#taxi insurance companies

[probablyasocialecologist]

After nearly 15 years, Uber claims it’s finally turned an annual profit. Between 2014 and 2023, the company set over $31 billion on fire in its quest to drive taxi companies out of business and build a global monopoly. It failed on both fronts, but in the meantime it built an organization that can wield significant power over transportation — and that’s exactly how it got to last week’s milestone. Uber turned a net profit of nearly $1.9 billion in 2023, but what few of the headlines will tell you is that over $1.6 billion of it came from unrealized gains from its holdings in companies like Aurora and Didi. Basically, the value of those shares are up, so on paper it looks like Uber’s core business made a lot more money than it actually did. Whether the companies are really worth that much is another question entirely — but that doesn’t matter to Uber. At least it’s not using the much more deceptive “adjusted EBITDA” metric it spent years getting the media to treat as an accurate picture of its finances. Don’t be fooled into thinking the supposed innovation Uber was meant to deliver is finally bearing fruit. The profit it’s reporting is purely due to exploitative business practices where the worker and consumer are squeezed to serve investors — and technology is the tool to do it. This is the moment CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has been working toward for years, and the plan he’s trying to implement to cement the company’s position should have us all concerned about the future of how we get around and how we work.

[...]

Uber didn’t become a global player in transportation because it wielded technology to more efficiently deliver services to the public. The tens of billions of dollars it lost over the past decade went into undercutting taxis on price and drawing drivers to its service — including some taxi drivers — by promising good wages, only to cut them once the competition posed by taxis had been eroded and consumers had gotten used to turning to the Uber app instead of calling or hailing a cab. As transport analyst Hubert Horan outlined, for-hire rides are not a service that can take advantage of economies of scale like a software or logistics company, meaning just because you deliver more rides doesn’t mean the per-ride cost gets significantly cheaper. Uber actually created a less cost-efficient model because it forces drivers to use their own vehicles and buy their own insurance instead of having a fleet of similar vehicles covered by fleet insurance. Plus, it has a ton of costs your average taxi company doesn’t: a high-paid tech workforce, expensive headquarters scattered around the world, and outrageously compensated executive management like Khosrowshahi, just to name a few. How did Uber cut costs then? By systematically going after the workers that deliver its service. More recently, it took advantage of the cost-of-living crisis to keep them on board in the same way it exploited workers left behind by the financial crisis in the years after its initial launch. Its only real innovation is finding new ways to exploit labor.

[magicalgirlmascot]

I am curious: What are your current thoughts about the Toa Inika's drivining situation when they become Toa Inika?

Hahahaha I am SO glad you have asked me this because I have Thoughts

Terminology for non-Canadians (and/or Ontarians, idk what other provinces call things):

G1 - learner's permit, obtainable at 16, written test only, must have someone in the passenger seat who has had their full license at least 4 years, can't drive between midnight and 5am, can't go on certain high speed highways (401, QEW, etc) unless the person in the passenger seat is an accredited driver's ed instructor, must pass G2 exit test within 5 years or restart process

G2 - must have had a G1 for either a) 1 year or b) 8 months if graduated from driver's ed, practical exam, can drive alone, on any roads, at any time of day, certain other restrictions apply (esp if under age 19), must pass G exit test within 5 years or start over

G - must have had G2 for at least a year, practical exam, no restrictions except for basic road laws lol

MTO - Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, basically the DMV but for Ontario

OKAY SO ALL THAT SAID:

Jaller: got his G1 the day after he turned 16 because his birthday was on a Sunday and the MTO was closed. Took the driver's ed course affiliated with his school that same year. Just got his G2. Has to beg and plead to borrow a car because both his parents work and need vehicles for that, and he can bike to work from the house.

Hahli: has been driving farm vehicles illegally for several years. Has her G1 but isn't eligible for her G2 yet. Is learning how to drive from her uncle because he's the only person in her family who respects road safety laws. Can occasionally convince her parents to loan her the truck if she fills up the tank.

Kongu: got his G2 a couple months ago. Inherited his grandparents' junker. Mostly just drives himself and Tamaru to school and back. Grumbles about being his sister's taxi service but also uses this as an excuse to hang around in town.

Nuparu: almost eligible for his G2 but not quite. Took driver's ed exclusively to lower his insurance premium. The only Inika who knows how to drive stick. Wants to get a motorcycle license too. Does all his family's car maintenance in exchange for money being put into the "Nuparu Gets His Own Car" fund.

Hewkii: can't drive. Wants to move to a big city with good public transport so he never has to learn how.

Matoro: was forced to get his G1 against his will and avoids driving like the plague. Sometimes his parents make him drive to the store or something for practice and he hates it. Wants to move out to the woods so he never has to drive again.

Takua: had to learn to drive so they could take on more cleaning jobs. Is actually almost eligible for their full G license. Has the most experience driving because their mom would make them drive between jobs for practice when they had their G1. Is not allowed to cover their mom's company car with bumper stickers to their immense dismay, and also isn't allowed to borrow it for non-work reasons if it's not an emergency.

[tender-rosiey]

hey lovely! can i request a drabble about miya twins and sakusa when their S/O got to an accident using their new bought sports car? i bet this will be interesting 😍😍

“IS SHE OKAY? NO- I MEAN THE CAR!”

— an accident using sakusa’s, atsumu’s, osamu’s new car (f!reader)

a/n: omg I posted?? also screw proofreading

SAKUSA KIYOOMI:

“WHAT?!” he exclaimed as he went rushing out of training and quickly got into a taxi, getting to the hospital you’ve been put in.

he slams the door open and finds you on the bed, thankfully with minor injuries. sakusa rushes to your side and gently holds your hand, pain in his eyes that slowly look up to you, “how are you feeling?”

“I don’t know; how do you think I feel?” you deadpan.

“y/n,” he merely says and you lightly chuckle.

you close your eyes, “I will live, but your car, on the other hand,” you take a deep breath, “took quite the damage.”

a few moments of silence pass and when you open your eyes, you see him smile lightly, “at least that piece of metal was good for something.”

“so…you’re not mad?” you ask and he quirks an eyebrow.

he lightly flicks your forehead which doesn’t have any injuries nor cuts on it, “you realize that you matter more to me than a stupid sports car, right?”

you smile affectionately, “well, atsumu told me you would set the earth on fire considering how she is your sturdy and precious ‘baby’.”

“ew,” he grimaces, “calling a car ‘baby’ is something atsumu would do not me,” he subconsciously pouts but lightly, “you should know that.”

you nod softly.

“but, that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for the damages.”

you blink a couple of times, “‘omi, you’re kidding, right?”

his face remains unchanged and panic runs through you.

“YOU’RE KIDDING, RIGHT?”

he shrugs, “who knows?” he looks back and sees the doctor who will check up on you. he gets up, “well, baby, I will be waiting outside.”

you watch your husband’s back as he walks towards the door and you scream at the top of your lungs, “DOCTOR, DON’T LET THAT GUY WALK OUT!”

MIYA ATSUMU:

“ANGEL FACE, ARE YA OKAY?” he drops to his knees and he embraces his dear. he rubs his face on her and caresses her, “I can’t believe something as awful as this happened to ya.”

“wow, ‘tsumu; thank you so much for checking up on me,” you say.

he stands up then walks to you with his arms open, “y/n, ya I love ya!”

you raise your palm, “no thanks,” you eye the thing that your husband checked on first, “check on your ‘angel face’,” you imitate his voice at end and turn your back.

you don’t get to run very far before your pro-athlete husband embraces you from the back, “come on hun, ya know I didn’t mean it like that.”

he presses a kiss on your shoulder, but you quip, “this won’t take you anywhere.”

“If ya got hurt then this piece of junk isn’t even worth its price and I would’ve ended up suing the company,” he huffs.

you roll your eyes, “you’re telling me, you will sue an entire company because I got injured?”

“yeah, what about it?” atsumu says with no hesitance.

you sigh and run your fingers through his hair, “you’re unbelievable.”

“ya love me either ways,” he smiles.

your eyes trail to the damaged car, “so what will we do about it?”

“I am still in the insurance period anyways,” he hums before turning you to him and hugging you properly and burying his face in your shoulder once more.

you squint at him, “so it didn’t matter anyways if it got marred?”

“big word.”

you step on his foot and he yelps, “answer me, pretty boy.”

“yer so mean!” he whines and looks away.

you poke his chest, but he doesn’t look at you so you resort to his one weakness, sweet words, at least from you.

“‘tsumu, my big, handsome and strong husband,” you start and take a hold of his hand caressing it.

his chest puffs up a little and he says a small, “continue.”

and so you do, “my gorgeous, kind, and funny husband.”

he turns to you, “but why not smart and intelligent?”

“because then I would be lying.”

atsumu pouts, then grumbles, “I shouldn’t have trusted ya.”

