Affiliate Business Trends

I’ve named todays post, Tuesday Trivia.  All week I tell you about different affiliate business opportunities available to the home entrepreneur.  So I thought in order to mix it up a bit and have a little fun, Tuesdays would be a day of trivia.

Today I  have a fun little story that my friend sent to me in an email.  Since there are a lot of work at home moms, I thought they might like this.

It’s titled   “Just a Mom”.

A woman, renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office, was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.  “What I mean is”, explained the recorder, “do you have a job or are you just a ….?”

“Of course I have a job” snapped the woman.  “I’m a Mom”

“We don’t list MOM as an occupation, Housewife covers it” said the recorder emphatically.

I had forgotten all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.

The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding title like, “Official Interrogator” or “Town Registrar”.

“What is you occupation?” she probed.

What made me say it?  I do not know.  The words simply popped out…  “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk paused, ball point pen frozen in midair and looked up as though she had not heard right.  I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words.  Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

“Might I ask”, said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field”?

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research, (what mother doesn’t), in the laboratory, and in the field,” (normally I would have said indoors and out).

“I’m working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits” (all daughters).  “Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,” (any mother care to disagree?) “and I often work 14 hours a day,” (24 is more like it).  ”The job is more challenging that most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are more of a satisfaction rather that just the money.”

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, bouyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants – ages 13, 7, and 3.  Upstairs, I could hear our new experimental model, (a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.

I felt like I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!  And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than “Just another Mom”.

Motherhood!  What a glorious career!  Especially when there’s a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers “Senior Research Associates in the field of Child Development and Human Relations”?

And Greatgrandmothers, “Executive Senior Research Associates”?  I think so.

I also think it makes Aunts, “Associate Research Assistants”.*

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.  Maybe I enjoyed it so much because I was a stay at home mom until my son and daughter were in 8th and 9th grades.  Back when all my friends were busy career women or doing the “working  career mom”, and I was “Just a Mom”.

I’ll be back tomarrow with more news on Affiliate Business Trends.

*author unknown.

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