"Are you happy?"

I have concluded there are only 2 people in this world who would ask me this question, one being my sentimental dad, the other my old prof. To be honest I get a bit agitated whenever my dad ask me this at the end of the phone call, because I felt as if I have no choice but to say yes, and that it felt like I'm obligated to lie about my level of happiness... which I don't mind doing it once in a while but every week is a bit much. But I understand that he cares and if I were to told him otherwise he would not be able to sleep at night and would have compilled 20 or more imaginary reasons for my unhappiness by morning. With potential solutions. Seriously, the night when I was home and I couldn't sleep coz I drank coffee late, he was worried for 1/2 day and confronted me by dinner. 3 times. My mom just gave me my old bolster, after I begged her.

As for my prof... I usually just told him as it is, so the answer usually sounds like this, "Eh.... well... umm... " because that's how I feel. He would mock my response and I'll tell him how useless I feel at work sometimes, like today. Then he would tell me something random, like a plot in 'saving private ryan' or 'beautiful mind', concluded with a summary that has nothing to do with the story: just go for it. He would have this look on his face saying, "Yes, little grasshopper, go for it. Now get out of my office."