What did you want to be when you grew up?

[Namatu]

Inspired by the "what's your job" thread.

Aside from being a writer, what jobs did you imagine would be for you when you grew up?

I wrote stories before I ever even considered the question, but for some reason never thought writing to be a possible career. I wanted to be an archaeologist. I love history and the artifacts from it, the mystery of lives long past, all those old storylines waiting to be rediscovered! That then morphed into epigraphy, and now I'm an editor. I guess there's a kind of symmetry there: ancient text versus modern.

[ccarver30]

My first memory is wanting to be a ballet dancer. How cliche.

[callalily61]

Ballet dancer, too! Then an actor. Actually did that for some years.

But also a writer, honest and for true!

[ccarver30]

For a while in high school I wanted to be an epistemologist until I realized that it was just a fancy word for philosopher with no job. Doh.

[Harper K]

An English professor. Oh, and a Broadway star!

(But mostly, I just wanted to be a writer.)

[Zoombie]

I got it all mixed up when I was a kid, I was supposed to want to be a writer, but then fail and become a fast food clerk or something.

So...when I was a kid, I wanted to be a fast food clerk. They didn't accept my application and I was so crushed, I started writing.

[CaroGirl]

I always wanted to be a writer, but doubt and a low self esteem put my goal at "some kind of office job." I thought a desk and computer, some files and drawer full of office supplies would be heaven. Okay, not so much now that I've had it. I do write and edit for a living, but not the kind of writing in which I so desperately want success.

[stormie]

Even though I loved to write stories, I never considered it as a profession (and now I've been doing this for over seven years). And even though I loved kids, I never considered teaching (which I did for ten years). I wanted to be a doctor, but changed my mind in high school. Then I had not a clue which direction I was going.

[Spiny Norman]

A cheeseburger.

Seriously. What happened was in the first grade we all had to volunteer what we wanted to be when we grew up, and I didn't know. I guess I was smart enough to know that most careers are either hard, boring, or not fun at all, so I just sorta shrugged and kept my yap shut.

So my teacher said, "You don't know?"

And I said, "No, not really."

"There's nothing you want to be?"

"Well, I'd like to be a Ghostbuster."

She smiled. "Right, but Ghostbusters are in the movies. Is there anything else you'd like to be? Like a doctor, or a fireman?"

"I don't know."

"Well, what do you like?"

By then I was getting pretty mad at all these impertinent questions and how I was getting the third degree in front of everyone, so I crossed my arms and said, "I like cheeseburgers."

She blinked. "What? That's not a job."

"Sure it is."

"You can't be a cheeseburger."

Well, now it was just the principal of the damned thing, so I said, "Yeah, I can, I'm going to be a cheeseburger when I grow up. I'm going to be the best cheeseburger in the world. A BIG cheeseburger." Just arguing for the sake of arguing, you see.

So then the teacher frowned and dropped it, although later she did write a pretty impertinent note to my mom.

But here we are, years later, and I've gone through many trials and tribulations, and I've bared my soul to a great number of life's forces, and I've seen things people haven't seen and I've heard things people haven't heard and I've just lived as I've seen fit.

But, no, I'm not a cheeseburger.

So I guess that annoying lady was right about a few things.

[Ol' Fashioned Girl]

A stripper... Mom wasn't pleased. :D

Then I wanted to be a psychologist... but my couch-side manner was 'Dr. Phil' before Dr. Phil hit the big time and all my mentors said, "You'll never get by with saying, 'How's that workin' for you?' and slapping your patients around!"

So... here I am: a wannabe writer with a part-time Office Manager job.

[Williebee]

I could get behind being a cheeseburger. Long as I got to be in paradise.

[callalily61]

Now that song will run through my mind all day.

[Mom'sWrite]

Frankly, I never for a moment thought that I would live to see 30, so it made some weird sort of twisted sense to not plan too far ahead.

Every day has been a new day since I hit 29.

[Justin91]

Frankly, I never for a moment thought that I would live to see 30, so it made some weird sort of twisted sense to not plan too far ahead.

Every day has been a new day since I hit 29.


Holy cow!!! I thought I was going to die before I was 30! I always had this feeling...even as a kid that I would die before I turned 30...

Even after thirty for a couple of years I always thought it would be soon. Now I don't think about it.

Oh yeah...I come from a military family...so I was going to be a soldier.

[Enraptured]

I always wanted be a writer. But when I was a kid, I also wanted to be a teacher. I also considered becoming an interior designer (which would have been either an excellent career choice for me or a disastrous one... I have good design sense, but terrible spatial sense). And up until a couple of years ago, I wanted to become a psychologist, mainly because the inside of people's minds fascinates me (hmm, maybe it makes sense that I wrote a creepy novel about brainwashing...). I also, for a short time when I was 5 or so, wanted to work for an advertising agency. Talk about a weird career ambition for a kid.

[mscelina]

I read about Margaret Mead when I was 8 or so, so I wanted to be an anthropologist.

*snicker*

Once I hit high school, I was reasonably certain I wanted to write. It always hung over me. Then when I graduated college (political science and communications) I had to decide between law school and smmer stock theatre.

Yep, you guessed it.

