Clap Along If You Feel Like A Room Without A Roof

If you're not smiling, boppin', or moving in some manner while this song is playing, I hope someone is on the phone calling 911.

Because you may be dead.

For 24 Hours of Happy, click HERE.  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: On The Run
2012: The Town Under The Giant Oak Tree
2011: Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
2010: Yeah, Cause Heidi Klum Is So Easy To NOT Notice
2009: Busy Week
2008: Small, Yet Mighty
2007: Zen
2006: Riding The Rusty Rails
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear

I went shopping today to spend the money I got from my HazMat re-certification class.  I was informed there was an outlet mall nearby with a Coach store.  I don't like shopping in general and I like outlet malls even less, but I can always use a new purse and we were only five miles from the outlets.  We had nothing else to do, so why not?

There were only three stores I was interested in and Ed patiently waited, people watching, while I shopped.  I didn't leave with a Coach bag - didn't see anything I absolutely had to have - but Ed did buy me a new pair of Skechers and two new bras.  Which means I still have $250 to use on the purse of my dreams. Woo hoo!

The photo shows us in a convex mirror coming around a blind corner behind the outlet mall.  I guess that's how the trucks pulling trailers get around the tight corners - this magically squashes them down.

::wink-wink::

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  House For Sale: Goats Included
2012: Hanging On By A Thread
2011: Does A Bear Have A Diner In The Woods?
2010: Would You Rather Sit On Your Ass All Day Eating Cheetos And Watching TV, Or Would You Rather See?
2009: The First Bit Of Spring
2008: Pop Secret
2007: The Kind Of Shopping That Makes Me Want To Commit Suicide, Right There In The Middle Of Macy’s
2006: The Benefits Of Memory Loss
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Eggs, Milk, Bread, And Good Blood Pressure

Today we went shopping in Georgia to get a few things for the truck when we came across one of those blood pressure machines in the pharmacy section at the front of the store.  For some reason we're always drawn to them, and since our two-year DOT physical is due before April 4, we wanted to check our numbers.

The machine was fancier than others we've seen.  It checked your blood pressure, your eyes for color-blindness, your weight (you just lift your feet and the chair you're sitting on weighs you), and your BMI.  When you're done with all the tests, you can get a print-out to take with you.  Great, just what I need, proof of the mass of my body.

I wasn't happy with the first blood pressure reading I got as it was a bit higher than I'd like, and I joked to Ed that maybe we should do it again after we were done shopping.  That maybe the stroll around the store will have helped me drop some weight.  So when we finished shopping we went back to retake the tests.  I wasn't any lighter and my blood pressure was still higher than I'd like.

Interestingly enough, right next to the machine we were fiddling with was a clinic.  An actual walk-in clinic right there in the grocery store.  The person in attendance saw us come through earlier and asked if we needed any help.  We didn't at the time, but I did now.  So I popped my head into her office and asked if she would please take my blood pressure with a real cuff because the machine outside just didn't seem right.  I was worried with the renewal coming up and wanted to make sure the wacked-out reading I was getting wasn't correct.  

She quickly cuffed my arm and starting squeezing the bulb.  We got to talking and I explained to her that I wanted to have an idea of where I stood before my upcoming DOT physical.  That's when she mentioned they did DOT physicals right there at the clinic.  For $75.  A DOT physical inside a grocery store?  Who knew?

Turns out this clinic is in the FMCSA's National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners - an approved list of medical professionals who are allowed to check our ears, eyes, blood pressure and pee - so we went ahead and had our physicals done, well ahead of the April 3rd deadline.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the blood pressure reading on the machine was way off.  I got a much better one with the real cuff, and a person doing the testing.  The medical examiner said that machine is off all the time, and that she's seen people walk away from it in tears.  I've never in my life worried about what a machine was going to say about any medical result, but because my job hinges on these tests, I get a little wigged out when these physicals roll around.

But, I did get a good blood pressure reading, read a mean eye chart, gave a quality pee specimen, and walked out with a brand new medical card in hand.

