One of the more frequent complaints that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) receives from consumers involves the unexpected and supposedly “arbitrary” increase in cost that an interstate household goods motor carrier and/or move broker tries to negotiate on loading day.

Many of these reports are filed by shippers who initially obtained “rock bottom”, “budget” or “deeply discounted” quotes for their moves by shopping for a “ballpark” phone estimate...

Several states and the Federal government now require household goods property movers and brokers to be licensed to perform certain local, intra- or interstate hauling or relocation services.

Compliance requirements can vary depending on your location. In addition to the list of applicable state regulations you’ll find here, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), an arm of the U.S Department of Transportation (DOT), provides a wealth of useful information regarding...

I woke up early this morning;
I didn't turn the lights on in the house;
Early light was enough to move about and to
re-occupy the downstairs rooms.

Perhaps that is why she didn't return to the forest.
Perhaps because the dog didn't get up with me to go out and mark her claim to the yard.
Perhaps the quality of light this March morning
Altered the rhythm of the household within.
Perhaps it was the same in the forest.

At the sink,...

Word of Thought

I have become incense,
lit by the flame of love
for my beloved.
My soul streams forth
as a wisp of smoke
into the dark sky.
No longer can I be bound
in the Word of thought,
so geometric in it's form
and created to enslave
those who use it.
Universal clouds of love,
tendrils reaching everywhere,
allow all to participate
in pretend realities.
No more, my love, no more...

[This is the fifth installment in a series of blogs about a West Texas city I really care about: Lubbock.]

You've heard about the city, but you haven't really heard about all that goes with it. I mean, what's a hamburger without French fries? Or a cinnamon roll without frosting? So, what would the big deal be with those little bitty towns that surround the city of Lubbock? And what about a new way to welcome folks into that same city of Lubbock that you might not...