MIYA OSAMU:

“I am so sorry ‘samu; he was the one that got into my lane!” you nervously say, hearing your husband sigh.

“y/n, calm down—“

“I AM CALM!” you yell while breathing heavily.

“where are ya right now?” he asks and you murmur the place in response; in the speed of light, he is there by your side.

osamu steps out of the car and you quickly go to embrace him, “I am so sorry about the damage, ‘samu.”

he cups your face, carefully examining it; he sighs, this time one of relief, “thank god, yer okay,” pressing a kiss to your cheek, before he looks at the man who crashed into you.

“so, what happened?” he inquires and the man huffs angrily.

“ask your dumb little lover, if it wasn’t for her then nothing would’ve happened!”

you gasp lightly and are about to yell at the guy, but your husband stops you and speaks up instead, “she said that ya got into her lane.”

“of course you would believe her!” the man rolls his eyes and osamu frowns.

“would ya like we check surveillance cameras? maybe even the camera on the car itself?” your husband pressures and the man in front of you starts getting nervous at the mention of the availability of footage for the incident.

he retorts back, despite his nerves, “w-well maybe if you didn’t let a woman drive your car then everything would’ve been fine!”

“misogyny isn’t a good look, sir,” osamu hums and the man turns on his heel, ready to walk out of the scene.

however, osamu grabs his arm, “not so fast,” then points at another car parking, “you wouldn’t want to give the police a chase, would you?”

the man sweat-drops and snatches his arm away, “shut your face!”

you take a hold of osamu’s arm and squeeze it lightly to calm him down. he looks at you, “yeah?”

“can we go home? I am starving,” you mumble.

he places a hand on his stomach, “me too,” you smile and pull him with you towards the restaurant you both like.

“you’re just going to leave me alone?!” screams the man, but feels a hand on his shoulder.

“don’t worry,” the other guy that appeared smiles, “your cell mates will keep you company.”

taglist: @magenta-cat-drawingss @pompompurin1028 @scul-pted @dazaisdeathwish @requiem626k @nameless-shrimp @shinys-bsd-world-1 @sonder-paradise @ravenina14 @jessbeinme15s-notebook @todorokichills @ginneko @missrown @shrynkk @simplyxsinned @beautiful-is-boring @bakugossanity @izukus-gf @irethepotato @thekaylahub @luciferspen @aeanya @sweetcloudsimp @moon-catto

copyright © tender-rosiey

do not copy or plagiarize or i will crash your car

[cortosis-ct]

The Bad Batch and their jobs (Modern AU)

In my headcanon they all started out as soldiers. After getting out and accidentally acquisiting Omega, they desperately need money and take any jobs they can get. Eventually, everyone finds something they actually like.

Hunter:

Retail sales associate aka Walmart slave and getting yelled at by Karens all day. He's also doing freelance cleaning jobs, the grosser the better the payment. Think hoarder apartments with fifty cats or scat orgy hotel room cleanup.

He works hard on getting his record cleaned up and eventually secures a job at the fire station. He becomes a firefighter and will eventually be a lieutenant and later captain.

Tech:

Fast food worker which means lots of being yelled at by hangry people who are unhappy with the way their BigMac was stacked. He takes any extra shift he can get.

After several failed rounds of applications, he hacks into a big company's system and puts his name on top of the candidate list. He ends up supervisor for some bank insurance IT stuff with lots of numbers.

Wrecker: Miner. It's hard work and long hours in the dark. He actually earns the most of all of them but that's because it's fucking dangerous and depressing.

The leading instructor for the demolition expert trainees blows up. Wrecker, having had professional training in the military and lots of experience at not getting blown up (again), is their best take so he becomes their new instructor for the new hires.

Crosshair: Nobody is really willing to hire him so he's an unlicensed taxi driver most nights. (He hates everything about it.) He also signed up as a freelance roadkill collector job in Hunter's name and takes the calls when he doesn't have passengers.

He meets railroaders when cleaning up railkill one night. When smoking he mentions how much he hates being a taxi driver and the railroaders recruit him for their company. He becomes a traindriver and finally doesn't have to interact with his passengers.

Echo: They call it online sales associate marketer and customer service advisor. He calls it tele-scam-marketer. Many people yelling at him but at least he can work from home.

At a parent-teacher conference of Omega's school he helps another parent with a technology problem. He's like: "I tried to get rid of that problem for hours and you did it within five minutes. You gotta be a master software engineer." and Echo's like "I get payed to get yelled at as a telemarketer". Turns out the guy is an HR associate at an IT company and gets Echo a proper job.

[chronicallycouchbound]

Unhoused Solidarity In Action

This is a non-exhaustive list of resources you might have access to, or know of, that can be used to aid unhoused community members directly. Many of these focus on direct mutual aid as individuals but can be helpful to consider when in community organizing settings. - What do you (or someone you know) have access to, that you can provide to the community? - Can they be accessed, used, or provided: regularly, occasionally, only in emergencies, weekly, daily, sporadically, consistently, etc.? - Consider seasonal needs (winter coats don’t help us when it’s 90 degrees out!) - Remember to practice active, informed consent with individuals and ask if these would be helpful! Don’t take it personally if your offer isn’t helpful to someone, it might help someone else. - These should be realistic and not compromise your safety or well-being. Remember to prioritize safety over comfort.

Housing

- Consider your relationship with this person (generally, don’t offer complete strangers into your home)

- Location matters a lot. Unhoused people often need to be near “hubs”/cities, close to resources and systems of care.

- Some people can’t live in hotels, couch surf, or any of these options without losing their housing vouchers, and in some cases health insurance or other assistance programs. Legal definitions of homelessness (used by voucher programs) usually don’t include people living in hotels/motels, or couch surfing (including most of these options). Check with the individual to see if this might be helpful.

Extra bedrooms

Campers, trailers

Couches

Apartments

Land/yards to camp on, park at, etc.

Donate funds or points for a hotel room

Shelters

Floor space

Safe parking lots to sleep in your car in (sleeping in your car is considered legal homelessness in most places)

Time

- Emotional capacity and minimizing the risk of burnout are important here especially

Do outreach with a community org

File for grants

Provide education materials

Share knowledge regarding resources

Emotional support - build genuine connections with your local unhoused neighbors

Reach out to companies for donations

Create or add to lists of resources, open bathrooms, etc.

Transportation

- One of the biggest barriers to accessing existing resources is transportation (also mailing addresses, internet access, and active phone service)

Personal car, ride-sharing/carpooling

Bus tickets/passes

Old/not frequently used bikes

Taxi services/vouchers

Uber/Lift gift cards

Carpooling

Coordinate rides for people

Food

- A lot of unhoused people prefer “comfort foods” to “health foods” - Ask about dietary restrictions, the cooking ability of the unhoused person, the cooking equipment, etc. - Soft foods are frequently more accessible to us as dental issues are very common - 100$ in fast food is significantly less than 100$ in homemade food

Can cook hot meals

Can pay for meals

Knows someone (person, business) who can supply food

Inviting people over for a meal

Gifting food (be sure to be considerate of dietary restrictions, cooking ability, equipment needed to cook, etc.)

Have a community dunkin gift card

Make or add to a fruit tree map (fallingfruit.org, community gardens, federal university campuses)

Money

- Money should be freely given, with no strings attached - Ask what form works best for them— cash apps/virtual, physical cash, gift cards, quarters, etc.

It is best to provide cash donations directly to impacted individuals (or organizations) with no strings attached

Provide relevant, local chain store gift cards (Grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants)

Coordinate fundraisers

Apply for grants

Supplies

- Ask individuals what they need most!

Purchase and donate supplies directly to individuals or organizations

Reach out to businesses

Donate old phones or computers

Add someone to your family phone plan

Donate professional clothes for interviews

Donate an outfit you would actually wear

Talents, Trades, Skills

Your hobbies might be helpful! Crochet is extremely trendy right now (easy to learn, you could make hats/scarves for community members)!

Professional ties/experience Examples: You’re a cosmetologist who can do free haircuts for an hour each week, or you’re a graphic designer who can create a website for an organization for free, or you’re a nurse who can provide wound care to encampments

Community gardens

Connect with and partner with non-profits or community-based organizations in your area (or help start one if there’s none!)