Now I can drive happily and safely for another two years.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Clowns Looking For A Place To Live
2012: My Early Version Of Google
2011: Food With Integrity That Fuels Creativity
2010: If Only It Were Dollars Instead Of Miles
2009: The Last Bit Of Winter
2008: Eddie Fr-Eye-Day
2007: Authorized Personnel Only
2006: Stolen Zillow
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Be Happy You Don't Have A Bolt In Your Head

My mother called yesterday to tell me what she called a "funny story".

She was in the grocery store bread section and saw a nice looking older man, with white hair, wearing a t-shirt and jeans walking toward her.  He had a smile on his face, happy eyes, and a pleasant demeanor.  He was walking with a hop, like a jig, throwing his foot out to the side. Dancing, was the way she put it.

As he came closer he said, "Buy that bread.  It's really good."

"Yes, I know." my mother said.  He smiled.

"I was noticing how happy you are," my mother said.  "Dancing your way into the grocery store."

"I wasn't dancing," he said.

"Oh." she said.

"I just had neck surgery, and now I have all these nuts and bolts in my neck and spine.  Like Frankenstein." he said.

"Oh, I'm so sorry.  I hope I didn't offend you." my mother said.

"Nah, I'm not offended.  Just in pain.  They damaged a nerve that goes all the way down my spine and into my leg so now when I walk, my foot involuntarily jumps out to the side." he said.

"So that's where the dance step comes in." my mother said.

"Yep.  And to not lose my balance, I kinda throw my hip out." he said.

"Well, it looks like you're dancing and very happy."

"Oh, I'm happy.  In pain all the time, but happy." he said.

And that is your lesson for the day.  You're welcome.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Seriously Up To Our Ass In Alligators
2012: Such A Fragrant Sprig!
2011: Coast To Coast
2010: The Joke’s On Us
2009: Eddie Monsignor Starbucks Friday
2008: All The Better To Smell You With, My Dear
2007: Neon Railroad
2006: I Left My Heart…
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Full Brain, Full Belly, Full Wallet

Today we got schooled.

Well, not really.  We just took a class that we're required to take every two years.  It's called C.A.B.S, which means Continued Awareness of Business and Safety.  We watch safety movies, take quizzes and get updated on any new changes that we may not know about.  Ed and I also had to take a test for our HazMat re-certification and sign our new contracts.  It's a four hour class and we get paid $250 each to take it.  

The classes supposedly improve the safety numbers of the company as a whole.  When you're out on the road doing your thing, there's a chance you can become complacent and forget the safe skills you've learned.  By refreshing the ways to continue being safe on the road through taking the class, the company maintains its safety rating which means we spend virtually no time going through scales.  Can't beat that.  And the instructor was great, very energetic and very knowledgeable.  He made the time fly!

Once the morning portion of the class is over, we break for lunch.  Hot lunch, free of charge, and always delicious.  Today we were in the Georgia orientation center - a place we've never been to before since we usually take our classes in Dallas - and they served some awesome barbecue.  Ed was happy.

The afternoon portion of the class, where attendance isn't mandatory, is the business half of the class.  We didn't stay for that part of the class since we've taken it before.  It's very good and provides a lot of great information.  I do think it's a valuable class for someone going from a company driver to a BCO (Business Capacity Owner - the name they give us owner-operators), and most definitely a class someone who's been at a company which calls you an owner-operator, but treats you like an employee should take.

The business class is very helpful in providing information for people who think they understand how making money in trucking works, but really don't.  Being on your own for the first time is challenging.  It's scary.  And some people give up before they really learn how to use the tools at their disposal to help them make a profit.

It takes time to learn how to use the load board to your advantage, to know how much it's actually costing you per mile to operate your truck, to know when to sit and wait for a better paying load (sometimes it's days!), and to learn how to manage your money for times when the freight is slow, or a repair depletes your savings.  Use the tools provided to you, have some patience, and you'll eventually get the hang of it.  And don't be surprised if it takes months to do.

So, we passed all our tests, got our new HazMat cards, and signed a new contract.  And we got free food.  And if we're still here tomorrow, I'm looking forward to some southern pulled pork for lunch.

Then we can get back to work.  All safe and stuff.



