The Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective
Rail Transit Commuters
I walked through the Marriott hotel lobby and passed by a Ukulele Store imagining the history of this interesting string instrument.
Then I passed by the Queen’s Songbook in another store across the walkway.
I called up a friend for lunch and had a burger at the Elk’s Club right on the beach.
And then went to an art store to get ideas to put some carvings on the walls of my new apartment.
So today, the most notable thing for me is putting the finishing touches on my move from the mainland.
HI !
What’s the one luxury you can’t live without?
I can’t be without my camera as another day closes –
And sharing my walks with you!
When is the last time you took a risk? How did it work out?
San Francisco . . .
The state of Muni.
Honolulu. . .
Waiting for Jackson.
I took a risk to move during Covid. I stopped working and it was fantastic. But I like structure and work and the purpose of it. So now I’m going to work where I went on vacation. Go figure.
I’ll let you know how it goes. . .
I walk around with my iPhone and take pictures wherever I walk. I post videos on my YouTube Channel and pictures like this one on my FineArtAmerica website. I then wait for the WordPress topic of the day and upload my photos to make for more interesting reading–and I get views from around the world. It’s feels fun. It’s feels free.
I’m amazed how I can link photos I just shot into the daily narrative at WordPress. Here is an alleyway with a graffiti-styled art mural with a classic musical phrase reflective of a San Francisco of years gone past. What with all the negative press about San Fran, I enjoy giving a current view–to dispel and diffuse all the negativity about this city. Those of us who stay know that the next boom is just around the corner. . . or alley!
I then usually create links to my blogs or books, or my photos and videos. Lately I’ve been using Chat GPT and Video Gen AI to ricochet my work into the speed of light on LinkedIn, Facebook or Goooogle’s YouTube My Channel.
I like showing how the frame of the shot influences our focus on the perspective, such as in this example of a simple tag line in an alleyway.
What is going on with you today?
Are you having an ON day or morning with your cup of joe?
Or you can pull back and get a wider view to show the address and dedication–making the BEAT of the day have less emphasis.
So yeah. I just take pictures of the city by the bay and post them on social media. . .
Here’s an interior of the 22 bus, above, which is now historic–as this model of trolleybus left service in 2004.
Or zoom in to get textures and contrasts overlooked by walking by with a phone up to our face. I just love this stuff!
Here’s another disappearing memory. . . of an ice cream shop. At first blush it’s a tacky storefront sign with an annoying glare and poor framing. On the other hand, it shows the Sutro Tower, The Rainbow Flag, the Double Rainbow logo in the interior mural through the glass, and the closing sign saying goodbye. The ‘Push’ becomes more obvious as a metaphor.
If I ever needed a fast money hustle, I found doing delivery is the best. There’s cash tip money available immediately and no real office politics. As a Gemini Sun Sign, I enjoy moving about and meeting all kinds of people and places.
Construction delivery, Pizza and Sandwich delivery, Tour Bus Charter Host, and even a Mover Driver, are just a few jobs that saved me when I was out of funds.
It seems like there’s always a need for delivery drivers, and I like the challenge of navigating a day successfully. This decision to do a delivery job has taught me how to get in and get out and make someone’s day by being prompt and courteous. With today’s electric scooters and bikes, having an auto is no longer necessary! What a huge reduction in the cost of barriers to entry!
On Oahu in Waikiki in Honolulu, I don’t have to waste any time in guessing the answer to this question. It’s about the desert at Hula’s Grill above Dukes at the beach.
Of course if the question asked about hamburger joint, it would have to be Teddy’s Burgers:
But in order to look good–I’d have to say Honolulu Coffee Company:
Thirty-four felony counts against him for falsifying business account records to cover-up an extramarital affair–and the last thing that prosecuting Judge Merchan said to Donald Trump today was: “Sir, I wish you Godspeed as you assume your second term in office.” Wow. That’s Confidence. He never gave up. I can’t cast a single stone here when I honestly take a look at my own life.
