#business code for uber driver

[roverclone]

Unlocking Success: Business Code for Uber Driver and Entrepreneurs

Unlock exclusive benefits and opportunities with Uber's business codes. Discover how these codes can elevate your earnings and enhance your experience as a driver or entrepreneur in the dynamic world of ride-sharing.

[moonastro]

groom persona chart

industria in the houses (389)

what is a groom persona chart? this chart exhibits qualities that your husband will have and possible placements that can be seen in their chart. it is simply a chart all about your spouse in a woman's chart. the asteroid groom can be identified using the code 5129.

asteroid industria which can be brought up using the code 389. it represents what type of career or profession your future spouse may have and be in.

<<<<lets get into the house placement of the asteroid industria and what it means in likes of the career of your spouse!!!>>>>

˚˖˚˖����ִ໋🦢˚READINGS AVAILABLE (DM ME)˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚˚˖˚

industria in 1st house: this field that your spouse is in can be a representation of their ego and their self, the job that he has can tell a lot about him. he can really identify as his job so can be very focused at work and can almost create a whole personality trait out of his work. always mentioning that he's working and so on. can take pride in his job and may rarely change jobs as can relate too much to the job that may not have the guts to let go of it. his job can be a focal point of his life meaning that his life evolves around his job and not the other way around. its all he ever talks about, can never have the time to do anything else but work.

⊹₊⟡⋆depending on what sign or aspects that are present with industria can tell us more details about your spouses career. so if in scorpio- can include hard labour, conflicts within the job, some unhealthy attachments related to the job, job related to metal, knifes, blood, skin and organs/meat. if in aspect to the sun- job can be related to sweat, training, masculine energy, lots of mean working at that job, a high efficient job, jobs related to, production and behind the scenes. if aspected to mars- job related to metal, hard labour, muscle, sore body, problems to health, slaughter, conflict, high esteem, arguing.

industria in 2nd house: for this placement, the field that your spouse can be a part of are working in the section of basic needs, meaning that this job can be involved with working with food, clothing, water, shelter and money as those are the survival needs that humans need. a job in culinary, cooking, nutrition, such as a dietician, chef, cook. a nurturing and guiding job so this can mean being in the field of taking care of others and making them comfortable.

⊹₊⟡⋆ depending on the aspects and signs can influence the depth of the career. so if mars is aspecting the asteroid- hard labour, sweat, muscle building, arguments, conflict, confidence, tiredness. in Aquarius- online, socials media, influence, IT, communal, crowd speaking, job related to a big crowd, inspiring job.

industria in 3rd house: fields related to this placement can include trips, having opportunities to travel while working, being involved in the local media and being known locally, so being a part of the news, journalist, news reporter, counsellor, therapist, transportation worker such as a taxi driver, uber, bus driver, coach driver etc. may have a lot of communications involved or lots of talking and sharing is involved in the job, like for example sharing information, passing on ideas, carrying on a procedure etc. may work at an education system that works with younger people, lower education assistant, teacher, advisor, principle etc. may develop or attract a lot of contact throughout this job as he may meet loads of people in a day, may create this restlessness energy also that is associated with this job.

⊹₊⟡⋆ depending on what aspects are influenced and the sign its in can tell us more depth into the position of your spouses career. if in gemini-job related to communities, writing, social media, advising, teaching, developing, tech, vehicles, travel. if in capricorn- business, manager, supervisor, head of department, boss, ceo. aspecting the moon- home carer, nurse, doctor, job related to emotional intelligence, home provider, he can have a stable job that gives a steady pay check, nurturing.

industria in 4th house: for this placement, your spouse may be in the filed correlated to security meaning that this can be a job of stable flow of wages and income. this job that your spouse is in can create stability for other people as well so working on building s better home place for people like architect, real estate, flooring company, movers people, furniture related, designer, interior and exterior designer. working with families so a counsellor, nurse, doctor, and anywhere else related to hospitality and taking care of people in general and creating a comfortable and caring atmosphere. this job can come very naturally for your spouse and it can actually be a field that he chose because of his interests and by being very good at what he does, it can come at ease to him.

⊹₊⟡⋆depending on the sign or aspects related to the asteroid can give us more insight on the career. so if its aspecting saturn- job related to labour, stable long hours, dedication and concentration so can be a routine based job, lots of stress. if in cancer- job related to curing people, helping people, cooking, acts of service, creating a comfortable environment, cleaning, house related job.

industria in 5th house: this placement can indicate a career associated with creative and novelty related such as wedding planner, wedding photographer and so forth, this job can be quite risk taking and can require a lot of confidence and effort, perhaps even willpower also. working with children or around children is possible, having a job that is considered childish or easy and simple. this job can include a lot of projects and tasks involved in it. this job of his can also be a hobby of his and thats why it may seem like it is easy to him anyway. this career can be considered as fun and very playful, can be a genuinely fun and exciting job for your spouse. this could also be a passion of many, this job that your spouse may have can be desired by many people and it can be considered as the job of successful people.

⊹₊⟡⋆ if aspecting venus- beauty, music, musician, dancer, working with high brands, working with successful people and collaborating with many, luxury, sweets, fashion, make up, skin. if in pisces- hospital, travelling, flight attendant, pilot, getting a job offer in a foreign land, a boat driver, acting, music, artist. in aries- fast paced, action oriented job, conflict, arguments, jobs involving competition and envy, vehicles, camera.

industria in 6th house: careers that can be associated with this placement are jobs that are health related, such as taking care of the body and examples include fitness trainer, dietician, working in the gym, personal trainer, perhaps even a doctor, nurse and other health related professions. a job that requires lots of empathy and seeing a lot of people being hurt and having no control over it. a job that can fee like you are stuck. also a job related to pets, animals so working with them or working to heal them and caring for them. this job may require your spouse to sacrifice a lot also, either if its family time, assets, and so forth.

⊹₊⟡⋆ if in aspect to neptune- job related to illusions, drugs, alcohol, addiction, an addictive substance, movies, job related to being easily influenced. in scorpio- knives, cutting, metal, surgery, blood, transformational occurrence, occult, secrets, deep. in libra- beaty, food, sweets, influence, changes, discoveries, a job related to co working and working and partnering with other people.

industria in 7th house: the career of your spouse can be related to awakenings and getting humbled almost, this field of work can be a change in their life's perspective and can often change also from time to time, this may also mean that he can change industries also. a career that involves reactions and feedback which means that the customers feedback can mean a lot to this jobs inquiry. perhaps even feedback is what gives the job business as well. jobs that might be on mention are small business, online seller, plumber, nail technician, driving instructor and so forth. any job that requires a good feedback in order to flow customers in. this job can be involved in equality and discoveries, anything to do with cases and technologies also. working in big tech companies or perhaps even having personal assignments assigned to them. such jobs that fit into this category are lawyer, crime scene detective, detective, research company, personal assistant, business owner and so forth.

⊹₊⟡⋆ aspecting the sun- jobs related to managing, fame, organising, being a leader, being a monitor person, security guard, labour job, working around a big crowd, influencing. in scorpio- meat, skin, surgery, mystery, secrets, keeping it low and confidential.

industria in 8th house: a career that your spouse may have is something to do with duty and receiving orders from someone such as working for someone or being involved with the military and army. a job that has a lot of respect and a job that respect is likely. a lot of rules and especially a lot of regulations can be in set at your spouses job that your spouse may have to follow. a high diligence and secretive career. career involved with death and inheritance perhaps its them working at a death insurance company, a person who organises funerals and so forth. any job that may organise or be in charge of inheritance cheques also. he may work somewhere where contracts are involved and most likely can be working for government rules and the system of the government also.

⊹₊⟡⋆ aspecting pluto- strictness, possessiveness, unhealthy habits, jobs to do with addiction and control. aspecting saturn- dedication, jobs related to being a leader and being discipline, a job that takes long hours and takes hard work to complete.

industria in 9th house : so your spouses field of specialty may be include a lot of travel, lots of moving about the place and always experiencing something new. this job may have needed a source of higher education so your spouse may needed to go to university or college in order to get a degree of some sort to have this career. this career may be a high success field meaning that he is very good at what he does although may not realise it. may work with a lot of people from different backgrounds and different atmospheres, may have seen everything or it may feel like it as his job can be quite diverse and challenging. this field in that your spouse can be in can include a mass media attention, or may have access to a mass media meaning that he can be very influential and quite powerful with his position in his career.