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo
2012: Honing Her Skills For The Nursing Home
2011: Fire Up The Grill
2010: The Voice Of Tucson Speaks
2009: Crossing Over To The White Side
2008: Eddie Voyager Of The Seas Friday
2007: Indiscriminate Discrimination
2006: Dancing Queen
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Getting Hosed

As he was chugging up a hill in northeastern Maryland yesterday, Ed heard a pop.  The truck lost power and he immediately turned on his four-way hazards and pulled over to the shoulder.  The least ideal of circumstances for a trucker.

He called to me in the sleeper, saying he needed my help, and then went outside to unlatch the hood.  He poked around a bit, looking for leaking oil, tell-tale black or white smoke, but the engine seemed to be running fine.  He came back into the cab and asked me to rev the engine while he listened.  Still nothing.

He needed more investigation to figure out what the problem was, but first he had to put out our safety triangles, three of them, spaced fifty feet apart at the rear of the truck.  We were on a bit of a turn, it was uphill, and people still drive too fast and don't pay attention, so you have to do everything possible to alert them.  At least this was happening during the day, so people could easily see us.

He finally discovered the problem.  By the symptoms our sick little truck was displaying, Ed narrowed it down - it had something to do with the intake.  So he delved into the engine once again, and when he leaned further in, saw a spring protruding from the intake hose.  Now what?

We hit the internet, found some phone numbers and made a few calls.  We eventually found a guy who was willing to go to Freightliner to get the part, then come out and fix it.  Here he is working to get the hose off of our truck.

As the guys were working on the truck, the traffic continued to whizz by.  Fast.  Rocking our entire truck with each pass.  There were three lanes, but too many drivers neglected to move over a lane - cars and trucks.  The cars were actually worse because they were going so fast, the speed limit here is 70 mph.  And none of them moved over, which you should do whenever you see someone on the shoulder.  It's just the safest option.

The trucks weren't any better, although the ones that were loaded down were going much slower, because they had no choice.  The worst offenders are the usual speeders - FedEx and UPS - some of them pulling doubles, blowing by us like they had the road to themselves.  In this picture, you can see how much space is between the truck in the lane and our truck on the shoulder.

FYI to those of you who can't seem to come to this conclusion yourself:  MOVE OVER A LANE IF YOU SEE SOMEONE ON THE SHOULDER!!

Here's the part that needed to be replaced.  A 14" piece of hose that cost $189.00.  For rubber.  Plus another $15 for the hose clamps.

All told, between the parts, labor and service call, the cost was $520.00.  We lost three hours of time from start to finish.

We had a short run, only eleven hours, so it didn't affect us making our delivery on time.  And we were as happy as the service guy that it wasn't freezing, snowing or dark.

Another day in the life of trucking.  



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  River Of Grass
2012: Stupid Rock
2011: Crab Rangoon Makes Me Swoon
2010: Bonnie And Clyde Meet Toni And Frank
2009: Finally…A Bib That Is Both Functional And Accurate
2008: Trickling Down
2007: Anonymously Yours,
2006: Over 7,000 Feet Of Pristine Beauty
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

I May Not Love Your Traffic, But I Do Love You

They're replacing my beloved Tappan Zee Bridge with a new bridge.  We crossed the Tappan Zee this week and saw all the cranes and floating barges in the water on either side of it.  They've started driving the pilings for the new bridge which is supposed to be complete in February 2017, at which time they'll take down the old one.

They've also sent a super-crane - one of the world's largest floating cranes - from San Francisco, through the Panama Canal, up to the New York Harbor and finally to the location of the Tappan Zee on the Hudson to help with the building of it.

I'm not in love with the new design of it.  I's probably just because I'm so used to seeing it the way it is.  A wave of nostalgia sweeps over me when I cross this bridge.

Crossing this bridge meant we were going to visit our grandparents in the Bronx.  Crossing this bridge meant I was going out to clubs in the city with my cousin.  Crossing this bridge meant I was going to visit my friend at Marymount College in Tarrytown, usually staying at her dorm for the weekend.  Crossing this bridge meant I was visiting my Aunt and Uncle, in Irvington, the historic town on the banks of the Hudson.  Crossing this bridge meant I always needed to make sure I had money for tolls.  And crossing this bridge going back home, upstate, to the Catskills, meant I had at least another half hour to forty minutes of my favorite New York City radio station before I lost the signal.

