Rants and raves

• Transportation: Our ghetto Jetta wasn't road-worthy enough to drive to North Carolina. Now, we bought a similar (only better) ghetto car. It's a Honda Civic and is getting 36 MPG! Plus, the air, heat and radio all work!
• Medical madness: Now that we finally have a mailing address where we actually receive our mail, all the medical bills are coming in. Somehow, the chiropractor Robin saw last summer in Kodiak charged more than $500 for two, 20-minute visits. Because Robin has insurance, the chiro billed him $200, twice what the cash price would have been. That's after the insurance already paid over $300. That puts the chiro's hourly rate at about $750 an hour!
  
• Working out: Dare County has a community center with a small workout facility. Originally, it was supposed to be for senior citizens only. But, they had to open it up to the entire population to legally receive the funding they lined up for it. The best part is it is free to use (especially helpful for one unemployed person in particular)! Based on the music they play, however, I am certain they are trying to drive out anyone under the age of 70.
• Wired and wireless: We now have home internet service! Whoohooo! What a luxury.
• Unemployment: My seasonal, temporary park service job ended in July. Since then, I have been unable to receive unemployment due to some weird government regulation. Effective this week, I can finally receive unemployment after 6 months of trying. (Hopefully, it will be short-lived and I will get a job soon!)
• Weather: Wow, what a treat to not be hot and sweaty all the time. After an almost 3-week streak of 20-degree colder than normal temps, we are now in the 50s most days.