After meeting with someone regarding a potential opportunity in a field where I would really like to work, I went off in a stressed-out state and called home to wish my parents a Happy New Year.

My father, typical man that he is, ended the call with a "All right, don't be so uptight. Go home now and relax. I have to use the toilet now. Love you."

Seriously, only a man could end a call off with that.

But after we hung up, I was just so overcome - with homesickness, heartbreak and stress - that I just wanted to find a quiet alley somewhere on the street to cry and let it all out. Instead, I sucked it up and went off to run my errands.

I'm down, but not out.

Or so, I keep telling myself.