MY FAVORITE RIDERS IN AUGUST

A DIFFERENT KIND OF INVESTIGATOR

How does a Korean woman teaching English in South Korea, become a civil rights investigator working for one of the states in the USA?  She did it with intelligence and a very easy going, but determined personality.  I joked with her that she spoke perfect English and our conversation was very informative.  When there is a work complaint she investigates all sides of the issue and submits a report.  She told me that, "It is obvious sometimes that someone is lying, but I can't really put that in the report."

I asked her, "In this day and age where so many people feel victimized, what have you found?" She told me that, "It's universal beyond time and space that women bring a lot of drama and jealousy to work. I've found that happy women are well-rounded and more emotionally stable." I have no doubt that she is able to get the facts of each case she researches and gives both sides an equal opportunity.  I wish I had more time to question the investigator, but I learned a lot from her and hope to drive her again.

A REPTILE LOVER

 On a short ride I asked my rider, "What kind of work do you do?" He replied, "I care for and sell exotic reptiles."  Years ago he was very fond of reptiles and his mother and mother-in-law both asked him to stop buying reptiles since he had small children.  As his children got older, he started buying them again and was hired by the pet store.  His son, who is now eleven, comes into the store once a week and helps his dad feed some of the reptiles.  It's not quite having a catch with your son, but they enjoy it and his enthusiasm for his work was entertaining and a bit scary for me.  He was very unique and a pleasure to drive.

GOOD KARMA BRINGS MORE 

This ride was one of the most surprising of the year.  She told me that she was a personal chef and started her business during the beginning of COVID.  She would go to a clients house when they weren't home and cook a special meal for them and be gone when they came home. This worked perfectly for that time. She got so many customers that she had to change her business. Now, she makes a list of five entrees a week and sends it out to customers and then delivers their choice to them.

In March, I drove the woman who gave me her late mom's ring for me to change the karma and give it to a Leo.  Since it was the "Good Karma Girl's" birthday this weekend, I told a few women the story. After hearing the story, this rider told me a very similar story: "When I was eighteen my first love proposed to me.  He did it with a ring and a very nice gold chain and said if I said no I should keep the chain.  I thought we were too young and I said no and I kept the chain which was 24 years ago.  Last week I found the chain and gave it to a friend who could enjoy it."  She seemed relieved to have passed the chain on and I'm sure after our ride she knew that she did the right thing.

THE FUTURE ADDICTION THERAPIST

He was in the right car. He had just gotten off his security job early Sunday morning when I drove him home.  Born in Saudi Arabia, he considers the Sudan his real home.  He was able to explain to me why there are so many people from Africa living in Colorado.  He said that they were able to get help from refugees that had come before them and that they considered, "Colorado to be the safest state in the country." They found it very appealing to be living in a place with a lot of open land which was opposite of the bigger cities in Africa.

His goal is to be an addiction counselor since a counselor saved his life.  He's had several years of college and he is working towards getting his masters degree.  I told him several stories of young people like himself who were self-motivated and working towards their career because it was very personal to them.  I told him that I had no doubt he was going to be successful and achieve his goal and he appreciated the encouragement. As he got out, he said, "I needed this positivity." 

THE UPS AND DOWNS

Formerly from Minnesota, (One of my favorite states to pick people up from), he told me that he's spent forty years in the elevator business.  He's followed in his dad's footsteps and his son is following his footsteps.  The elevator inspector was heading back to Minnesota for a couple vacation days and I had him talking shop very easily.  He told me that "preventive maintenance" was very important in keeping elevators working well.  He gave me a little trivia about The Mall of America in Minnesota which used to be one of his accounts.  He said, "In the rotunda (The center) of the mall there are around forty elevators and forty escalators that need to be serviced." It's my first time talking with an elevator inspector and he enjoyed talking about it with me.  He is living in Colorado and he's keeping busy working on elevators all over the state.

A VALEDICTORIAN

He may be the first high school valedictorian I've ever driven.  I picked him up in my home town and he was very personable and obviously bright.  He works in retail sales right now, because, "I'm good talking to people."  His goal is to be a district manager or general manager for one of the phone services. He went to college and majored in social justice/criminal justice and told me he could have taken the bar exam after college which is extraordinary.  He has his own business working in the legal field helping people look at possible cases before they go to a real lawyer.  I'm looking forward to driving him again-another really impressive young person with a great future.

