WHAT DO YOU DO?

 

It was once taboo to ask a woman her age, and under some circumstances it still is. To that one I’d like to add “What do you do?” Sharon Santoni, in rebel mode at My French Country Home, got me wondering today. Lately she’s often been asked “What do you do?” – as in how do you make a living? Unless a gal is extremely gainfully employed as an extremely well paid executive and/or celebrity, with oodles of help to do all that she has to do, there is no short job description. The quickie comeback would be: "at which hour of the day?"

Mimicking Sharon’s list, depending on the time of day or day of the week I am chief cook and bottle washer, housemaid, laundress, chauffeur, supply officer, bookkeeper - like the beat, the list goes on. At my age I’ve added caregiver – the younger gals can usually add teacher to their list, although most of us are on a life-long quest to better our children.  Throw in some seasonal occupations such as gardener and some leisure occupations such as reading or crafting, and there you have it.

I really don’t mean to disparage my husband – you know how proud I am of all he’s done – but these past weeks when he’s been out of commission the only extra jobs I’ve had are designated driver and to take out the trash. The rest of what happens in the house goes on like clockwork. Minor mishaps I can handle. Should any major maladjustment arise I know help is – as it is for most women – only a phone call away.

In this community of “active adults” it’s easiest to ask a person where’s they’re from – relatively few are from the Carolinas – and it’s easy to ask a man what he did before he retired. But unless the information is offered gratis, or if she’s introduced by someone else who includes her curriculum vitae, we never ask what a gal did before she moved here or retired because we know what she did, we know what she still does: a lot of work!