Preceding the Crash

So, how did the collapse all begin? There was a number of factors that all combined pretty much all-at-once to contribute. 1999 was the best year of my life. Actually every year in the 90's got progressively better and better, each and every year. The 90's started out great, and just got greater and greater as each year progressed. By the time 1999 rolled around, I was 29 years old, making $66K per year, loved my wife, enjoyed my job, and was very highly respected by my peers at work.

(Note: When I talk about my ex-wife, I still call her my 'wife' because at the time she was still my wife. When I talk about her now in the present tense, I call her my ex-wife. Believe me, I know that she is no longer my wife. Nor do I harbor any desires to rekindle that union. Just so you know.)

My wife, who was 30 years old, loved her job (and me) even more. In the mid-90's while living in the Toronto area I had put my wife (live-in girlfriend at the time) through a two year college program (in the field she was already working in and loved - Developmental Services). The idea at the time was that we would invest time and money to build her career while I supported her. Then once she was where she should be in her career, I would quit my job and start in a full-time MBA program for 18 months while she supported me. That's initially what my 'savings' outside of my retirement savings was earmarked for. Tuition fees for an MBA program.

She had just graduated from that two year program when we decided to accept my job offer in Columbus, Ohio. This move suited her just fine as the fairly new "Mike Harris" Provincial government (some Ontario political history) was in the process of making huge cuts in Provincial social programs (which is what funded all of the work in her field - Developmental Services).

The first year in Columbus, she didn't have an income. But that's okay. She kept busy enough. The first part of the year she planned our wedding (which we were having back in Manitoba - where our families were), then the second part of the year she did volunteer work in the Developmental services industry. This volunteer work is what eventually led to her securing her full-time 'dream job'. It was the work she always dreamed of doing, and after one year was highly praised by her supervisor during her annual review.

I thought my job and Columbus for that matter was 'fine' but could 'take it or leave it'. I didn't mind staying, and I didn't mind moving elsewhere either. But because she LOVED her job so much, we decided to make roots in Columbus. Buy a house and start our family. We were both very happy and loving life.

Mind you, buying the house meant I had to put off my MBA plans an additional few years. But that was okay, because I was doing so well in my job and making such good money that it didn't make sense to quit to go back to 'school' anyway.

Life was good.

Then EVERYTHING started falling apart.

...to be continued next post.....