Here comes the sun

It's end of March. It hasn't been the brightest month of my life.
I am hoping April will bring some much needed success.
I am hoping April will bring some much needed good news.
Even though there's no sun outside and the forecast says it's not coming out in the next ten days either, I hope there will be plenty of reasons to feel sunny in the new month. For me and for anyone else who needs it.
Cheers!

Illusions

J's boss asked him today about my future plans (sigh..even people who haven't met me are concerned about my future now!)

Anyways, so when J told Mr. Boss about my intentions of finding a post doc in some university and my disinterest in industrial jobs, he said: "She must be from a rich family that she is studying so much." (Hello! I pay my bills myself and since when did academics become a time pass for rich people??).

Looks like unless you do a 9-5 job and earn in 6 figures, your job is not a 'real job'.

J is now dreaming about a 4 bed-room flat in some big city and a diamond cladded bride sponsored by 'the rich family'.

Questions

"So when are you coming to India?"
"And when are you getting married?"

Seems like people (specifically not-so-close family and friends back home) want to know only these two things about me these days. I was asked these two questions at least a dozen times in last few months!!

I am amazed because as I mentioned these people are 'not-so-close' to me.
It's not likely that I will visit any of these people whenever I go home.
It's not likely that they will get invited to my wedding whenever it is.

Then why are they so interested?

If this is just formality, can't they just stick to regular questions like "How are you?" and "How is life/work etc.?"

It's starting to get on my nerves because I'm totally clueless about my own future right now .

I'm running out of quirky answers. Anyone got ideas?

Ph.D. blues

• I have to finish my dissertation in 3 months.
• This paper needs to get accepted immediately.
• I still have to do that one experiment.
• I have to have a job offer soon.
• Those lab reports need to be graded by Tuesday.
• I need to file my tax returns.
• My house looks like a pigsty and needs mega cleaning.

My brain hurts. Literally.

Chicken and Me

A conversation between me and Mrs. M (J's mother):

Mrs. M: So you know Mr. M is only eating vegetarian food these days.
Me: Oh really? Why?
Mrs. M: Just like that. Says he doesn't feel like eating non-veg.
Me: I see. (Don't know what else to say)
Mrs. M: But he says he will eat chicken again on your wedding day.
(Huh! Now I totally do not know what to say)

Is this a new way of blackmailing?

I am becoming a skeptic

A student calls me up and tells me that he is in serious family crisis. The situation he describes is really, really awful.
I feel really bad and I ask "What do you want to do?"
He says "Can I submit that paper two days later?"
So now I am thinking " The family crisis he just described sounds too horrible to not run home immediately. Is he telling the truth or is he making up stories just to get that extension?"

I am turning into a mean, skeptic!

I blame it on the past experiences. People come up with some pretty crazy excuses around this time of the semester. It's mid-term week. Everyone is crushed with deadlines and exams. I have been getting deadline extension requests for this paper since last two days (It is due tonight). Unfortunately, I do not have the authority to do so and the Professor who has, won't buzz. I guess it's because he has even more experience than us TAs. "Tough love", he says!

How much sharing is caring?

This question is regarding sharing of private information, such as passwords of your e-mail accounts and such, with your significant other.

I guess according to the rules of 'love and trust' you are not supposed to keep any secrets from your partner. I agree about that mostly but what if you want to surprise the other person and you need to order the gift online? Definitely it won't be fun if the person comes across that confirmation letter in your mailbox!

The reason I thought about this topic today is a funny incidence (for any third person):
A guy I know got married recently. It was an arranged marriage. He has been in a relationship in the past but he didn't tell his wife about it yet. Totally understandable. It takes time to be comfortable enough to share everything about yourself, but I guess it takes less time to be comfortable enough to share 'the password'. Without thinking much this guy gave his wife access to his mail account and guess what...the wife discovered a bunch of letters from the ex! The past relationship was over some 3 years ago. The poor guy probably didn't even remember that those letters still exist, but you can imagine the scene in his house after that.

Moral of the story: Think twice before you decide to show your 'love and trust' :)