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A grim little story from California Bob:

I got recent news about a guy I used to work with. This guy was kind of a sad sack -- nebbish jewish guy, accountant, hapless, socially awkward, sports and gambling nut, married to this woman who....well, she was just awful. He was super frugal and saved up his pennies and bought a townhouse in the East Bay around 2005.

As of a couple years ago he was working at his job, saddled with this mortgage, struggling to make the payments as the house went further underwater.

Then his wife died which was the first good thing that happened to him in a long time.

Then, over the course of the last 6 months or so, things came to a head. He got laid off from his job. He had big mortgage payments but zero equity in his house. Job market here is terrible of course. Anyway, long story short, he packed a suitcase, left his house keys on the counter, got in his car and drove to Las Vegas. His car broke down once he got there so he ditched that too. Now he's collecting unemployment, paying $250 a month to share a house with a young couple, sleeps in til the afternoon, rides the bus to the Venetian and spends his evenings playing poker. Happy as a clam.

Anyway I thought it was a life-affirming story to share with you. Even the most bleak prospects can turn around!