A Tribute To Allan Sherman

One day around the year 1975 I went over to my best friend's house, Larry Osman.  I think we were in high school.  He played the guitar and he sang me part of a song he wrote called, "Jersey Traffic." He told me that the music was from a popular song. I thought it was pretty good and the idea of writing something to other music was a pretty cool thing to do.

It may have been that day he told me about a Jewish singer, Allan Sherman, who wrote a bunch of songs or parodies of other songs in the sixties. He played me the album he had. I thought it was so good that I asked him to put the songs on a cassette tape for me and I still have that tape today.

Between 1980 and 2024 I have written well over two hundred songs/parodies and Larry and Allan definitely deserve some of the credit and blame. I recently found out that Allan Sherman wrote the below autobiography and I bought it and read almost all of it flying to New Jersey recently.  Who was Allan Sherman and what incredible journey in life did he have?

They say that Allan Sherman was a comedian, a writer, a musician, and a television producer.  He created a television show, "I've Got A Secret" that was on the air for fifteen years. He produced it for six years. At the same time he struggled with bad health being overweight, an alcoholic, and a diabetic.  Before the Beatles became famous in February 1964 on the Ed Sullivan Show, Allan Sherman for a year and a half was almost as popular as The Beatles were in 1964.

He once lived next to Harpo Marx, one of the Marx brothers. He once lived in the exclusive Brentwood section of Los Angeles. He also  moved into a neighborhood that three weeks later ninety-one of the ninety-seven houses burned to the ground, but not his. He knew comedians and singers, but he really had no musical talent. He was fired as the producer of a television show for Steve Allen, before the show started.  

His life went up and down and being unemployed with a wife and two kids, he was on unemployment. He used to sing songs at parties for friends for free and sent Capital Records a bunch of songs, but he was turned down.("We don't think there's a market for this kind of thing.")

A friend got him an audition at Warner Brothers and they decided to record a comedy album of his songs called, "My Son, The Folk Singer." Quotes on the album were from friends who loved his songs, famous people like Harpo Marx, Steve Allen, Jack Benny, and Jerry Lewis. 

On October 7, 1962 the album was released and here are some of the ridiculous highlights:

1. The album became the fastest selling record album of all-time as of that date.

2. The Warner Brothers New York distributor ordered 100 copies on Monday and 30,000 more on Wednesday.

3. Frank Sinatra bought 25 copies to give out to all his friends.

4. The week before he was on unemployment and the first week the album was out it sold 65,000 albums and he made $23,000 that week. (In 1962)

5. He released three albums in 1962-1963 and they all went to number one on the charts.(A total of eight albums in his life)

6. His first single from his first album was "Sarah Jackman" and President Kennedy was overheard a number of times singing some of the words. (Parody of "Freres Jacques")

7. The Sam Goody record store in New York put up a sign, "Limit 12 To A Customer". 

8. It is said that he sold over 500,000 albums the first month and there is no definitive amount on how many millions he sold of that first album.

9. He turned down performing on The Ed Sullivan Show twice because he was terrified of performing, but he eventually did perform some concerts.

10. He guest hosted for Johnny Carson on "The Tonight Show" a number of times including once for an entire week.

11. The sudden death of President Kennedy in November of 1963 and The Beatles coming to America in February 1964, some say led to his popularity decreasing.

Most of his songs were parodies of other songs, but he did write and perform some original songs.  Many of the parodies on his first albums were filled with Jewish humor.  My favorite song he did was "The Ballad of Harry Lewis." Some others were: "Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah" (about going to Day Camp), "My Zelda", "Oh Boy", and "In Sherwood Forest There Lived a Knight."(Sir Greenbaum) He also did a song called, "Pop Hates the Beatles," in 1964.

It was a terrific book to read and his sudden success was absolutely incredible. You can look up these songs and hear some terrific lyrics. His first album was performed in front of a very amused and entertained crowd in  a studio and his songs are still very good sixty years later.

MY 1,000TH BLOG

If you had told me that I was going to write 1,000 blogs over 8 1/2 years I would not have believed you. However, according to my blog this is number 1,000. How did this start? 

On December 26, 2017 my wife, myself, and my youngest daughter each drove cars filled with stuff from New Jersey to South Carolina. We also had a pod sent down to our new home in Myrtle Beach. It was a big move for my wife and I over 600 miles and to a different part of the country.

I wanted to document our journey and decided to write a blog that I called, "Becoming a Southerner." In the first few days I wrote five different blogs with these titles: "Not About Politics", "Traveling the Day After Christmas," "It's Snowing in New Jersey," "Grits" and "Why Write a Blog?"

Somehow the five blogs came out the same week and they are dated almost exactly the same. Here are some excerpts from those blogs with my comments in parentheses:

"Keep in mind in the future that Dec. 27th is a much better day to travel on the road." (Massive traffic jams were awful)

"We had two shovels in New Jersey and I couldn't get rid of both of them, so I brought one to South Carolina just in case.  If it snows I'm going to be one of the only ones with a shovel." (It happened and it was great)

"Grits may not be for everyone, but I'll give it another shot."(Did not happen)

"From time to time I will probably go on the fringe of politics, without talking about politics."(I have written a few political blogs, maybe 3-5)

"You never know what I'll write unless you check out this blog on a somewhat regular basis."( I have written about a lot of topics)

I have enjoyed blogging about all the different things going on in my life including all my favorite riders, favorite rider comments, some books I've read, inspirational stories, unusual events, and things most people never think about.

Will I one day write my 1,500th blog or 2,000th blog? I have no idea. Will I write a book about my favorite blogs? That is a possibility. I do enjoy writing and documenting my life by putting out a blog every three days.  

Thank you for reading and also contributing to my blogs by being a part of my life.  And now-on to the next 1,000 blogs...

Above is my wife and I when we lived in Myrtle Beach in 2018 and below at a family wedding in July 2026.

HOW OLD IS OLD?

Recently someone referred to people in their sixties as being old.  I am 65 and about to turn 66, but I don't consider myself old. The President of The United States is 80, my friend Chuck who is about to publish his 28th book is 85 and the oldest water skier in the world is 95, yes, he's 95.

Bryan Murray of New Zealand was recently verified as the oldest male water skier at 94 years and 318 days. He's been waterskiing since 1955, which is before I was born. He has two kids, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Over the years he entered tournaments and did very well in slalom tricks and jumping.

