Gender neutrality; the Christmas party chat-up?

The party time of year is almost upon us, and when asked “what do you do?” at any social gathering, the honest but brief response of “I’m in pensions” is met with an eerie silence that evokes thoughts of rolling tumbleweeds and a distant mission bell tolling in the breeze. One former associate, having repeatedly been met with the usual absence of engagement, successfully used the line “I am a biscuit designer; third generation. Grandfather invented the Custard Cream, and Dad, the Bourbon. How do I improve on perfection?”. Although it may be a challenge to match the degree of interest ...