Allow people to use you as a reference for job interviews

Bathrooms

- Not just toilets, but showers and mirrors are important too

Ask businesses to pledge to have open, public, accessible, and free restrooms

Your personal restroom

Make a list of local public restrooms

Free gym memberships or add someone to a gym plan

Services

- In order to access most services, you need most, if not all, of the following: transportation, identification, important paperwork, printing/faxing access, mailing addresses, internet access, active phone service, free time during business hours, and emotional and mental ability (and capacity) to complete everything required (forms, applications, phone calls, interviews, annual reviews, verifications) in a timely manner (usually on a strict deadline)

Case management experience you can volunteer

Peer support for service navigation (great option for people with prior lived experience)

Advocacy within services

Offer to provide a P.O. box or use your address to receive mail

Housing skills

Allow someone to use your library card for books, computers, the internet, etc. (most libraries won’t allow unhoused people to get a library card)

Volunteer at a shelter

Allow someone to use your home wifi, printer, phone number, mailbox, email, etc.

Fundraising

- If you can’t donate your own personal funds, fundraising is a great way to help out

Community mutual aid asks (in person or online)

Art walks

Skate competition

Concerts

Tip jar

Gift basket raffle

Clothing and food drive

Game tourney

Live streams

Start a GoFundMe for individuals/orgs

I strongly encourage you to look over the matching slides I created for this workshop: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VDngImsMByUFmKX611zAJ43a0UcYIfMBxrbh_g1IJvc/edit

As a disclaimer: I have been homeless/unhoused for over half of my life. My experiences of homelessness have included while being a infant, toddler, young child, preteen, teenager, and young adult. I am 24 years old. My most recent experience of being unhoused was last year, and I am currently precariously housed (meaning: at high risk of losing housing again). My experiences of homelessness have included sleeping outside in a tent, sleeping on park benches and under freeways, walking around all night to avoid hypothermia and freezing to death (something that has happened to several of my friends), couch surfing, sleeping in cars, squatting, sleeping in motels, living in a shelter, and institutionalized. I have been homeless with family a few times during early childhood and again when I was 15. All of my other experiences of homelessness have been on my own starting at age 9 or 10, and the last time I lived with a parent I was 16. I have been homeless in both rural and urban areas. I have been homeless in New England/Northeast United States as well as the Pacific Northwest.

In addition to this, I have many contributing factors to my experience, including being disabled, a person of color, trans, queer, a survivor of child abuse and CSA, being trafficked, and a drug user and a SWer, amongst other marginalized experiences.

That being said: my experience of being unhoused/homeless is not the universal experience. While I know many people of all different demographics who I’ve met on the streets, I cannot speak to every single person’s experiences. I especially cannot speak to experiences outside of the United States, aside from what I hear secondhand.

This is meant to serve as a general guide to accompany a workshop I created, and might not be helpful for everyone. If it’s not helpful, I hope it inspires others to offer creative solutions. I’m always working on expanding this list. Thank you for reading.

[cy-cyborg]

Omg it's finally done, the insurance company finally paid us for the accident my partner was in last August and I can finally afford to get the hand controls put into the new car since they wrecked the old one.

Just to put the cherry on top too, because the company dragged their feet for so long and fucked us and everyone else invloved around so much they're getting fined now too. Partly because they left the wrecked car in the inpound lot for months and refused to communicate and partly because they ghosted the rental car company (and us for a while too, but the fine is for the company).

According to my Local Area Coordinator at the NDIS, they also violated the DDA (Australian disability discrimination act) - they were supposed to pay for a rental vehicle with hand controls for me to use in the interim (they did pay for a car eventually but it was unmodified and therefore I couldnt actually use it), or a suitable alternative (e.g. pay for things like taxi vouchers or uber fairs), which means we have grounds to take them to court, but I'm so burnt out I don't want to do that. Right now I'm content knowing they're dealing with the consequences of their own actions with the other companies. The rental car company mentioned getting fair trade (I think) involved, too so that's probably not the last of the consequences of their own actions either lol.

[patchesproblem]

A short list of canonical crimes Einsla have committed within their short 90 years of life.

This is a stupid Tumblr post made for fun, so if I get anything wrong sorry.

Assault and Battery (Both)

Murder (Both)

Drugging (Both)

Embezzlement of company funds (Shicksal) (Tesla, however Einstein can be charged with the exact same thing as an accessory since she was aware of it and allowed it to happen. Though if I were to guess she did it too.)

Vandalizing historical monuments (Einstein)

Drunk Driving (Tesla)

Public Intoxication (Tesla)

While faking your death isn't technically illegal, there are crimes that go along with it. Such as insurance fraud, tax evasion, defrauding the government / future lenders, etc. (Both)

Harboring SEVERAL beings of mass destruction (This isn't a crime in itself but it feels like one so it counts)

Allowing a child access to weapons / dangerous environments. In this case Joachim (Welt Yang) (Both)

Throwing Joachim into the trunk without a seat belt or any type of protection / not telling the Taxi driver (Tesla)

Falsifying legal documents (Einstein)

Breaking and Entering (Both)

Sending a nuclear missile after a child (Both)

Kidnapping (Both)

Public property damage (Both)

Property damage in general (Both)

Vandalism (Both)

Unlawful imprisonment (Technically Welt Yang did this but he did it with Einstein telling him to.)

There's 100% more I missed but I'll edit them in if I remember them.

[doumadono]

JAPAN TRIP - DAY 2

We landed shortly past 1 pm. Unfortunately, as I started feeling worse and worse, we immediately called a taxi and headed straight to the hospital (国立がん研究センター中央病院) after gathering our luggage. Thankfully, my partner speaks almost fluent Japanese, but the staff also speaks English, so communication is clear. The medical team ran blood tests and discovered that my hemoglobin level had dropped to a life-threatening point. I will get a blood transfusion soon. I still feel incredibly unwell, struggling to breathe and move, with a fever of almost 39.5 degrees Celsius. If things don't improve soon, I may burst into tears. It's certainly not the ideal way to begin my long-awaited trip to Japan. However, I must say that everyone here has been incredibly supportive and friendly. I'm truly grateful that my insurance company covers most of the medical expenses because otherwise, it would have been financially devastating.

While waiting for the doctor to arrive, we managed to visit the hospital café, Café de Crié. They have some lovely beverages! Additionally, I picked up a fresh newspaper that I can use to continue studying Japanese when I return home.

Wish me luck cause I will need it to survive this challenging day.

[softeningthesound]

Non-exhaustive list of reasons behind the delay when you go to pick up your meds at the pharmacy, from a pharmacy tech

It's a long one, so there'll be a read more after the first few points and more in a reblog

Tech filled a prescription for an antibiotic, but when it gets to the pharmacist, they actually need to call the doctor and have the script changed because it’s the wrong antibiotic for the infection indicated. Doctor doesn’t answer at first. Pharmacist starts validating a refill but the doctor’s office calls back and the pharmacist has to stop what they were doing.

We haven’t had time to restock the shelves with all the medications that are lying in bins in the back, and we’re out of your medication on the floor so we need to look through the order list, figure out what bin your medication is, and go rummage in the back.

Someone’s calling to get a box of Covid tests, but we have to give them our rehearsed speech on how the handing out of Covid tests in pharmacies is actually now restricted, and has been since May, to certain patients who are unvaccinated and at risk or to patients who are financially in a situation where they can’t afford to buy them, so unfortunately, person on the phone, you’ll have to go to X center or X clinic to get them, where they’re handing them out no questions asked. This call takes three minutes.

We just received a fax for someone who’s just left the hospital and we have to prepare six new medications for them and when we call the patient, they can’t get to the pharmacy on their own and no one can pick up their meds for them, so we have to organize a taxi for that person’s meds. The pharmacist also has to explain all these treatments over the phone and answer any questions the patient may have, which always takes longer than in person.

The pharmacist had to see two other patients for advice on their medications, patients who had ordered in advance but who find out at the register that the pharmacist wants to speak to them or explain this new medication or what have you, so the pharmacist takes the time to see these two patients who did order before you and also want to leave the pharmacy.

The slot for a certain medication in our pill-counting machine is empty, so I have to go fill that.

Someone’s insurance didn’t go through because they have a new card or are with a new company, so they need to go back over to the first counter and have a tech update that in their file and print the new receipt.

We… don’t have a full time cashier, so the technicians need to take turns being at the register.

It’s lunch time and people are on break, which they rightfully deserve, so there’s an employee or two less than there usually is.

You came in at the same time as four other people who also wanted just a single refill, but we still fill them one after the other and can get interrupted by phone calls, by problems at the register, etc.

We need to substitute your dosage, which is back order, for two different dosages that you’ll take at the same time. This takes more time, because we need to copy the prescription and modify it, have the “new” prescription validated by the pharmacist, have the pharmacist, legally, explain the new posology to you even if you were told at the first counter that we were going to have to make that change.

Someone wants advice for a cough syrup, and as a technician, I am not legally allowed to give any recommendations even though I know for a fact that the pharmacist is just going to say that the cough syrups we sell don’t do anything and mostly just have a placebo effect and you should just drink water. The patient has to wait behind people who came in front of them, just so the pharmacist themself can tell them that, because I can’t. It’s frustrating for me too, but I can’t say anything.

