Pajiba

When I was ten, I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. (I blame the Monterey Bay Aquarium).

When I was 12, I was in an amazing production of Peter Pan as a Lost Boy, and since then I have wanted to be an actor.

A BFA, three years with an Equity company in Cincinnati, and my next big move (probably to a large, East Cost city) later, and I am still working on that one. Next gig, maybe I'll get PAID! W00t!

When I was little I wanted to be a gift wrapper at the local department store because the girls behind the counter were always beautiful and got to make beautiful packages with pretty bows ALL DAY! Who wouldn't want that job?

Then I wanted to be a teacher because I had a really great 2nd grade teacher. But in college decided that I have no patience other people's annoying kids.

After a 17 year stint at a YWCA as the director of a homeless shelter (7yrs) and grant writer (10 yrs), I am now a stay at home mom raising my own annoying kids (who are really pretty great.)

Ohh.. I also wanted to work for Jaques Cousteau. I didn't care doing what--maybe hold his little black cap while he was swimming?

i wanted to be an elementary school teacher or an alien.

i am a divorce attorney. close enough.

A storm chaser, no doubt. I was always drawing but that was merely how I passed me time. I'm still obsessed with weather, I even had physical sciences as my major for 2 years.

Now I design monsters for movies. ;) And nerd out on the weather channel. Anyone wanna chase tornadoes with me next year? ;_;

when i was very young, i wanted to be prime minister or host "hockey night in canada". then i wanted to help animals - either as a law maker or by directly caring for them; e.g. running a rescue/shelter or rehab centre.

to that end, i was an academic and studied/taught ethics.

now i'm a writer... currently a screenwriter, but once that's more established, i hope to publish in both the worlds of fiction and non-fiction. regardless of the content of my work, the goal is still the same: to be in the position one day where i can help to reduce the suffering of non-human animals. i do care about humans who face exploitation and hardship, but my heart and most of my time definitely goes to the creatures.

When I was 12, I wanted to do something that would let me work with animals. I loved animals (still do) and thought working with them would be awesome. Never mind that a lot of that work would consist of working with sick or dying animals as well as normal healthy ones, which I could absolutely NOT do.

Anyway. Now I manage housing for low-income families. I also write for um... here. I love both, so no complaints from me. Plus, I married a veterinarian, so...

Interesting how many of us wanted to work with animals...

A marine biologist...and then I learned that most of them had to like touch fish and didn't just swim with dolphins. Knowing that totally turned me off.

Erin--you did finally figure out that Paula Abdul is not a singer, right?

I wanted to be a pharmacist who wrote novels on the side...probably about nerdy little girls who mixed their Fun-Dip with crushed Quaaludes.

Now I work in medical publishing, managing five journals whose topics range from orthopedics to forensic pathology. If one of my co-workers feels like staring at a picture of a man who beheaded himself by tying a rope around his neck, tying that to a tree, and then driving away...well, I'm their girl.

At 6, I was absolutely convinced I was going to grow up to be either a garbageman or Chinese, not necessarily in that order. Neither panned out, much to the relief of sanitation workers and Asians everywhere.

Courtney:

I can relate. I wanted to be a nun. I'm Jewish and we don't even have the concept. I confess (ahem) that I only wanted to be a nun because I loved the habits. I now collect medieval clothing for fun. It's all the same look. Wimples rule.

I wanted to be a DJ or a talent scout for a record label. I guess growing up on reruns of WKRP in Cincinnatti and living in a shithole southern town (see re: available reruns previously referenced) with one decent indie/rock station as my only refuge fueled that dream for a lot of years.

I actually went to school and got a journalism degree...at about the same time deregulation of the industry set in and giant corporations began eating up and homogenizing every station in multiple markets...and that's not even taking into account the onset of satellite radio.

I woefully neglect my degree now and have taken up a career in higher education administration for a large university, and am currently studying for the GRE so that I can go back and get my masters degree and progress in this field. I love students, and I'm a rabid alumna of the school, so it's actually working out well.

When I was growing up I wanted to be a hairdresser/stylist. I saw so many people in the world who clearly needed my expertise in french braiding and side ponytails, as well as bang fluffing. However, that dream was crushed when I figured out that I really don't want to be that physcally close to random strangers and breath in their used air.

So in Grade 9 I decided to become a High School teacher. After a BA in History, I entered teachers college, got my B.Ed. and am now a History teacher for grades 9-12. I couldn't ask for a more rewarding and amazing career!

Sorry--the other part. I'm currently languishing in a call center after discovering that an English degree is pretty much useless south of Washington DC. I'm seriously reconsidering my original plans concerning the janitorial arts.

As a little girl, I wanted to be Flash Gordon.

Now I'm an archivist, which is pretty much the same thing. I mean, we both listen to Queen and master the universe, so I'm doin' pretty good here.

I never really had a specific job in mind. What I did know was that I wanted to do something that wasn't too hard, that was somewhat fulfilling and I would get paid a lot of money to do it.

The dichotomy between one's desires and reality is starkly contrasted in that I'm now sitting at my desk on Keesler Air Force Base (where it is sickeningly humid), wearing an uncomfortabe uniform, with (a reletively lowly) four stripes on my arm (that's Staff Sgt. to you!), overworked, underpaid and pining for England. The horror! The horror!

uhh spelling is not one of my stronger points....thank GODTOPUS for spell check!