[Namatu]

People's minds are fascinating. I have several of them running around in my head right now.

[jhtatroe]

I wonder what it says about me that "writer" was always my more realistic career option. I also wanted to be a dancer, but that didn't seem likely since I never set foot in a dance studio before college.

[larocca]

I couldn't decide between writer and teacher. I became a "full time writer" at age 36. Three years later, I became a "full time teacher." Five years later, I became a full time **censored**

[larocca]

Superhero was another choice, but I haven't worked out the details yet.

[Namatu]

Then when I graduated college (political science and communications) I had to decide between law school and smmer stock theatre.
Funny. For me, I went from political science to "government jobs pay crap!" and then, naturally, got into the much better paying :rolleyes: editing field.

[Evaine]

When I was five, long before I realised that books are written by real, living people, I knew I wanted to work with books. The only job I knew of that did that was a librarian - and I actually did work in a library for a couple of years, for the Metropolitan Police in New Scotland Yard.

When I was eleven, the history teacher at school spent her holidays walking along Hadrian's Wall, or finding stone axes in the Lake District - and I knew I wanted to be an archaeologist. I got my degree, and worked as a professional archaeologist for four years, before the recession came along and the jobs all dried up.
At which point I moved to Hay-on-Wye and started working in bookshops.

[Mom'sWrite]

Holy cow!!! I thought I was going to die before I was 30! I always had this feeling...even as a kid that I would die before I turned 30...

Even after thirty for a couple of years I always thought it would be soon. Now I don't think about it.



Even today I have a real problem planning far out into the future, like 5 or 10 years out.

I've always worked and had a job, but not anything I would call a vocation.

Writing is the first thing that comes close to a overriding passion with me. I'll be writing and reading until I can't anymore.

[seun]

"Well, I'd like to be a Ghostbuster."


Same here. I wrote to Jim'll Fix It to ask to be a Ghostbuster. I never got a reply. :cry:

[ClaudiaGray]

Although I was always interested in writing, I don't remember ever planning on becoming a writer. I wanted to be a lawyer or a journalist -- and I've been both, actually. I also always wanted to join a colony for a base on the moon or Mars, but not as an astronaut, just as one of the early settlers they'd ship up there. I haven't acquired any skills that would actually make me a contender for such a position, but I guess there remains a slim, slim chance -- ;)

[Zoombie]

I just realized that my true calling has been waiting for me. Not this writing malarky...but the glory of being a cheeseburger!

Also, some other things that occurred to me while I was growing up: Infested Terran, a Teifling, a member of a Genestealler cult, a member of the Mobile Infantry, and a Buddhist.

But the Buddhist thing never panned out.

[Siddow]

I flip-flopped between wanting to be Olivia Newton John, Pat Benetar, and Quincy.

[Sassee]

When Jurassic Park came out (I was in middle school for the movie... heh) I wanted to be a paleontologist. Before that I really didn't know, and after I got over my dinosaur phase I was conflicted between choosing a career that made money and choosing one that I might actually enjoy. I was horribly short-sighted - all I planned for was getting to college. Then I got to college and didn't know wtf to do, so now I'm *still* waiting to go back, because I *still* don't know what I want to do when I grow up. And I'm turning 24 this year. LOL!

I would love to be able to make money with my writing, but I'm also wise enough to know I probably couldn't handle the pressure of being published. I write on my own time, at my own pace, and I probably couldn't produce things on demand without getting severely stressed. Not to mention I'd be terrified that my work wouldn't live up to expectation.

Although, I do make a pretty good forum troll... I wonder if someone would pay me to do that all day? ;)

[anodyne]

President.

Seriously though, all of my "this is going to be my job when I grow up!" fantasies were of jobs I could do that wouldn't take much attention so I could write at the same time.

My mom has me on home video saying that I didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer because it wouldn't leave me any time to be a novelist too. I was eight.

[aadams73]

Ballerina
Doris Day
Doctor
Archaeologist
Teacher
Psychologist
Writer

In that order.

[LilliCray]

For a while, I was planning on teaching high school-level creative writing and being a novelist on the side. Then I was going to be an editor for one to five years, then a teacher, while still writing novels on the side. Then I realized had didn't know what the heck I was doing. I'm still not sure what day job I'm trying to get, which could definitely be a bad thing at this point in my life. :)

[larocca]

Actually. I wish you could choose "philosopher" as an occupation. Like Socrates, Plato, and them guys. Just hang out, talk a bunch of rubbish, and get paid. I'm not clear on who paid, but hey, this is my dream, not yours. Go play a harmonica or something.

[ct bliss]

I wanted to be an 'army man', then I was, and hated it.

There's a whole other side to being a soldier that you'll never see on the promotional videos, recruitment posters, or even from another soldier. The only way to experience what it's like is to enlist, and enlist in a combat arms job (MOS). I picked the infantry.

Like most jobs, there's a lot of backstabbing, bureaucracy, and ridiculous doses of redundancy...



"Lay out your gear," said the team leader.

"Yes, corporal," said the private.

The next day...

"Lay out your gear," said the squad leader.

"Roger, sergeant!" said the private.

The day after...

"Lay out your gear," said the platoon sergeant

"But sergeant!!!"

