9 a.m. — I remember that I need to fill out custody forms for the lawyer. We have an appointment in a week. We had a child less than a year ago and we’re already separated and are working with lawyers. It’s better for all of us to have a framework for raising our daughter, with clear roles and expectations. A word about sadness — I read all the comments from my last Money Diary. I sincerely appreciated them all, even the shitty ones. (Also, I agreed with a lot of you who were like “wtf is her life”, but that’s a story for another day.) A lot of comments expressed sadness over the diary, though. And that did make me sad! Here’s my take: While this is a tough situation, and a time where I sometimes feel lost and lonely, “sad” is not a word I’d use to describe it. Getting that payout was a stroke of luck. Most of my family are still alive and in good health, and my mother came to visit for two weeks. I can afford, for right now, to do some things that are really helping. Now, here’s what’s sad to me: Being in a bad relationship and having it get worse. Not knowing how to get out. Not having skills or opportunities to make a living. Losing your way, or spending years in a place like that. Having your kids grow up and think that’s normal. All of those things are sad. Me, I feel lucky.