 years...We, as a whole, use a truck 8-10 years and need the rings and bearings to last...My interval is at 10,000 miles with everything getting greased at 5,000.This one I'm in right now is 1.3 million miles...STILL STRONG.


I think it is the pay me now or pay me later principle.
Either you pay now for preventive maintenance OR you pay even bigger later.

Your choice

What if God was one of us

There was a popular song that asked- " what is God was one of us ? ".

Would you act differently?

How would you be and what would you say?

If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question

What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
If God had a face what would it look like
And would you want to see

Rodney

Rodney Dangerfield Stand Up Jokes

 What a childhood I had, why, when I took my first step, my old man tripped me!

Last week I told my psychiatrist, "I keep thinking about suicide." He told me from now on I have to pay in advance.

I tell ya when I was a kid, all I knew was rejection. My yo-yo, it never came back!

When I was a kid I got no respect. The time I was kidnapped, and the kidnappers sent my parents a note they said, "We want five thousand dollars or you'll see your kid again.

 I tell you, with my doctor, I don't get no respect. I told him, "I've swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills." He told me to have a few drinks and get some rest.

With my dog I don't get no respect. He keeps barking at the front door. He don't want to go out. He wants me to leave.

What a dog I got. His favorite bone is in my arm!

Last week I saw my psychiatrist. I told him, "Doc, I keep thinking I'm a dog." He told me to get off his couch.

I worked in a pet store and people kept asking how big I'd get.

My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.

 One night I came home. I figured, let my wife come on. I'll play it cool. Let her make the first move. She went to Florida.

I asked my old man if I could go ice-skating on the lake. He told me, "Wait till it gets warmer."

My doctor told me to watch my drinking. Now I drink in front of a mirror. I drink too much. Way too much. My doctor drew blood. He ran a tab.

When I was born the doctor came out to the waiting room and said to my father, "I'm very sorry. We did everything we could...but he pulled through."

I come from a stupid family. During the Civil War my great uncle fought for the west!

I come from a stupid family. My father worked in a bank. They caught him stealing pens

My father was stupid. He worked in a bank and they caught him stealing pens.

I met the surgeon general. He offered me a cigarette.

Help others...Mentor somebody

Are you established in a career?
Have you learned some of hard lessons along the way?
Do you know shortcuts or traps that may help a rookie or someone starting out?

Then be mentor to somebody.

Help them learn what you may have learned the hard way.

If you do I promise you that it will come back to you 10 fold.
And along the way it refresh your memory on the road that got you to where you are.
It may even bring YOU back to the basics. To what helped you succeed in the first place.

As a mentor or a teacher you will learn as much as you teach. We all bring something unique to the table. Even the freshness or youth and nativity may help you look at things differently.

The people that you reach out to and help will always remember you and appreciate your efforts.
And in the end that is true success.

Organization

Now, more then ever, the key to profit is organization.

You need to be sure that you dot every i and cross every t

You need to be sure that you return calls and return email and have the proper documents.

It is not enough to just do one part of your job you need to do all of it in order to profit.
That means communication and paperwork.
That should be the easy part but it is where most fail and lose money.

For many people that is the hard part, the part they least enjoy BUT it is very important.

Take the time to learn how to better organize and certainly take the time to ask questions and return a call.
When you ignore a call or a email it is taken as disrespectful and they you do not care or at least that person feels that they are not important. And by all means watch your tone, you do not need to alienate anyone or stir the pot. That will get you no where, you need support to survive.

Keep every one on board, you need as many allies in business as you can possibly get to succeed.

Always work to perfect your craft and yes that means all sides of it, including organization and communication.

Nice email

Below is a email sent to our website this weekend. It goes to show you two things-

1) People are always watching and with today's technology they can communicate in minutes.

2) People do care and appreciate drivers ... 

 

 

The driver of 140A did an incredible job avoiding an accident when trying to
maneuver through Madrid, Al.

While trying to get over for a slowing/turning
car, the driver in the fast lane, decided to turn last minute with no
signal.

The driver was quick to react. I am sure you get plenty of
complaints so here is a complement.

 Good job.

