But sometimes, it's a case of you both working outside the home, 40+ hours a week each, for a net gain that isn't financially worth it to you.

I think when it happens, this is the most common case - or at least has been with people I know. I think it's fairly common for the mom returning to work to have a lower paying job than her spouse. I've had friends who just quit work because they were stuck in a low(er) paying job that wasn't personally gratifying and there was lots of pressure and hassling if they missed work because of sick kids or something.

OTOH, I have a good friend whose husband is in construction. His work is pretty seasonal and she's feeling a lot of pressure to get back to work 6 weeks after her baby is due to keep them afloat financially.

Can you go to jail for merely being stupid?

In a perfect world, God yes.

And I'd be the one to get to decide.

Yeah. My mother returned to work, because my father lost his second job which had provided our benefits, as his primary job was carpentry, and he was self-employed. For some people, it's not a choice. For others, it's not a choice that works (because of career type, interests, etc.), but for some people, us included, it ended up being simpler. In our case, because it was simpler, and it was also what we wanted, it wasn't a tough decision to make, but it was a really tough decision to adapt to. In my s-i-l's case, she does better financially, working part time when her husband is home (so, no daycare costs), than she did working full time, with two kids in daycare.

Okay. Okay. He bought a product called "The Whizzinator" off the 'net?

I think all the spam we get is his fault. He's the guy buying the stuff advertised in spam. He should go to jail 4EVAH.

What's going to be faster in about half an hour- the 101 heading west, or the 10 west plus a brief stint on the 405?

oooh. tough call. I'm scared of the 405.

This is odd.

I got an e-mail from a professional genealogist who was hired by the Lower Manhattan Tenement Museum to find and contact the descendants of Solomon Wronker, my great-great-grandfather. It seems he once (about 1900?) owned the tenement building that now houses the museum.

Yay?

Have any of you NY Buffistas ever heard of it, or been there?

I'm scared of the 405.

Me too, Kat. I think I'm going to just resign myself to sitting on the 101 for a long time.

I saw the tenement museum on some tv documentary on (I think) the History Channel. It looks like it'd be an interesting place to see on my next trip to NYC.

Or part Siamese. They are very chatty and gossipy and never shut up.

Oh, so you've met my cat, Amarna? There are a few Buffistas who've met her and are familiar with her ability to not stay quiet. She even grumbles when she's getting a drink of water. She loves to wake me up by standing on top of my chest, looking down into my face, and with a very bossy expression on her face, "MRROW!" just as loud as she can.

Have any of you NY Buffistas ever heard of it, or been there?

I've been there. We went there on field trips from Hebrew school a few times, and once or twice with my family. I think the last time I was there was probably close to ten years ago, though.