UPDATE: Need advice on two fronts

So as previously posted, I was having troubles with my toilet and after a long weekend of wrestling with it, I have made it worse instead of better.
The story so far...
As instructed by Idaho and others, I took off the lid and gandered at the innards. That was problem No. 1. The metal pipe that runs up the toilet, I was poking around and it snapped off. The metal was so corroded it had developed a hole, hence the noise. The house is about 50 years old and I suspect it is the original toilet.
So I journeyed to Home Depot and purchased a replacement kit for $21. Start taking off the parts and you have to remove the tank. But the bolts couldn't be loosed by a screwdriver, go underneath and release I need a wrench. Go to get a a wrench. Realize I don't have a wrench. Drive to Wal-Mart and buy the cheapest set I could find. After about an hour of wrestling, I get the tank off.
I go to remove the middle piece, the large pipe in the middle and it won't come out. It looks like it was cemented in.
So with no way of getting it off, realize I need a new tank.
Drive to Home Depot, return the kit and buy a tank that is all ready to go.
Drive home. Get the tank ready and place it on the toilet, the holes on the toilet and tank don't perfectly match. About a quarter inch off.
Get everything bolted down anyway. Had to run the bolts at a little bit of angle to get them to work. I finally get it assembled and I do the man dance of victory. Flush the toilet in triumph and do another dance.
Seems great. Realize on Sunday that water is dripping from the bolts. Turn the water off to the toilet, water is still dripping. Drain the tank as much as possible, water is still dripping and the tank is slowly filling back up. Put pails underneath toilet.
Go back to Home Depot today. Hoping they sell some kind of attachment kit that will get this fixed. Home Depot man says to replace the bowl. Says it is "easy."
Call my brother, tell him and he says don't buy a bowl. Just have to keep working the tank, says it usually takes a couple of tries to get the tank and bowl all lined up.
Fiddle with the bolts, get them lined up better. Toilet still drips. Water is off, and less than a cup of water in the tank, but still it drips.
So now I have a quandry.
Should I replace the bowl?
Should I buy some sort of sealant and cover the bolts on the inside of the tank to keep it from dripping or would that even work?
Give in and call a plumber?

On the second front, and for the curious. The plan with the PR chickie is to meet up Friday for interviews around 11. Should be done before lunch, so I can ask the easy question of, "you hungry? Let's go eat."
Getting the good suit cleaned and busting out the cuff links. No tie though. Ties are for people who aren't important enough not to have to wear a tie to work. You can almost gauge a person's importance and how self-assured they are by what they wear to work. And if they have a couch or bathroom in their office, but that's another story.

 

I don't know what the specifics of the date are, but steer clear of French cuffs except in a few, very specific situations.

 

Great line.

 

Agreed on the tie, except that I wore one to a job interview last week.

On the toilet front, I'd move. Call a realtor and get crackin'.

 

I gave up the toilet thing about 2 years ago. I went old school and you should too.

 

Chuck-pho, that is a hideous sig down there under your name.

The Michigan flag I can show the love for, as I've been cheering for "The Victors" since I was 9. (And on that note, it's not spelled "Mish-iiigan" if you're trying to emulate the immortal Bob Ufer. Love that man, homerism and all.

Here's an excellent audio clip of Ufer explaining the "Meeech-igan" story: http://www.ufer.org/sounds/Meechigan_Story.mp3

The Mini-Me, however ... that has to go. [/insert puking smiley here]

 

How 'bout this:

 

I'd say it's plumber time.

On the second issue, I must have missed the context for it. But have you ruled out GHB?

 

Plumber?!? Didn't even know her!

 

Are you one of the Three Stooges?

 

As the "Animal" said often, jiggle the handle.

 

Jay, I'm proud of you for attempting this on your own. But, since you're renting, you should have called the landlord and made him send out a licensed plumber. At this point, you'll need professional help with that. Make sure to deduct the costs from your rent.

As for the girl, ditch the french cuffs. They're too dressy for a Friday lunch.