When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? And are you doing what you wanted to, or imagined you would be doing?
I wanted to be a detective -- probably from a steady diet of Encyclopedia Brown and the Three Investigators.
My current occupation is far less interesting...
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
I, too, wanted to be a detective. Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Lucky Starr, the above mentioned. You name it, I read it.
And computers only existed in the books when I grew up so, no, I'm not doing anything I remotely thought I would be doing. I fully expected to be a journalist or newspaper editor.
Posted by Caliente on :
An astronaut. But then my friend Adrienne wanted to be one too and obviously we both couldn't be astronauts, so I settled for astronomer.
Of course, I'm not fully grown now but I'm 99% sure the only stars I'll be seeing will be from my backyard.
Posted by Faraway Lad on :
A military style bandsman, I enjoyed it when i was a kid even though I realised as i got older it was not to be.
I also wanted to go to the stars, again alas not to be.
What i do now pay's the bills and is in a small way helping people out so i dont feel too bad about it.
Posted by Jorg-EM on :
archaeologist, curator or police officer.
I'm with Lightning Lad (Scott). I work in IT (information technology). I got the job when I was 21 because it paid real good and I was a recent dad. Somehow I moved up and now I'm still here.
I have a BA in Fine Arts. Posted by lancesrealm on :
I wanted to be a veterinarian. I still think about it sometimes.
Posted by armsfalloffboy on :
Ages 12-28: Rock Star
Second Choice, ages 15-21: Teacher
Second Choice, ages 21-25: Wealthy through some means I never quite figured out
End result: Teacher
Posted by Harbinger on :
Teacher.
That'll learn me! Posted by Quislet, Esq. on :
I wanted to be a History teacher or a historain (even though I really didn't know what a historian was) because I loved history.
Posted by Vee on :
For as long as I can recall, I wanted to be a diplomat. Then the hostages were taken in Iran and it began looking much less glamourous Posted by DrakeB3004 on :
I remember writing for some school essay that I wanted to be a baseball player, but I think I only wrote that because I couldn't think of anything good. I *really* wanted to draw comic books! And though I don't do it now, at least I have been published (I'll never tell where - it was crap).
Posted by Kent Shakespeare on :
I've wanted to write and draw comics since... at 10 or so, once I figured out people actually did that for a living.
before that, I wanted (at various times) to be an astronaut, a pilot, or a cop.
Posted by CJ Taylor on :
quote:Originally posted by Quislet, Esq.: I wanted to be a History teacher or a historain (even though I really didn't know what a historian was) because I loved history.
Historians spend hours and hours reading books, talking with people, and postulating on what happened. It's the dream life for me.
I wanted to be a stand-up comedian. Not a comedic actor, just a guy point out the funny side of life.
Instead, I work in a metal shop, learning software and teaching others. (yeah, I know- ME?!)
Posted by STU on :
quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: I, too, wanted to be a detective. Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Lucky Starr, the above mentioned. You name it, I read it.
Oh my God! You read Trixie Belden too?!
I-- er, I knew someone who read Trixie Belden... (She was a cutie, wasn't she? )
I also liked Danny Dunn and the Hardy Boys, of course. But I think I only read one Nancy Drew -- the first one.
As I got older, I also wanted to be an astronomer, oceanographer, or paleontologist. But then I realized that I'm not very good at science...
Posted by Lightning Lad on :
quote:Originally posted by STU:
quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: I, too, wanted to be a detective. Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, Lucky Starr, the above mentioned. You name it, I read it.
Oh my God! You read Trixie Belden too?!
I-- er, I knew someone who read Trixie Belden... (She was a cutie, wasn't she? )
I also liked Danny Dunn and the Hardy Boys, of course. But I think I only read one Nancy Drew -- the first one.
As I got older, I also wanted to be an astronomer, oceanographer, or paleontologist. But then I realized that I'm not very good at science...
Read and owned all the hardback copies of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Even had the hardback version of the Detective Manual. Man, I wish I still had that. Got a Hardy Boys detective kit for Christmas one year and had finger print powder all over the house before New Years.
After my detective phase I alternated between being an archeologist, science fiction writer and lawyer. Actually had a set of law books and an interview set up for after high school but by that time I had decided on being a journalist. Actually was for a few years before my mom's health took a bad turn and I had to move back in with her.
Posted by Saturn Girl on :
Doctor..... From a young age I enjoyed those children's doctor kits with the candy pills and the bandages. One day my mother heard my brother screaming and found me sitting on him and drilling into the roof of his mouth with a tiny toy drill, so perhaps that was more dentristy then medical? Other then that one forray into being a dentist/torturer, I continue to be fascinated with the medical profession and with playing doctor. Too bad I lacked math skills, science skills, and oh, a little thing like money to get into med-school. But I did become a certified nursing assistant, and later an Emergency Medical Technician.
Anthropologist - with a special emphasis on Cultural Anthropology. In college I dreamed of studying the major religions of the world and focusing on modern-day witchcraft and Native American Shamanism. Ended up dropping out and doing 23 years in law enforcement instead.