"As I got older it became a challenge. I enjoyed it so much I just kept going. Most people tell me that I'm an inspiration to people of all ages. It encourages me to know that I'm leading the way for people to stay active." One of his favorite sayings is, "You don't stop because you're too old, you get old because you stop being active."

What will I be doing at 75 or 85 years old? Will I still be blogging? Driving Uber? Writing books? Will I consider myself old? On several occasions my dad when he was in his nineties would comment that the people in the independent living facility he was in, they were old. I don't think he considered himself old. 

Maybe I'll just say I'm older?

You Can't Do What?

Most people will agree that they don't like anyone telling them what they can't do, but it does happen. Did you ever hear about the ridiculous things that it's against the law to do? Well, it's a good thing you're reading this list today.  Here's what I'm talking about:

1. Snowball fights-how can be true? In Wausau, Wisconsin it is still against the law. The city once considered throwing snowballs as bad as throwing stones and shooting missiles. Who was shooting missiles is what I want to know. No one is being arrested these days for throwing snowballs, but they haven't gotten rid of the law.

2. You cannot camel hunt in Arizona. In the mid-1800's the Army brought camels to Arizona I guess for training purposes and they had to have a law put on the books to protect the camels.  Legend has it that they lost of them and they haven't found them yet, but you can't hunt them.

3. You can't talk and text if you're crossing a street in Honolulu, Hawaii. Why would you be texting with beautiful scenery all around? Why would you do that anywhere crossing a street?

4. I like apple pie and I like ice cream, but in Vermont if you're getting a slice of apple pie you need to have a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a piece of sharp cheddar, or a glass of cold milk. And, you have to be standing on one foot when you eat/drink them. Ok, I just threw the last one it. They are very big on desserts.

5. If you want to bear wrestle in Alabama it's against the law.  They officially banned it in 1996, it took them that long to realize this wasn't a good idea.  I know you're disappointed.

6. In Tennessee it is illegal to share your password for streaming companies like Netflix. The fine is 2,500 or possibly a year in jail if the password goes to a friend. The law was made in 2011. Does that sound a bit strict?

7. If you really wanted to duel with someone, you can in West Virginia, but you can't hold public office. The law has been around since the 1800's which is no surprise. Now you know that not a single office holder in West Virginia has not challenged anyone to a duel.

8. In the 1930's the town of Biddeford, Maine considered the sidewalks to be sacred ground.  They banned roller skating and biking on sidewalks and for some reason never changed the law.

9. In Indiana you are not allowed to fish with your hands. This is actually called "noodling," but it sounds more like you lost some of your noodles. Why would you fish at all? And with your bare hands? How are you going to eat a bucket of chicken while you're fishing?

10. If you're going to Mardi Gras in Mobile, Alabama you should know that no confetti or streamers are allowed.  They wanted to keep their streets clean, so that law is still on the books.

Wouldn't be fun to go to all these places and do the one thing they say you can't do? Now that would be a road trip!

A Few Short July Stories

 DOCTOR TALES

Being an author I'm always thinking about what would make an interesting book, how about "Doctor Tales?" I'm sure there are plenty of unusual and interesting stories that people have had over the years. This month I got a call from my doctor's office that I have to fill out the yearly registration form. Every year they have fill out all your information on a few pages to confirm everything and that you want their office to take care of you for the next year. Can you imagine if everyone had to do it? I did it, but I was laughing when I did.

HOW MUCH IS 8 +3?

Usually when I take my granddaughter to the park we are the only ones there. This week there was a child I had seen before but with his dad who I had never met. We hit it off immediately, he's a math teacher. We were talking numbers and having a great time until he made a comment as an example that 8 plus 3 is 13. I let it go since I had just met him, but a couple minutes later he said it again.  I was laughing and I told him what he said which surprised him. I had forgotten his name and said, "I'm sorry I forgot your name and I don't want to call you "8 +3." He laughed and we had a great conversation as we watched and played with the kids.

"I WILL FOLLOW HIM"

In January 1963, 14-year-old Peggy March recorded this song and in April when she was 15 the song went to number one on the charts. She still holds the record for the youngest female to hit number one.  I thought of this song today when our dog Odin was following me in the house. You can teach dogs a bunch of tricks, but you don't have to teach them how to follow you. The song goes, "I will follow him follow him wherever he may go, there isn't an ocean to deep, a mountain so high that can keep me away." But, how do you get someone to "unfollow you?"

CATCHING UP TO THE 70'S

My granddaughter has a special cereal bowl, well I thought it was special.  I've never seen one with a straw to drink the milk in the bowl.  My wife said it's been around since the 70's. I'm catching up on some things in retirement.

A PICKLE FOR ME?

You have to be joking, I don't like pickles. I must have tried them at some point as a kid or one of them was stuck in a sandwich, but I've never liked them.  This month, in my former hometown of Edison at the infamous Harold's Deli, I did eat the below pickle.  And, I was not surprised, it was awful.  However, I have it documented now, I have eaten a pickle. How much do I care about pickles? I just accidentally deleted my one picture, but I do have three witnesses that I ate it.

WHOSE KEY WAS IT?

I was outside early this weekend in New Jersey and took a 45 minute walk around and around the hotel we were staying at for our family wedding.  I was finishing up my walk when I saw this key on the ground.  There were a few people packing their car and leaving and I figured one of them dropped their key.  I didn't pick it up.  Inside the hotel I reached for my key and figured out where I lost it and I went back outside and picked it up.  Wouldn't it be great if every time you lost something you knew exactly where it was?

MY FAVORITE RIDER COMMENTS IN JULY 2026

I asked her if her dad has any siblings and she said, "He has 16 brothers and I think four sisters. He was the youngest and my grandma had him when she was 60."

I told her when I asked a mom with two kids why she was in town and the mom said, "For the Future Strippers of America." (Her daughters were in a dance competition.) My rider said, "It's the only transferable occupation. I'm a scientist and a dancer."

I said to the young guy, "I know you're intelligent." He: "Don't tell me that, it goes right to my thighs."

The mother of three young boys said, "We'll eventually get a female dog to get another female in the house." She: "It's not a hobby, but I really love taxidermy. I once saw a bunch of animals on top of a shelf above a bar I went to. I take pictures of animals and think about it. I know it's not socially acceptable, but I could see doing it to a dog." Me: "So you like animals dead and alive?" 

