I wasn't joking. I didn't think that this was so difficult to understand. I answered their question honestly about my application, and they thought it was funny. Do you think that they actually thought I 'desired' to be paid 25k? That would be dishonest to me. If they had asked me what I 'expected' to be paid then I would have answered what I already knew my pay would be. Try being dishonest in an interview and see how poor your interview can go. I guess I see it differently than all of you? Good luck to all that apply...sometimes it's good to stand out.