More on Solar

eCharge for No Idle HVAC

Volatile fuel prices and increasingly stringent anti-idling regulations are prompting class 8 fleet owners and operators to search out new solutions to power to in-cab HVAC. Through a new strategic partnership, eNow, Inc. and Bergstom, Inc. are marketing solar powered No Idle HVAC systems for class 8 vehicles.
eNow’s proprietary solar battery charging system stores power generated by the sun in an on-board battery system and distributes it to various truck/trailer functions, including the Bergstrom battery-powered NITE HVAC system. The solar powered NITE system generates cooling capacity and helps reduce emissions and comply with anti-idling laws. As demonstrated below, the system also saves money on fuel.
eNow tested 1200 Watt and 600 Watt solar charging systems in two separate NITE HVAC applications to measure cost savings and recharge efficiency and reliability. As described below, the test data show:
• A system use for 23 days over a nearly two-month period resulted in $867 in fuel savings, or
$6,936 annually. Most of this savings is the result of fuel savings from reduced idling to run the HVAC system ($675/$5,400), while additional savings ($192/$1,536) results from reducing the alternator load. This translates into a payback period of approximately 1.3 years using a 30% federal tax credit.
• The system was used an average of 7.33 hours a day during test period, and up to 10 hours a day. Savings increases with the amount of time HVAC is used. If the driver had used all of the solar power generated to run the NITE system more hours, total savings could have been up to $1,600 over the test period or $12,800 annually.
• Under concurrent daytime use of the NITE system with solar production, NITE system batteries were fully recharged by the solar system by 1 PM the next day, even in cloudy/rainy conditions.
Test Design – Arpin Van Lines
eNow worked with Arpin Van Lines to monitor cost savings from a solar powered NITE system. The 600 Watt system was installed on Arpin’s class 8 moving van consisting of a tractor and trailer. The NITE system was operated an average of 7.33 hours per day on 23 days from May through June 2012. The system generated $867 in savings during the test period Chart 1), or $6,936 in annualized savings (Table 1).  Savings increases with the amount of time HVAC is used. If the driver had used all of the solar power generated to run the NITE system more hours during the test period, total savings could have been up to
$1,600 over the test period or $12,800 annually.


Test Design – eNow Demonstration Truck
The eNow demonstration truck is installed with a 1200 watts solar panel system. Power generated by the panels is used to run the several vehicle systems, including safety lights, computer screens and the Bergstom Nite Phoenix HVAC system.   An Onset Hobo data logger is to track the amount of power generated from the solar panels as well as the power consumption of the Nite Phoenix system. This test period spanned two months (7/19/13 through 9/18/13). During that time the truck traveled to various shows and demonstrations. Most of the time the truck was not in use. Since the Nite Phoenix system was not run every day, auxiliary batteries were normally in a fully charged state. Whenever the Nite Phoenix system was used, the batteries were replenished by the solar system. During the test period the Nite Phoenix system consumed 48.6 kWh of energy and the solar charging system replenished 56.6 kWh of energy. During this time energy used for other auxiliary systems (computers, lights, etc.) also was recovered by the solar charging system.
The test was undertaken to measure the ability of the solar charging system to recharge NITE Phoenix system batteries while the system was in use during cloudy/rainy conditions.
The test ran the Nite Phoenix system concurrently with solar production on a partially cloudy day with an afternoon rain shower. Weather conditions lowered solar output and the battery was not fully recharged on the first day. At the end of the 5 ½ hours of operation the deficiency of the battery was a net of 151 amp- hours. However, solar charging made up the deficiency the next day. By 11:00 AM the charge controller went into absorption phase for completing  the charging of the battery. The battery was completely recharged by 1:30 PM (Chart 2). It is noted that the cooling area of the demonstration truck is 970 cubic feet, larger than most cabs, and is uninsulated.


Conclusion
The solar powered NITE HVAC system provides class 8 vehicles with reliable cabin comfort while reducing fuel costs and helping to achieve no idle and emissions reductions regulations. Annualized fuel savings from the solar powered no idle HVAC system amounted to $6,900 during the test period, but could have reached $12,800 under full use of the solar power available to run the HVAC. Battery recharge by the solar system is reliable even under cloudy rainy conditions.

Solar and Arpin

In case you were not aware....



-Arpin   -Renewable Energy has joined with eNow, a Rhode Island-based company which supplies energy solutions to the transportation industry, to provide Arpin Van Lines agents and owner-operators access to cleaner running moving trucks.