"You're pulling guard tonight, but first, lay out your gear," said the team leader. "Oh, and you'll have it laid out then, too."

"Make sure he's on Staff Duty tomorrow," said the platoon sergeant.

"But he better damn well be ready for the inspection tomorrow! The first sergeant is doing a company inspection!" said the squad leader.



... 'nuff said, but it sure did provide a sh*t ton of material for what I'm doing now. (That's a Metric sh*t ton, not to be confused with an Imperial sh*t ton.)

[anodyne]

Actually. I wish you could choose "philosopher" as an occupation. Like Socrates, Plato, and them guys. Just hang out, talk a bunch of rubbish, and get paid. I'm not clear on who paid, but hey, this is my dream, not yours. Go play a harmonica or something.


Paid is tichy. If I remember my history right, and there's a very good chance I don't, then the "philosophers" were kept men. Their students were all rich sons and would bring them stuff in exchange for learning from them.

[Jersey Chick]

I wanted to be a lawyer - and then the first woman president (that was before I realized just how much being the president ages a body.) I started writing when I was about 8, but never gave a thought to actually being a writer. It was just something I did for me.

I started pre-law in college, but changed my mind on my first day. I kid you not, one of my history professors was a lawyer and left because it meant 80 hours a week behind a desk. Probably not the brightest thing to say to a roomful of 18 year olds, who all saw the idea of no more free nights and weekends as a kiss of death.

I've also wanted, at various stages to be: a doctor, a cop, an actor, an ice skater, a professional tennis player (that one almost had a chance of happening, but I blew out a knee when I was 14), and a baseball player. I decided being a writer was what I had to do, because it gives me the chance to be what I want when the mood strikes and I can work it into a story. :D

[cletus]

When I was very young I wanted to be a monkey.
Later on I wanted to be either a rock star or professional wrestler (Neither one being too far off the original monkey plans).

I was probably in my early 20s when I first thought about writing as a career. It was another 10 years before I did anything about it.

Last year, at the age of 36, I became a Technical Author. Not my first choice of writing styles, but there are worse ways to pay the bills.

Also last year I became a professional wrestling referee. Not quite a professional wrestler, but close enough to say I've realised a boyhood dream.

As far as my original boyhood dream of becoming a monkey, I now have an experimental DNA labratory on standby waiting for me to write a mega-blockbuster novel or win the lottery.

[Southern_girl29]

Let's see. I wanted to be a lot of things growing up. I knew from second grade on that I wanted to be a writer, but I also wanted to be a teacher, an archaelogist, a pediatrician and a psychologist. In high school, I was torn between wanting to be a journalist and a psychologist and wound up being a journalist.

[Jack Nog]

Astronaut - But I'm awful at math...I would have made Apollo 13 look like a cake walk compared the the trouble I would have caused.

Spy - James Bond man, James Bond

Han Solo - 'Nuff said

[Esopha]

I was stuck on biological sciences for a while, and also humanities. Psychology, veterinary medicine, botany, chemical biology, conservation... I've wanted to do a lot of things. In all honesty, I still want to do a lot of things. I'm planning on double-majoring and triple-minoring and PhD-ing and all that good stuff. I don't want to be ignorant and I don't want to be boring.

I want to be a writer, though. I think I've known that subconsciously for a long time. Of course, I surpressed it because I thought I wouldn't be successful and therefore I wouldn't have an impact on the world. Now, I think I can do several different things with my life and still write.

Ultimately, though, I want to rule the universe.

[Anonymisty]

For a long time, I wanted to be an astronaut...unless I realized how very high in the sky I'd have to go. (Deathly fear of heights) During ninth grade I toyed with becoming a cosmologist, but my math skills just weren't suitable. Junior year, I decided I wanted to go to seminary and become a priest (Episcopal) but my mother put her foot down. At the time, ordination of women was still being argued. I had faith it would be accepted eventually but she did not. And since she was paying for the schooling, that was that.

So off I went to college, to study modern languages like she wanted me to. I was planning on joining the Foreign Service. I even took the test, and passed it the second time. But then I got engaged, and didn't want to leave the country without my beloved in tow.

Writing was never a thought, career-wise, until sometime after college. I was working a dead-end job, and keeping myself sane by writing short stories.

[WorldPlanter]

Well, for a while I wanted to be a jet pilot in the Air Force or Navy. In fact, my mom says that my first word was plane.

At about the age of ten I decided that I would really enjoy being a movie or video game director but by the time I had reached high school I had given up on the idea as an impractical fantasy.

I started considering architecture as a career since I was really good at drafting and graphical engineering analysis, having won some regional and state competitions in it during high school.

However, in my senior year at high school I began to reconsider going into games and movies as I had the opportunity to learn 3d Studio Max on my own in a private multimedia class that my technology teacher set up. This time though, I was pursuing it from the angle of a special effects artist as opposed to a directing position, something I greatly regret today.

Anyway, at least one of my ambitions has come true since I've now had the opportunity to work on several video games as an artist/animator but I still hope to get into a directing position some day for either games or film.

As far as writing is concerned; I've been writing stories all my life but never really considered it as a viable profession. I've always been great at story telling but knew that my grammatical skills were lacking, and consequently thought I would fail.

