How often do you do something new, something that you've never done? It's probably not too often, but the other day I did. There are a lot of things we haven't done, some may be simple or common and others may be pretty rare or unusual.
The new Star Wars movie came out and my wife did not want to see it. I had mentioned it to a couple people, but didn't find the right person, so I went to see the movie myself. This is not an uncommon thing for a lot of people, but it was very different for me. I've probably been to a hundred movies with my wife. I've been to movies with my kids, my brother, friends and when I was little, my sister too. But, last Friday was different-it was just me and people I did not know.
This is how it went: I arrived in plenty of time and went to pay for my ticket. Most of the time my wife buys the ticket, but I have paid for movie tickets so nothing unusual there. As I approached the refreshment stand I looked and then looked away. I could go a couple hours without eating or drinking, but probably not more than three hours.
Entering the theater I got to choose where to sit. Could I sit in a place I wouldn't normally sit? Nah, I went to the back row and sat down almost in the middle of the row. The back row was almost completely empty so it was quiet, too quiet. I had no one to chat with and rate the previews. During the movie, I didn't ask or answer any questions. No one got up in front of me and no one nudged me when my eyes closed. The movie ended and I walked down the steps without discussing the movie with anyone.
The movie was terrific, but I missed being able to share it with someone, especially my wife. Would I do it again? I guess so, but it just wasn't as much fun as it could have been.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Monday, December 30, 2019
December Rider Stories
THE PFISH PEOPLE: I drove many Pfish fans to the concert in Charleston on a Saturday and Sunday and I learned a lot. The fans are called "Pfishheads" or "Phans" and they are some of the most dedicated music fans around. I had many passengers who had been to 50 or more concerts, including one who was going to his 294th Pfish concert. The group started in Vermont in 1983 and has never had a commercial hit. They are known for playing a wide variety of music and are exceptional musicians. It seems that many "Phans" either play music now or used to play a musical instrumental. My passengers were fun to talk to and extremely knowledgeable about music and Pfish. Many of them have groups of friends that they meet up with at concerts, some they haven't seen in many years. They are a very close and friendly group and they have had success in their diverse careers so they are able to travel to the concerts. Possibly their most famous fan is Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who is running for President of the United States. One guy summed it up best when he said that, "Pfish is the most popular band that no one has ever heard of."
THE CANCER SURGEON: He has accepted a job in Charleston after turning down an offer at Harvard. He was one of the doctors who had Steven Jobs as a patient. Fortunately, he didn't get into any medical details in my car, but he was very interesting to listen to. His success rate with patients is around 70%, while most doctors have a 7% success rate. A few years back he was told by one of his supervisors that his methods were not acceptable. Four years later, the same supervisor offered him a prestigious position in front of an auditorium crowd and he pretended he couldn't hear him. The supervisor joked that he owed him some drinks since he was the motivation for his success and persistence. He told me something he tells his students, "when you are convinced you are doing something right, you should always be persistent in your efforts."
THE STUDENT: I have heard that some people say that, "you can never have enough education," however, how many people live that? My passenger is completing her 7th degree, her fourth bachelor's degree, 2nd associates degree and one master's degree. (or is it 2 bachelor's, 4 associates and a master's degree?) She is a massage therapist and does other therapy too. She told me, "the benefits are terrible and the pay too." I told her it would make a great commercial with the last line-"come join me, you'll love it." When I dropped her off to go on a cruise she said, "I've been too busy being a student to travel." I mentioned that they probably had some classes on the cruise and she replied, "I did see one that looked interesting." She may be still in class, even on her cruise. She had an infectious laugh and I enjoyed entertaining her in my car.
THE ARGUMENT: As they got in the car they were arguing on a Saturday night about work. One of them was a chemist and the other one an engineer. They did have a couple drinks, but their battle continued for the entire ride. The woman,(the chemist) said, "we don't need people like you coming in to solve our problems. We do it ourselves and save money." At one point she was so angry she said, "I want to kill you." I had trouble following the words they were using and said, "I wish my son who is a chemical engineer could translate this for me." The guy said near the end of the ride, "I wish I was more aggressive in this argument, because I could win it." I said, "after 36 years of marriage I know that sometimes by not winning the argument, you actually win it." The woman yelled out, "that's what every F'N man in this country needs to learn." For my comment I got a hug from her when I dropped them off. I asked if they were together and they said they were friends sort of. I have a good feeling they are more than friends and the night was just beginning.
THE ITALIAN ENGINEER: I was taking him to see the new Star Wars movie which I had seen the day before. He loved going to movies, but doesn't go very often because of work. He lives in Italy and works on a cruise ship as one of the engineers and never has a day off. He enjoys it, but misses going to the movies. He had some hours off with the ship docked in Charleston. He told me that the most difficult part of the job is docking into port and coordinating it with the helm. We talked about Star Wars and all of the movies he has seen and most of them he saw several times. As he got out of my van I could not help it and got a big grin from him when I said, "may the force be with you."
THE CONDUCTOR: The concert conductor was in school college studying international relations and journalism when a professor said that he had the personality of a conductor. He was passionate about music so he decided to change his major. He's in charge of a large music building where he works as an employee, but as a conductor he is an independent contractor. We had a great conversation about the advantages and challenges of being an independent contractor.
