Hm

It is interesting to me, considering the extent to which I am known to over-compromise myself in order to adapt to a given working situation, how inflexible some people suddenly want to think I am, because I refuse to keep considering more and more pay cuts for myself.

People.

I am not blessed with some man who is bringing in twice whatever I can hope to make. I have to run my household myself. There's nobody else to do it, and I am *worth* every cent I am asking for. Rather more.

I don't have a husband, and the novel is not a done deal. It's going to be a little while, too, before Hollywood comes and takes me away from all this (please read the derisive scoffing at this sarcasm as a given). I have a mortgage, and I live quite responsibly. I don't have five-figure credit debt. The car's not a luxury.

Nor is the dog.

I just want to keep swimming. That isn't, in fact, crazy - nor an unreasonable expectation.

Relax, people. I know what I am doing. If you've paid any attention, I've been doing it a LONG time now.