Happy Thanksgiving, Loser (i.e., Me)

Yesterday brought some bad news; an unexpected death in the family, if you will. This brings to an end the most disappointing and difficult year I've had in my life. I was already so down in the trenches that the impact of the bad news was probably far less than it could have been, had I been having an easier time to start. Should I be thankful for that? An inauspicious end to an inauspicious year, is how I think of it. Isn't the end of the world coming in 2012? Finally, something to look forward to.