Hi everyone! I’m an incoming freshman planning to double major in Econ (primary major)+cs and minor in business.
I have AP credits for Comp Science Principles, Microecon, Macroecon, Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Eng Lang, Environmental Science.
Based on that, these are the courses I plan on taking for the fall semester:
Econ 1500-(3 credits)-Ghandi,Nchare?
First Year Writing Seminar - (3 credits)
CS 1101 - (3 credits)
Math 2500 - (4 credits)
Bus 1400 - (1.5 credits)
Total credits - 14.5 credits
I haven’t taken a statistics class in high school. Would Econ 1500 be challenging? Is Ghandi better than Nchare or vice-versa? Is this a good schedule to start college with? Any advice will be appreciated!

Just for context, I am a Black woman in an interracial relationship with my White husband and children (SD13 and SD11). I officially entered their lives after a year of dating their father, when they were 6 and 4yrs old. I moved from a very diverse inner city where I grew up to be with my husband and ensure he would still maintain a solid custody schedule with his kids and be in their lives. It was (and still kind of is) a tough transition for me, as I am not really a fan of the suburbs and I very much appreciate being around all types of races, religions, sexual identities, etc. which is most certainly not the case where we live now.
When I first came into the picture, my SD’s lived with their mother a majority of the time in the most conservative and remote part of our state. Over the years, however, she picked up and dropped two more baby daddy’s and moved about 5/6 times in the span of a couple years. My husband took her to court and won primary custody because she was moving them from school district to school district, making it impossible for them to have any stable friendships and create solid roots.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of diversity in our area, it has fallen on me to teach these kids about the beauty of diversity and some of the downfalls of humanity in terms of racism etc. So it really was to my surprise after getting an alert from a parental control app to see that my SD13 converses with some really disgustingly foul mouthed little kids who think it’s totally okay to call other kids niggers via text. She was just on punishment last week after we found out that she and her friend stole a kids sweater off the bus, only to spit on it, rub it in the dirt and throw it in the trash. Also, DH just recently had to ban her from texting another girl who put into writing that she would falsely accuse another boy from school of rape.
I am just really saddened that these are the kids that my SD chooses to associate herself with. In the beginning of middle school she had a completely different group of friends who all proved to be very well behaved. I have no idea what happened but she’s no longer friends with any of them. I know a lot of it is her desperation to fit in because of the instability that her mom created in her life. Both my husband and I have spoken to her openly, in a non confrontational way about all of this. I was hoping we could reach her- she is not this trash behavior. My husband seems less bothered by it all than I am and just thinks it’s a phase she’ll pass through. I just don’t know what to do or how to feel anymore. I feel like nothing is setting in for her and I feel defeated- like she’s just getting in with the wrong crowd and will go down the wrong path. I’m at the point where it’s making me want to just drop the concept of taking responsibility for who she becomes. Although I do see her in some ways as my own, she is a product of her parents and there would have been definite differences in the way I would have raised them in comparison to DH and HCBM. At the same time, it feels almost a betrayal of self for me to live in a home with a bully who will tolerate racist remarks.

Hello everyone,
This post is directed towards individuals who are suffering from Hidradenitis Suppurativa, aka HS. We have clinical study that is in the recruitment and enrollment process for a new treatment called Povorcitinib. In comparison to Humira, this medication is a JAK-STAT inhibitor whereas Humira is a monoclonal antibody. In terms of administration, this drug is a daily oral tablet as opposed to a biweekly injection. This is extremely beneficial because many individuals favor an oral tablet in comparison to needles/injections. In terms of location, this study is taking place in Southern California. If you're in the Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, or Inland Empire areas and you're interested in this study, please comment below or DM us!
With regards to the specifics of the trial, study visits will take place in three-week intervals with numerous different tests and assessments being conducted throughout its duration. The trial is also placebo-controlled, which essentially refers to the fact that you could potentially not receive the medication for the first 12 weeks. Once the 12 week period ends however, every patient will be on the actual medication for the remainder of the trial.
Because the study visit schedule is somewhat busy, we are primarily looking for candidates in the Southern California area. Nonetheless, if you have the capabilities of meeting the study schedule requirements and are located in Northern California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah or Colorado, we would love to have you come in for a screening visit to see if you qualify. Our study site is located near multiple bus depots, train stations, and airports and may be able to assist with travel expenses.
For those individuals across the country however, do not be discouraged. This study is just getting ramped up and is the process of recruitment throughout the country. It will be conducted throughout the United States and various European countries. Nevertheless, they are still in the early stages of activating other locations. If desired, we can PM information so you may track the study's other locations or progress.
If one is interested, please send us a direct message and I can give our direct clinical trials phone number to set up a pre-screening phone call. On this call we can talk details of the trial, logistics, inclusion/exclusion criteria, etc. Hope you guys all have a great rest of your day.