It's only been in the last 5-6 years that I realized I really could write. I'm already in a job I enjoy so anything I write at this point is purely for my own satisfaction and that of my readers. If my writing gets published and widely distributed, all the better.

[Namatu]

I also wanted to be an FBI agent for awhile, and an astronomer (my math is atrocious and I'd never dare approach physics).

Ultimately, though, I want to rule the universe.
Yes! Me too. I'll incorporate that into my next 10-year plan.

[benbradley]

Scientist.

I went to engineering college and have had a career as an electronic design engineer/embedded programmer, and I consider that to be not-too-far from being a scientist. It's actually a little better, as an engineer I've spent most of my time actually doing the technical work, and not having to write the reports and things ("Publish or Perish") that scientists have to do.

Being "a writer" has been in the back of my mind like so many other "possible" professions (astronaut, rock star,...) but I've only tried to do something toward that goal in the past year.

[sunna]

When I was really young I think I wanted to be a tiger. Something with claws and sharp teeth, anyway. It's not really clear.

When I was 7, my dad explained taxes to me, and my greatest ambition for the next 4 years was to live in a tree, forage off the land and never pay taxes. I even practiced sleeping in trees for a while, until my mother got tired of washing pine sap out of my hair and bringing me to the doctors with bruises, and put a stop to that. :)

When I was 16 I read my first Jane Goodall book, and for the next 5 years I wanted to be her. Common sense and the fact that there are only a few colleges in the country that offer undergraduate programs in primatology eventually defeated that ambition.

Luckily, I am nowhere near grown up, so I figure I still have time to arrange something...

[Mike Martyn]

When I was twelve I decided to become an electrical engineer. Back in the early sixties everyone knew another war was coming and boys my age would naturally have to fight in it. This worried me because I was pretty scrawny even for 12.

It was a chance remark of one of my uncles the set me on that path. He had faught in WWII. He had been a radio operator and that was a good thing he said since otherwise he would have been in the invasion of Italy and probably would have been killed.

I thought if I made myself into something better than cannon fodder my chances of survival would be greater and I could better serve my country.

So I put all my efforts toward becoming an electrical engineer. I got all these US Army technical manuals and by the time I was 14, I was a self taught electronics technician as well as a ham radio operator. So I graduated at 21 with a degree in electrical engineering (McGill) and guess what, WWIII never came. Not only that but electrical engineering was boring so I went to law school.

So be careful what you say around the children!

[jennifer75]

what every 9 year old girl wanted to be...the wife of a successful blonde haired blue eyed plastic surgeon. haha

I also wanted to change my name to that of Priscilla Presley's character on Dallas.

[Mania]

Firstly, an artist, then archaeologist, psychologist, journalist and now a session musician. I've been writing through that, but I don't want to turn it into a job. I'll always strive to be a published author, however.

[scarletpeaches]

Having been raised a Catholic (left when I was in my teens) I wanted to be a nun. Then I considered being a nurse, but opted for, "Being a gorilla looks like fun!"

There were no options for that at school, though, so I stuck with my original, "Writer."

[JoNightshade]

I have been writing stories for as long as I've been a conscious human being, but as a child I never imagined myself being an author. I always said that I would never "Do it for money" because that would somehow taint the purity of my sacred art (I now roll my eyes at such thoughts). So, my planned careers, from age 5 onward:

5 - inventor
7 - veterinarian
12 - disabled student assistant (there was a kid in my class with one of these and she was a huge influence)
14 - new career plan: join the navy, become a pilot, become a Blue Angel, then pilot the space shuttle.
15 - finally realized that I actually wanted to WRITE about doing the jobs above and had a teacher who inspired me to believe in myself as a writer. Decided I would become an English major. Then, because everyone was like "What are you going to do with that?!" I decided:
16 - To become a mechanic. After a talking-to from my father, I decided:
17 - To become a social worker. After another talk with dad, I decided:
18 - I'm getting out of the house, going to college, and I'll figure it out when I get out. Leave me alone!

At the end of college I had an epiphany, realized God was calling me to teach, and went to China to teach EFL. After that I realized that maybe God just meant for that one year, because I hated it. ;)

So when I got back, I got married, and got a job writing for a travel company.

Then my husband was like, "So when are you gonna write that bestseller?" So I quit (mostly) and here I am being a writer. Thank God my husband believes in me!

[javili]

Up until my twenties, a narcotics cultivator and/or paid killer for the local narcos.

After that, a baseball player in the Major Leagues.

The last five years, a famous novelist or screenwriter.


Well, maybe when I grow up one of those will be possible.

[Stew21]

a few things: writer (all along too, I was writing plays with my classmates as characters in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades), journalist (when I thought it needed to be more "career-ish"), psychologist (I'm not sure why I ever thought this was a good idea - insight into other people to give me more material to write?), nurse (short lived goal - that one), writer (duh!).

Then in college, I was a communications major, (hitting the writing and humanities with a business angle with an interdepartmental degree - visual comm, media/pr/marketing/advertising, business writing, linguistics, HR, sociology, English, etc, etc.) thought I wanted to teach communications and was going to go to grad school, but decided to go to work instead.