THE HAIL STORM

I pulled into the Denver airport and picked up two passengers who did not know each other.  In some places in the country they have shared rides, where you pay less but may be dropped off second.  The woman was from Florida and the man was from Texas. The first twenty minutes I drove in a heavy hail storm. I couldn't really talk to them, because the hail was so loud hitting my car.  I did yell to them that I've driven in a blizzard and a hurricane, so they shouldn't worry.

They had a very nice conversation that I only heard part of.  After it finally stopped, the guy said he had just had a hail storm in Texas that led to a tree hitting his house.  I blamed him and said, "You probably brought the hail with you."  It was a very serious storm and both of them were very calm and understanding in the difficult circumstances.

42 Is A Special Number

I decided to write a blog about the number "42" since today is my 42nd wedding anniversary.  When I think of that number there are three things that come to mind: One is #42 which is Jackie Robinson's number. He broke the color barrier in baseball and was a great player also. The last baseball player to wear that number before it was retired, was Mariano Rivera, the Yankees incredible closer who is the only unanimous selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame.(back of his jersey below)

The third "42" was the last number in a group of numbers that were highlighted in my favorite television show, "Lost".  It was about a crashed plane with 42 rows of seats in addition to numerous other "42" references.  I did not realize that there are many special "42" numbers that exist. Here are a few that I found interesting:

1. A marathon is 42 kilometers long.

2. A barrel of oil has 42 gallons in it.

3. There are 42 dots on one pair of dice.

4. The famous Gutenberg bible had only 42 lines.

5. There are 42 laws in Cricket.

6. There are 42 territories in the game of Risk.

7. Elvis died at the age of 42.

8. The "Birdman of Alcatraz", Robert Stroud, was imprisoned on Alcatraz in 1942 and his cell number was 42. After killing a prison guard he spent 42 years in solitary confinement.

9. Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert, died at the age of 42 and he had 42 grandchildren.

Finally, it was forty-two years ago today, August 28th, 1983, that I made the best decision of my life. I said, "I do," and I would say "I do" today to my wife, Monika.  She has given me three amazing kids and lots of love and has made me endless amounts of chicken.  

She still makes me laugh and we have had a lifetime of good times together.  I'm looking forward to spending today with her and eventually we will figure out what we are going to do.  I do know we will be eating out and having a great steak dinner tonight.

Below is a picture of us dancing at the wedding of our third child in May.  Love you princess!

LOOKING BACK: "THE ABC'S OF LIFE"

I found a small "Dear Abby" column that I ripped out of a newspaper forty years ago and it's still really good.  It was written by a Wanda Carter in St. Augustine, Florida.  She put together this list in alphabetical order of positive phrases that she recites to help her get through difficult times and has given it to many other people. I think she would be happy to know that I am posting it here many decades later. 

And, I am throwing out the article after I finish typing. (Yes, I did throw it out.)  

                                    "To Achieve Your Dreams, Remember Your ABC's

Avoid negative sources, people, places, and things and habits.

Believe in yourself.

Consider things from every angle.

Don't give up, and don't give in.

Enjoy life today; yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come.

Family and friends are hidden treasures. Seek them and enjoy their riches.

Give more than you planned to give.

Hang on to your dreams.

Ignore those who try to discourage you.

Just do it!

Keep on trying. No matter how hard it seems, it will get easier.

Love yourself first and most.

Make it happen.

Never lie, cheat or steal. Always strike a fair deal.

Open your eyes, and see things as they really are.

Practice make perfect.

Quitters never win, and winners never quit.

Read, study and lean about everything important in your life.

Stop procrastinating.

Take control of your own destiny.

Understand yourself in order to better understand others.

Visualize it.

Want it more than anything.

Xccellerate your efforts.

You are unique of all of God's creations. Nothing can replace you.

Zero in on your target and go for it!

The Best U.S. Cities To Walk In

A couple months ago I took a bus tour with family through the city of Denver, Colorado since I was new in town.  We did walk around Denver some, so when I saw this list for tourists of the best cities in the United States to walk in, I wanted to blog about it.

USA TODAY comes out with this list each year and for the third year in a row The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia was voted number one.  They mentioned Center City and, "Historic Old City and Rittenhouse Square." Fortunately, they did not mention any Philadelphia sports teams. 😁

2. Providence, Rhode Island is a place I have heard is very nice to walk around. They have cobblestone streets, the Providence River, and a lot of murals.(Like Denver)

3. Burlington, Vermont is a place I haven't heard much about, but they have an outdoor mall with a hundred shops and it's always very busy. (Except the heart of winter I would guess)

4. Columbus, Ohio is a well known place, but I haven't heard of it as a tourist destination. Ohio State University is downtown and a lot of things to see and do in the area.

