Hi everyone!  I have some more good news to share.  Since I have gotten my CDL, another opportunity has opened up to me.  I start driving for a construction company in Minot on Monday.  They are hauling sand, gravel, and rock to various construction and paving locations around the region.  That will represent a substantial increase in my revenue, so I feel very blessed.  I have submitted my resignation to PTI where I have been a van driver for the railroads (what a relief to leave that job) and my last night is tomorrow, Saturday.  I can hardly wait.  The staff at PTI are unhappy about this development as are the railroad crews I have served.  Oh well, they'll find another derelict, felon, or reformed ax murderer to take my place (I'm sure the quality level will drop a few points though.)  I have agreed to be an emergency driver for them if they have a need and I can accommodate.

Here's one of the reasons I'm glad I'm leaving this railroad driving job:

Video - Things that afflict and torment Brian
http://youtu.be/BVKIhwWqqG0

In other news, a bit on the good side, I have an interview with another company that really has been my target since I got here.  I'm meeting with the President tomorrow morning.  This is quite a break for me - please send me your support and prayers!  More on this later.

Now, on to some other things.  First of all, here's a shout out to Joe, a conductor with Burlington Northern whom I've come to know over the past couple months.  He recently married his girlfriend of several years, and she is the mother of his 2.5 year old son.  He's one whom I will probably maintain contact with after leaving this job.  I thought of Joe when I saw this:

I wanted to give you a quick tour of the maneuvering course where they set up cones for CDL road testing.  This quick video will give you a little insight into what CDL candidates have to do in order to pass the test.  I drive past this spot frequently, and almost every time I did, I would get a stomach ache.  I'm delighted to announce that those stomach aches are a thing of the past:

Video - Cone testing area
http://youtu.be/3emdcyLZ-4o

Here are some "results" pictures of my testing:

For the untrained eye, that's a 53' flatbed trailer that I backed into a spot about the size of a bunk bed (well, at least that what it felt like.)  Ahh, the sweet, sweet smell of greasy, diesel-ly success.

There's one more picture that I have to add because it's also significant:

Ok, now you think I'm crazy.  Why would I take a picture of my kitchen trash can with a milk jug in it?  Well, I have been using empty milk jugs as makeshift "cones" while practicing my truck driving.  I had about 20 - I'd fill them with some gravel and set them out with a tape measure to simulate the cones testing.  This picture shows that I no longer have to save my milk jugs!!!!

Here's one more picture that has absolutely no relevance to my truck driving - in fact, it has nothing at all to do with when I was taking my road test with the state examiner sitting with me in the cab.  It certainly has no meaning with regards to the first few minutes of my road test, when I was asked to take a right turn into a small neighborhood street, where there was a totally unrelated street sign that looks virtually nothing like this one:

Before I leave the PTI job altogether, I wanted to give you a bit of a tour through what I have been doing.  This next video shows me driving through the yard - unfortunately, it's not the best video because it's at night, but it gives you some sense of the job:

Video - The Yard
http://youtu.be/y75nn6bUmqE

Something I failed to mention about working at night in the yard.  I often have to turn the van around in those narrow roads with trains on both sides.  I'm deeply indebted to my drivers training instructor Mr Young at Borah High School for teaching me how to do a 30-point turn...  What makes turning around REALLY interesting is when one or both of the trains are moving.

I think most of you are aware that North Dakota has some severe weather extremes.  In fact, we're already dipping into the 40's at night here.  Did I blink and miss summer?  Supposedly so.  Ah, summer in North Dakota.  Let me show you what summer here is like:

Video - Rainy night
http://youtu.be/K_aGtb1Aiuk

But then, the Lord sends us experiences like this one - this is really amazing:

Video - Clouds with lightening
http://youtu.be/gFsDTExy5lw

I have to say, in closing, and I have seen and felt the Lord's hand in this experience here.  I believe that He is mindful of me and my family and that things are getting better.  I'm grateful for that knowledge and for the support of all my wonderful friends and family.