Nora, don't be surprised if they can't flex too much on PTO. At the law firms I worked at you could make a deal on vacation if you were coming in at a very high level, but any of the staff positions, including managers had their PTO tied directly into a payroll matrix. It's tricky on the back end to set somebody up in the system that's an exception to the rules.

You might get a one-time bump for an extra week, but I'd actually look to find a little more money on the move.

Then again, it kind of depends on how they're tracking PTO and how it's set up in the system.

But from my experience if it's going through payroll and tied to pay grade it's not just the cost of the vacation that they balk at but having to deal with an exception in the system going forward that's problematic. If you start making a lot of exceptions then it becomes a huge headache to administer.

Whereas, a one-time exception or more cash for moving is more negotiable.

Ack, Kat! I'm sure Noah feels totally justified.

I should be mobile this Saturday morning. I have an appointment to get my hair cut. Are you available later?

my health has compromised my endurance.

I hope it gets better, Suzi.

Please don't apologize, Suzi. Sometimes we're just not having a great day, and we need to tell someone or someones. We are forever your someones.

Kat: ugh. How frustrating, but maybe Suzi is right and this is right before the "click" of getting it!

oh god, my interview with patch.com is up, I'm absolutely mortified. I must share my shame so that all may point and laugh and then I can get over it.

[link]

It was frustrating only because I didn't listen to him and I should have. But, man, he is so on the M&M train it's a little frightening. What I do love is that even though I give him the bowl of M&Ms, he knows and only takes one. Also, this morning, he had something he really wanted that I said had to wait until we got to daycare and he held it in his little mitt (granola bar) without opening it or asking for it to be opened until we got there.

He has a better grasp on delayed gratification than I do.

Okay next bit of advice needed. My 20th high school reunion is June 19th. I teach only 12th graders and graduation is June 17th. I am supposed to be in school until June 21. Do I take days off that are useless and pay $500 to fly to Ohio for reunion? Do I take a redeye friday night and back sunday? Or do I just not go, even though I kinda want to?

ita, Saturday should be workable for us.

But, man, he is so on the M&M train it's a little frightening.

Heh. Emmett was all about being bribed and is still way more motivated by carrots than sticks. It's actually not bad if that's how his brain clicks; you've got a system you can finesse.

It was frustrating only because I didn't listen to him and I should have.

That's the horrible stage where you have to take them *every time* because you just never know. My best advice is to keep outings to a minimum until he's really got it. But I'll admit, the allure of a new! bathroom! lasts a bit. Sara still likes to go in new stores just ... because.

::hugs Suzi::

Hah, Amy. For a long period of time CJ would check out the men's room multiple times wherever we were. We finally figured that you could predict the number of visits by the number of stalls. I had forgotten about that.

He just popped out of his room for a bathroom run and told me to go to bed. Pretty sad when your kid tries to send you to your room.

Kat, I didn't get to go to my 20th H.S. reunion because I was out of the country for work. I really, really, regret it. I hope you'll go if you want to. There is only one 20th.

Kat, Liv went through this awful phase where she would yell "PRIVACY" in public restrooms and want to go into the stall herself. She would then lock the door and be unable to open it. Don't ask how many bathroom stalls I had to crawl under to rescue her before we got over this issue.