“Arpin Van Lines has been testing these systems on its moving trucks for the past two years and we have witnessed significant cost savings. We want our agents across the country to be among the first adopters of this technology and become a model for other transportation industries to follow.”

eNow’s solar panel systems, which are retrofitted onto a company’s existing trucks, use the latest in technology to capture and convert the sun’s energy into usable power to reduce vehicle operating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
   
“We believe strongly in the work that eNow is doing to make industrial transportation greener,” said Peter Arpin, president of Arpin Renewable Energy and partner of Arpin Group. “Arpin Van Lines has been testing these systems on its moving trucks for the past two years and we have witnessed significant cost savings. We want our agents across the country to be among the first adopters of this technology and become a model for other transportation industries to follow.”
   
“There are over 15 million medium and heavy duty trucks on the road and over 650,000 trucking companies in the U.S.,” said Jeff Flath, founder and CEO of eNow. “Growing regulations on idling time as well as fluctuations in fuel costs are encouraging transportation companies to seek alternative means of saving money. We are thrilled to be partnering with Arpin Renewable Energy to make our solar power technology accessible to all transportation industries.”
   
Through eNow's specially designed rooftop panels, most of the truck’s accessories are able to run solely on solar power. The photovoltaic cells capture energy through the panels and then store it in batteries in order to distribute it to features in the truck. The panels greatly cut-down on emissions since truckers normally idle their vehicles overnight in order to run their in-cab entertainment and HVAC systems. However, through eNow's panel system, drivers are able to shut down their truck engines and instead run the systems with the batteries. Other applications include powering lift-gates, refrigeration units and safety lighting.
   
eNow is offering several financing options to minimize the financial risk for companies which are exploring the cost savings of solar technology. Visit http://www.enowenergy.com for more information.

Failure

We learn more from our failures then our triumphs.

It is ok to fail or to make mistakes, learn from them.
 Admit them and move on.

So many people try to cover up or lie to save face or push blame.

After a while it becomes business as usual.

Own up to your mistakes, it is ok.

Learn,... ask questions. 

How can you do it better next time?

How can you help prevent it in the future?

If you not making mistakes you are not trying new things, you are not trying to improve.

Abraham Lincoln said " I am not concerned with if you have failed but if you have learned from your failure".

General Patton said to his staff " if you are all thinking the same then you are not thinking".

Even the tragedies in our life's are full of lessons.

We all suffer losses and watch loved ones suffer or lose the battle of so many diseases.
 There is no guarantee in life for any of us.
We are not OWED anything.

There will be bad in our life and bad things that happen to us and those we love.

That IS life.

Keep learning, keep trying to improve and, yes, it is ok to fail or make mistakes. 

Wanting to belong

The WANT to belong goes back to childhood and stays with people into adulthood.

It starts in the school yard and neighborhoods when you are small.

You want to belong and in order to do so sometimes we become part of a gangs or a group.

After all there is strength in numbers.

But in that we start to give up our individuality and maybe even some of our principles.

Maybe without us even knowing it.

It follows us our whole life IF you allow it.

There is a difference between friendships and belonging to groups just to be or feel stronger.

If you give up your own principles or hurt others to gain you will start to lose yourself.

You will begin to become dependent on THEM rather than trusting your own thoughts.

If you want to be trailblazer, a success , then dare to walk alone if need be.

There is a difference with friendships and trying to be a part of something just to try to be in the gang or group to obtain friendships.

Think about it...think about the people or groups that you associate yourself with.

Do they spend more time accenting the negative, or tearing down others?

Or are they truly trying to help you?

After spending time with them or talking to them, do you feel better? or are you angry and vengeful?

A true friend ask how YOU are, they want to help and at the end of your time with them you find yourself smiling and thankful.

Do not allow others to bring YOU down, to USE you.

Life is hard enough at times, find those that help you feel better about yourself and help make you better and spend more time with them.

Don't waste your time on the negative just to try to fit in or be a part of a group.

Stay positive, be thankful for what YOU have and constantly try to improve yourself and your life and your work....don't get sucked into their negativity.

VIP

TREAT EVERYBODY AS A VIP...BECAUSE THEY ARE.. some hints to a satisfied customer..

Anticipate Needs.

A great waiter knows when to refill your glass or bring the check, just as a great company anticipates what their guests need, often before they know it themselves.

