New to Java

I am trying to create a program that uses a JFileChooser to save itself. When I try to save, I get an IO exception.
The message along with this IO exception says : javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalFileChooserUI. That is the entire message, so it didn't help much. I looked into the javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalFileChooserUI class and saw that it was not serializable. The javax.swing.plaf.metal.MetalFileChooserUI class sets the look and feel for the JFileChooser that is used for saving files. I assumed this is what was causing the exception, so I made the JFileChooser transient, but the exception still occurs. If anyone could help, it would be greatly appreciated. Here is my code, with the parts that I think are making it buggy highlighted by a line of asterisks

import javax.swing.*;
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class FlashCardFrame extends JFrame implements Serializable {
	
	private ArrayList<FlashCardData> cards;
	private int index;
	private JMenuBar menuBar;
	private transient JMenu file;
	private transient JMenuItem saveFile;
	private transient JMenuItem openFile;
	private transient JMenuItem run;
	private JPanel content;
	private JTextArea question;
	private JTextArea answer;
	private JButton previous;
	private JButton next;
	private JButton save;
	/******************************************************************************
                private transient JFileChooser saveFC;
	private transient JFileChooser openFC;
                ******************************************************************************/
	
	// Columns and Rows in question/answer boxes
	private final int QACOLS = 40;
	private final int QAROWS = 10;
	
	public FlashCardFrame() {
		// Set up the frame and content pane
		super("Flash Card Creator");
		setDefaultCloseOperation(EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
		setVisible(true);
		cards = new ArrayList<FlashCardData>();
		content = new JPanel();
		content.setLayout(new BoxLayout(content, BoxLayout.PAGE_AXIS));
		content.setBackground(Color.white);
		
		// index keeps track of what card is being viewed
		index = 0;
		
		// Set up the MenuBar
		menuBar = new JMenuBar();
		
		// Set up the file menu
		file = new JMenu("File");
		
		saveFile = new JMenuItem("Save");
		saveFile.addActionListener(new SaveListener(this));
		file.add(saveFile);
		
		openFile = new JMenuItem("Open");
		openFile.addActionListener(new OpenListener(this));
		file.add(openFile);
		
		run = new JMenuItem("Run");
		run.addActionListener(new RunListener());
		file.add(run);
		
		menuBar.add(file);
		setJMenuBar(menuBar);
				
		// Set up the Question text area
		question = new JTextArea(QAROWS, QACOLS);
		question.setBorder(BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("Question"));
		content.add(question);
		
		// Add space between the question and answer boxes
		/***** fillerSize will be used again later in
				 the program
	 	*****/
		Dimension fillerSize = new Dimension(0, 15);
		content.add(Box.createRigidArea(fillerSize));
		
		// Set up the Answer text area
		answer = new JTextArea(QAROWS, QACOLS);
		answer.setBorder(BorderFactory.createTitledBorder("Answer"));
		content.add(answer);
		
		// create a panel to hold buttons
		JPanel buttons = new JPanel();
		buttons.setLayout(new BoxLayout(buttons, BoxLayout.LINE_AXIS));
		
		// create space that will go between buttons
		Dimension buttonSpace = new Dimension(10, 0);
		
		// the previous button displays the previous flash
		// card, if there is a previous one
		previous = new JButton("Previous Card");
		previous.addActionListener(new PreviousListener());
		buttons.add(previous);
		
		buttons.add(Box.createRigidArea(buttonSpace));
		
		// the next button displays the next flash card
		next = new JButton("Next Card");
		next.addActionListener(new NextListener());
		buttons.add(next);
		
		buttons.add(Box.createRigidArea(buttonSpace));
		
		// the save button saves the current flash card
		save = new JButton("Save Card");
		save.addActionListener(new SaveCardListener());
		buttons.add(save);
		
		// create a filler between the answer box and buttons
		content.add(Box.createRigidArea(fillerSize));
		
		// Add buttons to the main panel
		content.add(buttons);
		
		// Add content to the window and pack it
		setContentPane(content);
		pack();
	}
	
	// Clear card clears the values from a card
	public void clearCard() {
		question.setText("");
		answer.setText("");
	}
	
	// Display the next card, if there is one
	public void displayNextCard() {
		if (index < cards.size()) {
			FlashCardData curCard = cards.get(index);
			question.setText(curCard.getQuestion());
			answer.setText(curCard.getAnswer());
		}
		else
			clearCard();
	}
	
	private class PreviousListener implements ActionListener {
		
		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
			if (index != 0) {
				index--;
				FlashCardData curCard = cards.get(index);
				question.setText(curCard.getQuestion());
				answer.setText(curCard.getAnswer());
			}
		}
	}
	
	private class NextListener implements ActionListener {
		
		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
			if (index < cards.size()) {
				index++;
				displayNextCard();
			}
		}	
	}
	
	private class SaveCardListener implements ActionListener {
		
		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
			String questionText = question.getText();
			String answerText = answer.getText();
			FlashCardData card = new FlashCardData(questionText, answerText);
			cards.add(index, card);
		}
	}
	
	/***********************************************************************************
                private class SaveListener implements ActionListener {
		private FlashCardFrame toSave;
		
		public SaveListener(FlashCardFrame toSave) {
			this.toSave = toSave;
		}
		
		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
			saveFC = new JFileChooser();
			try {
				saveFC.setSelectedFile(new File("New file"));
				int returnVal = saveFC.showSaveDialog(toSave);
				if (returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
					FileOutputStream fos = new FileOutputStream(saveFC.getSelectedFile());
					ObjectOutputStream oos = new ObjectOutputStream(fos);
					oos.writeObject(toSave);
					fos.close();
				}
			}
			catch (FileNotFoundException fnfexc) {
				System.out.println("File not found");
			}
			catch (IOException ioexc) {
					System.out.println("IO Exception: " + ioexc.getMessage());
			}
		}
	}
	
	private class OpenListener implements ActionListener {
		private FlashCardFrame openIn;
		
		public OpenListener(FlashCardFrame openIn) {
			this.openIn = openIn;
		}
		
		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
			openFC = new JFileChooser();
			try {
				int returnVal = openFC.showOpenDialog(openIn);
				if (returnVal == JFileChooser.APPROVE_OPTION) {
					File file = openFC.getSelectedFile();
					FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(file);
					ObjectInputStream ois = new ObjectInputStream(fis);
					FlashCardFrame newFrame = (FlashCardFrame) ois.readObject();
				}
			}
			catch (FileNotFoundException fnfexc) {
				System.out.println("File not found");
			}
			catch (IOException ioexc) {
				System.out.println("IO Exception: " + ioexc.getMessage());
			}
			catch (ClassNotFoundException cnfexc) {
				System.out.println("Class not found exception");
			}
		}
	}
	/********************************************************************************************
	private class RunListener implements ActionListener {
		
		public void actionPerformed(ActionEvent e) {
			new FlashCardPlayer(cards);
		}
	}
	
	public static void main(String[] args) {
		new FlashCardFrame();
	}
}