All I ever wanted to be was normal and or happy.

Right now, I have a crappy part time job, a failed 4 year relationship, one lousy year of college, major depression issues, and a credit history/identity not worth stealing.

So very not where I wanted to be at 32. I think I need to go cry now.

Aratweth that was hilarious. You know 1 in 5 people born in the world are Asian, right?

A cartoonist or an animator. And I'm an illustrator and a designer, so I got close anyway.

I wanted to a private detective, then, as I developed a talent for writing, a crime reporter. I was a crime reporter and it was GREAT. Death, destruction, mayhem. It was a blast. Then I moved to a shitty paper in New Jersey (it rhymes with "Burlington County Times") and I was a crime reporter there, too. Then they got rid of the night cops reporter job and I had to take a municipal beat, which was kind of boring. Then I got fired (It's a long story, but don't call your boss a flamenco dancer on the paper's website, kids. That's a tip). So now I work for a medical trade publication, it's not as much fun as crime, but the hours are better, I'm making about 30% more and my bosses are competent professionals instead of mindless shit-heads. All in all, a decent trade.

When I was in 6th grade, I wanted to be an 8th grade math teacher. Then I took a career aptitude test, and it said I should be an accountant. 'Fuck that' I thought...

Got into college, and spent 4 and 3/4s years in the Elementary Education program, culminating with a 10 week stint student teaching.

I learned several things during that experience

A)I suck at teaching large groups. And by large groups, I mean more than 3>.>

B)I hate hate HATE other peoples children(so word to whoever said that earlier). If I know the kids' parents, I'm fine with them, but random children I never met before? Ewwww

C)I enjoy making snot-nosed bullies cry. Even if they are only in the 4th grade.

Anyway, 10 weeks into my student teaching semester, or 6 weeks from graduation, my cooperating teacher says 'shape up in 2 days, or I'm taking the class back.'

I said 'eff this, I don't need a hernia at 22, I'm out of here.' Changed my major to accounting the next day, and a year and a half later, I graduated with an accounting degree:D

I am now and accountant for an insurance company, which I came to after the public accounting firm I worked for for 3.5 months decided they didn't need my services anymore>.>

(Bastiges basically hired me for an internship for tax season, but as a full time salaried employee, meaning no OT like the rest of the interns>.>)

I wanted to be a best-selling fiction writing lawyer who played centerfield for the Boston Red Sox. Then I gave up my desire to write fiction in favor of writing comic books. Basically, I wanted to be Brad Meltzer, outfielder for the Boston Red Sox.

These days, I'm a manager for Verizon. I won't lie and say it's what I went to college for (that would be radio), or that I ever saw myself becoming a third generation phone company employee, but it pays well enough to afford me my recently purchased Stately Dave Manor. And, some day, I'll get out of my own way enough to write that story that will either be my first novel or script. If the Red Sox don't scoop me up first.

I have always wanted to be a dancer. A ballerina, thank you very much. I graduated with a BFA in dance from Fordham, danced with Alvin Ailey for a summer, and then danced on cruise ships on cruise ships for a few years.

Now I'm old (for a dancer, 28!) and working for a law firm. Not too bad, actually. A lot more fun than I thought...

Julie - please please please write the stories about girls with Quaaludes mixed in Fun Dip. That sounds like a great read! Or at least post it in chapters in the comments here at Pajiba.

When I was about four, I had dreams of being a mailman. I'd follow our mailman up & down the street with a big blue leather purse my grandmother used to own.

After that, all I wanted to do was draw stuff and make signs. I'm a Senior Graphic Designer now, so all's good.

I've got hopes on doing voice-over work next, but need to figure out how to get the ball rolling on that one. My voice moistens the driest of panties...

Pimp

Pimp

I wanted to ruin things that people love. So far I'm battin' a hundred!

A) I wanted to be the person who dresses up as Snow White at Disney World. Not sure why--I hate hot weather and screaming children. I think I assumed that Snow White must get to live in the big castle with all the other characters, and that sounded like fun.

B) Today I'm a public health data analyst.

Random.

Growing up, I always wanted to travel to distant planets and meet alien species. I wanted to entertain people and show that despite my size and sexual preferences, I could still nail foxy women.

Today? I am Tom Cruise. And I. Am. Awesome.

As a kid, I wanted to be a doctor. At some point, though, I realized that I liked the physical sciences more than I liked biology and anatomy.

Now, I'm an electrical engineer for a consulting firm, currently working with utilities and power distribution.

I also wanted to be a rock star for a couple years. I was in a band, got a few songs written and some decent stuff recorded, though it (obviously) never panned out. It was a hell of a good time while it lasted, though. Check out our old MySpace and Pure Volume sites to hear our tunes. I was the lead singer. Also, I'm not so fat now.

For the longest time, a teacher. Then a veterinarian briefly, until I realized that loving animals and being okay with sticking your hand up them are two different things in entirety.

I wanted to be Spider-Man.

And now I'm an ill-adjusted man in red and blue tights, dashing between skyscrapers and dangling upside-down from every object I can reach.