5. Boston, Massachusetts is another well-known place full of history going back to the American Revolution.  It is home to Fenway Park, Paul Revere's house and Harvard University which is a pretty impressive combination.

6. San Francisco, California is an incredible place even with the hills. There are a lot of parks, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, and Oracle Park.(Home of the baseball Giants) I was there a long time ago, but our ferry ride under the Golden Gate was unforgettable.

7. Chicago, Illinois is not the place to visit in the winter I've been told. The food is incredible and there is a lot to see in the downtown area.

8. Savannah, Georgia is a place I have dropped people off at a few times, but not in the tourist area. It is compared a lot to Charleston, South Carolina where I have driven in a lot.  It's known for great food and it's charm and vibe and relaxing atmosphere.

9.  Washington D.C. is a place that would be tough to leave off this list.  You can tour the monuments and historical places on a regular basis and not get bored.  My favorite place is the Lincoln Memorial, but this is obviously a huge tourist destination.  Below is my favorite picture from behind the Lincoln Memorial when I visited my brother three or four years ago.

10.  New York City, New York is another place that is impossible to really compete with.  The food is legendary here, the iconic places are too many to mention, and it's a place you have to visit at least once in your life, especially if you've never been on the east coast.

Getting Takeout

 

Sitting with my wife at the kitchen table, she asked, "Do you remember when we were in Myrtle Beach and we decided we would get takeout once a week so I didn't have to cook all the time?" I looked at her with a big smile on my face and replied, "No, I don't, was that us?" She smiled back at me, but she was annoyed with my answer.

I knew immediately that a blog was coming, so here it is: Getting takeout has become more and more popular since the pandemic hit in 2020.  Some restaurants survived by increasing their takeout and some of them started takeout, because it was their only option.  

Gen Zs and millennials especially have increased their use of takeout significantly and over 50% consider picking up food or takeout as an essential part of their life.(I'm not there yet)  Overall, in 2019, takeout was 19% of restaurant business and in 2024 it had increased to 30%, about a 60% increase.

I haven't increased my enjoyment or preference in getting takeout.  Growing up in New Jersey, my idea of takeout was usually McDonalds, pizza, subs, chinese food, or chicken from Chicken Holiday.  Today, takeout is everything including full course meals.  If I'm going to eat a big meal from a restaurant, I'd rather be in a restaurant than at our kitchen table.

As you can see at the top of this post we did get Olive Garden last week and I did get a chicken parmesan meal.  It was outstanding of course.  This week is coming soon which means more takeout.  My birthday is Tuesday and it used to be that the family would take me to the beach which I wasn't a fan of. Maybe we'll start a new tradition and we'll get takeout on my birthday?  The following week is our anniversary and I think I can get out of ordering takeout since we'll be eating out that day once or twice.

The good news is that my wife will still be cooking at least three times a week.  She's a very good cook and I like eating what she cooks. Do you think that compliment to my wife will make up for blogging about this?

It Was Sixty Years Ago!

Friday was the 60th anniversary of The Beatles performing at Shea Stadium in Flushing, New York. August 15, 1965 was the first time a band played in a stadium and it was dominated by 55,000 screaming fans which kept the police and security busy with all the young girls fainting.

On Friday, The New York Mets celebrated the event which changed the music industry at Citi Field, their current ballpark which replaced Shea Stadium.  Before the game, 1964, The Tribute Band performed outside the stadium and the first 15,000 fans received a special Shea Stadium replica.  The first pitch will be thrown out by members of the staff who worked that night in 1964 and after the game there will be a fireworks show.

The Beatles performed for close to fifty minutes in 1965, singing twelve songs which began with "Twist and Shout".  A documentary, "The Beatles at Shea Stadium", was produced on the show and was watched by millions of people on television in 1966. The Beatles could not hear themselves sing with all the screaming by their 55,000 fans. This was only a year and a half after The Beatles came to the USA in February of 1964.