THE HAIR LADY: She was annoyed immediately since I was looking for her on the other side of the building before I went to the correct side. She said almost nothing during our ride to her first stop. She was fixing her hair before we stopped. When she went in the store I got out to clean the car quickly. On the back seat was three large clumps of hair which I did not touch. When she came out I said with a smile, "I was just cleaning the car and found that on the back seat. I'm guessing you don't want them, but that's more hair than I have on my head." She did smile and took the hair back, but she was still unhappy.
THE SADDEST RIDE: Most of my rides are somewhere between pleasant and a lot of fun. Sometimes, I have a quiet ride since the passenger doesn't want to talk and occasionally I have a very odd ride. Rarely do I ever have a sad ride, but this one was awful. I picked up an older man who probably was in his seventies. He had been here a few days from Kentucky. His son had a serious medical issue earlier in the week when his blood pressure hit the roof and somehow damaged his brain. He still didn't have all the details, but his 45 year old son could not move parts of his body and showed signs of acting as a child. The story got worse because the son had recently lost his job and two months ago he had to bury his wife after a brain aneurysm. Two years ago,the son had to bury his only child who died in a car accident. I felt awful for the Dad and told him I would say a prayer for him.
With the new year beginning it's a good time to feel grateful for health and the life we have.
THE CANCER SURGEON: He has accepted a job in Charleston after turning down an offer at Harvard. He was one of the doctors who had Steven Jobs as a patient. Fortunately, he didn't get into any medical details in my car, but he was very interesting to listen to. His success rate with patients is around 70%, while most doctors have a 7% success rate. A few years back he was told by one of his supervisors that his methods were not acceptable. Four years later, the same supervisor offered him a prestigious position in front of an auditorium crowd and he pretended he couldn't hear him. The supervisor joked that he owed him some drinks since he was the motivation for his success and persistence. He told me something he tells his students, "when you are convinced you are doing something right, you should always be persistent in your efforts."
THE STUDENT: I have heard that some people say that, "you can never have enough education," however, how many people live that? My passenger is completing her 7th degree, her fourth bachelor's degree, 2nd associates degree and one master's degree. (or is it 2 bachelor's, 4 associates and a master's degree?) She is a massage therapist and does other therapy too. She told me, "the benefits are terrible and the pay too." I told her it would make a great commercial with the last line-"come join me, you'll love it." When I dropped her off to go on a cruise she said, "I've been too busy being a student to travel." I mentioned that they probably had some classes on the cruise and she replied, "I did see one that looked interesting." She may be still in class, even on her cruise. She had an infectious laugh and I enjoyed entertaining her in my car.
THE ARGUMENT: As they got in the car they were arguing on a Saturday night about work. One of them was a chemist and the other one an engineer. They did have a couple drinks, but their battle continued for the entire ride. The woman,(the chemist) said, "we don't need people like you coming in to solve our problems. We do it ourselves and save money." At one point she was so angry she said, "I want to kill you." I had trouble following the words they were using and said, "I wish my son who is a chemical engineer could translate this for me." The guy said near the end of the ride, "I wish I was more aggressive in this argument, because I could win it." I said, "after 36 years of marriage I know that sometimes by not winning the argument, you actually win it." The woman yelled out, "that's what every F'N man in this country needs to learn." For my comment I got a hug from her when I dropped them off. I asked if they were together and they said they were friends sort of. I have a good feeling they are more than friends and the night was just beginning.
THE ITALIAN ENGINEER: I was taking him to see the new Star Wars movie which I had seen the day before. He loved going to movies, but doesn't go very often because of work. He lives in Italy and works on a cruise ship as one of the engineers and never has a day off. He enjoys it, but misses going to the movies. He had some hours off with the ship docked in Charleston. He told me that the most difficult part of the job is docking into port and coordinating it with the helm. We talked about Star Wars and all of the movies he has seen and most of them he saw several times. As he got out of my van I could not help it and got a big grin from him when I said, "may the force be with you."
THE CONDUCTOR: The concert conductor was in school college studying international relations and journalism when a professor said that he had the personality of a conductor. He was passionate about music so he decided to change his major. He's in charge of a large music building where he works as an employee, but as a conductor he is an independent contractor. We had a great conversation about the advantages and challenges of being an independent contractor.
THE HAIR LADY: She was annoyed immediately since I was looking for her on the other side of the building before I went to the correct side. She said almost nothing during our ride to her first stop. She was fixing her hair before we stopped. When she went in the store I got out to clean the car quickly. On the back seat was three large clumps of hair which I did not touch. When she came out I said with a smile, "I was just cleaning the car and found that on the back seat. I'm guessing you don't want them, but that's more hair than I have on my head." She did smile and took the hair back, but she was still unhappy.
THE SADDEST RIDE: Most of my rides are somewhere between pleasant and a lot of fun. Sometimes, I have a quiet ride since the passenger doesn't want to talk and occasionally I have a very odd ride. Rarely do I ever have a sad ride, but this one was awful. I picked up an older man who probably was in his seventies. He had been here a few days from Kentucky. His son had a serious medical issue earlier in the week when his blood pressure hit the roof and somehow damaged his brain. He still didn't have all the details, but his 45 year old son could not move parts of his body and showed signs of acting as a child. The story got worse because the son had recently lost his job and two months ago he had to bury his wife after a brain aneurysm. Two years ago,the son had to bury his only child who died in a car accident. I felt awful for the Dad and told him I would say a prayer for him.
With the new year beginning it's a good time to feel grateful for health and the life we have.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Who Has A "Zest for Life?"