Dreams can come true, kids.

When I was a kid I was dead set on being a Child Psychologist or counsellor of some sort. When I was 14 I took sign language and wanted to work with Deaf Children. I attribute it to poor roots and a highly dysfuntional upbringing!!!! And well I've always helped people.

As of late, I do Customer Services for Fedex Trade Networks Canada, We are the customs broker for FXG. I'm not grown up and don't accept this as my career. It's a job until I go back to school next year for Corporate Media Production.

When I was about 12 I wanted to be an attorney. For whatever, as long as it involved being tough and just and sexy and ruthless.

10 years later Im have a BA in technical writing and translation and am about to start workin in advertising. So lets see how that goes. Cant complain right now.

My very first aspiration was to be a waitress.
I tried it once, the dream died quickly.

After that, in quick succession: Cowgirl, Ballarina, Private Detective (a la Nancy Drew of course,) bookstore worker and Youngest Published Author To Ever Be On Letterman.

All of those dreams died, except for the writing part, which I studied in college.

But now I'm just a data manager for a media trafficking company with a blog.

The dream still lives though. If Jen Lancaster can get a book deal so can I, damnit.

The First Black Female Pirate.

That is all.

When I was a little girl I wanted to be a wagon-train pioneer, a detective, a mystery writer, a priest, an archaeologist, or an inventor. In high school I wanted to be a Shakespearan actress, one of the Grimaldis, or a novelist. I ended up as a book editor. Close enough.

When I was really, really little I wanted to be a ballerina who drove a racecar, I have the drawing from pre-school to prove it. Then I wanted to be astronaut, I even went to Space Camp. Then I wanted to be a writer...and now I'm an English teacher who teaches fiction writing-it all worked out, I just need a little more time to write but overall I'm happy.

I always had a list of what I wanted to be when I grew up:

1. Mother Nature
2. Firefighter
3. Police/ FBI Agent

As I grew older the FBI took the number 1 spot; but Mother Nature always will have a soft spot in my heart.

Now, I'm a tax consultant.

A jockey and a vet. First I grew too tall, and later spent a summer working in a research lab, so the next logical choice was professor of literature and philosophy...didn't know about the cutthroat politics of academia at the time.

Now I'm in publishing, wishing I were Michael Palin. (Sadly for me, that spot is filled.)

In kindergarten, I drew a big picture of myself in the All Grown Up world as a mommy (Cringe, feminists, cringe...).

Later in elementary school, I wanted to be a forensic pathologist. It wasn't until later that I discovered how much science really bored the piss out of me.

Once that dream was swept off the table in junior high, my goal switched to writer, specifically of tales of the horror variety. Bless my poor middle school English teachers who read my essays and probably thought I was deranged. But I was always the kid who got picked to read hers out loud before the class.

The writer dream continued into high school, but I also got interested in teaching. Throughout college I assumed that I'd get my accreditation after I graduated and go on to teach high school English/drama. A few post-collegiate years later and I had the realization that teenagers piss me off, especially in large groups.

Ended up spending eight years toiling as a lesser demon in Corporate Hell. I broke free of those shackles not long after my son was born.

So aside from a few side jobs, my current profession is a mommy. Obviously, my littlest self knew my future best.

Still thinking about teaching someday though...

As a kid, I wanted a doctor/virologist. (I was going through an Outbreak phase, and reading Robin Cook and Michael Crichton throughout elementary school.)

In High School, I wanted to be a writer or an actor. In College, not getting anywhere into writing or acting, I settled on Lawyer. Never got into law school though.

The one constant though was showbusiness. I always wanted to be a writer/actor/director throughout my life, and I idolized Steven Spielberg. (I even wrote to him to ask about a Tiny Toons movie back when I was a third grader and got a signed photo. George Lucas on the other hand only send an 8X10 of him and some Ewoks, NOT EVEN FUCKING SIGNED. He was too busy raping people's childhoods, which was exactly what I was inquiring about.)

So here I am, working for a Government contractor as a desk jockey, running a blog, desperately wishing I could get something published and escape this Hell so when my future kids have show and tell, they can say "My daddy's fucking awesome, and all your daddys can just suck it!"

Thanks for getting me to pour my heart out, fuckers, that's the least snarky thing I've ever posted here. Boogs, I think I'm going to be needing your assistance.

What I wanted to be was middle aged...seriously. I did not like being a kid, and all I wanted was a little house and a normal job and a cat and to be left alone.

In high school, I went back and forth between veternarian and lawyer, then figured out I didn't like the reality of either job. So I went to a public school to get an art degree.

After 2 years, I realized that I would have a helluva a time eating, much less keeping in art supplies, with an art degree and no desire to "network" or make "contacts," so I got a business degree.

Then I saw "Office Space," and decided to get my master's in something else. I started a pre-dentistry program, bombed basic physics, and got into Library School.

I am now a librarian at a public university, which is awesome because I don't have to explain what I do, and I have plenty of time on the side to do my artsy crap. And I have my own apartment and a cat, and am well on my way to 30. So it's all working out.

When I was a little girl I wanted to be a "singing princess astronaut teacher", probably in no particular order. I don't know why astronaut was in the mix, but it just sounded good at the time. When I was older, I wanted to be an attorney. I graduated from college, didn't have any money, put off my entrance into law school to work and save up and 8 years later-- here we are.

