Fading, Slowly.

Learn to fade. Slowly and gracefully. And pace yourself. If you dont, you'll implode in no time. But string it out and the neighbors wont realize that over 10 years you went from a Hummer to a Maxima. Or from Aspen vacations to KOA campouts. Or from Salzbury steak to cheese sandwiches. Or from cocaine to meth. They'll never know you're 'consulting' consists of making phone calls that are never returned, watching Springer, and re-living the glory days with former peers. They never know your kid dropped out of college and joined the Marines. Or that your 401k that once was the dominant topic of conversation with friends, is now gone. They'll never know you really moved not to be closer to family, but because all you could afford was a one room efficiency. And they'll think you dont go to the Cuntry Club anymore because management offended your wife. So Relax. Fade. Slowly. The old saying "Time is money" also works in reverse. Particularly in a depression.