Jason May: A Real American Hobbyist....

by Mike Martin

4/9/10

“The only limit is your imagination,” is a quote that Jason May says quite often.  It helps to motivate the already well-driven individual from Alabama.  Because of all the things that Jason does with his time, it’s no wonder he has acquired nicknames like “Alabama’s busiest” and “Most fascinating person” by FOX NEWS.
 

May, 39, originally from Mississippi, moved to Costa Rica in 2004.  While there, he drove a Suzuki Samurai, a Suzuki vehicle that is no longer in production.  He drove the Samurai about 6,000 miles across the country of Costa Rica and developed a passion for it.  When he came back to the states he drove a Samurai for three years straight with no other means of transportation. 
 

The Suzuki Samurai quickly became a collector’s item.  When this happened, May set out to collect as many Samurais as he could find.  “The Suzukis have been a passion of mine.  I would take them completely apart, put them in zip lock bags, and restore them,” explains May.  

Originally May had a small museum of the Samurais, but he didn’t think people would come visit it.  So instead, he restored the vehicles, and then sold them to the people that were impressed with his work.  May had owned and sold over forty Samurais in six years. Soon it earned him the title "HEAD OF THE FRATERNITY OF SAMURAI". Suzuki's  have a HUGE following, more than a cult, more like a fraternity of cool people with the same passion.

 

Alongside restoring the Suzukis, May had many other hobbies.  He was nicknamed “The Chihuahua Whisperer.”  He received this name from Training  Chihuahuas.  He did that for 17 years for his asthma.  Breeding and selling the Chihuahuas helped provide an income for his Suzuki spending and helped him not to have an inhaler.
 

 
Another talent of May’s is folding single dollar bills into different animals and shapes.  “I can make 25 things quick, in less than thirty seconds, but total, I can make 117 different things out of a dollar bill.”  Years ago, May wrote a book called “Creative Tipping.”

One may wonder how Suzuki Samurais and folding dollar bills go together.  They don’t.  However, May used the Suzuki Samurais as a resource to perform his latest accomplishment.  May sold all of his Samurais and the money he made from that helped to fund his trip across America.

May took a five and a half week long trip across America to give his money away to strangers.  From New Orleans to San Fransisco,“I would give away my money to anyone I spoke more than three words to,” said May.

He didn’t just take an ordinary drive across the country.  He decided to drive his BMW racecar that only gets fifteen miles per gallon as well as tie his  King Tut to the roof of the car.  “I wanted to make it a  challenge  getting to each destination,” explains May. "Anyone can just drive across the country."

When I stayed at The Luxor hotel in Vegas which is shaped like a giant pyramid for those who don’t know that it is all decorated in Egyptian. " I was treated  like Brittany Spears driving up with a giant King Tut on top of my car,” May explained while laughing.
 

May thought that re-writing his book “Creative Tipping” and teaching people how to fold money would make him obsolete, but after traveling and showing people how he folds his money and seeing the reaction of people across America, May has been inspired to republish his book.

He also believed it would make for a great experience and provide inspiration to others to be kind to one another.  “A lot of successful people started with nothing and that is what inspired me to travel across America to give all my money away to complete strangers, says May. I wanted to start from NOTHING."
 

For being as young as he is, May has accomplished a lot. From being a published Author to simply the Busiest person, He’s not finished though.  He continues to write books and travel.  He is currently thinking about how he can continue to give more of his money away.  One idea he has in mind is a reality show.

 

He will continue doing the things that make him happy in life as well as trying out a few new things.  When May was asked what he wanted to accomplish next, he replied, “Family. It’s time to become a family man and have a family of my own.”
 

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Last modified: 02/27/11