I try to find balance in my life. There is so much bad happening now and yet there are still so many wonderful people I have met on line and long time close friends who have a positive outlook on life. They have helped and supported me during some of the trying times I've had lately when I've felt so alone.

The "Good Helga" (above) is such a good friend. Although I have never met her in person and probably never will, she is always just an email away. Our correspondence over the years takes me away from my problems. We have shared both good and bad news and I appreciate her. I can always talk with her about our dogs.

I recently ran across this old quote from The Enterprise. (I think it's from the Next Generation with Patrick Stewart.) "Whenever a group of people believe they are better than others, the results are always the same."

I am sick of some of the politicians in this country (and probably other countries as well), bankers, insurance people, Wall Street types, mortgage folks, a few religious leaders, etc. and their self-serving behaviors.

What is happening to our economy here and to retirement savings is devastating to me and my friends - the people who were supposed to protect us are not doing their job.

I recently re-read The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope. Trollope and Dickens continually remind me that what is happening now is not unique. It has all happened before. Why do we let them do those bad things? Human nature is most interesting. Dickens and Trollope give me perspective. The results ARE the same. 150 years later we repeat the same bad and good behaviors. We seem not to learn from history.

Good people like Helga are still there for me and I truly appreciate them. I think most people are "good". I rarely give appropriate thanks to them. I am woefully remiss.