My maternal grandfather was a welder for the City of New York.  He helped build this bridge.  I think about that every time I cross it.  I think about him up there somewhere, welding pieces of this magnificent structure, the longest bridge in New York State.

But I guess it's time for it to go.  The bridge wasn't built to handle the volume of traffic that crosses it every day - it's already been feature on the History Channel's "The Crumbling of America" program - and it should be replaced before something tragic happens.  It has to keep up with the growth of the area and the modern amenities people need to make their lives work.

It's weird to say I'll miss a bridge, but I will.  I still have a few more years to enjoy it, which gives me plenty of time to sneak up there and snatch a little piece of it to save for posterity.

I have the means to haul off an entire steel beam, but I think I can be satisfied with a small bolt or rivet.

I'll put it next to my grandfather's welding shield.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Astonished That Anyone Could Schedule All Those Things
2012: A World Of Imagination Left Behind
2011: Betty’s Got It Going On
2010: Don’t Miss The Latest On TDR. Today At Eight, Noon, Six, And Midnight
2009: No Hothouse In Sight
2008: ’Till The Cows Come Home
2007: Salt Lake City Special
2006: It’s More Expensive To Say No
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

The Parking Problems For A Big Rig Never End

I'd love to write a respectable journalist style post about this, but I don't have it in me.  I'd rather just bitch.

If you're a truck driver, you know how limited parking can be.  And when you're part of the problem, it makes it hard to get anything changed.

The parking situation is worse in some states than others - many of them are closing rest areas and others I suspect the real estate is non-existent or just too expensive.  In some places, you're lucky to even find a truck stop within fifty miles of where you pick-up or deliver.

This weekend when we arrived at the truck stop we chose to park at, around 1am local time, the parking was very limited.  That's usually the case at this time of night but we always seem to get lucky.  There were a few open spots that Ed tried - there are always open spots that other drivers attempt but can't back into, spots that always work for us because of Ed's superb backing skills - but this lot was so tight, each one he tried just didn't work.

What pissed me off, were all the bobtails that were taking up full spots.  I counted at least six.  For those who don't know, we call a truck without a trailer a bobtail.  And often, like at this location, bobtails have their own parking area.

But they weren't using it.

I've used red arrows on the photo above to show you what it looks like when spots are being occupied by tractors only.  Now if the lot was empty, like it is in the photo, it's not a problem.  But when you're driving around looking for a spot and the other person in the truck keeps exclaiming, "Ooh, there's one!" and then you get to it and you see a bobtail snuggled far back into the spot, you start to get a little frustrated.

In addition to the ones who park all the way in the spot, taking up a third of the space allotted, there are many who park like the trucks in the photo, with their nose lined up with the others.  I think that annoys me even more, because you pass by and think it's a real truck and then you see that they don't have a trailer.  They're just trying to fake you out.  Bastards!

I think the truck stop should bear some responsibility regarding the parking situation - nothing good can come of one driver knocking on the door of another in the middle of the night to ask him to move.  They never will, but I think they should.  

Oddly, they don't mind charging us for reserving a parking space - which supposedly came about via drivers' requests for it - but it's happening in too many places for my liking.  Last week we arrived at another location very late at night, and although there were a few spots left, the reserved parking spots were as empty as a piñata at a fat kid's birthday party.

I left a message on the company's Facebook page regarding this incident and I think I'm going to do that more often.  Other drivers can see it, a few have already added their own comments, and maybe if we tell them what we'd like, they'll listen.

Even if it doesn't make them any money.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Need I Say More?
2012: Despite The Name, This Might Not Be Your Place If You’re Truly Bashful
2011: Then Someone Lit The Flame And Plain Rode Away On Lion’s Mane
2010: It Once Had A Life
2009: Life’s A Planet Beach
2008: I Wasn’t Even Fishing, But I Certainly Got A Great Catch
2007: Royal Air Force Typhoon Blows Into Nellis
2006: This Dandelion Needs Rogaine
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Living The Examined Life

I saw this online this week and wanted to share it here.  How many of you think you're highly creative?