I know their schedule says 8:00 AM is the last one, but I swore I had taken a 'reverse commute' schedule before that was very full.
It appears as though one arrives at Sawdust at 2:15 and then the next drop off would be 4:00 downtown (where I am needing to go).
That seems about to be the right amount of time to arrive at Sawdust, drop off, wait, and then head back up.
I called and no one answered.
Was curious if anyone had any experience or if I just dreamed the reverse-commute bus route

Perhaps we can compile a list of creative counterarguments to use against people who want to keep the status quo of car dependency? May be useful for people who want to get more into advocacy down the line since you really will have to argue your position at some point. I'll start with a few:

• "Not everyone can walk! You're not taking into account disabled people with mobility issues!" - How is driving at 60mph safer than making things more walkable even for people with physical disabilities? During my travels in Europe, I saw far more people in wheelchairs out and about in the towns because it was safe for them to do so and the bus drivers/train operators were obligated to get out and help them into the vehicle. A handicap parking space in front of the door means nothing in terms of safety when cars are going between 40+ mph almost right next to you if you dare to go outside.
• "Cars give you ultimate freedom. You can go anywhere at anytime with them unlike a bus where you have to follow a schedule." - Requiring a car paywalls society and locks out anyone who doesn't already have the means to get one. Owning a car is much less free when you realize you have to continuously pay for gas, maintenance, insurance, loans and the fact you can't control traffic or how shitty someone else drives next to you. Also, having more mobility options is better for diversification of choices. You can walk, bike, take transit, or drive depending on what suits your needs. Compare to that to being stranded if your car breaks down and having no other options.
• "Bike lanes are a waste of money, no one uses them!" - Highways are not natural, buddy. Takes money to build, maintain, and repave them all the time and they don't generate money by themselves - they have to live off subsidies. Also, no one wants to live next to a highway because they're noisy and polluted and devalue your home. You can't say the same thing about a bike lane.
• "Public transit will bring crime to this area" - Well, first of all, if you only build public transit for poor people, then only poor people will use them. Make it good enough for everyone and everyone will use it instead. Second of all, you'd have to be the biggest idiot to commit a crime and then get on public transit. There are cameras on board, the stops are mapped out, and there are witnesses. Kind of makes you easy to track, no? There's a reason a getaway car exists, but not a getaway bus.

For context, I am planning on taking both MATH 235 and MATH 237 for future stat and CS courses:
1: CS 246 CS 245 CS 251 STAT 230 Comm Course
And then taking MATH 237 on co-op after 2A, as I don't have room for it in 2B (Taking MATH 235)
2: CS 246 CS 245 MATH 235 STAT 230 Comm Course
And then taking MATH 237 on co-op after 2A, as I don't have room for it in 2B (Taking CS 251)
3: CS 246 CS 245 MATH 237 STAT 230 Comm Course
And then taking MATH 235 on co-op after 2A, as I don't have room for it in 2B (Taking CS 251)
Ideally I would like to get all of the above courses + CS 240 241 MATH 239 and STAT 231 out of the way by 3A. I also have to take the comm course for math faculty purposes. What would be your best advice? Schedule 1, 2, 3 or something else?

Discussion Schedule and Navigation

• 05/26 - Weapon: Shooting of The Star
• 05/29 - SSR: Azusa (Summer)
• 05/30 - SSR: Laguna
• 05/31 - Class: Berserker
• 06/01 - Weapon: Sette di Spade

Check the Wiki for the full list of the Character Discussion Threads.
Please vote for the upcoming featured discussions:

• Character Survey
• Weapon Survey

Newly released/rebalanced characters will be added to the surveys after two weeks of their introduction or implementation.

SSR Character Discussion: Laguna

Journal Entry

A warrior possessing a strong sense of fairness. The spear she wields holds the memories of countless battles. While she was hesitant to utilize this awesome power in the past, a renewed desire to cooperate with her dear partner allows her to face ever-stronger opponents and challenges without apprehension.

Resources

• gbf.wiki Main page
• gbf-wiki (JP)
• Gamewith
• Kamigame

Recruit Condition

• Premium Draw - Obtain Dreadlance

Voice Actors

• Yuka Terasaki

Attributes

• Element: Earth
• Race: Draph
• Style: Special
• Specialty: Spear
• 4★ Stats:
  • HP: 1,240
  • ATK: 9,000

Charge Attack

• Name: Unparalleled

Effect	Duration
450% Earth damage to a foe.	Instant
Activate "Persistent Pierce" skill.	Instant

Active Skills

Skill 1

• Name: Persistent Pierce
• Skill Type: Damaging (Red)

Obtain	Cooldown	Effects	Duration
Lvl 1	8 turns	500% Earth damage to a foe (Cap: ~510,000).	Instant
		Restore caster's HP (Cap: 2,500).	Instant
		Remove 1 debuff from caster.	Instant
		[When Omar's Recollection is 10] Activates twice.
Lvl 55	7 turns

Skill 2

• Name: Omar's Wisdom II
• Skill Type: Buffing (Yellow)

Obtain	Cooldown	Effects	Duration
Lvl 1	7 turns	All Earth allies gain Guaranteed TA and 50% Bonus Earth DMG.	3 turns
		Can only be used when Omar's Recollection stack is 10.
Lvl 75	6 turns

Skill 3

• Name: Climax Cast
• Skill Type: Buffing (Yellow)
• Obtained: Lvl 45
• Cooldown: 6 turns

Effects	Duration
Gain Instant Charge.	Instant
[When Omar's Recollection is 10] Also gain C.A. Reactivation (1 time).	Until used

Support Skills

Skill Name	Effects
Omar's Recollection	Gain 1 Omar's Recollection stack upon taking damage and at the end of the turn (Max: 10).
On Equal Grounds	Boost to hostility. 20% boost to max HP.

