Erin, on my old porch I used wine bottles as suncatchers, and collected all the shapes and colors of glass I could. Oh the hardship of sampling those diverse wines.

I couldn't afford schmancy centerpieces at my parents' 50th anniversary bash. I ran around the house scooping up vases, perfume bottles, china dogs, whatever had a touch of gold on it. We had some tin candy boxes, and pretty paper and fabric covered boxes, and I put a box on each table and stuck in a few photographs of Mom and Dad and their friends over the years. The photos were a huge hit. You could do heart-shaped boxes of all kinds, or wrap boxes in wide purple and green ribbon, and put a box of pictures on the tables for guests to look at.

It's going to be so pretty--and so will you!

Hivemind question.

OK, so I'm trying to get a bead on an answer to "how much would it take to make you take the job" in anticipation that tomorrow goes swimmingly. I've looked at a dozen websites for cost of living comparissons. The range is HUGE! Saying that CA is more expensive by a factor of 15%-80%! um. HUGE differences. What the heck do I go with?

Also, is there a good guideline for ballpark of what take home pay is? I've got 30% for non-retirement deductions. Is that about par for state, fed, FICA, health insurance, medicare, SS, etc?

Also, the underwear names are awesome. I like Priape and Candyman, but by fave by far is MANZONE. I hear it in this booming movie announcer voice, in asscaps: MANZONE. (Much like my favorite all-time men's cologne name: GRAVEL.)

My personal favorite so far (of the 638 underwear choices) is Male Power® D-Ring Rip Off Thong

The D-Ring Rip-Off Thong is a risqué look. Made with soft faux leather for the ultimate comfort, this thong has D-ring styling on the front for a bondage-inspired look. The front panel is removable for easy access.

Kinda freaking out.

I hate stress.

I've got 30% for non-retirement deductions. Is that about par for state, fed, FICA, health insurance, medicare, SS, etc?

Depends on which tax bracket you're in, but it's somewhere around there.

Jilli, vacuvin is your friend. Cork wine stoppers are okay for up to about a day, but they won't make a good seal unless they are very hard to get into the bottle. I have left opened bpttles and resealed them with a vacuvin and left them in the fridge for months with no ill effects.

Wish I could help, omnis, but that is the sort of thing I turn to Google for. 30% has always worked out to be a pretty good estimate for me, at least.

Anyway, what should I know about keeping an open bottle of wine good for a couple of days? I need bottle-stoppers, yes?

Bottle stoppers will help, and I read recently that all open wine should be kept in the fridge if you want it to stay good longer, even ones that you serve at room temperature.

ETA: We have also found that the bottles that come with the new rubber corks are easier to get back in a bottle for a tight seal.

Damn it. I called my mom hoping for some sympathy and reassurance about my back, but instead got called out on overreacting (for me) and focusing on a whole bunch of scary 'might have beens' for a lot longer than I would normally. In short, she knows me and my sublimating ways all too well.

To make a long story short, I've been a weepy mess for the past hour, and realizing that I need to (and don't want to) take a good hard look at why I have been unhappy at work for a while now and why I've been in denial about that.

Edit: And my back still hurts.

Sorry, I don't really know what the answer is, omnis.

I do not like the job-search process. I do not understand it, either. And I'm stressed out, and I have two big things to do this year -- job and dissertation -- and both of them are kind of stalled right now, and I just want this to be over. And I want to go get some greasy comfort food, but the restaurant that I'm craving is a pain to get to from here.

{{Anne}} Good luck with the looking hard. I never like that, but it feels good when it's over and you know what's what.