I was reading an article in the paper this morning by one of my favorite columnists and she wrote about dream jobs. She had met a man on the train that was a physicist and she was all excited because that was one of her dream jobs. When she told him that, he laughed and said it wasn't all that great--he wanted to be a photographer.Another one of her dream jobs was to be the pianist in the orchestra for the musical "Wicked", so she tracked down that guy. He laughed too, and told her he wanted to be a play-by-play announcer for a ball team. Sheesh, seems nobody is happy, are they?
So, it got me thinking what my dream job would be.
That's easy--I want to be a columnist for a major newspaper. And not just any columnist--I wanna be like Mike Royko--a hardened, witty dude, with a cutting edge and wicked sense of humor. 'Ol Mike is gone now, so I'd be more than willing to take his job--except newspaper jobs are doomed these days. Every paper I know of is going down like the Titanic and I think I'd want to be paid for all my wittiness. That is half the fun. What good is snarky if you are hungry?
Second choice? Uh.......well, if we are really pushing it.....I'd want to be a singer/dancer/actor on Broadway. But I don't want just a lame role--I wanna be the star that gets to sing a giant showstopping number or two. And it can't be in some dinky show either--it's got to be BIG and fabulous and one that everyone wants a ticket too. I dream big, don't I?
While my choices have a ton of requirements, I don't see them as being viable or realistic in any way. So, if I was absolutely forced to decide on something that I could possibly accomplish without all the stars lining up just so, I'd pick an interior designer or an architect. I'm all about furniture and fabrics and stuff. And I think it is something I could achieve in this lifetime.
So, what is your dream job? Do you wanna be a cowboy? Or a trapeze artist? How about a ballerina? Oh, man, I'd love to dance like that. Uh oh, I'm finding that I want to be a lot of things.
C'mon. You know you want to be something. Even if you are old and you are tired, or you are happy already--I don't want to hear that. I wanna know what you wanna be when you grow up!
33 comments:
I want to make awesome really bad art like the statue you posted and sell it to unsuspecting people who think they are cultured.
All I ever wanted to be was a mom! Check. The now what I'm still figuring out!
I think that's the catch isn't it? If it's something you would 'dream' of doing as a job everyday, once you get there, I think it looses it's allusion. It's only exciting because you don't have to do it day after day, every day. Hmmm.... I seem very critical this morning. ;)
xo Catherine
Photojournalist-I love both. But then I read your writing and think...that's Lin's thing. And oh Mike, how I miss his writing. I have every book of his writings they published.
Highway--Hahaha! And imagine the fun as you snicker behind their backs when they buy it!
Violet--Really? I never really wanted to be a SAHM, but ended up loving it. Do you have a DREAM job? I mean, one that isn't realistic?
Catherine--No! No! NO! We aren't supposed to be philosophical here--we are just having FUN! Now, go pick out something and come back, Catherine. Think FUN!
Helene--Oh, you can have the same dream job, Helene. There's enough newspapers for both of us in Dream Job Land. I miss Royko too. :(
Aside from wanting to do anything in the arts, including being a singer in a rock 'n roll band, I still wish I could be a teacher - of just about anything - knowledge is useless unless it is shared.
You have already yelled at Catherine, so I guess I'd better try to play the game.
At the peak of my career, I had a boss who would ask me "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Made me so mad. Maybe he was just trying to inspire me. Not.
So, I'd like to be the director of the Chicago Philharmonic. (There is a Chicago Philharmonic?)
I wanna have my own store selling people's junk... second hand stuff! :D I'm a neat freak so I think my store will be the neatest junk store around... hehe
Before I was old and tired I wanted be a biologist and work for the national park system...now I would be happy,if I had to have a job besides farmer,with an antique shop or quilt store.
I love to travel and always wanted to be a flight stewardess! Didn't meet the looks or height requirement. LOL!
can't think of a dream job i'd like to have. the whole concept of "work" often makes me quite ill.
i'd have to say being rich enough not to have to work and spend all my time with family, friends, shopping, traveling the globe and being super happy while doing it would be my dream "job"...lol
I wanted to be an actress and even studied theater in college and that led me to a career in retail...BOO! So NOW my dream job is writing. I don't care what I write as long as someone will pay me for it:)
If you can be a ballerina, I'd like to be the conductor on the Orient Express. Second choice is the first farmer on Mars.
I gotta say I really love the job I'm in now, but I'll sub for you when you take a break from being a columnist. OK?
I believe a dream 'job' is doing something you love... then it ceases to be a job (arduous, etc). My dream is to be a cool, hippy chick; living off the grid, raising llamas, spinning, knitting, gardening, making tinctures, etc. You know, the cool older woman that all the young ones come to for advise or to fix a booboo. =)
If I could figure out the answer to your last question, I wouldn't still be floundering around at 62 trying to redefine myself yet again. But I am thinking of making new business cards that say "adventurer - writer - speaker" (I'm serious. waddya think?)
I think there is something to that article though. I thought being an elementary art teacher was my dream job. Once I got several years into the field, I found out it's really not as much about teaching as it is about meetings and paperwork and being pulled to help out with math since that is SO much more important to everyone than art (as IF!). I think every job has it's ups and downs. But I also think it's important to keep some dreams just dreams because, well, aren't they always so much better that way?
OMG..I want Phil Koeghan's job. He's the host of The Amazing Race. Or maybe a sports caster for the World Series or Olympics or some epic event.
But something a little more realistic is just a person who goes from disaster to disaster helping out however I can.