We’re behind on preparing the refills that people ordered hours ago because our day has been hectic, so I have to give you a longer wait time so that realistically, we can get some of those filled by a technician and validated by a pharmacist.

Daily patient comes in for their dose of methadone or suboxone to help with an opioid addiction, and the pharmacist has to prepare their medication, too.

This happened recently but uhhh some guy comes in pissing blood out of his arm and we urgently have to help him while we call an ambulance, and a patient comes in thirty minutes later and the blood has been mopped up and there’s no trace that anything happened but I’m at the counter and a little fucking traumatized and this patient wants me to synchronize their medications and I am not mentally processing anything

There are complicated files and prescriptions and types of ways we fill prescriptions (ex: people who get their medications weekly in these little packs sorted by day and time of day and their files are really complicated to navigate and usually taken care of by a specific technician)

Your medication is a special order medication that gets made by another pharmacy and we sent the invoice and everything and are waiting for them to send us the medication but the ball’s in their court and we still haven’t received your meds

Main reasons for delays are just… a lot of calls and lots of people coming in at the same time for refills and questions that require a varying amount of time and effort to fill and answer. People who come in when we just opened usually barely have to wait, but we have rush hours just like every other store and there are five people in front of you waiting for a counsel and/or their meds. Sometimes, a quick little refill that took the tech literally thirty seconds to fill is immediately noticed by the pharmacist and gets validated right away ahead of the more complicated cases and sent to the register, but sometimes it sits on the counter for a while because the pharmacist is resolving a difficult situation, or showing someone how to inject their insulin, or explaining side effects to someone, or in a consult to prescribe the morning-after pill and has lots of questions to ask the patient.

Sometimes, we have patients who are very mean and rude and short with us. They are often in pain, or have been slighted by the medical system, or have had bad experiences at the hospital or the pharmacy before, and they take a lot of time to talk to and try to reason with. During this time, your request, or even refilled medication, sits on the counter in a little basket waiting to be validated.

More in reblog

[kemetic-dreams]

Eartha Mary Magdalene (M.M.) White, a prominent African philanthropist and businesswoman from Jacksonville, Florida. Her life was truly remarkable and her legacy continues today through the Eartha M.M. White Legacy Fund.

Born in 1876, Eartha was the 13th child of two former slaves. She was adopted by Clara White, a woman who lived her life by helping others. In fact, Clara's favorite motto was,"Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, for all the people you can, while you can." Eartha embraced her mother's motto in her own life. She is pictured in the photo (standing) alongside her mother Clara.

In 1893, Eartha moved to New York City to avoid a yellow fever outbreak. There, she attended the National Conservatory of Music, which led to a job with the Oriental American Opera Company, which is known as the first black opera company in the country. Eartha sang soprano under the direction of J. Rosamond Johnson (brother of James Weldon Johnson), and traveled extensively with the company throughout the U.S. and Europe.

When she returned to her hometown of Jacksonville, Eartha, inspired by her mother's motto, began a life of philanthropy that continues today, well after her death in 1974.

She gave back to her community in many ways, as a teacher for 16 years and as an entrepreneur. She owned a taxi cab service, a steam laundry business, an employment and housekeeping bureau, and became the first woman employed at the Afro-American Life Insurance company in Jacksonville. It is estimated that from her various entrepreneurial endeavors, she amassed a net worth in excess of $1 million dollars, most of it used to fund her philanthropic efforts.

Those efforts include the establishment of an orphanage for African-American children, a home for unwed mothers, a nursery for children of working mothers, a tuberculosis rest home, the Boys' Improvement Club (1904) that worked to prevent delinquency, and helping to establish Oak Park, the first public park for African Americans in Jacksonville. Among the most notable of her efforts was the establishment of the Clara White Mission for the Indigent. Named after her mother, the mission fed the needy, and provided a variety of supportive services to Jacksonville's black community, which still exists today as the Clara White Mission.

In 1902, Eartha along with her mother established a nursing home for elderly African Americans, that later became known as Eartha M.M. White Health Care, Inc. In 2005, the assets from the health care company was sold, enabling the Community Foundation of Jacksonville to establish the Eartha M.M. White Legacy Fund, with a 1.4 million dollar endowment. The fund also made history, being the first fund with 1 million dollars in origin for the African community in Jacksonville.

In 1970, Eartha received a volunteerism award and was appointed to the President's National Center for Voluntary Action by President Nixon. When asked how she would spend her award money, she answered,"I've already decided I want it to serve humanity. What would I do with it? Sit around the Plaza Hotel? I'm too busy."

[newdelhicarrentals]

Rent a car in new delhi

Introduction

New Delhi, the bustling capital of India, is a city that never sleeps. Its vibrant streets, rich history, and modern charm offer a unique blend of experiences. Renting a car can be a convenient way to navigate this expansive city, giving you the flexibility to visit landmarks, explore hidden gems, and travel comfortably. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to make your car rental experience in New Delhi as smooth as possible.

Why Rent a Car in New Delhi?

Renting a car in New Delhi opens up a world of possibilities. Here's why you might consider it:

1. Flexibility and Convenience

Public transport in New Delhi can be crowded and sometimes unreliable. Renting a car allows you to move freely, follow your own schedule, and visit off-the-beaten-path destinations that are not easily accessible by public transit.

2. Comfort and Privacy

A rented car provides a comfortable and private space, especially beneficial in a city known for its bustling streets and heavy traffic. You can enjoy the ride in a climate-controlled environment, perfect for escaping the heat or cold.

3. Cost-Effective for Groups

For groups or families, renting a car can be more economical than purchasing multiple tickets for public transportation or hailing taxis repeatedly.

Types of Car Rentals Available

When renting a car in New Delhi, you'll find a variety of options to suit different needs and budgets:

Economy and Compact Cars

Ideal for solo travelers or couples, these cars are cost-effective and fuel-efficient. They are easy to maneuver in busy city traffic and offer great value for money.

Luxury and Premium Vehicles

If you're looking to travel in style, luxury cars provide an elegant driving experience. Whether it's a business trip or a special occasion, premium vehicles like BMWs or Audis can add a touch of sophistication to your journey.

SUVs and 4x4s

For those planning to explore beyond the city or navigate rougher terrains, SUVs and 4x4s are a great choice. They offer ample space and power, making them suitable for more adventurous travels.

How to Choose the Right Car Rental Company

Selecting a reliable car rental company is crucial for a smooth rental experience. Here’s what to consider:

Reputation and Reviews

Look for companies with a good reputation and positive customer reviews. Online platforms like Google and TripAdvisor can provide insights into other customers' experiences.

Pricing and Hidden Costs

Compare prices across different rental companies, but be wary of hidden costs such as extra insurance fees, taxes, or mileage charges. Ensure you understand the total cost before booking.

Customer Service and Support

Choose a company known for excellent customer service. Responsive support can make a significant difference if any issues arise during your rental period.

Understanding Rental Agreements

Before signing any contract, make sure you understand the terms and conditions:

Rental Terms and Conditions

Read through the rental agreement carefully. Pay attention to the terms related to vehicle use, mileage limits, and any penalties for late returns.

Insurance Options

Most rental companies offer insurance options, including collision damage waiver (CDW) and theft protection. Ensure you know what is covered and consider purchasing additional coverage if necessary.

Fuel Policies

Understand the fuel policy of the rental company. Some require you to return the car with a full tank, while others may offer a prepaid fuel option.

Booking Your Car

Booking your rental car involves a few key steps:

Online Booking vs. In-Person Rental

Booking online is often more convenient and allows you to compare prices easily. However, if you prefer a more personal touch, visiting a rental office in person is also an option.

Required Documentation

You’ll need a valid driver’s license, a credit card, and sometimes an international driving permit (IDP) if your license is not in English. Check the requirements with your chosen rental company.

Payment Methods

Most rental companies accept major credit cards. Ensure you have a card that meets the rental company’s requirements for security deposits and payments.

Driving in New Delhi

Driving in New Delhi can be a unique experience. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Traffic Conditions

Expect heavy traffic, especially during rush hours. Plan your routes and allow extra time for travel.

Road Rules and Regulations

Familiarize yourself with local driving laws. New Delhi follows Indian traffic rules, which might differ from those in your home country.

Parking Tips

Parking can be challenging in busy areas. Look for designated parking spots and be cautious of local parking regulations to avoid fines.

Popular Destinations to Explore

Renting a car allows you to explore both well-known and lesser-known spots:

Historical Sites

Visit iconic landmarks like the Red Fort, Qutub Minar, and Humayun’s Tomb to immerse yourself in Delhi’s rich history.

Modern Attractions

Explore modern attractions such as Connaught Place, India Gate, and the Lotus Temple for a taste of contemporary Delhi.

