Jeez! I'm Pushing a Hack!

Hey all,
Things have been a bit hectic and I apologize for being remiss in my blog-posting. I finally picked up a summer job...driving a cab! So far it has been rewarding; monetarily and (most importantly) spiritually. I had no idea that driving a cab would help me with everything...it's sooo cool. I had been trying to get a job in restaurants because I had so much experience. But, I found I was too old, too white, too non-hip and non-pierced to find a decent gig in Portland. Fortunately my downstairs neighbor suggested driving.
I would not have believed how rewarding this job could be! One really gets to appreciate the diversity of our city. It's very grounding. Every fare has a story and imparts their wisdom on me. Just to give you a breif list of recent customers....the party girl who passed out in the back of my cab before giving her exact address, the club owner from Seattle on his bachelor party weekend (after dropping him off at a strip club, I picked up a lady coming home from church), the WW2 vet who, on the way to the VA hospital told me he thought Bush was an idiot.
See, a cabbie meets people in transit while a bartender meets folks a a destination. The former has proved to be much cooler. Movement seems to make people more open. Airport runs tend to be the best as folks seem compelled to tell their life's story after the simple question, " Where are you flying to?"
I'll keep everyone up to date on cool fares in the future, as I intend to drive the odd Saturday during the school year. Things with my PC gig are still in a holding pattern as I am still waiting for one more piece of paperwork from a certain health- care professional. All my medical and Dental stuff came back OK. Soon my mongo-health-packet will be off to DC where it will sit on a desk, hoping to be the next one to be read and scrutinized. Well that's a quick update on things here.
All the Best,
John

D'OH!

Hey All,
Well, things have been a bit crazy as I run all over Portland trying to get all my medical and dental paperwork done. I went to the dentist and she was pleased. She didn't see anything serious that needed attention. I am waiting for them to call with the completed paperwork. I had my physical last Thursday and everything checked out with the exam but I'm still waiting on the ...you guessed it...lab results and paperwork. I had to get a TB test and in my world cup reverie, forgot to go back on Saturday and have it read, so I have to get another at the low price of $66, hence the title of this post. If anyone is thinking about joining the PC, DO take them seriously when they say, get your appointments made ASAP! It's a process and it takes time but there's no frustration if you get started early.
Summer has been great so far..I'm getting alot of reading done and have reconnected with some old friends, specifically, my buddy Kate. We have been talking at length and it is as if we never lost touch, like finding that old pair of super-comfy jeans in a box somewhere and discovering they still fit. It's a great feeling! I'm hoping she'll come for a visit to show her the glory that is the great state of Oregon! I'll be pouring at the beer festival this weekend and am still looking to pick up some extra work, so I can get an iPod or some such device. Other than starting to do some lesson plans for the fall and shooting out to the beach or the gorge, I'm taking things pretty easy....every evening I take Speedy out for a long walk, reveling in the cool twilight and sometimes stopping for a gelato (Mmmmmm...Hazelnut!). I'm steering clear of the right-wing news shows to maintain my sanity. I watch them during the school year just to see how they spin the news but they end up upping my stress level, so I'm swearing them off. Besides, they're not journalists anyway, just right-wing ideologes for which truth and fact are malleable substances to shaped as they see fit.
I hope everyone else's summer is going as well.
All the Best,
John