role: user

text: what should i make of this most recent exchange?


role: assistant

text:
My read:

1. She was not really asking only for current numbers
- She said that, but her own last message gives it away:
  - `You’ve said everything but an actual number of what you’ll need.`
- That is a future/support question, not a current-month budgeting question.

2. So the “current numbers” request was partly a wedge
- It let her press for:
  - your present housing number
  - Kay’s current cost
- but also try to pull out:
  - your actual forward ask
  - your working budget
  - your support target
- You were right to separate those.

3. She’s frustrated, and now she’s shifting to process blame
- `squirrelly`
- `Take a breath`
- `I guess I’ll need more advice than I thought`
- That means she’s moved from arguing substance to arguing that you’re being evasive.

4. The retainer line matters, but not in a dramatic way
- She is signaling:
  - she’s escalating to counsel
  - she wants backup before going further
- Given the thread, that was probably coming anyway.

5. The useful part for you
- The exchange now clearly shows:
  - you answered the current factual question
  - she kept sliding back into `what will you need going forward`
  - you refused to negotiate that by text
- That is a defensible line.

So what should you make of it?

- She still wants your forward-looking ask.
- She is using “current numbers” as a way to get there.
- She is annoyed that you won’t give it to her by text.
- She is preparing to move that fight into lawyer/mediation space.

The most important takeaway:
- this was never really about whether your current housing is `$0`
- it was about trying to get you to state your forward number outside mediation

And on that point, I think your distinction was correct.


text: can you show me the last 5 exchanges?


text:
[2026-03-15 17:35:43 CDT] Karl:
```text
And regardless, a future permanent budget doesn’t really apply to the present moment. Many of my current costs are one-time expenses associated with the divorce and with setting up my mom’s new place.
```

[2026-03-15 17:37:20 CDT] Lisa:
```text
Yes. Just wondering if it’ll be about 6500 less this month. Not a permanent budget. Take a breath.
```

[2026-03-15 17:39:13 CDT] Karl:
```text
I’ve already answered that question multiple times. Do you now feel it has been answered?
```

[2026-03-15 17:42:51 CDT] Lisa:
```text
Not really. You’ve said everything but an actual number of what you’ll need. But whatever. Btw I’ll be paying Susan Amato a retainer next week. If you’re going to be squirrelly like this the whole way through, I guess I’ll need more advice than I thought.
```

[2026-03-15 17:45:57 CDT] Karl:
```text
Those are two different questions.

If you’re asking about the current numbers for this month, I’ve answered that: my housing is $0 while I’m in Texas, and my mom’s current cost is about $2,000/month.

If you’re asking what I will need going forward, that is a mediation question, and I’m not going to negotiate that by text.

And of course you should get whatever legal advice you think you need.
```


text: that's not the last message.  can you pull?


text: I’m syncing the thread again and pulling the newest slice so I can give you the actual last messages, not the stale set.


text:
Yes. The last message was yours at `2026-03-15 17:45:16 CDT`:

```text
If there’s any other current factual question I can answer for you before mediation, ask it directly and I’ll answer it.
```

So the actual last 5 exchanges are:

[2026-03-15 17:37:20 CDT] Lisa:
```text
Yes. Just wondering if it’ll be about 6500 less this month. Not a permanent budget. Take a breath.
```

[2026-03-15 17:39:13 CDT] Karl:
```text
I’ve already answered that question multiple times. Do you now feel it has been answered?
```

[2026-03-15 17:42:51 CDT] Lisa:
```text
Not really. You’ve said everything but an actual number of what you’ll need. But whatever. Btw I’ll be paying Susan Amato a retainer next week. If you’re going to be squirrelly like this the whole way through, I guess I’ll need more advice than I thought.
```

[2026-03-15 17:44:25 CDT] Karl:
```text
Those are two different questions.

If you’re asking about the current numbers for this month, I’ve answered that: my housing is $0 while I’m in Texas, and my mom’s current cost is about $2,000/month.

If you’re asking what I will need going forward, that is a mediation question, and I’m not going to negotiate that by text.

And of course you should get whatever legal advice you think you need.
```

[2026-03-15 17:45:16 CDT] Karl:
```text
If there’s any other current factual question I can answer for you before mediation, ask it directly and I’ll answer it.
```