Shopping and Dining

Discover vibrant markets like Chandni Chowk and modern malls such as DLF Mall of India. Enjoy diverse dining options ranging from street food to fine dining.

Safety and Precautions

Safety is paramount when driving in a new city. Here’s how to stay safe:

Personal Safety

Keep your belongings secure and be aware of your surroundings. Avoid traveling alone late at night in unfamiliar areas.

Vehicle Safety

Inspect the car before accepting it and ensure all necessary documents and emergency equipment are in place. Report any issues to the rental company immediately.

Returning the Car

When it’s time to return your rental car:

Inspection Process

The car will be inspected for any damage or issues. Ensure you return it in the same condition as when you picked it up.

Final Payment and Deposits

Check for any additional charges or final payments. Ensure you get a receipt for the return and any deposits paid.

Conclusion

Renting a car in New Delhi offers unparalleled flexibility and comfort, making your exploration of this bustling city a breeze. By choosing the right rental company, understanding rental agreements, and being aware of local driving conditions, you can ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience. Whether you’re in Delhi for business or pleasure, having your own vehicle allows you to explore the city on your terms.

FAQs

1. Do I need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to rent a car in New Delhi?

An IDP is not mandatory if your driver’s license is in English. However, it is recommended to carry one to avoid any potential issues.

2. What is the typical cost of renting a car in New Delhi?

The cost varies based on the type of car, rental duration, and additional services. On average, economy cars start around ₹1,500 per day.

3. Can I rent a car without a credit card?

Most rental companies require a credit card for security deposits and payments. Some may accept debit cards but check with the company beforehand.

4. Are there any restrictions on where I can drive the rental car?

Rental agreements usually include restrictions on driving outside city limits or into certain areas. Check the terms of your rental agreement for specifics.

5. What should I do if I have an accident while driving a rental car?

Immediately contact local authorities and your rental company. Follow their instructions for reporting the accident and handling any insurance claims.

[tewz]

I think it's such a shame that no one can get mental help in Upper Michigan, USA. I had to take "getting help" into my own hands and read into psychiatry/different therapies and teach myself how to be less depressed/anxious on my own because my survival instinct kicked in and I can't just go without help. I literally had to help myself as a last resort. It was really difficult but I somehow pulled through. I'm still not able to function like a proper adult (can't work or drive), but I'm no longer s**c*dal and planning my own death like I did between the ages of 14-28. My 30's have actually been great so far. I have a lot less episodes and they are shorter and less intense. I haven't self-harmed in about 5 years or so too. Some people can't conquer such a thing though, and I am really concerned for several of my friends. You wouldn't believe the amount of people who live in my area who come to me crying about how they can't take it anymore. A couple of them jumped through hoops to get online therapy (tele-health, but it's very pricey and inconvenient). It's pretty much all of my friends at this point. Like my advice and compassion can only do so much and it doesn't ever seem to help them. It's become a little tiring in a way.

Same with getting a dentist with cheap insurance. The greedy conservatives (which is 2/3 of the population here) won't allow it. We all have to travel downstate or to Wisconsin to get basic work done (it takes 3.5 hours of driving to get downstate and 2.5 hours to get anywhere good in Wisconsin + no one drives or can afford cars anymore so we're all doomed). I'm gonna have to start getting to the abscess stage again to have to energy/drive to seek another dentist willing to help and that is not fair. I shouldn't have to look like I do hard drugs just because no one will fix my teeth + depression never helped with that equation either.

Everyone's life up here is a disaster. I live in a corner of the world that is sickeningly resource-less. The nearest psychiatric hospital is 1.5 hours away and doesn't usually accept people unless they've committed a crime or something drastic. The 2nd closest one is a double drive down to Wisconsin, unless you have Michigan-only insurance, then you're driving 6 hours downstate.

Another thing that drives me up the wall is the lack of basic ANYTHING. My friend from New York wants to come visit, but there's little to no AirBnB's up here unless you find a cabin in the woods with no phone/internet service, T-Mobile doesn't reach up here, no Uber drivers of any kind (2 expensive taxi companies that are overbooked all the time is the only way to get anywhere), no basic stores to find anything you're looking for so we all have to order stuff off the internet, no records stores in the entire U.P. except for a couple run-down multi-media stores that have maybe a bin or two of 60's country and Christmas music on vinyl, etc, etc. Also, my town has always been living about 10-15 years in the past. You can't find online reviews or even websites for most stores because the boomers and bootlicking assholes around here don't know what the fuck computers are. And if there's a fashion trend that I find on the internet (like crop tops of example), they won't hit our stores until 5 years later when the trend slows down. The end. Rant over. I don't wanna upset myself but like... lol...

[xiubaek-13]

The Busiest Night Manager In Seoul Part 1

Part of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa collaboration

Genre: Hotel AU, eventual smut.

Pairing: Night Manager Baekhyun x Hotel Guest Reader

Word Count: 3,932

Warnings: Christmas tree innuendo? Roleplay if you squint. Nothing really for this chapter, its mostly an intro to their characters.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this. There will be 3 parts to this short fic. I wanted to break it up a bit rather than drop a 15k monster on all of you.

You checked your booking information one last time before leaving for the airport. You’d gotten ready too early, a trait your mother had ingrained into your subconscious, at least you weren’t as extreme as her - she’d be at the airport 8 hours before the flight boarded, you were only a couple of hours ahead of schedule. Still not quite believing that you were off on an all expenses paid trip to Seoul, you shut the door behind you and rolled your suitcase towards the taxi that had just pulled up in front of your building. When you’d topped the sales board for most insurance policies in your branch last year you had been gifted a $100 voucher for dinner so it had come as a huge surprise that this year instead of a gift voucher, you received an envelope through the internal mailing system that contained a plane ticket, a 5 night hotel booking confirmation and details of a one day meeting that you were to attend on behalf of the company. 

After confirming that the trip was indeed real and not some sort of joke you’d looked the hotel up online and it was fancy with a capital F. You just knew you’d look out of place there. The Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa was a top tier, very expensive, luxury hotel. You had this image of all of the guests in their designer clothes, nary a hair out of place. Your personal style did not scream ‘I have lots of money’, not that you cared. You liked your style, it wasn’t bad, it would just stick out like a sore thumb in a place like that. 

The hotel had recently been renovated. You’d spent a decent portion of your flight to Seoul reading up on the new and improved Crimson Aurora. They offered a wide range of services, more than you’d seen on any hotel list that you’d stayed at before: 24 hr room service, on-site pool, spa, sauna, gym with personal trainer, yoga sessions, cocktail bar, celebrity chef, top of the line security, tour guides, live music. The list went on. Surely they were offering too much? How many employees did it have? It would have to be a lot to accommodate all of those services. 

You were due to arrive late at night, checking in around 11:30pm due to your flight times. You had been given instructions from one of the very helpful receptionists on how to contact the night manager once you arrived so that he could check you in and see you to your room.  While the taxi from the airport took you to your destination you rang the number you’d been provided with. After two rings the night manager answered. 

“Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa, Night Manager Baekhyun speaking. How may I be of assistance to you this evening?” His voice was soothing, the tone of it comforting. It made you feel like you were speaking to an old friend which kind of startled you.

Pulling your mind from the odd tangent it was headed down Do I know him? Surely not right? But his voice…it feels familiar… “Oh hi, I was told by one of the daytime receptionists to call this number when I was on my way to the hotel. I’m in the taxi from the airport right now.”

“Are you checking in for a stay with us?” He asked.

“Yes. I got stuck with a late flight. Christmas in July and all that. The driver says we’ll be arriving in about 15 minutes. Can you let me in once I arrive so I can check in? I’m sorry to be arriving so late at night.” You apologised. You knew that check in had technically finished hours ago but you’d specially organised the late check in after realising at the airport that your flight was delayed.

“It’s a very busy time for tourists, that's for sure.” He replied, not at all fussed by your late arrival.  “Ma’am if you could provide me with your booking reference I’ll have most of the check in process completed by the time you arrive.” He said kindly.

“Ok great. My booking reference is CHS-01004099.” You replied.

“Thank you ma’am. I’m just bringing the booking up now.” He hummed softly as he pulled up your booking information. The sound was pleasant to your ears but was not doing anything to help keep you awake. “You’re going to be spending a week with us. On behalf of Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa I hope you enjoy your stay.” You could hear the smile as he spoke. “Now when you arrive, walk up to the glass doors and press the white button on the left hand door frame. That will notify me of your arrival and I will come out to assist you with your bags and finalise the check in process.” He stated.

You nodded, then realised that duh, you were on the phone so he couldn’t see you, and spoke. “Thank you. See you soon then.” You hung up, stifling a yawn as you made sure you had all of your bags ready for when you pulled up to the hotel. 