Give Respect.

It costs nothing to be courteous, but you can pay dearly if you aren't.

Treat Everyone like a VIP.

“There's only one boss,” Sam Walton once said, “the customer. He can fire everybody from the chairman on down simply by spending his money elsewhere.”

Show immediate Action and Solutions, Not Blame.

Sometimes things mess up, but apologies, which matter, mean nothing if they aren't followed by action. Well done is better than well said.

Finish

What makes the Patriots in the NFL constant contenders for the championship?

They finish strong.

They never let up or look past the moment.

It is a philosophy that they start to understand from day 1 and they install in each team member.

The same goes for you in the work place and on each job.

It is when you look the other way or become content that you lose the edge.

You need to stay in the game from start to finish.

A elite household driver has to have eyes in the back of his head and the ability to hear all.

You need to be able to watch your crew and listen to your customer, all while working yourself.

The same goes for the manager or boss the the office.

Your job is not just what is in front of YOU but is going on around you.

A successful quarterback or head coach needs to be tuned in to everything that is going on around them. They need to be two steps ahead to prevent a loss and to move forward.

To profit in business you have to not only do a good job yourself you need to make those around you better. You need to make THEM successful. With that YOU will succeed.

No matter how sophisticated football gets in their schemes and play book it still comes down to the basics... Blocking and tackling. 

If they cannot perform those basic functions the rest does not matter.

The same with the crew chief and driver and manager.

You need to remember the basics. Finish strong, be in the moment and always respect those around you. Do a good job and makes those around you better.

From Road Driver Skip..After All These Years

ALL THESE YEARS?

 

I have to wonder- WHY? I'm still here doing what I do best....In reflection, I just had a trip(got empty today)That went WELL...No jokes aside, ever meet a shipper who you just wanted to hang around with, hit off so well with, he's a friend on Facebook?

 Bad days at origin , the only 2 days of rain in Oceanside, pack and load 15,000...I had my crew from orange county and explained, we had to take care of this one....

 

We set the house up before we bothered to set up for packing, carpet mask, rug runners, door pads and anything else I could come up with.....Got it packed...Inventoried on the day of pack.....AND had fun in the rain......Funny thing was, my shipper invited all his buddies, ALL, of them Master Sergeants, moving from the same street, into the house after we packed this job.....

 

Before we loaded, the night between....AND showed them the advance prep we had done, I had a line of members who wanted business cards, and, now.

 

I'm on the east coast with several jobs waiting on the west coast, I'll be loading when I get empty.....

 

LIFE IS GOOD!AND FRIENDS LAST FOREVER....Thanks need to go out to Hampton Roads for the help today, everybody went above and BEYOND,,,,

Honesty

Honesty is the best policy.

And the ONLY policy.

Lies will eventually catch up to you, so why bother.
The problem is once you lie you will lie again..and again.
I have dealt with many people, unfortunately, that lie so much they start to believe their own lies.

That is where their death spiral begins and some never recoup.
They continue down that path.
It is never to late, take a personal inventory, look in the mirror. Are you being honest with yourself?
Stop the merry go round, you can do it.

Every day is a fresh day, a new day. Free yourself of the negative or hate.

What comes around - goes around.

Think positive, speak the truth and it will start to cultivate. You will feel better about yourself and those around you will fee better too and they will respond positively.

Does it all happen automatic? Will your life be all champagne and caviar?
NO
You will still have negative in your life, there will still be obstacles and bills and maybe even health issues or issues with family BUT you will free yourself of the weight of lies and deceit.
From there you will indeed be better off and you start to grow as a person and see things completely different.

Honesty ... it's a great concept.

It Happened in March

IT ALL HAPPENENED IN MARCH

1933  The Civilian Conservation Corps was founded.  Unemployed men and youths were organized into quasi-military formations and worked outdoors in national parks and forests. 1961  President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps. 1974  Near Harrisburg, PA, Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident occurred in which uranium in the reactor core overheated due to the failure of a cooling valve. 1981 Newly-elected President Ronald Reagan was shot in the chest while walking toward his limousine in Washington, DC. 1989 One of the largest oil spills in U.S. history occurred as the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound off Alaska. 2003 The U.S. launched an attack against Iraq to topple dictator Saddam Hussein from power.

From Road Driver Skip...

