The 90's (Life on the Road) (My Life Book 2) Kindle Edition by T. J. Wray

Profile:

"This is the second book in the (My Life) series. The first book was about my Teenage Years. This book is about more grown up and adult experiences. Marriage, children, and jobs. 
After breaking my back and going through major back surgery, I had to spend a year and a half in rehab and physical therapy learning how to walk again.
Then I needed a knew career, and a knew adventure. This book will take you down the road to that adventure."  Please Enjoy!

Title: The 90's Life on the Road
Author: T. J. Wray
Publisher: T.J.W.
Series: My Life Book 2
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"The 90's Life on the Road" by T. J. Wray

My Thoughts....

This was another interesting read about the author T. J Wray and I will say he indeed has had quite a interesting life as he shares with the reader what had gone on in his life during the 90's. T.J's first novel had been 'Our Teen Years: Growing up in a Small Town in the 80's, I enjoyed this read "The 90's Life on the Road" as this author touches on what he went through during the 90's starting out when he was 23 and working at a Buick dealership in Oklahoma City.

Just to touch a little on T.J's chapters..I took from this good read....Now, to get the whole story you will have to pick up "The 90's Life on the Road" to get this entire good story.

1. Back Again...On one dreadful Saturday morning everything changed when T.J. had broken his back in three places and pinched a nerve going to his left leg, crushed two disk in his back and ruptured a third disk.On top of all of this he had no insurance due to working part time. Later to be told he had 55% disability in his back and would not be able to lift anything over 15 pounds for the rest of his life...75 % use of his left leg and back....Wow!

However, T. J. didn't let this keep him down...

2. So he wouldn't be a auto mechanic anymore... he moved on and became a delivery truck driver getting his [B] CDL license where he became a bus driver.... later he thought of going to truck driving school and getting a class {A] CDL license and that is just what he did....another adventure. It seemed it was always what's next for T.J?
After passing his test working for PAM trucking he became one of their drivers from Arkansas. He finally gets his own truck from the company and T. J. was off traveling!

3. On The Road Again...I enjoy reading about how T.J. dealt with the hardest part of being a truck driver...which was the loneliness and its solitude. This was were the CB radio were so very important along with the Rand McNally truckers road map.

4. Canada ?
Not being told what to expect after getting to Canada...about the rules, laws, different language and money didn't make this visit a interesting one. However, T. J. was off seeing it all! Still on that adventure!

5. Just Glad To Be Back on American Soil
After the trip to Canada T.J. was glad to be back on America soil! How T. J. dealt with his driving was quite a interesting read ....having two log books! Keeping awake by turning up the ac up to high, drinking coffee or sodas and chewing gum and I won't say what he use to .... you will just have to read that for yourself 😀! along with his workout process with that dumbbells? Wow! Anyway I learned a lots from this section in what all a truck driver must do in order to stay awake. For six months T.J. traveled over 150,000 miles all over America. Wow!

6. Go West Young Man
T. J. drove for two years for PAM trucking...what an adventure traveling all over the states! Even when he was stuck in Albany during Christmas...5 days without shower...cold and miserable and not able see his daughter Melissa it was still an adventure. Remember, many truck driver may work 24/7 and may not have been home to see his family in weeks and weeks.

7. Another New Truck
In this section T. J. had to deal with PAM's [The Log Dog].[having two logs]..after being with the company for six months without any accidents, incident or tickets he got a new jacket, pay raise and a brand new truck ...a Volvo to drive for the PAM trucking company. This is when he was offered a job by his dispatcher but he turned it down and continued to work for PAM.

8. Hitchhiking with CDL
Now, I thought this was very interesting in what T. J. did with his down time while waiting for his truck to be fixed after he hit a deer. It seemed like quite a experience of learning about how stick hauler drive their trucks..
This was quite interesting. I can't imagine having to deal with all of that mud!

9. HotDog
This was a nickname given to him by his father. This is where T.J. talks about some of the most wondrous, beautiful sights American has to offer and also having seen some of the worst sights...how it is important to all to the drivers to slow down and be safe. Oh and his nickname that is tattooed to his right calf was used as his CB handle on his CB radio.

10. As A Child
Refers a lots to his first novel. T.J. and his sister was on the run with his father for 11 years, lived in 65 different towns, 7-8 different states and 6-8 different schools. One great thing is that T. J. got to do was re-visit some of the places he remembered from his childhood when he was on some of his truck driving. One thing at T.J. enjoyed about driving over the road was his 'Freedom"...There is really no one to tell you what to do as long as you got your load of freight there on time and safely, the company is Happy.

