There may be no choice but to embrace the blank stares, and have a little fun with it. A computer geek type, having received the typical blank stares when attempting to answer the question "What is it you do?" took to instead saying, "I rearrange tiny magnetic squiggles on rapidly spinning disks."
We don't typically deal with disks here, so I'll propose the following, perhaps others can improve on it: "I create patterns of electrons trapped in a microscopic grid that in turn allow me to compel other electrons to flow at the time and place of my bidding."