Hazardous occupation

I have one of the worst occupations in the world.
So says the Wall Street Journal’s list of the 200 Best and Worst Jobs of 2010.
Coming in at 184th, newspaper reporter is just 16 spots from the bottom of the list.
The best job, according to the Wall Street Journal, is an actuary.
What is an actuary you ask? It’s someone who manages risk. These workers are usually employed in the financial sector, specifically in insurance.
Sounds boring, but then again, I’m probably just jealous.
Maybe I should have consulted one of the risk assessors before getting my masters degree in journalism.
My beloved profession ranked behind undertaker (134), farmer (161) and chauffer (160).
Somehow shoemaker (174) managed to cobble its way ahead of print journalist.
Reporter is even considered a worse profession than seaman (183)!
But my job isn’t that bad, is it? A journalist is a legitimate gig, right? My family and friends supported me when I told them I’m travelling across the world to work at a newspaper. Imagine how they might have looked at me had I told them I was travelling to Fiji to be a furniture upholsterer (140). And yet it’s ranked 23 spots higher than my chosen vocation.
I find it ironic that the Wall Street Journal – USA’s most circulated newspaper – published this list. I can only assume the reporter tasked with putting the list together already quit his job and is now working somewhere as an actuary or a software engineer (2).
Well, it could be worse. At least I’m not working the worst job on the list: a roustabout (circus worker). Although the way newspapers are doing lately, I can’t even rule out running away with the circus