Interesting day. I had my settlement negotiation meeting for the lawsuit today. They were quite complimentary of me. They said - both sides - that it was my honesty and personality that doubled the settlement. All three lawyers said together and separately that it was odd to see. So, it turns out, that moral standards do pay. All of those people that said milk it and get all you can were wrong. Not that I needed that validation to live my life as I do but it was nice, I have to say.

So, the settlement came to $31,500. When all is said and done, I will receive about $15,000. With my wage loss and expenses topping $10.000, I am comfortable with that. I don't feel that I have scammed anyone. I would say that it won't keep me up at night but here I am. I am now more financially secure than at any other time in my life. I have a mortgage and my condo is earning equity solidly. All of my credit card debt is paid. I am taking home a comfortable pay that allows me to pay my bills and have just a touch left over at the end of the day. (of course, the outstanding tax debt story will left for another day!) So what the hell am I supposed to do with $15,000? Holy shit! My first instinct is save save save. Then I come home and think a new tv would be nice. Should I get a new computer? Or that area rug at Pier One? New speakers and thingamajigger? Upgrade my car? Is there any left? I don't want it to waste away. I think I'll take $10,000 for savings - mutual funds and GIC, half and half maybe. The rest I'll put in my savings account and spend some to fix up the pad. But I have to control the excess.