Still Doing Ubereats

 It’s been a long time since I posted. Since October 2021 in fact when I last talked about working at Ubereats. Well this January I am completing my 3rd year. This past year I earned $50,000 for the second consecutive time. 

My health is better than it has been since getting cancer back in 2017. I went through the chemo etc.. I have what is called Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia, a rare non-Hodgkins lymphoma. It’s when my immune system attacks my red blood cells. Fortunately with the help of a steroid every 3 days the disease is held in check.

My wife is fine and my kids are doing great. One of them went from boy to girl and is celebrating her 22nd birthday today.

My book as featured on the homepage is in Writer’s Digest e-book contest with results coming March 2024. I am careful not to get too excited about it but I believe good news is on the way.

In February turning 65 so will officially become a senior. How exciting!

Happy New Year to all!

Why Delivering Ubereats is Much Like Being a Waiter

 Since January of this year, I have been delivering for Ubereats. It is my first job since I left on disability back in 2017. The steroids have helped stabilize my hemoglobin at levels not seen since four years ago and I am happy about that. Not only have I more energy but I can now get out there and make some money. Obviously because of the pandemic we have been shattered because we happen to work in the service industry.

Thankfully without having to jeopardize my disability payments, as little as they are, I have not had to knock on doors to look for employment during this pandemic. After all with my immunocompromised condition, I would not want to work in a setting where I was put at risk just to make a few dollars.

A friend of mine mentioned that being a delivery driver would be a good idea. At first, I thought that would be boring. Just waiting around and waiting to deliver something seemed like not something I wanted to do. So I thought maybe to give Ubereats a look. I wanted something where the hours were flexible. If I wanted to take Saturday night off I could. As we are a one-car family that would also work.

Well, I never thought I would say this but this is probably the best decision I have made in finding employment right off disability. I am also the best person suited for it. Why you ask would I like doing Ubereats? Well, I will be blunt about it. I can handle the bullshit! The training I had being a waiter for 38 years has enabled me to understand that a lot of people do not know how to communicate properly.

For example, I am delivering this meal to this address and I find they are a bunch of townhouses. So what is the unit number? I got to call the people or text them to ask what number are they at. They answer back like oh 68. No sorry no nothing. I wonder if they will add the unit number? Probably not. 

People use excessively the service as well. Once I had to pick up this order. I quickly had to empty my bladder and when I walked out it was only an iced cappuccino! I had another delivery to pick up after that so that iced cappuccino sat in my car for a good 25 minutes. Then to top it off when I entered the lobby of the apartment building the door slammed on my back leg causing me to wipe out almost losing the drink and dropping my phone. I opened a wound on the back of my leg causing it to bleed all for an iced cappuccino. I was not impressed.

Then at night that is fun. Try finding a number when the occupant of the house has all the lights turned off. Or the laneway is full of snow and ice and you have to balance what you have in one hand and your phone in the other. 

Now with the pandemic and the occupancy rules of places like Starbucks you have to wait outside in the cold and wind gusts for your delivery order. 

Parking at some places where you deliver is tenuous at best. One row of townhouses I deliver to sometimes I can drive to the townhouse but I cannot turn the car around to drive out forward. Therefore I have to be careful and drive in reverse back to the main road and enter it backwards.

I mentioned earlier about heading to the washroom to empty my bladder. One time I had to piss so bad I stopped at this gas bar and the guy told me to wait outside. I mentioned I just needed the key to the outdoor bathroom. He said I had to wait outside as there were already two inside the gas bar. I shouted back listen if you do not give me the key I am going to piss outside. I walked out and someone came out and handed me the key. Just in time, I might add.

Of course, you have to read the instructions too. A lot of people say just leave it at the door. Do not knock or ring the doorbell please with an exclamation mark. I take a picture, send it, then press delivered. I will get in my car and get ready to drive on and their food will be sitting there in the cold. I am left thinking they are waiting for me to drive away before they open the door to fetch their rapidly cooling Chinese food or chicken dinner. I know I would be grabbing it quickly.

The fun part that I find is like when I was waiting on tables every day is different. You never know what is going to happen. Like working a la carte I may get a delivery then get another notification of another pick-up nearby. I get in the car, drive to that one and pick it up then while I am dropping off the last delivery I may get a notification to pick another right after I finish the drop. Just like getting sat a few tables all at once in a restaurant, I get the same buzz. I know when this happens I am making some money. Fridays are the best day when I usually make over $200.

