February 29, 2012

THE Awkward Question

I'm pretty much an open book. You can ask me just about anything on any given day and I'm happy to answer it...in some way, shape or form. Even if it's personal, I don't mind. You can ask me things you would probably never ask anyone else and I'll typically have a pretty straightforward answer. This may make me sound vain but I actually enjoy talking about myself. (Hello?! Reason #56982 why I blog!)

There is, however, one question that I've been asked a lot lately and it is, hands down, one of the most awkward questions I have to answer.

Any guesses?

While some of your minds go straight to the baby question, you can get that answer here.
(And NO, that's not the question I'm talking about.)

While others may think I'm referring to the question "Are those things REAL?", that's not it either.
(Sarcasm, people. Sarcasm.)

I'm actually referring to a question that seems quite simple, but for me, it automatically puts me into panic mode. It sends me racing through my thoughts trying to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to respond with a legitimate answer.

"So what have you been up to lately?"

Typically it's asked by family or friends that I haven't seen in a while. You know...old sorority sisters, random 2nd cousins, parent's co-workers, etc...

And I know this may seem elementary to some of you but me?
I find it to be one of the toughest questions to answer.

My first thought is, clearly, "Well I DO have a blog and if you read it YOU WOULD KNOW!!" But then I step down from my soap box and realize that Facebook is apparently where all the "official" news happens these days and well since I don't have Facebook, you had no idea that I was even alive.

Then I start to think "Well crap. What have I been up to?"

Hmmm...lets see. "I'm an old married woman now. I have a job that I am extremely passionate about. I work out 3 to 4 times a week and I watch the Bachelor every Monday night. I like long walks on the beach and passionate kisses from my husband. (ha). I also have the privilege of traveling quite a bit, too." To me, life is great but with and answer like that, I can see how someone may think I'm less than interesting.

So then I think, "Shit. Am I that lame?"

Until I ask the same exact question back expecting some outrageous answer where they tell me how freakishly awesome life has been for them and how they traveled the world in a hot air balloon or something ridiculous but instead, I get just about the same exact answer.

Phew. Dodged a bullet there and it turns out I'm not that lame afterall. Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels uber awkward when asked this question!

Thanks for listening to me justify my answer. Ta ta, friends!

35 comments:

  1. Hah I hate that question about as much as the "soo, what do you do for fun" that you always get on first dates

    ReplyDelete
  2. NO, I can totally see where this is an awkward question!! It's so easy to talk about what you are into daily but when they want like a RUN DOWN RUN DOWN you think....truth or do I just make myself sound fabulous? hahaha So true!

    ReplyDelete
  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. haha.. YES i know where your coming from!! and THANK YOU so much for remembering the card!!! :) im curious i just deleted my fbook not to long ago and am curious as to why you don't have one??

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nope, I hate that question too! It's just awkward to try to catch people up on your life when you know that you just do 'normal' stuff. And in my humble opinion, normal is JUST fine! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Whatever. I always give you an amazing answer!! And you didnt call me back yesterday! You best return my call by 6pm today or Im cutting the dog. Yes, Im referring to that bad little Chiwawa ((I dont know how to spell that lil Mexicans breed)) who has more attitude than Mariah!

    Get acha girl!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ha!! I too, always feel super lame when this question is asked... "O just working, you know... Weddings... drinking beer... umm I don't know what else to tell you..."

    ReplyDelete
  8. ahhh this is SO true!!! that question is frusturating because i always hope I have something really cool to say!

    usually its just work...zumba...real housewives...going out to dinner

    never anything awesome! but soon i can be like "well im going to ohio to meet a bunch of girls i met on the internet"

    that could make for some interesting conversation ;-)

    xoxox

    ReplyDelete
  9. I feel like my husband and I always say "Oh you know.... working, busy with the house" and it's the same lame answer. Also- how about when people say "How is married life?" Am I supposed to go into details about our newlywed love fest!?! Or just say "GREAT!" with a big cheeseball smile on my face?! Awkwardddd!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Haha! This is too funny bc I also don't have a facebook so I'm pretty sure most people have no idea that I still exist.
    Plus, I know for a fact that I have gotten so lame (mature) than I was in college so I don't even have any good stories!

    ReplyDelete
  11. was definitely expecting "soooooo, when do you and Beau plan to have kids?"