I have heard the phrase before, "zest for life," but the other day I was told that I have it. A rider commented on the my app, " I love your zest for life." I'm pretty sure she was a professor who I did make laugh a lot during the ride. I've never had someone say that about me, maybe it is accurate. It got me thinking about what it really is and who do I consider to have a "zest for life."
I checked the internet of course for a definition and I found, "a feeling of enjoyment and enthusiasm for life." A broader explanation was, "they are full of life; filled with anticipation in looking beyond the next horizon; filled with enthusiasm as they extend their warmth and compassion to everyone they meet; or bubbling over with humor as they meet both the hills and valleys of life headlong. These are people who never see a roadblock but only a solution; these are people who will give their services to others before thinking of their own needs; these are people who you love to be around because it's impossible to stay moody and blue in their presence."
I'm too modest to say I fit perfectly to that description, but I can see that I may be considered to be in the ballpark. When I'm driving and picking up people, I am enthusiastically interested in who they are and what they've done. I never know what great story or comment I'll hear or will this ride be one of my favorite rides? Also, one of the reasons Monday is my favorite day of the week is that I can focus on the week ahead and not what happened last week or on the weekend.
These are a couple people I've come in contact with who I think have a "zest for life." In one of the hospitals there is a guy I always see walking in the hallways whistling. You can't help but notice it and although I've never said more than a few words to him, I have a strong feeling he is very optimistic about life. In another hospital is a guy who volunteers and is in a wheelchair. I don't know his story, but he always has a big smile on his face and says hello to me. He's someone you can tell is fun to be around. Earlier this year I had a passenger who had recovered from a very serious car accident in high school and he works as a greeter in a store and he considered himself, "an attitude adjuster." When I dropped him off at a breakfast place that hadn't opened yet, he stood at the door clowning around by flapping his arms like a bird to the person walking towards the door. He was a real joy to talk with him.
As the above quote says, "there are people who you love to be around." Imagine a world where everyone had a goal to be one of those people! So, who do you know who has a "zest for life?"
I checked the internet of course for a definition and I found, "a feeling of enjoyment and enthusiasm for life." A broader explanation was, "they are full of life; filled with anticipation in looking beyond the next horizon; filled with enthusiasm as they extend their warmth and compassion to everyone they meet; or bubbling over with humor as they meet both the hills and valleys of life headlong. These are people who never see a roadblock but only a solution; these are people who will give their services to others before thinking of their own needs; these are people who you love to be around because it's impossible to stay moody and blue in their presence."
I'm too modest to say I fit perfectly to that description, but I can see that I may be considered to be in the ballpark. When I'm driving and picking up people, I am enthusiastically interested in who they are and what they've done. I never know what great story or comment I'll hear or will this ride be one of my favorite rides? Also, one of the reasons Monday is my favorite day of the week is that I can focus on the week ahead and not what happened last week or on the weekend.
These are a couple people I've come in contact with who I think have a "zest for life." In one of the hospitals there is a guy I always see walking in the hallways whistling. You can't help but notice it and although I've never said more than a few words to him, I have a strong feeling he is very optimistic about life. In another hospital is a guy who volunteers and is in a wheelchair. I don't know his story, but he always has a big smile on his face and says hello to me. He's someone you can tell is fun to be around. Earlier this year I had a passenger who had recovered from a very serious car accident in high school and he works as a greeter in a store and he considered himself, "an attitude adjuster." When I dropped him off at a breakfast place that hadn't opened yet, he stood at the door clowning around by flapping his arms like a bird to the person walking towards the door. He was a real joy to talk with him.
As the above quote says, "there are people who you love to be around." Imagine a world where everyone had a goal to be one of those people! So, who do you know who has a "zest for life?"
Monday, December 16, 2019
MALL WALKING THIRTY YEARS AGO TONIGHT
There are some things you don't forget, however, most people can easily forget walking in a mall. But, thirty years ago, was really unforgettable. We were going to be first time parents and my wife was ready. The advice we had always heard was to go to a mall and just walk a lot when she was close. I don't know what that does or how it works. Could it be that the baby sees how much fun walking in the mall is and wants to join you?
After a lengthy walk we headed home to go to bed. That next morning was a Sunday and it was the day. It was a little nerve racking getting to the hospital, but we made it. They put me in a room and told me to put on some scrubs or gown- it was something I had to cover myself with. And, then I waited and waited which seemed like an eternity.
Finally, they brought me in and my wife was lying there and they said, "she's just about ready." I almost missed the birth, not that I really saw it. I was more concerned about my wife so I was talking to her and watching her. I was confident the doctor could take care of the baby. This of course is the one time in my life that focusing on my wife is not the best course of action. She wanted me to watch the birth.
And then, just like that in the nine o'clock hour, we had a baby girl. My wife was holding her with a big grin on her face and of course I wanted to get a picture of my two favorite girls. Using all of my technical skills, I had the camera and said to my wife,"how does this work?" She set it up for me and I took the picture. (selfies weren't invented yet, otherwise she would have done it)
Our daughter turns 30 tomorrow on December 17th. Happy Birthday Tess! I'd use her real name, but she always tells me I shouldn't use real names, so I'll call her Tess today. She has been a joy in our life since the morning after we did some serious mall walking.
After a lengthy walk we headed home to go to bed. That next morning was a Sunday and it was the day. It was a little nerve racking getting to the hospital, but we made it. They put me in a room and told me to put on some scrubs or gown- it was something I had to cover myself with. And, then I waited and waited which seemed like an eternity.
