Allow me to take a crack at it - in English, if you don't mind.

來源: 2010-04-30 18:24:47 [舊帖] [給我悄悄話] 本文已被閱讀:

當有選擇時,人就容易眼花。
When in doubt, step back and ask oneself: What is the big picture here? Still unsure about all the choices? Be conservative, take the safe route, and do no harm.

我一個朋友征求我的意見,而我到後來也同她一樣矛盾,她從來不到WXC,征得她同意,我自告奮勇把她的矛盾貼在這裏,誠懇地征求大家的建議。多謝了。
Hmm, are you unduly concerning yourself with something that is really not of your concern? And, for that matter, am I?

朋友是一個隨遇而安的人,對物質的要求也不高,但很想在一個喜歡的地方有一個穩定舒適的生活直到S。
Aha, there lie your friend's value propositions! In short, she seems to value comfort and leisure above many other things.

Based on your brief deion, the two choices are really not that different. In other words, they don't represent alternatives that clearly put one ahead of the other in terms of desirability. True, her new offer bestows on her a higher rank (associate professor vs. assistant professor), and provides better monetary compensation, but those two things don't exactly come free (pressure to perform, produce, and deliver at a higher level, greater responsibilities, a longer commute, etc.) and are not that well-aligned with her value propositions. On the other hand, her current employer is a known factor that she has found to, albeit imperfect (pay could be better, uncertainty/anxiety in the immediate future), suit her life style choices relatively well.

If I were her, I would stay put for now, but keep my eyes open for opportunities elsewhere. The temporary anxiety brought on by the upcoming tenure review will come to pass sooner than she realizes, and barring unforeseen but unlikely dramatic changes pursued by the new leadership team, your friend will in all likelihood find her familiar environment intact. Planning further into the future, of course, she would need to assess her priorities (life-work balance, family considerations, etc.) on a more permanent basis and make decisions accordingly.