We are not guaranteed anything... Not another day at work, another pay check, another breath. If we lived our lives so carefully that what we do today will not effect tomorrow then we have no reason to live. If you're a tenured associate (which I am... over 5 years) you have probably made commitments based on pay. We made 50000 a year (at least) the last two years... So why would it be silly of us to think we couldn't afford a mortgage? A BMW? Or hell... Why not both?? The rug was pulled from under us. Not gradually... Just WHAM. Good luck. Oh yeah... Sorry your mortgage might be late. Sort of. Maybe we can cross our fingers and hope your child doesn't get sick and have to go to the ER because that LITTLE spending money you have was meant for food... You go from really comfortable to "ok... How am I gonna make this work??" Here's reality: I'm doing EVERYTHING I can to hit a THIRD of what I made. In the process, my leaders kept saying "trust me... Trust us.." I'm sorry... NEWSFLASH: Trust doesn't pay for the 30000 car I bought! I'm lucky to have a job... And I'm also lucky to have a resume.