:sigh: And all along, I should have just stuck with writing.

[jennifer75]

I have been writing stories for as long as I've been a conscious human being, but as a child I never imagined myself being an author. I always said that I would never "Do it for money" because that would somehow taint the purity of my sacred art (I now roll my eyes at such thoughts). So, my planned careers, from age 5 onward:

5 - inventor
7 - veterinarian
12 - disabled student assistant (there was a kid in my class with one of these and she was a huge influence)
14 - new career plan: join the navy, become a pilot, become a Blue Angel, then pilot the space shuttle.
15 - finally realized that I actually wanted to WRITE about doing the jobs above and had a teacher who inspired me to believe in myself as a writer. Decided I would become an English major. Then, because everyone was like "What are you going to do with that?!" I decided:
16 - To become a mechanic. After a talking-to from my father, I decided:
17 - To become a social worker. After another talk with dad, I decided:
18 - I'm getting out of the house, going to college, and I'll figure it out when I get out. Leave me alone!

At the end of college I had an epiphany, realized God was calling me to teach, and went to China to teach EFL. After that I realized that maybe God just meant for that one year, because I hated it. ;)

So when I got back, I got married, and got a job writing for a travel company.

Then my husband was like, "So when are you gonna write that bestseller?" So I quit (mostly) and here I am being a writer. Thank God my husband believes in me!

After my dream of the dr's wife dissipated, veterinarian was on the top of the list for me as well.

[GeorgeK]

A surgeon and a hobby farmer. I did both, and then got disabled. Now I'm giving writing a go, but haven't found any publishers. I thank God my wife talked me into getting a disability insurance policy

[Lady Esther]

well, when I was about 7 I wanted to be a teacher (typical). When I was in high school I wanted to be a musician and tour with my band, but the band didn't work out.

[julief]

I wanted to be the Beatles! Then it was Debbie Gibson!

Of course, that was before I turned 9.

Then I started thinking of 'real' careers. Teacher, journalist, psychologist.
When I was 13, I thought I could teach during the day, play in a band on the weekends, and write at night. I also tried to fit in drawing, but couldn't figure out when I'd get the time to go down to Jackson Square and do drawings for tourists.

I settled into psychology at 15, still planning writing as a for fun activity. So far, so good.

[Justin91]

Oh yeah, I forgot...after watching Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark I wanted to be an archaeologist for many years. Then I found out it was not all that exciting...a lot of digging and such, paperwork, polotics, etc.

[IrishScribbler]

For most of my life I wanted to teach (specifically, English). When I got to college, I decided I wanted to write, which is what I'm doing now.

However, I am working on getting my temporary teaching certificate, so I'll be able to teach English and go back to writing part time.

I'm blessed to have a husband that is supporting me in doing everything I want to do.

[TrainofThought]

I wanted to be a veterinarian, rock star, a psychologist and an attorney. Can you believe I grew up to be none of these things? In my case, God has a sense of humor, but I’m normally not laughing with him.

[Mike Martyn]

Oh yeah, I forgot...after watching Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark I wanted to be an archaeologist for many years. Then I found out it was not all that exciting...a lot of digging and such, paperwork, polotics, etc.

My son wanted to be an archeolgist. That what's he's taking in University. He saw Raiders of the Lost Arc way too many times.

His mother and I are concerned about his ability to earn a living. We keep telling him:

Look in the Yellow Pages. Are their any ads for Archeologists?

[JoNightshade]

My son wanted to be an archeolgist. That what's he's taking in University. He saw Raiders of the Lost Arc way too many times.

His mother and I are concerned about his ability to earn a living. We keep telling him:

Look in the Yellow Pages. Are their any ads for Archeologists?

Don't discourage your son. An education in any field almost never goes to waste. He may work for grants for the rest of his life or he may end up doing something else, but a well-educated, motivated person is never going to end up flipping burgers or out on the street. I think parents have a tendency to worry way too much about that.

The most important thing is that he is pursuing something that he loves, and that will motivate him more than any "high paying" job. Both my husband and I decided to pursue careers that were not obviously lucrative, but we come home satisfied every day and we couldn't ask for more than that. Some of our friends went for money and caved to family pressure. They are not happy.

[Bo Sullivan]

An artist, a writer or a doctor.

[Jamesaritchie]

Sometimes a mountain man, sometimes an inventor. Tried both.

[Danger Jane]

I wanted to be everything and I still do. It sucks I only have one lifetime, assuming no reincarnation.

A vet, a marine biologist, an artist.

Then around age fifteen I decided to become a gold digger.

That dream lives on in the back of my head; it is my fallback plan. But I know for sure I want to be a writer now, and maybe a psychiatrist and open a practice like a place. Or maybe I'll major in music. I have the credentials. I don't really know. My best friend says we're going to be bounty hunters like Stephanie Plum. I say cool. She says but you aren't allowed to hold the AK-47. I say :(

OR I could be a person who wanders around continents with a backpack and a water bottle for a couple years before meeting a hot guy and settling down.

