Friday, March 2, 2012

A rat of a conversation

I had an interesting/irritating conversation today that really made me want to scream. I just had to share.

Male Someone (SO): When are you going to go back to work?

Me:  (Are you kidding me?) I do work.

SO (with raised eyebrows): Are you serious? I mean a real job.

Me: Ahem. I'm a writer (and a mother of three extremely active kids and wife to husband who is working on his MBA while holding down a job in which he is the manager). I never want to teach again if that's what you mean.

SO: You don't have to teach. You can just get a mindless job somewhere.

Okay you MSO, no SOB... obviously you know nothing about my life and how writing is my passion, how money doesn't matter to me and how my husband is very supportive.

 I changed the subject and wrapped up the conversation, ran inside and began this post (which really makes me feel like a tattle-tale).

So tell me, how would you respond to something like this?

P.S. Immediately after I wrote this I checked my email and this is what I found!

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Someone is now following Bird's-Eye Gemini


Someone just started following you at http://lkkolp.wordpress.com. They will receive an email every time you publish a post. Congratulations.

4 comments:

Linda H. said...

I'm not sure what I'd say. I usually try to use humor to keep myself from going ballistic on someone (haha) so I might say, "Writing is a real job even if I do it at home and I am still in my "training period".

But I am sure someone else will come up with a much more elegant and useful answer.

Claudette Young said...

Laurie, I'd probably look at him, shake my head in pity, and then in a clear, concise manner say, "I think that will probably be about the same time you become a "real" person."

Then I would smile, salute, and walk back into the house, while humming the Star Spangled Banner.

My philosophy: Why fight with someone whose mind is set to disapprove? Smile and express sympathy instead. After all, a closed mind is one that prevents adaptation to prevailing circumstances.

teri said...

I do not ever remember being challenged for being a stay at home mom. (My adult children are grown and gone)I cannot imagine the rudeness of someone even saying such a thing. I fear "my look" would have been withering enough to silence them. I am not a nice person when it comes to fools.

But I just had a realization. WHY do I allow myself to say these words to myself? I am thinking I need to pull out the "what the hell" attitude with myself. This has been thoroughly enlightening.

Jeni said...

Oh my.... sounds like someone wasn't being thoughtful in asking that question. Oh Well ~ ask yourself - who are they anyway??

what a cool Birds Eye Gemini!!! xxoo