Four Conversations
Here are two conversations that you never hear:
One:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an electronics engineer.
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do electronics engineering all the time, then? You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing electronics engineering! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at electronics engineering. Lots of people have seen the electronics engineering that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do electronics engineering all the time.
Two:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an orthopaedic surgeon
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do orthopaedic surgery all the time, then?
You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing orthopaedic surgery! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at orthopaedic surgery. Lots of people have seen the orthopaedic surgery that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do orthopaedic surgery all the time.
And here are two conversations that you hear surprisingly often:
Three:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an actor.
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do acting all the time, then? You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing acting! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at acting. Lots of people have seen the acting that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do acting all the time.
Four:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an artist.
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do art all day, then? You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing art! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at art. Lots of people have seen the art that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do art all day long.
One:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an electronics engineer.
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do electronics engineering all the time, then? You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing electronics engineering! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at electronics engineering. Lots of people have seen the electronics engineering that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do electronics engineering all the time.
Two:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an orthopaedic surgeon
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do orthopaedic surgery all the time, then?
You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing orthopaedic surgery! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at orthopaedic surgery. Lots of people have seen the orthopaedic surgery that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do orthopaedic surgery all the time.
And here are two conversations that you hear surprisingly often:
Three:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an actor.
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do acting all the time, then? You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing acting! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at acting. Lots of people have seen the acting that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do acting all the time.
Four:
A: So what’s your job then?
B: I’m an artist.
C: Oh, how lovely! So you just do art all day, then? You don’t have another job?
D: Yes, that’s right.
E: Fancy being able to spend all your time doing art! Do you know, many people have said to me that I’m a natural at art. Lots of people have seen the art that I’ve done and said I’m brilliant, I ought to be a professional. Oh yes, I’ve often thought of it, but it would be self-indulgent really, when I’ve got a good job in the bank. Who knows, maybe one day - - - But you’re so lucky, being able to do art all day long.
posted by Daphne at 6:13 pm
8 Comments:
I swear I honestly thought you were talking about SAHMing. I so, so often want to interrupt people with "Yeah, sheer luck, nothing to do with our personal effort, research, and sacrifices at all, shut up about that and talk about your skiing holiday. Go."
SAHM, for those who don't know, is Stay At Home Mother - along the lines of "oh it must be lovely to be able to stay at home all the time with your children - of course I can't afford to do it because I have to save for the school fees for Rupert and Jemima and our second home in Spain is SO expensive to run."
I particularly enjoyed the woman whosat in my (small, crowded, mid-terrace) home and said that although she hated her job, missed her child, was sick with stress, and was afraid to report racist sexual harassment in the workplace, she couldn't be a SAHM because - I quote - she "couldn't handle the drop in standard of living."
Yeah.
In so many office-type jobs, you can just pretend to work... Even as a GP in some areas, you can go "I'll take Tuesdays and Wednesdays off, give me half a million quid".
If you're an actor/artist and don't do work... you don't get money. If you're a SAHM/D and don't do work... your baby starves/dies of illness/becomes a chav, and your house falls to bits.
These people do their jobs instead of the jobs they "want" because their jobs are comparatively extremely easy.
I'm a SAHM because Rob and I sat down and talked about what we'd do if independently wealthy. My answer: "Have babies, read books, write books, read books to babies, write books for babies..." and his was "Find someone with an interesting computer network with lots of users and make them let me play with it."
His ambition is a lucrative one. Mine isn't. We're happy.
Gareth - it worked for me for 25 years !
I had NO natural aptitude for things technical and I think I only made a career in computers as I thought I'd get to NASA one day (as it happens, I did......in 1989 but only as a tourist) and then be an astronaut.
During most of those 25 years I had the fear that I'd be caught out and shown up for the non geek that I was. Thankfully I made retirement with my secret intact.
I was going to play 'devils advocate' and try and make a case for those people who say the things that initiated this post, but once the idea of a SAHM having an easy life was mentioned, I knew I'd be on a hiding to nothing.
p-ffft p-ffft p-ffft the black rubber tightened about my arm for the first time in 39 years, "So," says the nurse, "not working today?" p-ffft "Er, no" I replied. p-ffft p-ffft p-ft... sssssssssss "What d'you do then?"ssssssss "I'm an artist."ssss"Oh, that must be nice," ssssss "my sister paints," sssssssssssssssssssss well fuck your sister I struggle with this stuff, why d'you think you're tsaking my fucking blood pressure?" pause, biro scribbles papers suffle, "- going anywhere nice for your holidays?"
p-ffft p-ffft p-ffft
hmm, your pressure is a little higher this time, is everything ok?
growl - my daugher is 17 and has exams
Ah!
___
but apart from that, Emily has me bang to rights (g)
Diz
apologies for anon -
I've forgotten how to log in
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