***

“Ok you are all set,” He smiled warmly at you as he handed you your room key. “I’ll have Jinki, our bellboy, bring your bags up to your room in a moment. You’ll need to use the room key to access floors above the restaurant level, which is level 3. On behalf of the Crimson Aurora Hotel & Spa I’d like to welcome you and hope that your stay is everything you wish it to be.” He guided you through the hotel lobby and stood with you while you waited for one of the three elevators to arrive. 

You don’t know what you expected the night manager to look like but it sure as well wasn’t what had greeted you when you had arrived. In head to toe black his ash blonde hair stood out almost as much as his incredibly warm smile. He’d greeted you and helped you inside, his ring clad fingers taking your bags from you as you followed him to the reception desk. It had been difficult not to just stare at him, there was no denying that this night manager was handsome. If he’d noticed your lingering gaze on his face and the few too many undone buttons of his shirt, he made no comments about it. Maybe it was the jet lag setting in or maybe it was just him but you continually found yourself stealing glances at him during the entire check in process. Baekhyun had remained a consummate professional so either you weren't staring as much as you thought or he was ignoring it. 

He grinned and waved after you stepped into the elevator. "Sleep well. Just call the front desk if anything in your room isn't right." You nodded in thanks, a small smile creeping onto your face.

The bed in the room was so incredibly comfortable that as soon as your head hit the pillow you fell asleep. You didn't even hear the knock at the door when the bellboy arrived with your bags, nor the way he quietly opened the door and placed them just inside before leaving. The long flight coupled with the huge comfortable bed meant that you slept a lot longer than you had planned. You managed to wake up right before breakfast had finished for the day. One hurried shower later you arrived at the restaurant just before the breakfast buffet closed.  You’d read about this buffet on the flight over and the way it had been described made it a must on your ever growing list of things to see and experience while you were here. 

The review you’d read had been correct, if anything it had undersold on just how unbelievably good the food was. Every single thing that you had off that buffet was delicious to the point that the food was making you mad. Whoever they’d hired as the chef and kitchen staff were worth every cent, possibly more.

Once you finished eating you took yourself on a tour around the hotel grounds, past the gym where you saw a few people taking a class with a very enthusiastic instructor, the pool; manned by a seemingly disinterested pool boy, the massage parlour; which was manned by one overconfident man who winked at you as you wandered by, the yoga studio where a class had just finished, the beautiful gardens and a second restaurant spot. You found your way back to the main area of the hotel and passed through the bar lounge and games area before you came to a stop in the lobby. The hotel was beautiful and whoever had redecorated had done an amazing job. You had read in the information pack that the Kim Kibum (better known in the art world as Key) was the mastermind behind the interior decorating.

The rest of your day was not very busy. You took yourself on a tour around Seoul, taking in all of the sites, doing some shopping and eating some local foods. Tomorrow would be the day of your actual meeting so you worked out the building that you had to go to and the most efficient route between it and the hotel. You went back to your room to look over the schedule for the day as well as key points and topics to be covered. Most of it was boring pseudo sales crap but you made sure to read all of it, not wanting to be under prepared. You are an excellent sales person but you also like to be prepared for these sorts of things, not wanting anyone to surprise you and make you look like a fool.

***

Baekhyun POV 

“Yah Junmyeon! When are you gonna hire more staff? I can't keep doing this on my own every single night. There's too many jobs, too many guests and I'm the only one apart from Jinki who works the night shift.” He half whined down the phone at his friend and boss. He was tired. Tired of demanding shifts with little to no thanks. He needed at least one more staff member and one more security officer before his job could become smoother. He also needed the damn bartender and the musician to start already. He was being run ragged and if the issue didn’t resolve itself soon, he’d be in danger of burning out.

Ever since the refurbishment of the hotel Junmyeon had been busy searching for and hiring new staff. He only wanted the best - he had a vision of what his hotel could be and this was his chance to get it right. So far he had hired a world class celebrity chef, an incredibly attractive pool boy, a masseuse who was good at his job but would steal your heart, a flashy bartender and a new musician. However, not all of these hires had commenced work yet. Some were still in mandatory training and others weren’t due to start until August. He couldn’t have pulled this difficult period without his events coordinator who was a true lifesaver almost as much as Baekhyun was. Junmyeon truly didn't know how he would have continued to run the hotel without Baekhyun's help. He was willing to do a shift that no one else wanted to, giving up his nights to cater to the whims of tired, grumpy, drunk and handsy elite guests. He was always available to work, was never sick and Junmyeon was pretty sure he hadn’t had a day off in at least three months. It was something he wanted to change but it would have to wait until after the Christmas in July period because he couldn’t trust anyone else to keep up the charade to children in the night when Santa was concerned.

“Soon Baek, I’m interviewing more candidates today.” He sighed, the pressure to get his staffing issue solved quickly weighing down on him. “I’m doing my best to find more staff to cover the nights and we’ve got others starting next month. We’ve just got to get through July.” Junmyeon couldn’t risk hiring the wrong people so his screening process was lengthy and demanding. 

“I know you are hyung. It’s just been a lot this past week. Christmas in July has made my shifts incredibly busy and while I’m amazing, arguably the best night manager there ever was or ever will be, I’m only one man.” He said.

“You know how much I value you Baek. I’m going to find you the staff you need but I can’t rush it. We’ve gotta trust the process.” He paused. “I’ve gotta go, the first candidate for the day has arrived.”

Baekhyun hung up and continued his journey to his room. One of the perks of being Night Manager was a suite on the eastern side of the hotel. His suite was lovely, he’d done his best (much to the chagrin of Key) to make it feel like home. He accepted all of these shifts, as well as the title of Night Manager, because he loved working for the hotel. He considered Junmyeon to be one of his closest friends, he didn’t even mind that his close friend was his boss. 

He loved his job, he just wished that he didn't have to wear so many hats at the moment to please the guests that they had. As it was newly refurbished they were trying to bring in new clientele and in order to do that it had to seem like the hotel was fully staffed at all times including the night shift so not only was he night manager but he was everyone else during the hours of 10 until 6. To say that this was exhausting and kind of boring in the beginning was not an understatement but he turned it into a game to keep it interesting for him.

Behind the reception area where no one could see he had a coat rack full of the other uniforms that staff would wear to fulfil their various roles and when it was called for he did a very quick costume change, disappearing and reappearing as someone new. For him the most fun was when he impersonated the staff that weren’t there.

Most of the guests were so full of themselves or the business that they were there for that they didn't really pay much attention to the staff as long as the staff member was good at their job and present so Baekhyun had gotten away with his ruse for quite some time. He had it down to a fine art. Until you. You saw him and he didn’t know how to feel about that. At first he was scared that you’d make a complaint to the hotel about him, but you seemed to enjoy watching him play his many roles. He wasn’t sure why the thought of that thrilled him as much as it did.

It had been quite some time since a guest had stared at him the way you did, as though you were transfixed by him. He was used to people looking through him, just seeing a staff member that they needed for something, which was fine with him, but you looked at him. That first night when you checked in he hadn’t had time to change back into the suit he wore for his main role. He’d been serving drinks at the bar right up until you buzzed the front door. He hadn’t missed the way that your eyes kept drifting to his lips, chest, hands, and thighs. It felt good to be looked at like that, as someone desirable, but he kept quiet about it. He didn’t want to make you embarrassed as he was pretty sure you weren’t aware of how unsubtle you were being after having been in transit for most of the day. He hoped he’d get to know you better during the course of the week. 

***

Your POV

After two days at the hotel you’d come to know a few things. 1. During the day, the place was bustling with both guests and staff. 2. At night, it was still bustling with guests but the staff… well the staff seemed to just be Baekhyun and Jinki. 3. Baekhyun denied this vehemently. 

The first night after your arrival you headed down to see the Christmas tree in the main lobby and grab a drink at the bar, maybe even listen to the dulcet tones of their newly hired pianist. You saw Baekhyun at the reception desk, giving him a small wave as you passed by. He smiled and waved back as he continued to assist the couple in front of him with directions.

You stood in front of the large tree in awe. You’d never seen a Christmas tree of this magnitude before. It was lit up, well like a Christmas tree, the red and gold baubles accenting the green of the tree beautifully. It was a lot grander than your small tree at home. Granted, yours was a real tree and you had to keep it alive (something you wouldn’t say you were excelling at but the thing wasn’t dead). 

“I’ll give you a drink voucher if you can spot my favourite decoration.” His voice startled you. You turned to your left and found Baekhyun grinning as he stood next to you. “Sorry, I thought you’d have heard me walking over. You must have really been immersed in the tree.”

You nodded. “Yeah, I’ve never seen one this big before.” He laughed. “It’s huge! Who has a Christmas tree that’s at least three storeys high and isn’t amazed by it?!”