⊹₊⟡⋆depending on aspects and the sign that industria is in can really make a difference in what the actual career is. lets say its in taurus- beauty, singing, financial building, banker, investor, chef. say if it is aspecting saturn- long hours, labour, professionalism, seriousness, hard concentration is involved in his job. if in gemini- social media, writing, using new ideas, quick and sharp thinking/mind, quick outcomes, fast approach.

industria in 10th house: so your spouse field of work can be related to high status and high attention. this career may require him to deal with a lot behind the scenes and deal with most stuff by himself, a very personal yet public job. can have a big leadership position, a very guarding yet important role. may have a standard that needs to be kept in this field. maybe a certain appearance may be kept such as clothes, hairstyle, what to wear and not wear, perhaps even control on weight and what can be done to the body and what can not. a very high demanding job, very high stress. lots of control and this can be a very controlling job. also there can be competition in this career, whether its amongst your colleagues or its a high competing job to access.

⊹₊⟡⋆depending on the sign and aspects that are occurring to this asteroid can tell us more about what career they may have. so if uranus is aspecting industria- internet, social media, high following online, high online consumption, high tech, uncontrollable atmosphere, sudden changes, sudden doings, no control. if aspecting the ascendant- appearance, high maintenance, beauty, body, accessories, personality.

industria in 11th house: this career can be associate with working with groups of people, people that they may feel familiar with also. this can be a job where he works in his community where he helps out people that he knows. this job may also be a voluntary job that he signed up for. this can be a very peaceful yet shared experience career, lots of advice may be given in the job and especially a lot of shared creative ideas may be talked upon. the colleagues of your spouse may be very friendly and the whole atmosphere of the job can be very friendly and comforting. job that is involved in beauty and the internet. especially a career that involves high tech and computers.

⊹₊⟡⋆ in gemini- transport, vehicles, bicycles, a job related to teaching, social media influencer, local community, if aspecting jupiter- teacher, mentor, librarian, author, influencer.

industria in 12th house: this career of your spouse can be detail based and can require lots of memorisation and delivering of details. this job can be of sections meaning that it requires completion of one assessment in order to be able to be carried onto the next one, you cant just skip ahead and things like that. this career of your spouse can be involved into efficiency and order and by that this may mean that their job is done efficiently and there may be different ways of doing that job. there can be a value of perfection and cleanliness related to the job. there can be high expectations and pressure that is linked to this job of your spouse. anything to do with health and especially mental health, remedies, consultations and seeking advice. lots of research and techniques can be used in his career.

⊹₊⟡⋆depending on the sign and aspects of the asteroid it can influence more depth into what specific profession he can be a part of. in scorpio- can be related to research, writing, astrology, transformational work, deep messaging, cutting, mining, occult teachings. if in taurus- beauty, singing, voice, dancing, finance, bank, assets, job related to food, cooking, meal preparations, fluctuation themed such as investments and stock markets. associations to mercury- job can be related to text, writing, teaching, travelling, changing positions, speech, social media, vehicles, exchanges. aspects to the sun- job related to fame, spotlight, ego exchange, being themself, high position, knowing their way around things.

Guysss, im glad to be posting this, i really want to get back with posting regularly but have so much to dooo- its never ending. anyway, thanks for reading and have a lovely rest of your day.

[the-magpie-archives]

Tips for writing London as a setting if you've never been there

London's a popular place to set a story! It's often imagined as sexy, cool, and suave. Whilst this is sometimes true, the thing that it predominantly is, is absolutely and entirely chaotic! So here are some aspects that you may not know about:

-Public transport is absolutely crucial to the infrastructure! Few people drive in London because of how well connected it is, and bus stops and train stations are often used as meeting points or details in directions.

-There's a LOT of crime, like, a lot. All cities have it, but London has a lot of variety. Stabbings are incredibly common (to the extent where it becomes a bit of a joke), almost everyone has a story where they've found or seen a dead body, and there are many money laundering/drug den fronts under the guise of highstreet shops (they're not well hidden).

-Despite it's chaos there's a strong code of etiquette most people hold themselves too. Some are actual rules (stand on the right side of escalators, don't queue jump) but some are simply social expectations (don't stop in the middle of the pavement, keep your bags close to your body, don't take up multiple seats.)

-A lot of tourists to the city are COMPLETELY FERAL and widely hated. They'll stand in the middle of the road, block up bridges, swing around cameras and selfie sticks in busy places, and completely ignore the social standards of polite society. People Do Not Like This. (also American tourists have a tendancy to just randomly start conversation with people? It's a bit weird and generally not done but it's not strictly a bad thing.)

-Rush hour is INSANE. We're talking almost static traffic, trains so packed that you're pressed into people on every side, buses that are so full they can't stop to let more people on. Some days it's better some days it's worse, but if you can avoid travelling at those times YOU DO.

-There are a lot of scam artists on the streets. Most major cities have these, they suck, they're aggressive, and they'll take your money! Some give you flowers and then force you to pay, some take photos of you and boost up the price to get them, there's always new ones, they're relentless, and you've gotta tell them to fuck off.

-Black cabs are not at all popular for normal people! They cater to tourists, rich people, and old people. They're great, the cab drivers are hard working and very knowledgeable, but they're also very expensive. Awful as it is, uber's cheaper if you're desperate, but buses go everywhere so it's just not really worth it.

[avastrasposts]

Frankie to the rescue

A Frankie Morales drabble inspired by @secretelephanttattoo who suggested that "Frankie welcomes you home after a long day of travel...."

Written in half an hour after a long day of travel so any mistakes should be ignored. Also, I had no suitable Frankie coded pic to use so if anyone has a suggestion, please link me and I'll update the post! Thanks to @secretelephanttattoo for finding the perfect pic in five seconds flat!

Word count: 690

(and what do you know, i can write short stuff too!)

You groan as you watch the conveyor belt slow down and come to a halt. Two bags remain, none of them yours. An eleven day business trip, a fourteen hour flight back home from Japan, delayed of course, and your luggage is a no-show. The lost luggage counter is mercifully open despite the late hour but it takes the bored attendant an extraordinarily long time to fill in your claim and give you a case number. Or maybe it just feels extraordinarily long when you’ve been on the go since you left your hotel in Tokyo over twenty four hours ago. All you want is to get home and take a long shower and sink down into your own bed, next to your own Frankie. 

Frankie…soft brown eyes, even softer brown curls, warm smile and large hands that always seem to find exactly the right spot on your body for whatever you need. He’s waiting at home, probably in bed already at this late hour, but you know he’ll wake up the second you put your key in the lock. He’ll come padding through the house in his boxers, let you shrug your coat off and then envelop you in his long arms. You know what he’ll smell like as you press your nose against the warm skin on his broad chest, clean cotton, rich wood and that apple scented fabric softener he always buys. 

You tuck the receipt for your poor lost luggage into your shoulder bag and start heading towards the exit. Passport control waves you through, thank god for your citizenship, customs is empty at this hour and you stagger, bleary eyed, into the arrivals hall. There should be a driver waiting for you, company perk, and you just hope he’s still there after the delay. But none of the waiting drivers in their neat uniforms hold a sign with your name and you groan again and pull up your phone to see if you can get an Uber. 

“Ma’am, your car is this way,” the man behind you bends unnecessarily close to your ear and you almost drop your phone. An arm comes out to steady you, hooking around your waist and pulling you close. You’re just about to shove him away with a shout when his warm eyes find yours, his patchy beard a little bit neater and trimmed since you left, lips already close to yours, half pulled up in a smile, ready to kiss you. 

“Frankie…” you sigh and his lips find yours, soft, warm and tender as they press against you, parting slightly to taste you under his tongue. It’s his long arms around your waist, one palm sliding up your back to hold you close against him as you wrap your own arms around his neck, finding those soft curls under the edge of his ball cap. 

“Vida mía,” he mumbles, pulling back a little to lean his forehead against yours, “I missed you so much, I told your PA I’d pick you up instead of the driver, couldn’t be away from you for a minute longer.” 

“I missed you too, Frankie, my love, so much,” you whisper, trying to take in all of him as the late night airport bustle fades around you. His hands are warm through your coat, his breath smells of cinnamon gum and coffee and his arms around your back hold you so tight that you’re on your toes, reaching up, melting into him. 

“Let me take you home, mi amor,” he slides his hand down and takes yours, “and show you how much I missed you.” His lips slip down from your lips, down over your jaw, the bill of his cap making you tilt your head to the side, exposing your neck to him. He nuzzles into the crook of it, his mouth tasting the warm skin, teeth biting just a little, making heat rush through you as soft moans slip out from your both. His fingers tighten his grip around your hand and he pulls away a little, tugging you with him towards his truck.. 

“Now,” he growls, his eyes suddenly dark and needy. 

