I have a hard time explaining what it is that I do for a living. Most of the time, I say that I’m a freelance writer, but that’s not really accurate — I don’t write for print media (although I would love to). Saying that I’m a blogger confuses people — they don’t really know what that means, or they assume that I make my living from this blog (which would be fabulous, but is not what really happens).
But it’s not just the job title that’s tough — it’s the actual what do you DO? that stumps people. What does a blogger do?
This week, Roxanna and Chris and I were in the same fairly small hotel in Chicago. Instead of meeting in the lobby for coffee, we were in our rooms texting and IMing and emailing each other. Chris took a picture of her shoes and sent them to me — you know, instead of walking downstairs to show them to me in person.
Bloggers take a lot of pictures, of things like our shoes and our drinks and ourselves. And anyone else who happens to be, say, in the bathroom with us when we’re there. (Hi, Clare! You’re such a good sport.)
This week, when we were taking pictures, people asked, “What do you do with all those pictures?”
“We put them on the internet,” we said. Of course.
No wonder people can’t figure out what I do for a living.
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Looks like fun! I’ve decided to outsource my entire Thanksgiving dinner to Honeybaked Ham company. I feel guilty.
By Johna on 10.24.08 7:08 pm | Permalink
A very bemused man at a bar last night had to ask why 6 of us were standing in a circle with cameras, taking pictures of our shoes. Because we’re bloggers!
By Jenn @ Juggling Life on 10.24.08 11:24 pm | Permalink
In my defense it was a long walk to the lobby to show you my shoes
By chris on 10.25.08 6:58 am | Permalink
You should live in this backwoods home of mine. Less than 400 here in my town, less than 1400 in the next biggest town and less than 12,000 in the next biggest town.
Yea, and to believe a stalker actually walked up in my yard last week…..but when people ask, “what do you do”…I have the darnedest time explaining it, especially to folks who haven’t even mastered email yet…
By Jerri Ann on 10.26.08 1:00 pm | Permalink
I have the same trouble not knowing how to describe my profession. Technically, I am a freelance travel writer, but have you found that when you throw “freelance” in there, people treat you like you’re unemployed? Um yeah, get that all the time, even when you have a regular column and contribute to the same mags each month. Then, I also am the Bay Area editor for a celebrity mag, which complicates my job title even more, as it has nothing to do with travel whatsoever! But I can’t say my job description has ever entailed taste-testing Butterball turkeys, yuuummm!
By Camels & Chocolate on 10.26.08 8:19 pm | Permalink
But, really what do you DO to make money? Who pays you?
By Tracee Sioux on 10.28.08 4:51 pm | Permalink
Ooooh, shoes! And pictures! I miss my digital camera (the sudden meeting with an unyielding ceramic tile floor killed the camera)… I feel less-than as a blogger.
My husband and I im each other nearly every evening, while in the same house.
By Ray on 10.28.08 9:31 pm | Permalink
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