What Did You Want to Be When You Grew Up??

[Lynne]

I thought this might be a fun idea for a poll, and I'm sure I'll need to expand the list as people post their memories.

I was thinking about this because of Jack dreaming of the rodeo, getting no support from his father, the current election in the US (Why would anyone actually want to be President?), and the general demise of dreams as we grow up.

So, what did YOU want to be when you grew up?  How much space is between that and what you're actually doing?  Are you OK with it?

[Lynne]

From my earliest memories I wanted to be a doctor.  I would play doctor with my little brother as the patient.  When he got tired of that, we would play teacher, and I always got to be the teacher too  .

I stuck with this dream until my sophomore year in college when I switched from premed to physics.  My grandmother died in the spring of my senior year in high school.  Her internist mixed two drugs that should not have been mixed.  Afterwards, I could not wrap my brain around shouldering the immense responsibility being a physician would entail.  At that time I did not differentiate that medical doctors could do research instead of having daily interaction with patients.

My grown-up career is in engineering and technology; I'm writing software at the moment, which I find incredibly dull.  Before software, though, I was involved in a few very cool technology programs that I think are helping make the world a bit better - weather and EOS satellites - I'm proud of that.  Sometimes I think something is missing.  I still think about going back to school, maybe getting a teaching certificate, trying to make more of a difference.  Is it time to put aside those childish dreams?

 

[Brown Eyes]

Hi Lynne,

Nice poll!

I picked vet, singer and president. 

When I was very little I wanted to be a vet because I love animals and wanted to work with them... But, then it occurred to me that it could be very sad to work with sick animals and so I decided against it. 

And, in high school I was obsessed with music (I still am to a certain degree) and wanted to be in a rock band.  I picked singer because it was the closest thing to what I wanted to do... which was to play guitar in a rock band!  I even saved my babysitting money and bought a bright blue electric guitar and taught myself how to play.  I'd taken violin lessons for a long time, so it actually wasn't too hard to figure things out based on sheet music.  Chords were always very hard for me... I would have been a great lead guitarist.

And, there was definitely a phase when I thought it would be excellent to be the first woman president.  But, as I grew up politics in general seemed like a less, and less, and less appealing career.  I still enjoy discussing politics, but would never consider really getting too involved in politics.

One thing that I would have voted for here is ballerina.  When I was very little, I loved that idea.

[Artiste]

More than one thing...
and
can being gay man be one ?

[optom3]

For as long as I can remember, ballet dancer.Was well on the way until Arthritis finished it in late teens.Just when I had been accepted at the Festival school of dance too.
I could have taughr ballet instead, but I just could not bear to. I did not even watch a ballet for years after.

[mouk]

LOL, that makes three of us. I too wanted to be a ballet dancer, I was totally passionate about it as early in my life as I can remember but this was not judged a 'suitable' career    Finally, as a teenager (far too late) I ended up being allowed to attend a small but good ballet school as a hobby till I got virtually crippled with sciaticca and the pounds piled on quickly. Sciaticca is gone mostly but the pounds have decided to stay!

My other big interests were archaeology and being an explorer in Africa. 

[ZK]

More than anything else, I dreamed of becoming a pilot of a big jumbo jet!

I'm with you on that one David, when I was 20 I took two flying lessons so I guess I have piloted a plane albeit for a short time. I really wanted to continue however money or lack of stopped me. Now I fly flight simulator every week and its really cool, even a jumbo jet and heck no one gets hurt if I have ....ahem a mishap. Flying for real is still on the agenda though

[Clyde-B]

I wanted to be an Atomic Scientist.  Either that or a cowboy.

You're right!  I had seen waaaay too many Saturday matinees.

[mariez]

I think this is a fun idea for a poll too, Lynne!

Of those listed, I chose astronaut and teacher.  Being an astronaut was always a complete fantasy, and I knew it because I don't even have a real interest in the type of studies that would be needed for that - but I've always been fascinated by space travel and have read everything I could get my hands on about it.  Several years ago, HBO had a terrific series produced by Ron Howard and Tom Hanks, "From the Earth to the Moon" and I bought the tapes and watched them countless times.  

My third choice was librarian.  I can't remember a time when I didn't love to read and just being surrounded by books all day sounds wonderful.  

I still think about going back to school, maybe getting a teaching certificate, trying to make more of a difference.  Is it time to put aside those childish dreams?

 

Of course not!  The idea that you want to make a difference shows me that you'd make a wonderful teacher.  

Marie

[Lynne]

There we go!  More options!

I just remembered I wanted to be an equestrienne and join the circus, due in large part to a Nancy Drew mystery I read.   

And I read all of the Trixie Belden, Tom Swift, Encyclopedia Brown's too...detective maybe?

And Marie, I still think a librarian would be a terrific job!  Not much makes me happier than being surrounded by musty old books!