The Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective
Rail Transit Commuters
I left my job in San Francisco as well as my Heart during COVID. I’m still trying to recover my nesting instinct and pushing Newton’s Law, “A Body at Rest Tends to Stay at Rest.” and the laws of the conservation of energy! Thank God for Zoom and the upsides to WFH, Work From Home!
If I were a bridge, I would look at it such as in Charlotte’s Web, with wonder and curiosity, but aimed at the bridging the purposefulness in bringing people, goods, and services together for increased ease in time savings, higher contact and connection between two shores–very similar to the purpose behind the San Francisco Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge.
Plus it’s fun walk, jog, or bike over them!
I love tunnels too. If I had to be a tunnel, I’d like to be the new one across the Patapsco River in the Baltimore Harbor. Apparently, once a tunnel is longer than a mile, the cost of constructing a bridge gets cheaper. My favorite Bridge Tunnel system in the US is the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel going into Hampton Roads, VA. It reminds me of the Key West structure linking it to the mainland south of Miami. Growing up on the East Coast, I crossed a lot of bridges and tunnels. The purpose of these bridges linking barrier islands and crossing inlets to the mainland seemed vital and necessary, but I think go under-appreciated and taken for granted. This thought goes a long way into our collective US social memory complex.
It’s kinda like the Dali hit us with a pointed reminder how complacent we’ve become on something important like our infrastructure in seaport spans. I hope we wake up to the reality of how much we need to do to bring us back to First World expectations–and not just move paper around in leveraged derivatives.
We can always catch a ferry, but indeed, the clock it ticking. . .
The above photo is a pretty dramatic depiction of clearly saying “No.” in being asked to do something, such as climbing up an extinct volcano in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! But is this consistent with my goal to stay active after 65? Didn’t I say to myself I wanted to keep fit and flush my system with oxygen and get my blood pumping. Damnit. Yes, I did. Well, what am I waiting for?
(Hint: It helps to surround yourself with younger folks; or those who run marathons or swim and surf.)
The Kokohead trail was an emplacement for munitions and guns to protect Oahu in wartime from enemy attacks by sea. The incline railway was to bring up the heavy equipment but it’s now used as a scenic overlook to see both sides of the island. Average time up to the top is 45 minutes. I say average. I’ve slipped down to an hour and ten minutes last time I did it. I need to bother Luis to see when he wants to go again–and not chicken out a zero dark thirty on a Sunday Morning!
Hard work pays off. I don’t get something for nothing!
Fortunately, I haven’t had to say no to climbing the crater because Luis hasn’t called me lately. I think it’s time I asked him what he’s doing next Sunday–and yes it’s Easter!
“It’s raining!” “So what? It’s Hawaii!”
The gentle morning rains can sometimes feel annoying at first blush, but very soon the sun comes out and we get rainbows. Lots and lots of rainbows. There really can’t be a more beautiful immediate outcome from our morning winter rains here in Waikiki.
The post effectively captures the beauty of morning winter rains in Waikiki and the abundance of rainbows that follow. The inclusion of images adds visual appeal to the content. Consider expanding on the sensory experience and emotions evoked by the rain and rainbows. Additionally, incorporating personal anecdotes or quotes from locals could further enhance the connection to the place and weather.
I’ve consolidated hours of watching and listening to YouTubers interested in money and like the information found on their respective channels. I believe these graphics are worth several minutes of paragraphs of reading, and my help in getting a snapshot of where we are with Jerome and Janet going up the hill to fetch a pail of fiat.
Above we see the dramatic lag of Net Asset Value of Gold in general, and also the decline in value of Senior Gold Miners and Junior Miners: GDP and Treasuries have clearly been the choice for returns rather than holding positions in the precious metals. But lately, that has been changing. In fact, the next few graphs show what has happened in our past when Silver and Gold have increased dramatically. All this talk of “soft landing,” “hard landing,” “melt-up,” and “blow-off top” can be simply shown below in graphic form.
Here we see the past two gold cycles as two major staircases higher. Looks like we’re due for the next up the down staircase.
If you love to enter contests, look what I found!
Happy Stacking!
I can’t decide if I would be a Bison or a Bear.
Both of these animals made themselves known to me when a late spring snowstorm befell Yellowstone National Park and we had to hightail it out to Bozeman to catch our flight back to Seattle.