• Omar's Recollection:
  • Omar's Recollection applies the following effects per stack:
    • 5% ATK Up (Perpetuity) (Max: 50%)
    • 5% DA Up (Max: 50%)
    • 3% TA Up (Max: 30%)
    • 3% DMG Cap Up (Max: 30%)
  • Omar's Recollection cannot be removed.

Extended Mastery Perks

Attack	Defense	Debuff Resistance	ATK (Overdrive)	Mode Bar
Attack	Defense	HP	Critical Hit	Water DMG Lowered
Critical Hit	Earth Attack	Charge Bar	Healing

Helpful topics to discuss

• What do you like or dislike about the character?
• What role does this character fill and what content do they work particularly well in?
• How would a new player make the best use for this character?
• How does this character compare to their other versions?
• Would you like to see an alternate or limited SSR version of this character?
• Would you like to see this character be made available in side stories?
• How does this character perform in the following:
  • OTK
  • Farming Stages (Short to Medium fights)
  • High Difficulty (Long fights)
  • Full Auto
  • Battle System V2
• How are you to build a team setup for this character?
• How does this character compare to the others who play a similar role in the same element?
• Is this character worth buying with a Surprise Ticket, gameplay-wise?
• Which EMPs would you prioritize?
• Which Over Mastery and Aetherial bonuses are best to look out for?
• Which type of Awakening Bonuses work best for this character?
• What would you like to see them gain for an EMP Skill?

This is embarrassing, but I have been getting skipped by the UA busses.
I’ll sit patiently waiting at the bus stop well ahead of time and then stand up and wave to the driver when the bus arrives at the scheduled time.
The result? The bus drivers keep going! I don’t get it. This has happened four times now. I don’t know how much clearer I could be to the bus driver that I’m there. What’s the point in the public transportation if you can’t even use it?

Hi! Ano po bus na pwede sakyan papuntang Tagaytay from Manila? and san ko po makikita schedule? Thank you

I try to avoid driving to work, but relying on the unpredictable schedule of the Line 56 to Tunney's Pasture at Kind Edward/Osgoode feels impossible. According to the OC Transpo app, there should be a bus every 15 minutes in the morning. However, the bus is consistently late, often by 12 to 25 minutes within that 15-minute window. It's hard to consider it anything but random. The same issue occurs at the end of the day with the 56 King Edward at Melrose South. I've reached a point where I feel hopeless and just wait at the bus stop for whatever bus comes, whenever it decides to arrive.

I use the buses every day, and it seems like the last few months (maybe even start of the year), the drivers absolutely don’t know how to control the vehicle.
Constant hard acceleration/hard stopping, and hard turns around corners, to the point I feel like I’m having to hold on for dear life so I don't stack it. Not to mention last week, a driver closed the door on me while I was halfway stepping out and I nearly got winded.
Sometimes they don’t even bother to park the bus properly. They keep doing this awkward angle that blocks the whole road, and people are expected to board/alight this way.. And yesterday when I pressed the STOP button, the driver literally just stopped in the right lane of the 2-lane street and opened the door. I hesitantly got off and had to cross the left lane on the road (thankfully no cars were behind).
Why are they in such a damn rush? Sometimes they’ve been TOO EARLY on their route, which then means they have to stall at a random bus stop until they return to their schedule, so their need to rush is pointless.
In the last two days, I’ve witnessed three cases where a standing passenger fell over onto a seated passenger (followed by them profusely apologising) because the bus driver did such an abrupt take-off/stop.
I’m constantly getting car-sick on the bus now and I’m getting so tired of it.
I’m guessing all these recent “We’re Hiring!” signs on buses/depots lately are because they’re desperate for new drivers and don’t seem to care how dangerous they are.
Can someone tell me what’s going on?

I try to avoid driving to work, but relying on the unpredictable schedule of the Line 56 to Tunney's Pasture at Kind Edward/Osgoode feels impossible. According to the OC Transpo app, there should be a bus every 15 minutes in the morning. However, the bus is consistently late, often by 12 to 25 minutes within that 15-minute window. It's hard to consider it anything but random. The same issue occurs at the end of the day with the 56 King Edward at Melrose South. I've reached a point where I feel hopeless and just wait at the bus stop for whatever bus comes, whenever it decides to arrive.

