After talking with my brother last night, the goal is safety and happiness rather than actual improvements in her health.

Good.

Oh, Matt, that sounds awful, but probably the right choice. I forget how grateful I should be that my dad's Parkinson's has progressed relatively slowly. I have some anxiety about seeing him this summer because my mom says he's "slowed down" which is usually a pretty severe euphemism. But they've upped his meds (he was on a very small dose, super resistant to taking any because of the issues you mention) so we'll see.

Ouch, Theodosia. Anything promising on your job-search front?

Hey, nail polish-istas, I have a question. I never paint my fingernails, because I am lazy and because it always chips within 12 hours. (My toenails never chip. Granted, I don't type or wash dishes with my toes, so that's a factor.)

Anyway, what can I do to make my polish last longer on my fingernails before it chips? I painted my nails yesterday afternoon, and by 9 this morning, 3 nails were chipped.

I used 2 coats of color (OPI) and 1 coat of fast-dry topcoat (Seche Vite). Should I use more than 1 coat of the topcoat?

I did not know that January Jones was dating Miley Cyrus' now ex-fiancé - Liam Helmsworth. Can't January find single men to date? Apparently not.

Ugh, Theo, I'm sorry. I know that's hard.

So jealous of Dana's tub.

Steph, I share your frustration on the chipping nail polish. Usually I get 1 good day, and 1-2 more days with just minor chipping, but that's it.

Do you wear gloves when you do the dishes?

I don't know if a base coat helps with chipping, but: try a base coat?

Also, I think my polish chips less when my nails are longer, because doing stuff with my fingers + short nails = doing stuff with the tips of my nails, but not so when my nails don't end near the balls of my fingers. If that makes any sense.

Nurse Woo gave me a set of nail polish last week and it was creepy when she said "Maybe you'll be wearing it when I see you next." Yikes. But right now my nails are like paper again--I'm not clipping or filing them, I'm tearing them to shorten them. That manicure will last about two hours. But the set has OPI Brand New Skates and Little Red Wagon, never mind Don't Toy With Me. I'll wear them for a day.

I use Seche Clear for my base coat, two coats of polish, and Seche Vite as the top coat. I also make sure my nails are clean of any polish remover I have have used. My current manicure, which I did last Friday, only has one chip. I'm kinda shocked, but I'll take it. Oh, before I start with the base coat, I typically buff my nails with a light buffing pad I got from Sally Beauty.

Jesse -- I'm trying not to get over-excited about a technical phone-screen interview tomorrow.

Much of the financial woe is My Own Fault -- I did think I had only three outstanding tickets not six!?! -- but it all seems to be hitting at once.

I do have money coming to me from Mom's estate that will get here sooner or later, so I suppose that can replace some of the savings I'm going to have to liberate. But the reason I did save for a rainy day was to have something when it rained, so OK.