Now I work for a cancer hospital in Houston, Texas as a contract specialist. I help negotiate contracts with Pharmaceutical and Biotech companies to do research with the Institution.

In two months though, I will become something else that I always wanted to be-- a mom. Yea!

I wanted to be a writer, an artist, a teacher, and sometimes a roller coaster designer. (And whenever it's Shark Week I want to be a marine biologist.)

But I can't draw, I failed out of grad school, and engineering is over my head.

On the other hand, my second novel came out in June.

Sometimes dreams do come true.

(Except for Shark week.)

Still thinking about teaching someday though...

Posted by: Alabamapink at August 13, 2008 3:57 PM

On a totally serious note, here's hoping you're able to see that dream through to reality.

So you're well enough and able enough to post with greater regularity, eh?

I just wanted to be grown up and out of the house! Now I am a jeweler.

I set my sights on the arts - music, painting, writing whatever. After seeing La Boheme in high school, it was opera, then I saw Showboat and not only wanted to be on Broadway, but to also sing contralto instead of soprano. Then I studied literature and art (completely dropped voice), wasted my degree in finances (random temp turned permanent - for 4 years!)and have started over in graphic design.

Also, I'm in a couple choirs and sing alto - years of smoking and the dream is mine!

What didn't I want to be? I wanted to be a dancer, gymnast, hypno-therapist, illustrator, magazine editor, hitman, pilot, chef, hermit in the woods, lottery winner, sleeper agent, singer, director, actress, doctor, palm reader, designer, ice cream truck driver, historian, restaurant owner, fashion designer, FBI agent, vet, photographer, anyone who works at the Travel Channel, sneaker maker, baker, bartender, linguist, archaeologist, animator, comedian, swimmer, toy maker, video game tester, etc. I was a fickle child.

Now, after having switched from photography to graphic design, I'm drowning in a sea of debt. My only options are to fake my death upon graduating this year or pretend to be the illegitimate daughter of a rich white man. I'm light enough, it could work. WOO! The future is bright! I wasn't planning on doing this until school started back up, but I'm gonna go eat a pile of insulation and chase it with a tall glass of battery acid. Talk amongst yourselves.

Peasandmacaroni:

What small liberal arts college in Maine?! UMaine Farmington alumni here!

When I was a kid I didn't want to grow up. At all. I wanted to be 12 forever. Then, as the horrible teenage years dragged on, I got hooked on watching Johnny Carson's monologue, and wanted to be him, making everybody laugh and talking with beautiful famous people.

I thought Johnny Carson was one of the coolest human beings that ever lived. Still do.

god what DIDN'T I want to be??

Oh, Legib? Congrats!! thats awesome.

But um, as for me...Explorer, diver, jet ski secret agent...dont ask.

Um...i desperately wanted to be a vet for the longest time, like i was really into it but then, as i mentioned in the ER trips thread the other day, i developed a potentially fatal allergy to large animals and some small ones which pretty much stamped that idea to death.
I wanted to be a doctor for a wee while but it was literally about a week.
Honestly I'm like Dustin except was writing from when I was about six(not to shit on Dustin, U just ..was a scribbler) and to this day I write every time I get a chance...being a succesful writer is the next step.
I wanted to be an actress fro a while, up to auditioning for a pretty prestigious school over here but literally halfway through my final monologue I decided I didn't want to audition, ever again, so my monologue went from expressive and ...well, good, to blank and crap and as soon as I could I went and made a day of being in London
Air Hostess for a while...actually sort of still, it seems like it could be a little fun.
Lots of things.
Right now...I graduated a few weeks ago so I'm still in the inbetween phase, I want to get into writing proffesionally and will eventually but right now I'm a waitress. It's actually a great little job for me, and its on the dock in my home city, my favourite place in the actually so =D

But yeah...I wanted to be every hero in every movie I had ever seen, every book I ever read

So you're well enough and able enough to post with greater regularity, eh?

Posted by: Che Grovera at August 13, 2008 4:13 PM

Yeah I am (thanks for asking and well wishes), but right now it's more based on my mood than my overall health. Yesterday was a bad news day. I'm less grouchy, but my hip is sore. Bone marrow biopsy number 7! Whee!

I wanted to dance on the rooftops (to quote James McMurtry) and I get to do that from time to time. My five year old tells me she wants to be a princess mommy firefighter. I hope she gets there!

Sorry for the many grammar and spelling mistakes in my other post...I'm very unwell right now so I'm on some meds and they're....making me a little loopy.

When I was a kid I wanted to be an artist or something. (Knowing even at age 6 that I had little to know artistic talent I was never all that serious about it.) Through high school I thought I was going to be an interior designer... or a photographer. In college I figured out I'm way better at reading stuff than doing stuff, so I got my degree in art history. I thought maybe I'd be a curator or a real life academic...

Naturally I'm not a product management analyst for a mid-level talent measurement company.

art... spreadsheets, they're pretty much the same right?

Part A: I wanted to be Lara Flynn Boyle.

Part B: I am still not Lara Flynn Boyle. But I'm trying really hard.