I think that my dream job would be to be a doctor - specifically in the area of sports medicine. Here is the crazy part... I had the opportunity to go to medical school many many moons ago and chickened out. Guess that says a lot about me :(
Zamboni driver @ United Center! Fran's Dad
What do I wanna me when I grow up? Rich. Okay, seriously... I want to be an author. I've finished a children's book manuscripts, I'd just like to have an agent who believes in the project as I have ideas for a series of children's books. I'd also like to finish the other manuscripts I've started. One non-fiction and a couple of fiction ideas. So, yea, an author.
If I couldn't do that then I'd like to be a model. :-) I could do catalog where no one would ever pay attention to the face of the model. It doesn't matter as long as I get to do it.
:-) Thanks for reminding me that I do have dreams. I so love your choices! I'm sure you could an interior designer or architect - that would rock. And I know of an online newspaper so I'm sure there are more. You can do a witty column wherever you want. I think you should right about using your wittiness 'cause you're definitely a card!
smooches... Oh, you forgot to say you want to be a hobo. :-D
First I have to say that I don't want to grow up. But if I have to and then have a dream job to boot, I think it would be something like world famous photographer or perhaps own my own craft store, I wonder if A.C. Moore or Michaels is for sale?...lol
Grace--okay, so what is the name of your band?? :) I think teaching would be nice if you didn't have all those parents and state tests to deal with all the time.
Vanilla--Oh, no yelling, just strong-arming the fun outta folks. :) Oh, yes, there is! And the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. What a great choice!! Can I come to see your concerts? My "son" is off to college now, no more CYSO concerts for me now. :(
Nessa--I like that. Why not new stuff, Nessa? I like hardware stores--I'd like to own one of those.
Melodie--I like the park job, but like my newspaper job, I'll bet those are scarce now. OOOH, a quilt store! :)
Veronica--Oh, and you'd be so darn cute in that flight attendant dress you gotta wear!!
Roschelle--How about doing travel documentaries--just for fun and money? Or a travel show on the Travel Channel where you get to visit all these cool places and you can tell us about it?
brookeamanda--Retail=BOO. Been there, done that. Ick. I like your writing dream--maybe you can achieve it.....???! I hope so.
Chuck--Oh, that is COOL. The Orient Express would be so exotic. I would miss you if you went to Mars.
Betty--Okay. Will you promise to be all snarky and fun and stuff while I'm gone? But not too good so that I lose my cool job, okay? :)
Annette--That's a cool job, Annette! It's more of a way of life than anything. I like that.
Sharky--I like that for your business card. It makes me smile. :) I'm with you on that whole "redefining" thing--I do it too. It's a good thing because it keeps life exciting.
Nancy--So....what is your dream job, Nancy?? C'mon. I'm making Catherine pick something even though she's all thinking about this too. I know, I get it--but we are just dreaming here today. No reality for a change.
Diana--Oh yeah, I'd like to be Phil! He can be all suspenseful and silly with those contestants. Hey! When is the new season, anyway???!
Stephanie--Why do we all take the paths we do??? It's too bad you aren't a doctor, maybe you could fix you. ;)
Fran's Dad--ROCKIN' JOB!! I like that one. :)
Petula--I am already a hobo, aren't you??? ;) We just have to hit the road one of these days. I like the author idea. But you could totally combine the model thing with that--you know, there is that photo at the back of your book and all those press releases to be done. ;) I think you would be great at both.
Ann--I think you could be a GREAT photographer! But I think you are that already--you just need to sell your work, right? Wouldn't it be fun to be in on all the new craft stuff on the market?? Gees, I would LOVE that too.
I wanna ROCK!! I have always wanted to be a professional singer.
My dream job would be a published author (not self published but wanted by a top notch publishing house). I guess with fiddling around with my blog and other things, I'm working towards that goal and if I never get there, well, I had fun trying.
Bawhahaha! Goodness...you are a bit demanding... haha!!
OK OK... dream job ~ have fun ~ Ok ~ well it would have to be caretaker of orphaned wild cat cubs at a zoo. How about that? Bottle feeding baby lions, tigers, cougars and such. Oh yes ~ that's it ~ that is what I could do for the rest of my life.
That better? :)
xo Catherine
I am thinking, despite my upbringing and past career, that I was meant to be a goat farmer.
Ain't that somethin'?
I want to hit the walk off homer for the Red Sox to win the World Series - duh!
I really don't know what I want to be when I grow up but I just want the ass wiping stage to be over already.
Lydia--YEAH! Freebird!!!
Mtn Woman--Ooooh, that's a good one! Wouldn't it be lovely to have an advance for future books, too? Or do you think that would be too much pressure?
Catherine--Hee! Hee! Thanks for playing along, pally! ;) Wouldn't that be great to see all those babies grown up and still have them remember you?? Awwww.....
Pricilla--It IS something! And you are so much more--all that cooking and baking, soap-making, jewelry-making, etc. that you do! And you are GOOD at it all! WOW!
Bumbles--That's my favorite!!! :) Good one, pally.
Casey--Oh, we will always ass-wipe, but just in different ways. Heck, I'm ass wiping the cats and the husband too. Sigh.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an Artist, but that wasn't practical and I wasn't anywhere near as creative, artistically, as some starving artists I've seen.
I've toyed around with being an author too, but I have no idea how to write a book. Maybe a memoir or how to book.
Or I'd want to be a lesbian musician, like Melissa Ferrick. Then I'd get all the chicks. Lol!
No one picked any superheroes?
Lola--Oh, you crack me up! Looks like all of your choices are artsy ones. I think you are doing fine with the chicks with or without the artsy career. And do you really want them to want you just for being famous??? Nah.
easy. I would want to be a famous food critic. Travelling around the world eating all the best food...FREE!!!!!
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