I think that all of us have to put up with sh!t times at our work. I am a supervisor at a silcon wafer plant, when I started over two years ago, I had 36 employees....today I have 13.

I have had to let go of 23 people. Some where chosen for me and I was just the messenger, but most were chosen by me. These were people with families that depended on them, single mother, single fathers, etc. I knew that some of the olders ones, were going to have a helluva time finding jobs that were going to pay them near what we did.

The problem is, I have gotten a rep around work at being pretty good at this task. In the last lay off we had, not only did I have to inform mine, but sit in with another supervisor and watch four more get the hammer drop on them. One of which was a full grown man, who cried the entire time as I watched him empty his locker. What do you say to them?

I have found that I can actually turn my feelings off, and it scares me. There is no doubt in my mind that I have grown more callous because of this. My friends see it, my family sees it. I have effectively distanced myself from everyone at work, and have done it somewhat with people outside of work.

I remember when I started this job how excited I was, and how great the money seemed, but now I know it's not even worth it.