Progress and Questions

Yep. Somehow I actually managed to write a bit last night. A surprising, but very welcomed turn of events. As long as I get my tail into gear, I should be able to finish this book by Friday.

So...the questions:
1. What's the most horrible response you've received when telling someone you write? Did you have a snappy response or end up thinking of a dozen polite, but pointed, comebacks later on?

2. How long do you wait before telling a new acquaintance that you're a romance author? Do you tell them instantly or wait until you've established some kind of common ground?

3. Are there occasions where you don't mention your writing career? And if so, what are they? Does it depend on the situation, comments you've heard that person make or your mood?

4. Do you ever feel like you have to defend the genre? Or is the response usually pleasant and accepting?

5. Is it different once you're published? Or do you still want to hide under a table when someone asks you what you do?

6. What's the best response you've ever received?

7. If you're a mom and all your kids are in school all day, do people ask you if you're going to get a "real" job? Does your response depend on the situation, the person or what?

I ask for two reasons. One because I'm curious and nosy. :) The other because sometimes I don't tell people I write. And there are many reasons for that. I'm proud of what I do, don't get me wrong. But there are times that I don't feel like talking about it, especially if I've had a bad day/week or whatever. I'm always a little unsure of how people are going to respond, even though I've had several awesome reactions. I've had several less than awesome reactions. Nothing nasty or demeaning - just the blank stare and the end of what had been a pleasant conversation. I guess maybe that kind of response is what makes me a little cautious. Why is telling people that you write so much different than other careers? Or is it?

Am I odd?
I have more questions but I'll save them for later.