Yep, I love the hours
Seriously though, I am single, no kids, no pressure really. If I have a bad year or two, it's not a big deal. If it doesn't bounce back sooner or later, who knows. Worst part is I can't re-fi my PR cuz I can't get it past an appraisal review. I might have to bite the bullet and put down 30 k or so to get it done, cuz i like to re-fi it 4 times a year and pay myself 3 points on the yield 
Yeah, if you're single then it makes it easier. When you're married, got a kid on the way, the pressure begins to mount. These days, I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop with this negative publicity the sub-prime market is getting.
In any case, I think it's a good move on my part to consider another career just in case. Pharmaceuticals doesn't sound like a bad route to pursue, provided you are good enough to be hired. Good stable salary to fall back on, along with good benefits. I'll keep chugging along in the mortgage industry, waiting for it to get better while looking into this alternative avenue.
Thanks for the comments, by the way.