This blog is written by Lee Gale Gruen to help Baby Boomers, seniors, retirees, and those soon to retire find joy, excitement, and satisfaction in life after retirement. Her public lecture on this subject is titled: “Reinventing Yourself in Your Retirement.” Her memoir, Adventures with Dad: A Father and Daughter’s Journey Through a Senior Acting Class, is available by clicking here Amazon.com. Click here for her website: http://AdventuresWithDadTheBook.com
Now, on to my blog:
I was trying to download the Uber app onto my cell phone. It was a new learning curve for me, but I wanted to be hip like everyone else and try out the popular ride sharing concept.
I followed all the correct prompts on the Uber website, or so I thought. After completing my efforts, I received an immediate email from Uber welcoming me to their pool of drivers. They wanted all sorts of personal information such as my driver’s license number, insurance, and the like.
I have no idea what I did to become part of the Uber Drivers Club. Truth be told, I’d probably be the worst sort of Uber driver. My driving skills are okay but nothing to brag about. My patience with the full range of personalities an Uber driver might encounter is limited. And, my sense of direction stinks.
After I was enrolled as an Uber driver, the problem became how to unenroll. Apparently, Uber doesn’t want their drivers to drop out, especially before they even begin. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t quit my new job. I finally gave up and figured I’d just remain on their roster.
Well, Uber didn’t like that either. They were not about to brook a driver who didn’t provide her driving information, and certainly not one who didn’t drive. I continued receiving emails from Uber insisting upon the sacred data. I ignored them, but they persisted–Uber can be very persistent.
They finally got the idea and stopped pestering me. However, I don’t know if I’m still buried somewhere in their data bank of drivers. I can’t help wondering if this type of snafu befalls others, too? Does it happen to younger people, or is it just us older folk? What did Uber say on its end after I bailed? Oh, another ditzy senior.
Never mind, I do know that I went on to become a successful Uber passenger after a few upsetting mishaps (click this link and scroll down for my blog of March 4, 2018 “Uber et al” https://leegalegruen.wordpress.com/2018/03/.) I have even learned a couple of things from my Uber rider experiences. For example, I bought one of those handy dandy devices that holds a cell phone near the dashboard at close viewing range used by all Uber drivers while their phone’s GPS navigates the route. Now, if I ever do decide to activate my Uber driver status, I’m all set!
Always be willing to learn from your experiences. When you encounter a good idea, borrow it, steal it, claim it for yourself. Good ideas are good ideas, no matter where they come from, even Uber.
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Sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we feel out of place; you know, that awkward, uncomfortable sensation because we don’t quite fit in. We try to adapt, but all we can think of is, how do I get out of here? It’s particularly hard in a situation where everyone else seems to know each other, to interact comfortably, and we are the odd man out.
Reinventing Yourself in Your Retirement Years 