Some Support For Those Of Us Who Wear Many Hats: Make No Mistake, This Is Not A 12-Step Program Or Anything For People Who Can't Decide Between Straw, Cowboy, Or Top.

I feel weird sometimes when people ask me what I do.  I'm a mom, first and foremost, and that should be enough, really, but unfortunately society doesn't always support that opinion especially as our kids get a bit older.  And, to be honest, I do actually like to have a little something extra going on and pulling in a bit of cash along the way.  So once my kids were in school full-time and the need to help out in the classroom lessened a bit, I found myself sampling a few other activities and interests.  For the past several years I've done a lot of little things in addition to my standard and much-adored Momming.

If I had a 9 to 5 job in an office Monday through Friday, it would put a major hitch in how my family functions.  I've had to find things to do that fit around all our schedules.  It took me a while though, to accept that working outside a traditional office setting would be a perfectly acceptable way of life.  I took a personality quiz many months ago that actually told me I shouldn't work in an office - just not the ideal environment for me.  So I feel I dodged a bullet there and, subsequently learned that I'll obviously take validation from virtually any source; be it online quiz, self-help book, or even fortune cookie.

I do many things.  I'm a mom, I've sold jewelry, staged homes, redecorated homes, I've been a freelance writer, holiday gift wrapper, and now even blogger.  But I've stumbled over the descriptions of my interests and part-time jobs when asked what I do, and I end up mumbling something that feels ridiculous, then making a joke about it all, hoping the conversation will just move on.  Until yesterday.

Yesterday I read on the Daily Worth, a financial blog for women, that lots of people now have things called "Slash Careers."  It has nothing to do with street fighting or vandalism to cars, as I initially imagined, but instead is a way to describe what people do when they have more than one job "thing."  For instance, I'm a real estate stager/freelance writer/lifestyle blogger.  It's okay, apparently, to do more than one thing.  I bet lots of us have Slash Careers, even those with full time jobs because it's natural to have varied interests and activities.  Even hobbies can be part of your Slash Career because who knows when your yoga practice will become a career option, or you start selling some of those cool scarves you knit, or maybe even the volunteer job you do expands and you fill more time with it even though it's done selflessly without pay.

Now, those of us dipping a toe into more than one vocation, can proudly describe ourselves as Slash Career people.  There is no shame in doing many things.  We are creative beings living multi-faceted lives, right?  So hold your head up high, Slash Career people, and know you will never again have to fake spilling your wine (gasp!) to avoid another career conversation!

I'm wearing this.

It's actually a new top.  I'm adding a few fun bits to the wardrobe to spice things up, stimulate my creativity, and to prevent me from hacking my old tops to bits with a pair of sharp scissors.

gratitude:  money, toast, lemon water, hot showers in cold bathrooms

thanks and love.