[mistydeyes]

congrats on 1k!!! you deserve all of the love you get <3

can you do stained lipstick with gaz? (gn!reader <3)

Thank you so much @mockerycrow! You're the absolute sweetest :) AND THIS WAS SUCH A GOOD PROMPT especially w my favorite boy

link to the prompt list and 1k celebration!

prompt: stained lipstick (18+) - rough kisses in the back of an uber

pairing: Kyle "Gaz" Garrick x gn!reader

warnings: sexual imagery (heavy makeouts, light grinding, yk the deal), swearing

┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊ ⋆ ┊ . ┊ ┊┊

The entire night at the pub, Kyle's hands always found a way to be on you. Whether it was the delicate hand on your thigh at the table or the protective grasp on your waist while ordering, Kyle's fingers felt like fire on your skin. You were aching to go home and it was clear he was feverish as well as he passionately kissed you on the street-lit sidewalk. Before you knew it, your Uber had arrived as a black car rounded the corner. "For Kyle," the driver asked as she leaned out the window. Your boyfriend nodded and led you by the hand into the vehicle.

Despite the relatively short ride home, something about the confined space made it ideal for breathy kisses and light tugs at your clothing. The driver was around your age and kept her eyes glued to the street as she knew the drunken routine of lovers. What started as a gentle kiss on the cheek turned into Kyle shielding your head with one arm and gripping your waist with the other as you allowed his tongue to enter your mouth. The sounds of the stereo gradually increased as you kissed more deeply. You playfully tugged on his lip as he moaned at the distinct action. "Fuck, love," he breathed for a moment before holding your face gently and looking at you in the red hue of the traffic light. You bit your lip before running your fingers through his soft hair and pulling him closer to you. The small space was fragranced with an amalgamation of liquor and his intoxicating cologne as you closed the gap with your starved lips.

Surrounding cars blurred as the driver navigated the busy late-night streets and provided a perfect background for your quickened, feverish kisses. His kisses became more desperate as he pulled you closer to him and you lightly palmed your hand on his ever-tightening front. You smiled into the kiss as you heard him groan in response. "Can't wait to have you to myself," he whispered and you continued to placate him with your mouth as the streets began to be more familiar. Finally, after the excruciating 20 minutes, you exited the car with Kyle right behind you. You laughed as you made sure he left her a good tip for ignoring your antics. You were inseparable as you entered the code quickly to your flat. As you knocked off your shoes and hung your jackets, that was the last organized thing you would do for the whole night as Kyle cornered you against the wall. "Now where were we?" he said playfully and met your reddened lips with his.

[justforfunfic]

Drinks & Dates

Summary: Using the prompts “Can you come get me?” and “You’re not really dating him” 

You’ve recently broken up with your boyfriend but he doesn’t get the message. Maybe fake dating his coworker will finally make him realize that you're really over? That is, if your friend doesn’t get to him first. 

Pairing: Sandor Clegane x reader

Genre: Modern AU

Word Count: 2.8k

Warnings: none 

A/N: Meryn is not the creep he is in the books/show but he is what he’s always been: a loser

Part 1

______________________________________________________________

“You can’t keep doing this,” you sighed. You would’ve yelled if you weren’t so tired. This was what, the third or fourth time he’d done this?

“You said you were done with your dinner plans with your friend at 8:30,” Your ex Meryn said. “You also said we could hangout.”

You shook your head as you went to put on your shoes and grab a jacket. It was 8:25.

“No. I said I was leaving at 8:30 because I had plans for dinner with a friend,” Before he could argue, you added, “Reread my text.”

He did and “my bad” was all he could think to say.

You were exasperated. Did he really not see an issue with showing up at your apartment? You had told him that they could hang out anytime today but that you had plans at 8:30. 

“You have to leave,” You demanded

“What friend is it?”

“Does it matter?”

Before you could reply, there was a knock on the door. You rolled your eyes and went to get it. On the other side of the door was Rosa, your close friend. She wore a short, tight dress that made your halter top and very short shorts look conservative.

“Who is it?” Meryn asked.

Rosa walked in, saw your ex on the couch, and shook her head at you.

“I don’t want to hear it,” You said, knowing you’d both talk about it in the Uber. “I have to pee and then we can go.”

“Okay, I’ll order the Uber,” Rosa said as she began to make small talk with Meryn. When you walked out, finally ready to leave, Meryn tested your patience again.

“Do you want me to leave?”

What kind of question was that? Sensing your train of thought, he continued speaking.

“I’ve stayed here before. Even when you go out for girls' night.”

“No!” You half-yelled. The nerves on this man. “I have to set the alarm and you need to go.”

Meryn awkwardly shuffled to the door, trying to offer you a hug but the look on your face dissuaded him. Once he made his way to his car, you and Rosa stepped out of the apartment and you set the alarm. 

“Why was Meryn here?” Rosa asked on their walk to the Uber. 

Shaking your head and stepping in, you replied, “Where do I start?”

“Is this not the first time?”

“No, and I don’t know why-”

“What’s the code?” The Uber driver interrupted. He was an older man, in his early forties, if you had to guess.

“2358,” Rosa said with a smile. The man smiled back at her as the directions pulled up.

“You two are headed to Herry’s?” He asked rhetorically and Rosa smiled again, “It’s busy on a Saturday.”

“That’s why we’re going. We love the music and the dancing.”

“Hoping to have a good time?”

“Always,” She giggled a little. Her bubbly and flirtatious personality made it easy for her to talk to people, especially men. “Do you know of any other good spots to hit on a Saturday night?”

“Probably not places for young women to dance,” he admitted, looking over their outfits in the rearview mirror, “But if you get tired of the people and the crowds, you should head to Jeff’s. It’s got a live band and cheap beer and it’s a great place to wind down and end the night.”

“Really?”

“Yep. The crowd there is a bit older and a tad quieter, but as long as you don’t go in there making a scene, you should be fine.”

“Thank you,” Rosa said as the driver pulled to the curb in front of Herry’s. She leaned up before getting out and using an innocent tone added, “And just so you know, I never make a scene.”

You waited for your friend to stop flirting with the driver, eager to complain about Meryn and get a much-needed drink. 

The first thing you did while inside was make your way to the bar across the massive room. It was crowded, so Rosa grabbed your hand so as to not be separated in the sea of people. The music poured from the speakers and people were dancing in the center of the room. The two of you couldn’t wait to join. Ordering four shots, two for each of you, Rosa asked, “So what’s with you and Meryn?”

You took your first shot, “I honestly don’t know anymore.”

“I thought the two of you broke up. I thought you dumped him.”

“I did!” You said defensively.

“Then why was he at your apartment?” Rosa’s eyes widened, “Are you two hooking up?”

“What? No! I dumped him two weeks ago, and he keeps wanting to hang out and do things together. I don’t think he’s accepted that we’re over.”

Rosa nodded. The relationship had been over for you for a while and she knew it. You had talked to Rosa several times about dumping Meryn before. He never put in the effort you did, never texted first, and never cared about going to the farmers market with you, or on dates, or celebrating Valentines Day. The list got longer the longer you dated. But whenever you brought up the issues or told him that you would leave if things didn’t get better, he always made excuses and promised to get his act together. He never did.

This time was different though. You had the suspicion that Meryn was cheating on you. When you told Rosa, your friend suggested confronting him or catching him in the act, either by catfishing him or finding the other woman. You declined, finally deciding to end the relationship once and for all. 

“How did he take it when you told him?” Rosa asked, having been out of town for the past month.

“I thought he was mature about it. He didn’t really say anything, but he asked if we could still be friends.” “And you said yes?” You couldn’t tell if Rosa’s tone was curious or scolding.

“Well yeah, I figured we could still be friends.” You said in your defense, “But I thought that we’d hang out with some of our mutual friends or maybe catch up over pizza or something. I didn’t think he’d keep showing up to my apartment.”

“You should’ve told him no and gone no contact.”

“I see that now,” You said, taking your second shot and Rosa did the same.

“So why did he come over tonight? Didn’t you tell him that we had plans?”

“Of course I did. I told him I had plans with a friend at 8:30. I thought we might do something sooner— away from my apartment— but he never responded and then showed up ten minutes before you did.”

Rosa shook her head at your acceptance that Meryn could show up at your door rather than tell him off, but she chose to focus on something else.

“Did you say you were out with a friend or me?”

“Does it matter?”

Rosa gave you a look.

“I said a friend, but you are my friend.”

“Maybe,” Rosa smiled and ordered another round of shots to keep you waiting for her next words, “Meryn thought you were going on a date.”

“What?” you scoffed, not really believing that Meryn would believe that. 

“Think about it, you you broke up two weeks go—”

“Two weeks isn’t a long time,”

“But you told him that you had lost feelings a while ago, didn’t you? Beides, he knows you’re a beautiful woman and how many arguments have the two of you gotten into because another man was flirting with you?”

