Telling people i am an artist fells like the beginning of a joke.

It must shock the hearer when i say i am an artist, because the response seems to be overdone. "wow, that's great" or "what do you want to do with that?" maybe i get "(spit take) cough, sputter... what?"
i am seen as a magical retard by the general population. they see the artist as someone that can do things that no other mortal can do and at the same time they believe life will break the artist for his/her optimistic embrace of life. As my parents (general population) you want to protect me. "Gian, look fire, HOT!" you parents also want me to transform the fire to ice cream. enough with the metaphors.
i am writing this post because right now my life feels like it is on hold. Andrea and i are waiting for grad schools to respond to my application. this time has made me think about what it means to be an artist and how crazy it is. i found this talk on creativity. the writer Elizabeth Gilbert is good at explaining creativity and artists. you will know me a bit better after you see her explanation.