The Meters Running blog

I am entering a new phase of my life. The economy is getting better and things are finally beginning to improve. I should soon have a new computer, and finally get back to serious posting. Viewers from years ago expected it. Time is marching on; Tim is marching on... hence the metaphor of the taxi meter running.

I started blogging in 2005 during the heady days of the Tampa blog scene explosion. It was new and fun and I could not wait to get home and blog about the daily trips I had. Something changed along the way, however. The United States economy fell apart like a three dollar watch, killing hope and breaking the spirit of many. Most of the local bloggers just went away. Their dormant blogs left abandoned years ago, a testament to a vital community killed off by fast change and greed. Many Tampa blogs still show the last post from way back.

During this time, FaceBook was taking off and it seems to be where most people are at. The blogging scene just a faded memory for me. However, I still believe a blog can succeed. A blog can still get noticed. I believe in blogging but you just have to find your way and have a message.

For a blog to succeed today, it must really have unique content that people can't find anywhere. It must also give them a reason to disconnect form FaceBook, and actually go somewhere else on the Internet where they may get back some hope. Not the hope and change promised by a failed administration, but the hope and spirit they felt when love was young. When you felt things would last forever, like a kid during summer when there's a bit of a buzz but only back then you did int know what is was.

I have a story to tell and I need to get to work. I am getting older along the way. "Daily thoughts and inspirations from a Tampa taxi driver on the back half of life" is more important to me now then just stories about drunks who puked in my cab.

In the coming years there will be changes. I may get out of cab driving. My interest may change. My hobbies may change. I may no longer live in Tampa. One thing will never change - the meter will always be running.

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I got flashed today

This very pregnant women flashed me this morning. Her baby is due November 22 and I'm sure she will be glad I took these images. She's had a tough go of it but the important thing is the baby is alright and mom is healthy. Elena is a very special person. posted from Bloggeroid

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Xzanthia has moved away

Xzanthia I found this on an old TBT. If you remember back in 2007, I had the honor of shooting Xzanthia in an art nude shoot. The recession hit and I could not keep up my craft. She was a fantastic model and artist and held events at her fathers nudist resort. I now know now she has moved onto other things. I wish her well. Her and her father were top notch. "Through festivals, parties and an artists’-colony sense of camaraderie, the Pasco County performance artist created an enclave of creativity and diversity in Tampa Bay at the Riverboat Nudist Colony in Land O’Lakes. Her work with the band Impotent Sea Snakes , her XBash Music Festival and her legendary foam parties have made her a fixture of Tampa Bay’s underground art scene. But after years spent working to connect and create a community, she has decided to leave. Citing a desire to de-complicate her life and focus on her art, XZanthia is moving away. She remains positive about the Tampa Bay ...

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Christine Lemaster of Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is known for its tropical beaches and sunshine Christine is a fitness,glamour,lingerie, and swimwear model. She was born in Clearwater, Florida but now resides in Ft. Myers, Florida. She was crowned Miss Hawaiian Tropic Tampa in 2006 and competed in the Miss Hawaiian Tropic International finals in 2007. She is now in the 2008 Miss Hawaiian Tropic Calendar. Some of her print credits include Hooters magazine, Natural Muscle magazine, American Curves magazine, Maxim magazine and many others. In 2007, she was offered a developmental contract with the WWE but turned it down due to professional and personal commitments. She has also done a few infomercials that can be seen often involving Tony Little as well as Technopower. You can find out more about Christine at her own personal website at http://www.idreamofchristine.com/ or at her myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/christinelemaster . Image Credit: http://www.idreamofchristine.com & h...

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My Health is the big reason I am working out

Too much fast food is the bain of cab driving. You find yourself eating most of your meals out of a bag that has been handed to you through a drive threw window. There are, however, consequences. Gout is a very painful form of arthritus. It may be caused by lifestyle, primarily eating an indulgent diet. I have read that there is also a hereditary component that may make 75% of its victims suseptable to it. That some people have an inherent abnormality that does not allow them to process uric acid. So it may not be related to diet It hurts man and you don't want it. This time the Doctor prescribed for me a new medicene you many have seen on TV, called ULORIC. It is supposed to disolve the crystals in your joints that the uric acid causes. High levels of uric acid is the cause of gout. There was a slight problem, however. The medicine is very expensive and I just cannot afford it. After the two week free sample is up, its back to pain for me. I have no idea why ...