First thing I remember wanting to be was Vanna White. Easy job, pretty dresses. Then I wanted to be a pharmacist until I realized science isn't really my thing. Now I'm an editor, and I love word puzzles. It all comes full circle.

Julie-- I was just at the National Aquarium in Baltimore! I love that place. I'm sorry your mean friend wouldn't let you go (at least that's what I took from your comment).

Pre-Nine-Years-Old I wanted to own a pizzeria. I still cook frequently, including pizzas from scratch. From nine on I wanted to be a teacher, and despite a torturous detour into engineering since everyone kept harping about me being gifted and "working to my potential" and crap, I am finally a scant two years from having a California teaching credential. Focus FTW.

Whoa! Majority of y'all are Accountants and sound pretty unhappy with it. Why???

I wanted to be a fashion designer or just work with books either reading or writing.

Now, I've just finished my first year of training to be a Nursing Lecturer. Fingers crossed that I get through it. So Pajibans ask me in 5 years time.

Back in the day, I, like most of you, wanted to work with animals.

Then in hishchool I was all about journalism.I wanted to be Diane Sawyer. I aim high.

Now, I have a business degree and work in marketing for a trade association...specifically with a very VERY large consumer technology trade show. Yay, go me.

Boo you have Cabana boys? Now I hate you.

David did you want to look like Lara Flynn Boyle (pre-surgeries) or sleep with Jack Nicholson?

I remember wanting to be a marine biologist, despite living in the middle of the desert. Well that didn't pan out. Tracking native trout species for Game and Fish was probably the closest I could get, and ugh, boring. Seen one trout, you seen 'em all.

Now I'm a physical anthropologist, which means I dig prehistoric burials, fight ancient evils and use my bull whip to scare rattlesnakes into submission. All while sweatin balls in 110 degree heat. Heyah!

Mary Poppins... is it wrong that that hasn't changed all that much?

Part A: I always wanted to be The Evil Overlord. You know, the main bad guy: Sauron, Lord Foul, the Darklord, Ming the Merciless (with a better wardrobe ... and staff). I wanted to be the Bad Guy who was so bad that the Good Guys spent all their time and energies dealing with my minions, and prayed I never took personal notice of their antics.

Part B: What am I now? A faceless Gummint bureaucrat, a drone, a cog in the machinery of Gummint, one of the Legions of such creatures who daily run the Red Queen's Race to keep the government's wheels turning (to the extent they do turn).

Why, yes- I am a Minion of Satan. But my duties are largely ceremonial

I've wanted to be a librarian since I was 9 years-old. I'm currently a children's librarian and I wake up (almost) every day happy to go to work.

When my sister was little, someone asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, and she replied quite simply, "the boss".

Part A: at age 5 I wanted to be a Navy fighter pilot due to (oh God I'm going to get so much crap for this) my love of the movie Top Gun.


During Junior High I wanted to be the narrator for National Geographic


In High School I realized my love for theatre and school so decided on becoming a HS theatre teacher.


In college with only 6 classes away from the degree I was a production supervisor for a Summer HS theatre program. Good Godtopus I couldn't stand it! I switched around some things and ended up leaving college with three degrees - all in theatre.


I am currently working in a sales office for a highly commercial theatre company...and planning on going back to school to get a Masters in Arts Admin.

Before first grade, I walked up and informed my mother that I wanted to be an astropaleontologist--a word that I made up for my dream job: digging for dinosaur bones on Mars. I also drafted an idea for making plants grow in zero-g that got the attention of some folks from Nasa...which would have been awesome had my first grade teacher (incidentally, the one in whose class I was stabbed, and who then didn't allow me to go to the nurse for a bandaid, ending with my mother coming to pick me up and finding me sitting in a puddle of blood) not put the fear of space into me.

When I got to college, I was set on becoming a forensic psychologist. Which was great until my university stopped offering my f'ing degree, and I didn't get grandfathered in. So, four years of college for nothing.

So I tried to open a homeless shelter/fresh start center after discovering just how despicably the average homeless shelter around here treats people (and also finding out that in a city with a population of about 700 homeless, there were only twenty beds available, all given only to women, and that if they had children, the only way they could stay at those shelters was to lose the rights to said children...it made and still makes me sick). But I also discovered that while people get enthusiastic about the idea, no one will put their money where their mouth is, and it never got off the ground.

I ended up trying to open a bakery instead (did you see Stranger than Fiction? Remember Anna's story about how she got into baking? Someone totally stole my history, then put a successful version of me into that movie), with a focus on helping people out as a kind of back-door way into my homeless shelter.

But again, no one would put their money where their mouth is, and it failed, too.

So, I'm 25, I've gone through three major attempts at starting different careers/projects, put myself in debt, and I'm a faceless government drone drawing in a paycheck that isn't enough to make rent and so have to live at home until I can land something that actually pays a living wage...

I keep reminding myself that my family is very long lived, and I've got a lot of time left to get my act together.

I never really had a specific idea of what I wanted to be when I was little. It was always some variation on either being a superhero or trophy wife.

Now I'm finishing a degree in Graphic Design and actually enjoying working retail. So I still have no idea what I really want to do with my life. Being a trophy wife does still seem like a good one on bad days.