Of course if anyone is looking to fill the position of "badass", I'm ready and willing :D

[shana]

I wanted to be an archaeologist, a teacher, a psychologist, and a ballerina. All at the same time. I planned to have a different job for each day. :D

[EriRae]

I wanted to be a storm trooper, hang with Vader, maybe become an Imperial Captain. Shoot rebel scum. Star Wars Battlefront: my dream came true :)

Once, I wanted to be a reporter, but then I realized I'd be in some serious trouble for inventing the news, so I settled on writer. Started with Star Wars fan fic and moved on from there. Then I changed my mind and wanted to be a lawyer. Then I didn't want to go through all that schooling to spend 17 hrs a day at work.

Still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up...but published author is all I have on my mind right now.

[sunna]

OR I could be a person who wanders around continents with a backpack and a water bottle for a couple years before meeting a hot guy and settling down.

I actually know a guy who does this. He's been to I think 14 countries so far, and he just gets to the next one, finds a bar or a field to work in, buys an old clunker of a car to sleep in, and wanders around until he gets tired of it. (his degree, BTW, is in philosophy. go figure.)

I thought it was cliche until I met him. (ok, it's still a bit of a cliche....but a damn cool one. it looks like so much fun!)

:sigh: I am so jealous.

[shakeysix]

i was accepted into a program for paleontology after i earned my AA. my field was spanish lit and english lit. neither seemed to be taking me where i wanted to be. lit is not exciting like tracking ancient grains. so i decided to go for my dream.

i have always loved fossils and plants. i had a fossil laurel leaf and a fossil fern (looking at it right now.) when i was maybe ten. i didn't find them. my uncle sent them to me. i did find shells, trilobites, and shark's teeth. i was always digging up my grandparent's pasture. when something matched a picture in a book the thrill was incredible.

when i made my announcement that i had been accepted into a 4 year school for paleontology, my parents had a cow. i was female, reasonably attractive, and it was 1970. they said that if they were paying for more college i could be a nurse or a teacher or nothing. hard choice-- i hate blood and i hate kids.

i am not bitter anymore but for some years i was. i felt trapped in social work and in retail. teaching is better. i do like high school kids, just not the mocosos. i can kind of see it their way now. my dad was an oil field worker. getting me through college was tough on him. naturally he wanted to be sure i could support myself.

my own kids have taken some goofy turns in their education but i support them always. --well, there was that glass blowing thing. had to draw the line on that one--s6

[Button]

I wanted to be She-Ra. When I discovered her job 'wasn't available' I was highly disappointed. My next bet was for Rainbow Brite. Durn my luck, that wasn't an option either. I couldn't figure out how to get up to their cloud world.

Writing is okay, but nothing like holding a big shiny sword, or making pretty rainbows with stars.

[Azraelsbane]

I came home from school in 3rd grade and told my parents I wanted to be a writer when I grew up, and their response was as follows: "You need a real job when you get older. Writers live in ditches." :) So from 5th grade on I wanted to be a biomedical engineer. I even went to school for it, for about 3 years, but so much for that. Now I'm just a bum. :D

[rubarbb]

Namatu;1498685]Inspired by the "what's your job" thread.
Aside from being a writer, what jobs did you imagine would be for you when you grew up?
First, when I grew up I wanted to be older...After all these years I am still waiting to grow up... I wanted to design cars...:)

[althrasher]

In order:

Teacher
Writer
Musician
Missionary
Broadway Star
Astronaut

Four out of six...not too bad.

[rubarbb]

In order:
Teacher
Writer
Musician
Missionary
Four out of six...not too bad.


How close am I?

[althrasher]

How close am I?

Right on the money :D

[rubarbb]

Right on the money :D

That was easy...:D

[althrasher]

That was easy...:D

Yeah...it's a little difficult to log onto AW from space...;)

[rubarbb]

Yeah...it's a little difficult to log onto AW from space...;)

Especially when you're 20 years old...

[althrasher]

Especially when you're 20 years old...

C'mon, didn't you ever watch Space Camp?

[rubarbb]

C'mon, didn't you ever watch Space Camp?

Never heard of it...

[althrasher]

Never heard of it...

Oh, well basically...12 year old gets launched into space by a robot. Drama and tension ensues. Finds way back. The End.

[rubarbb]

Oh, well basically...12 year old gets launched into space by a robot. Drama and tension ensues. Finds way back. The End.

Sounds exciti....zzzzzzzzz

[SpookyWriter]

People's minds are fascinating. I have several of them running around in my head right now.Let me see if I understand. You have several peoples fascinating minds running around in your head right now?

I have the same problem. Wanna trade prescriptions?

[Chasing the Horizon]

When I was in elementary school I was obsessed with the TV show Rescue 911, so I wanted to be a paramedic. By the time I was 12 I decided paramedics had to touch too much disgusting stuff, and switched my goal to psychology. That lasted until I was 17 or so and decided I didn't want to go to college.

Then I wanted to work in real estate or property management, got my license, and discovered I sucked at it. Well, I didn't really suck at the work itself so much as I discovered I'm incapable of working in a corporate office environment. (OK, what happened was I called my boss a stupid whore who was screwing her kids up for life. But it was true, damn it!)

Anyway, a few months before I quit real estate I started writing. I'd written a few short stories and poems back in middle school, but nothing since. I just absolutely fell in love with writing and quit real estate to work at writing full time.

