Hello Chris, I wanted, when I was young, to spend my life in scientific research and studies. And I got to do that. Earned a Ph.D and entered into a world of true scientific research. An academician (unless having huge alliances with industry) is not usually offered a lot of money. There is a certain freedom though to probe the science further as one wishes (as long as Boss has enough grant money). Even with entering the scientific life as I always wanted, I have come to think that it is not as nobel or pure way of life as outsiders thinks. Even after ok publication record, I am not very satisfied, I feel cheated out of my life, because there are no more avenues to expand my knowledge as well as have sufficiant money to live life the way I always wanted to (no money to buy, say, 600mm IS version?) Its been hell because of science....!!!! I am trying to be free by trying to exel in other fields, like photography. Achal PS: some of the lines were cut/pasted from Chris' mail because they needed to be there. :)