A few unusual things from the concert: The promoter, Sid Bernstein, said, "We took in $304,000, the greatest gross in the history of show business."  Special, 100-watt amplifiers were made to replace their 30-watt amplifiers and it wasn't enough. Some of the tickets cost only $11 and some fans consider it one of the greatest moments of their life.

When Shea Stadium closed in 2008, Billy Joel was joined at the end of the concert by former Beatle, Paul McCartney.  To get to the stadium, air space was cleared for McCartney's plane and a police escort got him to the concert before it ended. A documentary was made of that concert, "The Last Play at Shea", which I enjoyed watching with my brother a few years ago. When Citi Field was opened a year later, McCartney had the honor of doing the first concert. 

Retire to What?

Having given almost 15,000 rides as an Uber driver, I have had the opportunity to talk to a good number of people about retirement. I consider myself to be semi-retired, having retired from full-time work 3 1/2 years ago and currently "working" about two days a week as an Uber driver. I would argue that if you love what you do, it's not really working, but I do receive income from driving. I do know drivers in their 70's and 80's who are doing what I'm doing now at 64 years old.

The consensus from many people is that when you retire you should have 3-4 things that you love to do and you should spend a lot of time doing them. Writing is one of my things that I love to do and that's why I'm doing this.  

There are many people who have always thought that when they retire they'll just relax, watch television, do some traveling and they have no interest in actually doing some other things. I read an article recently by Hannah Seo, who is a journalist living in New York and the article was titled, "America is Doing Retirement Wrong."

While interviewing several people for the story, she explained that sometimes when people age they feel limited in what they can do, but sometimes they limit themselves. Research has shown that, "A sense of purpose in life is a vital factor for health and happiness in older age."  Other key benefits to be actively involved in life is, avoiding loneliness, depression, and increasing strength and walking ability.

She interviewed one retiree, Paul Draper, who had a great way of looking at. He said, "There are a million fun things to do in life, but 99% of them are unsustainable to do them as a career."  He looks at his retirement as a way to do some of those things.

About 19% of people 65 and over are working and the numbers are expected to go higher than that.  Whether you're volunteering or working part-time, it's important for your well-being and others to be active pursuing something that has purpose and meaning to you. Spread the word-I've done my part.

MORE ON BABYSITTING A BABY (Part 2)

Welcome back to some important information on babysitting a baby. Last week I covered the topics of safety, reading and education, and eating.  Let's start with the least fun part:

CHANGING A DIAPER

It had been over thirty years since I changed a diaper and I understood the basics: cover the front and the back. I'm not a very technical or a handy person and I do have a habit of doing things upside down. I watched my wife change a diaper and then when no one was around, I did it all by myself. Fortunately, it was not a dirty diaper, but I managed to get it on and it appeared tight.  I haven't had a poopy diaper yet, my advice is to wait until someone else is around.

This is where all the action is-putting on a diaper that is NOT great, but good enough.

EXERCISE

You should not be the only one getting exercise.  Wear the baby out and put them to sleep easier. In Colorado, they start babies young doing outdoor stuff.  My grandchild gets her reps in by pushing this pool forward and pulling it back.  Five to ten reps are usually a good amount especially if you can keep everything inside the pool.

Climbing is also important for a baby and with all the mountains we have here. There is no doubt this one will be hiking and climbing.  She likes to climb up and down the couch and also stand on top of a chair looking out the window, with me holding her of course.

PLAYING WITH TRADITONAL AND NON TRADITIONAL TOYS

The more toys, the more things we can play with.  Pictured below is a kitchen with all kinds of food. A teddy bear is a very traditional toy which goes back to President "Teddy" Roosevelt.  She loves this bear and loves to put a hat on it.  It's surprising that the bear went to Lehigh University just like her dad.

                        

Playing with a baby gives you the opportunity to forget you're an adult and just wing it. Whatever comes to mind can work.  With this multi-use toy below, I was piling things on top and teaching her the "A,B,C,'s" too.  I was singing, ( "A, B, C," it's as easy as, "1, 2, 3, " baby you and me.") I never realized the Jackson Five were actually talking about babies.  Babies love music, any kind of music.  She's been dancing  and bopping to a bunch of songs.  In the second picture, take a look at the audience we have to play that funky music!

    

Put stuff on your head and catch it when it falls, four or five times in a row and the baby will be smiling or going the other way.  This little ones loves hats and she gave me three to put on top of each other.  It's amazing what you can teach a baby while you're playing.  For more non-traditional fun, try a bunch of paint brushes, without the paint. I kid you not, she takes them out and I put them back in the container.  We did that for twenty minutes at least.  What about ice cream? Take it and put it on the toe and she loves it. It's cheaper than buying it! 

