What's in a Name?

Well here we all are in 2011, Happy New Year and well done for getting through 2010.

Idling away the holiday by researching (obsessively) and then obtaining a replacement phone (deeply in love with it), I was prompted to muse a little on job titles and how they affect how we see ourselves and others see us.

The very nice and knowledgeable young man in the phone emporium, in the context of taking all my details for contractual purposes asked for my occupation.  And after umming and aahhhing I plumped for "housewife" (not sure the long, complicated version explaining my continuing relationship with The Firm would fit in the box).

Firstly, hilariously, he looked at me and explained that he isn't allowed to put "housewife" - he has to put house "person"! Titter ye not! And then there was a period of delay waiting to be "approved" or "declined" as a customer.  I do now have the phone, so obviously I was approved, but it surprised me how I felt while I waited.

I don't usually see myself as having lost "status" because - helping out at the school aside - I am a full time mum.  Certainly my sense of self-worth isn't linked with my job (although it is linked with being "successsful" at whatever I choose to do.....type A anyone??). But I suddenly worried that my employment status was relevant in the eyes of the real world in a way that I have been cushioned from for a while in the "mummy bubble".

However, happily, once I'd spent a few (hundred) hours playing with my new toy, and downloading pointless apps because they are free, my short attention span came to my rescue and I got over the feeling!

Mr Life After Law baffled by the technology on every level - not just how it works but why anyone would even want to have it................until we started following the Ashes commentary on it......it is now (grudgingly) "quite good".....brave new world indeed!