A while back I read on Ryane's blog where she'd considered what (else) she'd like to be when she grows up. I thought that was a fun exercise in thought, so I've been thinking about it too. When I was little I wanted to be a lawyer, forcing my identical twin babysitters and sister to "play" court. The case usually revolved around a dog bite, and I used photographs of our dogs as exhibits. When I was older and in middle school my dad would call me if an interesting case was going on, and he'd pick me up on his lunch break and take me back to watch. About that same time I started devouring Scott Turow and John Grisham books, but in high school I put the thought of being a lawyer out of my mind--in part because I found out how much college and law school cost and I found out what my parents earned. Funny how things work out.
1. A Professor at a Liberal Arts College: I would LOVE doing this. I really enjoyed being a teaching assistant in college and spent more time in one professor's office than with my peers. But the PhD route is just too long. And at the end of the very long tunnel, there may not even be a job. And if there is, it might be in New England and pay $35k, which would be tough with (more) student loans. But all of that aside, it'd be a blast to teach interdisciplinary classes like "Man's Inhumanity to Man" and engage in thought-provoking dialogue on a regular basis. Plus I could wear jeans to work.
2. Stay at Home Mom: This is probably one of the hardest jobs in the world, but it's hard for me to think of many jobs that are more important and that would be as rewarding. I'm guessing I'd need to get married and have children for this one to work out:)
3. Travel Writer: Getting paid to travel sounds wonderful; I wouldn't even mind writing for Lonely Planet or some budget guide since I usually "rough it" abroad anyway.
4. Restaurant Critic: As much as I love to eat, this would be a great fit. Or I could take Billy's advice and just evaluate bakeries; I'm pretty good at eating sweets after all.
5. Trust Fund Recipient: Ok, this isn't a job per se, but someone sort of has to do it, right? I'd love to just volunteer and not be tied to any one job--maybe working part time at different jobs. Each of my jobs has satisfied part of me, like teaching gave me a creative outlet and made me feel like I was doing something important; the law challenges me intellectually sometimes; being a nanny provided a lot of free time; and so on.
So what do you want to be when you grow up?
13 comments:
Ally! I like this game. I too would LOVE to be a travel writer. I think that would be amazing. I like the stay at home mom bit too- with the opportunity to do some volunteer work, and perhaps teach some pilates or aerobics classes on the side. Also, would LOVE to be a co-host on say, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, etc. Or even work in radio. And perhaps work in PR for a sports team.
Good idea! I was able to do the professor thing for a semester (the actual professor quit, then the replacement had a heart attack...) and I didn't have a Ph.D. I love, love, LOVED it! But I don't think I'm ready to go back to school full time. As for my other dream jobs... writer, ice cream taster, t-shirt logo creator, announcer for March Madness, art teacher, greeting card maker, mom, playwright and of course travel writer- that's just too good of an idea not to include!
I wanna sell suntan lotion at Key West
instead of a travel writer, I want Discovery Channel to document me traveling across the country on my motorcycle... "Let's all discover the United States"
"paid" motorsports journalist
I REALLY enjoyed working as a volunteer firefighter...paid would be cool
I'd even like working one of the DOT HERO units if it wasn't for the issue of pay (they get like $18,500 yr)
When I grow up...I wanna be RETIRED so I can have an RV that has a built in toter for motorcycles and have no permanent address...
I've got the rest of my life to grow up. Why waste it now?
Brookem: I'm with you on the stay-at-home plus some other activities.
Brandy: Those are some excellent ideas, especially ice cream taster.
Allen: Retirement from having to have a job that pays the bills sounds good to me. Very cool that you've been a volunteer fireman.
Aaron: Again, you remind me that we speak different languages. In other words, if you weren't in your current job, what are some jobs you might enjoy?
I want to be Master of the Universe.
J/k...kind of. What I really want is to run a major arts institution.
When I grow up - hah that's never going to happen. Not on my watch.
BUT other jobs?
Interesting question. I would do one of the following:
1) Go back to skin care and makeover stuff. It pays crap, but it's the best possible job for a straight bloke. Believe me.
2) Photographer. Well everyone else is doing it so why can't I :)
3) Freelance Subversive. If I was ever left a substantial amount of cash that meant I never had to work again, I would truly embrace this role fully. A freelance subversive is the person who leaves huge lengths of plastic pipe by the side of the road for months and people always anticipate forthcoming roadworks and worry about them. A freelance subversive feeds pigeons outside new car dealerships. A freelance subversive phones each and every customer advice line on each and every product in their kitchen cupboard just because they can, and just because the companies do not expect it. A freelance subversive tucks erotic photographs down the clear plastic frontage of the photo machine...and so the list goes on.
Peej
x
I want to be a race car driver.
And own a few Whataburger franchises.
And be an activist that really doesn't practice what they preach.
That's all.
Isn't this exercise fun? I did it and now have a ton more ideas.
i wanted to be a painter/artist. i took some art classes and always been interest in drawing.
didn't quite work out so now i'm working in Info Technology.
Trixie: Art classes are so much fun--even though I have no talent.
e.b.: It definitely is, and I love reading other people's dream jobs.
Billy: Hmm...so you want to be a hypocrite when you grow up? Whataburger is yummy!
Peej: What's so appealing to you about being a freelance subversive? I can totally see how (1) makes you very appealing.
Ella: He-man!!
I would like to be an actress on a show like grey's anatomy :-)
I used to want to be a doctor when I grew up, but I'm glad I stopped at nursing, because there is way too much liability in doctoring.. this is a sue-happy world now.
i'd like to organize short-term mission trips to places like costa rica, nicaragua, guatemala, mexico..any spanish-speaking country really..preferably mission trips involving playing with adorable spanish-speaking children. I've also thought about being an "house mom" for a group of kids in one of those countries.
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