. Don’t hide behind electronic communication"....Here's a HINT! If I call your place and hear...Press one for ENGLISH(?)(not putting anyone down, except those who have those DAM things I have to select something)...Most of the time I HANG UP...CONTINUE calling someone else....DANG IT,I want a human to answer, and ask me what I NEED! Face it, those phone programs that take a half hour of punching 5 if my butt itches, PISS ME OFF! AND, I'll not do any business with anyone who has one....I'm Skip, and that's just my opinion.


Be a good communicator". Communicating and complaining are two different things....I have other drivers who ask me why I can talk to certain folks when they can't get a call back...It's simple, What I call about is not over inflated just to make a point.. Ever cried WOLF? Eventually folks just don't listen.. Leave emotion out of the conversation, just state the facts and ask what can be done? AND don't be pissed if you don't get your way...Tomorrow is another day and you may win...Don't get angry, folks will realize the emotion is there and just tune you out...

Appreciation

I speak to a lot of drivers from all over the country and from different carriers and agents and they all have one thing in common, they speak of appreciation and respect.

Same with the many employees that I speak to in and out of the household business. The one common thread is we all want and need to be appreciated.

You need to know that someone has your back, that someone cares.
Most drivers and employees do not mind the hard work in fact most enjoy a challenge.
We all just need reassurance that someone notices and that we are appreciated.

Rather you are a boss, manager, crew chief or just a fellow employee take the time to say thank you today and recognize those around you.

We all need it.

More Ways to Make it Easy for People to Work with You

6. Don’t hide behind electronic communication – Email and Instant Message have their place in organizations, but they don’t replace more personal means of communication like speaking on the phone or face to face. I’ve seen it time and time again – minor problems escalate into major blowouts because people refuse to get out from behind their desks, walk to their colleague’s office, and discuss a situation face to face. It’s much easier to hide behind the computer and fire off nasty-grams than it is to talk to someone about a problem. Just step away from the computer, please!

7. Consistently follow the process – Process…for some people that’s a dirty word and anathema for how they work. However, processes exist for a reason. Usually they are in place to ensure consistency, quality, efficiency, and productivity. When you follow the process, you show your colleagues you respect the norms and boundaries for how you’ve agreed to work together. If you visited a friend’s home and were asked to remove your shoes at the door, you would do so out of respect, right? You wouldn’t make excuses about it being inconvenient or it not being the way you do things in your house. Why should it be different at work? If you need to fill out a form, then fill it out. If you need to use a certain software system to get your information, then use it. Quit making excuses and do work the way it was designed to be done. Besides, if you consistently follow the process, you’ll experience much more grace from your colleagues for those times you legitimately need to deviate from it.

No one likes to think of him/herself as being difficult to work with, yet from time to time we all make life difficult for our colleagues. Focus on what you can do to be easy to do business with and you’ll find that over time others become easier to work with as well.

7 Ways to Make it Easy for people to Work with You

Build rapport – People want to work with people they like. Are you likable? Do you build rapport with your colleagues? Get to know them personally, engage in small talk (even if it’s not your “thing”), learn about their lives outside of work, and take a genuine interest in them as people, not just a co-worker who’s there to do a job.

2. Be a good communicator – Poor communication is at the root of many workplace conflicts. People who are easy to work with share information openly and timely, keep others informed as projects evolve, talk through out of the box situations rather than make assumptions, and they ask questions if they aren’t sure of the answer. As a general rule, it’s better to over-communicate than under-communicate.

3. Make their job easier – If you want to gain people’s cooperation, make their job easier and they’ll love you for it. But how do you know what makes their job easier? Ask them! If handing off information in a form rather than a chain of emails makes their job easier, then do it. If it helps your colleague to talk over questions on the phone rather than through email, then give them a call. Identify the WIIFM (what’s in it for me) from your colleague’s perspective and it will help you tailor your interactions so both your and their needs are met.

4. Provide the “why” behind your requests – Very few people like being told what to do. They want to understand why something needs to be done so they can make intelligent decisions about the best way to proceed. Simply passing off information and asking someone to “just do it like I said” is rude and condescending. Make sure your colleagues understand the context of your request, why it’s important, and how critical they are to the success of the task/project. Doing so will have them working with you, not against you.

