For this final case study, I went off-book, as the textbook questions seemed redundant at this point, and I had other final questions I wanted to ask. Throughout our conversations, my mom has expressed multiple regrets and constraints, but I have always seen her career and other activities as impressive and inspiring, so I wanted to end on a positive note. I first asked her to name three things that she is most proud of in her career. The first was when she was at the bank and responsible for testing new systems and writing code to transfer existing data, as well as instructing users how to navigate the changes. She said that she went through this process four or five times while at the bank and it always went off without a hitch, and the users were satisfied. The other two examples came from her art work. She was proud of the recognition she received in the form of television, newspaper, and magazine articles, noting how affirming it was that others were impressed with her work and thought that she “was cool”. She struggled to come up with three, but noted her pride in having run a business. This achievement was the most difficult, in her view, as it involved numerous tasks, including managing wholesale transactions with 25-30 stores, art shows, and managing employees, as well as keeping up with bookkeeping, payroll, and government filing. 
	I then asked how that answer would have been similar or different if I had asked about her life instead of her career. She immediately responded that her children would have been her number one, “So far, I’m proud of all of you, with a few glitches. I have spent so much of my time as a mom that I feel proud and honored to have done it.” Though she noted that it was a mixed bag, in that she put things off when she had children and could have achieved more in her career, she always knew that she wanted children and would have been disappointed if she hadn’t. She also noted that, beyond her career, she has pride in the breadth of her skills in gardening, stonework, plumbing, shoemaking, and many more. 
	I asked if she had advice or hopes for me and my career, and she gave an answer that she must have clearly conveyed throughout my life, because it was what I expected her to say and has clearly been infused in my values and worldview. She said that she hoped I can find something that makes me happy, and that I can always change course if I’m not. Noting the numerous recent harassment allegations, she expressed hope that I would face fewer obstacles in my career and life than women have in the past. Beyond my career, my mom wants me to have balance and a full life, “I hope you let you have time for leisure activities and other things you love. It’s not just work. It’s doing a variety of things that make you happy.”