Vampire - yes, I actually wanted to be one. Ended up getting to meet some really interesting and talented folks, and a few majorly disturbed ones as well. Got to meet Anne Rice in 1991. Decided I was getting too old and was way too fat to carry off the Goth/Vampire thing much longer. But while still in my Goth stage I met and married Scott in 1992. Our combined vampire libraries total close to two thousand books.
Writer - I always wanted to be a writer, and I have occasionally been able to pull off some pretty great things. But while I have the desire and I believe the ability, I lack the drive and ambition to see anything through to novel length.
Posted by Rockhopper Lad on :
The first thing I remember really settling on for a while was an architect. When I was six years old, I saw my first house plans and was fascinated. Maps fascinated me too, and, though I didn't know what it was called, I think I had an interest in civil engineering as well.
Then I wanted to be a cartoonist (Charles Schulz was my role model), but I realised I couldn't draw very well. Then I decided to be a writer, but I lack the discipline to really try to make a living at it.
Then I decided I wanted to be a priest (at the time I was Roman Catholic). I enrolled in college as a religion major, but I soon came to realise that I was doing this for the wrong reason--I was gay and I saw it as a safe place to hide. I then switched to being an English major, which I stuck with. I still wanted be a writer or a journalist and then wanted to get a PhD in English.
I graduated from college at 20 and tried to figure out what came next. I applied to grad schools for English, but did not get in. I spent the next six years trying to find myself. I became Episcopalian during this period and seriously considered the priesthood in that church, among many other things.
Finally, I decided to be a librarian. I got my MLIS and now I'm manager of a branch in a large urban system. I love it!
Posted by STU on :
quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: Read and owned all the hardback copies of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Even had the hardback version of the Detective Manual. Man, I wish I still had that. Got a Hardy Boys detective kit for Christmas one year and had finger print powder all over the house before New Years.
We talked about this a while back on the MMB, didn't we? I still have that Detective manual somewhere around... I wonder how much it would go for on eBay...
quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: After my detective phase I alternated between being an archeologist, science fiction writer and lawyer.
Lightning Lad, Esq.!
Posted by STU on :
There are a lot of really creative people here on LW and just all over the 'net -- people who have "regular" 9-to-5 jobs, but who are incredibly talented artists and writers.
Sometimes when I see the quality of fan art and fiction available and compare it to the "professional" stuff, I wonder why there aren't more of the "amateurs" doing the pro stuff, since a lot of the pro stuff really compares poorly... I suppose a lot of it has to do with luck, happenstance, and who you know.
Posted by Blockade Boy on :
and how fast you can produce it?
Posted by armsfalloffboy on :
Oh, I can produce it FAST! Oh, wait--produce what, again?
Posted by Vee on :
quote:Originally posted by STU:
quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: Read and owned all the hardback copies of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. Even had the hardback version of the Detective Manual. Man, I wish I still had that. Got a Hardy Boys detective kit for Christmas one year and had finger print powder all over the house before New Years.
We talked about this a while back on the MMB, didn't we? I still have that Detective manual somewhere around... I wonder how much it would go for on eBay...
quote:Originally posted by Lightning Lad: After my detective phase I alternated between being an archeologist, science fiction writer and lawyer.
Lightning Lad, Esq.!
Yeah, I remember discussing it as well a loooong time ago. I still have my Detective Manual and my entire Hardy Boys collection. I was also into Tom Swift and (early on)...yes, the Bobbsey Twins (Can't believe I just admitted that! )
Posted by Vee on :
quote:Originally posted by Saturn Girl: But I did become a certified nursing assistant, and later an Emergency Medical Technician.
Hey! I was an EMT also! Taught Red Cross Basic First Aid, Advanced First Aid & Life Support, American Heart Assoc CPR, the works.
I started out at the age of 15 as a member of the Youth Squad in the Volunteer Ambulance Corps in my home time, and stuck with it all the way through junior year in college. One of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
Posted by Saturn Girl on :
Wow Vee ! How much of a coincidence is that? My father put me into the Civil Air Patrol, the Civilian Auxiliary of the US Air Force when I was 13 years old. So I had to take the Red Cross courses, and I too became an instructor and stuck with it. I was trained in radio communication and the mechanics of organizing and carrying out search and rescue for missing or downed civilian light aircraft and missing persons situations. The discipline and dedication, and hell just the pride that came from being a part of this organization was the stepping stone to my career in the Sheriff's Office. I am proud of the people I helped with my first aid skills and nurse's aid training. All in all, with what my family has gone through crisis-wise, I wouldn't trade a minute of it.
Posted by He Who Wanders on :
First grade: police officer.
Second grade through age 12: Peter Pan (meaning I did not want to grow up).
Ages 13-14: Star Fleet officer.
Ages 15-21: Rock star.
Ages 18 (overlapping with the above) to 42: comic book writer.
The last thing I ever wanted to be was a teacher. So what am I doing now? Teaching college composition -- and loving it!
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(She was a cutie, wasn't she? ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
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(Can't believe I just admitted that!