Being Asked Questions

I remember that when I graduated from high school, the question most asked was "So, what are you going to do next?"

I hated being asked this question. I knew that people only asked because a) they cared and were curious or b) were just killing time, shooting the breeze and didn't really care.

Either way, it meant that I had to have something to answer with. This was a bit of a problem because I wasn't really sure back then. You develop your stock semi-amusing answer, however, and learn to deftly change the topic.

This is also how I also answer the inevitable " Wow, you sure are tall, do you play basketball? No, well you really ought to, I bet the coach would sure love you."

My usual response?

Something self-depricating about a lack of both talent and coordination. It's both true and non-offensive. This is repeated ad nauseum instead of responding more truthfully and completly with: "I'd rather stab pencils in my eyes than play a competitive sport, especially basketball, with highly competitive and agressive athletes, because that whole team-sport thing actually sounds kind of like a mid-level ring of hell. Right in between the one for jerks who park in handicapped parking and the ring for overly biased journalists with no understanding of proper research methods."

Oddly enough, I used to get asked that question ALL THE TIME. Especially by strangers, the more random the stranger, the more likely I get that same damn question. Now my random stranger question still revolves around how tall I am, but with a new twist.

It is now: "Wow, you sure are tall. It must be really hard to find boyfriends tall enough."

My usual response: "Nah, my fiance is about the same height I am. Whoever's tallest just depends on the shoes we wear."

What I will someday say if I ever get annoyed enough: What? Seriously? Aaaargh. I'm leaving. I have better things to worry about than how tall my boyfriend is.

I'm now getting asked the "So, what will you do now with your spanking new degree? Grad school?"

It's understandable. I know. Enquiring minds want to know. My answer?

"Grad school? Dear God in heaven, please no. Not more school. Not for a while. Maybe a job. I hear you get money when you do them. That sounds very fun."

I've been working on this degree for six years. That isn't to say I've always been in school, but it has been my overarcing goal for that long. That is a long time. That's a full quarter of my life. I won't say never for more school, because the world has a way of throwing forever in your face, but I will say not right now.

I'm also getting married this summer, and then moving two timezones away. To a very large city where none of my friends live. I'll know a few people there, but mostly it will be people I've only very recently met, and no family of mine.

That is a lot of change. So to do all that and start school again (even if I wanted too) would be too much. Plus the whole money thing. It sounds intruiging.

My plans aren't really any more concrete than that. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, I'll have options. On the other, I'll have no (well, little) direction. We'll see how I do in this world with the B.A.