My stock options should have materialized this spring, and I planned on buying a nice home somewhere.

Now its all worthless.

And I wanted to buy my wife a new car as a wedding gift....

*sigh*

Anyway, I'm still employed which is more than many of my friends got.

I worked very hard to get to where I am today.
I made some very good choices (like starting to work at 14 to buy myself a computer) and I worked hard to make my dreams happen.

So I'm proud of every cent I have, and dislike it when I lose them.
The money I lost wasn't a gift - it was hard-earned money.