Another Day, Another Demon

letter below in response to  "While I cannot specifically address Uber Baltimore, I can tell you that their model is to steal drivers from the taxicab pool. And typically the first ones they get are the drivers that were already thrown out of legitimate taxicab companies. And just try to complain to Uber about a bad ride and see how gracious and receptive they are."

My Response:

Mike,

I'm sorry you felt that this Uber response was a proper way to address this complaint, but I'm not surprised and just gives another peak into the issue with cab companies. Since being back to Baltimore for the last 2 years and deciding to continue my NY lifestyle and not having a car I have used cabs quite a bit. I used exclusively cabs when I first moved here even though I had many issues with cabs in NY including being held against my will and almost assaulted by a driver. But I know that driver did not represent all drivers and I also did have issues with Uber's business model. Since the 1st year of using cabs in Baltimore has been a stressful, absurd, and out of control experience. From drivers at BWI freaking out and refusing to drive me because my fare was only $20, have a driver keep the doors locked while he kept asking me why I wouldn't go on a date with him, almost every ride having to argue about directions, getting asked inappropriate questions, payment, and whatever else seems to be bugging my driver at the moment. 

I wish this was an exaggeration on my part, but riding in a cab as a woman has not been a pleasant or seemingly safe experience and I had tried to give Baltimore cabs the benefit of the doubt and had less issues with yours than most. But I have found none of these issues yet at Uber which means I haven't had to deal with their customer service yet so I'm not sure how they deal with complaints as I haven't had any. After half a year of taking about 20 Uber/Lyft rides and about 10 cab rides I have had 0 issues with an Uber cars and several with taxis. So I don't know what to say if Uber has the worst drivers then they are doing something right to keep them acting professional and making me feel safe. Which needless to say your driver screaming at me about me giving directions (for a place 1/2 miles away) the exact way he wanted which I had not been made aware of, speeding backwards down a one way alley, scolding me treating me like an idiot the whole way, trying to rip me off when running my card. All this at 3am, after hearing gunshots, after all the issues I've had with cabs and I still tried to use your company and not Uber. 

So please like your drivers don't lecture me like I don't understand how things work like I'm just some silly girl who just doesn't know how the real world works. I fully grasp their model and I"m sorry but maybe if cab companies made more of an effort to make sure their drivers were being professional, courteous, knowledgeable of manners, payments, directions, and such silly things that are apparently included in Uber's terrible business model maybe people would care more about how Uber runs their company. As of now all I know is they treat me how I expect to be treated and get me to where I'm going in a safe and courteous manner which is all I ask for. 

No FOMO. At least I got one absurd day in before I got sick. Well technically 2 if you count Wednesday. But crazy Time Warp nights are starting to blend together on this side of the Mason Dixon. I am finding my groove here and it's bothering me. It's like dating the fun guy. You know it's going nowhere, but it's nice to fill the time and be able to have a tickle fight and argue about flowy shirts unbuttoned to the navel. But in the end you long for more. But you start to think this isn't so bad, why can't I just be happy with this. Fuck if I know. Did that have a point? I think the dehydration is setting in from puking for 20hrs. I'm going to get to the bottom of the Sheepsquatch and read way more of this Canadian Rock Wikipedia page than I should. 

I think John Prine lyrics are the equivalent of the "I could of done that". They are so simple, almost nursery rhymish when just glanced at on paper. But as they bounce around in your head they are just woven together with such skill. I still think about Elvis Costello interviewing him when I went to Spectacle. Elvis, disects everything and is over schooled in the art of music. He's a super fan, I get it, we are all a super fans to someone. Most of us don't get to interview our obsessions though on the Apollo stage. I know Elvis gets it on some visceral level, but he missed it on such a beautiful and obvious level. It felt like John Prine just trying to find the right way to tell this super fan "I just write what I feel". I feel like my whole life is just me doing this song and dance out in the world (as I'm sure everyone else in the world is doing, we all feel beleagured!). I just think I might be a little to heart on my sleeve for this world. I wrote my first full song in a long time waking up out of a dead sleep this morning. I feel ready to try my hand at weaving lyrics probably not as well as Mr. Prine, but as I'm learning probably a little to late in life, that shouldn't keep me from trying. 

Long Monday - John Prine

Gifts given by me this year - Took dad to Handel's Messiah

Gifts given to me this year - robe, a few nerd games, scarf

What I really got was an actual happy big family Christmas filled with no questions about the direction of my life or tattoos. Told I looked nice, my job sounded awesome, and how witty I was. A few crazy murder intrigue stories and a small loud child's head getting stuck in the railing. Generally it's was just good to feel like you've finally grown up to the point where you appreciate those around you. I was probably a little late to the game, but better than to never show up at all. I could offer real advice though most of it taken from Dragnet episodes and be a shoulder to lean on. To grow into ones skin comfortably is an experience I never thought I would have. So pretty much as perfect and ideal as I expect a family based holiday in a weird atheist house to be. I am very fortunate to have such wonderful people around

I will not be losing the life I know ever again. I'm also into whatever this globular piece of crap is.

My mom's ideas amaze me sometimes. I was excited to hang out with this group of smart, very nerdy, very similar to me, mostly lesbian group of ladies I met. I was telling my mom just throwing that into the story not thinking it would be noticed or get a reaction. My mom is like Erin, you know I've heard you talk about your want for a significant other I don't think this will help you. Well one wanting a cool dude to share my life with is a "want" not a goal in life. 1. I'm not actively or working towards this and if I was it would be a pretty fucking depressing pool I'm looking at. 2. I don't think hetero men run from lesbians perhaps they even partake in these cool activities with us. Especially the very as close to not hetero as a straight man can get men that I date. My mom has really seemed concerned about this and keeps bringing it up. It needs to stop, like yesterday. Having my parents in my dating/sex life is beyond annoying. I thought oversharing would work in stopping this, but my mom is started to become use to it!!! WTF. I have no ideas on how to fix this. Dear Prudence??

Josh did this rad picture for my Tipsy Docent night. Stoked.