100 Word Challenge: Retire

I don’t have a job. Well, I have a job being the most awesome domestic engineer ever (read: homemaker), I just don’t get paid. (The perks, however: can be pretty spectacular though.)

The last paying gig I had, I was laid-off when the company went through a lot of internal strife, re-branding, and departmental restructuring. (Sarcastic face inserted here.)

At the time, it worked out okay for me and the fam. I had a child going through some heavy medical stuff, and i was needed at home with no other obligations. I also got unemployment for a while, so there was that.

Since then, I’ve had a few freelance writing projects and sold some photos. The only money I make now is when I occasionally house-sit for a friend.

Because I don’t have a traditional Big Girl job, I’m usually at a loss for what to say to people when they ask what I do.

My standard responses are:

“Absolutely nothing.”

“I am a woman of leisure.” (that’s pronounced, “lehs-ure.”)

“I do some freelance writing and photography.”

None of those feel particularly authentic. While I don’t get paid to work, I do work – a lot. It’s not all sunshine and unicorns keeping house for two, full-grown men, who, if we’re being honest, don’t do a lot of pitching in.

That’s another story.

I think, since I am also now a woman of a certain age, I’m just going to tell people, “I’m retired.”

Simple, no further explanation needed. If there are follow-up questions, I can say what I did when I was on someone’s payroll – news reporters-slash-online content manager. (That sounds kind of cool, right?)

So, for the foreseeable future, I am officially retired and have the coffee mug to prove it.

Really, I don’t know what I’d do with myself if I retire. Wash dishes? Loretta Lynn

This week’s word is:

Retire

What to do:

Using “retire” for inspiration, write 100 Words – 100 exactly – no more, no less. You can either use the word – or any form of the word – as one of your 100, or it can be implied. Include a link in your post back here, and add your story to the Mister Linky list. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your submission in the comment section, or as a Facebook status post. Remember to keep spreading the love with supportive comments for your fellow Wordsters.