5. Be trustworthy – Above all, be trustworthy. Follow through on your commitments, keep your word, act with integrity, demonstrate competence in your own work, be honest, admit mistakes, and apologize when necessary. Trust is the foundation of any healthy relationship, and if you want to work well with others, it’s imperative you focus on building trust in the relationship. Trust starts with being trustworthy yourself.


More tomorrow ...

From a fellow Driver...

When This Job Was FUN!

 

I did the red beans and rice, smoked sausage all on a grill...Also have done spaghetti, pizza....Heck, I've even fried eggs on top of my grill, but the best story was a long time ago....I don't remember everyone who was there, just the whole Put, Put CLAN....* trucks all parked right next to each other-Evergreen Washington, a 4 day weekend...We made 6-7 trips to the store in that time, had the grill fired up for 4 DAYS....Cooked everything you can imagine, fed everyone in the parking lot...Funny thing was, Dennis pulled out a huge tarp(remember Suckattle,rains all the time)and we tarped the whole length of the space between 2 trailers and the party was on...The last day, I was getting ready to put the grill up and a driver looked down between the trailers at our party palace, and said "A GRILL,wanna cook some fish? "I told him SURE! He went and broke a seal on his trailer and pulled out a FROZEN solid tuna filet....I told him I had no way to cut it for cooking and, at that point a flatbed hauler(who had been eating off the grill all 4 days)said he had a cross cut saw(?),we washed it and filled the grill up with 1-1/2 inch tuna filets.....They disappeared too....

 

That was way back …..WHEN?

 

 

 

Let's bring it back....YOU can make the change... take the time to say hi to a fellow driver and who knows maybe even break bread together......THAT WOULD BE NICE.....Enjoy the time that you have.

 

How'd he do it?

Just ask him how he did it
He'll say, pull up a seat
It'll only take a minute
To tell you everything

Be a best friend, tell the truth
Overuse "I love you,"
Go to work, do your best
Don't outsmart your common sense
Never let your prayin' knees get lazy
And love like crazy”

― Tim James & Doug Johnson, performed by Lee Brice

Moving company steps in, helps couple recover items

http://www.king5.com/news/get-jesse/Moving-company-steps-helps-couple-recover-items-248929881.html

 

Terri and Terrance Thomas’ Florida moving adventure is a little like the song Amazing Grace - their goods were lost and now they are found.

“I'm thrilled to death I'm going to get my stuff.  So that really excites me,” exclaimed Terri.

In November, the Thomases paid Ryder Moving and Storage $4,500 to move their goods from Zephyrhills, Florida to Everett.  The company the couple used, Ryder Moving and Storage, stole the name of the respected Ryder Trucking company.  There was no confusion about what happened next.  The movers stopped taking the couple’s calls.

“Our wedding pictures, my kids’ pictures, pictures of my brothers and sisters, things that mean nothing to anybody else.  All I could think about was they are going to sit somewhere and rot,” said Terri.

A detective investigating the moving company found the Thomases’ goods in Florida.  Terrance had to cash out $5,000 from his 401K, fly to the Sunshine State and move it to another facility until he could afford to move it to Everett.

“I just don't know how anybody could live with themselves doing this to somebody,” said Terrance.

After our story aired Chip Martin, the president of Daly Movers, a Los Angeles area moving company, saw the Thomases’ troubles.

“It hit me.  My wife has photo albums, I have beer mugs, I have tools and seeing these people, it hit me.  It struck a chord,” explained Martin.

Martin is providing a Hollywood ending.  His company will move the Thomases’ goods to Everett for just $1.  We gave the Thomases a peek at the movers in Florida, who were picking up all of Terrance's tools and Terri's precious items.

“This company here has given me a new hope in movers because I had lost all hope for movers,” said Terrance.

It could take a couple of weeks before the trucks reach Everett.  Remember, it just takes one act of kindness to move someone, anyone or maybe a family, from coast to coast.

                                          Chip Martin, his wife Jeannette and David Arpin
 

More simple words

" Love thy neighbor as yourself"

" Treat others the way that you would want to be treated"

" Turn the other cheek".

All simple words from another wise man.
We can disagree on religion but I think we all agree that there was a man who walked this earth many years ago that spoke simple words. They are so simple yet we struggle with them every day.

If you just used these words as a compass every day- the rest would take care of itself.

It all comes down to respect and respecting everybody- even those that disagree with you.
That is the hardest to master BUT the most important to learn.