The young male flight attendant said, "I revere Uber drivers. They sacrifice their time, car and gas to get me to work." Me: "Have you had many good conversations with drivers?" He: "No, not at all. I just expected to sit here in your car."

He said, "My rich girl friend wouldn't marry me, but she took me around the world three times."

He wanted to give me something so he drew a picture of a frog. He: "Drawing frogs is a hobby of mine.  My dad used to raise them and my mom would needlepoint frogs."

He: "My wife and I were in an Uber in Tampa and I told the driver we wanted to go to the strip.  He didn't understand and started playing music and shaking maracas. He thought we wanted to go to a couples strip club with he and his wife."

I asked, "How did you become a tattoo artist?" She: "I "whoopsied" my way into it. I was working in a clothing store that I hated and going to a tattoo artist. She offered me a job in the office and a year later offered to train me as a tattoo artist. Now I'm traveling around the world and doing some tattoos in other countries."

The truck driver from Ethiopia said about the United States, "This is a great country, one of the best in the world. I love this country."

I asked the couple in the afternoon of July 4th, "What have you been up to today?" She said, "We were out shooting goats this morning." Me: "What were you doing?" She: "We were out shooting guns this morning."  

His father taught him this, "If you want to change the world you have to treat people better than they treat you."

She: "I don't have any mannequin stories, but my friend has an eccentric neighbor who drives around with about six mannequins in her car like they are her family.  When she pulls up to you she expects you to address the mannequins too. I think she rotates all the mannequins."

The hospital director told me this mannequin story: "When I was at the Arkansas Medical University we had three high tech dummies that were worth $60-$70,000 each for our sim lab. One day I went into the morgue and one of the dummies was lying there with its mouth open and no one was supposed to be there." It scared the hell out of him.

MORE RIDER COMMENTS

He: "I used to work in an art gallery in Guatemala and I got into real estate working in the art gallery."

Her ten-year-old did not want his mom to take any pictures of him. She said, "Dude what do you mean? Let's take some selfies!"

The older man said he was 88 and I said, "I'm 65." He replied, "Don't worry, you'll reach 100."

"I went to school with two people who were named, "Chandelier" and "Get D Money."

I picked up "Happiness." She told me, "My parents were very happy I was born although it was difficult. My middle name is blessing."

She: "My boyfriend says I have a maniacal giggle."

Having just moved to Alexandria, Virginia near Washington, D.C. she said, "I love the outdoor coffee shops."

I complimented her on her English and she said, "It should be good I have two masters and one doctorate and I'm teaching people."

With an unusual background, she told me, "I have been accused of being a spy."

"My three friends and I and our dads have just did our 19th and last golf trip together."

Living in Hawaii, she learned that her name Marisa, "It means, "Star of the Sea." Since I'm from Wyoming they call me, "Wyoming Star."

"New Yorkers are nice, but not kind. In Chicago, people can be mouthy."

"I used to work at the United Nations with the Security Council.  I got the job through an internship."

The Uber driver from San Diego told his passenger, "If you don't want to talk on this ride, you should get another driver."

"I once had an Uber in Vegas that was all decked out with Elvis. It was like "The Jungle room" in Graceland and he had Elvis music playing the whole time."

She: "I left Michigan five years ago to get away from an abusive father."

After acquiring another company he said, "My business has tripled this year."

The truck driver who goes cross country said, "Nothing beats it."

He: "I was six feet tall in sixth grade and I only grew to six foot three inches."

She: "It was so hot in Wisconsin we had an hour of heat lightning."

UNIQUE JOBS

Water Resource Engineer

Two chemists

Post Partum Doula

Hospital Director

Professional Movers from California

Radiology Doctor in France

Home Day Care Business Owner

Electrical Engineering Professor in Germany

Worked at United Nations With the Security Council

Performance Analyst for The State of Colorado

Philanthropic Business Owner for Environment Issues

Training and teaching repair for portable cranes

Business owner teaching how to do hair extensions

House Flipper

I PICKED UP PEOPLE FROM THESE COUNTRIES:

Mexico, India, Chechnya(Soviet Union), Nigeria, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Philippines, The U.K., Zimbabwe, Eritrea. 

WHAT RIDERS SAID ABOUT ME AND MY CAR

He: "You're connecting with people. With everything going on in the world, you're seeing the beauty in people."

"This is the coolest museum I've ever seen."

"It's rare to meet someone like you. This is the highlight of my day, God bless you."

The 23-year-old going to work at Amazon said, "You deserve a cash tip." ($20)

Getting out of the car after taking pictures she was at a loss of words, "I can't even explain this."

"This was kind of magical."

"These days it's refreshing to see someone caring about something."

"This is like a New York City bar."

"This was a treat."

"This was the best Uber ever."

"This takes the cake."

Returning from Japan he said, "Don't mistake my jet lag for a lack of excitement."

She: "Can I give you a hug?"

"I love the positivity."

"This was the most interesting Uber I've ever had."

"It's a beautiful thing."

"I love it, this is really cool."

"Keep doing this."

"I like how you set this up."

"Thanks for sharing."

"Thank you for the talk."

"Great conversation."

"This is so cute."

"I like what you've done with this."

"Very nice display."

"That is great. I love it."

"Continue to be you."

"This is dope."

"This was the best Uber ride."

"You have a lovely car."

MY FAVORITE RIDERS IN JULY 2026

MOTHERHOOD AND TAXIDERMY?

My great conversation with a woman from St. Louis took an unexpected turn.  She's the mother of three young boys and she told me, "We'll eventually get a female dog to get another female in the house." She then explained to me that she's fascinated with taxidermy, which is the process of, "preserving, stuffing, and mounting animal's skin to make it look lifelike." She once saw a bunch of animals stuffed on a shelf at a bar she was at. She likes to take pictures of animals and think how they would look if they were mounted.  I think someone in her family has a squirrel that is stuffed around a stripper pole which she said was very funny. She was a lot of fun to talk with and I'm certain she would not hurt a fly.

A FLIGHT ATTENDANT LIKE NO OTHER

He told me he was named after his aunt, which in itself is unique for a guy, but he is easily one of the most interesting riders I've ever driven.  In his first two months as a flight attendant he absolutely loves it and when I asked what the best part was he couldn't say, because, "It would be like comparing gold and silver." I said to him, "I know you're intelligent," and his reply was, "Don't tell me that, it goes right to my thighs."