DM me if you want it. Will meet you there.
My wife away so she can't make it
https://fallsviewcasinoresort.com/events-and-promotions/schedule-of-events/pop-2000-tour.html
Casino bus if you don't want to drive
https://safewaytours.net/en/casino-tours/

Hey guys, thought I might as well post this as I'm in a bit of a debacle.
I (M15) have been searching for a job for about half a year now. Finally, earlier this month I decided to apply via email to this Drive-In cinema. They invited me to an interview and it went really well. A week later I attended this (unpaid) training session where for about an hour I generally learned how it all works. It was a bit overwhelming, but it seemed like a good experience that I could probably achieve. It's a really nice environment too with lovely people. Plus I love film and want to get into that field at some point and having that as my first job would be amazing.
However, it is 50~ kilometres away from where I live. My parents have begrudgingly agreed to take me for my first few shifts and then I've offered to take public transport to get there. The amount of money it would cost to get there via car or public transport is like almost as much as I would get paid each shift. Public transport is also really difficult, I'd have to take the train to the end of its line and then take a bus (buses around that area will likely be filled with some characters which isn't necessarily an issue but is worth saying) to a really sketchy neighbourhood and then take an Uber to the Drive-In. It's a lot of effort and time and money for honestly not much pay. The hourly salary is AUD$15.04 (That's around $9.84~ in USD). My dad has even expressed that I'm naive and they are "ripping me off".
As to not 'overwhelm' me or my parents, the manager has scheduled me to start my first shift two weeks after that training session (this Saturday) and then every second Saturday, which is not a lot of time at all. On June 26 I'm going to be going on holiday for a week and will already be missing one shift. Later in the year I'll be going on an even larger trip which will impact my availability.
Overall, despite my excitement and positivity toward the position, it feels so inconvenient and not worth it all. I told my mum that I would stick with it until the family trip in late June and I would then start considering something else, but she said that if I'm already experiencing doubts I should just email saying I can't do it rather than quit after such a short time - it wouldn't be worth it and would be a bad look especially on my CV. So I'm really conflicted. Should I awkwardly turn down this very inconvenient yet great opportunity and stick with finding a job closer to me or stay with it and gain some good experience, have what seems like a dream first job to me, despite the almost impossible commute?

Can i complain about my line manager? Will I actually get an outcome?
Hi everyone.
I think my line manageteam leader is bullying me and I have had enough. But I don’t know if I’m overreacting so I need some more opinions.
I work in the healthcare sector in the U.K. - funny because I thought that’s where mental health and physical health would matter the most but clearly not to the people I work with.
I’ve been working at my current workplace for nearly 2 months now. But I feel like I am being so nitpicked by my current line manager. I must also point out although maybe not relevant that I am an ethnic minority in my workplace. I was late once due to traffic (I catch the bus - a bus that only comes once every 2 hours from my town) so it takes me an hour to get to the town where my workplace is. I was 7 mins late to my work place that once. Btw for my job I don’t need to swipe in or swipe out, you work according to your schedule - and in my diary I had nothing on till 9 so me coming at 8:07 was not effecting my performance in any way. I just feel like this line manager of mine just wants to nitpick and find any excuse to tell me off as he’s very new to having this sort of power of authority. That’s the first example that’s happened. The second example, i asked him if it’s possible for me to have more days in the week to work from home ( I currently only have Friday as work from home) OR be moved to the closer office that is very close to my house if they really need me to come in (bc I’m a newbie) instead of travelling 2hours for 4 days a week - and this is because I am also still a newish mum. I explained to him that my child is still an infant (my baby is 9months old) and I just feel like it would help me so much to have that request accepted. He said he will look into it but never agreed to it. What annoys me is that it’s easily a request that could be done - as many in my position are given working options that suit them. Example 3 - Im doing my job very well and I have gotten so many positive feedback from other colleagues - but not one single positive feedback from my line manager. Which is fine but it just makes me think he really has it against me for some reason? One of my colleagues even told me to be careful as she thinks he really does not like me and it seems that he is nitpicking on everything I do and waiting for me to slip up. This was her observation. Now Idk what to think , this has sealed what I’ve been feeling. As I initially thought it might be in my head.
Now latest example, I’ve been diagnosed recently with IBD unfortunately, so more trips to the loo. and last Thursday I was late to our teams catch up meeting that was at 9. I messaged him saying I was going to be a few mins late - as I had something personal going on (I was too embarassed to mention my diagnosis at this point because I just am not comfortable with this man at all). He proceeded to berate me and say I’m always late. I said to him I’ve only been late twice since I’ve started working? And that I had a good excuse for both occasions. He replies back saying I am “arguing back instead of taking his feeedback on board” I was like ????? I said to him I am defending myself because I don’t think the way you’ve been treating me is fair. He then says he’s going to put the request I told him about on hold bc he thinks I’m underperforming? At that point I just stayed quiet and thought to myself I’m never going to win here. I then told him I was recently diagnosed with IBD and it’s affecting me a lot mentally and physically. He was like “what’s that” and then Googled it and said it out loud in such a monotone voice. “Irritable bowel disease” and he literally showed me no empathy or nothing? Is this normal? What should’ve been my dream job is now a place I dread going to. I dread going to work and I feel so on edge everytime I am there. All weekend I’ve been crying and not knowing what to do. I even had thoughts of just quitting and staying at home caring for my baby instead of going aomewhere where they are not willing to understand or make any sort of adjustment because my line manager has it in for me for some reason. Please advice on what can I do? Is quitting my only option? I have spoken to the cultural and diversity lead in our workplace for advice but she said to me that perhaps I’m just feeling really emotional recently and just taking things the wrong way. But I’ve been employed before in the same sector and I’ve never been made to feel like this? She also said it’s unfortunately just the way the U.K. hierarchy employment scene works - “UK work politics where you have to play the game and just try to get on his good books until he likes you” just like the other newbies that have started they have to suck up to the manager. But I don’t understand why we need to do that? Surely that’s not a normal thing? Is there nothing I can do? I feel like after speaking to her that no one will listen to me. Even the higher up managers are buddies with my line manager so I feel like it’s a case of his word against mine. It’s just never going to end up with the result I want. The result that I want is to have a different manager - I cannot deal with this man anymore. I’ve had enough. Please if you were in my shoes what would you do. Thank you