Think about as your day progresses.. how did you handle that disagreement or the person who was upset. Remember sometimes they may not actually even be upset with you. It is a carry over from other things happening in their life's.

How you treat others is a direct reflection on how you feel about yourself.

Just Do a Good Job

Simple words from a very wise man....

Paul Arpin , my mentor, friend and past CEO and President of Arpin Van Lines, would always tell me " just do a good job Dave".

Paul knew that throughout all the mess and confusion and complications that a business can hold you always have to remember to be successful do not forget about the basics.
If you do a good job and try your best every day the rest will take care of itself.
He would say the same thing to agent owners that he mentored or to drivers that he sat with.

When you allow the noise to sink in and effect your work you will fail.
Simple.
Do not forget to do your job, to look that customer in the eye and realize that it may be just another move to you but to them it is all of their life's possessions and they are moving. They need to know that YOU are in the moment and thinking about them AND DOING A GOOD JOB.

Wise man.

Live Life with No Regrets

It is easy to get caught up in day-to-day busy-ness and lose track of the people who ground us.
They are the ones who boost our confidence, who are there when we are challenged, who lift our spirits when we are stuck in a rut.  Take nothing for granted and keep those precious relationships active -make the time- in turn, those relationships will let us know we can make a difference.

Live your life without regrets

Our militray members deserve this treatment on every move

From a military member that we moved....


I was already on station at Camp Pendleton when our house was scheduled to be packed out at Camp Lejeune. My wife was there with our four children and was extremely nervous about handling the pack out and dealing with the movers on her own. Arthur was the first name of the gentleman that showed up to pack and move our stuff in Jacksonville, NC. He was extremely polite and very helpful throughout the entire process. My wife was immediately at ease after talking with him for just a few minutes. He and his partner went above and beyond in packing our items, moving and loading them, and helping my wife with any questions and concerns that she had. I will absolutely request him if we end up moving again. All of our items were packed carefully and both gentlemen treated our belongings as if they were their own. I am extremely grateful for them making this an easy and stress free process for my family. I would highly recommend them to anyone that is looking to do a PCS move.

Very Nice !

Leadership

I don’t think leadership should be that complicated. If you’re looking for leadership success, consider these seven simple truths:

1. There aren’t any shortcuts - Leadership is hard work and most of it is on the job training. Formal education and ongoing development are essential parts of developing your leadership competency, but don’t think you can transform yourself into a great leader by reading a certain book or taking a particular training course. Great leaders are built by being in the game, not by standing on the sidelines or sitting in the classroom.

2. Great leaders start by being great followers - Most successful leaders were successful followers at some point. They learned how to be part of a team, put the needs of others ahead of their own, and work toward a goal bigger than themselves. In our hero-worshiping culture, we tend to place the spotlight on the individual achievements of leaders, and not pay much attention to how they cultivated those winning ways earlier in their career. Learn to be a good follower and you’ll learn what it takes to be a good leader.

3. There’s no mysterious secret to leadership success - Contrary to the titles of popular leadership books, there is no single, mysterious secret to unlocking leadership success (see truth #1). All those books I lovingly teased earlier offer valuable insights about various aspects of leadership, but most of them tell you what you already know to be true…which brings me to the next point.

4. You already know what it takes to be a good leader - Not to plagiarise Robert Fulghum, but you probably learned in kindergarten most of what it takes to be a good leader. Be nice. Play well with others. Say please and thank you. Do what you can to help others. Of course you have to mature and apply those fundamentals in adult ways like being transparent and authentic with others, challenging people to strive for their goals, holding them accountable, and having difficult conversations when needed.

5. The difference between management and leadership is overrated - Tons of books and blogs have been written debating the differences between these two concepts. Yes, each has its own unique characteristics, and yes, each of them overlap significantly in the practice of leadership and management. Leaders have to manage and managers have to lead. Learn to do them both well because they are much more similar than they are different.

6. Leaders aren’t special - We’re all bozos on the same bus. Leaders aren’t any more special than individual contributors and everyone is needed to have a successful team. If you view leadership as service, which I happen to do, you should consider your team members more important than yourself. Get your ego out of the way and you’ll be on your way to success.

