The Life and Times of Jim
Hi, there. I'm Jim. Welcome to my phlog!
This site was written for Las Vegas, then LouisVille. Now, it seems to be about anywhere. In these phlogs, you'll see a lot of my personal notes and pictures. I like to post my observations here to remember life and celebrate it. I'm not religious. I don't pray for good fortune. I'm ecstatically grateful for the gift of life and I think our time should be remembered and not taken for granted. I'm not a writer. I think pictures tell stories so much better than words. I love just about everything in this life, and, I guess that would have to include you. So, if you've seen me, don't be surprised if your picture is in here somewhere. Of all the critters, people are absolutely the most interesting. 
<< 08/2007 < 07/2008 Calendar 09/2008 > 08/2009 >>Sign InView Other Logs
Sat 
08/09/2008 07:37:53
 jim  Where are my blackberries?
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).
Fri 
08/08/2008 06:58:24
 jim  Seattle is still cold.
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.
Wed 
08/06/2008 17:11:36
 jim  LaGrande,OR
Wed 
08/06/2008 16:13:54
 jim  BakerCity,OR
Wed 
08/06/2008 15:20:08
 jim  Nelson,OR-Highway,Lake
Wed 
08/06/2008 11:00:22
 jim  We are taking off for Seattle
It is a condition of their unemployment insurance, that the person has to call from a Washington phone.
Tue 
08/05/2008 19:49:44
 jim  Jackpot,NV
Tue 
08/05/2008 19:44:32
 jim  Vegas,NV-Hwy93-Llamas
Tue 
08/05/2008 19:41:44
 jim  Jackpot Nevada
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.
Tue 
08/05/2008 18:41:06
 jim  Vegas,NV-Hwy93-Sunset
Tue 
08/05/2008 18:28:17
 jim  Highway 93 to Jackpot, NV
Tue 
08/05/2008 17:00:22
 jim  Ely,NV-Jim,Becky,Mustang
Tue 
08/05/2008 16:30:26
 jim  Ely,NV
Tue 
08/05/2008 15:50:04
 jim  Ely,NV-Hwy93-desert,clouds
Tue 
08/05/2008 14:41:31
 jim  Vegas,NV-Hwy93-To Jackpot
Tue 
08/05/2008 13:49:32
 jim  Vegas,NV-Hwy93 Horses
Fri 
08/01/2008 23:20:42
 jim  Vegas,NV-BldHwy BoulderStation
Fri 
08/01/2008 23:12:18
 jim  Vegas,NV-Cannery-Changing Colors
Fri 
08/01/2008 12:57:13
 jim  Unemployment Insurance
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.
Thu 
07/31/2008 11:08:58
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel-HummingBird-BeckyMud
Tue 
07/29/2008 15:22:56
 jim  Vegas,NV-Strip Stratosphere Fremont
Tue 
07/29/2008 14:53:36
 jim  Vegas,NV-Stratosphere-Sonny,Jim,Becky
Tue 
07/29/2008 01:03:06
 jim  Vegas,NV-Strip Stratosphere
Thu 
07/24/2008 09:01:58
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel,Mustang,NeighborsHouse
Wed 
07/23/2008 13:34:28
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel Sonny FloorShot
Mon 
07/21/2008 10:13:31
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel Jim
Sat 
07/19/2008 15:14:14
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel Becky curlers
Thu 
07/17/2008 21:48:14
 jim  Vegas,NV-Fremont Becky,Jim
Thu 
07/17/2008 21:21:31
 jim  Vegas,NV-Fremont Chippendales
Thu 
07/17/2008 21:07:05
 jim  Fremont Experience
Thu 
07/17/2008 21:06:16
 jim  Vegas,NV-Fremont Canopy
Thu 
07/17/2008 19:31:58
 jim  Ford does it again !
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.
Thu 
07/17/2008 19:31:58
 jim   (Reply)..Ford does it again !
Honda's are mighty fine vehicles.
I wonder if all Ford Dealers hustle their customers. I was hoping/thinking it was a Vegas thing.

Not much has happened on the job search. I'm not giving an all out effort on it yet though.
Thu 
07/17/2008 12:41:02
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel Sonny WakingUp
Wed 
07/16/2008 13:26:08
 jim  Gabriel,NV-Mustang,Becky
Mon 
07/14/2008 16:23:24
 jim  Stormy Vegas Days
Robert and Emily's Wall Pictures
Mon 
07/14/2008 16:06:37
 jim  Vegas,NV-Becky,Jen,Robert
Mon 
07/14/2008 05:17:49
 jim  ..So what does one do in Vegas ?
Nothing much has happened on the job front. Someone called me about a job in Minnesota.
I couldn't understand him, so I asked the guy to send me an email.
I got emails from Nandita, NanSuresh Babu Malli, and Dharani Rham all about the same opening. I also got emails from two different people from svsservices about Florida. Hopefully, the only openings I've submitted for is RJ, LordT, and Chev.
Finding a contract can be gloomy work if you try to make it happen. 
Mon 
07/14/2008 05:17:49
 jim   (Reply)So what does one do in Vegas ?
If they don't drink, gamble or have money for the shows ? This I've wondered often while living in Las Vegas.
I think I've seen most of what this desert has to offer.
I've camped  out everywhere, seen the hotspots, and even have my own secret 4x4 places.
It would take months to visit all of the casinos in Vegas.
In those months, more casino's would have been built, while the ones you visited would have been remodeled. 
Since we've been travelling, within a few blocks
- the Cannery (a high rise casino) was built
- The Nevada Palace was leveled.
- A Super Walmart has opened
- The neighbors that wanted to move got stuck, the ones that didn't got foreclosed on
- The roads that were under construction, with the cones and equipment, haven't been touched.
There's always something going on in Vegas.
Sat 
07/12/2008 17:58:43
 jim  Vegas,NV-Cantina-Robert,Em,Becky
Tue 
07/08/2008 11:43:22
 jim  Vegas,NV-Gabriel WaterSoftener

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