I usually average 34 hours a week. Last week I delivered 93 meals. I take a couple of days off and the money is surprisingly good. So I am hooked. It is easy for me but I can see like being a waiter few would put up with it for very long. It may appear easy but there is the stuff that people would not put up with for very long. I am used to it though. So it is water off a duck's back. 

Soon, I want to add Instacart where you do groceries for people. Same idea and even more bullshit but I hear it pays well. This is the future and I  am doing it. Feel good about that and that I can do it.

This Is An Event Crossword Lovers Will Not Want to Miss!

https://twitter.com/adamthenicolle/status/1368641204905246724?s=20

If you like crosswords you will want to watch this coming Thursday. Click on the link for details. You will see how crosswords are built from the beginning. You will be amazed! Yes that is my son Adam.

How I Stole While Bartending Without Even Knowing and Rehired

When I started to bartend back in 1979, the bar business was different from it is now. During that era, it usually was part of a hotel when you went to a bar. Or a separate entity that I refer to as being a stand-alone operation.

There were no widescreen televisions or much in the way of cable to watch back in those days. So no one went to a bar to watch a sports event. As well you never saw the number of casual dining establishments either as you do today. It was the time of disco dancing, and with no internet, at the time, if you wanted to meet someone, the bars and nightclubs were where people usually gathered. It was a blast!

If you want to read more you can click on the link below 

My story on Medium.com 

I Have Some Books for Sale

Okay a lot of us have been reading through Covid_19 while we self isolate and are now running low on literature. For a lot of us we may well be on our own way to reopening but we still need to limit our social circles. 

Well effective today you can order my book directly through Pay Pal for $20 US which includes taxes and shipping. All you need to do is leave your address so I can send the book to you right away. That is anywhere in the world I will send it to you.

Here is the paypal link for you to purchase my story and be entertained. For those of us who cannot travel it might give you some ideas of where to visit once this pandemic ends too.

https://paypal.me/StevenNicolle?locale.x=en_US

Stay safe everyone!

Dining Out and The Second Wave

Twice now I have been outdoors sitting on a restaurant patio having my non-alcoholic Heineken Beer. The first time was just my wife, two sons, and myself about the same week they opened the patios in our region. It was a joyous occasion just to be outside on a pleasant day enjoying the sunshine and catching some rays. We walked in with our masks on and as soon as we were given a table the physical distance between our table and the ones beside us was noticeable so we took our masks off.

The waitress came to our table wearing a mask and I have to say we should have all put our masks back on when we spoke with her and gave her our food and drink order. I guess the fact none of us were coughing or feeling unwell and we were outside made us think at least we could not give anything to her but then again being a waiter in her shoes would I have thought the same of strangers I was about to serve? So for that I cannot blame her for staying a safe distance from us.

I notice not one other table were wearing masks either and I bet quite a few did not even bring a mask with them as where we were wearing one was not mandatory. Encouraged but not enforced.

Now the second time we went out we were joined by four others who were like us the Dad, Mom and two sons who were in their 30's and approaching 40. We talked on the phone earlier in the week and we decided to meet up on this patio a few days later on what turned out to be a sweltering day.

I worked with the two sons at the Brampton Keg and had not seen each other pretty much since 2015. We knew the parents and we had a great visit. The funny thing was that their Dad and myself have had health issues that make us high risk when it comes to catching the Covid-19. So although each of us have been doing things with our own family,  other than that seeing others up to then has been pretty much out of the question. We wore our masks going in and going out of the restaurant but while we were eating and talking all the time we did not.

Talking to one of them I said you know I was having second thoughts about seeing you guys because I began to listen to the fear that we hear of everyday about this virus. A virus we do not know when will  end. Even though we hear reports of progress on a vaccine,  they are all in early stages and the hope that each lab talks about is creating I think more angst in the public because now everyone thinks it will not be long before one surfaces. I will believe it when I see it.

In Guelph here where we live today we have 14 active cases with 4 new ones reported yesterday. We have no hospital cases. The chances of getting the virus are slim. So knowing that put me at ease. At what point do we not go out though? Let me ask you if you only had 14 active cases in a population of over 120,000 would you still venture out or let fear over come you and stay in? With still physically distancing, washing your hands, wearing a mask, and being with people you know and trust in a social bubble would you still stay in and self isolate?