18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently

Creativity works in mysterious and often paradoxical ways. Creative thinking is a stable, defining characteristic in some personalities, but it may also change based on situation and context. Inspiration and ideas often arise seemingly out of nowhere and then fail to show up when we most need them, and creative thinking requires complex cognition yet is completely distinct from the thinking process.

Neuroscience paints a complicated picture of creativity. As scientists now understand it, creativity is far more complex than the right-left brain distinction would have us think (the theory being that left brain = rational and analytical, right brain = creative and emotional). In fact, creativity is thought to involve a number of cognitive processes, neural pathways and emotions, and we still don't have the full picture of how the imaginative mind works.

And psychologically speaking, creative personality types are difficult to pin down, largely because they're complex, paradoxical and tend to avoid habit or routine. And it's not just a stereotype of the "tortured artist" -- artists really may be more complicated people. Research has suggested that creativity involves the coming together of a multitude of traits, behaviors and social influences in a single person.

"It's actually hard for creative people to know themselves because the creative self is more complex than the non-creative self," Scott Barry Kaufman, a psychologist at New York University who has spent years researching creativity, told The Huffington Post. "The things that stand out the most are the paradoxes of the creative self ... Imaginative people have messier minds."

While there's no "typical" creative type, there are some tell-tale characteristics and behaviors of highly creative people. Here are 18 things they do differently.

They daydream.
Creative types know, despite what their third-grade teachers may have said, that daydreaming is anything but a waste of time.  According to Kaufman and psychologist Rebecca L. McMillan, who co-authored a paper titled "Ode To Positive Constructive Daydreaming," mind-wandering can aid in the process of "creative incubation." And of course, many of us know from experience that our best ideas come seemingly out of the blue when our minds are elsewhere.

Although daydreaming may seem mindless, a 2012 study suggested it could actually involve a highly engaged brain state -- daydreaming can lead to sudden connections and insights because it's related to our ability to recall information in the face of distractions. Neuroscientists have also found that daydreaming involves the same brain processes associated with imagination and creativity.

They observe everything.
The world is a creative person's oyster -- they see possibilities everywhere and are constantly taking in information that becomes fodder for creative expression. As Henry James is widely quoted, a writer is someone on whom "nothing is lost."

The writer Joan Didion kept a notebook with her at all times, and said that she wrote down observations about people and events as, ultimately, a way to better understand the complexities and contradictions of her own mind:

"However dutifully we record what we see around us, the common denominator of all we see is always, transparently, shamelessly, the implacable 'I,'" Didion wrote in her essay On Keeping A Notebook. "We are talking about something private, about bits of the mind’s string too short to use, an indiscriminate and erratic assemblage with meaning only for its marker."

They work the hours that work for them.
Many great artists have said that they do their best work either very early in the morning or late at night. Vladimir Nabokov started writing immediately after he woke up at 6 or 7 a.m., and Frank Lloyd Wright made a practice of waking up at 3 or 4 a.m. and working for several hours before heading back to bed. No matter when it is, individuals with high creative output will often figure out what time it is that their minds start firing up, and structure their days accordingly.

They take time for solitude.
"In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone," wrote the American existential psychologist Rollo May.

Artists and creatives are often stereotyped as being loners, and while this may not actually be the case, solitude can be the key to producing their best work. For Kaufman, this links back to daydreaming -- we need to give ourselves the time alone to simply allow our minds to wander.

"You need to get in touch with that inner monologue to be able to express it," he says. "It's hard to find that inner creative voice if you're ... not getting in touch with yourself and reflecting on yourself."

They turn life's obstacles around.
Many of the most iconic stories and songs of all time have been inspired by gut-wrenching pain and heartbreak -- and the silver lining of these challenges is that they may have been the catalyst to create great art. An emerging field of psychology called post-traumatic growth is suggesting that many people are able to use their hardships and early-life trauma for substantial creative growth. Specifically, researchers have found that trauma can help people to grow in the areas of interpersonal relationships, spirituality, appreciation of life, personal strength, and -- most importantly for creativity -- seeing new possibilities in life.

