Basically, there's always these questions people ask you in life, that you ask people, and we all hate them so very, very hard. Here's a few I've actually found answers for.
"What do you do?/What do you do these days?"
This always sounds like an inoccuous question, like general concern or interest. Usually, it's just a set up. You say "Not much" or "working" and they then ramble about what they're doing, because they only wanted you to repeat the question back to them, so they could ramble on about their so very important life. Know that at this point, it's not a conversation, but them bragging/complaining.
Unless, they actually want you to explain what you do...
For all of us, unless we're in a very small and select field, this question makes us feel like processed shit. Because unless you're a doctor, firefighter, or licsenced orphan rescuer, this question will force us to justify our lives to this person, who is so far removed from us, they don't know what we do.
It's multiple choice from hell, if you answer wrong, they're going to hold it against you, and you know it.
My answer: I tell them what I DO, not what I do to pay bills. If those two are one in the same for you, you selected correctly on the test. Well done.
I reply that I'm a martial art instructor, which leads us into the next question...
"What do you teach?/What do you (Insert your job here)"
This is where they, a layman, asks you the details of your highly specialized job that you think easy. Every try explaining an easy thing to someone? It's ironically not easy. They always ask what I teach, and nine out of ten times, they've only heard of Karate, Kung Fu, and possibly tae bo. Out of the thousands of martial arts available in the world, they know of the basic name of this one they heard of from TV.
I usually just say "Kung Fu" now, because it's easier than explaining Wing Chun, or the fact I focus more on sword work. Most people have never heard of Wing Chun, and most people think swords only existed in England for six months during the dark ages, or in Japan. That, and if I heard one more "I thought Wang Chung was a band..." joke, I'm going to start handing out free "lessons" to people I'm introduced to.
A quote I was told in high-school was this; "A bore, when asked how their day was, will tell you." which I found to be one of the most idiotic quotes. Because if hearing about my day will bore you, then why did you ask?
As a people, we need to stop having vestigial questions. Or, at least have snappier comebacks to them, especially to those "people" who ask you "how's it going?" in passing, as they pass you, and then walk away.
I just say "Baking soda" and walk on.