I guess watches weren't so easily available then too, so one might have to wait ages even if there was a bus schedule and the bus was on time. Was it difficult to just sit/stand there and wait for an unknown length of time?

Konnichiwa! Hajimemashite!
I would like to ask for your suggestion of what would be the cheapest way of having a car here in Okinawa? I got my JP Driving license so no worries about that. My one worry is the money. Using the bus transpo here is not ideal specially if you like to go somewhere far and also going to and from the office is very inconvenient for me specially sometimes the bus schedule here does not properly followed. Will gradly appreciate some suggestions of shops, leasing companies or even if you have some offers for me! Also we can be friends to guys!
Oh by the way, I`m living in Nago.

I'm a day late posting this -- I'm sorry to have gotten off schedule! I realize there have been a lot of high-earner diaries recently, but I hope my perspective is still of interest.
​
Section One: Assets and Debt
Retirement Balance: $460K (mine) and $250K (husband’s). We both max out our annual withholdings. I’ve been working longer than him, and my employer offers a more generous match, which contributed significantly to my balance.
Equity: $275K. Our home is currently worth about $450K. We live in a M-HCOL area (far) outside of NYC, and our home was a fixer upper when we bought it. Honestly, it’s still a fixer, and we are saving towards a major renovation.
Cars: Maybe $15-$20k total…we drive two paid off cars. One is 13 years old, and the other is 10 years old.
Other Cash and Investments: $150K
Credit card debt: None, paid every month
Student loan debt (for what degree): $80K towards the grad degree I’m pursuing now. Since we’re saving towards the home reno, I’m financing my degree rather than paying for it outright. I know this is counterintuitive given the interest rate environment. However, the home reno has been a priority for us since we bought this home.
Daughters’ 529s: $75K
Total Net Worth: $1.145M
Section Two: Income
Income Progression: I've been working in my field for 13 years and my starting salary was $40,000.
I work as a Director of Financial Planning & Analysis in a niche field. I won’t go into too many details because it’s a small world. My salary progression was as follows:
Year 1: $40,000 starting, right after recession. I had an amazing boss who mentored me and recognized my potential. After six months, I received a promotion and raise to $60,000.
Year 3: Promotion and raise to $90,000, for a role with more financial and analytical responsibility. Although I worked hard, I continued to benefit from having a boss who advocated for me. I consider this a major turning point.
Year 8: Raise to $120,000 for additional responsibilities after a coworker retired.
Year 10: Raise to $135,000
I’ve received an average of 2.5% COLA increases and now earn $145K. My boss has requested a $10,000 bonus for me this year, which I haven’t yet included because it’s still under review.
My husband earns $260,000 base salary as a VP of a large corporation (this is a very recent raise…he was at $200K previously). In addition, he can receive a performance-based bonus of 20-30%. We don’t include his bonuses in our financial planning because they are not guaranteed and because a portion is RSUs. When he receives a cash bonus, we put it towards our daughter’s college accounts and/or our home reno fund.
Education: I have a bachelors and a masters in a field unrelated to my career. My tuition was paid by scholarships/assistantships. In addition, my parents covered my living expenses during undergrad. During my first graduate degree, I worked 3 part-time jobs to cover my non-tuition expenses. I’m now enrolled in a grad program more directly related to my career. My employer encouraged me to do this program and generously allows me the time out of office. In addition, if I stay for a certain number of years, they will reimburse a portion of my tuition.
Main Job Monthly Take Home:
Monthly take home: $6,300 after taxes, retirement ($1,875) and medical/dental benefits ($110– self only)
Husband’s monthly take home: $12,560 after taxes, retirement ($1,875), and medical/dental ($400 for him and our two kids)
Section Three: Expenses
Mortgage: $2,485 for principal, interest, insurance, and taxes. We refinanced to a 15-year loan at 2.3% when rates were low
Daycare: $3,510 per month (full-time for a toddler and preschooler)
Savings contribution: $3,000-$5,000
Daughters’ 529 accounts: $2,000 ($1,000 each)
Debt payments: $700 towards my student loans. This will increase once I’m done with my degree
Donations: $3,000 annually
Transit $350-400 for husband’s commute (3x/week to NYC)
Electric: $60
Wifi/Cable/Landline: $120
Cellphone: $180
Subscriptions: $59 for Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Duolingo, Apple Storage, and credit monitoring
Gym membership: $149 for Pure Barre
Husband’s physical therapy: $130 (portion not covered by insurance)
Car insurance: $3,200 annually. (This seems high, considering we have good records, don’t drive much, and both cars are paid off. I need to look into this)
Life Insurance: $3,100 annually
Day 1 (Saturday):
6:00 AM: Wake up. I’m doing a modular course for my graduate degree, and the class wraps up today. I study for the exam that happens this afternoon. A little after 7, I walk to a nearby coffee shop and buy a large Americano for $4.50 including tip. When I’m back at the hotel, I pack up my room and leave a $20 tip for housekeeping. On the way out, I drop my bags at the bell stand. The hotel cost is covered by tuition.