"A lot of people are able to use that as the fuel they need to come up with a different perspective on reality," says Kaufman. "What's happened is that their view of the world as a safe place, or as a certain type of place, has been shattered at some point in their life, causing them to go on the periphery and see things in a new, fresh light, and that's very conducive to creativity."

They seek out new experiences.
Creative people love to expose themselves to new experiences, sensations and states of mind -- and this openness is a significant predictor of creative output.

"Openness to experience is consistently the strongest predictor of creative achievement," says Kaufman. "This consists of lots of different facets, but they're all related to each other: Intellectual curiosity, thrill seeking, openness to your emotions, openness to fantasy. The thing that brings them all together is a drive for cognitive and behavioral exploration of the world, your inner world and your outer world."

They "fail up."
Resilience is practically a prerequisite for creative success, says Kaufman. Doing creative work is often described as a process of failing repeatedly until you find something that sticks, and creatives -- at least the successful ones -- learn not to take failure so personally.

"Creatives fail and the really good ones fail often," Forbes contributor Steven Kotler wrote in a piece on Einstein's creative genius.

They ask the big questions.
Creative people are insatiably curious -- they generally opt to live the examined life, and even as they get older, maintain a sense of curiosity about life. Whether through intense conversation or solitary mind-wandering, creatives look at the world around them and want to know why, and how, it is the way it is.

They people-watch.
Observant by nature and curious about the lives of others, creative types often love to people-watch -- and they may generate some of their best ideas from it.

"[Marcel] Proust spent almost his whole life people-watching, and he wrote down his observations, and it eventually came out in his books," says Kaufman. "For a lot of writers, people-watching is very important ... They're keen observers of human nature."

They take risks.
Part of doing creative work is taking risks, and many creative types thrive off of taking risks in various aspects of their lives.

"There is a deep and meaningful connection between risk taking and creativity and it's one that's often overlooked," contributor Steven Kotler wrote in Forbes. "Creativity is the act of making something from nothing. It requires making public those bets first placed by imagination. This is not a job for the timid. Time wasted, reputation tarnished, money not well spent -- these are all by-products of creativity gone awry."

They view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression.
Nietzsche believed that one's life and the world should be viewed as a work of art. Creative types may be more likely to see the world this way, and to constantly seek opportunities for self-expression in everyday life.

"Creative expression is self-expression," says Kaufman. "Creativity is nothing more than an individual expression of your needs, desires and uniqueness."

They follow their true passions.
Creative people tend to be intrinsically motivated -- meaning that they're motivated to act from some internal desire, rather than a desire for external reward or recognition. Psychologists have shown that creative people are energized by challenging activities, a sign of intrinsic motivation, and the research suggests that simply thinking of intrinsic reasons to perform an activity may be enough to boost creativity.

"Eminent creators choose and become passionately involved in challenging, risky problems that provide a powerful sense of power from the ability to use their talents," write M.A. Collins and T.M. Amabile in The Handbook of Creativity.

They get out of their own heads.
Kaufman argues that another purpose of daydreaming is to help us to get out of our own limited perspective and explore other ways of thinking, which can be an important asset to creative work.

"Daydreaming has evolved to allow us to let go of the present," says Kaufman. "The same brain network associated with daydreaming is the brain network associated with theory of mind -- I like calling it the 'imagination brain network' -- it allows you to imagine your future self, but it also allows you to imagine what someone else is thinking."

Research has also suggested that inducing "psychological distance" -- that is, taking another person's perspective or thinking about a question as if it was unreal or unfamiliar -- can boost creative thinking.

They lose track of the time.
Creative types may find that when they're writing, dancing, painting or expressing themselves in another way, they get "in the zone," or what's known as a flow state, which can help them to create at their highest level. Flow is a mental state when an individual transcends conscious thought to reach a heightened state of effortless concentration and calmness. When someone is in this state, they're practically immune to any internal or external pressures and distractions that could hinder their performance.

You get into the flow state when you're performing an activity you enjoy that you're good at, but that also challenges you -- as any good creative project does.

"[Creative people] have found the thing they love, but they've also built up the skill in it to be able to get into the flow state," says Kaufman. "The flow state requires a match between your skill set and the task or activity you're engaging in."

