“The fact of the matter is... I'm juggling so hard to keep all the balls in the air that I don't often get to really enjoy what I'm doing.” Amy Grant American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and occasional actress
Poor Amy Grant! She’s consistently asked how she enjoys her life of leisure now that she is no longer a pop-star. Fact is the woman is busier now than she ever was when she only had the one job. But people have a hard time getting their brains around the idea that just because you no longer do one thing, you have anything else to do.
Now this seems odd to me as to survive in the world, we have to juggle multiple roles. You can’t just do one thing anymore, not if you want to make a living, and have a life. Flipping heck we all have an awful lot of balls to keep in the air at once.
Time was (so I am told) that people just did one thing. You fell into a trade, a profession or lifestyle and that was you – done and dusted.
But if that time ever existed (and I doubt if it did) it has long passed. One thing for sure….Modern life is a continual circus act. And yet we all talk this bizarre shorthand which gives a different impression all together.
Here’s an example:
You’re at a wedding. There are people on your table you don’t know well. First question after “Bride or Groom?” is (9/10 times) “So… what do you do?” As if people can be pigeon holed by just one thing…as if by answering this question it will now be clarified exactly who you are spending time with. We know that will not happen. But out trots that safe short sentence. We’re Full-time Mum’s. You’re a Lawyer. He’s a Fireman. She’s a Nurse. They are Retired. I’m a writer.
Why do we do this? Those safe short sentences are nothing like what we actually do. Those safe short sentences clarify nothing.
Recently I overheard a conversation. [Some people need to lock their phones as phones can auto-dial a number on speed dial and if the call is answered without you knowing that person can hear your entire conversation.] The phones owner was at work and was by the sounds of things making a cuppa. A colleague came in and made an enquiry as to whether that person was still in touch with me and if they knew what I was doing these days.
Never eaves drop. You will hear things you really shouldn’t.
“Oh Jax… I don’t think she’s done much since she left the office, but she’s on Facebook a lot”
It took a lot of self control not to yell into the receiver; “OI!!! Num-nuts… you’re phone is on…. I CAN HEAR YOU!!!”
But I didn’t… I just switched my phone off. Then ranted for an hour to the foxes in the garden.
So this blog is posted on behalf of the occupants of the fox hole at the bottom of the garden. They really can’t take me having a rant about the fact that like Amy Grant I do have more than just the one job.
The foxes are bored about me going on about it. They just want to sleep in the day and eat KFC out of my bin at night. They don’t do counselling.
So… for the sake of the foxes…
I’m editor in chief of a magazine, I write for various publications, I do this blog, I’m a full-time mum, I’m a mature student… and if you ring me by accident… I am an eavesdropper.
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