Bear is a common term applied to larger men that are hirsute*
*as I grow a beard fast in three days and need to shave everyday if working in an office or in public.
Many consider me to be a bear, but I feel there is something just a little bit off about describing me as just a bear. I’ll use these two images of my favorite animals because the colors and background are very similar–as is the color of their hair. Both are also very formidable opponents in nature, and are usually best off left alone. This does describe me pretty well. I would rather be outdoors than inside, and I need freedom to roam. I am good-natured as my given Indian name, but don’t provoke me. I’m meaty and told I taste good. Protein is good for my muscles, but I do love an occasional hunny bunny. What more can I say? Oh, I do like coffee in the morning. . .
Leo, you’re up in my new moon!
Looks like you made it to 100. Good thing you stopped eating everything at the grocery store that are in the center of the store–and kept to shopping only on the edge of the store: the produce, the meats, the dairy and the deli–and not all the crap with ingredient lists designed to put you to an early grave.
In spite of all the attempts to reduce the world’s population by manufactured food additives, incurable viruses, dumbed-down genetics and an artificial faraday cage blocking you from the Universe’s wonders, you did it! You survived by being of service to others and listening.
Kudos on not becoming a stale old miser who complains about the State of World Affairs without offering any solution! And with a light-hearted twist.
The Book of yourn, “As Doug Sees It” became a New York Times Bestseller, even after the war!
You stood the test of time and kept your light shining throughout this century.
Mahalo,
Doug
To know me is to mirror me. First lesson: go into an Austin Powers caricature*
Car·i·ca·ture
/ˈkerəkəˌCHo͝or/
noun
yahoo search result
- 1.a picture, description, or imitation of a person in which certain striking characteristics are exaggerated in order to create a comic or grotesque effect: “there are elements of caricature in the portrayal of the hero”
and say, “Oh Behave.” Then regress to Sean Connery and in your best secret agent voice and say “Bond. James Bond.” But now add this new addition, “Meriwether is my middle name.” Indeed, this is my middle name, M e r i w e t h e r. You know, like Meriwether Farms outside of Richmond, VA. Or the same spelling as Miss America 1957, Lee Meriwether.
If you are an historian and live in Missouri, you could be familiar with the signposts along several State highways that mark the old Lewis and Clark trail on the way to Oregon. Lewis’ last name was also Meriwether, to which I am related. But good luck in spelling it on the fly. There’s no ‘h’ after the ‘w’ and there’s only one ‘r’. Also, there aren’t any ‘a’s in it either. Mayweather is also a more common, easily spelled newer version, and I can easily see why. This sounds and looks nicer.
Anyway, when the sun breaks out and the rains stops, this is a good time for me to point out my middle name, “Meriwether is my Middle name!” “Oh, Behave!”
I keep forgetting the name of the most annoying yet fascinating birds on Oahu. The Myna bird. They are always paired together, always. There is never one all alone. And when they congregate, the really congregate! They make a huge noise in a bunch. We can’t even talk during our outdoor meeting in beach chairs when they decide to meet before breakfast at Kapiolani Park! They squawk up a racket!
Today I went on a hike to the summit of Diamond Head Crater and found out that as an Hawaiian state resident, I didn’t need to pay for the visit, or hold a reservation. Cool.
And remember, the morning rain means a sunny rainbow is coming. A double rainbow!
Work on a cover image and text block:
Carry around a notebook to get the thoughts when they come and then go to outline, chapter heading and body of chapter when you sit down to write on your free time.
Writing a book while working 60 hours a week was actually fun. I carried a pocket notebook in my shirt and jotted down ideas as my day unfolded on the bus as soon as I finished a trip and got to the terminal. Then I would edit later by writing chapters down on blank sheets on Word. I’d start after work on Friday and get in about five hours until midnight. I’d then get up a 5 a.m. on Saturday morning and work until one or two pm and then stretch my legs and snack on some food. Sunday I’d do a half day. It’s not a good idea to eat while you’re writing–trust me you’ll soon see why! After lunch, I’d switch over to my other laptop as the device I was on since 5 would start to fail due to overheating. It took me a while to realize why my logic board was failing.
Next, you need to market your book. . .
The Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective