I gave in and turned the heat on this morning. So far it isn't helping.

It's a great motivator to get your shit together, to know that you don't have to ask your parents for money.

Very true.

I am completely fiscally irresponsible. My sister now pays my bills for me. I’m sure she has heart failure as she enters all the charges. She is remarkably restrained in not yelling at me.

For this reason I will one day have an accountant.

Huzzah Raq!

ION, I continue to be bitchly and sullen, except that at least Matilda is sleeping and eating peacefully today and my guts are staying nicely in place (turned out not to be an infection, just my incision getting irritated by the glue). I'm just tired of dealing with the personnel/benefits people at work and finding out, over and over, that I'm just screwed WRT maternity leave.

Even though I have well over 600 hours of accumulated vacation and sick leave, I can only use limited amounts of either, and neither one will alter the end date of my disability eligibility (plus, not eligible for a CA State program that's supposed to allow for an additional 6 weeks of disability -- except that I'm a state university employee and my uni has severe and severely fucked budget restrictions).

No matter how the personnel lady and I try to finagle it (and she really is trying, really hard), there's no way I can stay home past Jan. 24, which puts Matilda at just 4 months old, i.e., the most wildly expensive age imaginable for day care. If I don't go back to work, she and I are uninsured plus we flat-out can't survive without my paycheck. If I do go back to work, barring some miraculous day care situation flopping into our laps from heaven, a bare minimum of 25% of my take-home will go to day care, and probably rather more.

So fucking tired of stressing incessantly about money, and especially about stressing about money and time when I have another 3 months of paid leave theoretically in reserve, I'm just not allowed to use it. Bah!

For this reason I will one day have an accountant.

and their job is to make sure the bills get paid and STFU.

Sonusexmachina is here building computers for ND.

Kristin, you do realize that, uncapitalized, your friend looks like "Sonu Sex Machina."

and their job is to make sure the bills get paid and STFU.

Exactly!

So sorry for your stress, JZ. I hope it works out.

{{{JZ}}} It really sucks to have to worry about all this crap when you should be allowed simply to enjoy your new daughter.

All hail the power of Airborne and Cold-eeze! I started getting sick on Sunday. I did Airborne every three hours all day long. Monday I felt the same (no worse, no better). I did Cold-eeze every three hours all day long. Today? I feel like I do at the end of a cold (sniffly but no aches and pains)! I believe that I have bypassed the actual cold, people! IN YO FACE, GERMIES!

{{{JZ}}} I am so sorry you are having to deal with this bullshit. Best of luck for the best possible scenario.

{{{{{JZ}}}}}

I was wondering if your lovely family or a portion of thereof would like to have brunch at Zazie this weekend? Hmmmm?

ION, I spent 3 out of 4 hours last night on hold with Dell in between talking to 7 different groups and being disconnected twice. The plus side is that they will refund the money I spent for the privilege of speaking to them and are sending new OS discs free of charge. I guess prefacing an opening with "Yes, hello, I am not angry at you specifically but I am incredibly angry with the service I've received up until now" gets their attention.

{{JZ}} I'm sorry this is such a hassle. Child care is crazy expensive. I'm glad to hear the HR lady is trying to find some solutions for you. Vibing for more paid time off and a perfect child care solution.

I took the boys to work with me until they were 2 and too active. At that time I did a lot of service work and training. I'd show up at the office that needed my services and announce that I was nursing and ask if they minded. Not a single time did anyone object. I worked in banks, law offices, medical offices. They all took it in stride. Amazing how cooperative people are when their software don't work.