He said, "I revere Uber drivers because they sacrifice their time, car, and gas to get me to work." I asked him if he had a lot of good conversations with Uber drivers and he said, "No, not at all. I expected to just sit here in your car." He learned from his parents how important it was to have an "attitude of gratitude." He also said to me, "These days it's refreshing to see someone caring about something."

He said "sonder" was his favorite word. I looked it up and found out that, "Sonder: the word for realizing that every stranger has their own story." I always talk to strangers about strangers like this and of course it's in the title of my book. What my rider did not know is that the word was created in 2012 by John Koenig and of course I'm Jeff Hoenig. I could have talked with him for hours.  As I dropped him off he gave me the below badge he got when he was training in Texas. I'm not sure exactly what it means, but I'm going to clip it on one of my Elvis socks in my car and talk about him.

TATOOING ACROSS THE WORLD

In her twenties her career took an unusual turn. She told me that, "I 'whoopsied' into it." She was going to a tattoo artist and she was offered a job to work in the office.  She hated working in a clothing store, but she liked her new job. A year later the woman offered to train her to do tattoos and now, "I'm traveling the world and doing some tattoos in other countries." She has a goal to visit all of the seven continents before she turns thirty and she's well on her way to doing it.  She has been to 71 countries so far and also has a money collection from the places she has visited. 

IS SHE WONDER WOMAN TOO?

I've driven a lot of very unique people over the years, but my rider on a Saturday morning really surprised me.  She's a Regulatory Scientist who majored in bio-chemistry. She gets to read a lot of clinical trials in her full-time job.  She has a small thrift shop where she buys and sells clothes. She told me she was in a lot of dance competitions so I shared the funny comment a mom once said to me when I asked why she was in Myrtle Beach with her two daughters. The mom said, "I'm here for "The Future Strippers of America." " Her daughters were in a dance competition. 

The scientist then told me that she's been dancing for years in a club or bar, because she's, "An exhibitionist, and I love sitting down with the customers and talking to them." She also said she has seen many lawyers who are dancers also.  Unfortunately we had a short ride, but I wonder how she juggles three very different professions at the same time.

NOT JUST AN AUTHOR!

My last ride of the month with a local couple surprised me when I found out that the husband had just published a book, pictured below.  In addition to working full-time at an H&R Block, he started a nonprofit organization, "dedicated to empowering youth through literacy, financial awareness, and real world life skills." He gave me his book as a gift and I've already read it.  It's mainly for children between the ages of 8-13 and the foundation is called, "Fi2Bi," Feel it 2 Believe It." I told him I was going to display the book in my car and I'm very impressed about what he has started and wish him and his wife the very best.

"I WANT TO GET OFF DISABILITY"

My most inspiring rider of the month was a young woman in her mid-twenties.  She has an unusual disability which causes her severe pain in her spine. She's been on disability for a good five years and she's looking forward to getting off it. This summer she's been able to do some work at a summer camp working with kids and she loves it. As we talked I encouraged her and by the end of the ride she was talking about doing more work in a family business. I told her I was going to check on her progress if I get to drive her again-wishing her the best of luck.

THEY HAVE A HOUSE CHURCH!

The couple was heading home to Hawaii with their son. He works in the mortgage field and she is in marketing full-time, but in their free time they have a "house church." I had never heard the phrase before, but I looked it up to find that between 5 and 20 million people in our country attend a house church regularly. They have a group of about 20 adults and children who meet in their house instead of a traditional church. It was great to learn something new and see a couple working together so closely.

THE ENTHUSIASTIC ENGINEER FROM NEW JERSEY

She went to a military type technical high school and became very interested in water after taking several classes in water preservation.  Her four-year degree is in Environmental Engineering and she's been working in Colorado for the past four years. She said, "I wanted to help people and I'm helping farmers manage their water and be compliant with all the rules." She enjoys what she's doing, communicating  with farmers and running tests on their water and making a difference in their lives.   

The Unknown Amusement Parks

I'm not a big amusement park guy, although I'm a huge Disney World fan.  Living in New Jersey I did go to Great Adventure in Jackson New Jersey. The two most significant trips to Great Adventure was my second date with my wife of almost 43 years and the cute picture below is the two of us sitting in the trunk of my car. I think I was trying to get out of the sun. The other one was the time that I helped raise a significant amount of money by going on four roller coasters and that is still hard to forget.

However, there are some amusement parks that are underrated and not very well known.  Here are a few:

1. Dollywood in the Smokey Mountains: Country music legend, Dolly Parton, owns 50% of the park and it is located 25 miles southeast of Knoxville, Tennessee. It is a family oriented park with festivals, southern food, and incredible scenery.  It just celebrated its 40th anniversary.

2. King's Dominion is located right on Rt. 95 near Richmond, Virginia.  It is the largest amusement  park in Virginia at 400 acres and includes a 20 acre waterpark. It is known for its thrill rides and you can see the roller coaster from the highway.

3. Hershey Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania is not a secret to anyone living in the northeast.  They have the amusement park, a waterpark and a zoo. They also have something no other park can match, Hershey Chocolate. My most memorable visit there with our kids was when we arrived two weeks before the park opened, but the Hershey Chocolate Bar ride was open.

4.Luna Park in New York City? I had never heard of this, but I do know it as Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. It is  right on the water with a boardwalk and it's been open 120 years even before Dick Van Dyke was born. 

5. Lake Compounce in Connecticut? It is the oldest operating amusement park in the country at 175 years old, older than our last two President of the United States combined. It has a wooden roller coaster which is only 100 years old and you can stay in a campground just outside its gates.

6. Story Land in the white mountains of New Hampshire? I never heard of this one.  No thrill rides here but the focus is more on smaller kids. Mainly designed for 3-12 years old so this one is very different for sure.

7. Silver Dollar City in the Ozarks of Missouri? This one is new to me also. It has an 1880 feel with crafts that are entertaining and educational.  They have many special events and festivals and also a few dozen rides.

8. Arnold's Amusement Park is located only seven hours from my house in Iowa. It has a roller coaster that is 99 years old and you can go in for free and pay for rides separately. 

9.Galveston Island Pleasure Pier I have hear of. It is on a pier over the Gulf of Mexico and the roller coaster takes you 230 feet above the water. There are a number of thrill rides and lots of games and good food too.

10. Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho? It's new to me also, but it doesn't have the crowds that other amusement parks have. (People don't know it's there?) It is one of the largest parks at 413 acres and has a lot of good sites to see.

If you want to go somewhere different take your pick and have a great time.

What Marilyn Monroe and I Have in Common

It will be 64 years ago in the beginning of August that actress and model Marilyn Monroe passed away at the age of 36. Her death was ruled a "probable suicide" from an overdose of sedatives. Two of her three husbands were very famous, playwright Arthur Miller and baseball great, Joe DiMaggio.

She was known for her beauty, but I had no idea that she was an avid reader as I am.  Her personal library consisted of over 400 books and today I have close to 500 books. She loved to read and she wasn't reading romantic novels she was reading mostly some of the great literature books of all time, unlike what I do.

I'm pretty sure I have never seen a picture of her reading, but there she is above with books all over the place.  Gale Crowther wrote a book, "Marilyn and Her Books," about her love of reading.  Supposedly she read for self-improvement to better herself and overcome her insecurities. 

The list of authors she read is filled with famous names such as Twain, Hemingway, Camus, Beckett, Faulkner, Dostoevsky, Shakespeare, Shelley, Milton, D.H Lawrence, and a lot of others.  How many books in her collection did I read? Here they are below:

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

"The Sun Also Rises"

"A Farewell to Arms"

"The Great Gatsby"

"The Magic of Believing" (Self-help)

"The Little Engine That Could" 

I think I would read the book about her love of reading because it is not something most people are aware of.  She lived in 49 different places in her life and her books were packed up and they went with her.  After her death her acting coach inherited the collected and when he passed the collection was sold in 1999, thirty-seven years later.

I read recently that in 2023, 46% of adults in this country did not read a single book and yet Marilyn Monroe read hundreds of books in her short life.

What Did You Leave In Your Uber?

In 2024 there were 30 million Uber rides given PER DAY around the world.  Yes, per day.  When those rides were over, there are things left in the Uber.  Some of them are returned and some just stay lost. They could have been taken by someone else or the driver, because sometimes it's difficult to know who lost an item.  But what kind of items are lost?

The most common item is a phone with around 1 million phones being left in Ubers. The city with the most frequently reported items is New York City. (Miami, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles were the next on the list.)The other most common items are wallets, luggage, keys, headphones, clothing passports, eyeglasses, jewelry and laptops.

Personally, phones are definitely number one, but I've had keys, headphones, glasses, and also money.  Of course, my riders give me unusual things for my museum, including a mannequin which did make the list of unusual things.

When an item is returned Uber charges the rider $20 which goes directly to the driver unless they receive cash from the passenger. I had one passenger give me $50 and another everything in his wallet which was around $46.

What are some of the unusual things people leave in an Uber? You're not going to believe some of these, but this is an official list.  I'm going to list only 10 items.

Dentures with two teeth (Did they eat dinner without them?)

Oxygen tank (How far did they get without it?)

Live fish (I'm guessing they weren't sharks)

420 donuts (No milk?)

Two trees  (In the trunk?)

A dishwasher (How big was it?)

Shower pole (Is there a pole in your shower?)

Propane tank(I can understand that, they are heavy)

Meat slicer(Did they take the meat?)

A 75 gallon fish tank (They weren't holding it?)

Tell Her Your Good News

There is always good news, unfortunately we don't hear about it enough.  At 34 years old, Megan Keaveny was looking for some good news. She had posted flyers in New York City asking people to send her some good news, but she didn't get a very good response. So she made the below sign and stood on a corner and recorded people telling their good news.

The result was 78,000 followers watching her videos on TikTok and Instagram.  She works as a social media consultant and she wanted to convince people that the internet doesn't need to be a negative place. She said, "I want to build spaces for us to take deep breaths together and learn to celebrate one another as human beings again. I think there's a collective craving for belonging the times we're in."

How about that? Here's someone who is celebrating strangers in a different way than I do! People tell her about something positive in their family or with their health.  She explained, "I think it's beautiful for someone to invite me and a bunch of other strangers into these situation because it's really powerful to find hope together."

It is really powerful and I can relate to what she is doing and applaud her for her efforts.  As one of my riders said, "This gives me more faith in humanity."

 

GREAT ADVICE FOR EVERY AGE

There are a lot of interesting things you can find on the internet.  From time to time I'll see a video or list of things that people give as advice. This is one of those lists that supposedly someone made who is in their 70's and heading towards 80 and these are the changes he is feeling. This is a very good list for anyone to follow and worth posting.

1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

2. I have realized that I am not "Atlas". The world does not rest on my shoulders.

3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable and fruit vendors.  A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter's school fees.

4. I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

5. I stopped telling the elderly that they've already told that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane and relive their past.

6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

7. I give compliments freely and generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of  a compliment, never, NEVER turn it down, just say "Thank You."

8. I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances. 

9. I walk away from people who don't value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

10. I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat and neither am I in any race.

11. I am learning not to be embarrassed by emotions. It's my emotions that make me human.

12. I have learned that it's better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof, whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

13. I have learned to live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.

14. I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

THE 250 MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS IN U.S. HISTORY

The Brooklyn Library just released a special list.  Put together by their librarians and some influential New Yorkers to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of our country.  Here are some of the books I've read and a few surprising books on the list...in my opinion.

Here are a few of the books or topics that were missing: The bible, all the works of William Shakespeare, "Lord of the Rings", Harry Potter,  Mr. Rogers, Walt Disney, and anything on George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, FDR, JFK, and Theodore Roosevelt.  I'm sure there are others too.

"Team of Rivals": Doris Kearns Goodwin: The genius of Abraham Lincoln in keeping his rivals close by putting them in his administration.  It is a fascinating book to read for anyone interested in politics.

"The Elements of Style" Strunk & White: I read this in journalism class a very long time ago.  As a writer I really should have a copy of this, I'll have to get one.

"How To Win Friends and Influence People" Dale Carnegie: Published in 1936 and one of the all-time great self-help books which I have read many, many times over the years.  Highly recommended for anyone dealing with people and I will read it again.

"The Hunger Games." Suzanne Collins: Really? "The Lord of the Rings" did not make this list, this is one of a number of novels I question how influential they have been.

"The Story of Barbie and the Woman Who Created Her" Cindy Eagan: I would read it, but I've never heard it ever mentioned.