    ReplyDelete
  12. At least you give an answer when people ask this question! I usually answer with "not a whole lot" which isn't even true - I'm getting married, my sisters are having babies, I'm planning my honeymoon etc but I always give the same answer! You're life is exciting and if it makes you happy its not lame!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Haha I feel ya. I always try to come up with something interesting but I feel like I have the same answer every time- "you know just keepin busy with work & wedding planning." Lammeee

    ReplyDelete
  14. I can't stand being asked that question! I always have the same answer haha

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ha. I hate this question too! This is awful, but when I don't know what to say I have the habit of saying, "Not much, how about you?". Which is just as bad, if not worse!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I feel like my answer is constantly the same. "work, school, hanging out". I mean what the hell am I supposed to say? "Um, so I wake up, brush me teeth...yadda yadda." Hey, they wanted to know what I had been up to...that's pretty much it!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I always feel that same way! Even when I am friends with those people on FB! It's definitely a question that leads to awkward moments!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I hate that question too - I never know how to answer it! Especially since I had gotten laid off I was like "uhhhh being a lame ass and living off the government?" I usually just skirt around it!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Well..... Are they real??

    ReplyDelete
  20. HAHA! I hate that question... so awkward. Almost as bad as "tell me a little bit about yourself"... :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. I hate that question.... I usually reply with something about my job. Lame!! And s u have an exciting life!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Haha I know exactly how you feel! It's always so hard to answer that question when you haven't talked to people in a while. I mean you can't tell them your life story! :)
    -Anna
    asweetsouthernmess.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I have terrible answers to this question, namely "nothing." I'm busy as all get out, but nothing exciting really happens in my life. Nothing new anyway, most of the time. I too feel like I should have something awesome to tell people, like "oh, you know, just saving baby seals in Antarctica, no big deal," but alas, I've never saved a baby seal. Or been to Antarctica. So, no, you're not alone! Phew - and neither am I!

    ReplyDelete
  24. I am glad to know I am not the only one who hates this question. Whenever anyone asks me that I just point to my baby boy, because yes, that IS all I've been up to lately thank you very much!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Not only do I hate that question, but I hate the awkward silence that happens after you've both answered the question...

    ReplyDelete
  26. I'm sorry, I think there is a typo in your post. I read "I do not have a facebook." WTF? You've got some 'splainin' to do.

    ReplyDelete
  27. i can totally relate...sometimes, i wanna simply reply - same on ish! i mean how to do you even respond! and, why do people even bother asking!!?!? LOL

    http://mixedelanie.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  28. i always find this question hard too. especially, "tell me something new". nothing ever outrageous excitingly new ever happens and if it did I would have told you! haha

    ReplyDelete
  29. You are certainly not the only one. Seriously. It seems that after the wedding planning and wedding/honeymoon...I have nothing to talk about with my fam/friends. I don't have a FB either, so I understand you 100%.

    I think people get tired of hearing me talk about how horrible my students are or how much I want to go back to school...I don't have anything new to share! LOL!!!

    I can totally relate to you and this post, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  30. DUDE, girl. I literally laughed out loud when I read the "what have you been up to lately" question. That is like the worst possible thing someone can ask me, too... right up there with "so, what to you do?" Hahahahahaaaa....

    I FEEL YOU.

    ReplyDelete
  31. PS - and umm YEAH. No one in my life should ask me what I've been up to, especially people who I'm FB friends with (I post all my blog links to FB). I consider that a slap in the face... or, ok, maybe that's a little dramatic, but it DOES annoy the hell out of me that people who are "real life" friends are either a) too embarrassed to admit they read my blog or b) just don't read it. WTH!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh my gosh, it is soo awkward & annoying, ha!

    ReplyDelete
  33. You know what question I am currently hating?! "So, how is the wedding planning going?" Well... it's going about the same from when you asked me that same question last week!! Shit!! Things just don't happen overnight! Especially when you have a year and a half to plan! I am SOOO over that question!

    ReplyDelete
  34. lol I get this question all the time, or How is the married life? It's wonderful..love it! Then people want to know what's so wonderful about it.

    ReplyDelete

I love hearing from my readers! I read each and every comment left on my blog. If you have a specific question, feel free to email me at snhoward16@gmail.com.

Also, please make sure your email address is set up with your profile so that I am able to respond to you. xoxo

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...