Writing was the last thing I would ever have wanted to do as a kid. I always had story ideas and enjoyed telling stories, but I absolutely hated sitting down at the keyboard and writing them down. I got frustrated easily and always quit after a few pages because what was on the paper didn't match what was in my head. As much as I enjoyed coming up with stories, characters, and entire worlds, the idea of actually writing a book never even occurred to me until last October. Now I love sitting at the keyboard and writing.

What's really funny is that I've come back to the beginning as far as what I'll pursue if I have to go back to work before I'm published. Now if I couldn't be a writer I would want to work either as an EMS dispatcher or a police officer (still not fond enough of gross goop to want to be a paramedic). Working as an EMS dispatcher really appeals to me, and writing has certainly given me the necessary typing skills. If I have to get a job that actually pays money, I'll do everything I can to make it that. My first career choice is still best-selling author, though :D

[Shadow_Ferret]

Aside from being a writer, what jobs did you imagine would be for you when you grew up?

Writer? Why would I have wanted to be a writer? Paleontologist was my dream.

Then veterinarian.

None have come true.

[SpookyWriter]

Have you tried applying for either profession yet?

[MerryDay]

Aside from being a writer, what jobs did you imagine would be for you when you grew up?


Gahd, I definitely didn't want to be a writer. My parents and friends always thought I would end up writing, but I was adamant that I wouldn't...they are definitely laughing now.

But I am too...I always wanted to be a doctor and now I'm about to start med school! Woohoo! Well, a doctor and a spy...but man, it is not as glamorous as it looked watching Nick @ Night. Agent 99, I will never be.

[RLB]

C'mon, didn't you ever watch Space Camp?

That was the anthem movie of my fifth grade year. And then I actually went to space camp in sixth grade. Which is when I realized I wanted to be an aeronautical engineer.

I wound up starting a major in biomedical engineering, got frustrated with the lack of flexibility in the class requirements and majored in math and philosophy instead (with no clear goal in mind).

I would love to go back and do college again now that I'm older. I just had too many interests at the time.

[AdamH]

At 6, I wanted to be an astronaut. I dreamed about space and memorized the planets.

At 7, I ranged from wanting to be Superman and Fall Guy. Who's Fall Guy? (Gratuitous "Fall Guy" Wiki Link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_Guy) ...and IMDB's Fall Guy (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081859/))

At 8, I wanted to be a cartographer...though at the time I didn't know the name of it. I just liked drawing land masses freehand.

At 9, I wanted to be Indiana Jones because I wanted to carry a whip and find treasure. I once dug up an old Tonka truck in my backyard.

Then between 10-15, I cycled through scientist, journalist, astronaut, and basketball player...until I realized that all I really needed was a creative outlet. So now I act and write. So I get to be all those things and more...but only in my mind...which is still totally cool.

[SpookyWriter]

Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?

A: Not poor.

[Shady Lane]

Singer/actress. Hahahahaha.

But seriously, I always wanted to be a writer.

[Inkdaub]

Let's see...in no real order, and aside from writer, I wanted to be...

Ninja
Lawyer
Major League pitcher or centerfielder
FBI Agent
Cop
Hermit

[Manderley]

I wanted to be just about anything and everything as a kid:

- private detective (Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys were my heroes)
- acrobat
- silversmith
- cowboy (I didn't know only boys could be cowboys)
- zoo-keeper
- teacher
- dancer
- actress
- magician
- director of an orphanage (I was a weird kid...)
- director of a hospital (a weird kid with the urge to help others, but not hands on...)
- archaeologist
- buddhist nun
- fruit picker

What I NEVER wanted to be was a journalist. And how do I earn my money these days... on journalism. Phah.

[Namatu]

Let me see if I understand. You have several peoples fascinating minds running around in your head right now?

I have the same problem. Wanna trade prescriptions?
Sure! I haven't done that in awhile. The fascinating minds get a little freaked, but it's all in good fun.

[Storm Surge]

For me:
Astronaut, Actress, Paleontologist, Writer, Ruler of the Universe, all the normal things.
I'm still harboring an insane desire to start my own independent film company some day.
At the moment, however, I should like to be a restaurant health inspector, but this is mainly out of a desire for revenge on McDonald's.

[Tracy]

I thought I'd be a teacher, and although I never went on for teacher training, I've been doing adult education for some time, in various disciplines. Also I home-educate my son ... so I am a teacher after all, just not the kind I thought I would be. Funny how things work out.

I wanted to be a pilot, but a) I have lousy eyesight and b) no interest in things mechanical. I've no idea why that idea hit me.

I always loved writing,but never even articulated the idea that I'd be able to be a writer, not till I got quite old. (Not ancient, but well adult). When I was growing up Ireland had a bit of an inferiority complex about writers (and about a lot of other things TBH), and most of the books in the shops were by English or otherwisely foreign writers. Maeve Binchy broke the mould when she wrote about Irish people and set novels in Ireland. But it still took me years to think I could do it.

There was no sense of possibilities when I was growing up (actually even to think about being a pilot was pretty far-thinking, now that i consider it), and that's one of the things I love about home-educating - I can open my son's mind to so many possibilities. How can you achieve something if you don't even know it's possible?