"The Monster at the end of this Book" The only Sesame Street book on the list I have read many times with my granddaughter.  I think this is an unusual choice.

"The Snowy Day" Erza Jack Keats: I have read it many times to my granddaughter and she loves it. 

"Sears, Roebuck, & Co. Consumer's Guide for 1894" An interesting choice, because it was where everyone got their goods through a catalog a very long time ago.  I have not read it, but I know what it was.

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" Mark Twain- I read this a very long time ago and since I just read biography on Mark Twain I know it absolutely should be on this list.

"All The Presidents Men" Woodward and Bernstein-I have read it and watched the movie about the Watergate break-in and cover-up.

"Kitchen Confidential" Anthony Bourdain: I did read this and found it interesting, but one of the most influential books? If you say so.

"The Great Bridge" David McCullough: A book on the building of the Brooklyn Bridge I would read especially by this famous author.  How about the one he wrote on The Wright Brothers? Definitely should be on the list or the one on John Adams or 1776.

"Lies My Teacher Told Me" James W. Loewen" This book is about how history is taught. I wasn't overly impressed with it, but I read it recently. I thought he was trying to prove a point and stretching things a bit much.

"The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin" I have read this and it was terrific.

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" L. Frank Baum: A must to be on this list and his story on how he wrote it and the obstacles he overcame is almost as good as the story.

"Walden" Henry David Thoreau: I have read it recently.  It's a great story of living out in the woods and observing the simplest of lives.

"Common Sense" Thomas Paine: I did read this a long time ago, definitely a classic.

Some Short June Stories

 How Early Can You Be For a Doctor's Appointment?

Like many people I can be a little lax when making medical appointments.  In the book I'm finishing writing, "More Time For You," I have a short chapter on how important it is to make your appointments. I decided to follow my own advice when I received the message that it was time for my dermatologist check-up.  I had an issue to Myrtle Beach in 2024 and in November 2025 I had my first check-up in Colorado.

I got my appointment for June 10th and arrived 20 minutes early.  Somehow they didn't schedule me for a full body check and told me they could do it, but it's possible that insurance wouldn't cover it since I was there in November and it's usually a yearly thing. I left immediately and said I would contact them in a few months for an appointment in December.  I was 5 1/2 months too early-that won't happen again.

When I Went to a Ticker-Tape Parade

It was January 30, 1981 that the ticker-tape parade in New York City took place for 23 of the hostages who were released by Iran. They worked in the U.S. Embassy in Iran and were held captive for 444 days.  I went to the parade with one of my friends and it was pretty awesome to see.  It was a very patriotic event. This picture above only shows some of the confetti, but there was a lot of it.  Below is a picture of me with a mustache at the age of 20 when I was in college.

What Did I Do During the Knicks Parade?

I was babysitting my almost two-year-old granddaughter.  We took a walk to the park and instead of bringing the large ball we usually take, she picked a basketball. Do you know how difficult it is to kick a basketball up a big hill? This picture is the ball on it's way down.  We still had fun.

Have You Ever Seen a Two-Year-Old With a Space Station?

It was pretty cool and she loved it. It was a blown up, large space station. My granddaughter called it a rocket ship, which is okay with me.  Her dad, my son, does work for NASA and so she knows about going to the moon. She kept saying, "Nice rocket ship." She put in a little couch to the far right inside of it and a blanket and pillow and she was all ready for the next adventure. She was crawling through it as if she was training. It did not come from NASA, but it said NASA on it. Can you buy a planet for a child?

Is It Good or Bad That Someone Is a Trillionaire?

It came out this month that Elon Musk became a trillionaire. For some people that means that the money he earned came from other people, but it doesn't really work that way.  Somehow lost in the story is that there were around 4,400 former and current employees who became millionaires at the same time and some of them were welders and cafeteria workers.  What impact would a million dollars have on 4,400 families for generations?

Am I A Professor?

How close is this to my name?  "Jeffrey Henig, a professor emeritus at Teachers College, Columbia University." It is just and "o" away from being at Columbia. (Jeffrey Hoenig)

The Legend of Mark Twain

I don't recall when I started reading the 1,000 page biography of Mark Twain, but I finally finished it.  It was brilliantly written by Ron Chernow who won the Pulitzer Prize for books on President Ulysses Grant and Alexander Hamilton.  Here are some of things that stood out to me:

1. Although he is best known for writing "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," he was very well known for his speeches and lectures around the world. A number of times in his life he went on long speaking tours and packed auditoriums with ease.

2. His wisdom and sense of humor is remembered frequently and in a lot of places including my new book, "More Time For You," which will be out soon.  His lectures left his audience mesmerized and entertained thoroughly.

3. Today and for quite a long time we have had a lot of celebrities. Mark Twain was a celebrity around the world.  He lived from 1835 to 1910. On his last visit to The United Kingdom he was treated as royalty. The Lord Mayor of Liverpool introduced him with these words, "There was no man in the world to-day...who had brought so much mirth and happiness to the citizens of this Empire and of the United States" as Mark Twain.

4. When I read the book on The Wright Brothers it surprised me that they would meet with kings and leaders of countries all around the world after they flew their plane in North Carolina. Mark Twain did the same, but he also lived in dozens of places in this country and around the world.  

He knew many, many authors, Winston Churchill before he was famous, had lunch with President Theodore Roosevelt and was friends with Helen Keller. He inscribed a photo to Anne Sullivan who taught Helen Keller, "With warm regard & with limitless admiration of the wonders she has performed as a miracle-worker." Anne Sullivan got her nickname, "miracle worker" from Mark Twain.

5. Thomas Edison and Mark Twain went back and forth putting on their business hat and using their creative talents. Twain really struggled as a business man and lost a fortune that he paid off over many years with a lot of hard work.

6. Despite his incredible success, he had to leave the below mansion that he built to save money because it cost too much to live in.  In Hartford, Connecticut, this 11,500 foot square home had 25 rooms and it can still be visited today.

7. Mark Twain's life was unfortunately filled with illness and death. He outlived his wife and three of his four daughters who all died before they were 30. He lived to the age of 74. When he died one headline said, "The world mourns Mark Twain." He has also been referred to as being, "The Lincoln of literature."

8. The book is an incredible tribute to Mark Twain and the maddening and magnificent life of one of the most original people in American history.  Although he was honored and revered across the world, what better person to honor around July 4, 2026, our 250th birthday, than a true American? 