He shrugged. “I guess I’m just used to it. I see it every day so its size doesn’t distract me.” He fought the urge to wink as he spoke. “Anyway, my offer for a drink voucher stands. You just have to find my favourite decoration. I’ll give you one chance per day.” The distinct ring of the bell at the front desk sounded and he sighed. “I’ll be back. Go get up close and personal with it.” 

Not one to pass up a free anything, you moved closer to the tree as Baekhyun went about doing his job. At first glance you’d only focused on the red and gold baubles but the longer you looked, the more decorations you noticed. There were ornaments spread across the entire tree. You spotted a candy cane, a nutcracker, various glittery pine cones, some snowmen, some varied Santa ornaments, and angel or two, a range of coloured balls with odd symbols on them, random animals with vaguely Christmas themed objects; like the corgi with a snowglobe. 

You decided to pick the European gnome style Santa ornament, with his hat covering all of his face except for his nose and beard but when you turned around, Baekhyun was nowhere to be seen. You decided to go to the bar, figuring you’d see him on your way back to the elevator when you were ready to return to your room for the night.

***

“Why are you everywhere?” You asked, pointedly.

The bartender, who was without a shadow of a doubt, Baekhyun replied. “I don’t know what you mean.”

You narrowed your eyes at him. “You served me a drink then disappeared, only to suddenly be over at the piano accompanying the jazz singer who’s here tonight, and now you’re back serving drinks.” 

“You’re mistaken.” He gestured to the tag on his shirt. “I’m Taemin, as you can see from my name badge and the pianist is Chanyeol. We’ve got similar hairstyles so I could understand why you might confuse the two of us.” He pointed at his attire. “But as you can see, I’m wearing completely different clothing. Maybe you need your eyes checked. We staff aren’t all the same, you know.” He smirked as he shook a cocktail for another guest, expertly adding little flourishes as he worked. You were not convinced. This man tending the bar, as far as you were concerned, was Baekhyun and he was doing a terrible job of convincing you otherwise. Maybe the other guests didn’t notice him the way you did but you had memorised the features of his face, and apparently some other features as well.

You leant forward on the bar counter. “You both look alarmingly similar to the night manager…” 

He chuckled as he shook his head at you in disbelief. “So our CEO has a type. How is that our fault?”

“Baekhyun…” You started.

He tutted at you as he moved to stand directly in front of you, only the bar counter separating the two of you. “I might have to cut you off little lady, I just said my name was Taemin. How could you get that so wrong?” He tilted his head, a mischievous glint in his eye. It felt like a challenge, one you were willing to play along with for now.

“My apologies, er Taemin was it?” He nodded, happy that you were playing along. “Your drinks must be stronger than I anticipated. You see I was talking with the aforementioned Night Manager before I came in here. He offered me a free drink voucher if I could guess his favourite decoration on the Christmas tree.”

He leant forward on the bar, his closeness almost distracting you. “Did you guess correctly?” He asked, a knowing smile forming on his face.

You shook your head, pouting. “No. He was nowhere to be seen when I was ready to make my first guess.”

“Ah, he is a busy man.” Not-Baekhyun offered. “I’m sure you’ll see him before you return to your room.

You sighed. “True, but I wanted to make my guess. I really stared at that huge, girthy tree for so long and got so close to it to inspect all of the details.” 

He cleared his throat. “Now I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone describe the Christmas tree like that before.” 

Before you could continue your innuendo another guest arrived at the bar which demanded Not-Baekhyun’s attention. He offered you a slight shrug as he turned to focus on the guest’s order. You couldn’t say that you minded though, you enjoyed watching him tend the bar. He was remarkably good at it, flipping bottles and providing easy banter. You weren’t sure why he was pretending to be someone else, changing his shirt, jacket and sometimes his hair wasn’t enough to fool you. Clearly it worked for the other guests as you’d spotted quite a few people who you’d seen speaking with him at the front desk not even take a second glance at him as they ordered their drinks.

The whole bit with the size of the tree? You’d picked up on his suggestive yet playful tone when he’d first mentioned it. You were here for a few more days and there was absolutely no harm in flirting with the very attractive man who seemed to be doing everyone’s jobs. He seemed interested so even if nothing came of it, you could both have your fun until you left.

As you sipped your drink, a devious little plan formed in your mind. One that would achieve a few goals for you. It would catch him out on pretending to be others and explore the extent of the wardrobe options he had on hand. If it went really well, then you both just might get to have a very Merry Christmas…in July.

Part 2

A/N: Thanks for reading and enjoying this collab. Please don’t forget to check the other writers out @myeoning-call @leewalberg @yourkeeperoftherunners @taem-min @ouvuo @dreamylittlesugarcube @jxstadaydreamer and @sojuri

[kodoandsangha]

[alt id]

“I wear glasses. Can I manage without glasses? Well, yes, probably. I could squint a lot, constantly move up close to anything I want to see, take the bus or a taxi if I want to go anywhere. I could just accept that I’ll never be able to see eagles flying in the sky or whales jumping out of the ocean.

But why? Why try so hard to manage life when I could just put on a pair of glasses? No one would ever suggest a near-sighted person should just work harder. No one would say “maybe that’s just your normal” to someone who needs glasses. They would say “let’s go to the eye doctor and get you a prescription so you’re able to see again. You shouldn’t have to try so hard.”

- my doctor (paraphrased) when I expressed doubts about going back on an antidepressant via webreakthenwebuild

(via squidilydink)

This is such a good analogy because nobody thinks about it like this. If you wear glasses, you literally need constant use of a medical aid to experience the world like most people do. If it were anything besides glasses, it would be a disability. But needing glasses is an extremely common, visible, and accepted form of disability to the point that we don’t even consider it one, we just accept that some people need glasses and that’s perfectly normal and there’s nothing wrong with needing to rely on them.

That is how all disabilities and illnesses should be seen, and how we should look at treatment for them. You have a problem, and you need help dealing with it, and there’s nothing wrong with either of those things. That’s perfectly normal and that’s okay.

(Via ninjarobotclone)

Reblogging myself because ^^that^^ was such a beautiful addition ~JJ

(Via teachthemhowtothink)

This honestly made me feel better about taking anxiety meds

[end alt]

————————————-

There is such a stigma around illnesses and disabilities. Even taking Tylenol for a headache can be incorrectly seen as weakness.

When changing jobs, I have to do the work of calling insurance companies and asking them about whether my meds are in their formularies to ensure coverage. One of my meds is an anti-psychotic used as a mood stabilizer. The “oh” I actually heard through the phone when she looked it up. It doesn’t matter if I use it off label or not. People who deal with psychosis are just as valid and real, human beings with hopes, wishes, and dreams.

If we could champion our own stigmas about taking meds for ourselves, we can help normalize the conversation surrounding them in how we talk to people about them. My meds are medical aids. I am acutely aware of my manic spin outs and the meds keep those in check.

And, I know this post doesn’t blanket apply to everyone. I know there are people here struggling with treatment resistant illnesses where no medication is beneficial. I wish I could find you an aid that helps alleviate white knuckling, if and/or when that happens. Perhaps you have found a way to manage symptoms and processes that happen. If you haven’t yet, keep trying. I sincerely hope you are successful.

[mightyflamethrower]

The Hertz Meltdown Reveals Scale Of The EV Debacle

BY TYLER DURDEN

Indeed, the artificial boom and then meltdown of the EV market is a modern industrial calamity. It was created by government, social media, wild disease frenzy, far-flung thinking, and the irrational chasing of utopia, followed by a rude awakening by facts and reality.

CEO of Hertz Stephen Scherr has been booted out due to a vast purchase of an EV fleet that consumers didn’t even want to rent. The company has now been forced to sell them at a deep discount and in a market where consumers are not particularly interested.

Looking back, however, Scherr’s decision to bet everything on an EV boom was a disaster that was highly praised at the time. Only last year, the company bragged: “This morning, [Hertz] was recognized by The White House for our efforts to expand access to electric vehicles across the country. Demand for EV rentals is growing and we’re here to help our customers electrify their travels.”

Pleasing the Biden administration is not the same as pleasing consumers.

The demand turned south fast in a real-world test of drivers. But that’s not all. Hertz could not make their investment pay no matter what they did.

The key issues with EVs are as follows.

The cost upfront is much higher. Financing charges are higher. They depreciate at a higher rate than internal combustion cars. The insurance is more expensive, by at least 25 percent. Repairs are much more expensive, if you can get them done at all, and take longer. Tires are more expensive and don’t last as long because the car is so heavy. Refueling is not easy and missteps here can have nightmarish consequences. They are more likely to catch fire.

Any motor vehicle accident that impacts the battery can lead to repairs higher than the value of the car, that is totaled with so much as a scratch.

