Hi Heather, Let me tell you, I can so relate to what you are going through. I just started a new job in a field that I have zero experience in and must learn while at the same time having to deal with the D, the kids, NEVER having enough money to make ends meet. You are NOT alone.
As for job talking about not getting on the forum during the work day, I know that in my last business, I did spend too much time here when I should have had making that work 100% on my mind. I needed the support, the advice, the "kick in the pants" when I felt ready to just give up but at the same time to make that business work, it needed all my attention. You have come far enough that you don't "need" these things as much. You know what everyone here is going to say before they post it. Yes, it helps to see it on the screen but you do know. Time is not on your side and for now, your job needs as much attention as you can possibly give.
From what you wrote about the meeting, let me tell you, they like you and really want you to make this paper work. YOU to make it work. While studying how to do my new job better, I came across a web site that may be of some help to you in finding stories. It's called Helpareporter.com. Reporters post requests for experts in almost any field you can think of to help them with stories. The experts like it because it gets their name and their business's name out in the public free. So, if you need to write a story about a subject you don't know very well (or at all) you just post a request for an expert to answer your questions and give you ideas. I don't know if it will help but I thought of you when I saw it. There are many resources out there now that weren't available in the past to help you. Time to find some of them.
About your lawyer and the D. If he wants you to pay him, he needs to do his job and part of that job is to make sure you are getting your support payments and on time! Saying "I don't know" is unacceptable. If his client isn't getting what the court has ordered, HE needs to make sure that the court knows, Smokey's lawyer knows and that Smokey can be ARRESTED for not paying his support on time. In my state they will take the support right out of his pay and send it to you and he can't stop them. Most states have had it with deadbeat dad's (and moms) and if he is dragging his feet about making payments that is exactly what Smokey is! The money isn't yours...it belongs to your D and he needs to understand that she is still his responsibility crisis or not! He can afford it, you can't afford to do it all alone.
Lastly, if you are going to make it, you need to get caught up on all your bills. It is so much easier when you aren't behind on everything. You are behind because Smokey hasn't been doing his share, no other reason. If he had been paying all along, you would be in a much better position right now. Ask your mom for some help. I know how hard it is as I have had to do the same from my parents. I have found that they want me to succeed. They know that it wasn't my fault that my W did this when she did and how she did. If you can get help from her to get caught up and also get your lawyer to make Smokey pay what he NEEDS to pay, it will be so much easier to make it work. If you don't catch up, the late fees ($225 for rent already!) are going to eat you up and you will have a much harder time not only making the money work but the stress from knowing that you can't pay will invade everything including your ability to do your job. Everything is harder when you have that kind of worry to deal with!
Heather, in the past I have told you that you are my hero. You STILL are! You have come so very far and grown so much in such a short time. Try to remember back when the only things you thought you could do were getting more people in your summer camp and taking more tutoring jobs. Your world was so much smaller then. Now you have moved hundreds of miles, got a job as editor of a weekly paper, are taking care of yourself and your D on your own. Think about how different you are now then you were just last summer! How far you have come. You can't be defeated now, not when you have come so far. The obstacles you face now are different then the ones you overcame then but not any harder. You overcame those, you can overcome these new ones as well!
