My friend, Jim Beidler, has an article out that I can relate to: Columnist receives a variety of reactions to ‘I’m a genealogist’
I sometimes get that same blank reaction when I answer that age-old "what do you do?" question. In fact, just the other night before going live on a national television show, I got swiftly dismissed in the green room by another guest for being a genealogist. But I have to give him credit -- at least he knew what a genealogist was.
Like Jim, I've been mistaken for a geologist. I have a neighbor who still wants to talk coal mines whenever we see each other because I didn't have the heart to correct her the first time we met. And yup, I've been mistaken for a gynecologist, too. Of course, we do have something in common with gynecologists and other doctors -- folks just can't resist trying to get a free consultation from us when we meet!