What Did You Want To Be When You Grew Up?

[Tuna]

As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.

 

[Tuna]

turned out to be a GM of a rental company...FML

[The Beast]

What I think would be interesting is to see what people thought they'd be and where they are now. And if people are what they thought they'd be, if their job was as great as they thought it would be.

[CanOfCorn]

Got it. I start tomorrow. 8th Grade US History

 

*thumbs up*

 

Considering where you live, are you going to teach it in Spanglish?

[Kid Gleason]

Cartoonist - first and foremost. Pretty much my whole life was a love of cartooning. Comic strips being what were my favorite form of art. I could never get enough. You can keep your stuff like Picasso and those twits. Give me Berke Breathed and/or Don Martin any day of the week.

 

Make-up FX artist - Thank you Tom Savini

 

Guitarist - But even early on I always knew how un-likely that was. So I always wrote and played exactly as I pleased. Never thought in the slightest I was going to "make it".

 

Stunt-man - I then realized I was afraid of heights, and that dream passed.

 

I became somebody who works with numbers for a living...and I HATE math. I am the ultimate example for my kids of "find what you REALLY love and chase it...but never say you will never end up doing something for a living...as I did". I still haven't decided that this is what I plan to do forever. I can't imagine doing this for the rest of my career, and I am 39! But if I am still in this field when I am 60...I hope to God somebody is paying me A LOT of money, or somebody is getting ready to shoot me.

[The Beast]

I became somebody who works with numbers for a living...and I HATE math. I am the ultimate example for my kids of "find what you REALLY love and chase it...but never say you will never end up doing something for a living...as I did". I still haven't decided that this is what I plan to do forever. I can't imagine doing this for the rest of my career, and I am 39! But if I am still in this field when I am 60...I hope to God somebody is paying me A LOT of money, or somebody is getting ready to shoot me.

See, I find that fascinating. How could you have gotten through school and worked in a number related job? That's the other thing, I don't like the term "field" because to me, it's more of a "business."

 

I think what kid gleason's post proves is that you don't necessarily find what you are going to do for a living in college. To be honest, I don't think I'm going to end up working in the sports industry, but I'd rather have practical knowledge that I can apply to a business setting rather than study a random liberal arts subject. I don't care about the humanities, but rather, I care about policy making and negotiation. Point being, I think a lot of what we do for a career has to come from discovery and that not everyone knows what they want to chase in life. In other words, just because I'm chasing the sports industry right now, doesn't mean I'm not going to work for a non-profit organization or a health care organization later on because I enjoy helping people.

[Disco72]

See, I find that fascinating. How could you have gotten through school and worked in a number related job? That's the other thing, I don't like the term "field" because to me, it's more of a "business."

 

I think what kid gleason's post proves is that you don't necessarily find what you are going to do for a living in college. To be honest, I don't think I'm going to end up working in the sports industry, but I'd rather have practical knowledge that I can apply to a business setting rather than study a random liberal arts subject. I don't care about the humanities, but rather, I care about policy making and negotiation. Point being, I think a lot of what we do for a career has to come from discovery and that not everyone knows what they want to chase in life. In other words, just because I'm chasing the sports industry right now, doesn't mean I'm not going to work for a non-profit organization or a health care organization later on because I enjoy helping people.

 

You can, however, find something that you are passionate about while in college. Our lives take us on unexpected paths. I never thought I'd be a college professor (wanted to be a CIA agent), but here I am, 6 months (hopefully) from being one. I "found" this profession after working a couple of jobs, but the passion I discovered for international studies / international business in college links to how I ended up where I am.

[Kid Gleason]

Or you could NOT go to college...take a job because you need the job, and then work your way up within that company. I never went to college.

[Pants Rowland]

Carl, don't be a goof. I'm making a serious point here. ..

 

Nice BC reference.

 

You're awesome. Glad someone caught it. I am really beginning to feel old.

[RockRaines]

Its actually a story I tell quite a bit to clients and newbies in the industry.

 

When I graduated college I wanted to be a ski instructor/bum. I took all the tests, I am more than qualified and made my plans to move to Utah a few months after graduation. One challenge: I had about 65 dollars in my bank account. I took a job at CDW like most new grads to make some coin and here I am almost 7 years later making a great living off of selling high end software technologies and loving my day to day. Never made that trip to utah to live there, but have taken several business trips and vacations to the mountains.

[FlaSoxxJim]

You're awesome. Glad someone caught it. I am really beginning to feel old.