You couldn’t find the words you wanted to respond with and Rosa continued.

“It makes perfect sense that Meryn thought you were on a date, got jealous, and wanted to break it up before it got started.”

You wanted to disagree but couldn’t. Meryn would do something like that. The conversation ended officially when the shots were set out. you and Rosa threw them back quickly.

“Shall we?” Rosa asked, stepping away from the bar and looking over her shoulder. you grinned and followed her to the dance floor.

The two of you danced for hours, but it felt like minutes. At one point, another pair of women joined you and they all danced together. When they left, two men replaced them, but they got too handsy, so you and Rosa left. It was about time anyway, nearing 1:00AM. 

“I’m starving,” Rosa said. You agreed. 

“Waffle House?” You asked. It was you and Rosa’s regular spot after a night out.

Rosa pursued her lips, considering a late night breakfast, but decided against it.

“Let’s go to Jeff’s,” She suggested, “I want to see what makes it so great.”

You nodded in agreement. Fries sounded much better than a waffle right now.

Rosa pulled up the directions on her almost dead phone. The bar was only a ten minute walk from the club, but with how much the two of you had been drinking, it would probably be a twenty minute stumble. Hand in hand, you and Rosa made your way to the Jeff’s.

The driver was right, the crowd was different from the one at the club. The club was full of young adults, mostly college students or recently graduated, like you and Rosa. Most of the people at Jeff’s were older, people anywhere from late twenties to late fifties. In your tight outfits, you and Rosa stood out. Luckily no one paid much attention to the two of you. They were more interested in chatting with each other and listening to the band, which was much quieter than the pounding music at the club.

Finding a table, the two of you picked up a menu. It was typical bar food, burgers, wings, mozzarella sticks. A Waitress swooped by to take an order.

“Hi, I’m Addy,” She introduced herself. “Just so you know, the kitchen closes in about ten minutes and the last call is at 1:45. What can I get you?”

“Can I get some fries and an order of mozzarella sticks, please?” you asked, “And two waters?”

“Of course,” Addy smiled, and you returned it, hoping you didn’t appear too drunk. The cool night air and walking had sobered you up some, but unfortunately, it did not do the same for Rosa.

The waters and food came out in minutes, or at least if felt like minutes but you really couldn’t tell. You looked around people watching, absent-mindedly eating fries and half of one of Rosa’s cheese sticks. She was busy swiping through men on tinder, and you didn’t have the energy to talk right now. Your eyes settled on a man at the bar. He was tall, with a full beard and long, dark hair. Only part of his face was visible. Rosa chose this moment to speak.

“See something you like?” She teased.

“Can you keep your voice down?” You replied, glancing around to see if anyone had heard. Rosa tended to be loud and got louder when she drank. She didn’t mind, but you did. Most of these people were probably regulars and knew each other.

Rosa leaned in and half-whispered, “See someone you like?”

“I think I know him,” You replied, trying not to stare and failing, “He looks so familiar.”

“Why don’t you go talk to him?”

“I don’t want to flirt with him.” That wasn’t completely true, but you would’ve liked to be more sober to talk to a man. Maybe if you’d come earlier in the night, you would’ve been up for it.

Rosa surveyed him through squinted eyes. He was sitting at the bar, but there was no doubt he’d tower over everyone there if he stood up. He had a nice beard, which she knew you’d love. And he was muscular. So much so, she told herself that if you didn’t make a move, she would. 

“I think you should flirt with him. He’d be more than a step above Meryn.” She was right. Meryn was a bit pudgy and a lot shorter.You wanted the conversation about the man at the bar to end. You loved Rosa, but you were also comfortable at where the night was ending.

Rosa hiccuped and swallowed, one of her tell-tale signs that she’ll throw up soon. You flagged down Addy for the check. You still had fries to eat, but you could grab something from the fridge at home. 

“Here you go,” Addy said as she tore the small paper off her notepad, “You pay at the bar,” she smiled and walked away.

Rosa snatched the yellow paper from your hands, “I’ll give this back, if you promise to talk to that hot ass man sitting next to the register.”

You hadn’t noticed where he was sitting, but if Rosa got up to try to pay, she’d probably spill her mozzarella sticks. You went  to take the ticket from her hand.

“Say you will. Or I’ll go talk to him.”

As much as you cared for Rosa, you hated when she got like this, threatening to take a man if you didn’t. And she made good on her threats.

“Fine,” You finally took the ticket, “I’ll talk to him. You call an Uber while I pay.”

You got up from the table and made your way to the register. You waited for someone to meet you and take your card. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw the tall man nursing his last beer. It was dark, probably Guinness. You could feel Rosa’s eyes on you, and you wish you could find someone attractive or have a crush without being forced to act on it. 

“Can I help you?” The man asked, taking you by surprise. He didn't turn his head to talk to you, but he spoke with an accent your half-drunk brain couldn’t comprehend.

“Oh, no, not unless you work here,” You joked.

“Well then why do you keep looking at me?” He asked rudely. You couldn’t tell if he really wanted an answer. You paused for what seemed like a moment too long.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” You said half-truthfully. “I just feel like I’ve seen you before.”

“You’d remember if you’d seen me.” The words would’ve sounded cocky if it wasn’t for his somber tone. 

Before you could say anything, a small man appeared from a set of doors and held out his hand for your ticket. You handed it to him.

“I hope Sandor isn’t giving you a hard time,” He said, smiling at you. His nametag read “Terry.”

The man, Sandor, scoffed, earning another smile from Terry. You shook your head and someone yelled for Terry in the kitchen. As you took the receipt, scribbling the tip and your signature, you remembered where you had seen Sandor before.

As he took a swig of his beer, you asked, “You wouldn’t happen to be Sandor Clegane, would you?”

“How many more Sandors are there?” Okay, you knew that definitely was rhetorical.

“I’m sorry,” You found yourself apologizing, “I just realized where I knew you from. You work with my ex boyfriend, Meryn.”

“Meryn,” He repeated. Was that disgust in his voice? “Meryn Trant?”

He turned to face you when he repeated Meryn’s name, and you could see why he told you that you’d remember seeing him. A majority of the other side of his face was covered in a burn scar. You focused on his nice beard instead.

“Unfortunately.”

You gently set the bar’s copy of the receipt and the pen down on the counter. You hoped Sandor would say something else, but Rosa hugged you from behind. She noticed Sandor looking at you and stuck out her hand.

“I’m Rosa,” She said with a big smile. Sandor turned away with huff and eye roll, eliminating any chance of furthering the conversation.

She suppressed a smile as she gave you a who-does-this-guy-think-he-is look.You forced a smile in return. You grabbed her by the arm and gently pulled her away. The Uber was probably there.

You took a few steps before looking over your shoulder, “It was nice to officially meet you, Sandor.”

He looked over his shoulder as well, nodding. Outside, you poured Rosa into the Uber.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Snake Eyes 5

Warnings: noncon, coercion, manipulation. Proceed with caution.

Note: thanks all for reading and I hope you’re excited for this one. All feedback is more than welcome and loved and appreciated. Reblogs are most helpful.

Part of The Club AU

The service industry is less than formal. There’s not much red tape in the hiring process and less administrative restraints. So, after a short video interview with Sif, you accept a job for the weekend. It’s not entirely your choice of venue, a yacht, but the pay even before gratuity is enough to convince you.

More peculiar about the job is that it’s not a single night. You’re slated to work through the weekend at breakfast, lunch and dinner. It beats handing out shots to tipsy coeds; these wealthy investors will have deeper pockets.

So much for being destitute all at the whim of that snake. It’s the nature of the business. Gigs don’t last long and when they do, you’re miserable. If it was up to you, you’d be working at one of the upscale cocktail bars in the downtown core but they rarely open up applications.

You pack a bag and take your time getting ready. There’s a dress code of course. All black, no pants. You know these sorts of events. They only hire women and their purpose is more than serving, they have to be nice to look at. Well, you can doll yourself up.

You put on a sleek halter blouses with a leather skirt. You’ll sweat your ass off but it’s what you got. You have just enough outfits to last you through two days. Oh, and some anti-nausea meds to counteract the sea sickness.

The job will reimburse you for the cost of the uber. You don’t think you’ve ever been to the dock. You weren’t a part of the college crowd with their party boats and aren’t generally a fan of being on the water. You tip the driver on your phone as you get out and look around.

There are two other girls in black hovering around. You approach them, assuming they're in the same boat as you. The pun barely worth thinking. 

“Hey, um, are you meeting Sif?” You ask.

“You must be the new girl,” they look at you with their drawn on brows, “Tara,” the tall redhead introduces herself.

“Zadie,” the shorter woman with the spiral curls flicks her lashes derisively.

