What do I do for a living?

The first question than frequently comes up in society when you meet a new acquaintance is

So let's get this straight. Personally I detest this question. It makes a huge assumption that what you do defines who you are. In reality what most people do for a "living" is not a reflection of what they are as a human being. It is merely a point in a pathway of their life, a summation of their previous experience and choices made.   

If I say to you I work in a charity shop three times a week, how does that make you feel about me? What assumptions are you making?  Does that make me a good person to you- a benevolent philanthropist willing to give up my time to a greater cause? Or a bored housewife? 

I could say to you I work in an abortion clinic every day. I could say I merely write in blogs every day in my pyjamas. Either way many will make an assumption based on their own core values as to whether or not I am a good or bad person.

As it is, most initial readers of this blog will be life acquaintances of mine and will therefore already know what I do for a living, so lets get it over and done with now...I am a doctor. A hospital consultant to be precise. But please don't judge me on this alone. Some that know me well are fully aware that my professional role is probably one of the most unsuited to my character. And therein lies much of the emotion that fuelled me to write this blog in the first place. Don't get me wrong, I will not bitch about my job in this blog, at least not directly. Just because I am a square peg in a round hole doesn't mean its my employer's fault. It was my misguided choices some years ago that got me to this point in life.

I much prefer this question

Answers on a blog comment please.

FS