If you answered yes to that question then get ready because this pandemic is not going away. If you are waiting for a vaccine before they have any made enough for you to get vaccinated it might be two years away yet.

Here is what I think about it all. First of all my step father died of the coronavirus in a senior's home and despite the fact he was 89 this virus did not have to take him a week before his 90th birthday. I know of 5 others who have had it and badly. One thought he was going in a body bag. So catch this virus and no matter what a certain president says it is not the sniffles. So we all know someone who knows someone else who got this and how it affected them. No joke.

For your sanity though, unless you absolutely cannot risk it and your condition is not good at all we all need to get out while the summer is here because you know what is coming. The second wave.

In September when they attempt to get the kids in school at some point during the week if there is any transmission going on at all this coronavirus is going to spread. It is a known fact from other countries that high school students spread this quite easily. Asymptomatic of course. Then they come home and infect their family members. Watch for vulnerable teachers and other school staff as well. The worst case scenario is if a lot get sick and the schools have to close again. They say the Spanish Flu it affected the young worse than the adults. So the truth is the schools have not reopened since March so our kids have been protected but now we are sending them back in September. We do not know what can happen. Hopefully not much.

But if the schools have to close again and parents work schedules are all messed up again we are back to square one or more appropriately phase 1. Because at that point probably bars and restaurants will close, gyms, gatherings will get smaller again etc. etc. Most importantly day cares will close so at least one parent will have to leave her job or work from home. Economically a second wave could really put the nail on that for a long long time.

Well now with BC showing increasing infections, Alberta the same having the most since May we are already heading in the wrong direction before all this begins in September. Quebec and Ontario are still struggling. Now the curve rather than staying flattened is turning up again.

September and October are the two months to watch right now for me. If we get by those good before the flu season hits we will make it all the while keeping our borders closed too. School starts then two weeks later symptoms appear after incubating.

This is going to be interesting and right now for the time being I have to say I ate out on a patio twice but the likelihood of me eating out again is highly unlikely anytime soon.

Let's hope we are ready if we get hit again. Meanwhile if you can,  go out and order some Nachos while you still can.

Okay Here We Go in Ontario

Today is phase 3 in many parts of Ontario with the exception of the Niagara, Windsor Essex, Hamilton, and the Greater Toronto region which remains in phase 2 for the time being.

Here in Guelph we are part of phase 3 which means indoor dining, groups up to a 100 outdoors and 50 indoors are acceptable, plus probably the most important and difficult reopening to manage bars can reopen.

The bars where the young people congregate, drink a few, let their guard down and begin shouting at one another. In a couple of weeks to the beginning of  August people will be going to bars to watch the Blue Jays ( who by the way look like will be allowed to play their home games here ), the defending World Champion Toronto Raptors, and the Toronto Maple Leafs. All expected to go deep in the season and playoffs, well I don't know about the hockey and baseball, but definitely the Raptors. The fact our numbers are very good is how Toronto and Edmonton became hub cities for the  NHL. Congrats to us.

Players coming in under strict testing and quarantine I am not worried about. It is the cheerers in the bars watching the big screen television that concerns  me. I do not see how physically distancing can be enforced nor how this virus will not spread without wearing a mask in such an environment.

So look for spikes in cases. It is inevitable. In Quebec specifically Montreal they have had a bit of a spike due to the bar patrons. As soon as they opened everyone had to get tested who had visited a number of bars probably on Crescent Street. It is happening everywhere. In Tokyo and Seoul and the States as well although it has become a political issue there so we will put them aside.

So get ready and don't panic if you see the numbers spike. We have to do what we have always done and that is physically distancing, wear a mask, and wash your hands especially if you have been in a bar.

Canada had over 400 new infections yesterday with Alberta showing over a 100 noting Calgary as a hot spot. Saskatchewan had the most ever new infections in one day at 45.

Some doctors think we should have opened the schools first then opened up the bars and indoor dining. Wouldn't have made a spot of difference, only sunk businesses into bankruptcy.

Hey maybe we should all listen to Donald Trump and his advice on how to kill this coronavirus. Remember this?