Sorry if that came across as disparaging, it wasn't meant to be. My parent live in Ventura County and I'm very familiar with SB - it's an absolutely beautiful place that most people could only fantasize about living in. If I remember correctly you either started or became partner at a law firm that's done well, which clearly shows that you've earned your money. You should enjoy it however you'd like.
What I meant by the post was that a lot of people with a lot of money are doing fine, and my brokerage account and 401k are up on the year (mostly thanks to Palantir and Nvidia). But at the same time, my company's stock is down 35% this year which is painful given my equity holding requirements. I work with major corporations across the country and they aren't spending the way they do when the economy is in growth mode. Everyone is uncertain about our economic future and as a result hiring for white collar jobs has slowed significantly.
There's never been a greater time to be a service worker; those jobs are everywhere and plentiful. But if you make six figures and lose your job? Get ready for some extended time spent unemployed.