Times they aren't a-changing

[bunn]

Filling in an online insurance quotation form, I note that I could give my occupation as 'abbot', 'acrobat', 'cobbler', 'coal man', 'weaver' or 'riverman', or as any of 5 different sorts of Bailiff. I cannot, however, have any kind of web or internet job, for those jobs still, in 2012, do not exist.

Agonising among the computer jobs, I have settled for 'Computer Operator'. Operator! With the emphasis on the last syllable, I think. But I kind of wish I was a riverman (what exactly IS a riverman? It sounds like it might involve a lot of messing around in boats).

The jobs in the list sound much more fun than actual modern jobs.

ETA: I struggle with questions like 'what was the name of your first pet'? When I was born, my parents had a cat, Tigger, who I suppose was sort of my first pet, although really he was my parents pet not mine. But when I was four, I was allowed to choose the family's new puppy, Hearthrug - so that was more my first pet in that I picked her, although I didn't do much to look after her, so maybe my first pet was the rabbit (Bunnel) that I got when I was 7? Though 7 is quite young, so maybe my real first pet was the kitten (Willy) that I adopted as a teen? Or Kebbo, the rabbit that I had when I was first living away from home on my own??? SO HARD.

Comments

[demon-rum.livejournal.com]

I am fascinated and somewhat delighted that you could be an abbot or a cobbler, but not a web designer.

You should tell them you are a riverman and see what the say, or if they believe you.

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Somewhere there is a whole team of web designers, developers, web usability testers, and web content people who put together a form which denied their very existence. I am wondering if this is a conspiracy of some kind...