It was a beautiful relationship, one full of fond memories. Perhaps once in a lifetime by exchanging every intimate detail of ones life is such a deep, deep bond felt between two, inexplicably dependent on each other in furtherance of their mission in life. She was the one that held all of my memories.

Who held within their heart all the joy of acceptance letters from my publisher, each progressing manuscript update, and memories of Christmas past? Who is so close they know all of your passwords, and PIN numbers? For me it was Sara.

I am not sure how to grieve. The loss is complete and devastating. Will I ever be able to trust again? I am hurt, racked with pain, a bit confused and perhaps I feel a little guilt. Did I take care of Sara in return for everything she gave me? Probably not, I took her for granted; I assumed she would always be there for me.

Tomorrow I am going to begin by breathing in and breathing out. Life goes on; Sara would have wanted it that way.

One thing I have learned from this is to back-up, back-up, back-up. Sara was a wonderful hard drive. She lived for almost five years. Thats equal to about eighty human years. The doctor (computer geek) said he could transplant a new drive in her and she would be as good as new; but not to me. Without the memories, I would just as soon let Sara go completely. I wouldnt know her in a vegetative state. Sara lived with me through Windows 98, Windows ME, and an upgrade to XP, so it was really hard to sign the donor card and watch her lifeless carcass be carried of to be recycled. Perhaps she can give life with some of her parts to a hurting family somewhere.

Remember to back-up your files daily, or at least weekly. As I rebuild my life bit-by-bit (literally), I will think of Sara and know she has finally stopped spinning for good. She is at rest.

Jon Hanson

Jon often jokes, ?I began writing as a way to purge my sarcasm gland.? Many of the articles and press releases Hanson sends out employ humor and sarcasm. Also if you haven?t visited gooddebt.com you should do so. Check out the songs, comedy, and news parody video (WMV) called DNN,Debt News Network.

Hanson?s Songs Include: 1. The 12 Daze of Debtmas 1:30 ? 2004 Jon Hanson 2. Chargin? USA Copyright ? 2004 Jon Hanson, (Surfin' USA, Chuck Berry) BMI-Isalee Music & Arc Music 2:53 3. Debt Ridden Downs ? 2004 Jon Hanson (Horse Race of Financial Emotions) Comedy 2:07

Hanson also has a serious side and is working on two kids books and 50 percent of the proceeds will go to Out of the Rain Society to fund Autism Reseach. Hanson has partnered up with a brilliant illustrator Amy Sellers of Apopka, Florida (Hanson lives near Columbus, Ohio).

About Jon Hanson

A 25-year veteran and student of the real estate business and now a full-time author and speaker on topics of personal finance, Jon Hanson talks from the heart ? literally; he barely survived his own ?near-debt experience? a few years ago and used the lessons he learned to mine a deeper joy out of the dysfunctional monetary habits and attitudes that nearly cost him his life. Stressed, demoralized, nearly $100,000 in debt to the IRS, and suffering severe chest pains, Hanson imagined his own obituary while hooked to a heart monitor at his local emergency room:

?Jon Hanson (41) of Pickerington, Ohio, died Tuesday from complications stemming from lack of discipline, inability to delay gratification, and lack of discernment in financial matters. He showed great promise early in life. Unfortunately, he expired before much could be made of it.?

Fortunately, there's been no need for the obit. Jon has lived on to write Good Debt, Bad Debt which he hopes will spare others from the trauma he experienced while suffering from extreme "debtabetes, and inspire folks to rise above the financial mistakes made by virtually everybody in today's immediate-gratification consumer culture.

Prior to devoting himself to writing and speaking on the dangers of Debtabetes and other scourges of the land, Jon's full-time business was real estate. Jon has worked almost exclusively with distressed property situations since 1981. In the second half of his real estate career, most of Jon's effort was concentrated on more than 120 foreclosure work-outs, judicial foreclosure of liens, and judgments.