To top it all over, there is no longer any financial advantage to the driver. It now costs slightly more to charge under many conditions than to refuel with gasoline.

The novelty of driving one for a day wears off after the first day. At first they seem like the greatest thing that ever happened, like an iPhone with wheels. That’s great but then the problems crop up and people start to realize that they are fine for urban commutes with home chargers and not much else.

They make truly terrible rentals. Obviously, under rental conditions, people have to use charging stations rather than a charger in the garage. That means spending part of your vacation figuring out where to find one.

Not all are superchargers, and if it is a regular charger, you are looking at an overnight wait. If you do find a station with fast chargers, you might have to wait in line. They might not work. You waste hours doing this. And you likely have to reroute your trip even to find a station without any certainty that you will get a spot with a functioning charger.

No one wants to do this. When you rent a car, all you want is a car that goes the distance. And typically car rentals are for going some distance else you would just take a taxi or a Lyft from the airport. You might need to drive several hours. And god forbid that this takes place in cold weather because that can reduce your mileage by half. Your whole trip will be ruined.

Why in the world would anyone want to rent one of these things rather than a gas-powered car? 

You might be better off with a horse and carriage.

Did Hertz think of any of this before they spent $250M on a fleet? Nope. They were just doing the fashionable thing.

Again, I’m not knocking some uses for EVs. If you think of them as enclosed and souped up golf carts, you get the idea. They can be wonderful for certain urban environments so long as you don’t overuse them and have to get them repaired. You also have to be in a financial position to afford the higher costs all around, from financing to insurance to repairs and tires. And you have to be prepared to take a big loss on resale, if you can even manage to find a buyer.

There is money to be made in this market, as there is with any niche good or service. But that is covered with normal market conditions, not massive subsidies, mandates, and frenzies. The Hertz case proves it. It is a perfect clinical trial of these machines. We now know the answer. They cannot work.

And thank goodness because if the United States truly switched over in a big way from gas to electric, we would face other disasters. The wear and tear on roads is much worse due to the sheer weight of the cars, which is 25 percent higher than gas cars on average. Many parking garages would have to be rebuilt with new reinforcements.

Then there is the strain on the grid.

There is no way the industry could handle the demand. Brownouts and travel restrictions would be essential. All this would pave the way toward 15-minute cities.

Please remember how this craze began. It was lockdown time and automakers suspended orders for parts and chips. They stopped cranking out cars. When demand intensified, the chip makers had moved on to other things, so delays escalated. By the summer of 2021, there was a general panic about a growing car shortage.

At that point, consumers were willing to buy anything on the lot, among which EVs. The sales records were completely misinterpreted. The manufacturers made huge investments, and the car rental companies did too. But the product had not really been tested. That test is taking place now, and the EVs are completely failing.

We keep hearing that this is still too early, that development has a long way to go, that more charging stations are coming, that manufacturers are going to overcome all these problems in time. 

All of this sounds very similar to what the producers of mRNA shots say: this was just a trial run and they will get better the next time.

Maybe but doubtful. There is a huge problem in the investment market right now. EVs are massive losers. Consumers, manufacturers, car rental companies, and every other market in which these lemons are made available are running away from them as fast as possible. They had their day in the sun and got fried.

There is another problem: surveillance. 

The car can be tracked anywhere and shut off at a moment’s notice. This is obviously a great thing if the government desires a social-credit system of citizens control.

At this point, it is doubtful that the industry can recover. And yet, even now, the Biden administration is planning more subsidies, more mandates, more restrictions on gas cars, and digging themselves even deeper into this hole.

“The Biden administration on Wednesday issued one of the most significant climate regulations in the nation’s history, a rule designed to ensure that the majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States are all-electric or hybrids by 2032,” reports the New York Times.

You simply cannot make up nuttier stuff. 

At some point, we could see manufacturers making the cars just to satisfy the central planners but otherwise preparing to chop them up and throw them out. They would likely be happy to dump them in the ocean but that isn’t allowed either.

[theretirementstory]

Bonjour tout le monde it’s 5c at the moment brrr! Hopefully it will warm up by this afternoon.

Do you ever get to Sunday and wonder where the week has gone and more importantly what you have done with the week? This is one of the reasons why I do this blog, it’s because I often think I have done nothing but when I look back I realise that you may have done a great deal.

I was happy to receive my “convocation” for my appointment with the oncologist, it is for Friday 23rd. Although I am pleased to have the appointment it coincides with my knitting group which is a little sad. I have my taxi booked and fingers crossed I am not there for hours and hours.

Yet another little “hitch” with regard to water and this time it wasn’t just hot water it was a lack of any water! Anyway I asked the plumber to call and it was found that the tap was full of limescale. We got it all sorted, a new tap and waste for the bathroom and I am a happy bunny again.

It’s coming around to the renewal of my house insurance, which is currently held with a company in Poitou-Charentes. I have been very happy with the insurer I chose in town for my other policies so I have asked them to give me a quote. It was promptly done and so I should soon be insured in a “one stop shop” in town.

My American friend rang me from the states, where she is currently having treatment. She asked if I could go to her home and photograph her garden. Imagine my surprise when there were two men at her home (one a workman) they said come in and look at the rear garden too. Then the workman took me round the ground floor asking me to take photos of the work he is doing in the kitchen. What a pleasant surprise that was not only for me but also for my friend.

Yesterday, a friend in the UK messaged to tell me that her grandson had put in an appearance early that morning. He was not full term, actually only 26 weeks, so here is hoping that his mum and him get through these days and weeks. Quite a surprise and a worry I would imagine too.

Let’s have a look at my choice of songs for this week. They go quite a way back, the first song taken from an album which my sister had long before we even had our first Dansette record player. It’s music I remember hearing, even though my age hadn’t attained double figures, I still love the tracks today as much as at that time. So taken from the album “Aftermath” by the Rolling Stones released in 1966 is the track “Under My Thumb”.

The second song is from 1971, the first single for this band. The band featured the super talented Roy Wood, along with Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan who had been part of the group “The Move”. The song was so totally different to anything else at that time it was “10538 Overture”. Both groups have had some amazing songs and it can be hard to choose a favourite but these songs have always had a place in my heart.

I sometimes feel I am a little boring about my garden, ok so it’s not everyone’s idea of a beautiful place but believe me I do the best I can do to have some colour out there. Two years ago I planted up a planter and I loved that so much. I decided to change the compost, remove any dead plants and replant any others. I had bought a pack which turned out to be 10 primulas not 8 as I first thought. They had been in the supermarket too long, were dry as a bone and a lot of them looked dead! However, looks can be deceptive and a quick “snip” to remove brown and broken leaves found that they were pot bound and in need of a very big drink. I rejuvenated the planter and put the remaining primulas into the “potager” hoping to help them improve. I want to lay cardboard in the rear garden and “re-home” the primulas and the violas that self seeded last year. This morning I was so upset as I saw that “something”, possibly a cat, had dug up three of the primulas in order to use the potager as a toilet. It has also been using the high planter as a toilet, last year I grew beetroot, lettuce, radish and spring onions in that planter. It’s very disappointing and I even felt “what is the point” in growing stuff if some animal is going to keep messing in the earth. However, it does give me a lot of pleasure seeing my plants growing so should I fight back?

I really must send another email to my friends in Bristol. I haven’t heard from them since the beginning of the year and it’s not like them to be in touch.

Monique is still not well and will be seeing the oncologist on Monday 26th. It’s a couple of weeks since I have seen Anie too, time flies!

“The Photographer” had a weeks holiday from work last week as it was his daughters “half term” from school. On Monday he took his two children (aged 5.5 and 2.5 years) on the train to London. He stayed with his Aunt and Uncle and had planned visits with the children to the zoo and the Natural History Museum. The children had a wonderful time, so did “The Photographer” but he was exhausted by the time he got home on Thursday. The children returned to their Mum on Friday and we excited about going, obviously they had a lot to tell her. Yesterday, he was at Scarborough AFC taking photos of their game.

“The Trainee Solicitor” and “Ex-Graduate” have finished work now for a well earned week of rest and relaxation. They are heading to the Yorkshire Dales for some good country air, a little walking and perhaps a lot of reading!

Sorry just had a little break, it was time for tea and cornflakes 😉.

Yes the cat has been back and turned the earth in the potager, so I have put more pepper down, plus today, I will put stakes into the earth and let’s see it try to “squat” there!

I tell myself every morning that I will have a walk and do I? Not everyday and actually the days I do go out for that walk are getting fewer and fewer. I had a good walk one day and was spurred on for more of the same but after a shorter walk the following day it has tailed off again! I really must “programme” myself to a walk.

So now I am going to send a message or two to friends, read my book for a short time. Do the normal household jobs, bed making, washing up etc. Start the “walking programme” and generally find something to tell you about next week 😂.

Bon dimanche!