SLEEPING 

She loves having the pacifier and her blanket, but when she's exhausted you need all the energy you have left to make this happen, or you get rescued by her mom.  Once asleep, she can be out for thirty minutes or two hours.  This is the time that you too can nap, but make sure you are still holding the baby.

Thank You Garrett Morgan

As an Uber driver over the last almost seven years I have made a habit of showing appreciation and celebrating the lives of my passengers.  This post is to show appreciation and celebrate the life of Garrett Morgan who referred to himself as, "The Black Edison." I had never heard of him until I read an article about him recently-I am probably not the only one.

From Cleveland, Ohio, Garrett Morgan had a number of inventions before the two he is most known for.  He was very handy and could fix anything and started fixing sewing machines. Then, he invented a belt fastener for sewing machines and then a zigzag attachment for sewing machines. He eventually owned a sewing machine shop and then a ladies clothing store with his wife.

He then got his first patent in 1912 for hair care products and then for a hair straightening cream.  He then patented something very different, a breathing mask that wound up being used in World War 1 and by firefighters.  It was a smoke hood that enabled you to breathe. To demonstrate the device he and brother actually saved some lives during a local disaster.

After seeing a collision between a horse-drawn carriage and a car, he came up with the very beginnings of a yellow signal on a traffic light.  In those days there were only two signals, red to stop and green to go. His third position was for an all-stop position which enabled passengers to cross and set-up an order for other vehicles or horses to go. He sold his invention to General Electric for $40,000 in the 1920's, which today would be worth over $700,000.

In his old age, his final patent was for a self-extinguishing cigarette that had a water-filled plastic pellet placed just before the filter.  He passed away in 1963 at the age of 86 and has received recognition and a number of awards over the last sixty years.

So, the next time you have a yellow light, you could say, "Thank you Garrett Morgan," as you go through it.

How To Babysit a Baby (Part 1)

DISCLAIMER: Babies are not all the same so your experience may be different, however, these are my suggestions after babysitting a very, strong, active, and smiling, baby who just had her first birthday. Our granddaughter is pictured below.

They say that a picture says a thousand words and I won't use a thousand words for these two blogs, but the pictures will take away anything here that you don't find amusing or helpful.

SAFETY FIRST

She's only crawling, but she can move quickly.  She likes to take off and then stop, turn around and wave as if she's saying, "Na-na-na-na." The other day she took off and was almost underneath her mom who was cleaning up something we didn't want the baby going into.  I did a quick 64-year-old man dash, grabbed her on the run, and had nowhere to go. I mostly avoided my daughter-in-law and stumbled through a few toys while still holding the startled baby.  No picture or video is available.

A baby can back down a couple steps from the couch dozens of times, but they can still miss and tumble, you have to be ready for anything.  Keeping paths available on the floor for you and the baby is always a good thing.

READING AND EDUCATION

This baby has a ton of books to choose from and sometimes she chooses more than one.  Yesterday I found myself with two books and my many years reading responsively in temple came in handy. (The rabbi would read one line and the congregation read the next.) I alternated lines in both books which really messed up the story.

It doesn't have to make sense and it didn't, but she enjoyed the two books at the same time.  Don't use your voice, talk high or low or as the opposite sex.  You can sing the lines even if you can't sing.  The baby will enjoy it and ask for more by giving you back the book or going to the beginning again and again and again.

This is an opportunity for you and the baby to learn.  When was the last time you went through all the planets, can you name them? As the baby gets older she'll be able to read to you and you can test each other.

My kids and millions of other kids and adults love Sponge Bob.  My kids talked about it so much that I wrote a song many years ago that our granddaughter's dad helped me with and it was called, "Sponge Bob's Demise." The first lines were, "One day Sponge Bob will leave us and I'll cheer." How thrilled was I to see this book in my grandchild's collection? Even my grandchildren are going to be telling SpongeBob stories!

EATING

More than likely the baby is going to enjoy eating, some more than others.  In addition to the baby bottle or the mother's breast, you need to know what the baby eats and where the food or snacks are. This baby loves to eat and this picture tells the whole story below, because she is eating with both hands.  Distracting the baby with food, toys, books, or anything else can be very useful.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:

Sleeping, Changing a diaper, Exercise and Playing with traditional and non-traditional toys.