9:00: Meet with my study team to finalize a paper and presentation that’s due today. At noon, we break for lunch (also covered by tuition). I have a salad and lots of carbonated caffeine. After lunch, we have an hour-long final exam.
2:00: Final course wrap up. It’s been an intense week-long session. I learned a lot, but am so ready to head home. I walk back to the hotel to retrieve my bags. Along the way, I stop to buy an empanada ($8 including tip). Then I call an Uber to the airport ($55 including tip). While in the Uber, I talk to my husband and daughters, who are 1.5 and almost 4. Due to the time difference, it’s their bedtime and if I don’t catch them now, I’ll lose my chance. I promise them that I’ll be home when they wake up in the morning. A lot of my classmates went to dinner together before heading to the airport. On the one hand, I have FOMO because my classmates are awesome. But on the other hand, it was really important to me to talk to my family, and I know I couldn’t have done that easily in a bustling restaurant (I’ve tried, and it was a frustrating experience for everyone!).
6:00: Arrive at the airport. I check my bag ($35). Once I’m through security, I pick up some souvenirs. My hotel wasn’t in an area with good shopping options, and the class days were pretty packed anyway. I get locally made chocolate for my husband. The girls get a small stuffed animal each, and a book to share ($70 total). Then I treat myself to crab cakes and a French 75 to celebrate the end of the week ($60 including tip).
10:00: On the flight, I read until the cabin lights go out and then try to sleep. I used to be able to sleep better on red eyes, but I wake up every 15 minutes.
Day 1 Total: $252.50
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Day 2 (Sunday):
6:00: Flight lands and I gather my bags and take the parking shuttle. Although I parked in an economy lot, the total was still $174. Ugh – this has been an expensive week.
7:45: Arrive home. The girls crawled into our bed and are snuggled up next to my husband. The toddler wakes up as I come into the room and the look on her face when she sees me is priceless. Our preschooler wakes up soon after. It’s so good to be reunited with my people! We all head downstairs and have breakfast (waffles and cereal, plus a huge pot of coffee). It’s cold and rainy today and we spend the morning watching TV together.
10:00: Our toddler falls asleep for her nap, and my husband encourages me to do the same. Our preschooler is happily entertaining herself with Legos and puzzles, so I doze for a couple hours. Around 1:00, we all have turkey sandwiches for lunch. Then, I take over kid duty so my husband can finally have some time to himself. He spends the afternoon woodworking in his basement workshop.
2:00: Our preschooler’s birthday is coming up. I buy digital invites from Etsy ($12) and send them to Staples to print ($16 with a promo). They are ready in about two hours and we pick them up. My preschooler asks for kinetic sand at Staples and I cave in and buy it for her ($11). I constantly complain about the amount of “stuff” in our house, but to be honest, I’m guilty of contributing to the clutter. When we get home, I spend the afternoon doing crafts with the girls.
5:15: We heat up some leftovers that my in-laws dropped off while I was gone. We do the girls’ bedtime routine a little early since everyone seems tired. Lights out by 8:00 for the girls. Then I catch up on work email and start making a list for the week. For the purposes of this money diary, my husband mentions that he spent $270 yesterday restocking groceries. Then I watch Succession and head to bed
Day 2 Total: $483
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Day 3 (Monday):
5:08: My alarm goes off because I typically go to Pure Barre on Monday morning. I’m still jetlagged so I decide not to go today. I hadn’t actually signed up for a class because I had a feeling this would happen.
6:30: Everyone else is still asleep, so I go downstairs to make coffee and enjoy a few quiet moments to myself. When my husband and kids wake up, we all have breakfast (frozen waffles and berries for the kids. English muffins for the adults).
8:30: Drop the kids off at daycare and then get to work. I work primarily from home, so I just have to walk upstairs to my office nook. I spend the morning prepping for an important meeting tomorrow with senior leadership. I get a reminder on our phone that our toddler has a well-child visit today…usually I sync my calendars, but I totally neglected to log this on my work calendar, and it conflicts with a meeting with our chief of staff. CRAP. I debate canceling the doctor’s appointment, but decide to keep it. Our toddler is getting vaccines today and if I don’t keep the appointment, I’m not sure when I can reschedule. I apologize profusely to our COS and ask if we can reschedule. She says not to worry, and that she appreciates the extra time in her schedule…hopefully I didn’t make a bad judgment call.
