Snobbery, pisspots and alumni
I have been invited to join the Alumni society or whatever it is of one of my old universities. It amused us to think that I could take M along to an event, for he got kicked out never to darken their doors again, in the first year.
I was strangely stumped by the form, for it asks for my present position (not just 'seated at the PC' clearly). What was strange about my stumpedness is the realisation that I was quite happy to put down my qualifications, as I went on a bit after my degree, but when it came to what I'm doing now bit, I was reluctant to confess.
I'm a snob, I look down on myself! Mrs **** **** BA(hons) MA: toilet cleaner and housewife. Mwhahaha. That's what edumacation (plus total lack of direction/ambition) does for you. There's a bit of cognitive dissonance in this, because I do genuinely believe that my role as stay-at-home parent has value and meaning. I suppose it's just I have all this education and have never used any of the qualifications to any purpose SO FAR. Never say never.
Here I was thinking that I don't care about society's expectations and blah-blah, but it turned out I do a little. I imagine some career-driven academic reading my form and going "Ha! What a waste of resources she was." In the end I settled for writing my employer's name, as it is a venerable institution, and the fact that I work part-time for it.
That my job entails mopping the lavs wasn't something I felt they needed to know. "Now and then there's a fool such as I am..." [/Elvis]
My present job is a piece of piss (literally), it's not like cleaning pub loos which I've done a fair amount of over the years running pubs. The venerables that venerate the venerable institution tend to toilette with decorum and aren't usually under the influence, presumably. Although as ever the women's bogs are always worse: you always get that assumption that guys are filthier, and indeed they can be pretty grim, but it tends to be less frequent, while I've found women's loos are consistently strewn with bits of tissue and make-up and unsanitary products.
3 comments:
I got one too! I think they must be making a huge effort to catch up with those who left 10 or more or so years ago (was it that long ago?). Hmm.
Not sure what I'll do - can't say I'm in touch with anyone from way back then.
I don't suppose I would really go to any functions there, for much the same reason, but I was in form-completing form. :) And I'm curious about what they do/offer.
Hopefully not debt-collection as M never did pay his accom fees!
Abster here - How come you got this Alumni thing and I didn't?? Anyway. I feel exactly the same way about housewifery vs career. I recommend a book, "How to be Free" by Tom Hodgkinson which has a whole chapter about how we really ought not to give a shit about careers, they are overrated, and why live up to everyone else's expectations instead of living up to your own creativity and potential? I heartily recommend the book, in fact hubby and I are thinking of stopping worshipping God and worshipping Tom Todgkinson instead. :) He certainly has much more of a clue about life than the usual Christians we hang out with. Anyway. You have potential to use your BA and MA - I see my degree that way - when I'm a published writer that is when my Literature degree will make sense. Until then I am a big bag of potential.
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