After a volatile 2011, the stock market is off to a relatively good start in 2012 — at least as I’m writing this — though I’m still plenty confused about my retirement savings.My confusion kicked into high gear in 1987 when the market plunged 508 points in one day, losing 22 percent of its value and killing my IRA.The experts had lots of explanations after the collapse, but most failed to see it coming.I vaguely remember the Asian financial crisis of 1997, too. It caused another Wall Street collapse that the experts didn’t see coming.Afterward, they explained that some banks in Thailand had credit problems. This caused a run on the baht, which is either the Thai currency or a really tasty dish along the lines of Gen. Tso’s chicken.Well, the bank run caused other Asian currencies to suffer, which caused the Hong Kong stock market to take a hit, which caused fear and panic at other stock markets throughout the world, which eventually caused a bunch of New York guys in suits to jump out windows.And my IRA took another beating.There have been lots of confusing ups and downs since then.