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An old cab driver and a new business model

(I posted this in 2009 when things really sucked) Meet Larry. He retired a few years ago after a long time with United Cab of Tampa. He got out at the right time because it all fell apart in 2008. Not only do we have half the calls - we have twice the drivers. Plus, lease and gas are much higher ($510 a week with holidays and birthdays taken away). Now, I hear the company is raising leases again to $535 a week while they hire more & more drivers. When I see new drivers starting out, I ask myself why. With the high operating cost, lack of calls and tons of cabs, the prospects of making real money is gone. We MUST work 365 days a year to eat dog food. Larry, be glad you were here for the good times. It was good to be a driver then. Now, the taxi companies in Tampa have it all coming their way. Enjoy your retirement.

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Looking behind

Elena wondered why I was missing such a beautiful sunrise. We would not have even had this conversation if she had been out on time. There are lots of clouds in the atmosphere this time of year and often there are spectacular sunrises and sunsets. I did get a photo of Elena taking the Facebook photo. The sun is rising earlier and in 3 weeks its the summer solstice...the longest day of the year. I still prefer winter sunrise. posted from Bloggeroid

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A case of murder

TAXI CONFIDENTIAL: A CASE OF MURDER... I got a call at home Saturday afternoon from channel one dispatch saying the Tampa Police were looking for me. He said I needed to drive back to Tampa (30 mins) and meet officers at the corners if Florida/Fowler. This involved the final fare of the day. I was hoping I was done with that Jack Wagon. I told dispatch to tell the cops to pack sand. I was ready to watch football and leave me alone. A few minutes later, my phone rang, it was the cops. He said if I did not come to them, they would come to me. Something REALLY BIG was going down and I was a material witness. I could tell it was urgent so I put my shoes on and headed for Tampa. Earlier, I had picked up this middle aged black couple at the Boston grill. Their SUV had run out of gas and they needed to get to St Petersburg. I did find it strange they did not want to go to a gas station but people have their reason. I noticed the car had South Carolina plates. He said it was a renta...

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Tampa's most famous grave

My taxi friend, Tom Castros (pictured) is a taxi driver for United Cab - Tampa's finest cab company. He and I have driven by Oaklawn cemetery for years but never understood the history of it. It is Gothic in design and was created in 1850 for "slave and freeman." We were able to find the most famous grave in there. The grave of William & Nancy Ashley is a testimony to eternal love. Nancy was a slave and William was her master. They were in love and married. Because of this, they were both hanged. What is strange is the executioner was named Jackson. He is the one that put this tombstone on the grave. That's a little creepy. posted from Bloggeroid

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I've added jogging and bodybuilding

Dive in. The water is fine. Tim's turnaround is on the way. Three days a week in the gym, three swimming workouts, and three jogging workouts. In fact, I have started the C25K program "from the couch to a 5K in 8 weeks." I downloaded the app and have done my first session covering 1.2 miles. You may wonder what all this workout stuff has to do with cab driving. A lot. Its a very unhealthy profession in which most die young. Many drivers I knew 20 years ago are gone. Few make it 60. I don't want that for myself. I was told my blood pressure was deadly. This regimen is to save my life. Plus, its fun. posted from Bloggeroid

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Hillary and her failed campaign

Why do people still support these folks? People who have been around a while are more than familiar with the Clinton tactics. Are you surprised that Hillary would announce a national campaign for president of the United States, the most important job in the world, and disappear from sight? She has been unavailable to the press or anyone else. Does this inspire you? Even if you are a major Clinton supporte, this must trouble you. Refusing to give any answers or explain your positions concerns me deeply. This is a tactic that was used by the Clintons in the 1990s prior to social media. They have failed to understand that their numbers are beginning to drop because of invisibility. I spoke to a fare i had in my taxi today and I said this would be a tactic I would use as a political consultant to hide a candidate who was an idiot. I would not want het to get anywhere near a microphone. If Hillary Clinton is supposed to be one of the most intelligent women in the world, then why ...

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