 

We could bug the youngins and quote obscure Breakfast Club references all day. Of course, we don't have to do it out in the street. We can runaway and we can go to the ocean, we can go to the country, we can go to the mountains. we could go to Israel, Africa.. . . Afghanistan. . . ?. . .

 

 

[RockRaines]

Or you could NOT go to college...take a job because you need the job, and then work your way up within that company. I never went to college.

Very hard to do nowadays.

[Kid Gleason]

Very hard to do nowadays.

 

I was just explaining how I ended up in my situation. Trust me, for as frustrated as I get about people and their college hang-ups, the last thing I want is for my kids to NOT go to college. Every so often (O.K., every f'in day) I wonder how much happier I might possibly be if I had gone to school and actually accomplished my dreams. If I had actually gained that degree in art.

 

But then I also stop and think "O.K., but what if I did do that, and I was miserable doing what I thought I would LOVE doing?". I don't think anything would have crushed me more than always dreaming of becoming an artist, making a living doing cartoons, then finding I hated it as much as this b******t career I have now. The way it is now, I can atleast escape to the hobbies I love.

 

It's a bad day today...sorry.

[The Beast]

I was just explaining how I ended up in my situation. Trust me, for as frustrated as I get about people and their college hang-ups, the last thing I want is for my kids to NOT go to college. Every so often (O.K., every f'in day) I wonder how much happier I might possibly be if I had gone to school and actually accomplished my dreams. If I had actually gained that degree in art.

 

But then I also stop and think "O.K., but what if I did do that, and I was miserable doing what I thought I would LOVE doing?". I don't think anything would have crushed me more than always dreaming of becoming an artist, making a living doing cartoons, then finding I hated it as much as this b******t career I have now. The way it is now, I can atleast escape to the hobbies I love.

 

It's a bad day today...sorry.

I think about how blessed I am to be able to go to school - a lot of my generation doesn't take it seriously and piss their parent's money away on nothing. My mom and dad came from humble beginnings, growing up on the south side of Chicago and barely were able to attend college. They were smart enough to go away to school, but went to Chicago State to get their education because they had to pay for school. My mother, a math major, went on to work at Sears for several years before she stayed at home to take care of 5 kids. My dad originally had thought he would become a teacher, and was trained as such. He then didn't like what he was doing, went to work for Radio Shack before getting a sales job. Since then, he has worked with several corporations and I know he does a great job. I just am not sure if he likes what he does or if he is miserable. I'll never know, so I won't ever complain.

 

This is why I wish someone would have told me early on to take this route of going to the community college for two years before transferring to a major university. If I had done that, I would have taken the general education requirements, worked on my math deficiency, and worked to make money of my own. A lot of people knock the community college route, but I wish I had done that before I dove right into a university that I wasn't sure about to begin with.

 

So now I'm hoping to go to SAU to finish off a business degree, intern with sports teams in Davenport and see what doors open. This time, I think I'll appreciate my education and opportunities that are provided a bit more than I had originally.

 

Very hard to do nowadays.

This is why I won't drop out. I know that I can't work in the trades, I suck at working with my hands. I don't want to be a barista, work in fast food or at a grocery store. I could go into health care if I don't get into sports marketing. But I couldn't work in many jobs that don't require a college degree - with the exception of being a police officer and even then I'd be a bit traumatized.

Edited November 12, 2009 by The Beast

[Marky Mark]

You guys are so lucky that you had aspirations as kids and young adults growing up. I literally as a kid didn't want to do anything, I always hoped I would win the lottery. Haven't yet......

[The Critic]

I wanted to be normal.

Didn't happen.

[Chisoxfn]

I think about how blessed I am to be able to go to school - a lot of my generation doesn't take it seriously and piss their parent's money away on nothing. My mom and dad came from humble beginnings, growing up on the south side of Chicago and barely were able to attend college. They were smart enough to go away to school, but went to Chicago State to get their education because they had to pay for school. My mother, a math major, went on to work at Sears for several years before she stayed at home to take care of 5 kids. My dad originally had thought he would become a teacher, and was trained as such. He then didn't like what he was doing, went to work for Radio Shack before getting a sales job. Since then, he has worked with several corporations and I know he does a great job. I just am not sure if he likes what he does or if he is miserable. I'll never know, so I won't ever complain.

 

This is why I wish someone would have told me early on to take this route of going to the community college for two years before transferring to a major university. If I had done that, I would have taken the general education requirements, worked on my math deficiency, and worked to make money of my own. A lot of people knock the community college route, but I wish I had done that before I dove right into a university that I wasn't sure about to begin with.

