so what do you do?

[safetypin]

I'm currently travelling alone before starting and sandhurst so i'm meeting quite a few new people every day. The problem is that about 5 minutes into the conversation i get asked "what do you do?"

if I tell them the whole truth the conversation often stops there, with a strange look, if I lie and tell them "i don't know i'm going abck to the uk to get a job" things carry on fine.

What have other people found works well as being something based in truth but doesn't kill converation?

 

[Trotsky]

As a Met Police officer I have often found the same thing. My mate's line "I do a bit of running around for a large law firm" seems to work fine.

Trotsky

 

[Proximo]

Military Underwater Fire Fighter Diver.

Never fails to keep them guessing.

 

[rickshaw]

I suspect the conversation (or should that be converation?) stops because, if you speak as you post, you will have reduced your audience to a state of baffled incomprehension. I wish you all success at starting and at the RMA.







<Sorry, feeling a little snide and male-menopausal today>

 

[Gluck_ab]

Tell them you're a Civil Servant - that's broad enought to encompass all sorts of things!

If you're at Sandhurst, tell them you're a student and your course personnel management.

 

[Maj_Boothroyd]

Many years ago, when the IRA was a credible threat and soldiers and Australian tourists were legitimate targets, I used to say I worked for a large engineering firm that had a few govt contracts. When I was based at RAF Aldergrove I just told people I was working at the airport on short-term contract, handy if somebody says "Oh so&so's brother works there do you know him?".

Now I don't have to tell them anything coz my has already told them!

To be honest if they don't want to talk to you coz you're going to Sandbags, do you really want to talk to them?

 

[cpunk]

Tell them you are about to start a course in which you will learn how to become 'Death, harbinger of war, pestilence plague and famine; destroyer of Nations; exterminator of great and small, man, woman and child; and polishing boots'...

 

[compus_mentus]

I'm currently travelling alone before starting and sandhurst so i'm meeting quite a few new people every day. The problem is that about 5 minutes into the conversation i get asked "what do you do?"

Have you tried 'I travel around the world, are you thick?'

 

[DozyBint]

International Man / Woman of Mystery! This works best if you have bad teeth and a dodgy '70s wardrobe, apparently...

 

[Gilgamesh]

Be witty, that's what i'd do.

 

[MSI64]

Do what every squaddie does and lie the bigger the lie the better

 

[xinflurker]

Good idea MS. Safetypin- the bigger the blag the better. Keep us informed with how you get on, start with saying you're a dolphin trainer and work up from there.

 

[shortfuse]

when anyone asks me "what do you do?"

I get my c0ck out and jam my thumb up my japs eye, bray like a donkey and say

"this"

 

[Captain_Calamity]

Tell them you are a 'Gentleman of leisure', a modern day Phileas Fogg.

 

[Busterdog]

Tell the bloody truth be proud of what you do or what you aspire to be.

 

[xinflurker]

Fair point Buster, no-one could disagree with the principle of the thing but the poor lad is away travelling and is therefore trying to get laid. If there's one thing that it's worth compromising a principled argument for it's rumpy pumpy.

Now then safetypin, listen in - when you get back your going to in green up to your neck, they'll be plenty of marching about, polishing boots etc etc and not much totty so don't waste time trying to educate idealistic dutch students called Heidi that the existence of the armed forces is really a good thing. Do as suggested, tell them that you are a poet or an actor researching a role or whatever blag comes to mind. You will thank me for this in a few months from now when you are lying in a muddy puddle in Wales on stag at 2am - You'll have the pleasant thoughts of Heidi's eager attentions to keep you warm.

 

[CGS]

I always though that 'Im on the run from Special Branch, and can't go back home' would do...

You'd soon find out just how scary you can appear.

 

[sparkysapper]

Once told some females in Scotland, when asked what i did for work, i told them i was up to build a wall for some bloke called Hadrian.

 

[doomsayer]

"I direct porn movies"

Probably best not to use it in Muslim countries.....

 

[Glad_its_all_over]

I'm currently travelling alone before starting and sandhurst so i'm meeting quite a few new people every day. The problem is that about 5 minutes into the conversation i get asked "what do you do?"

if I tell them the whole truth the conversation often stops there, with a strange look, if I lie and tell them "i don't know i'm going abck to the uk to get a job" things carry on fine.

What have other people found works well as being something based in truth but doesn't kill converation?

The traditional Bill Oddie response is to lie like a NAAFI watch. Make it grandiloquent, amusing and impressive and little consistency errors won't matter. I vividly remember making good progress with a young lady one time in a nice part of the world, giving her some old bunny about being an oil company explorer and the next night, not recognising her through a drunken haze, explaining that I was an unemployed nightclub crooner. Not grandiloquent, amusing and impressive enough, it appeared, judging by her reaction, although her pal took pity on the poor sod she'd just slapped across the chops, so the net result was a distinct positive.