Wednesday 21 August 2013

What have you been up to?

I gave my husband and his friends a lift to the rugby on the weekend, and one of his friends, who I've not seen since last year asked "And what about you, what have you been up to?" I had no answer. I was completely blank. I mumbled something along the lines of 'busy, but nothing of particular interest'. Then announced I went to the Blue Man Group this week, and liked that. It was a little odd and very lame.

We'd all been talking about the new jobs of 2 of them, and a recent trip of the other. Why, when out of politeness that it came my turn, did I have a blank? I don't work at the moment, but haven't for 5 years, so I should have a better handle on this question. Yet I always seem to baulk at an answer, when asked.

I could have pointed out we'd just had a weekend away, just had a birthday party, had friend down from Brisbane, had SIL 50th, been to a number of movies - but I was actually blank. I could have even talked about entering some writing competitions or teaching ethics.

I could have even talked about what I've been doing with the kids - sports carnival, book parade, one just turned 5 and so on.

But I literally could not think of a single thing to say.

Do you stumble at this question? Why do you think this is? (I know why, but I'm meaning why do we put less value on what we do, if not framed within paid work?)

Just a little housekeeping - I'm off on a jaunt for a week so may not be online until Conversations over Coffee next Thursday - and the First of the month fiction will be ready to go Friday 30th. So have a good weekend and I'll see you all then.

Linking up with Talk to Us Thursday and hopefully With Some Grace on Friday (if logistics allow it)

11 comments:

  1. Interesting post and yes, I guess I do struggle with that question. But more because I kinda don't want to get carrried away talking about "me". Not sure why.
    The other question I struggle with is when I have to fill out a form and it asks me: "Occupation"
    Gee, I'm many things...
    I saw the Blue Man Group too...Rock Concert Movement #2...raise the roof! :)

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  2. SNAP!!!! I never know what to answer - I am at home with two children, when we go out - its to the park or playcentre - stimilating conversation with a 2 and 4 year old is all about teddies and dinosaurs!! Yes I run a business from home, but alot of people don't understand it and its hard to explain that I import goods from Japan to help make children's lunches fun! Then they ask oh so you make the lunches? I say no I import the sandwich cutters etc - and you get a blank oh look. Convo over.

    Perhaps we should all group together and come up with stimulating convos answers we can use when asked what have you been up too!!

    LOVE LOVE LOVE Blue man group! Saw them in the UK a few years back. well worth going!! Even have a picture with them somewhere floating around!

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  3. Absolutely understand how you feel. Now that I'm blogging there's a bit more to talk about, but earlier on, I felt about as exciting as a pile of unfolded laundry! I just deflect - "but, what about you?" Katie from Mumabytes xoxo

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  4. Hmm yep.
    Hearing you.
    I'm just a Mum .. I have nothing exciting to talk about either.

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  5. I give deliberately vague answers eg. "same old same old" or "keeping out of trouble" because most of the time people who ask that question don't actually care about your response anyway :)

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  6. I do the usual answer of 'not much', like anything I have to say will be of any interest anyway. I'm the same, I have lots to say but get stuck when someone actually asks :) Even when I worked, I did the same thing, "oh just been working and doing the mum thing". Next time, I will have to push myself to tell them exactly what's going on, they'll probably not ask again!

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  7. Yes absolutely. I'm always busy but never doing anything particularly interesting.

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  8. I'm a chatter box so usually have something to say. Too much to say ... I think perhaps that sometimes people wish they hadn't asked the question.
    Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit

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  9. Even when engaged in paid work I find this a hard question to answer sometimes "Oh, just the usual, work and kids" - yep, lame. But if they're only asking out of politeness and you go off into great detail about work and snotty noses then their eyes will glaze over anyway. Not sure what the answer is.

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  10. I struggle with this one as well. Probably because a lot of what I want to talk about is blog or writing related and I just know so many people don't get it. The ones that do are sadly not often people I get to spend a lot of time in the real world. So generally I can't think of much to say either. I guess some of my resistance to answer is because I just wonder how much they are really interested or just being polite

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  11. I think all of us have trouble with this question, even if we do work. I always gloss over things and just say something along the lines of keeping myself out of trouble because, less face it, not many people would be very interested in what i do anyway!!!

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