Alright this is by far the coolest thing I've seen in a long time. [link]

(Apologies if this has already been posted.)

Ok, Mr. Jane and I have got to come back for a visit now. Also, we need to start coming up with "How many bartenders does it take?" jokes.

House of Bartenders sounds like a reality show. One which I, for damn certain, would watch (as long as juliana, M, and Mr. Daisy Jane were in it [and the rest of juliana's adjacent bartenders, but I don't know them]).

Having moved in with The Boy right before the economy took its massive nosedive (versus the don't-look-here-look-over-there! decline it had been on for a while), I feel guilty that I've managed to pay down a HUGE amount of debt while so many other people's financial situations have gotten worse. Even my employment problem (and its temporarily lower salary) from the summer didn't really slow down my debt reduction.

As with most things, timing was everything. Since I was cutting my expenses in (less than*) half, the economy tanking didn't ding me too much.

*(Less than half because a few things that were expenses at the apartment are not expenses now -- I had cable then, but we don't now; I paid $30/month for a gym then, but I pay $30/YEAR now, etc.)

Steph, you should absolutely NOT feel any sort of guilt for making that move and benefiting from it!

What's going on in Bush's mind here?

I dunno - it could be anything. Hard to tell from a single picture. But the picture does look like he just watched his dog die....

This long NYT retrospective on the seminal news-photos of some guy named George Bush during his presidency ends with photos of the man on his way to his farewell address, during which it appears that he's been crying in the bathroom. I've looked at it several times now and I'm not sure I agree that's what's going on -- this facial expression seems to contain a lot more than mere sorrow.

From the NYT:

And I turned to one of my editors — First I said, “Oh, my God.” And he said, “What?” And I said, “You’ve got to see this picture of Bush. This is really stunning.” And I flipped it over to him to process and his first reaction was, “Wow.” And I said, “If he wasn’t just back there behind that door crying, I don’t know what that look on his face is.” Because he just looks absolutely devastated as he comes through this door after essentially ending his eight year presidency. And it’s just really striking. He just looks absolutely devastated.

Steph, you should absolutely NOT feel any sort of guilt for making that move and benefiting from it!

Well, it's just when I read news like yesterday's layoffs, I can't help thinking how freaking lucky I am -- which I know -- and having comparative good fortune when others are in horribly dire straits provokes guilt in me.

I was bred for guilt -- my mom could bottle and sell it to all the moms who aren't as good at it as she is.

Steph, that just means you should be spending money now, to help the economy.

Okay, this job application wants me to upload a copy of my diploma. How much is that not going to happen? I've never seen my diploma. Why do they care?

One of the tennis announcers just said that it was his 20th anniversary and that his wife was too good for him. I completely cannot imagine that. I'm getting too old to have so little idea.

I assume SF incomes are proportional(ish) with rents? Because I read $1295 and actually thought, "For *only* one month?!?"

Mine's not. Between academia and publishing I sure know how to pick 'em. Once I move, about 1/2 my take home will go to rent + utilities and 1/4 goes to school loans.

I console myself with the fact that, were I to buy my current house with 20% down, the interest alone on the mortgage for the first year would be double my rent. So renting, even at these prices, is still way cheaper.

ETA: And, in happier housing news, congrats Suzi!!

What java said, Steph. As someone who is in the less fortunate position. Seeing people who are managing or even doing well provides a little bit of hope. So not only should you not feel guilty, you should also know that you are a little glimmer of light letting us know we will get through it.