11. Alligator- Alligator [What?]
They will eat up all your money. This was process T.J. learned to keep his doors locked at all times. I had to laugh at this story!

12. There Ain't No Feelin, Like 18 Wheelin
For $2500...you stay there until you pass your truck driving test and get your CDL driver's license. After driving for PAM for two years he decided to park the truck and go home. Now there is a procedure in doing this. You can't just abandoned the truck. You had to work with your dispatcher. After being off for 3 weeks T.J.took another truck job but it only lasted for 7 days and that was the end of his over the road truck driving career.

13. Back Home
Coming back to Oklahoma City he took a job punching the clock making deliveries...then on to security for a year and a half...later he filled in as a bus driver. Later he bought his own tow truck and have been self employed for the past 15 years. Today, you can find T.J. raising his two younger children on his own which are the loves of his life. What message T. J. leaves for the reader that I thought was such good advice and that is that one should never DON'T GIVE UP! When life gets you down...pick yourself up and get back in the game. You are never to old to follow your dreams!

14, Just F.Y.I.
One thing T. J. always wanted and that was to be a inventor...inventing something great for the motorcycle rider. Wow...is all I have left to say about his invention but at least there was a good lesson that was learned from this experience.

Dedication...
I really liked this dedication...If you bought it....a truck brought it! Wow, I have never thought about that until T.J. brought it out so well to all of the hard working men and women who do this work daily.

"I don't care if it's a sofa, a refrigerator, clothes or shoes, a new car, or even food and groceries are delivered by professional truck drivers in America . Most of which have families at home, that they have to be away from for weeks and even months at a time. To get the job done! They miss birthdays, and holidays and everything else with their kids. And the traffic conditions, and weather conditions can be an absolute nightmare. So my hats off to all the professional, over the road truck drivers out there. I think you’re doing a great job. Keep up the good work, and be safe out there! God bless you all.".....T.J. Wray

And in the end dedicating this novel to his three children and two grandchildren.

The Red Sovine- A Trucker Drivers Prayer...was wonderful!

I really enjoyed this heartwarming novel of what goes on in a truck drivers life. I believe this author did a good job with delivering the reader quite a read that will keep your attention as you are turning the pages to see what is coming next. I learned so much from this read of the life of a true 'truck driver.' I will definitely give them more respect as I am driving behind one of those big things! 😊 The best of luck to you T J. and I hope to hear more from you in the coming years. I see you have a interest in Children's books, now that sounds very interesting!

Thank you for letting me read your novel and my giving my honest opinion of the read! Great Read!

Our Teenage Years Growing up in a small town in the 80's by T. J. Wray

Profile:

"T. J. Wray grew up in a small town. He grew up quick and got his first job at only thirteen years old. He knew people depended on him to do his job every day. So for two years he never missed a day. No matter the weather conditions, he always got the job done. He learned responsibility for his actions at a very early age. He was very active in his church and with his youth group. He learned a lot from the positive role models in his church like his youth pastor and his Sunday school teacher. He didn’t party or drink in junior high or high school. He was responsible and went to work after school. He got his driver’s license at age fourteen and drove himself everywhere, while the other kids still rode the bus. Even though he was a teenager, he was an adult! He really enjoyed life in a small town. Everybody knew him and knew his truck. They would wave at him as he drove down the street. They would say hello as they passed on the sidewalk or in stores. He said that in a small town, people “actually” shook hands. In his teenage years, he was an avid fisherman. He used to travel around the state of Oklahoma looking for the best fishing holes. He once said that he would rather “fish, than breath.” There’s nothing that compares to hooking into a largemouth bass. He was quoted as saying, “If they don’t ride motorcycles and go fishing in heaven, I don’t want to go!”
Nowadays, he lives in the big city. He says that nobody knows anybody, and they don’t want to. He says that everyone is always in a big hurry and would rather run over you than wait for one minute for you to move. No one ever seems to slow down and enjoy life, in the big city. He really misses Life in a Small Town."

Title: Our Teenage Years Growing up in a small town in the 80's
Author: T.J. Wray
Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Five
Review:

"Our Teenage Years Growing up in a small town in the 80's" by T. J. Wray

My Thoughts....