MY MOST MEMORABLE RIDER COMMENTS IN JULY

The guy from Ethiopia told me, "It cost around $2,500 for a round trip flight to Ethiopia. We have 13 months in our country and right now in Ethiopia the year is 2017." (Ethiopian calendar)

For the first time I heard the Uber app spell out the name of my rider to pick up.  My rider said, "They used to say the name, but they knew they couldn't get it right, so they gave up."

He: "I was traveling with my son in Nebraska once and I said, 'Let's get some traveling money.' We signed up for Uber Eats and delivered in a big U-Haul. One customer said, "I didn't know I ordered that much."

"My mom got into politics because I tried to kill myself as a child.  She's had several bills pass in the state senate to help kids get therapy."

Visiting from Ethiopia, I asked him, "What are you up to this morning?" He said, "I'm going to church now to pray for your safety on the road."

Me: "How did you get to live in Colorado?" He: "I wasn't the best I could be in Cincinnati, Ohio so I traveled with my dog in a conversion van for a year and a half to 48 states except Hawaii and Alaska."

His name is pronounced, "A Ton." "When I was a kid, I was teased when they called me, "A Ton of S _ _ _." I was upset and when I told my dad he laughed hysterically. He told me that he and my mom spent a lot of time coming up with a special name that I would not be teased about."

I asked the friendly couple, "What are you up to today?" He said, "Alcohol and cocaine." After I stopped laughing he added, "Just joking, I don't want to end up going to jail."

Technologist: "With my job it's always safety first. The other day in Nassau, NY. a guy went into a room without being checked and he had a large metal chain he was wearing and he got sucked into the machine and died."

She: "Working the night shift you have tomorrow, today, and yesterday."

Me: "How did you wind up in Colorado?" Him: "My friends ditched me."

Pilot: "In Hawaii there's an island with a runway and at the end of it there are waves that go over it. You have to time your landing to avoid the waves."

Older man: "I was working in Costco in the food area and they asked me what area I wanted to move to. I told them I wanted to work in the parking lot pushing carts because I had gained weight eating a lot of pizza and hot dogs and I was going to work it off. The young guys couldn't keep up with me."

She: "I was a medevac pilot in Hawaii and my plane needed major repairs.  I kept telling the company and writing up the reports, but they did nothing about it. I finally left after two years and they tried to blacklist me from other work.  A year after I left, the plane crashed and several people died."

I asked if they were married and he said, "Yes, we are married with children. Just call her Peg and me Al Bundy."

MORE RIDER COMMENTS

Me: "How did you two meet?" She: "He was in line behind me and bought me a Latte in the coffee shop." I asked him, "How often did you do that?"

Young guy: "I thought of doing the van life, but I kind of like having an actual bathroom."

He is from San Antonio, Texas and he is professional trucker with a CDL for a lot of years. I asked, "My sister told me there are a lot of dark roads in San Antonio, does that sound right?" He said, "No, not at all, tell her to turn on her headlights." (My mistake it was Austin, Texas)

Looking at the picture of the Kansas City Super Bowl ring, the couple from Florida said, "Are son has the same one since he was the Social Media Coordinator for them." They showed me a picture of their son with the ring and he knew my rider who worked for them four years ago.

He asked me, "Where are you from?" I said, "New Jersey" and he replied, "I'm sorry to hear that."

Getting in the car, the younger guy said, "I like to get in an Uber, put my headphones on and just enjoy doing me."

Going to work at 6 am on a Sunday morning that was his birthday, he said, "I'm happy to be here today and I'm here with a smile."

Young man: "I like working in maintenance, it's a lot better than climbing trees to prune them."

She: "I used to work in the airport and I was surprised there were so many angry people who were going on vacation." 

The pilot told me that there are more problems on flights with women than men. "Men will apologize and say it won't happen again, but women just won't comply.  They think they have rights, but they don't on a plane. It is not a democracy."

Telling them about some of the unusual things I learned about Ethiopia, he said, "Their New Year's Celebration is on 9-11."

He: "My wife and I have two boys, 7 and 11 and we feel we won the lottery, they are great kids."

"My sisters' name means princess and mine means sturdy.  I feel like I got short-handed." With a very unique name, he said, "The person is what matters most, not their name."

I told her I met my wife at Burger King and she said, "I met my husband at Wendy's.  He was the manager and interviewed me for a job. We got to know each other while we worked."