They surround themselves with beauty.
Creatives tend to have excellent taste, and as a result, they enjoy being surrounded by beauty.

A study recently published in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts showed that musicians -- including orchestra musicians, music teachers, and soloists -- exhibit a high sensitivity and responsiveness to artistic beauty.

They connect the dots.
If there's one thing that distinguishes highly creative people from others, it's the ability to see possibilities where other don't -- or, in other words, vision. Many great artists and writers have said that creativity is simply the ability to connect the dots that others might never think to connect.

In the words of Steve Jobs:
"Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while. That's because they were able to connect experiences they've had and synthesize new things."

They constantly shake things up.
Diversity of experience, more than anything else, is critical to creativity, says Kaufman. Creatives like to shake things up, experience new things, and avoid anything that makes life more monotonous or mundane.

"Creative people have more diversity of experiences, and habit is the killer of diversity of experience," says Kaufman.

They make time for mindfulness.
Creative types understand the value of a clear and focused mind -- because their work depends on it. Many artists, entrepreneurs, writers and other creative workers, such as David Lynch, have turned to meditation as a tool for tapping into their most creative state of mind.

And science backs up the idea that mindfulness really can boost your brain power in a number of ways. A 2012 Dutch study suggested that certain meditation techniques can promote creative thinking. And mindfulness practices have been linked with improved memory and focus, better emotional well-being, reduced stress and anxiety, and improved mental clarity -- all of which can lead to better creative thought.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Trucking Like We're On Fire

2012: Looking For A Coffee Fix
2011: Container Port, You Are No Friend Of Mine
2010: Encased In Plastic
2009: No Lifeguard On Duty
2008: Palm Sketches
2007: You Know Who You Are
2006: I Fear The Family
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Thumbs Up For A Real Bronx Tale

While in the Bronx we went to Borgatti's, a pasta shop that's been around for almost 80 years.  I'm pretty sure if someone has been making pasta since 1935 (and before, since they were making it for themselves before they opened a shop to sell it), I'm going to want to eat it.  

When we walked in, Chris Borgatti was feeding pasta dough through a pasta machine similar to the one his father and grandfather used.  In fact, the photo on the wall behind him depicts his father standing in the very same spot he's standing, doing the very same thing.

I didn't ask who the older woman behind the counter was, but I'm pretty sure she was probably family.  She's the one who sold me my box of cheese ravioli.  Which I'm savoring.  Just knowing I have an emergency supply of ravioli in the freezer makes me squeal inside with delight.

I love all these little stores.  And I wonder what it would have been like growing up in a neighborhood like this, where you go see Mr. Borgatti to get fresh pasta.  Whenever you want.

I was born three miles from this section of the Bronx but moved to "the country" (the Catskill Mountain area) before I was five years old.  My family still lived in the Bronx, and they talked about this area and shopped here often, but this was my first visit.  Even my family upstate would make food pilgrimages to the city for items they couldn't get in the sticks.  My step-father would talk about the Italian bread from the Bronx in such a way, you'd think they baked gold nuggets inside the loaves.

From what my Aunt and Uncle said, the area has changed a bit in its appearance and the makeup of the neighborhood residents, but the shop owners still speak to you and each other in Italian and give advice and suggestions on items you're planning to buy.  The neighborhood is even still dotted with Italian social clubs, where men go to drink coffee, smoke cigars and bullshit with their friends.

What a nice life.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: A Mountain City Fit For A Queen
2012: Sprinkle Of Seaweed, Anyone?
2011: Shopping To The Maxx
2010: Ed Unloads An Oil Platform
2009: You Never Know When You Might Need It
2008: Eddie Climbs A Wall Friday
2007: What Showing Off For Your Kids Looks Like
2006: What’s It All About?
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

A Spontaneous Slumber Party And An Italian Feast To Go

Last night we took my Aunt and Uncle out for dinner for my Uncle's 65th birthday, which is today.

He put up a fight - no self-respecting Italian man lets someone else "treat" them to dinner - but we finally wrestled the bill from his hands.  It was easy to do once we threatened that we'd embarrass him in front of the other people in the restaurant if he didn't let us pay.  He broke out into a sweat, but he finally acquiesced.

