Things do get better. You just have to ride the roller coaster for a while. I am the same age as you are. I should have something to show for myself, but I really don't. My father passed away (my best friend) in April of this year and inherited his 2000 Mazda 626 car.

I got laid off from my job last March 2005 and just have not been able to find a job that I like. It's harder to sell yourself when you get older and have low self esteem. I had to take 10,000 out of my 20,000 IRA account to live on recently. I will have to pay a pretty penny for that come tax time.

Sometimes, you have to do what you have to do to survive. My father's passing has hit me big time and I have been in a deep depression. I feel that I will snap out of it. I just hope it's sooner than later.