9:59 a.m. - 2016-08-18
An Eternity and an Eyeblink
Active duty military, especially basic training, seems like an eternity, when it's actually over in the blink of an eye.
With basic training, every single moment of the day is scheduled. The routine becomes routine. And time all but stands still from the inside. The only things marking one week from the next are linen turn-ins and church services.
And something else that holds true, is that they do more before 0900 than most people do all day...
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I'd hosted my usual Wednesday night quiz last night, loaned my sound equipment, scoring packets, pencils, etc., to Kevin after the quiz so he can sub for me next week while Gary and I attend the Korn and Rob Zombie concert at Blossom. I wrapped up my blog, had a $5 burger at George's Lounge, courtesy of Ned, one of the quizzers (quizzees?), and turned on Lyft.
I was heading towards home, with my goal being the Valley to maybe pick up some Kent State students. As it turned out, I received a request for the Valley while I was still 24 minutes out, which ended up being a short gas station trip because a couple had run out of gas. They were headed up the hill towards Timber Top when it happened, so they coasted back down the hill to the (former) Max McQ's parking lot where I met them.
Afterwards, I waited around at the Johnny J's parking lot hoping to get riders. Uber wasn't responding. A guy asked for a ride but then admitted he really just wanted a conversation. He wandered off.
Went to leave there towards home and maybe some Highland Square customers when I got a request for out towards Medina on 18. Picked up two girls and took them back to Independence or so. It was a 40 minute trip. Not too shabby.
From there I got pulled to Shaker Square to take a guy to the Eaton Building(?). It looked like it could be the set for Cyberdyne Industries in Terminator 2. Heck, he even had to swipe his badge to get us through the gate.
From there I got pulled to North Olmsted (although I might be missing one or two trips at the moment). She wanted to go to the RTA rapid transit station, but changed her mind and just had me drive her to the hotel she works at. Same distance of a drive, anyways. And it saved her a 45 minute walk. Why not just ride directly there. That's what we're here for.
That was near the airport, so I went to the Burger King/BP combo, fueled up the car, had breakfast, and went back online.
Picked up a lady and her kids, took them to daycare, and then dropped her back off at home.
Headed towards home when I received a request for the Independence area, first exit to my right. Took that guy to work, right down the road, went offline, and headed towards home.
Stopped at FedEx to print off tonight's quiz that I'm subbing for Jeff to save me time later.
Lyft seems to be more lucrative than Uber. I had 13 trips in two days and made $164+, which averages out to almost $13/ride. Used the quick deposit option while at the gas station to move the $132 that it would let me over to my account and paid my car payment. Still need to earn a few more dollars to cover my insurance, as well, but being at Cleveland Heights tonight, that should be no problem.
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...I had done all of that and it wasn't even 0900, so that's where this train of thought started. Thinking about my baby being at basic, and that they're an hour behind us. Today is probably paperwork and medical, to include shots. I did give her a head's up about the gluteal injection of the penicillin shot, and to warm it under her armpit if given the opportunity, warning her that they probably wouldn't give her said opportunity because they're sadists. Dental, vision, hearing...
...At Fort Sill when they were administering our hearing exams, with four or six of us in the booth, one per station, the proctor yells at us through the headsets that "if you don't just stop pressing buttons, you're not even going to make it into the army!" Smartass me wanted to just start blowing it up with Morse code, but I refrained. Heck, I'd already had my shots at that point. I wasn't going to go home after those. We had had most shots one day, and that day we had a fresh one, to the tricep. That one smarts. The penicillin only bothered me while putting pressure on it, i.e. sitting down, which also became a running joke that they had injected a nano bot button that put us to sleep every time we sat down on it. But the tricep shot burned and it stung regardless of arm movement or position.
Yes, I'm rambling. I'm sleepy. I'm nostalgic. And I miss my baby.
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