When I was about seven I wanted to be a Playboy Bunny (yes, I was little when they still had Playboy Bunnys) or an architect.

Ended up being a (much-less-well-paid than architects) graphic designer/art director and a group fitness instructor, so I fell a little short of the ideal.

When I was young I had Top Gun fever and really wanted to be a fighter pilot. Then, somehow at about age 12 I decided I wanted to live on the coast (alone) and catch sharks all day long.

In high school and college I pursued music (guitar player in some entirely forgettable bands)with the intent to become a full-time rocker someday but it didn't happen so I got a BA in English instead.

Now I teach English (8th & 9th graders) and coach basketball, football and track.

When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be a veterinarian. Then about 4th grade until late high school, I wanted to be an animator. Then I ended up going to a trade school (not 4 year college - fuck general education) studying multimedia design.

Now I'm a graphic designer.

I also tried bartending for a bit. But due to my distaste for people in general, and me being a horrible conversationalist, that didn't last too long.

I'm thinking of moving to Oregon (I've lived in central PA all my life). Maybe I'll become a Sasquatch tracker.

Is everyone a graphic designer? Do I have to switch majors again!?

I wanted to be a sailor and I wanted to be captain of my own ship. Couldn't pass the physical for officers' candidates school, but enlisted anyway and served at sea. I just loved it.

Now I'm a computer geek - no formal training in it, but I like most of what I do for most of the people I do it for most of the time. It's a pretty good life.

I wanted to be a nun like Sister Barbara.
But now I'm an athiest.

Currently I am a student, research assistant, project manager, and adjunct faculty. In my spare time I make jewelry and parent my crazy mother and her other children.

Dave-didn't you hear? They found a dead Bigfoot in GA yesterday. I think that's what the Enquirer is reporting anyway.

Sorry; flaked on part B. Now, I'm a lawyer - totally missed my "no suit" goal.

I wanted to be a mermaid. The end.

For a long time I wanted to be a doctor. I used to tell people that I had such bad handwriting that it was the only thing I could be. Ain't I just hilarious?

Then I decided that dealing with dying children (because of course I wanted to be a pediatrician) was not for me. So I decided to become a teacher! So much less depressing, right?

At the moment, I work for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ($6.55 an hour, bitch!), in an accounting office. It's terribly exciting. My title is Account Clerk II. The II bit is very important. Leave off the II and I'll be forced to cut you.

But I'm going to school and I trained all four student assistants we got this summer, three of whom were still 17 when hired, making the task of training/keeping them on task seem remarkable like teaching/daycare. Again, terribly exciting.

So I'm pretty far from my goal but working on it. And I'm young and don't really think of myself as terribly grow-up, so that's okay. My mommy thinks so too.

In second grade, I decided that I wanted to be an actress, a writer, and a detective! Screw you, Nancy Drew!

A little later on, I decided I wanted to make cartoons, and I still do. I just started the first one at the age of 30. I work customer service for a major cable company during the day and learn how to make cartoons at night. Sweet.

At the age of 5 I wanted to be a fairy, but, my kindergarten teacher told me that fairies are basically born that way, which led me to option B, which was mermaid. That didn't work out either. Today I am a travel agent, which is surprisingly close to what my option C was: traveling circus.

Oh, s. pisaster, I wanted to play for the Reds SO BAD!!!!! I wanted to be the first woman to play major league ball and it HAD to be for the Big Red Machine, shortstop....damn, we would have been so great together!!

A: Well, I used to want to be an astronaut until I realized that death could possibly be a major possibility in such a career. For some reason, I decided that becoming a fighter pilot would be a better alternative, despite the fact that there was an even greater chance of dying horribly and without the mercy of instant asphyxiation. I didn't totally think that one through.

I think I also wanted to be an author, but it didn't bode well that I started writing Star Wars fan-fiction at age 10 (cringe). Hey, I thought I was cool.

B: Today, I'm inches away from completing my BA in English, and, like many English majors, I'm in retail. To keep my sanity, I do some freelance work researching terrorism and frantically send out resumes to every publishing house I can find. Anyone need an Editorial Assistant? Or some sort of human shield? I'll seriously do anything right now.

K.

A. Psychiatrist, lawyer, diplomat.

B. Claims Adjuster. Takes a bit of all of the above.

Thank you, Snath for confirming I'm not the only one.

Old dream: Baseball player.
Reality: Newspaper copy editor.
New dream: Gigolo.

I wanted to do be an adored writer and a reader, because those were my two favorite things. But I also wanted to help others with my knowledge of everything. That's why I studied Microbiology and British literature as an undergrad, IT Management as a grad student and am a project manager today. Sadly, I'm neither a writer nor adored. Still, I'm pretty happy for now.

with that not I meant now. yeah I know, not that anyone cares, but yeah I'm that pathetic, and just when you think I cant get more pathetic that this I fart in public or find some brand new psychosomatic diseases to just show myself as, in fact, not even being married to paul haggins, which, in my book is way worse that make a porn movie with paris hilton.

I wanted to be a ballerina. With no ability to dance and zero grace, this wasn't really realistic. Oh, I also wanted to be an actress. That one stuck longer than the ballerina thing.

