Free Time

 The following is what happens when a person has too much free time on their hands to think about nothing important!.

We are still in Florida enjoying the beautiful weather. I'm sitting in the backyard and the sun is going down. It's absolutely beautiful. There is this semi-huge tree sitting just off the property. As I sit there, the birds are all coming from different directions, one at a time, and are landing inside the tree.

Which got me to thinking? Did they just finish a long day at the office and are arriving home after a hard day at the office, picking through dirt looking for worms. Or, maybe some of them go and find some local ponds to do some fishing. 

Look, I'm not really sure, but isn't it nice after a long day away from the casa, they have a place to come home to, eat some dinner, watch some news, get to bed extra early and get ready for! Getting up early, because the "early bird catches the worm".

This reminded me of my days driving up and down the NJ Turnpike, the Western extension, between exit 16 W and just before the overpass that takes you under the Pulaski Highway. The garbage dumps are on the west side of the highway and the water and swampy area, with trees are all to the east.

In the morning hours they would be coming from the swamps and at sundown after hard days work of scavenging in the garbage piles, they headed back home.

Now, the birds have their wings, but we have cars which need fuel which leads to.

I'm starting to get a little concerned with this fuel situation we are presently experiencing. You, see in the past, we had a guy, we always had a guy. When Perfect Limo needed gas in bad times, no problem my friend, we had a guy. You needed gas and you were a good customer, no problem, we will be you're guy because we got a guy.

Now, the concern is because we don't feed our "guy" enough business to feed his family, so basically we lost our gas guy, so there is a real possibility I may have to get up early, like the little birdies, to be first in line at the pumps.

I'm hoping not, but you never know.

Back in 1979 during the hostage situation in Iran when we had gas shortages here in the States. I worked for a guy in Fort Lee and I delivered office supplies and stuff. My ex boss then, had a guy! Lima. My boss would make the call to the man, his guy, I would head to the station, park on the side, go into the restaurant for a bite to eat and a half hour later I would leave the gas station with a full tank of gas!

Lima had a great thing going. His gas station/restaurant/bar was on Route 46 W just off the GW Bridge. All the truckers knew the spot. They would pull up to the pumps and the fuel pumpers would take care of the trucks while they moseyed their way to the restaurant for a burger and a beer. When they were done, the trucks were gassed (actually diesel), tummies full and ready to do a big 10-4 good buddy. 

The place was a gold mine and that cheeseburger was greasy and loaded with fried onions, but so darn good. Possibly the reason as to why I have high cholesterol today. Just saying!

Be safe.

John A Sutich

Just Another Story Blog

 Dr. Thomas Schweizer, a researcher at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto, found out the following:

'Making a left turn while on the phone is a major distraction, specifically because it combines a high-risk, complex driving maneuver with cognitive distraction that impairs focus even with hands-free devices. Studies show this scenario significantly reduces the brain's ability to process visual cues like oncoming traffic or pedestrians, making it one of the most dangerous driving scenarios'

So, for everyone that thinks texting and driving is not an issue, this research sought of says, talking, even hands free is not too good of an idea. Did you ever hear the phrase "walk and chew gum at the same time"

Well, the handheld phone, the thing that we cannot leave home without, has become the "gum". Like, I was walking to the dreaded Acme in West New York the other day for milk. We all need milk, especially during the pre blizzard rush of an impending storm! You know the routine. So, while walking to the local grocery store, have you ever walked into someone. Sorry, that's wrong, has anyone ever walked into you because they have head looking down at their phone while walking down a busy sidewalk.

Are kidding me, put the phone away and walk. This is not my first time either, I've had to play human dodge ball a number of times. Do you remember the video of a woman in a mall, who was so into her phone, supposedly texting, she fell into the fountain. She would of been luckier if she walked into another human, not a big bucket of water. I think she might be suing the people that released that footage. Go figure 

Think about when talking on the portable phone was done while you were in the kitchen making dinner and worst thing you had to worry about was burning the asparagus! It was even better with the wall phone and you went and bought the 25' cord. The good thing about that, it was like a dog on a leash, you had a distance you were allowed to travel.

Spring ahead this weekend! This is always a tough one in an industry where you are depending upon everyone, chauffeurs and customers to all turn those clocks ahead that one hour. Yeah, I know with cells phones as our alarm clocks, the phone adjusts itself. But then you stumble to the kitchen and you see the microwave clock (that you didn't change) and you notice you have an extra hour so you "mosey on over", back to bed for an extra hour of sleep!

Good news it means Spring is on the way, just a few more weeks. Which means March Madness, baseball and the NFL Draft amongst so many other Spring time adventures.

