Identity Theft

Not the kind where someone steals your social security, drivers' license or insurance policy numbers and ruins your credit - anyone trying that with my credit gets what they deserve. I'm talking about that question that inevitably pops up in any sort of social situation, a question I come to dread when I meet people in game chat rooms or even in online role playing games and the characters get dropped in order to meet the "real people"...

"So, what do you do?"

Now, generally the unspoken part is "for a living". This is what tends to put me in a bit of a quandry. Do I state the field that I'm seeking employment in? Do I list what I do in order to pay for my cigarettes and medicine? Do I give my volunteer staffing position with a player run gaming shard as a profession in some situations, just to confuse? "Well, George Bush is engaging in nation building. I decided to go one better. I'm part of a world building team." Hey, it sounds good and could shut up anyone not into computer games.

It's amazing how much of our personal identity is tied to arbitrary labels. I'm a computer technician, a divorcee, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a gamer... bipolar with depressive presentation. That bipolar label has added a few new labels - the hermit down the hall, the crazy lady, Joe's unstable girlfriend, just to name a few that I've heard.

Why can't I just be Marie?