Finally, they brought me in and my wife was lying there and they said, "she's just about ready." I almost missed the birth, not that I really saw it. I was more concerned about my wife so I was talking to her and watching her. I was confident the doctor could take care of the baby. This of course is the one time in my life that focusing on my wife is not the best course of action. She wanted me to watch the birth.
And then, just like that in the nine o'clock hour, we had a baby girl. My wife was holding her with a big grin on her face and of course I wanted to get a picture of my two favorite girls. Using all of my technical skills, I had the camera and said to my wife,"how does this work?" She set it up for me and I took the picture. (selfies weren't invented yet, otherwise she would have done it)
Our daughter turns 30 tomorrow on December 17th. Happy Birthday Tess! I'd use her real name, but she always tells me I shouldn't use real names, so I'll call her Tess today. She has been a joy in our life since the morning after we did some serious mall walking.
Friday, December 6, 2019
Everyone Loves Ramen?
I couldn't resist writing that title which of course is a parody to the name of the classic television show, "Everyone Loves Raymond." The real title of this blog is- "Something I Didn't Know-Ramen." As my wife and children will gladly tell you, there a lot of things I just do not know. I'm not talking about something like-how to build an igloo, but instead, things that a lot of people somehow know and I have no clue about. (of course this would include just about everything involving a computer or cellphone)
That is where Ramen comes in. I had to write about this since one of my daughter's said, "don't blog about this." I knew at that moment, I had to write this. I may make this a monthly blog on something I did not know and just heard about.
At a restaurant the day after Thanksgiving we were talking about food and someone mentioned Ramen. I really thought it was spelled Raymond or Ramon, or even Ramin. It's probably not capitalized either, but I had no idea what it was. We looked it up on the phone and it's some kind of noodles. According to Wikipedia, a very reliable source, this is the definition of what it is:
That is where Ramen comes in. I had to write about this since one of my daughter's said, "don't blog about this." I knew at that moment, I had to write this. I may make this a monthly blog on something I did not know and just heard about.
At a restaurant the day after Thanksgiving we were talking about food and someone mentioned Ramen. I really thought it was spelled Raymond or Ramon, or even Ramin. It's probably not capitalized either, but I had no idea what it was. We looked it up on the phone and it's some kind of noodles. According to Wikipedia, a very reliable source, this is the definition of what it is:
Ramen (/ˈrɑːmən/) (拉麺, ラーメン rāmen, IPA: [ɾaꜜːmeɴ]) is a Japanese dish with a translation of "pulled noodles". It consists of Chinese wheat noodles served in a meat or (occasionally) fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as sliced pork (叉焼 chāshū), nori (dried seaweed), menma, and scallions. Nearly every region in Japan has its own variation.
I can't believe this is common and everyone knows about it. We literally left the restaurant and less than a mile away we saw a restaurant with Ramen in the name. Are there a lot of these? I have no idea, but one of these days I'm going to have to eat Ramen. I like noodles, why not Ramen? And in the above definition of Ramen, it mentions "nori" as being dried seaweed. I think I know why I had never heard about that, but noodles that are called Ramen? I learned something, how about that?
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Happy Birthday Dad
Many times in my blogs I have referenced my readers who are over 90 and the truth is that I have only one reader over 90, my Dad. Today, December 5th, is his birthday. I won't tell you how old he is today, but at Thanksgiving he was 92 years old. (I know he just laughed at that and maybe one of my children)
My Dad will be slightly to mildly embarrassed reading something about himself, but there's no need to be concerned Dad. There are only about a dozen people reading this and most of them are related to us.
I call my Dad 5-6 times a week and in five to ten minutes we cover all the important things in life: what the weather was that day in New Jersey and Myrtle Beach, if I had a long day, and of course we talk about the latest Knick and Giant loss. Right now, he's thinking about what he's going to say when I call tonight, he might even say he read this post.
Dad, I didn't send you a card since I made you one that I gave you on Thanksgiving. I made him cards for each holiday during the next year. I saved on postage and buying a card and they look ridiculous. The card I made wished him a Happy Birthday and it had 90 plus dashes on the paper and it said something like, "These 90 plus marks on the paper would look like candles if I could draw candles."
Happy Birthday Dad, I love you.
My Dad will be slightly to mildly embarrassed reading something about himself, but there's no need to be concerned Dad. There are only about a dozen people reading this and most of them are related to us.
I call my Dad 5-6 times a week and in five to ten minutes we cover all the important things in life: what the weather was that day in New Jersey and Myrtle Beach, if I had a long day, and of course we talk about the latest Knick and Giant loss. Right now, he's thinking about what he's going to say when I call tonight, he might even say he read this post.
Dad, I didn't send you a card since I made you one that I gave you on Thanksgiving. I made him cards for each holiday during the next year. I saved on postage and buying a card and they look ridiculous. The card I made wished him a Happy Birthday and it had 90 plus dashes on the paper and it said something like, "These 90 plus marks on the paper would look like candles if I could draw candles."
Happy Birthday Dad, I love you.
I Can't Forget About the Cranberry Bread
In my last post, I spared you a list of all the foods I ate during our 100 hour Thanksgiving Feast. However, I did forget to mention one of my all-time favorite foods: cranberry bread. I talked about it too much last year on this blog, so I will spare you on all the details.
However, my wife made a bunch of cranberry bread for the holiday and she brought two small loaves with us for me to eat in the car. And eat them I did! They were delicious. It was my Mom's recipe and my wife made them perfectly.