You offer your name in return, sensing their coolness. They’ve worked together a while, that means you’re the rookie, you have to prove yourself. That isn’t difficult, you have faith in your own skills.

“You’re pretty,” Tara preens, “love the gloss.”

“Thanks,” you accept the compliment.

“I could never pull that shade off,” she continues, “very harsh.”

You nod and force a smile. You’re sure that is only the beginning of your act. You shoulder your bag and turn on your heel listlessly. You’re not here to make friends.

“Girls,” Sif’s heels draw your attention as they click across the dock, “thank you for waiting. The captain was a bit late with his safety review. Ugh, so we have to hurry with set up. The investors will be arriving shortly. Can’t have you standing out here like a bunch of stray cats.”

“What happened to Katie?” Zadie asks as she steps forward first.

“She’s at her sister’s wedding,” Sif returns smoothly, “don’t worry, she’s vetted and very capable,” the dark haired woman gives you an appraising look, “you might learn a few things, Zee.”

Zadie rolls her eyes and Tara grins over her shoulder, trying to hide her amusement. You shrug and follow them towards the boarding ramp. Right, just don’t think about the water.

🍸

The boat is a flurry. After you are shown your cramped cabin, leaving your bag on the bed, you are taken to the gala deck. There, you are acquainted with the bar and set to your prep. The familiarity of the work welcomes you in and your nerves calm even as the subtle swell of the water rocks the ship.

As you work in tandem with the other girls, the lights adjust and music begins to waft around the space. You look out at the tables, set and ready for diners. It seems a rather overdone event. You’re not sure if you had yacht money, you would waste it on these pompous displays. Maybe that’s why you don’t have any money.

The first investors begin to trickle in. You hear Sif’s voice rise above the building din as she beckons them in and shows them their seats. Some sort of auction for charity. Funny, how these things are always fundraisers…

As the crowd burgeons in, the first patrons of the night come by the bar. Tara elbows past you to take the lead. You let her. You know her type. They approach the job like a competition. No use playing that game.

“Miss, a drink,” you hear from your left. You turn to greet the man, his silty tone only registering once you face him. Loki smirks as he drapes his arm over the trim, “I believe you know my preference.”

You withhold a scowl. You don’t know how to respond. You can’t scream at him so you turn and begin to put together a dry martini. You feel him watching you. Of course, he’s one of them.

“Mr. Laufeyson,” Zadie comes up behind you, “nice to see you.”

“You too,” he says silkily.

“Hon, why don’t you let me take over for Mr. Laufeyson?” She offers as she touches your arm.

“She’s got it,” he shoos her with his fingers.

You present him the tall glass and meet his eye. He watches you with that imperious gloating grin. He reaches for it, sliding it closer with two fingers around the stem.

“Now I should be suitably bolstered to face my guests,” he declares. You squint at him, his guests? “Darling, should you require anything, you know you only need ask. I do take pride in accommodating my staff well.”

You blink, lips sealed and tight. His eyes rove up and down as he lifts his martini, “cheers.” He takes a sip and winks, before spinning on his heel and strutting off. You should’ve known it was all too easy.

[agentjayrock]

Uber? Lyft? What the hell is going on?

Ever had to contact customer support and heard over an automated voice instead of a human? How about contacting them and once you explain to them your issues only for them to give you ready-made responses as they haven't clue of what you're talking about? Well, that's been my excrcuiating experience as a driver for both companies at the same time. So, let's dive into how ludicrous it's been.

Let's start with Uber since it's rich with crazy stories. Uber has kind of a fair hourly wage going $25-30. You can receive payments on weekly basis like most jobs and contracts. Or you can have instant access to your money and even cash out once you've finished your shift with the Pro Card. Of course, I would choose the latter because why not? Normally I cash out directly to my debit card and needed I new one some time ago. I went in to change the details for the new card and had to undergo a security code verification via text message. I never received it so I had to contact support. I explained the issue I had and was told to whilelist my phone number from a text message. That's strange. How come I can receive text messages from Pro Card just fine when logging in, but not for this? Because this didn't work. I thought that this had to be a problem in their end. Now, a good tech support agent would troubleshoot such an issue should a solution like that not work. Not here; they "took it to further support" (Bear with here. I couldn't remember exactly what they said.) in order to resolve my issue. Their response: logout and in, reinstall the app and restart my phone. None of that worked because it's the most half-assed set of solutions of all time. Imagine if EA told you do that with their games you try to boot up. It'll just add the notoriety they're known for having.

It didn't feel like I was chatting with a human, so I decided to call support for a better chance. I had to wait (Get ready for this) ONE MOTHERFUCKING HOUR just to talk with someone. I can't believe I had the patience for that. I finally get to talk with an agent, only for them to tell me the same. Damn. Thing. Dude, what the fuck? Is Uber run by Skynet or something?! I kept contacting until I remembered why I had to whitelist the phone number I've been using with my account: it's because it's believed that it was being blocked by the provider. The number here is one I had setup for business reasons via TextFree, so I contacted them about it and they told me there was no issue on their end. Is Uber screwing with at this point? But, I went and switched the number on my account to my personal one, thinking that the business number is being assumed to be a VoIP, which is not allowed with some services. I finally get the code needed to finalize debit card changes to my Pro Card account.

Now this next story really interfered with my job significantly. I've been doing rideshare look normal, steady with a consistent schedule I setup for myself. The one thing that annoys me is that I have to verify my facial identity every once in a while. I mean, you know what I look like. Nothing too drastic has changed about me. So, why do I gotta go through this as I begin the job at a desired time? One day, I randomly go into the trip preferences menu to see it go from this:

To this:

Note: the Uber Eats food delivery preference is suppose to be there, but I didn't take a screenshot before it disappeared.

Of course, I had to talk to an agent. But this was more aggravating. I tried my damnedest to explain this issue. The agent, however, couldn't seem to figure out what I mean. Did they not have any job training? Once that was sorted, the agent said things like "This should be the type of experience for you to have" or "We understand your concern". Do ya, really? Because you should've went deeper into it by now. Continuing with this chat, guess what they told me then: the same solution from the Pro Card "troubleshoot", but that didn't work because THE APP IS NOT THE FUCKING PROBLEM! I disconnected and got in contact with a different agent. This bullshit repeated, but I got a whole new response. I got confirmation of my eligibility to have these preferences, including UberXL, and it was still approved. They also actually spent the time to look into it for a few minutes, although it was longer than. The problem involved the inspection of the vehicle I have registered. They wanted me to show an image of a newly documented inspection, but I don't have to worry about it for another 6 months. In my state at least, (I'm from the USA) I have to perform an annual inspection for legal validity of driving the vehicle, and it's $100. Doing this every 6 months makes no sense and it feels like it'll lead to an endless money pit, as a certain mechanic would say.

After that was sorted, I went back to doing the job like normal, only for it to happen again the next week. Starting to feel like Uber has a grudge against me. I go back to dealing with the same ol' crap more frustrated than ever, even angry, and get an unexpected response: I'm not eligible to perform UberXL rides. Well, isn't this the most inept thing to happen here? I drive a minivan, goddammit. What do you mean I'm not eligible? I just disconnected and almost didn't bother to reach another agent. But, I'm managed to collect myself and get it sorted out like last time. I'm certain this will happen again however.

On the Lyft side of things, the same issue with support, except this is about emblems. Speaking of those emblems, the adhesive is weak sauce. So, I needed new ones. You can order new ones from the site or app with the push of a button. It's suppose to arrive within week, but didn't as that time range passed. I had to contact an agent, but it was hard to do it on the app because for some reason, they have too high of expectations that problems are solved with FAQs. But this is a troubleshooting issue; there's no way they can believe things can work fine that easily all the time. I had to go to the site to get help, and they responded by arranging a new order, which did arrive. Thing is, I've had this problem since I first signed up. I didn't even get my training kit with the cool pink mustache. After those emblems wear out too soon, I had to order another pair. Here's me thinking "Maybe they sorted out that issue with the delivery". But something even worse happened:

And as of the date of this blog post, it's still like this. Why? I even contacted them with this screenshot and they just gave me an automated message saying they'll just reship the emblems. This shouldn't have to be the only way to obtain new emblems beside the Express Hubs, which is too far from where I live. And they didn't arrive this time. If I contact them about any other problem, it'll just be the same type of response instead of troubleshooting.

Now, I don't know too much about the experience with support for riders since I've not used rideshare often. But I'm sure there's similar issues. The fact that this is the type of support we receive is unacceptable. It's as if they only measure their success financially based on the quantity of users. With the money they make, you'd think they could hire more competent employees for tech support, but they just found some random people with barely any tech skills to speak of and brought them in. There's got to be some kind of union strike or something because we can't keep letting them get away with this.

