We stayed with Don B, from GE in Toledo, Wa.
Don has 5 acres of land with a triple wide on it, and it is quite nice up there.
The mountainous landscapes, the foggy mornings, and the blackberry bushes are its highlights.
This morning, I watched 5 deer grazing on his neighbors lawn (they are considered 'pests').

Ha ha. When I came to Seattle this time, I was expecting to eat fresh blackberries from the bush. Blackberry bushes are everywhere here, but it's a late summer. There are berries, but they are still green. (I ate one anyway).

I drove around the town last night, and still, I heard no music.
Nothing much has changed since we left here just two months ago.
I did start unemployment.
Its impossible for me to get those people to understand that I'm a Contract Programmer.
According to those guys, I'm an employee, and therefore, I must have filled out an application for employment.
They said I must fill out three applications a week to maintain unemployment.
--- I haven't filled out an application since 1989.
So, I am thinking that I'm going to have to lie to keep unemployment paying. Thats just not right though. Filling out applications is a counter-productive method of finding work. Employers find me. I can't find them.
I guess what's really irritating me is that I am forced to pay up to 6% of my gross for insurance that I can never, in all honesty, ever qualify for. Plus, having to drive to Washington to get unemployment compensation for a multi-state claim is incredibly bad.

It is a condition of their unemployment insurance, that the person has to call from a Washington phone.

We stayed at the HorseShu in Jackpot, NV. Jackpot is a casino town on the Nevada/Idaho border
The rooms are very cheap ($39) and very nice. This mountain has live entertainment and is open 24x7.

Last year I worked in California, Washington and Kentucky.
I worked in California last, but it doesn't count, because its in my last quarter.
Nevada unemployment insurance claims are done on the phone, and it takes hours.
Even though I live in Nevada, Nevada won't process my claim because I didn't work here.
Washington will process my claim,
but, I have to call from a phone in Washington to set things up.
They said I should not use its insurance because I quit to take a better job. It will delay my claim.
They said they'd only use Kentucky's unemployment.
I'm not sure if there is a message here. 
Why do I have to call from a Washington phone to set things up?
hmmm.

I took my Mustang in to Gaudin Ford yesterday to get an extra key and remote made. The sales rep says $24 for the key, and about $40 for the remote. $64 dollars so far, right?
He mentioned my Universal Belt needed replacing, and I asked him how much.
He said $80 with labor. I said okay. I'm thinking, with taxes, its $150 tops.
So, he writes me up an estimate for $190.
I told him, man, thats high for what you said. He said, we write them higher than they will be.
We waited for three hours, and they arrived with a bill for $380. I'm serious!
He said, well there's taxes and all. And said "NO", there is a problem, and I started getting loud. Your estimate says $190, and he said, no, that says $290. It had a suspicious looking 1 on it. I said, THATS STILL WAY TOO HIGH!
He said, oh, wait, there is a problem, and he comes back with a bill that says $310.
He said "There, its right at my estimate, I think I did a good job".
I said, "Man, you know didn't do right".
The last time I was in Vegas, Ford County screwed me.
I took my F150 in for its Air Conditioner not working. They put a charge in it, and gave me a bill for $400.
- Maybe, I wouldn't have minded if they didn't use inferior refrigerent.
The stuff they used didn't even have leak detector in it. I can't even find where you get bottles of refrigerent like that.- Maybe, I wouldn't have minded if when I took it back in again, they didn't quote me $1,200 for a new compressor.
I eneded up having to buy a $10 bottle from Auto Zone, and charging the system myself.
And then there was the time we went to buy an $8,000 car off their lot.
With the paperwork, the car came up to $30,000.
I LIKE FORD VEHICLES !
But if you have one, you'd better be willing to fix it yourself.

Honda's are mighty fine vehicles.
I wonder if all Ford Dealers hustle their customers. I was hoping/thinking it was a Vegas thing.

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Not much has happened on the job search. I'm not giving an all out effort on it yet though.