1:15: I quickly eat a turkey sandwich for lunch and then pick up our toddler from daycare for her appointment. These well visits usually take 30 minutes and are covered by insurance. As luck would have it, we spend 90 minutes waiting because they are running behind. Luckily, I have snacks and activities in my purse to occupy her. To pass the time, I browse for favors and paper goods for our older daughter’s upcoming party. I end up buying paper goods, decor, and favors ($67 from Target) and iced sugar cookies ($240 from Etsy). As I type this, I realize how bananas it is to spend that much on decorated sugar cookies. Our incomes have increased pretty dramatically in the past few years, and although we haven’t increased our fixed expenses, we’ve definitely succumbed to lifestyle inflation for one-off things like this. It’s something I need to be aware of. I’m finally home around 3:30, just in time for my next call. My husband is WFH today and takes over kid duty during this call.
5:15: It’s time to pick up our older daughter from preschool, but my call is running long so my husband picks her up. For dinner, we make salads topped with roast chicken. The toddler loves salad, but our preschooler proclaims “I don’t like green leaves – I’m not a caterpillar!”. Well, okay then.
8:30: We do the girls’ bedtime routine, and then I continue prepping for tomorrow’s meeting. I wrap up around 1:00 am. While I’m working, husband preps two meals that just need to be reheated sometime later in the week. Good night!
Day 3 Total: $307
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Day 4 (Tuesday):
7:30: Kids and I sleep in a bit this morning. My husband left home around 5:45 since he’s going into the office, so the three of us are on our own. For breakfast, the toddler has toast and berries. The preschooler has bran cereal and a frozen waffle. I eat their scraps, washed down with coffee.
9:15: I drop the kids off at daycare a little late this morning. Then I get working and practice the presentation I’m giving at 11:00
12:05: Call is over and I think it went as well as could be expected. I make myself a turkey sandwich for lunch. Then I go to the post office to mail a birth certificate request for our youngest daughter’s passport application. The cost for the birth certificate is $50. I also spend $15 at the post office to mail the envelope and buy stamps. Then it’s back to work.
5:10: Pick the girls up from school. My husband gets home around 6:45. Dinner tonight is a tofu and broccoli stir fry with rice. I don’t cook much, but I make this meal weekly and it’s everyone’s favorite. The secret is using soy sauce that is seasoned for seafood. It has a much deeper, richer flavor than standard soy sauce.
7:30: Bathtime and bed for the girls. I text with a mom from daycare whose kids are the same age as ours. We arrange a playdate for an upcoming weekend. She seems sweet and easygoing, and I’m hopeful that she and I will develop a friendship – making friends is hard when you’re an adult!
9:10: I debate doing schoolwork or “work work.” Schoolwork wins tonight…I spend about two hours prepping a case study.
Day 4 Total: $65
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Day 5 (Wednesday):
5:30: Wake up and start working. I still have a lot of deliverables to catch up on. Husband leaves as usual to commute into the city.
7:00: I get an email and text message that daycare had to close today due to unforeseen circumstances. There was an issue with their plumbing that impacts the whole building. Oh no – I immediately feel a pit in my stomach. I really can’t afford this today, especially because I am out this Friday for another day of class. Although our preschooler is pretty independent, our toddler needs constant supervision. She’s always a moment away from jumping off a couch, climbing on a table, or otherwise causing herself bodily harm. My husband has multiple meetings with his division president today so he can’t realistically come home to help. Argh. I feed us all breakfast and prepare myself for a difficult day. I send my boss an email to let him know the situation, but promise to stay on top of my work after hours as needed. I also log a half day of PTO in the payroll system…I figure I can probably be about 50% productive today.
10:00: Our toddler falls asleep for a nap, so I frantically send out emails and run reports. Our preschooler watches shows on her tablet.
12:15: Toddler is up from her nap. Our poor preschooler has been on her tablet for too long and her eyes are glazed over. I decide to take the girls out for lunch to break up the day. We go to Jersey Mikes since it’s nearby and fast. The girls each have a kids meal and the toddler is delighted that it includes a kids cup. I have an Italian sub ($29). We eat outside and the preschooler hums and loudly proclaims "I love Jersey Mike's!"
1:30: We get back home and I jump on an internal call. Thankfully the girls are well behaved and don’t cause any disruptions, beyond waving hello at the start of the call.
3:00 I have another call and the girls are again on their best behavior. PTL. Maybe I’m just lucky, or maybe it’s that I bribed them with cookies.
4:45: I wrap up the workday a little early. I take the girls on a walk since the weather is nice. When we get back inside, they immediately melt down. The toddler wants to be held constantly, which is a challenge because she weighs 24 pounds. The preschooler is thrashing, spitting at me, and throwing toys. I resist a really strong urge to scream or cry or break something or hide in the bathroom – maybe all at once. Instead, I heat up one of the meals my husband made earlier this week. When our preschooler calms down, she asks if I still love her when she’s bad. She’s been asking this question a lot recently, and it makes me wonder if it’s just a phase, or if she needs more reassurance from us. Either way, it's heartbreaking to know she worries about this.
