All those sleepless nights

Hi Everybody!

Well, here i am, sleepless in L.A. again. I've been having a hard time sleeping at night lately. Now, i'm having a hard time falling asleep. I think it's partly due to excitement of the road ahead. We're about to journey back to Lake Charles and then on to our vacation in Canada and Washington/Idaho. So this has got my mind reeling. Also, i've gotta load that container starting tomorrow and i'm a bit nervous about it because i'm all alone and it's all up to me. Although in many cases, i'm glad to be alone because when i mess up (which i will) no one is around to see it :) Like today, i got a tire changed down the street at a mainly hispanic shop. They all spoke spanish and i felt a little foolish. I need to be more bold and try to put some of my 3 years of spanish from high school into action. But yeah, they changed the truck tire and i brought it back to the warehouse to put it back on the truck. When i was done reinstalling it, i stepped back from the truck and realized that i'd installed it the wrong way out. The large box truck looked like it had one "monster truck" wheel because it stuck out from the truck instead of being tucked away underneath it. I did have to get Dess to come and help me take it off and switch it around, so she's the only one who knows that i did it. Man i felt silly.

Honestly though, i do enjoy working alone. It gives me peace and a feeling of accomplishment because whatever i do in a day i know that i've done. Also, i get to be hands on with work again around here because there's no one to manage. I've been preparing pallets and cargo for the container to the Philippines, i replaced the tire on the truck, i've prepared and loaded some pallets into a container for Port Mercy and lots of other odds and ends. I'm having fun. One thing about working alone is that i've got time to think. Lately i've been finding that i've been getting attacked in my thoughts though. I've been having doubts, worries, frustrations and anxieties that i normally wouldn't. It keeps me praying and seeking out God during those times though.

I have had good times working with other people too you know. Just in case any of you are reading this blog and think i only like to work alone, it's not true. I've enjoyed working with people like Dan, Jason, Matt and others. I'd probably enjoy working with my Dad and brother too, but we don't have many opportunities for that these days. Work seems to be a good bonding experience for me. I enjoy learning from the knowledgeable and teaching the less knowledgeable.

I think i'm going to sign off for now and try to get to sleep again. I just gotta shut my brain down or something. Oh well, as long as i'm productive in my sleeplessness i guess it's all good.

signing off,

joel