So, good places to buy business-y clothes online? I tried Ann Taylor, Banana Republic and the other usual suspects. Any suggestions? Looking for a blouse to wear with black pants which looks professional but is not just a plain old button-down.

I am a huge fan of Jones New York.

It's because we can (and have, like suckers, apparently) pay the mortgage. They won't let us out while they can still suck the life out of us.

Ugh, I'm looking at sites like strategicdefault.com and youwalkaway.com and getting stressed out.

So much for the advantages of PMI. Can you talk to a lawyer and see if the denial is legal? I guess today is my day for suggesting talking to a lawyer, but sometimes big companies pull shit they aren't legally entitled to, because most people take their word as to what the law says the contract means.

God DAMN, my hip and back hurt like I got mauled by a pack of kickboxing, super-muscular bears last night. I woke up at 6 in crazy pain, and whined and thrashed (not on purpose; if I had been fully awake with a clear head, I would have gotten out of bed for ibuprofen and flexiril and a squirrelled away percocet, and then plugged in the heating pad) until Tim woke up and rubbed my hip until I could get out of bed to get all the aforementioned drugs.

Got back in bed on the heating pad until the alarm went off. Still pain. Got in shower (very slowly and very awkwardly; fuck pedestal tubs and their high sides) and realized how bad it all hurt while standing. Holy BALLS, it hurts.

No shower; back in bed with an extra flexiril on top of the rest of the medicine cabinet I already took, and the heating pad cranked up to Supernova. Waiting for work to e-mail me an article to edit while I am loopy and in pain.

I really wish this pain were the result of something fun (or un-fun yet dramatic as hell) so I could at least be like, "Yeah, I'm the one they mean when they talk about the kickboxing bears and the puny human."

So much for the advantages of PMI.

I know, right? I was laughing (humorlessly) about my previous declarations when I posted about this yesterday.

We probably should get some sort of legal advice, that's for sure.

Teppy, I am so sorry about the hip pain, that sounds awful. Ugh.

Sorry to hear about the hip pain, Steph. If it helps at all, I'm pretty sure that from now on, whenever I think of kickboxing bears, I'll think of you too.

sometimes big companies pull shit they aren't legally entitled to, because most people take their word as to what the law says the contract means.

This. X2.

I know I have posted about my honorary nephews a lot. Can I get some ~ma for their grandfather M? He had a heart attack yesterday.

Teppy, I'm sorry to hear you're in this morning. I hope the pain gets better soon.

Nora, I'm sorry you're having trouble with the sale. Talking to a lawyer sounds like a good idea.

I ended up cancelling plans today with my friend H because I feel lousy. My arm pain is back and my stomach is feeling lousy.

Lots of ~ma for M, sj.

Steph, does stretching your hamstrings help? I figured out recently that tight hamstrings are behind a lot of my pain. I lie on my back and use a yoga strap around my foot. Moving the foot across my body really brings the pain.

Nora, have you thought about contacting Clark Howard? He advises people on all kinds of similar situations, though he is not a lawyer. Might be a good next step. If you don't want to try and get through on the radio, they have an off-radio helpline as well.