Of course, I did not eat them perfectly. I ate them in the car, mostly while I was driving. There were crumbs that I could not get before they hit the ground and my wife wound up cleaning them off the mat. If I had to pick one food that was the best thing I ate over the four days, it would be the cranberry bread. Although, that chocolate cake Friday was great and the piece I had after dinner Thursday was really good too. The scallops were amazing Friday night and I loved the Turkey breasts we had for dinner on Thursday. I lost track on how many times I ate chicken, but the chicken was all really good.
I'm done, but I'm hungry again. It's all because I forgot about the cranberry bread!
However, my wife made a bunch of cranberry bread for the holiday and she brought two small loaves with us for me to eat in the car. And eat them I did! They were delicious. It was my Mom's recipe and my wife made them perfectly.
Of course, I did not eat them perfectly. I ate them in the car, mostly while I was driving. There were crumbs that I could not get before they hit the ground and my wife wound up cleaning them off the mat. If I had to pick one food that was the best thing I ate over the four days, it would be the cranberry bread. Although, that chocolate cake Friday was great and the piece I had after dinner Thursday was really good too. The scallops were amazing Friday night and I loved the Turkey breasts we had for dinner on Thursday. I lost track on how many times I ate chicken, but the chicken was all really good.
I'm done, but I'm hungry again. It's all because I forgot about the cranberry bread!
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
100 Hours of Thanksgiving Eating
(Warning: If you're hungry or just ate a lot, you may want to put off reading this right now)
It's very common that the week after Thanksgiving you hear someone say, "I ate too much at Thanksgiving." Sometimes it's the turkey or the side dishes or the desserts or even all three of them. There's no question that people eat a lot on Thanksgiving, but that's really only part of the story.
What about people who travel to celebrate the holiday? They are usually not just eating one day, but several days. Everything gets mixed into celebrating the holiday and it's pretty normal to eat too much every day.
Our holiday, driving to New Jersey and back to South Carolina, added up to four days, or approximately 100 hours of excessive eating. It didn't have to be that way, but it's very easy to do-it's a holiday.
I ate in eight restaurants during that time. That is enough for a few months for me,, but I did it in 100 hours. I ate breakfast three straight days in hotels and enjoyed hot eggs, which were very good. After drinking only a half a glass of soda the past two months, during by Thanksgiving Feast I think I had close to ten glasses of soda. One day I had two breakfasts by adding on a bagel and cream cheese and a half of a breakfast sandwich. I only had three pieces of chocolate cake, but no ice cream.
Our final destination for the holiday came about two hours from home Sunday night. We finally stopped and ate KFC for the first time since moving to the south. We sat there eating that chicken as if we had never eaten chicken before. Just to top it off, I left one piece for lunch the next day and as I was driving, I devoured the last of our Thanksgiving Feast.
I will not be getting on my scale this week, because I know what's there-a lot. It was fun and unhealthy and we'll probably do it all again next year. I may even cut back a little bit. Yesterday,
I told someone I was delivering to, that I ate too much for the holiday. She said, "I wasn't really hungry on Thanksgiving." If you're not hungry on Thanksgiving, you really have a problem! I feel sorry for her.
It's very common that the week after Thanksgiving you hear someone say, "I ate too much at Thanksgiving." Sometimes it's the turkey or the side dishes or the desserts or even all three of them. There's no question that people eat a lot on Thanksgiving, but that's really only part of the story.
What about people who travel to celebrate the holiday? They are usually not just eating one day, but several days. Everything gets mixed into celebrating the holiday and it's pretty normal to eat too much every day.
Our holiday, driving to New Jersey and back to South Carolina, added up to four days, or approximately 100 hours of excessive eating. It didn't have to be that way, but it's very easy to do-it's a holiday.
I ate in eight restaurants during that time. That is enough for a few months for me,, but I did it in 100 hours. I ate breakfast three straight days in hotels and enjoyed hot eggs, which were very good. After drinking only a half a glass of soda the past two months, during by Thanksgiving Feast I think I had close to ten glasses of soda. One day I had two breakfasts by adding on a bagel and cream cheese and a half of a breakfast sandwich. I only had three pieces of chocolate cake, but no ice cream.
Our final destination for the holiday came about two hours from home Sunday night. We finally stopped and ate KFC for the first time since moving to the south. We sat there eating that chicken as if we had never eaten chicken before. Just to top it off, I left one piece for lunch the next day and as I was driving, I devoured the last of our Thanksgiving Feast.
I will not be getting on my scale this week, because I know what's there-a lot. It was fun and unhealthy and we'll probably do it all again next year. I may even cut back a little bit. Yesterday,
I told someone I was delivering to, that I ate too much for the holiday. She said, "I wasn't really hungry on Thanksgiving." If you're not hungry on Thanksgiving, you really have a problem! I feel sorry for her.
Monday, December 2, 2019
November Rider Quotes
"Do we smell good or do we smell like a whorehouse?"(4 women from Savannah dressed up)
"I've been to Greg Norman's Restaurant 200-300 times."
"We can't see you. We're in the parking lot. We are three medium to large sized humans."
First words from the rider- "So you don't eat salad?"
"In New York, people always look angry."
"So you're married 36 years? How's that working for you?"
"I had a problem with an Uber driver.(in Charleston) He showed my partner and I a video of him partying with girls he picked up. He was kissing them and they were flashing and he looked like he was 70 years old."
"I'm 75 years old and I have 35 grandchildren."