MY FAVORITE RIDER COMMENTS IN JUNE 2026

Four good friends from India were having a reunion and one of them said, "Three of us are general practitioner doctors and one of us just turned 40 and is due for his first colonoscopy." Me: "I thought you said you were engineers?" He: "We're engineers of the body." Me: How do I know you're really doctors?" He: "We can do the colonoscopy now. I'll do it for you right here." Me: "I've never had anyone do that." He: "There's always a first time." (They did not)

Bartender: "I once saw a chef drink thirty beers in one eight hour shift."

The eighth grade history teacher was with his class at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C.  One student said, "Why don't they just open it and see who's inside?"

When she won the Ms. South Africa Beauty Contest she received the newest Mercedes, but said, "I could only use it for a year. I lived in a $10 million dollar penthouse and I received around $250,000."

She: "I felt pretty good when the pilot thanked me for having a million miles in the air and then he thanked the guy next to me for having three million miles."

A very talented guy: "I played the trumpet and toured with B.B. King for 8 years and worked for him for 20 years. Right now I'm a co-producer for the Michael Jackson sequel movie and I'm working on the soundtrack."

I asked the couple how they met. She: "We met in grade school, but we didn't date." He: "I had to grow."

He: "Years ago an FBI agent was at a club and did a backflip and his gun fell out and it shot someone. They had it on film and it was on the news." (Denver 2018)

He: "I was born a Yankee fan. My dad was a Yankee fan and I saw the picture of them taking me out of the hospital and I was wearing a Yankee outfit."

On the day my New York Knicks would have a chance to win their first championship in 53 years, I was excited to pick up a guy from Syracuse, New York. I asked, "Are you a big sports fan?" He said, "No not really." Me: "Are you a Knick fan?" He said, "I've never heard of them."

Picking up the young woman at McDonalds, I said, "What are you up to today?" She: "I got me some weed and burgers." Me: "Imagine that, weed and burgers together."

"My family owns 32 restaurants and none of them make less than $1 million a year."

From Ethiopia he said, "I was going to represent my country at the 1984 Olympics in LA for track & field running the 400 meters. My country decided not to go because they didn't get along with the United States." (they joined a Soviet Union boycott)

The young man wanted to get out at the traffic light and run across the road because he was late for a haircut. I said, "Not here, it's not safe. Let me make this turn." He: "I'm a grown-ass man, I can do what I want." I let him out and got to his destination before him.

He: "Working in an office is soul sucking."

I asked him how old he was and he said, "66, but I'm not sure. There were no doctors or nurses, I'm just guessing."

He: "I officially changed my name to silver because teachers in school said I had a silver tongue."

She changed her life. "My husband committed suicide 9 years ago and I turned to alcohol and drugs and lost everything. I was homeless for three years and I wanted to die, but I couldn't do it."

I explained to her that people tell me mannequin stories after seeing my mannequin.  She said, "I don't have any mannequin stories.  I was afraid of them so I bought one to conquer my fear. I was teaching 14-15-year-olds and it was Halloween. I put on a spaceman outfit and attached the mannequin head to the outfit near my head and I chased them around." Me: "That's your non-mannequin story?"

MORE RIDER COMMENTS

He was on the phone with his wife who was a San Francisco 49er fan. He said to me, "Is that a Kansas City Chief Super Bowl ring hanging there?" I said, "It is and it's the one they won playing the 49er's." He said, "My wife just said, 'Watch your mouth buddy.' "

Looking at my mannequin the young guy said, "I thought maybe you were selling wigs." Me taking off my hat to show my almost bald head, "If I was, would I be wearing this on my head?"

 I picked up Ace and I asked her how she got her name. She said, "Have you heard of a band named "Kiss?." I was named after Ace Frehley the lead singer."

She: "I was a bank manager but switched to a property manager when the bank was robbed."

The Russian woman who is an American citizen said, "We should give free high education to all engineers who keep up their grades."

She: "My family is into football, I've been to five Super Bowls."

From Chicago originally, he said, "I never played a warm baseball game, it was always cold."

I asked the couple how they met and she said, "We were in a group and they were going scuba diving and snorkeling.  I said I can't scuba, but I'll snorkel."

He said, "My wife is convoluted."

In between jobs he said, "I know a good job is on the horizon."

From Turkey she said, "I'm a flight attendant because it pays double what I made as a biomedical engineer."

From Chicago originally, he said, "I never played a warm baseball game, it was always cold."

She: "If you embarrass yourself in front of teenagers, they love it."

He: "I became an architect because I wanted to help people."

I asked him how he got the name "Journy." He said, "They said it was a journey to get me here."

She: "I'm a Gemini chatterbox."

I asked her, "What kind of work do you do?" She: "I do what I want to do."

The guy originally from Costa Rico said, "I miss the water."

After reading my list of top ten riders, he is the first rider to ask about four or five of them.  He said, "Just call me Mr. Curiosity." 

Taking the young man with short hair to get a haircut, I asked, "What does a haircut cost these days?" He said, "$50, for everything."

The young Fed-Ex worker asked something very rare: "How do you remember all these stories?"

THANK YOU TO JO AND HER AUNT FOR THIS BILL FROM MOROCCO AND COIN FROM ZAMBIA, TWO NEW COUNTRIES REPRESENTED IN MY CAR

           

UNIQUE OCCUPATIONS:

Volunteer Baby Cuddler in a hospital

Executive Producer for Corporate Events

Hibachi Chef

Mining Consultant

Nuclear medicine consultant

Figure skating coach

Anesthesiologist 

Geological Engineer

THANK YOU TO THE FLIGHT ATTENDENT FROM TURKISH AIRLINES FOR THIS BILL FROM TURKEY, MY 80TH COUNTRY IN MY CAR

I PICKED UP PEOPLE FROM THESE COUNTRIES

Costa Rica, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Philippines, Nepal, India, 

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE?

My rider said that she has seen this car several times with a mannequin head hanging out of the window.  Is it really a mannequin, or do you see a tree, a cardboard picture, or a real person? I have no idea.

WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT ME AND MY CAR?

"I really appreciate you trying to see the good in humanity."

From a 20-year-old: "This is what living is all about. Instead of making money, creating memories."

She's about to graduate as a chemical engineer: "You are so nice, I didn't expect to have this kind of morning."

