Friday Question #126
When you were a kid, what did you want to be “when you grew up”? What do you do now? What do you want to be “when you grow up” now (the second time)?
I may have asked this before, but it’s interesting, so I will ask it again!
Yesterday, while Erin and I were walking to the park to each lunch, the Blue Angels flew overhead (they were practicing for the Chicago Air & Water Show this weekend) and made quite some noise… so I had to tell her how I wanted to be a pilot when I was a kid.
I remember even thinking about joining the Air Force! I told Erin though, there is no way that would work for me – I do not like taking orders, ha ha!
So I went to school for architecture. And now I run interior projects for the federal government.
When I grow up again though, I think it would be fun to be a tour guide!
Themocracy
I wanted to be an anesthesiologist because I thought it was a cool word and it would be cool to tell people that was my job. haha. Plus they make a lot of money… now I’m an Economist/Statistician.
Now I would want to do something outdoorsy.. like some sort of adventure sports guide.
Hey Kim!
Great pics! What an awesome job those guys have. I wonder: Have there been (or are there any?) female Blue Angels? I love architecture and would find that a pretty career choice.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be “when you grew up”?
INDEPENDENT! Weirdly, I don’t remember thinking about it when I was a kid. I have no defining moment of, “When I grow up, I want to…” though, looking back, I was heavily into reading and writing from a young age, and always doing presentations of one variety or another. No matter what it was, I didn’t want to be tied to any one thing or ‘boss,’ including my mom! LOL It seems to have stuck, because….
What do you do now?
I’m a literacy educator, reading specialist, and staff development coordinator/facilitator. I was also the training coordinator w/in our dept when I was in the Navy. Learning has always been the foundation of what I DO, apparently. (kind of a recent ‘aha’ for me!)
What do you want to be “when you grow up” now (the second time)?
INDEPENDENT!…. LOL Seriously, As I’ve gotten older, my creative side has begun to REALLY flourish, which I love and nurture, and my desire to get back to my roots has kicked in big-time. I want to continue creating purposeful and engaging learning experiences, but NOT working for someone else. I want to be a freelancer doing what I love: facilitating learning (formal and informal), writing/blogging, speaking/presenting, building/developing… in projects with/for clients. Cubicle life and 9-5 conformity makes me depressed and uncreative.
INDEPENDENT. Creatively independent. Yes, that’s what I want to be when I ‘grow up’! And I’m on my way….
You are SO on your way to being independent. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I always wanted to do something with words — be a librarian, be a professional reader (wish that job existed!) and be a writer, which is what I became. I never imagined I’d have such a passion for travel but I feel like my dreams came true and are still growing. 😀
I love this question! And I think it’s very cool that you’re an architect, that’s a skill I’ve always admired.
When I was a child, I was sure I wanted to be a doctor, but it was really my mom’s wish for me. Then I grew up a little, was convinced I wanted to be a geneticist (after taking hs bio), then grew up some more and wanted to be a chemist. That’s what I am today!
When I grow up AGAIN…I’m not sure! I’ve recently turned into a photographer, so maybe that full-time? When we were in Costa Rica 2 years ago, doing adventurous things like ziplining and WW rafting and rappelling down waterfalls, I noted how WELL I slept, because I’d been so active during the day, and found myself envying the people who worked at the outfitters who got to do that every day. So maybe something more physical? Hard to say!
Such a great kid picture!
My mom kept a school journal and each year, listed what I wanted to be when I grew up– it ranged from fire fighter to dentist. I was pretty set on being a lawyer for quite a while, but by high school I had shifted to history teacher/professor.
I still want to be a city manager when I “grow up,” and if I got a chance to do that over again, I’m not sure I would change.
I wanted to be an actress (on Broadway) when I was little. Then I realized that I am way too practical and neurotic to throw my destiny to the wind like that. Oh, and also, I’m not very talented.
Now, I think I want to be a translator, so I’m working towards that with my second MA (hopefully).
For the life of me I can’t remember. I think as a kid I was like I am now:all over the map. At any given time I have about 15 things I’d like to be ranging from journalist to travel writer to non profit worker to….and the list goes on.
I’ve wanted to be lots of things, but the one that stuck the longest growing up was architect! Now I’m in the stage of my life where I have NO idea haha
i wanted to be a horse jockey, the a fighter pilot, then a psychologist. i became a social worker, a realtor, and now in HR. i have no idea what i want to be!
I am still asking myself….I really want to do some thing more creative and out of an office setting,
I had no idea I would be doing what I am currently doing and I have been asking myself why did I settle.
It’s not too late to find something you love! 🙂
I once dated a guy who wanted to be a pilot. I told him I couldn’t marry a pilot because I don’t like flying that much! Do you enjoy plane travel?
As a kid I wanted to be a veterinarian and then a forensic pathologist/medical examiner. But in the end I didn’t want to spend that much of my life in school and in debt so I didn’t pursue either of those. I sort of wish I did, though.
And then I just wanted to work in law enforcement or criminal justice. Still do, actually.
I do not enjoy what plane travel has become… but I love being in the air!
You’d make an awesome tour guide. I love that pic of you as a kid in the cockpit!
When I was a kid I wanted to be a veterinarian but then quickly realized I’d have to cut open animals and changed my mind. (In kindergarten I claimed to want to be a cheerleader- high aspirations, ha.)
Now I would like to own my own business and do event planning (I might be closer to that then I ever thought possible). But secretly I would have liked to have been a jazz singer.
Thank you!
I think you will make a great event planner!
Ahhhh….I wanted to be a doctor. A pediatrician, specifically. But I got so burnt out in college that I couldn’t fathom however many MORE years of it, so I ended up a medical technologist, and loved my job in the microbiology lab. Then I moved on to pharmaceutical micro, which was also cool.
If I could, I’d go back to school to be an ME. That’s my dream job….
For a short while growing up I wanted to be a naval aviator, but I’m pretty sure the movie, TOP GUN had something to do with that.
I was thinking when I was in Chicago, how much fun it would have been to be a tour guide and why didn’t I think of doing something cool like that when I was in college.
I guess now, I would like to be a photojournalist.
True story – I wanted to be a CPA. I was such a nerd.
Gosh….what did I NOT want to be when I grew up?! I changed all of the time…..nurse, teacher, doctor, lawyer, architect, news anchor, pop star (still hoping for that one), stay at home mom, the list could go on and on! Obviously, now, I am none of these things. 😉 I am a paralegal, but hopefully that will soon change!
I love this question. I’ve always wanted to write books. I started when I was in elementary school — on that paper with the really wide margins. I just love writing stories, making up characters. I’m glad it’s still with me after 30 years. There was a brief phase of wanting to be a gymnast, but let’s ignore that.
I always wanted to be a writer. I used to love writing all sorts of stories. As for now, I still want to be a writer. Still writing stories, too. I’ve been published many times (as a freelance journalist) and once (with a short story in January)
First I wanted to be a lawyer cause I used to watch that show “JAG” and then I wanted to be a naval pilot but that didn’t work out either.
Not really an answer to your question, but my nephew flew a Blackhawk helicopter for the Illinois Nat’l Guard in the Chicago Air & Water Show this weekend. He wanted to fly when he was little. 🙂
How cool!