Saturday Lying In My Bed In NYC
21 August 2010
I flew back to NYC today one last time. Woke up at 3.30am, got my stuff together, did the idiot check rode the elevator to the lobby and waited there for my cab to arrive which it did, promptly at 4am. On the way to the airport, the driver, an Iranian man got a telephone call. He took it while cruising at 65mph along the freeway. I’m not into talking while driving. At the end of his call he told the caller he couldn’t pick them up but offered to make some more calls to hook the guy up. After he came off I said I didn’t feel comfortable with him on the phone. He said that it’s his business and that it is within the law for a taxi to use their mobile device while driving. I argued that it didn’t matter which kind of car, using your mobile phone while driving is seriously dangerous. He agreed but said that it was the law. I asked if he had hands free. No. So while we drove the rest of the way I looked on the internet to see what the legality of mobile use while driving was. He was right. In Portland in January 2010, a law was passed which banned people from using their mobile device while driving BUT these restrictions did not apply if you were the driver of a service vehicle, taxi, truck etc… How crazy is that… A lorry driver, driving a huge truck is permitted to drive with one hand on the wheel. NIce.
Anyways I asked for a receipt and as he was writing it out I noticed he only had one hand. The other was missing. Looked melted off. So he was on the blower with his good hand while controlling the car with his bad hand.
In other news our steward on the Delta flight was a dead ringer for Dick Cheney. I bumped into my neighbour the very lovely Joseph Gordon Levitt. As well as being a great actor, he has started this cool initiative to get artists to collaborate online. It’s called hitRECord.org. Hit the link and go check it out. Smart guy.
And finally I ate a crunchy peanut butter cliff bar… It gave me a headache. Wow… my body really is a white marble temple. It didn’t like my munchy bar one lil bit.
I saw your neighbour tonight too. Although it was on a movie screen.
Glad you’re still alive. I too am a big fan of Joseph Gordon Levitt. I worked with him on 500 Days of Summer; he is a really cool guy! if you haven’t seen his film “Brick” I highly recommend it- sort of a teenage american neo-noir (or whatever). cheers.
that law it’s pretty weird, I’ve never heard of it because in Mexico it is forbidden to drive while you are using your cellphone, anyway loooove Joseph Gordon-Levitt, I don’t know if you’ve seen 500 days of summer!…. loved it (:
well in tel aviv it is not legal ( probably one of the only things our government got right… ) – anyways thanks a lot for the link- really interesting : )
i’m still stuck on the one handed cell phone using taxi driver. good god. i’m glad you’re alive. no call is that important. fran, you’re a better person that i. i would have gotten his cabby id and reported him. that’s unsafe. yes it may be legal, if he had both hands. i’m not saying it to be unfair to his handicap, but he was not steering the wheel safely. someone was looking out for you. must be the decent music police.
x
Hello Fran…. when you was doing your detox did you feel unwell anytime? Reason I ask is I tried to detox a few months back and I felt terrible sometimes and couldn’t stick to it! Any advice? cheers barry
FH “If you are doing a detox, you need to be taking supplements and probiotics too to replace what is being flushed out… If you dont do that, it could be not so comfortable”
I like clif bar!
Somebody must be watching over you and your temple Fran!
I rant and rave whenever i see a driver on his mobile.
In the UK drivers have not taken any notice of the “not using your phone whilst driving law”, and the selfish B******s make me sick.
Fran if i was in that cab i would have shit myself!
You were remarkably calm, by the sounds of it.
What a story.
Wow, Joseph Gordon Levitt is your neighbor? That’s cool. I loved him in 500 days of Summer!
Yah, I gave up sweets for lent one time and when you eat it again, it tastes way sweeter. You actually don’t crave something as much once you haven’t eaten it for a while. Like me and red meat. It used to be my favorite and I couldn’t fathom not eating it, but now I don’t even think about it anymore. Except for every now and then a prime rib or a hamburger pops into my head.
now how do you feel about Iranians?!I’m Iranian too…
how did you get he’s Iranian?!
FH “I asked him where he was from. How do I feel about Iranians… All the Iranians I met were really cool. Even this driver. How do you feel Iranians are portrayed in the west. How do you feel about your current leader?”
I feel awful about our leaders…!
It’s a shame the Muslim religion has been sullied by the actions of afew… Do they allow gigs in Tehran? I’d love to play a show there…”
and I know because of them the western people think we are terrorist…
if you followd the news about Iran specially from last year you could see we are’t interested in not beening free’from any religion or any political view…
I’m muslim but not that kind of muslims you see in Afganistan or even Iranians leader.I love music,as you can see I’m here and anywhere belongs to music,though most of us Iranian download music illegaly(I hope you forgive us)!!!
and I believe in FREEDOM…
and I know Iranian guys who just want have fun but they can’t,and they are from other religions and even agnostic but they can’t show…
…and all of us are almost united in Green Movement…
So,what do you think now?!!!
FH “Hey Elam, you sound like a cool guy… I’ll let you off with that illegal downloading
Awe right fran?Good on you for saying something to the driver.I hate people driving while on the phone too.It’s so dangerous.Looking forward to hearing the new album.I hope your happy with the finished result/mix.All the best.Take care.
OMG!of course!!!
I’m an 18 years old girl who has many wishes…and maybe it seems funny but going to a concert is one of them,specially yours…!
but in our country even many of Iranian artist are forbidden to perform on stage,so I think the governers even don’t permit you to enter the country…!
but if they allow you to come but didn’t allow to play,you can come to our house to play for your Iranin fans!!!
I’m not living in Tehran,I live in a small town in north of Iran,so you can get here!:D Oh,I know they even don’t allow that…!!!
Danke(!) for everything…!
elham, thankfully not all american’s want to change your religion or free you from your political views. i’m definitely one of those that feel we should respect all religions because who are we to say which is right or wrong? i have never personally known a violent muslim. i have known quite a few hypocritical christians. HAHA. living in new york on 9/11 was very hard for me, but it didn’t make me angry with your religion. it made me realize how the world saw our country. it opened my eyes to the fishbowl we have all been living in. of course my heart was breaking and of course i love my country – but that doesn’t mean that i don’t feel that my country doesn’t need some improving. the united states of america was supposed to stand for freedom. it’s supposed to be a place where immigrants can come to fulfill their dreams. it was built on that and we’ve lost sight of it. there’s no compassion anymore. (if there ever was) until we learn to love our fellow man and our neighbors, we are failing as a society. all my best.
Dear Leigh
I don’t feel bad about America,I like U.S.A!
and I’m sorry for what happend in 9/11.
I don’t think that anybody wants to change our religion or political view except our governors…! thank you all;D
And I’m sorry Fran for writing here about politic,I’m sorry…
Get a life fran. No wonder your songs are depressing. Sit in your exec lounge. Talking to your media neighbours and diss a taxi driver who is on time at 4am and has been driving one handed for years. Then you ask for a receipt because you want to save tax. It’s a hard life eh?
FH “It’s what I have become. Muhahahaha”