[treasure-mimic]

Recently I was watching an old video from a couple years ago and had a moment of shock when the commentator felt the need to placate cryptocurrency by saying that blockchain on its own as a technology has potential. We're still trying to figure out what that potential is, the average user's need for decentralized ledger-holding.

There is a temptation to treat generative AI like this, like oh the hype is forming a bubble but the underlying technology has potential. The average person wants to use ChatGPT. I am becoming increasingly skeptical of this claim.

I've had half a mind to make any of these points individual posts and so I'm just kind of compiling all my points in one place. And, you know, disclaimer, there is a bias here, if you couldn't tell, it's possible that I am attracted to points against generative AI more because I dislike its effects on creative industries.

But a point that constantly, constantly comes up when you point out the shortcomings of the state of AI is that it will get better, it is getting better, as it improves it will become more practically useful for more and more fields, and the farther out we get I'm like. Is it? Every time Open AI comes out with a press release about the AI improving, it seems like it's not an improvement to any existing system but a new system entirely. Now our AI can make images, now our AI can make video, now our AI can interpret audio. But the AI text generator still tells lies, the AI images, while hard coded to not draw 5 hands in one place, still can't make hands, AI video still can't remain consistent. Issues with the current product are continuously paved over by introducing a shiny new product.

And if we talk about the people who actually want to use generative AI, okay. Companies are currently chomping at the bit in order to utilize generative AI in order to replace human workers. This desire is kind of ridiculous. I'm reminded of when Uber talked about wanting to replace its drivers with self-driving cars, this was never going to happen even if we could get cars to drive themselves. Uber's entire business model is predicated on the fact that they don't need to purchase a fleet of cars for every city in the world, the drivers provide the cars. As much as Uber doesn't want to pay its workers, it's not going to fire them for self-driving cars because paying one driver is cheaper than buying a car to replace them.

Generative AI is the same way, it feels cheap and accessible now because all the AI companies are being propped up by investors, but those investors have put in money under the explicit expectation that at some point the company needs to make money on its own. If that ever happens it will, necessarily, become an exclusive product. Making large language models is expensive, running them is expensive, it's so expensive that this boom has made Nvidia the wealthiest company on the planet, every second of GPU manufacturing is booked out for literal years by these companies because you need thousands upon thousands of them to run something at the scale of Open AI. In order for Open AI to become independently profitable, generative AI will have to become an exclusive product. There is no future in which every company is running their own chatbot client. At best there's a future where Open AI holds a functional monopoly and every company licenses out their product, similar to Adobe now. Even that is optimistic, I wish I could give you specific numbers, but needless to say the days of AI being cheap and accessible are numbered. Fees are coming, and if Open AI's financiers aren't able to balance those numbers, then the whole industry collapses.

And all of this is ignoring the issues that Open AI is currently facing, lawsuits from corporations stronger than any pissed off individual may result in LLMs being trained off exponentially smaller datasets than the current "all of the open internet". Public distrust is already being fueled by AI evangelists with no skills and no desire to learn skills. Attempts to implement these tools in a professional environment continuously cause problems because of how inflexible they are, and Chat GPT has already gotten a few companies in trouble by offering customer service that's too good that the companies don't want to back up.

So when people tell me that AI does have a future, that the technology is irrefutably valuable, more and more these days I find myself not fully believing them.

[ubeerosophy]

Paths Might Have Made

The most frequent question I get asked as an Uber/Lyft driver is, “What’s the craziest drive you’ve ever done?” There are a few that stand out, but my mind generally goes all the way back to an incident that happened the first weekend I started driving.

Some quick context first…

When I initially heard about Uber and Lyft, or ridesharing as they are collectively called, I thought it sounded incredibly sketchy. The notion of getting in a complete stranger’s car and letting them take you somewhere just didn’t really jive with my skeptical and oft times paranoid way of thinking. Eventually I found out that my uncle was driving for Lyft down in San Antonio and it softened my perception a little. A few weeks or months later, I decided to go ahead and check it out as a passenger while going to a Brewer’s game in Milwaukee. The car was nice, and the driver was professional, so I shed the rest of my skepticism.

That summer I was planning a nearly two-week road trip with my then 13-year-old son, and while considering ways to finance it, my uncle threw out the option of a sign on bonus. If I drove for Lyft and accomplished so many drives within a certain amount of time, using my uncle’s referral code, we would both make several extra hundred dollars. I decided to give it a try, and the rest is history. I’ve done nearly 7,500 drives in going on 6 years. But I almost didn’t make it past the second day.

As a passenger you can set your ride for multiple stops. Perhaps you want to take your kid to school and then go back home after you drop them off, or maybe you want to stop by the gas station for coffee on your way to work. When the ride comes through on the driver’s end, we can see that before we even accept or deny the request. The first time I encountered multiple stops was on this particular drive.

The initial pick up was at the public library downtown, and the passenger was not happy. She had a toddler on her side and was waving her phone in my direction. As she got in the back seat, she informed me that she had been attempting to call me. I can’t remember what the issue was as far as why she was allegedly trying to get a hold of me, but I politely informed her that no calls had come through on my end. Agitated, she looked out the window and I notified the app that she was in my car. I was to take her to Walmart, and then somewhere else. Home I’m assuming.

When we got to Walmart, she told me that it would only take a minute, so I said I would wait just past the entrance with my hazard lights on. It didn’t take just a minute. I sat awkwardly near the front of an extremely busy Walmart for I’m guessing at least 20 to 30 minutes. When she finally came out, she still had her child on her hip and approached the back seat. I always offer to help people load and unload groceries, but this was my first experience with the whole concept, so I just waited. If I remember right, it was only a small box and single sack.

At some point, as the woman was standing outside the back seat on the passenger side, a young lady from a group of people that had been standing nearby recognized her and walked over. I couldn’t see their faces or hear what they were saying, but I assumed that they were just friends or acquaintances. After a couple of moments, a skirmish broke out and they very rapidly moved around to the other side of the car. A Walmart employee that was in close proximity began moving toward the scene in an attempt to break it up and I grabbed my door handle to exit the car. The assailant took off and I have no recollection of where she went or even what direction she took off in. The passenger’s lip was split open and bleeding, and her wig was barely connected, hanging down well past her shoulders. As I continued to take in the scene, I noticed that a birthday cake she had apparently been in the process of placing in my car had fallen out of its box and gotten icing all over the blacktop, back seat and floorboard. The most shocking aspect of the entire incident, however, was that through it all her child had been on her hip.

The woman was clearly and understandably shaken up and the police were called. I don’t remember or know that I ever knew who called them. Presumably the victim or the Walmart employee. I had no idea what I was supposed to do, but it didn’t take long for several officers to show up. After speaking to the woman, one of them came up to me and said I might as well take off because it was going to be a while. I placed the woman’s items in a cart, wheeled them into her and then drove away.

When I try to glean some kind of meaning out of the whole thing, the closest I get is to think about how different my life would’ve been for the past six years had I let that experience scare me away from doing Uber and Lyft. It would’ve changed everything. My occupation. My schedule. My acquaintances. It would’ve changed my life. It was a side gig for several years, but these days I do it full time. The flexibility is hard to beat, and I love how it’s always something different. New places and new faces. Still, it really is amazing to me that I continued to do it after having had that happen right out of the gate. I’m glad I did, because overall its been a positive experience. I’m sure as far as that particular incident goes we could discuss what might’ve led up to that moment outside of Walmart, or maybe even find a way to apply human nature and ethics in general, but this particular post was more just for entertainment value. People love to ask me about crazy things that have happened to me as a driver.

I’ve had many sketchy or perplexing experiences over the past several years as a driver, and hopefully we’ll get to most of them in this blog, but I figured that was a good one to start with. The original. The mother of all my enthralling Uber and Lyft tales.

The UBeerOsopher

And now…a haiku:

it is one moment when without warmth or warning the winds of change blow

“But how could you live and have no story to tell?” ~ Fyodor Dostoevsky

[sawruhh]

I got my tire fixed and had some nice conversations with my Uber drivers, the man at the tire place helped me get my key back on my keychain which I can never do for the life of me and it’s such a small thing but really gives me so much faith in people? People are nice and willing to help. Leave it to me to romanticize anything but this is rly my little community and I’m so grateful for it. I did my dishes and took out the trash and now I’m listening to some soft summer jazz and finally tackling some work before my meeting on Tuesday. This is going to be a busy week but I’m facing my fears and all. To stay sane I have to literally talk myself through everything with coding. My anxiety goes through the roof sometimes. So I’m really out here like “oh okay asdoc didn’t run, no problem, let’s go back and make sure it’s installed” and if I don’t talk to myself it’s much scarier. I hope I can look back on this in several months and laugh

[sleekswordcloud]

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Need a little more legroom and a smoother ride? Sedans are ideal for business travelers and families looking for extra comfort. With spacious seating and a larger trunk, sedans make airport transfers and intercity travel a breeze.

