End of the Blog

It's been more than a month now, and my life has come full circle. I have ended my recluse life. I own and operate the Snack Master vending route, a profitable and varied career choice that I can't be more pleased with. I am self employed. I am living in a house, with a front yard and even a back yard. I have a garage packed with my business equipment and a house far too big for the furniture I currently own. I need to make enough money in the next few months to make this house into a home, because even though I'm renting it, I feel that I am truly settled here in Phoenix Arizona. (Check out all the photos of my new house in the photo section.)


So, I've been doing this Snack Master vending route thing now for a month and a half. It's been a life changer. It's hard work. It's a grind. I get up every morning Tuesday through Friday, and go out and put the product in the machines. Occasionally, I need to go on a run and fix a machine that has either a malfunctioning bill or coin machanism, or has some other odd thing wrong. But for the most part, I do the route.

Shopping has been an adventure. I shope at Vend Source (a vending supplier) and Costco. It's a weekly expedition. If it exists at Costco, I buy it. Otherwise I need to get my stuff at Vend Source which is a fraction more expensive, but has the products that are right for the machines. It's sodas and candies at Costco, and chips and pastries at Vend Source.

I have been getting a lot better at this. It's amazing when you do repetitive tasks long enough, you find an infinite number of little time savers that shorten and ease each task. For example, when I need to load a 32 pack of coke into a machine, I now rip the plastic wrap off with a quick tug, grab hold of the 8-pack plastic bird killers and yank them off. Then, I have no impediments to quickly scuttling the 32 cans into their slots. Time saving breakthroughs like this still happen every day, and I am totally getting this job under control.

It's so under control that I have sort of cut down the work week to a 4 day schedule. I have Mondays off. Woo Hoo!!! Actually, I don't really have Mondays off, I now use Mondays as my shopping day. But I could certainly do the shopping on Friday if I want to work past noon. But who who would be fool enough to want to do that? I have created detailed product lists and google maps directions for each day that. Thus, I don't really need to think about what I need to do each day, it's all perfectly planned out. I guess my goal is to make this job monotonous and in a month or two, it will be.

Yet this job/business is everything I hoped it would be. I am disappointed that I have to work all the time. It will be hard for me to take a week long vacation. I have to keep the route going. But by working overtime during the week, I should be able to manage 4 day breaks at times. Travis (the former owners son, also said he would be willing to pick up the route at times if I need a longer leave of absence.) I also had concerns that the decrease in salary from Citigroup to this would be too much a decrease in lifestyle that I would regret it. Well, I must say that even though I don't make as much at this business, the decrease and the move from Hoboken, NJ to the Midwest, coupled with the lifestyle changes of not having a $400 sushi outing in Manhattan, it appears that I should be able to start saving for a future house purchase. So those issues are negated, and that leaves only the good stuff.

Good Stuff: First, I had wanted a totally different type of job. I had been in Information Technology since I left college, and I was sick of it. This job ain't that. Also, I wanted to be self-employed. I am so my own boss. I am so in control of the success of this venture. I am so my own boss.

I wanted a job outside. I had always thought of a construction job, building highways, but this fits the bill. About half my time is out driving around Phoenix, hopping in and out of the cab, strolling to and from the machines, and trolling in the back of the truck readying the product for the machines. It's a lot of out-dooredness, and in the dead heat of the summer will be a battle, but I love it.

I was really looking for a job that would get me into better shape. This job is it. I have been working so hard. I have practically never eaten lunch (not a good thing but relevant.) When I started this, I lugged each case of soda, torturing my legs, arms and back. Now I gingerly fling each case to where I want it. I heave multiple cases with little effort. I have so strengthened the muscles needed to do this job. I can beat you at an arm wrestling match. I am in better shape than I was when I was 29. I have lost 16 pounds...so far. Probably time to start finding time for lunch and/or breakfast, but this is a "diet regimen" that certainly works.

By the way, it's hot here. Really hot! My hair was dripping by 10 AM each work day. So I decided to solve that problem. I removed my hair. Rather, I had ex-Marine TP Hubby Nasty remove my hair. Clippers cut me down to a number 4. I like it. I look good. But the current heat really makes me concerned about the 110 degree days ahead.

Finally, I am more me. More confidant and outgoing. Happier and less self loathing. I am where I should be. I approach my 40th birthday next month, and it, not surprisingly, brings on deep thoughts. I spent my first 20 years learning. From child birth through college I was acclimating to the world. I had spent most of the last 20 years just following the path the first 20 had set. But this last year, I decided to strike out and change the path. I decided to take things into my own hands and I did. I quit the job, sold the condo and went tribal. I was fortunate in many ways to be able to do this, and in the end, it worked. It really, really worked.

So I think this is sort of the end to the blog. I mean, if business is good and the housing market continues to collapse, I might buy a house. Or if I tire of this business in a couple of years, I may try to sell the business and hit the road again. But essentially, I have said everything I have done and I am done with everything I want to say. Except perhaps, next winterm, I expect a string of you voyers to become visitors. From the North East, San Fran, Seattle, Ohio, Portland, South Africa and beyond...just drop by and enjoy the golf, the lifestyle, the perfect climate, the beautiful sunsets, the accessible adventures and me.

I've got to say, I am a quite impressed with myself. I didn't know over a year ago how this whole adventure, expedition, mid-life crisis would work out. But it did work out. I am in a home, profitably employed, in much better shape and in a city where a sunny day is every day.

I am my own boss and I do have weekends off.

Cheers,

Snack Master Scott