 

So now I'm hoping to go to SAU to finish off a business degree, intern with sports teams in Davenport and see what doors open. This time, I think I'll appreciate my education and opportunities that are provided a bit more than I had originally.

 

 

This is why I won't drop out. I know that I can't work in the trades, I suck at working with my hands. I don't want to be a barista, work in fast food or at a grocery store. I could go into health care if I don't get into sports marketing. But I couldn't work in many jobs that don't require a college degree - with the exception of being a police officer and even then I'd be a bit traumatized.

Dude, Community College can be a great route, but there is nothing wrong about going to a 4 yr school from the beginning. I knew what I wanted to do (Business), learned a skill (Accounting and Finance) went to work with a huge company (Deloitte), left for a nice raise to go work for another big company (Apria Health Care) and after 6 months at that company I've hired my replacement and am getting promoted shortly.

 

What does the future hold, who knows, but hopefully another year or two here where I develop further mgr experience and when the economy picks back up I can parlay that into what might be one of the last companies I ever work for (hopefully a real good job at a really really good company with great benefits).

[Pants Rowland]

We could bug the youngins and quote obscure Breakfast Club references all day. Of course, we don't have to do it out in the street. We can runaway and we can go to the ocean, we can go to the country, we can go to the mountains. we could go to Israel, Africa.. . . Afghanistan. . . ?. . .

 

 

Nice. Anyone ever try to tape your buns together?

[FlaSoxxJim]

Nice. Anyone ever try to tape your buns together?

 

I think Larry Lester's Buns would be a good name for an 80s cover band.

[Pants Rowland]

I think Larry Lester's Buns would be a good name for an 80s cover band.

 

Brilliant. Honorable mention to Hot Beef Injection and Johnson's Underpants.

[kjshoe04]

I wish college wasn't so required these days. I just am not a school person. Always tested very high on tests and am very intelligent but I hate the school setting. I would much rather work. This is probably why I am in year number 6 of college and still have no passion or desire to go into anything.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Brilliant. Honorable mention to Hot Beef Injection and Johnson's Underpants.

 

[The Beast]

I wish college wasn't so required these days. I just am not a school person. Always tested very high on tests and am very intelligent but I hate the school setting. I would much rather work. This is probably why I am in year number 6 of college and still have no passion or desire to go into anything.

Where do you go and what have you thought about as a profession? I have a friend like you who has a 2.1 high school GPA and a 35 on his ACT and he feels the same way about school. Do they have a work-study program for you at school? That might help.

 

I went to sign up for classes today at SAU and on my way up towards Peoria, I received a call from Mr. Boyer. I asked him about what kind of degree I'd need (PR or business), if they care about what school you went to, how work experience is weighed against an MBA and things of that nature. He pretty much said it doesn't matter what kind of degree I get, though a business degree would be more helpful than a communication studies degree, that the school you attend doesn't matter and that they don't care if you have an MBA, that work experience in the industry is valuable and weighed heavily. I was pleased to see him take time out of his day to talk to me, even if it was for just 10 minutes! So that was exciting.

[SoxAce]

I wish college wasn't so required these days. I just am not a school person. Always tested very high on tests and am very intelligent but I hate the school setting. I would much rather work. This is probably why I am in year number 6 of college and still have no passion or desire to go into anything.

 

Ditto. I actually commend you for going at least. I personally didn't want to try it and be stuck deep in the negative in terms of credit not to mention I hate school (you were probably alot better in grades than I was, I was more of the popular bad dude). I'm thinking about going to college in 2010 though after a near five year lay-off since now I know the field I'm probably going to go into at least.

[iamshack]

Where do you go and what have you thought about as a profession? I have a friend like you who has a 2.1 high school GPA and a 35 on his ACT and he feels the same way about school. Do they have a work-study program for you at school? That might help.

 

I went to sign up for classes today at SAU and on my way up towards Peoria, I received a call from Mr. Boyer. I asked him about what kind of degree I'd need (PR or business), if they care about what school you went to, how work experience is weighed against an MBA and things of that nature. He pretty much said it doesn't matter what kind of degree I get, though a business degree would be more helpful than a communication studies degree, that the school you attend doesn't matter and that they don't care if you have an MBA, that work experience in the industry is valuable and weighed heavily. I was pleased to see him take time out of his day to talk to me, even if it was for just 10 minutes! So that was exciting.

Brooks? Nice, man!