I have been a freelance writer for a decade but till today, my dad is still not entirely sure what I do for a living. I know this for a fact because every now and then, typically during family dinners, he will ask: “Who pays you a salary?”

I understand that he comes from a place of concern, so I try not to get annoyed. To keep things light-hearted, I say I get to look forward to a stream of pay cheques throughout the month, instead of perpetually counting down to payday.