I am reminded of what my good old friend used to say - 'Anyday I can leave all this software coding and start coaching people for engineering entrance examinations'. And that used to keep her a lot more confident. I feel one should be familiar with some trade/business idea which he/she can go back to. This is very important in this age of huge loans and the 'uncertainity of software industry'. Uncertainity because outsourcing from India has already begun and one should be prepared for it. Prepared by having another skill/experience in hand.

On an extremely different note, I am reminded of Morgan Freeman's words in Shawshank Redemption when he says "These [prison] walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them, then you start to depend on them."