SUVs and Luxury Cars

When you want to make an impression or travel with a larger group, SUVs and luxury cars are your go-to options. SUVs provide ample space for up to 6-7 passengers along with luggage, while luxury cars offer premium features like leather seats, climate control, and a touch of class. Great for special occasions, corporate events, or outstation road trips.

How to Book a Car or Cab in Your City

Step-by-Step Booking Guide

Booking a car or cab in your city is as simple as ordering food online. Here’s how:

Download your preferred car booking app from Google Play or the App Store.

Sign up using your mobile number or email ID.

Enter your pickup location and destination.

Choose your car type (Hatchback, Sedan, SUV, etc.).

Check the fare estimate and apply any discount codes.

Confirm your booking and track your driver in real time.

Pay via cash, card, or digital wallet after the ride.

Popular Apps and Websites

Uber

Ola

Lyft

Rapido (for bike taxis)

Local service providers specific to your city

Each platform offers unique features like ride scheduling, ride sharing, and corporate travel solutions. Explore and choose the one that fits your travel needs best.

Benefits of Using Local Car and Cab Services

Supporting Local Businesses

By opting for city-specific cab services, you’re directly contributing to your local economy. Many of these services are operated by small business owners and local drivers who rely on these platforms for their livelihood. It’s a win-win — you get personalized service, and they get fair compensation.

Faster Service Times

Local cab services often have better knowledge of the city’s routes and traffic conditions. They can get you to your destination faster, avoiding congested areas and finding shortcuts that generic apps might miss. Plus, being locally based means there are usually more vehicles available nearby, cutting down your wait time.

[lily22223]

How to Build a Scalable Taxi App Like Uber: Step-by-Step Guide

If you’ve ever looked at apps like Uber or Ola and thought, “I could create something like that for my business,” you're not alone—and you’re definitely not wrong. Whether you’re running a restaurant, managing a small business, or overseeing enterprise logistics, there’s real value in building a taxi booking app tailored to your needs.

When I first explored the world of Taxi Booking App Development, I was amazed at how versatile and scalable these platforms could be. So in this post, I’m breaking down exactly how I’d approach building a taxi app like Uber—from the very first idea to launching a robust, scalable platform.

Step 1: Define the Purpose of Your Taxi App

Before writing a single line of code or calling a Taxi App Developer, I always start with this question: Why am I building this app? For a restaurant, it might be offering quick transport for food delivery drivers. For a small business, it could be managing a private fleet. Enterprises? Think employee shuttles or logistics coordination.

Your "why" will shape every feature, every screen, and every decision you make moving forward.

Step 2: Map Out the Key Features

Once I know the purpose, I outline the essential features. A good taxi booking app typically includes:

Real-time GPS tracking

Easy driver and customer registration

Ride scheduling and fare calculation

In-app payments

Ratings and reviews

Push notifications

I always make sure these features are scalable so they can grow with my business. That’s where working with the right Taxi App Developer becomes crucial.

Step 3: Choose the Right Tech Stack

Now, let’s talk tech. If you’re not tech-savvy, no worries—I wasn’t either at first. But I’ve learned that using the right tools from the start makes all the difference. Your Taxi App Developer will likely use a mix of:

Frontend: React Native or Flutter (for iOS and Android)

Backend: Node.js, Python, or PHP

Database: MongoDB or Firebase

Maps & Navigation: Google Maps API or Mapbox

I like to ask developers what they specialize in, so I know I’m getting a team that can build something fast, secure, and scalable.

Step 4: Build the MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

I never try to launch with every feature under the sun. Instead, I work with my Taxi App Developer to create a basic version with just the core functionality. This lets me test the waters, get feedback from real users, and avoid blowing my entire budget upfront.

Trust me—less is more in the beginning.

Step 5: Test, Iterate, and Scale

Once the MVP is ready, I put it through its paces. I gather feedback, look for bugs, and see how real people use the app. Then I start improving. This is when Taxi Booking App Development becomes more than just software—it becomes a solution that evolves with your business.

And when everything runs smoothly? That’s when I start thinking about expanding—new cities, more users, extra features. With the right foundation, scaling becomes seamless.

Final Thoughts

Building a scalable taxi booking app isn’t just for tech giants anymore. I’ve seen restaurants use it to streamline deliveries, small businesses improve customer service, and enterprises enhance internal transportation.

The key is starting smart—knowing your purpose, working with a skilled Taxi App Developer, and focusing on real value for your users.

So if you’ve been dreaming of launching your own ride-hailing platform, I say go for it. The road to success starts with that first step—and I’ll be cheering you on from the passenger seat

[leoparker22]

Key Things To Know Before Picking Cab Booking Software

Hello Aspiring Entrepreneurs! Are you looking to launch your own ride-hailing business? Choosing the right cab booking software is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for taxi app development.

With thousands of software solutions available, it's easy to get overwhelmed. But wait, how do you select the right one? 

So, let’s buckle up and explore the key things to consider before making your investment.

Business Model 

Not all cab booking businesses are the same. Some are local taxi startups, some want to be the next Uber, while others specialize in business transport services or airport transfers. 

Before choosing a software, ask yourself:

What is your target market?

Will you deal with individual cab drivers or fleet owners?

Do you require distinct apps for riders, drivers, and admins?

Choose the right cab booking software that is compatible with your specific business strategy and supports flexibility for future expansion.  

User-friendly Interface

The smooth and intuitive interface is essential for users. Passengers should be able to book rides in seconds, and drivers should be able to accept and manage trips with ease. 

A clumsy or confusing UI might drive people away. So, before choosing the cab booking software, test the demo version of the app.

Advanced Features Set

Every successful cab booking platform must include the following standard features:

User Login

Live GPS tracking

Fare Estimation

In-app communication

Push notification

SOS/panic button

Ratings and reviews

These features improve convenience and help build trust among both drivers and passengers using your app.

Robust Admin Panel

Admin panel serves as the control center of the cab booking system. This is where you will manage users, schedule rides, track revenue, and resolve disputes.

The robust admin panel should contain the following:

Driver & user management

Fleet tracking

Surge pricing

Payment management

Coupon code & referral management

Support ticket handling

Reports and analytics

Make sure the backend dashboard is informative yet simple enough to handle transportation activities effectively.

Payment Integration 

In today’s market, multiple payment methods are essential. So, your cab booking system should support diverse payment options, including:

Credit/ Debit cards

Digital wallets (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)

Cash On Delivery

UPI payments

Crypto wallets

Secure and seamless payment integration increases user satisfaction and assures hassle-free transactions.

Scalability of the Software

Your business might start small, but it shouldn't remain there forever. The cab booking software should be capable of expanding with your business.

Whether you're growing into new locations, adding more fleets, or onboarding more drivers, your cab booking system must scale without performance delays or technical constraints.

Support & Maintenance

Even the best cab booking software may have problems, such as bugs, server outages, or feature changes. That's why continual support and maintenance are critical.

Seek out a provider who offers:

24/7 technical assistance

Regular software upgrades

Quick bug fixing

Training and documentation

A reliable support system guarantees seamless mobility operations and reduces downtime.

Summing Up

The online travel industry is booming. While entering the market might be easy, picking the correct cab booking software is what truly sets your business apart.

From this blog, you now have a clear understanding of the key factors to consider for your cab booking system.

Start your business today!.

#cabbookingsoftware #taxibusiness #business #taxiindustry #cabbookingsystem 

[unimaktechnologies]

Launch, Manage, and Grow Your Taxi Business with Advanced Uber Clone App

The demand for quick, reliable, and app-based taxi services is rising like never before. If you’ve ever thought about starting your own taxi business, now is the perfect time. With the Uber Clone App, you can launch your very own branded taxi booking app packed with features customers love and drivers trust.

Why Choose an Uber Clone App?

An Uber Clone App is a pre-built, feature-rich taxi booking solution that replicates the functionality of leading ride-hailing apps while allowing you to tailor the platform to suit your business needs. It eliminates the hassle of building an app from scratch and enables you to enter the market faster with your own branded, white-label solution.

Key Features That Drive Your Business Forward

An advanced Uber Clone App comes equipped with a full suite of features for both customers and drivers, supported by a powerful admin backend:

Real-Time Ride Booking & Tracking

Multiple Payment Options (Wallet, Card, Cash)

Fare Estimation & Trip History

Driver Availability Management

Admin Dashboard with Analytics & Reporting

Promo Codes & Discounts

Scheduled Ride Bookings

White-Label Branding & Customization

These features not only enhance user convenience but also improve operational control and business growth opportunities.

