The Question

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Lifestyle

Shortly after meeting someone for the first time, the question is asked:
“What do you do?”
Invariably - at least in my experience- the question evokes a response about what someone does for a living, or, perhaps, did for a living.
Is that changing?
Do others, a different generation or otherwise, respond differently?
How would it feel to answer the question without allowing your work to define you?

Comments

Daniel Schwartz

I usually jump right to work related doings. I like the deeper thought of taking work out of the equation that you suggest.
Fred Klein

I was taught not to ask that question, but how can I not?
Benjamin Geizhals

I think there may Ben an evolution away from the old question......wouldn’t that be nice?
Shelley Simpson

I have tried to avoid answering with work or at least answer it with a questions that reflects what I do. Lately I have responded that I "look for ways to avoid being abducted by aliens." That seems to break the ice.
Rich Slomovitz

Good one Shelley. I also take that question to mean - what do you do for a living. I should consider starting my answer with "For Work, I do......." and then add in some personal as well.
Robert Intelisano

Sometimes I will break the ice (if a female is asking) and say, "you mean on a first date?. Depends on my mood and amount of consumed adult beverages at the time! Other times I will say, by day I own an independent insurance agency. At night I run pizza crawls, write a weekly newspaper column called, "The Financial Wave" and a monthly pizza review magazine column called "A SLICE of Queens!"

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