Teaming up with one of the smartest and richest man in the world, he has done what countless presidents’ vowed to stop–waste and fraud in the US government–and yet their earlier promises remain empty and unfulfilled.
Not today. Two Trillion dollars of: Social Security checks going to dead people, aid going to foreign countries for bizarre causes, GSA bills, and department closures–all without any accountability or transparency to-and-or-for the American People–is being clawed back and contracts cancelled! That’s Confidence.
Says Elon, another candidate for Confidence, said, “All actions of the Department of Government Efficiency will be posted online for maximum transparency… We will also have a leaderboard for the most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars. This will be both extremely tragic and extremely entertaining.”
I prayed and meditated before I published this prompt because I couldn’t figure the upside, if any, by posting. But, as I believe that there are no coincidences in God’s World, my turning point in being okay with our government, was when campaigning, he narrowly avoided a fatal shot to his head. By milliseconds. I do believe this could only have come from God giving him–and us–U.S. a second chance at a first class life.
God gave most of us the gift of gab, and a “voice” with which to talk a good talk–and convince others towards are cause–but true discernment at what is confidence versus what is just ego–is my point here.
Can you accept our new President’s Confidence, although you don’t approve of his Personality? Can you separate Personality from the topic here about Confidence? If people were destroying your reputation and calling you names, would you lose your Confidence? If you lost an election, would you have the Confidence to come back and win?
One of my saddest days was when I read the final sign-off of losing the Fairness Act in Print and Media by Barack Obama–and the resulting chaos online and on networks and in print about the loss of respecting another person’s choice and belief system. Interestingly, Joe Biden said he believed he didn’t sign-off on the Keystone XL pipeline yet with the substitute legalese included in the end of the Fairness Doctrine: the bill puts the law into a “diagnostic” mode of future “study.”
Please hear me here. Don’t let your first shock or emotion get you sidetracked from what is actually being used in small print and to deceive you and create fraud. Just recall a magician’s tactic–distraction from one hand at what is going on in the other hand.
We are all on our own path. How can I show up with Love and Unconditionality for my family and my country?
That being said, I’d love to quote, from a show called The Apprentice: “Chuck, you’re fired!”
What’s the most fun way to exercise?
Sure you got your oceans, lakes, bays, beaches and pools—but there’s nothing like making it to the top of a hill—and then—the speed the momentum the YeeHah!
For much of
my life, I grappled with feelings of
dissatisfaction, anxiety, or discontent. This
stemmed from various life experiences,
societal pressures, or personal
expectations.
Finding Joy in Daily Routines
Embracing the Journey: Driving a
bus allowed me to discover joy in the
everyday. The rhythms of my daily route
became a source of solace, turning
mundane tasks into moments of reflection
and appreciation.
Mindfulness on the Road: The act of
driving itself became a form of meditation.
Focusing on the road and the passengers
gave me space to process your thoughts
and feelings, ultimately reducing the weight
of negativity. Focusing on the road and the passengers
gave me space to process your thoughts
and feelings, ultimately reducing the weight
of negativity.
Today I spend my time upon awakening, to consider the day ahead by trying to be in the moment.
By sharing this
story, I not only outline my personal journey
to happiness but also inspire others facing
similar struggles, encouraging them to find
joy in unexpected places.
1. Navigation and Route Management
2. Communication Tools
3. Ticketing and Fare Collection
4. Safety Features
5. Maintenance and Diagnostics
Overall, technology has significantly transformed my role as a bus driver by improving navigation, communication, fare collection, safety, and maintenance. These advancements not only make my job easier but also enhance the overall experience for passengers, promoting a more efficient and reliable public transportation system.
This structured response covers various aspects of how technology has changed the bus driver’s job, providing clear examples and maintaining relevance throughout. Added bus lanes, called Bus Rapid Transit lanes, such as on Market Street and Van Ness is a godsend for weekend traffic delays.
Do you love vintage buses? Are you a nostalgic person with an passionate feel for a time before tech? I got you:
The Dao of Doug: A Bus Driver's Perspective