Mistaken Identity Crisis

I think that was a puzzle on Wheel of Fortune... 

Identity's a tough one, man.  What you do is very much a part of who you are, whether you like it or not.  And when someone asks you - So, what do you do? - it's an easy one to answer when you are employed.  "Oh, I'm a teacher." or "I'm a chef." or "I'm an Audience Insight Specialist."  (That was an actual title of mine, and yes, it still confuses the hell out of everyone) But when you are looking for work, usually that answer isn't as easy to come by... cause nobody likes to say "uh....... nuthin".

But the good thing is,  it's not all we are about.  What you do is only a PART of who you really are.  Maybe you're a mom, maybe you're a brother, maybe you're the only single thirty-AHEM yr old in your neighborhood with a sleeve tattoo of bar stamps and duffel bags under her barely open poofy eyes walking her dog trying to piece together the events of the previous night... uh, but I'm just spit ballin, here. 

  

Unemployment (as FREAKING ANNOYING AND SUCKASS as it is) can be a good time to look at that.  Instead of basing your identity around what you do, it kinda forces you into looking at who you are and what you really like to do.  For instance, I noticed that I really like being friendly to strangers especially when they don't look at you like you are an asshole.  Weird, YES.  But kinda fun, yep, that too.  I also LOVE to cook... it's like my heroin (jesus it took me 4 times to actually spell heroin right - that's gotta be a good one to not know, right?).  Cooking is really one of my favorite activities and when friends, football and somehow music gets involved, I'm about as happy as I could be.  I like to think that who I am defines me more than what I do.  Cause, honestly, if my jobs were what defined me, I would be freaking Cybil at this point.   

So, if you are unemployed, when someone asks that dreaded "What do you do" question - tell em what you LIKE to do (but still keep in the "looking for work" part cause, again, the goal!) Right now, I'm looking for work (hellO), I cook, I write-ish and I like to make people laugh a little.... hey, I never said you had to be PERFECT at what you like to do, geez.  :)