"I don't roar, unless he needs to be roared at."
"I'm surprised you're from the north, you seem like a southerner"
"New Mexico is the "Land of Entrapment." It's too beautiful there to move, but there's absolutely nothing to do there."
"I moved to San Diego to chase women when I was young and stupid. I found her and married her."
"There aren't enough restaurants in Mt. Pleasant."(TripAdvisor says there are 502!)
"I wish people down here would be a little less nice, but more efficient in their work."
"People in New York think I'm insane for smiling so much." (grew up in the south)
"I'm not a very nice person."
"We'd like to get a van like yours and throw all the suckers in the back for a trip."(7 dogs they love)
"I love people, I believe in their existence."
"I have a very short attention span, just ask my friends."
"I once bought a gallon of milk in Hawaii for $12."
"If you believe in your heart that you should do something, you should do it."
"Hipsters are all about beards and brunch. Many of them have beards and they love to eat brunch."
"I paid almost $900 a month in gas for my truck in California and I really didn't drive a lot."
"I have the softest hands." Me: "I'll have to take your word for it." Rider: "I demonstrate the lotion by massaging people's hands. I like people-they have hands."
"I'll sit up front, I didn't want you to be subservient to me."
(A South Carolina guy drove a 20 year old woman from Columbia to Myrtle Beach after her car broke down and paid $150 for her car to be towed and refused any payment) New Jersey Rider said: "If that happened in New Jersey he would have shot her and taken her car."
"The Three Stooges were really stupid."
"There are too many people on the planet"
(Sleep-deprived young female on Sunday morning who was still feeling some effects from drinking on Saturday night) I'm a f______n' Academic Weapon."
"I've been to Greg Norman's Restaurant 200-300 times."
"We can't see you. We're in the parking lot. We are three medium to large sized humans."
First words from the rider- "So you don't eat salad?"
"In New York, people always look angry."
"So you're married 36 years? How's that working for you?"
"I had a problem with an Uber driver.(in Charleston) He showed my partner and I a video of him partying with girls he picked up. He was kissing them and they were flashing and he looked like he was 70 years old."
"I'm 75 years old and I have 35 grandchildren."
"I don't roar, unless he needs to be roared at."
"I'm surprised you're from the north, you seem like a southerner"
"New Mexico is the "Land of Entrapment." It's too beautiful there to move, but there's absolutely nothing to do there."
"I moved to San Diego to chase women when I was young and stupid. I found her and married her."
"There aren't enough restaurants in Mt. Pleasant."(TripAdvisor says there are 502!)
"I wish people down here would be a little less nice, but more efficient in their work."
"People in New York think I'm insane for smiling so much." (grew up in the south)
"I'm not a very nice person."
"We'd like to get a van like yours and throw all the suckers in the back for a trip."(7 dogs they love)
"I love people, I believe in their existence."
"I have a very short attention span, just ask my friends."
"I once bought a gallon of milk in Hawaii for $12."
"If you believe in your heart that you should do something, you should do it."
"Hipsters are all about beards and brunch. Many of them have beards and they love to eat brunch."
"I paid almost $900 a month in gas for my truck in California and I really didn't drive a lot."
"I have the softest hands." Me: "I'll have to take your word for it." Rider: "I demonstrate the lotion by massaging people's hands. I like people-they have hands."
"I'll sit up front, I didn't want you to be subservient to me."
(A South Carolina guy drove a 20 year old woman from Columbia to Myrtle Beach after her car broke down and paid $150 for her car to be towed and refused any payment) New Jersey Rider said: "If that happened in New Jersey he would have shot her and taken her car."
"The Three Stooges were really stupid."
"There are too many people on the planet"
(Sleep-deprived young female on Sunday morning who was still feeling some effects from drinking on Saturday night) I'm a f______n' Academic Weapon."
Sunday, December 1, 2019
November Rider Stories
THE ULTIMATE SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY STORY: I know that I have a bunch of good stories that make people laugh and surprise people who are not used to people being so nice. However, my 21 year old passenger from Minnesota, has the best story. She has been in South Carolina less than two years and about a year ago her car broke down and she needed coolant. She had to walk two miles to a gas station and when she bought it a man pumping gas asked her if she needed help. She asked if he could drive her to her car two miles away and the man did it and put the coolant in, but there was a hole and she was really stuck. She was in Columbia, South Carolina, over two hours away from Myrtle Beach where she lived. The man offered to drive her home. She said that he was very religious and he felt that God was telling him that day to help someone. He drove her home and then drove over two hours back to Columbia. He refused to take any money from her. Her car had to be towed and he paid $150 and would not let her pay him back. I told her that in a recent travel survey that South Carolina was voted the number three friendliest state and Minnesota was voted number one. She said that South Carolina was definitely friendlier than Minnesota, which is where she had spent most of her life. It's going to take me a long time to come up with a Southern Hospitality story to beat this one.
THE RIDE: (This is the condensed story I wrote my comedy sketch about recently)During the past sixteen months I've given about 2,700 Uber and Lyft rides. There has been only a few times that I have had an unusual and instant connection with a rider. It happened recently on a Saturday night in downtown Charleston with my last ride which was 1.24 miles and took 9 minutes to finish.. I pulled up on one side of the street and recognized four women in their twenties(?), on the other side of the road. As they crossed the street, one of them who I'll call "K", was leading the pack and immediately started commending me on my high rating as a driver. I started laughing,because she was crossing a busy street in the dark and I knew immediately this was going to be a ride to remember. I opened the front door for her and said something about the service she was getting.