Be safe

John A Sutich

Just Another Story Blog

 Wednesday, we made a trip from the west side of Florida across to the east side to visit friends. We've done this trip numerous times, sometimes in the opposite direction, depending on which friends we visited first. Yes, we are lucky to know wonderful people on both sides of the state willing to greet us with open arms. (I guess as long as we know when it's time to pack the suitcase)

We make the trip on Interstate  75, which starts somewhere in Michigan and ends in Miami Florida, or vice a versa. All depending what you are either trying to get away from or trying to get to? This North/South expressway is, according to AI, 1,786 mile, which about 90 of them miles goes in the East/West direction through Alligator Alley.

Now, in the past I always viewed this as a long treacherous drive amongst alligators who were waiting for me to brake down and I would become their late night snack. (tastes like chicken). But in reality, it has just become a quick run across the state. The speed limit is posted at 70 MPH and if you aren't doing at least 80, hold on tight because others will be blowing by you like you are standing sill.

The trip this week was interesting to say the least, because presently there are brush fires along 75 in the Everglades City area. They didn't close the highway, but visibility was poor and you could see the fires along the edge of the highway, Good part about it, traffic was light so there was no slow down going through this rough patch.

I just heard a new phrase last night called Alligator Alcatraz. What, the heck does that mean. Is it because there's a fence all along the interstate? Nope, there is an actual prison somewhere in those swamps! I don't think I'd be looking to cut through the fence at Alcatraz?

One year, when we didn't have our own car and decided not to rent vehicle, which was always a challenge in itself, because you didn't know how well the vehicle has been maintained, we called our good friends at Prestige Limo in Boca Raton. We wanted to sit back and relax. 

These friends are not the ones we are staying with, but just good people in the industry. We got a great rate to be chauffeured from Naples to Boca. With all my complaining about the ride, this poor guy had to do the trip both ways. Good thing there are rest stops along the way.

Being we are in the same industry, we got a discount. Hey, it doesn't hurt to save those pennies.

This got me thinking about my years at Fugazy as a chauffeur hanging out at the airport. We would get discounts on meals because we were in the transportation business. A courtesy that I'm not sure exists anymore. Back when my boys were in high school, we made a trip to Punta Cana, but unfortunately we had to make a stopover in Charlotte, NC. The wait time changed from about 30 minutes to a few hours so we deplaned and everyone went looking for food.

One of my boys went with a friend we were traveling with, off by themselves to a restaurant. When he came back he explained how he got a transportation industry discount. What the heck, he did spend weekends working at Perfect Limo. Why not?

Be safe.

John A Sutich

Just Another Story Blog

 We are enjoying our stay in Florida, but I'm thinking it's time that I got to get mentally ready for our return trip back to Jersey in a few weeks  Auto train! Auto rain!

Yes, for three years now, I've done nothing but complain/praise this mode of transportation. Hey, the plus to it all, is the fact that I will be driving 811 less miles on Interstate 95. Look, it's not the worst thing either. They try their best sitting you with other passengers making friends along the route. Dinner is not like eating in Del Frisco's in NYC, but it's a decent meal, all things considered because they don't have a full blown kitchen and Michelin chef in the third car cooking up fresh steaks and lobster tails.

But, according to AI: meals are generally not pre-packaged frozen meals, but rather, chef prepared hot meals served in a traditional dinning car.

Let me say, though, it is a heck of a lot better than what you might get on some flights from New York to Rome on your favorite airline. Besides the food being better, you aren't relegated to eating on a seat back table in your 17" to 21", seat, depending on the class of ticket you chose to pay for. You are sitting at a table. Yes, a table with other people having conversations about why you are on the Auto Train. Not wondering if the person in front of you in row 21 is going to suddenly recline their seat just as you are taking the top off of the fruit cup.

I bring this up, because I just received an email from Travel and Leisure magazine about a scenic train ride from Chicago to San Francisco, called the California Zephyr, a beautiful scenic 2,438 miles. Now, I'm not sure if the rooms on this train are more updated equipment, or, are they the same rooms they offer on the Fl to VA auto train. I did see they offer private rooms and roomettes! Auto train? If so, this would be a hard sell to my woman to accompany me on this delightful trip through the Rockies.

Now, Doris may say something like, "I'll have no problem with it" and I will argue, "It's not a good idea, honey". She has never been on the Auto Train, but I know how she feels about mass transportation in general. Like convincing her that the NJ Transit bus 158 from WNY to NYC is the best way to travel to the city. Saves a heck of a lot of time, walking distance and coins, but it is a tough sell!

Amtrak, I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm beating on you, but being on your trains, with all your efforts to make it a pleasant adventure, to me, it is just a way to save miles behind the steering wheel. It is not a vacation. But, what the heck, it's just one man's opinion.

I'm still an AOL guy and we get these news stories that come across the screen when you open the app up. The one I saw this morning is about Norwegian Cruise Line, (NCL). Turns out they will be banning shorts, tank tops, flip flops and ripped jeans in their upscale restaurants. Seems you may have to pack a few extra clothes on your next NCL cruise. I'm good with this.

John A Sutich

Just Another Story Blog