Before dinner we stopped at the truck to pack a bag to sleep over, so once our bellies were full we headed back to put our pajamas on and spend a few hours talking over coffee.

This morning, my Aunt put out a breakfast spread worthy of Hilton HHonors Diamond Status (shout out to M and MacG!) - and even made Ed eggs and pancakes! - then this afternoon, took us to Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.  We went a little crazy shopping at all the little Italian grocery stores and the open area market.

We bought prosciutto bread and several loaves of Italian bread and a big chunk of provolone and hard salame and mixed olives...

And dark chocolate covered figs and sfogliatelle and palmiers and cannoli and coffee...oh, my god, so much awesome stuff.

After we shopped, we did what any good Italian would do - we went to eat.  Antipasto, a great veal parmigiana, gnocchi, more bread, and tiramisu and coffee to wrap it all up.  They treated us to this meal.  I knew we wouldn't get away without them paying for something.  Dammit, they're so tricky.

It was the.  best.  day.  I felt like it was my birthday.

Can't wait to come back!  We're going to need to restock the truck at some point.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  Bright Spot On The Mountain
2012: Thinking About Adding A Few More Wheels To The Rig
2011: Cooled By The Ocean
2010: Oh, Mother!
2009: Eddie Adds Culture To His Day
2008: One Armed Bandit
2007: 614
2006: Having A Good Reason
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Beauty And The Bleak

A reader recently commented on the bleak winter landscape of Nebraska.  It's bleak in other parts of the country too.

Here's a black and white landscape shot (through the window, with an iPhone, in a moving truck) from somewhere in Virginia.

I think it's beautiful.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Don't Even Ask
2012: Click Mouse, Make Money
2011: Buttons Beware. There’s Someone Cuter In Town!
2010: Eddie Dials Up The Lunch Order
2009: Trucking Superhere And Sidekick
2008: I’m Just A Goy In Love With A Boy
2007: When Pork Goes Pornographic
2006: Now Where Did I Put Those Underwear??
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Dreaming Of Blue Skies And Swaying Palms

This photo of Florida palms is for my Aunt and Uncle who are toughing out the winter in New York while dreaming of moving south.  In due time, as my grandfather would say.  In due time.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013:  They Never Ask If You Have Invisible Ink
2012: I Didn’t Break A Leg, So I Guess I Can’t Regret Doing It
2011: Why Couldn’t It Have Been The Canola??
2010: I Like To Call Him The Kite Master
2009: Talk About Making Good Use Of Your Time
2008: Don’t Three Feet Equal One Yard?
2007: New And Improved
2006: Maybe I Don’t Need To Know Everything
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Eastern Influence In A Southern State

A beautiful mural by artist Juan Salgado gracing one of the walls in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Florida.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: The Wegmans Cheese Tour
2012: Balls In The Air
2011: Branded
2010: Don’t Lose The Fun
2009: I’ll Get To It As Soon As I’m Done Churning The Butter, Dear.
2008: Trees At Sunset
2007: Giving Directions To This Place Is Easy
2006: A Cloud Of Words
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!

Award Winning Plan

My plan for the day:

Sleep.

Eat.

Watch The Oscars.

I haven't seen all the movies, so I'll be guessing who I think will win.  The movies I have seen are Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club and Gravity.  I'd like to say that I feel fairly confident that Gravity will win nothing.  If they do, I'll be in shock.  And I'm also pretty confident Jared Leto will win Best Supporting Actor - he was very good.  The rest are up in the air.

BEST PICTURE
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Christian Bale (American Hustle)
Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Amy Adams (American Hustle)

Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Judi Dench (Philomena)

Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)

Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)

Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years a Slave)

Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)

June Squibb (Nebraska)

See the nominees in other categories here.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2013: Watch Closely Now
2012: Mission Of The Sacred Heart
2011: Vintage Photo And Clothing
2010: Just How I Like It…Cold And Colder
2009: Snagged
2008: The Writing Is On The Wall
2007: Eddie Waits For A Ride
2006: Truckers And Travelers Know Good Food
2005: Sorry, no post on this day. The blog didn’t start until May 2005!