As I started driving, "K" said to me, "the ride is only a mile long, is that okay?" Having known her for about thirty seconds I said, "you're all already in the car, I'm kind of stuck with you." Her reply was something like, "if you kick us out, I'm going to have to rate you a 1." I immediately said, "you do realize that I get to rate the passenger, right?" I asked who was the person who ordered the ride and "k" told me that she was in the back.(she lied, it was her) When I found out I said, "have you ever done stand-up?" She replied, "no, should I? We should do it together, maybe later tonight?"
I was trying to get them to their destination in the dark and the woman to my right had me laughing constantly while I tried to keep pace with her. I told her that recently a rider gave me the nickname, "Jeff-fro, No-fro," and she suddenly blurted out, "I have to show you something, I have to show you something."(this is distracting when a woman is saying that to a man while he's driving) I had her wait until I finally stopped and saw a picture of her in the second grade with an afro, which fit right into the conversation, because she was no-fro now too.
I told her that I would definitely have to write about her in my blog and she said she wanted to read it so I made plans to send it to her. I believe she had a couple drinks, but it was obvious to me that she had quite a personality. I told her that I wouldn't be able to take her on a longer route, because I would be laughing too much. This was a ride that would be impossible to forget.
THE NURSE TO BE: I started driving my passenger to Wal-Mart where she was going to work. She was definitely a little stressed out. In three weeks she was going to graduate from a Nursing Program and she would be able to get a full-time job that would pay her very well. She was focusing on all the work she had to do for school and she was overwhelmed. Her goal was to work in a hospital in the MUSC Department to care for very small children. She had worked part-time there and was told she did great work, but she lacked the confidence in herself to believe that she was really good. I gave her a pep talk and we talked about how great it's going to feel to achieve her first significant goal. I told her that she could get it done and I would provide her with some extra motivation the first week of December. I told her to send me her e-mail address and I would e-mail her this story. So, I'm now talking to you "nurse to be": you're going to do it and you will be very proud of what you've accomplished. Don't forget: there are Mom's and Dad's out there who will be counting on your loving care to help their child. Congratulations on your graduation!
THE DIE-HARD RED SOX FAN: We were having a good conversation when he said he was a big Red Sox fan. Immediately, I went into my fun story where I educated two close friends who were about 26 and one rooted for The Red Sox and the other for The Yankees. I knew he would like the story, but he interrupted me before I could finish. He knew I would love his story. He is from Connecticut, and half his family are Red Sox fans and the other half are Yankee fans. His grandfather was a huge Yankee fan and oddly enough all the grandchildren except him were Yankee fans. His grandfather, a die-hard Yankee fan, always needled him about being a Red Sox fan, but he got his revenge. His grandfather passed away one month after the Red Sox won their first World Series in 2004 since the early 1900's. At the funeral, many of the grandchildren left Yankee things in the coffin with their grandfather. My passenger took a newspaper of the Red Sox winning the championship and tucked it under his grandfather's arm inside the coffin. But, it got even better! Three years later, The Red Sox won another championship and this guy went to the cemetery with a friend of his and brought his grandfather's favorite liquor. They toasted The Red Sox championship and he left another newspaper showing them winning the championship, on top of his grandfather's tombstone. I'm going to have start telling his story!
NOT SCOTT: I was scheduled to pick up Scott, but it was obvious immediately that it wasn't going to happen. A woman in her 40's came smiling out of the house towards my car. I said, "There's no way you're Scott." She said, "I am Scott. Why can't I be Scott?" "You are not Scott," I said again. She said, "Scott could be a very nice name for a girl." She wasn't Scott, but I told her I would call her, "not Scott." Our conversation turned pretty serious, since she was still upset by what happened at school with her thirteen year old son two days ago. He was going to get in trouble for using his cell phone, when suddenly he started crying. His mom said he's been going through some "puberty" things and was trying to avoid getting in trouble. The Vice-Principal got involved and asked her son if everything was okay at home and asked if anyone had a drinking problem. The boy told him that his Mom got "tipsy" sometimes. You can imagine how well that went over with "not Scott." Then, the Vice Principal called a woman who she carpools with and asked her if everything was okay in the family. "Not Scott" vented a lot and told me more about her marriage and family situation then I needed to know. She's a professional artist and she showed some of the things she's done and it was impressive. My advice to her was to vent all she wants before approaching the Vice-Principal or the Principal. It sounds like the Vice-Principal went a little too far in his concern for her son. I would have just laughed about it and then spoke to someone, but I think "not Scott" will need a little more venting before she deals with it.
HE BECAME A SOUTHERNER: Growing up in Spokane, Washington was very different than living in North Carolina now. Out west, people were very tough and individualistic and on their own a lot. They always felt that they were capable of making their own decisions. My rider told me it was a big adjustment moving to the South. He could not get over how friendly people were and that his in-laws were constantly trying to do things for him. He said, "I had to get used to how people talked to me." He explained the cultural differences and that people in the South show how much they care by paying a lot of attention to you. It's just not the same out west, but he does like it now. It's not that easy "becoming a southerner."