The journalist who loves tennis, told me that in the past, "I've played doubles with Serena Williams and all the big names."

"I bought the last seat on a flight and I had a boarding pass for our flight last night and they would not let me on the plane.  We had get another flight for today."

She: "It's a Mexican tradition to celebrate a big party by killing a cow or pig and eating it and my 98 year-old uncle still does the killing."

"In my country, Nepal, we have the highest mountain in the world-Mt. Everest."

He: "I had to get out of Cincinnati because it's super humid and everyone's in a bad mood."

"A friend of mine told me that the worst summer of her life was when her daughter had just graduated high school and was about to go to college.  I'm going through that now."

She: "I'm 64, but my mind is still 20, maybe 30 years old."

When I told the nurse the story of the ICU nurse who handled stress by taking off her badge and bra in the hospital parking garage, she said, "Taking off the compression socks are better for me."

The young guy from the Congo said, "Africa is no good, they are always fighting."

He: "I was on a never-ending treadmill in the corporate world in financial services, so I gave it up to work for a non-profit."

"It's rare, but we do get temperatures over 100 degrees in San Diego."

He: "My name in Ethiopia means sunshine. " I told him my business name was, "The Sunshine Man."

He: "Brighton, Colorado used to be a dirty place. I don't think you get your money's worth living here."

He: "I needed to get out of Alaska, the economy was pretty bad."

She: "I convinced my mom to buy an ice cream store."

I asked the retired guy, "What did you do for work?" He: "I did security for idiots." (He actually worked security in a mental hospital. 

He: "Some of Washington State smells like piss and sea salt."

Giving him a note for his boss that said the below, he replied, "I'm gonna brag about this." 

 

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT COLORADO?

He: "The mountains, I'm up there all the time. I hike, camp, fish-there's always something to do."

She: "The resources they have available for single parents."

"The people are the best.  Some of the new people coming in have a different vibe, some are just grumpy."

"I can't get enough of the mountains."

"I like the hiking and the people."

"The view."

"It's not the standard of living."

"Colorado reminds me of my country, Nepal."

"I have a stellar view of the mountains."

WHAT COUNTRIES WERE MY PASSENGERS FROM?

Trinidad, Columbia, The Congo, Senegal, Cuba(2), South Korea, Venezuela, India, Ethiopia(2), Eritrea (Africa), Austria, Honduras, Philippines, Mexico, Nepal, Brazil, Guatemala, Benin (Africa), Australia.

Thanks to the Austrian couple who gave me this Euro bill that was more valuable than the one I had.  This one is worth $11.58 here.

UNIQUE OCCUPATIONS

Owner four vape shops

In Cannabis industry, podcaster and rapper

Medevac Pilot

Customer Service for shoe company in Austria

Own Cigar Company in Dominican Republic

Model

Just retired from The National Institute of Health in D.C.

Former coin maker in Mexico

Former tree pruner

From Alaska he's now a machine operator making ice in Colorado

Owner of the largest finance and technology company in Ethiopia

WHAT RIDERS SAY ABOUT ME AND MY CAR?

"Just so you know, I've been in hundreds maybe thousands of Ubers around the country and this is the best one I've been in."

"I'll never forget the ride. That was incredible."

"You have all the good juju here." (Definition: it is a place associated with good luck and positive energy.)

"This is crazy good."

"You made my day."

"Love this thing you do."

"It's 6 am and you got me smiling."

"Thank you for sharing your museum with me."

"You made our ride memorable."

I told him my business name was, "The Sunshine Man," and he called me "The Sunnyside Man."

"Thank you, you gave me some hope."

"That was a great ride."

"You're full of life, a real human."

"This is a beautiful car, keep doing what you're doing."

The woman with cancer said, "I'm trying to feel good today." When she got out, she said, "Be blessed."

"Beautiful"

"Thank you for being out here."

Former Brazilian Uber driver: "You're a good driver."

"This was a fun ride."

"You are so nice."

"Cool the way you did this."

"This is cute."

"Super cool"

"Impressive"

"I really like what you've done with the place."

"I really like this car."

"You're the most interesting Uber driver I've ever had."

"This is wonderful."

"I love it."

"You many be the best Uber driver I've ever seen."

"I appreciate this."

"I love your car."

"Coolest ride I've ever had."

"Very interesting."

"I enjoyed the conversation."

"Car is good."