"'Who'd ya say you work for?' asks your date's father in his seriously executive voice. You've just spent ten minutes explaining to him about your one-man article writing business. He looks constipated. You think: 'Not again!' But since you're a polite person you say: 'Well, sir, I'm an independent professional'. Dad doesn't get it. 'Independent professional' means little to guys like him, who are unwilling or unable to shake off their corporate-think mentality. Unfortunately, there are lots of guys like him..."