This gif is amazing. I am filled with glee.

Really? Aren't the richer states (NY, California, etc) blue, and the poorer states red?

Yup. We had a plumber come out to fix something yesterday— he makes his own schedule so he can take care of his kids while his wife is at work and he charged us A LOT for something that looked relatively simple (for him) and took maybe 30 minutes to do. I don't begrudge him it. We strongly prefer to have hot water and…

This is the big question that no one seems to have the answer to. Some people think it is the professors, but as you say, their salaries don't explain it. I made less than $50k when I was a professor, and while I was pretty low on the totem pole and most of my colleagues made more, I don't think they made huge…

Whatever names you like. Maybe what you each called your mothers if you called them different things? (My husband's grandmother was Grammy, and my grandmothers were Grandma, so my MIL is Grammy to my son, while my mom is Grandma, if that makes any sense.)

So, I don't disagree with the basic points behind what you say. And ideologically I totally understand why women would want a home birth and am very sympathetic to the idea that childbirth is a natural thing, not a medical condition. But I have to comment on the fact that you cite the epidural rate along with the…

Well, considering the wealth of the U.S., I think it is safe to assume that if we had a single-payer system, it could easily be more like that of Canada or the U.K. than that of a poorer Central European country. So it seems like a fair comparison to me.

I like D.C. a lot and I think it is a fantastic place to be a tourist, but it is seriously not an easy trip from Indy. I used to live near there and drive back and forth to New York a few times a year. NY is a slightly longer trip than D.C., but D.C. would be closer to 10 hours than 8. She could definitely make the…

What kinds of things would you be interested in doing or seeing in New York? And is saving money a big priority, or can you afford to splurge a little?

I love the idea of you and your mom staying up late doing this. Sounds like fun to me!

Yes, that has seemed very strange to me too. It is fabulous that people are getting the rights they deserve, but what about this total bullshit that everyone seems to be ignoring?! It feels like a lot of people just jump on the bandwagon of whatever the trendy cause is, which is so depressing.

I am going to go against the grain and say yes to coming to New York if it makes sense with your flights. You mention a 20-hour layover and 8 hours to see the city— does that mean you'd get a hotel room for part of those 20 hours? If so, I would get one close to the airport where you could leave your stuff and take a…

I got divorced at 27 after almost 10 years together. So I have totally been where you are! Give yourself time. In terms of dating, just think of it as meeting people. You can do that. I was so scared about it— I had never really dated! I had a boyfriend in high school for a year and then met my (now ex) husband…

Ha! "two peas in a dumb-idea pod" That is the best description ever. Sometimes I feel that way about my toddler + dog.

One of the best encounters I had while pregnant was when I went to an Italian restaurant (in NYC) while clearly showing and the waiter (I would guess Italian from the accent) asked me if I wanted a glass of wine. I didn't but I gleefully thanked him for asking like I was a normal person capable of making my own…

I wonder if the ethnic/cultural background of the couple factors in here, in addition to geographic location. I'm a born and raised New Yorker, and cash and gifts are both equally acceptable among the people I know.

Sure they are. I didn't watch much of Boy Meets World, but didn't the show end when they were in college? If that was 13 years ago, and a kid starting middle school is 11 or 12, they would have been young parents but it is possible.

Strangely, I have lived here almost my entire life and this doesn't really happen to me. Yes, I get the occasional comment, but nothing to the degree you are talking about. I am sorry this is happening to you! The only thing I can think of is that I have one of those faces that naturally looks pissed off when at rest,…

I read your post last night but I wasn't able to comment because I was dealing with a sick toddler. Anyway, I am so, so sorry to hear you are dealing with this. My ex-husband was just like this and it put my stomach in knots just to read about it. I don't really have any advice— our marriage had problems in addition…

One thing to consider is that even if you work in this field for a little while, that doesn't mean that you have to do it for the rest of your life. Given that the economy is so bad right now, it might be a lot easier to get a job in this field than in another, since you have great connections and a pedigree. You…