When this author as me to read his novel and I said yes I didn't really know what I would get, however, after reading "Our Teenage Years Growing up in a Small Town in the 80's' I found
this one was quite a delightful read. Wow, I found TJ's life was very interesting and exciting along with what all had gone on in his life and with especially his best friend Terry. As I continued to read I quickly saw what TJ's life was all about and from the read I got all of these questions answered from.....

"All the wild adventures and stories of two best friends trying to survive their teenage years. Dealing with parents and siblings, or just trying to survive high school. Remember your first girl friend? Remember your first kiss? Remember your first job? Remember your first prom? Remember your first car? Well this book is about all that, and a whole lot more. But really it's just about LIFE...
It will make you laugh, and it will make you cry."

From this read you will definitely get a little bit of it all from each of the chapters starting with his favorite TJ's teachers, his friend Terry, Patricia, fake ID's, The Alligator Story, Being a role model, Margaret and His Truck, Terry's Parents, His Motorcycle Wreck, Just Your Life [Dusty], Being Eighteen, Graduation, Growing up in a Small Town...[in Guthrie, Oklahoma], The End of the Brown Beast now this was funny!], Terry's Haw-Hauling Carrier, His House Burns Down!...Rock Concert!...The Werewolf Story[ another good story]...Baker's Lake...Best Fishing Hole Ever!...A Different World, Just the Way I's Built...Kenny...Me, Christy, and Baby Melissa...Our Trip to Atlanta and the Georgia Dome...Georgia on My Mind, It's Just a Piece of metal...Ouch!...Hodgepodge Stupid is as Stupid Does.... Kidney Stones...Like Father Like Son....Family Reunion...Don't Shoplift!...Jazzercise... Wrong High School...Just F.Y.L...Bill...Terry and His Dad...The End! Now to fully understand all of this you will have to pick up the wonderful read and see what it is all about. This is a very easy read to follow and keep up with giving you page after page of just what was going on at that time. I will say some of these stories were humorous and how well this author ties it all together in the end and that ending being about his 'LIFE.'

From all above the reader will get a autobiography of TJ's life growing up with his best friend Terry from Guthrie, Oklahoma. I loved how this author was able to deliver a story that laid out so well his life's story giving the reader all of it from the good times, bad times, teenage years, wild adventures, lessons, and family that will definitely benefit his children and even the adults. This was very well done by this author.

Even though his best friend Terry is gone TJ made a promise to write this story and he did a wonderful job in doing so about there many fun and wild adventures times. I also like the dedication TJ made to his father, his three children and two grandchildren of the read. Well done!

Thank you to the author for the gift of the read and my providing my honest opinion of the read. I liked the photos at the end of your read as well as your message you left for the readers. 

Year Of No Clutter By: Eve O. Schaub

Book Description....

"Eve has a problem with clutter. Too much stuff and too easily acquired, it confronts her in every corner and on every surface in her house. When she pledges to tackle the worst offender, her horror of a "Hell Room," she anticipates finally being able to throw away all of the unnecessary things she can't bring herself to part with: her fifth-grade report card, dried-up art supplies, an old vinyl raincoat.

But what Eve discovers isn't just old CD's and outdated clothing, but a fierce desire within herself to hold on to her identity. Our things represent our memories, our history, a million tiny reference points in our lives. If we throw our stuff in the trash, where does that leave us? And if we don't...how do we know what's really important?

Everyone has their own Hell Room, and Eve's battle with her clutter, along with her eventual self-clarity, encourages everyone to dig into their past to declutter their future. Year of No Clutter is a deeply inspiring--and frequently hilarious -- examination of why we keep stuff in the first place, and how to let it all go."

Title:  Year Of No Clutter

Author:  Eve O. Schaub

Publisher:  Sourcebooks

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

"Year Of No Clutter" by Eve O. Schaub

My Thoughts...

This is a true story of how Eve who had one horrible secret and that was that she was a collector of things which turned out to being a hoarder [collector vs hoarder].  What may be a surprise to many but this is so true of a lot of us that just start out collecting things as we will see from Eve's standpoint that she had over 500 square feet [secret Hell room] of things that she has keep because it seemed like everything meant so much to her life. So, Eve decides to start a 'Year of No Clutter.'  Now how will this turn out for her?  How will she dealt with what to keep, throw away or send to charity?  Has all of this stuff given her 'happiness, joy, satisfaction, or simply a connection to various memories?'  I know a lot of people can identify with this book including myself!  So, as I read this read I kept waiting to get more advice on how to get get of my clutter but it seemed like this read was more about 'Eve's personal journey and growth [her memoirs] rather to the actual organizational how to guide book.'  Now, I will say it was quite a interesting read even though it wasn't quite what I thought the novel would be about.  I will say I was given some inspired ways to tackle some of my problem areas in my home.  By the end  of the read Eve did let the reader know that after a year just what she decided to keep, threw out and donate using plenty of scenarios giving the reader some interesting stories.  I did learn from the read this wasn't just about her being the only hoarder in this family, for her husband and father had some of these issues to.