THE RIDE: (This is the condensed story I wrote my comedy sketch about recently)During the past sixteen months I've given about 2,700 Uber and Lyft rides. There has been only a few times that I have had an unusual and instant connection with a rider. It happened recently on a Saturday night in downtown Charleston with my last ride which was 1.24 miles and took 9 minutes to finish.. I pulled up on one side of the street and recognized four women in their twenties(?), on the other side of the road. As they crossed the street, one of them who I'll call "K", was leading the pack and immediately started commending me on my high rating as a driver. I started laughing,because she was crossing a busy street in the dark and I knew immediately this was going to be a ride to remember. I opened the front door for her and said something about the service she was getting.
As I started driving, "K" said to me, "the ride is only a mile long, is that okay?" Having known her for about thirty seconds I said, "you're all already in the car, I'm kind of stuck with you." Her reply was something like, "if you kick us out, I'm going to have to rate you a 1." I immediately said, "you do realize that I get to rate the passenger, right?" I asked who was the person who ordered the ride and "k" told me that she was in the back.(she lied, it was her) When I found out I said, "have you ever done stand-up?" She replied, "no, should I? We should do it together, maybe later tonight?"
I was trying to get them to their destination in the dark and the woman to my right had me laughing constantly while I tried to keep pace with her. I told her that recently a rider gave me the nickname, "Jeff-fro, No-fro," and she suddenly blurted out, "I have to show you something, I have to show you something."(this is distracting when a woman is saying that to a man while he's driving) I had her wait until I finally stopped and saw a picture of her in the second grade with an afro, which fit right into the conversation, because she was no-fro now too.
I told her that I would definitely have to write about her in my blog and she said she wanted to read it so I made plans to send it to her. I believe she had a couple drinks, but it was obvious to me that she had quite a personality. I told her that I wouldn't be able to take her on a longer route, because I would be laughing too much. This was a ride that would be impossible to forget.
THE NURSE TO BE: I started driving my passenger to Wal-Mart where she was going to work. She was definitely a little stressed out. In three weeks she was going to graduate from a Nursing Program and she would be able to get a full-time job that would pay her very well. She was focusing on all the work she had to do for school and she was overwhelmed. Her goal was to work in a hospital in the MUSC Department to care for very small children. She had worked part-time there and was told she did great work, but she lacked the confidence in herself to believe that she was really good. I gave her a pep talk and we talked about how great it's going to feel to achieve her first significant goal. I told her that she could get it done and I would provide her with some extra motivation the first week of December. I told her to send me her e-mail address and I would e-mail her this story. So, I'm now talking to you "nurse to be": you're going to do it and you will be very proud of what you've accomplished. Don't forget: there are Mom's and Dad's out there who will be counting on your loving care to help their child. Congratulations on your graduation!
THE DIE-HARD RED SOX FAN: We were having a good conversation when he said he was a big Red Sox fan. Immediately, I went into my fun story where I educated two close friends who were about 26 and one rooted for The Red Sox and the other for The Yankees. I knew he would like the story, but he interrupted me before I could finish. He knew I would love his story. He is from Connecticut, and half his family are Red Sox fans and the other half are Yankee fans. His grandfather was a huge Yankee fan and oddly enough all the grandchildren except him were Yankee fans. His grandfather, a die-hard Yankee fan, always needled him about being a Red Sox fan, but he got his revenge. His grandfather passed away one month after the Red Sox won their first World Series in 2004 since the early 1900's. At the funeral, many of the grandchildren left Yankee things in the coffin with their grandfather. My passenger took a newspaper of the Red Sox winning the championship and tucked it under his grandfather's arm inside the coffin. But, it got even better! Three years later, The Red Sox won another championship and this guy went to the cemetery with a friend of his and brought his grandfather's favorite liquor. They toasted The Red Sox championship and he left another newspaper showing them winning the championship, on top of his grandfather's tombstone. I'm going to have start telling his story!
NOT SCOTT: I was scheduled to pick up Scott, but it was obvious immediately that it wasn't going to happen. A woman in her 40's came smiling out of the house towards my car. I said, "There's no way you're Scott." She said, "I am Scott. Why can't I be Scott?" "You are not Scott," I said again. She said, "Scott could be a very nice name for a girl." She wasn't Scott, but I told her I would call her, "not Scott." Our conversation turned pretty serious, since she was still upset by what happened at school with her thirteen year old son two days ago. He was going to get in trouble for using his cell phone, when suddenly he started crying. His mom said he's been going through some "puberty" things and was trying to avoid getting in trouble. The Vice-Principal got involved and asked her son if everything was okay at home and asked if anyone had a drinking problem. The boy told him that his Mom got "tipsy" sometimes. You can imagine how well that went over with "not Scott." Then, the Vice Principal called a woman who she carpools with and asked her if everything was okay in the family. "Not Scott" vented a lot and told me more about her marriage and family situation then I needed to know. She's a professional artist and she showed some of the things she's done and it was impressive. My advice to her was to vent all she wants before approaching the Vice-Principal or the Principal. It sounds like the Vice-Principal went a little too far in his concern for her son. I would have just laughed about it and then spoke to someone, but I think "not Scott" will need a little more venting before she deals with it.
HE BECAME A SOUTHERNER: Growing up in Spokane, Washington was very different than living in North Carolina now. Out west, people were very tough and individualistic and on their own a lot. They always felt that they were capable of making their own decisions. My rider told me it was a big adjustment moving to the South. He could not get over how friendly people were and that his in-laws were constantly trying to do things for him. He said, "I had to get used to how people talked to me." He explained the cultural differences and that people in the South show how much they care by paying a lot of attention to you. It's just not the same out west, but he does like it now. It's not that easy "becoming a southerner."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)