Day 84 5:59PM

So what's the correct response when asked salary requirements in a down economy? The old business school standby of anchoring high seems like a flawed technique nowadays given that the market is flooded with business school graduates anchoring high and subsequently not getting jobs. Telling them my actual past salary usually doesn't work, probably because I quickly follow it up with "ofcourseeverythingisnegotiablefortherightopportunity." Telling them my true requirements - three hots and a cot - sounds a bit desperate and I'd still need medical and vision (f*** dental).

My copy of Bargaining for Advantage now seems like a cute relic of a time long ago. It does, however, act as an effective prop to make my bookcase seem impressive, right next to Building Strong Brands, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire: From the First Century AD to the Third, and Twilight (What? The ladies love it).

Maybe I'll go try to get the Street Meat guy down to $4 for the sake of practice. He's a Columbia grad.