I would definitely do 8am calls from home, if I had the option. And I often feel bad for West Coast people -- I had to ask a funder to do a 5am call once, and was mortified. But it was with a government minister, and that was the time she offered.

Why I start work at 7, my biggest account is in the Central time zone and sometimes we gotta talk first thing (mostly because it's the only time they have with no other meetings scheduled)

I am so familiar with these time zone problems.

Yup. The French (really, the entire nation of France) shifted a meeting half an hour earlier this week, except without telling me. So I showed up right as the good part was ending.

Well, I also have very high four figure debt, but for once the ratio is in black rather than red.

During the 6 month run up to the changeover of our ERP system, my boss had 5 am meetings at least once or twice a week. I think I would have found another job.

In other time zone news, I have a standing meeting scheduled by the people Elsewhere, so it changed times all on its own the other week! Because we changed time zones due to Daylight Saving.

I grown-upped a little today. Started the process to move money from financial guy to pay off 1 credit card I had let build up again. Set up small twice monthly auto payments on credit cards to keep paying them down. Switched auto pay on wireless to more secure source so I do not overdraft bank account. Reduced auto pull into 401k given 2.5% raise, so amount stays the same going to 401k, but I see a little more cash each month.

Matt, that's amazing. I've never had a five-figure savings account!

I did until I bought a car. (Actually, it might still be 5 figures; after we bought the car, we were going to shuffle some funds around -- seriously, our household finances are half banks and half the equivalent of burying money in the backyard [please no one come dig up our backyard unless you're willing to re-grade it so it doesn't slope] -- and we just haven't shuffled them around yet.)

But, to be fair, I'm a really paranoid freelancer, so I keep a large savings cushion. Tim has been prodding me to let go of the death grip on some of the savings and put it into the retirement fund (which is not actually buried in the backyard), and I really should do that. Except: PARANOID.

With the low return on savings these days, you might as well bury it in the backyard.

Yeah. I have a cowrite with a guy in Sweden who's putting his kids to bed while I'm eating lunch, and another one with a guy in South Korea, which is my Friday night and his Saturday morning. That one is so great because he's like my own personal cautionary tale. If he comes in all hungover, and I finish up with him and then go out with my band, I'm all, oh, yeah, this drink is good enough, thanks.