After much struggling over the last 6 months, it is time to make some changes.

I have made many friends on AD and am grateful for their kindness and support. Being forced to retire early has placed me in a poverty level status. I have struggled for months to survive and continue writing. I wrote to my friends on this site, I was leaving yet here I am. It was only a short reprieve. With our brittle economy people are reverting to a Great Depression Mentality. The minority have, the majority have not. The middle class was almost obliterated during the 30's. People of substance became fearful hoarders, while the majority stressed over making ends meet. If the "hoarders" (and I am not speaking of everyone with money), had circulated their wealth, it would have shortened the Depression by stimulating the economy. The old saying "If people do not learn from the mistakes in history, history will repeat itself". Welcome to the "new depression". Everyday conveniences many take for granted such at TV, telephone, internet, have now become luxuries.

It was shocking if not mind boggling to discover the mega corporation telephone service provider allowed me to keep my cell phone, which is so dearly needed at this time, due to my father's alarming declining health. He misses my mother who passed away three years ago. A phone was a vital then, and still is now. But the high cost of cable bundling has forced my hand. I will have to drop it. The extra income will allow me to pay off back bills (fortunately I do not own credit cards), and by doing this, make my shaky credit even worse and more difficult to find a TV/internet provider, as I will be paying a large deposit for the privilege of having this service again. It is important to me. As a writer, we know know how invaluable the internet is. I have a second novel hanging around somewhere in literary agent hell and will have no way of knowing if the novel is accepted. It wasn't in the past, but the book was incomplete and after two years of writing and rewriting, the book became a living thing, constantly growing until I had to stop and send it off alone in the world; and like a child, it may be lost.

My dream to become a successful writer are not for avaricious nor particularly altruistic reasons. I wanted to be comfortable earning a living at what I love most--writing; and have money to help those in need. Now that I have experienced deprivation to the point of cutting much needed basic necessities, I am more determined. The sinking ship I occupy has a growing passenger list. The days of the traditional 40 hour work week, are becoming more and more non existent. So our working class suffers, as our middle class slowly disappears, and I fear will never come back. We will be reduced once again, to a society of those that have and the many that have not.

I am not sure how much longer I will have internet service. It could be a week or a matter of days. I want to thank AD for being so receptive to the work I have posted and your remarkable reviews. God bless and keep all you fine artists. I am proud to have been part of your wonderful group.

Terry Robertson