Dr. Lily from Mexico in May posted this on my blog: "Definitely that ride with you is a core memory and my children and everyone I meet will know about driving on the sunny side with Jeff! So wonderful that our paths crossed."

"I will never forget this Uber."

"People are losing connections and being disconnected. I love what you're doing."

Former Uber driver: "You've been awesome. This was a great ride. You have to make it fun."

"This was a wonderful experience, one heck of a museum."

"You should have your own show."

"Thank you, you made my morning."

"I love your car."

"Thank you for the feel good vibes."

"This is one of the best Uber rides I've ever had here or around the world."

"When you get in the car you want to know more."

"I definitely got the right driver."

"This was absolutely amazing."

"This is very cool."

"This was really entertaining."

"It's beautiful."

"Amazing"

"Best Uber driver ever."

"You're a people person."

"That was great!"

"I enjoyed this."

"Keep on keeping on."

"That was amazing to see."

"This is crazy."

"This was a nice display."

MY FAVORITE RIDERS IN JUNE 2026

CONGRATULATIONS MS. SOUTH AFRICA

In 2022, my rider pictured below, won the Ms. South Africa Beauty Contest and I can tell you they made the right choice. I had the pleasure of driving her for an hour and she was absolutely captivating. Her dad encouraged her to enter the contest and she prepared for it for two years. She was motivated to do this because it involved a lot of community service and she wanted to help people in her country. She is the youngest in her family and has fifteen siblings.

When it came down to her and one other girl, I asked her how she felt and she said, "Oh my gosh, it's so scary." What did she win? She explained, "I got to use the newest Mercedes for only a year and I lived in a ten million dollar ranch penthouse. I received around $250,000 in U.S. money." She also represented her country in the Miss Universe Contest and she reached the top 16.

Today, she's a model, she was in a television show like "Survivor" and she was in a movie where she played the wife of a king. She has her own consulting business helping other young women prepare for beauty contests. The sky is the limit for her. Her picture is hanging in my car and I told her that she was one of the best riders I've had in eight years.  

"I'LL DO IT FOR YOU RIGHT HERE"

What would be a ridiculous thing for someone to do in my car while I'm driving 60 miles per hour to the airport? I picked up four Indian guys who became great friends in India and they were having a reunion since they all live in our country now.  They originally told me they were engineers, but then said they were doctors. One of them said,  "We're engineers of the body." I told them my best Indian stories and asked if they had a good one. 

One guy said, "Three of us are general practitioner doctors and one of us just turned 40 and is due for his first colonoscopy." I asked, "How do I know you're really doctors?" He said, "We can do the colonoscopy now. I'll do it for you right here." I said, "I've never had anyone do that here." He said, "There's always a first time."

They did not do it, but as I dropped them off I said, "Do you realize when I have one done next year and every other time the rest of my life I'm going to be thinking about you guys?." When my friend Larry read the story he suggested this: "Maybe you should pull into a Jiffy Lube to park during the procedure."

A MAN OF MANY, MANY TALENTS

His accomplishments and talents continued to pile up as I drove to his destination. He started as a trumpet player and toured for eight years with legendary Blues musician B.B. King. For the next 12 years he managed all the merchandising of the group.  He turned that experience into a successful mortgage company.  Today, in his seventies, he is a songwriter and music producer and is working on the soundtrack for a very big musical movie that will be completed in the next year or two.  His mantra for his music business, "Flawless Productions" is, "Music doesn't have to be perfect if it's flawless."

He talked about some of his experiences touring and how he viewed current music and that it's not as "organic" as music in the past. I could have talked with him for hours about music and he was kind enough to send me some things by email the same day I drove him. Wishing him lots of good health and continued success with his business.

TRYING TO RETIRE, SHE CONTINUES TO INSPIRE

What makes a great rider? Someone who is willing to talk, friendly, cheerful and has some very unique things to talk about. I could have talked to this rider from Las Vegas for hours, because she was so enthusiastic, full of life, and obviously very successful.  She said she has been an executive producer for corporate events for most of her 38-year career. She's also worked with several big stars such as Beyonce, Tina Turner, and  I believe Cher also.

She tried to retire three years ago, but one corporate account has convinced her to do their big event each year. I picked her up from the event that she ran for 900 people. She worked five straight 18-hour days to make the event a success.  Her main goal is to get someone to replace her, because she would rather be enjoying life and dancing which gives her a lot of joy. She gave me a lot of joy and if I had to come up with one word to describe this woman with an infectious smile, I would say-"WOW!" This will probably be one my top ten rides of the year, she was great.

ANOTHER OUTGOING LIBRARIAN

A few years ago I drove a very funny and outgoing librarian from Chicago and this month I met another one here in Colorado. She was a librarian for eight years and is now in childcare for very young children which she absolutely loves. We were having a good ride until we started talking about my mannequin in my car.  I told her that people tell me mannequin stories and she said, " I don't have any mannequin stories." She then proceeded to tell me this mannequin story as she was laughing and having a great time.

"I was afraid of mannequins so I bought a mannequin head to overcome my fear. I was teaching 14-15-year-olds so I put on a spaceman outfit and I attached the mannequin head to the outfit near my head and I chased them around." Her friend has a picture of this and I asked her to send it to me, because this "non story" is one of the funniest mannequin stories I've heard. 

MY CAMPING TRIP TO ALASKA

Obviously I did not go to Alaska, but my rider did with two friends. They rented a camping vehicle and basically "winged it" for a week.  They saw a, "ton of wildlife" of all kinds and traveled around in 16-20 hours of daylight each day.  It was an incredible experience and one of his friends completed his quest of visiting every state in the country.  His friend visited most of the 50 states in less than a year, traveling around in a Toyota with his dog while he worked in human resources remotely. My rider had just gotten off the plane and he enjoyed telling me about his trip almost as much as I enjoyed hearing about his adventure.

THE FUTURE BAKERY OWNER

I've met a lot of motivated young people and my rider grew up nearby and is extremely motivated. Her motivation comes from her parents who built a group of 32 restaurants that each make over a million dollars a year. "My family is really into football and I've been to five Super Bowls." I picked her up the morning after she attended the wedding of a Denver Bronco player.  Right now she's not interested in running a family restaurant so she's working in a hospital as a respiratory therapist and she has a small bakery business on the side. Her plan is to to own her own bakery and she's been doing well with jobs in her free time for the local government. There's no doubt in my mind that she will succeed with her goals, she's a hard worker and has a great personality.