I am currently on my senior year of college getting a degree in history with a social studies teaching licensure, and minoring in news-editorial journalism and theatre. Well, at least theatre stuck.

I wanted to be a gymnast, but I only thought about getting to the Olympics. After that I had no plans, but do you really need them? I got pretty far, I was a level ten junior elite but then I broke my leg after a nasty collision with the beam, and then we moved so I never got back into the swing of things. Watching the Olympics now makes me realize I never really wanted anything as badly as I wanted that, which is why I still haven't decided what I wanted to be when I grow up.

I'm currently a chef at an upscale grillhouse/raw bar because for like, three days I wanted to go to culinary school and I happened to find a job right away. But I'm working on those law school apps so in a couple of years maybe I'll actually be making some money.

Then: I wanted to be a large animal veterinarian - horses mainly.

Now: I'm a legislative analyst. I sit at a desk all day. I hate it.

Veterinarian all through elementary school but realized it was too many years of schooling. Ditto. Plus the realization that I'd have to put an animal down, which I totally could not do, even knowing it's for the best.

Other Life Dreams included archaeologist (I was informed there were 'no more things to find' by a friend once, which derailed that dream for a bit until I realized she was a dumbass anyway), history teacher, world dictator, writer, soldier... not much luck on any of those fronts.

Currently, I'm the full time Rides Supervisor at an amusement park, and I love the hell out of it. I haven't yet decided if this is an honest career in the making or just a good way to spend the next 5 years.

I wanted to be an Environmentalist and an X-Ray technician (just like my mom) until I was seven. Then I discovered comic books and I wanted to be a comic book artist. Then I burnt out on art and joined stage crew, graduated from high school and majored in philosophy for two years before realizing that the club I'd been in during high school could actually lead to a career. So now I'm training to be a scenic carpenter and hopefully set designer. I've basically never expected to make money though and I'm proud to say I've at least followed through on that...

I never wanted to do anything till I was about 10 or so (I just wanted to read for the rest of my life). Then I saw Jurassic Park, and I wanted to be a paleontologist till I got into college, at which point I decided to be an archaeologist instead. I start grad school next week and do random monitoring projects and survey when I can get work, while my husband, the pimp software engineer, makes all the money.

richmac, I wish that at almost 39 (two weeks away) I were on the cusp of attaining my goal. You rock, in my mind, for continuing to pursue yours. Thank you for giving me hope!

I wanted to do research - applied science, eventually specifically materials science. Really. With a portfolio life of the big thinking, some teaching, some music & etc. on the side.

Interesting circumstances knocked me off the trajectory of being one of "them", you know the people with skills and credentials and so on. A few decades later I'm still certified / credentialed only as certifiable.

Having developed quite a bit of software - odds are each of you reading this has used something I helped build - I work these days doing consulting & interim management with software development teams, mostly helping the dysfunctional little Rain-men impersonate humans just a little bit better. "Research" is right out in this field, as the last thing the trendistas of computing want is any real insight into how developing software actually works.

In a sense I do some research one organization at a time, which lets me get things done with teams otherwise stalled. "How'd you do that?" "I payed attention to what was going on, dolt."

The larger profession doesn't get it, so I sputter, and write the occasional curmudgeouly article playing to a small, deeply disturbed following. Despite myself there's a parade of folks from my past who claimed I touched or helped them. I'm flattered and bemused. I'm just trying to get by. I still mostly want to investigate the workings of gizmos and the obscure interstices of stuff.

Scully hot. That is all.

For a while, I really wanted to be a restauranteur because I liked designing fictional restaurants that I could then "play store" with and pretend were real.

Then I thought being an architect would mesh my skills in math and my love of... drawing restaurants, so I held onto that dream for a while. I even took two years of drafting in high school. (Not that I ever really loved math, but it just came easily. And if people start to whine, you can just stop yourselves, 'cause we all have our good and bad subjects. You can't do math, I can't do history. Believe you me I can't do history. But I can find integrals like no one's business if need be.)

Now, I'm a recent graduate with a degree in Film & Digital Media Production looking to make the move to L.A. next month. Let the unemployment games begin! I guess I'm technically a part-time movie critic with my website, too, but until I either a) get paid for it or b) get into a critics' organization, I still consider it just for fun. And I'm wrapping up my illustrious career as a wedding videographer that I've held for the past 16ish months.

And what the fuck? "I'm 21, so I'm really not grown up yet." The other Ben, a.k.a. The Harry Potter-Bashing Troll, is 21, too? Crazy!

Sorry LordHelmet, I'm not the BOFH. I aspire, though.

The Register - Pajiba for the bit-flipping crowd, I think.

A teacher or a barrister. But the former I don't have the strength for (get treated like shit by everyone for awful pay) and the latter involves living on buttons until you're 35. So I'm now an accounting intern with a year left of my undergraduate economics degree ahead of me; a degree that I don't actually plan to use, of course, so I'm something of a blank slate right now.

Of course, I'm only 21 - I don't exactly feel "grown-up" yet, so I'm not too worried about what I'll do with my life. Something will turn up - it always does in situations like this!

1. A science teacher

2. Supervisor at a county jail (22 years now).

But I never wanted to be any of those things ... I always wanted to be ... a LUMBERJACK!

