OK, I will be honest: Afraid of the rejection. There. I admitted it. You guys have been great to me and I REALLY appreciate this. I still feel like crap, yet a little less and even more after Christmas. H: $-spending alien??? Hmmmm. He should meet my wife. LOL!!! Still love her though and she used to be soooo nice and 'lovie': Thats her word- I swear. Thats nice that you put up a tree. I'm glad for you- really. I don't feel as isolated even though I have friends. Thing is, most of them are cynics and/or have their own drama going on. Geeez. I'm 45 and I do believe that this is by far THE toughest year that I have ever been through. And: one of my friends recently said this: "Don't worry. Just when you think you've hit the bottom, you will find out that there is a whole new level under that. Smart ass. He's one of my cynical friends yet also a very good friend. This is all insane. I don't understand why husbands and wives do this