"What Do You Do?"

I dread that question.  These days I never know how to answer it.  Once upon a time, it was easy:  I would say, "I'm a financial analyst," and that sufficed.  That was as much as people wanted to know.

But three big changes happened the year I turned 50 (besides turning 50):
  - I became a grandmother.
  - I became a wife for the second time.
  - I left the workforce to "stay at home."

"Staying at home" has a lot of facets to it.  Of course, I cook, clean house, do laundry, run errands, shop, garden, decorate, organize the household, handle finances, care for children (his, mine and grand-), care for pets, and even pay a little attention to my husband once in a while.

I do community service work.  I serve on the board of a not-for-profit foundation.  I play music and participate in other activities at my church.

I occasionally find a little time to do fun, creative things for my own enjoyment.  And then blog about them.

I'm also, apparently, a concierge.  It seems no one else in my extended family ever has time to pack for vacation, run the car into the shop, fix the leak, take the delivery, buy the tickets, find the missing *you name it*, sew on the button, wait around on the cable company, take kids to the doctor, buy the present, etc., etc., etc.

(The funny thing is, I did all the same things back when I used to say, "I'm a financial analyst."  Go figure.)

So, how do I explain in a word all that I do?  How do I answer that stupid question so that people understand I'm not "just a..."  How do I convey that, while I don't earn a paycheck any more, I am proud of the integral role I play in the well-being of my family and my community?  How?

This is how:

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