7:30: Husband had a late meeting, so he gets home later than normal. We do the girls bedtime and bathtime routines. We get another note from daycare saying that the plumbing issue is, unfortunately, still unresolved. We’ll get a tuition credit, but they will be closed another day. Husband and I talk through logistics. We agree that he’ll go into the city again tomorrow and I’ll handle the kids. His company is in the middle of a major reorg and it’s important for him to be there in person. We decide to ask his parents if they are available to help tomorrow. Between work, the kids, and my grad program, sometimes I feel like the only thing we talk about is logistics. It’s been at least 6 months since we’ve been on a date.
10:00: I catch up on work, and also prep for school this coming weekend. I go to bed a little after 1:00.
Day 5 Total: $29
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Day 6 (Thursday):
5:45: Husband is up and out of the house at his normal time. I wake up and run some financial reports while I have the chance.
7:30: Kids are awake. While they eat breakfast I pack their activity bags and snacks since we’re going to my in-laws today. They are semi-retired and often help when we have childcare hiccups. They are truly a godsend. They live about an hour away and we arrive at their house a little after 10:00. On the way, I fill my car up with gas ($52).
12:30: The girls are having a blast with my in-laws. We take a break for lunch, which is chicken nuggets and hummus for the girls. I eat their scraps and also have some Greek yogurt.
4:15: I have a full afternoon of calls, but it goes smoothly thanks to the grandparents. We leave a few minutes after 5:00 and both girls fall asleep before we reach the first traffic light. This makes for a peaceful drive home. Traffic is heavy so we get home around 6:30. I open the mail, and find a surprise medical bill for $572. This is for the toddler’s trip to the ER…14 months ago! This is the first bill we are getting and honestly it had completely slipped my mind. She had a triple infection and ended up severely dehydrated. Seeing this bill dredges up all sorts of unpleasant memories. I’m grateful we have the means to pay this without issue, and I’m grateful she is healthy. I understand it's a privilege to pay a bill like this without thinking twice.
6:45: Husband arrives home. We reheat a pasta dish he made earlier this week and have a salad on the side. The girls are beat today, so we skip bathtime and let them go straight to bed. Thankfully, daycare can reopen tomorrow. I feel like a weight’s been lifted from my shoulders, especially since I have class tomorrow.
9:00: I have a call with my school study team to work on our group project. It lasts for about an hour.
10:30: Husband and I discuss buying a swing set for our backyard. He’s narrowed it down to two choices, and they’re both awesome: three swings, a rock wall, slide, and clubhouse area. I think they both look great, so I leave the final decision in his hands. The total with shipping and tax ends up being $1760. We considered buying a pre-assembled swing set to save time, but similar models cost nearly $6K. He’s handy, so he said he’d prefer to assemble it himself.
Day 6 Total: $2,384
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Day 7 (Friday):
6:15: I have class today so I eat breakfast and get dressed early. I tend to wear a lot of athleisure when working from home. Today I put on a structured ponte dress and hastily apply Tarte makeup to give my skin some color. Every time I make the effort to get dressed, I'm reminded that I really do feel more confident when I look put together. Before I leave home, I set out outfits for the kids and put their backpacks by the front door; my husband will get them ready for daycare today. I get to school around 9:00 for my first class.
12:00: Break in my schedule for lunch. I eat a salad and some kind of chicken dish, while catching up with classmates (covered by tuition). For dessert, I have a huge bowl of berries. Lots more coffee to keep me awake and engaged during class. During breaks, I check the daycare app and the girls seem to be having a good day. My husband will pick them up around 5:00.
7:00: Classes are over for the day. I pay parking ($17) and am on my way. I get home at 8:30, in time to do bedtime with my girls. Husband made veggie quesadillas with black beans and guacamole, which I eat once the girls are asleep. I check my work email to make sure nothing is on fire. Then my husband and I watch an episode of “What We Do In the Shadows” and turn in for the night.
Day 7 Total: $17
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WEEKLY TOTALS
Food + Drink: $371.50
Fun / Entertainment: $2,106
Home + Health: $572
Clothes + Beauty: $0
Transport: $333
Other: $155
Weekly Total: $3,537.5
Reflections: Some of this week’s expenditures were unusual: the swing set, my travel expenses, and that old ER bill are not part of our normal recurring expenses. However, the rest of this week's spending was pretty typical. I realize a lot of this diary revolved around sorting out childcare disruptions…honestly, that takes so much mental and logistical energy on a weekly basis. Writing this diary also made me realize how little time my husband and I spend together. Often we feel like we’re in survival mode, but we need to be more intentional about prioritizing our relationship.