Dear lk09,

I’d like to congratulate you on your paper having been accepted at a reputable journal and soon to be published! It’s also very good to hear that you’re looking for PhD programs either abroad or in India. I wish you to find a really good option, one that you like and that motivates you.

If you go to study abroad, would it give you respite from your parents’ plans to find you a husband? Because it could be an additional benefit 🙂

I hope your job situation improves soon – either in your current company, or somewhere else, where you’ll have a better opportunity for growth. Perhaps it can help you to think the situation (being underpaid and overworked) is temporary, and it will be resolved in the next few months…

I want to have a happy life now on, life will always have challenges but I don’t want to be stressed about everything all the time. Some dept. should be peaceful, shouldn’t it?

Right, you were stressed a lot in your previous relationship, you were trying to save him, and it never works. If one side is trying too much and the other is unwilling, it doesn’t end well. I hope that next time it will be much more balanced, and the other party be equally willing and invested in the relationship, without carrying too much “baggage”.

It appears you’re feeling good about yourself at the moment, appreciating yourself and not blaming yourself for why it didn’t work out. Am I noticing this right? If so, you’re in a good place, and I am happy for you!

Thinking about you, Ik09, hoping you are well!

anita

Dear Ik09:

I am glad you asked how I am doing because I need to vent just a bit: I moved far north and live on top of a mountain with lots of trees around, and enjoyed a few years of  mild summers (never a need for an air conditioner) and cold winters. But this weekend, the temperatures hit record highs and there is no escape from the heat. Residents here know that these temperatures never happened before in this area. Yesterday at the local taproom there was a discussion about global warming and I feel that the-end-of-the-world is upon us. The “best” news is that tomorrow will be even  hotter than today!

Other than that, I am fine, thank you for asking (I would have added an emoji here if I knew how!)

“I first thought that maybe I am not working hard enough that is why they are not paying well… But despite working all the time… I get the same results… I don’t know if I am not competent enough to work or is my work situation actually bad”- they are paying you less not because you are incompetent, but because, like you wrote, the company suffered losses due of the pandemic (but maybe, just maybe, they are able to pay more than they are currently paying employees, but are using the pandemic as an excuse not to).

“I have been very irritable these days, if someone jokes about the same thing more than thrice, I shout at them to stop and leave me alone”- I will make sure then that I don’t repeat my (rare) jokes more then twice!

“Sorry for venting out”- no problem. You vented and I vented (while having an ice pack on my chest to cool off).

anita

Dear Ik09:

It is over 40 Degrees Celsius here since Friday and expected to remain into the week. The average in June is about 15 degrees!!! I was so happy to live here because of the lower temperatures in summer, but that has changed this weekend. After submitting this post I will go for a walk before the heavy heat begins (it is now 7:40 am, a bit late for the walk). I want to tell you about my walk and a bit more, after I return.

anita