Benefits of Choosing an Advanced Uber Clone App

Quick Market Entry: Save time with a ready-to-launch, white-label solution.

Scalable and Customizable: Modify features and expand services as your business grows.

Enhanced Customer Experience: Deliver fast, reliable, and convenient ride-booking services.

Cost-Effective Development: Avoid high costs associated with building an app from scratch.

Reliable Technical Support: Get assistance with deployment, maintenance, and upgrades.

Conclusion

If you’re planning to launch your own taxi business or upgrade your existing services, investing in an advanced Uber Clone App is a smart, future-ready decision. It offers everything you need — from modern customer features to robust management tools — to help you launch, manage, and grow your business successfully in the competitive on-demand transport market.

Partner with an Unimak Technologies to get started and make your brand a trusted name in the mobility industry.

[rainyducktiger]

Restaurant Point of Sale Terminal Market Expansion Strategies and Growth Opportunities to 2033

Restaurant Point of Sale (POS) Terminal Market: Industry Trends and Forecast to 2032

The global Restaurant Point of Sale (POS) Terminal Market is undergoing a transformative evolution, driven by technological advancements, changing customer preferences, and the restaurant industry's growing emphasis on operational efficiency and enhanced customer experiences. As restaurants embrace digital ordering, contactless payments, loyalty program integration, and data-driven insights, POS terminals have become indispensable tools — far beyond simple payment processors.

The Restaurant POS Terminal Market, valued at approximately USD 17.2 billion in 2023, is projected to reach USD 38.4 billion by 2032, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.3%. This impressive growth trajectory reflects both the market’s dynamic nature and the broader shift toward digitization across the food service industry.

Download a Free Sample Report:-https://tinyurl.com/2k4hatuv

Understanding Restaurant POS Terminals

A Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal in a restaurant setting acts as the central hub for managing orders, processing payments, coordinating kitchen workflows, tracking inventory, and even monitoring sales performance in real time. Modern POS systems can be hardware-based (stationary or mobile) or fully software-based (cloud-hosted), and they increasingly integrate with third-party services, such as delivery apps, online reservations, and CRM systems.

Key Market Drivers

1. Demand for Enhanced Customer Experience

Consumer expectations in the restaurant industry have changed dramatically in recent years. Diners want:

quicker service,

multiple payment options,

personalized experiences,

loyalty rewards, and

seamless online-to-offline ordering.

POS systems now play a key role in enabling these experiences by integrating with kitchen display systems (KDS), payment gateways, reservation systems, and feedback tools.

2. Surge in Contactless Payments

The rise of contactless and mobile payments, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has significantly boosted POS terminal upgrades across restaurants worldwide. NFC-enabled terminals, QR code payment systems, and digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay) are becoming table stakes in both quick-service and fine-dining environments.

3. Cloud-based POS Systems

The market has witnessed a strong shift from traditional on-premise systems toward cloud-based POS platforms. Cloud systems offer:

real-time data access,

centralized reporting for multi-location businesses,

easy software updates,

enhanced cybersecurity,

reduced upfront hardware investment.

This trend is especially favorable for small and medium-sized restaurants that want scalable, subscription-based solutions without the complexity of traditional IT infrastructure.

4. Integration with Online Ordering & Delivery

The explosive growth of third-party delivery apps (Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub, Zomato, Swiggy) and in-house ordering platforms has forced restaurants to seek POS solutions that offer seamless API integrations.

Modern POS systems help restaurants synchronize in-house dining, takeaway, and delivery orders in real time, reducing human errors and improving kitchen coordination.

5. Data Analytics & Business Intelligence

Beyond order and payment processing, restaurant POS terminals have become a key source of business intelligence. Data-driven features include:

sales forecasting,

inventory optimization,

staff performance monitoring,

predictive analytics for menu engineering.

These features help owners and managers make informed decisions, improving both profitability and operational efficiency.

Market Restraints

Despite robust growth, a few challenges continue to affect the market:

High Initial Costs: Advanced POS hardware, cloud subscriptions, and integration with third-party platforms can require significant upfront investment, especially for small independent restaurants.

Data Security Concerns: Restaurants handling sensitive payment data are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks. Compliance with PCI DSS and GDPR regulations is necessary but can be resource-intensive.

Connectivity Dependency: Cloud-based POS systems rely on stable internet connections. In regions with poor infrastructure, adoption remains limited.

Segment Analysis

By Product Type:

Fixed POS Terminals: Typically used in full-service restaurants (FSRs) where orders are placed at the table or counter. These systems often include touchscreen monitors, barcode scanners, receipt printers, and payment terminals.

Mobile POS Terminals (mPOS): Increasingly used by food trucks, cafés, small quick-service restaurants (QSRs), and pop-up kitchens, mPOS devices offer greater flexibility for order taking and payment processing.

By Component:

Hardware: Terminals, printers, handheld tablets, card readers, and kitchen display systems.

Software: Inventory management, employee scheduling, order routing, reporting, CRM, and loyalty program management.

Services: Installation, maintenance, cloud hosting, technical support, and software upgrades.

By End-User:

Quick-Service Restaurants (QSRs): Focused on speed and efficiency, heavily reliant on drive-thru POS, order queue management, and self-service kiosks.

Full-Service Restaurants (FSRs): Emphasize seamless table service and often integrate reservation and customer feedback systems.

Cafés & Bars: Prioritize split billing, customer loyalty programs, and fast drink order turnaround.

Catering Services & Cloud Kitchens: Depend on centralized POS systems integrated with logistics and inventory management tools.

Regional Analysis

North America

The U.S. and Canada represent a mature POS market, but the demand for upgrades and cloud-based systems remains high. Features such as AI-powered sales predictions, real-time performance dashboards, and advanced loyalty program integrations are gaining traction.

Europe

Driven by regulations like PSD2 and strong consumer data protection under GDPR, European restaurants prioritize secure and compliant payment systems. Contactless and mobile payments have reached high penetration rates, especially in the UK, Germany, France, and Scandinavia.

Asia-Pacific

The Asia-Pacific region is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate through 2032, thanks to:

the proliferation of small and mid-sized food businesses,

rapid urbanization,

government initiatives encouraging digital payments,

and the growing culture of food delivery and takeout.

China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia are the primary growth hubs.

Industry Trends

1. AI and Machine Learning Integration

Artificial intelligence is enhancing POS systems' ability to predict customer preferences, optimize inventory, suggest upsells, and automate menu adjustments based on sales trends and seasonality.

2. Self-Service Kiosks

Especially popular in QSR chains like McDonald’s and Subway, self-service POS terminals reduce queue lengths, improve order accuracy, and enable customized ordering experiences.

3. Voice-Enabled POS

Voice technology is beginning to make its way into restaurant POS systems, enabling staff to place and adjust orders using voice commands — especially helpful in high-traffic kitchens.

4. Blockchain for Secure Payments

Though still emerging, blockchain-based payment solutions and transaction verification systems could become part of future POS terminals, especially for high-value or international restaurant transactions.

Competitive Landscape

The global restaurant POS terminal market is moderately fragmented, with a mix of established players and disruptive startups offering specialized solutions.

Key players include:

Square, Inc.

Toast, Inc.

Lightspeed POS Inc.

NCR Corporation

Revel Systems

Oracle Corporation (Micros)

TouchBistro Inc.

Clover Network, Inc.

ShopKeep (acquired by Lightspeed)

Panasonic Corporation

These companies are investing heavily in cloud platforms, AI-powered features, mobile apps, and third-party integrations to maintain a competitive edge.

Future Outlook

The future of the Restaurant POS Terminal Market looks bright, with technological innovation set to redefine how restaurants operate. Between 2024 and 2032, the industry is expected to benefit from:

Continued growth of contactless and mobile payments

Deep integration with delivery apps and logistics systems

Increased adoption of AI and real-time analytics

Expansion in emerging markets with digital-first food businesses

Ongoing migration to cloud-based POS platforms

As consumer preferences evolve and restaurants face increased pressure to deliver personalized, efficient service, POS terminals will remain a critical component of success — acting not just as payment processors but as comprehensive restaurant management hubs.

Conclusion

The Restaurant POS Terminal Market is positioned for significant growth and innovation over the coming decade, as the food service industry adapts to new digital realities and shifting customer expectations. Operators who invest in advanced, integrated POS systems will be best positioned to thrive in an increasingly competitive and experience-driven landscape.

Read Full Report:-https://www.uniprismmarketresearch.com/verticals/banking-financial-services-insurance/restaurant-point-of-sale-terminal