Okay, sorry, Python Moment over.

Wanted to be a lawyer, actually, although I suppose my very first wish was to be a museum curator.

Now I'm an actor. As in a fully-trained Shakespearean actor. Can's sing, can barely dance, but I'm currently in a musical and my last two plays were Shakespeare tragedies.

I have zero money, but I can't complain. Although sometimes I still do. =)

I wanted to be a farmer. My mother would mind all my children while I would cruise around the farm on a motorbike. I was 5 at the time and had no idea where all those children would come from!

In my teens I had absolutely no ambitions. I thought I'd like to be an interior designer, but I worked for a week with one; she was a real bitch who made me schlep her gear while she moved offices and I didn't learn a darn thing, except that samples can get bloody heavy.

I dropped out of school at 15, worked in insurance until baby #1 came along; and somehow, many years later, ended up as a graphic designer/signmaker/sales assistant/jewellery designer/payroll officer/whatever pays the bills.

Veterinarian. Only three more years of studying 24/7 while all my friends actually do have time for doing fun stuff, and then I'll be living my dream! And what a dream that is :D

I wanted to be a civil rights lawyer, my hero was Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center. That or a social worker. I was a very sweet and empathetic kid.

Now I'm a captain in the Army. I work in a Civil Affairs unit, basically being a social worker for displaced civilians. Listening to folks problems, winning hearts and minds, helping people rebuild all the stuff we blew up. Gotta do right by the people. The majority of folks in Iraq got along with us just fine....though I did get shot while delivering humanitarian aide, which was pretty rude. In the thigh, no biggie.

Lordhelmet, when do I start? 'Cause I'll do anything in the interests of "science."

I wanted to be a vet, until I read James Herriot's "All Creatures Great and Small" and realized that being a vet could also mean shoving my arm in some large animal's ass.

I majored in environmental science with the vague intention of working in the woods somewhere, counting pandas or elk or something. The reality--I am now a lab technician, and have been paid mediocre wages for working with radiation, sewage, mercury, spit, pee and blood. Oddly enough, I like it. The work fits in with my anal retentive nature, I'm completely isolated from the public that I loathe, and my schedule is flexible. PLUS, birthday lunches for everyone, BBQs just for the hell of it, a nice park-like area to walk in every day, pizza parties, good benefits, and tons of vacation time.

The downside--I used to love to write, and still harbor hopes of one day publishing something, but a decade of writing in purely scientific terms has drained my creativity.

Awww... thanks, Che! =)

when do I start? 'Cause I'll do anything in the interests of "science."

KP, report to Julie at her convenience for leg-humping practice. I want to measure her level of endurance, so come prepared for a long, grueling day's work. If you're good, she might feed you.

Actually, what I really need right now is someone to figure out what that clanking noise down in the hold is, and why Crewman Redshirt hasn't reported back to me yet. You can keep whatever you find.

Last Monday I started work as a world-building game designer for the Bioshock company.

Gigi, congratulations!! I'm not at all jealous. Nope.

In this order: princess, cowgirl, ballerina. Needless to say, I've only come close to any of those by dressing up as the "Sexy" versions of these for various Halloweens. You gotta follow your dreams!

I was a mildly successful child actor and model in the early 80's (more of the steady work type than the lead role type) so of course I figured I'd just be Christy Brinkly or Cheryl Tiegs or whatever and be famous and rich and walk red carpets and all...then I realized I pretty much sucked as an actor because I was unwilling to mold myself to others whims and didn't give a crap about 'technique' or 'craft'. Also, I never grew into a Barbie doll after all, more like her little sister Skipper (short and no bazooms).

So I fell deeply into artwork and creative type stuff and wended my way though dot-connery until it busted and I got pregnant. All sorts of madness in between (retro cigar girl, 60's gogo dancer, gay-pride-vampire fashion model, heh, good times all), but suffice it to say - my kids room decor kicks royal derriere.

"Was this before you found out what a philandering, lying, misogynistic sack of shit he was? I've met the asshole...I even worked for them for a time. There's a reason there's a high turnover rate at SPLC...especially of young women..."

Wow Shadows of Darakon. Really? I had no idea about his personal life, just his work. Bummer when admirable people are pricks in real life. Shit, it's like finding out there's no Santa Claus. Thank God I still have the Tooth Fairy and Jesus...wait what?...Then who's been leaving the quarters under my pillow? I'm calling the police.

I wanted to be all sorts of things...writer, artist, teacher, doctor, but a writer above all. I'm not sure if you can count me as 'grown up' yet, but right now I'm a blogger who works as a messenger at a law office during the summer and as a writing consultant (I help my fellow students improve their papers) during the school year. But ultimately, I am still aiming to be a novelist in the long run, and hopefully write for pay about either politics or music (my two loves) to pay the bills.

I was always kind of resentful of the fact that I seemed to be expected to choose something to be. I just wanted to lay around all day piled up in blankets and pillows, reading.

I wanted to be a mortician (and no, I was not a creepy little goth kid). My parents were appalled.

I ended up going to school for Art History.

I work as a "systems engineer level III" which means "computer support". I am the person that loses your email, causes you not to be able to print, reboots the server in the middle of the day and changes your password to thirty random characters on a whim.