7. Leadership is much more about who you are than what you do - This is probably the most important truth I’ve learned about leadership over my career. I view leadership as a calling, not a job. As a calling, leadership is about who I am—my values, beliefs, attitudes—and my actions are the visible manifestation of those inner ideals. If you want to be a successful leader, your primary focus should be on the inner work that is required, not on behavioral tricks or techniques.

So there you go, those are my seven simple truths. What do you think? What would you add, delete, or change? Feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts. Just don’t make it too complicated

Stay focused

The best way to stay focused is to stay excited about what you do.

Do not concentrate on how much you will get paid and money, money, money.

Instead stay focused on doing your best, on helping others and doing what you do best.

The rest will follow.

People get lost because they worry about bills and the future and all the " what if's" that could happen. It takes over their day and then effects the very thing that can help them dig out and give them the security that they want and need.

They worry so much about tomorrow and others that they forget to do their job, they forget what they fell in love with to begin with.

It is easy to do.

Instead of using all that energy in a negative, focus it as a positive.

It really works.

What can you do today that will help someone else?

Your customer ? A fellow employee? A friend or relative?

There is so much that YOU can do if you choose to focus and accent the positive.

When you help others and when you simply worry about yourself you begin to lift that negative weight of your shoulders. You find that all that time you spent talking negatively about others or your situation can be used more productively. 

Try it.

When you find yourself in a conversation that begins to go negative stop, first start to recognize that you are in that conversation. You may find that you are participate in those conversations and mind set much more then you even realize.

It is time wasted and energy lost.

What can YOU do to improve YOUR day or help that person right in front you on THIS day.

Stay focused...stay in the moment.

The Military and Leadership

What does the military teach that helps these ex-officers climb to the top of major corporations? We combed through interviews with many of them to find out the biggest lessons about life, business, and leadership they learned from the service:

Always look sharp. 

Years out of service, FedEx CEO Frederick Smith still keeps up the tidy appearance he learned in the Marines. "Even in a blue pin-striped suit, I still make sure that the right-hand edge of my belt buckle lines up with my shirt front and trouser fly," he's said. "I shine my own shoes, and I feel uncomfortable if they aren't polished."

Take good care of your people. 

Former General Motors chairman and CEO Daniel Akerson says military service taught him to lead by example and "to take good care of your people."

Assemble diverse teams to get a range of perspectives.

Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky, a former captain in the U.S. Army, says military training taught him the value of working with diverse teams. "I quickly discovered no one had a lock on the right answers," he told DiversityInc.

Invest in relationships for the long term. 

The relationships formed in the military are "lifelong" and "serve you well in a business career," says Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam, who served in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps.

Be willing to listen to everyone.

Michael Morris, the former CEO of American Electric Power, has said that the military developed his "willingness to listen and formulate an opinion that incorporates as many people's ideas as possible."

Stay calm under pressure.

Morris also likes to compare a CEO to a pilot in bad weather -; it's up to him to keep his cool through a storm so his passengers (or shareholders and employees) stay calm. "The last thing you want is to appear to be rattled," he says.

Act decisively even with limited information.

David Morken, CEO of Internet and phone services company Bandwidth, learned to "operate in the fog and to execute and decisively engage when you don't have access to a complete data set" from his time in the Marine Corps.

Carefully plan out the logistics.

Robert Myers, CEO of Casey's General Store, says his time in the Army made him a perfect choice later to run the company. The company's founder figured no one was more qualified to head up a distribution chain than a former military logistics officer, CSPnet.com reports.

Lead with integrity.

"Veterans have special abilities and common traits, including discipline, maturity, adaptability, and dedication," John Luke Jr., CEO of MeadWestvaco and a former Air Force pilot, has said. "They operate with integrity and high ethical standards in all that they do."

Be, know, and do everything you ask of those below you.

"When I was attending the Drill Sergeant Academy, I was taught to always 'Be, Know, Do,' when dealing with subordinates," former U.S. Army Drill Sergeant and Argo Marketing Group CEO Jason Levesque tells Business Insider. "Be the expert; know the job; do the difficult [tasks]. Your subordinates will follow you and, best of all, try to emulate you."

Give 100% of your effort. 

Robert McDonald, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, explains that his time in the infantry convinced him to always commit to something 100%. "If you're going to be in the Army, go into the infantry," he says. "If you're going to be in marketing, work for P&G. You don't do things halfway."