[JimmyB27]

The most important thing is that he is pursuing something that he loves, and that will motivate him more than any "high paying" job. Both my husband and I decided to pursue careers that were not obviously lucrative, but we come home satisfied every day and we couldn't ask for more than that. Some of our friends went for money and caved to family pressure. They are not happy.


Sort of straying off topic, but I want to add to this from the other perspective. I went to university and studied a potentially lucrative subject (IT). I'm only 5 years out of university, and I'm already bored and unhappy with this career choice. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but with hindsight, I wish I'd picked something else. Something more fun.


Back on topic, I went through most of the usual boyhood dream jobs - fireman, police, train driver. Then I joined the air cadets, got a taste for flying upside down and decided I wanted to be a fighter pilot. I went as far as applying for a university scholarship from the RAF. Had to do a lot of tests and stuff for the application, which revealed that I would make a great pilot, but an utterly useless officer. Since the two are not separable, I had to give up on that.
As for the writing thing, while I've always made up stories, it wasn't until university that it began to dawn on me that writers are really just normal, everyday folk (yeah, I know).

[Namatu]

Sort of straying off topic, but I want to add to this from the other perspective. I went to university and studied a potentially lucrative subject (IT). I'm only 5 years out of university, and I'm already bored and unhappy with this career choice. It seemed like the right thing to do at the time, but with hindsight, I wish I'd picked something else. Something more fun.
I wanted to be interested in something lucrative, like IT or business. I told myself it would make life much easier to have a job that paid well. I don't dislike my job at all (usually), but I do find myself still thinking about other things I could do, and they continue to veer away from the lucrative category. I could be a yoga teacher and write in between classes.

[ChaosTitan]

Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?

A: Not poor.


Ditto.

:e2bummed:

[davids]

A serial philanthropist

[WorldPlanter]

I wanted to be interested in something lucrative, like IT or business. I told myself it would make life much easier to have a job that paid well. I don't dislike my job at all (usually), but I do find myself still thinking about other things I could do, and they continue to veer away from the lucrative category. I could be a yoga teacher and write in between classes.

There are some day jobs that are enjoyable and pay well. There's just a huge amount of competition to get into them. Over 400 people applied for my position. Talk about pressure. It seems like years of hard work and long hours finally paid off.

[Mom'sWrite]

A serial philanthropist

You did know that I adore you, didn't you?

[davids]

Gosh that is so sweet-and not even a jibe about boiling water or melted butter-now there is a fine lady fer yuh!!!!

[JohnDavidPaxton]

Crazy as it sounds I want to be a writer.

And I'm pretty sure I still haven't grown up.

[Inky]

I wanted to be a pirate's captive.
I wanted to be an Indian's captive.
I wanted a shiek to arrive on a white charger, sweep me away to his desert caravan....

I REALLLLLLLY wanted to be Han Solo...so what if I'm female...I could be swash buckling!

I wanted Worf to realize human's weren't so bad...namely me...er...um....kinda an erotica thing that shouldn't be posted here.

I decided I would become a writer....and live out my fantasies....so what if they're in my head?!
I always get to be the lead.
I always get-my-man...er...alien....um...space pirate...Legolas....yeah...Elves...well..Orlando Bloom elves....uh huh...

[Jaycinth]

I wanted to be a lawyer and write books and be a mommy.

[OneTeam OneDream]

Age 4-Professional Baseball Player

Age 5- Professional Wrestler

Age 6-18 Professional Baseball Player

At 18-It was fulfilled, I was a professional baseball player, so the "want" switched to Major League Baseball Player. Then, I didn't make it for many reasons (none of which was ability)

so...

19-24 - Professional Baseball Player.

25+ - Husband (check) Father (check) Successful (check) Rich (ch....uh..not quite.)

[Iggmoe]

When I was seven, I told my parents I wanted to be an astrologer, because I wanted to study stars. Then my mom kindly corrected me and suggested that perhaps I wanted to be an astronomer instead.

[necia phoenix]

I wanted to be published. Still working on it. Not gonna give up either.

[javili]

I wanted to be a pirate's captive.
I wanted to be an Indian's captive.

Listen, we should talk.

[Ageless Stranger]

Scientist, then businessman, than lia-lawyer I mean. Now I'm just a politics student who writes stories. Living the dream!

[Jack_Roberts]

I wanted to create (write and draw) stories for Hanna Barbara cartoons.

Instead, I became a CAD Drafter.

I WANT to be a writer of children vampires and other crazy critters.

Hmm, full circle.

[ZannaPerry]

I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally couldn't tell you....

[RRK]

I've wanted to be a lawyer since I was about five. Now I'm in law school.

I've wanted to be a writer since I was about three. I'll be one till the day I die.

[dub]

I wanted to be a disc jockey, as a child I used to sit under the table and imitate the announcers. My first job was an on air Jock in a litte AM station. Later I jocked my way through college. Then, I got a real job. The day of the jocked radio is about gone. Now, they pre record nearly everything. The wild jocks are gone and replaced by young voices trying to tease the listeners. In my opinion, commercial radio stinks, XM for me now.