A Year Without A Purchase By Scott Dannemiller

Book  Description....

"The Year without a Purchase is the story of one family's quest to stop shopping and start connecting. Scott Dannemiller and his wife, Gabby, are former missionaries who served in Guatemala. Ten years removed from their vow of simple living, they found themselves on a never-ending treadmill of consumption where each purchase created a desire for more and never led to true satisfaction. The difference between needs and wants had grown very fuzzy, and making that distinction clear again would require drastic action: no nonessential purchases for a whole year. No clothes, no books, no new toys for the kids. If they couldn't eat it or use it up within a year (toilet paper and shampoo, for example), they wouldn't buy it.

Filled with humorous wit, curious statistics, and poignant conclusions, the book examines modern America's spending habits and chronicles the highs and lows of dropping out of our consumer culture. As the family bypasses the checkout line to wrestle with the challenges of gift giving, child rearing, and keeping up with the Jones's, they discover important truths about human nature and the secret to finding true joy. The Year without a Purchase offers valuable food for thought for anyone who has ever wanted to reduce stress by shopping less and living more."

Title: A Year Without A Purchase

Author:  Scott Dannemiller

Publisher:  Westminster John Knox Press

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: 5

Review:

"A Year Without A Purchase:  One Family's Quest to Stop Shopping and Start Connecting" by Scott Dannemiller

What I enjoyed from this read.....

I found this novel very interesting...something to really think on long after the read.  There were several ideas presented that did give me reasons to think upon from this author.  With all of the consumerism that goes on just in the United States one will be able to look on quite a bit of it as something to definitely be concerned about.  It was a interesting read of how this author shared his feeling 'surrounding the sacrifices made by he and his wife to connect more with others about what was essential to living.' Now, that was a read!  I found Mr. Dannemiller was some what humorous as he delivered some of his experiences with the reader. I will say by the time I reach the end of the novel I did find myself saying..do I really need some of the items I have?  So, maybe after reading this book... I was now seeing this read in a different light...exploring the relationship that I have with all of my stuff...saying...is this stuff  really making me happy or preventing me from achieving  my ultimate goal?

Along with the humor the reader will  receive 'Biblical passages, personal anecdotes, research, tools for individuals/couples/families to evaluate their own relationship to their material things.'

In the end this read of these short chapters...will gives the reader a great challenge and that is knowing what is important to you ...evaluation your wants/needs.  Which is important?  Learning to make everyday count and not worry about all that stuff you want but may not need was one thing I got out of this read.  I thought  this novel was a very important that can help anyone who wants change in their spending and consuming in their everyday life.  This was definitely a inspiriting read.

Would I recommend? YES!

I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tied In A Bow By: Satoya Smith

Book Description...


"It’s like the old saying goes: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” People have their assumptions and draw their own conclusions about me, and now I’m letting them in on parts of my life. I’ve been through a lot; what’s in this book represents only about half of it. This is what I’m starting out with, just to give people an idea. At the end of the day, I don’t care what people think about me, because everyone is entitled to their own opinion. You would have to know what I’ve been through to know who Toya truly is.
My name is Satoya Smith, and this is my story." 


Title:  Tied In A Bow
Author:  Satoya Smith
Publisher"  Xlibris US
Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"Tied In A Bow"  by Satoya Smith

What I liked about this novel...

This was a story of Satoya Smith.  As she tells her story....she starts out by Telling us This Is My story..then .going on into each and every one of her chapters...An Idol's Betrayal...A HS Loss, A Costly Altercation....An Unhealthy Relationship,....Losing Necole...A Different Kind of Loss...Being in a Better Place and then Her Closing Thoughts.

By the end of this short read I found that this young lady had been through a lots in her young life but now it is a new day for her and now "through difficulties, conflicts, obstacles or problems and challenges" she has made it through it all  taking the bad with the good.  Will there be greater things to come to her?  Well, we will see as her story will 'be continued.'

Thank you to the author for gifting me read your novel "Tied In A Bow."  I wish the best for you as you continue to grow in life and  I hope for you great things to come to you.