Friday 27 November 2015

Jobs that don't exist anymore

The social media manager, blogger or seo specialist, these were jobs that didn't exist 20 years ago. Nowadays, people need someone to take care, maintain and improve their online image, not only to create it. The businesses moved online, they have websites so you can happily sit in your comfy sofa and receive the order at your door. This means you're winning at time, but it also means something else. If now we don't have to get out of the house to buy clothes, in the future nobody will do it. Advancing technology made things easier for us, like having everlasting milk, Ipods or electric street lights, but how far will it go? We keep on giving machines human jobs to do for us. The question is whether we will stop at some point or another. We don't have to cross the border between necessary and commodity, otherwise we will end up sitting in a bed surrounded by robots and machines that will do workouts for us, cook and even love in our place. Sounds a bit sci fi, but show the world today to people in year 1000 and it will sound sci fi to them too.

                                                                  Lector 




A guy who would entertain factory workers until radio and the iPod came in the scene. I already have someone entertaining me at home called "James" and at work called "boss".

                                                            Log Driver

If "it floats your boat "must have been a later expression, definitely not being used between these people whose job was to float and guide logs down river to treatment plants. Gondola in Venice? Try the river, babe.  


                                                                    Lamplighter



 The lamplighter was lighting and turning off the lamps, but also refueling them.  We said goodbye to them when the electric street lights came in the scene. Reminds me of mum turning off the lights in the house at night.  Childhood nostalgia

Knocker upper


Before alarm clocks, people were hired to wake you up using sticks or pebbles. They mustn't have been your friends, otherwise you ended up hating them, just as it happened to your fav songs that you set up as alarm clocks. Big mistake!


Milkman



Before refrigerators, the handsome milkman came to bring you fresh milk everyday. Why did they have to be so charming? The lady seems very thrilled to see him, weren't they all...Rumour has it.
 

My favourite one: the Computer




The name is given after the human job, not the other way round. For...doing calculations, of course. Was "television" given after a human job too?


 Ice cutter


They seem like skating and having a nice time, but...Before modern refrigerators, we would need fresh ice, so someone had to do it in awful conditions. In 2015 we'd rather break the ice with a kiss. 


                                                        Gandy dancer

Railroad workers who were known for their loud singing while maintaining and laying the tracks. Can you picture them singing Adele? 


Nomencletor


Following your master and reminding him of people's names and who they were. Human agenda. Those who don't remember people's names at parties should get one now. I propose we all sign a petition to get this job back.


Town crier


Before broadcast news, these guys were yelling everything that needed to be heard, anything important. Street corner presence required!  My neighbour still shouts when he has something to say, unfortunately not important.


Leech collector



Before machines, leeches were needed in hospitals for bloodletting. Picking up flowers sounds more appealing than picking up leeches, girls! 


Switchboard operators



Before placing calls directly, these girls were manually switching the calls. Why only  girls? Very charming too, were they the milkmen's girlfriends? I guess not, they were too busy with other people's  housewives for committing to pretty girls. 

Monday 23 November 2015

It is not only species of animals that die out. But whole species of feelings.

You young people can lend your bodies now, play with them, give them as we could not. But remember that you have paid a price: that of a world rich in mystery and delicate emotion. It is not only species of animals that die out. But whole species of feelings. And if you are wise, you will never pity the past for what it did not know. But pity yourself for what it did.

Sunday 8 November 2015

Brussels with disposable camera

For my birthday, James bought me a little present and it read: Brussels. March. 
Ana, my friend from Romania guided us through the city that  reminded me of my hometown and of Cluj Napoca. We spent our mornings in the local vintage market, looking for goodies. People were smiling at us and if we met them later by accident, they said "hello". All I could think of was how much I miss Romania.  I bought a book in French that I half read and overall I wanted to spend my time in libraries, vintage markets and kissing James on every street. These guys made a museum out of anything, so we thought of opening a British&Romanian one too and move to Brussels. We're still thinking about it...Every gallery I went to belonged to an artist that was selling their work, hands up for that. The chocolate museum was closed, but the streets we walked on until we found it were inspiring. We briefly saw Manneken Pis and thanks God we were pissed 'cause at least we had a good laugh. The city was inspiring and friendly. I would have loved to move there for six months and start writing a book, while looking outside my window from time to time at the passers by and inserting in the chapter small sequences I overheard or saw.
Places we've seen and top places to see in Brussels: 
1.Grand Place  
2.Museum of musical instruments
3.Les galeries royales Saint Hubert
4.Notre Dame du Sablon
5.Parlamentarium 
6.Musee Renee Magritte
7. Jardin du Petit Sablon
Because of the weather we didn't manage to see Mini Europe, Atomium and lack of time Horta Museum.























Tuesday 3 November 2015

Justin Reece

This mess we're in. 
Shoes from Justin Reece, jeans Topshop, blouse River Island