What if you’d grown up to become what you dreamed of as a kid?
My greatest dream when I was a little kid was to be a checker at the grocery store.
My mother thought this was the funniest thing. Other little girls wanted to be ballerinas or teachers. My brother wanted to be a karate master. My best friend John wanted to be an astronaut or a millionaire.
I just wanted to push buttons, talk to everybody who came through, and see what everybody else bought.
Looking back on every job I ever had before coming here, I have to admit that my favorite was being a cashier at a women’s clothing store. I loved not having the pressure of selling, but all the fun of talking to all the customers. I loved being the one who could solve any of the computer’s problems.
Despite the fact that I’ve never been happier than I am now—writing and editing on this site with a purpose and a goal—I think as a kid I had a pretty good idea of who I was. I still think that standing behind the counter and ringing people sounds pretty fun.
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How about you? What’d you think you would grow up to be?
Do you ever wish you’d followed that dream?
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Photo: Flickr/marioanima
I wanted to be:
1) a scientist (I eventually majored in Kinesiology)
2) a choreographer (I had my chance in 7th grade; now I’ll just be grateful for a stint in Vegas)
3) a music producer (this is one I’m glad to not have had the chance to do though I would love to play or perform music again).
Thanks for invoking the memories!
I wanted to be all of these things:
1) A chef
2) A truck driver
3) A Solid Gold Dancer
4) A florist
5) A geologist
Oddly, I did not become any of those things – with the exception of a stint as an amateur cook in a coffeehouse in the 90s. I do still like dancing around like everybody’s watching and also picking up shiny things off the ground.I’m not sure how I got involved in this whole writing/editing gambit, LOL.
I wanted to be powerful and rich (not necessarily in that order). I had then, nor do I have now, any care for fame – that seems like a pain. But being in charge – and rich, really stinking rich – well – that would’ve been awesome!
Can totally get behind that, Devon. That’s how my brother was. He wanted to be Donald Trump… He is SO NOT that now. I mean, he is so far from having a career in finance that it’s hilarious.
I always wanted to be an adventurer, like Indiana Jones. I totally wish I had done this.
The earliest thing I remember wanting to be was a waiter… I wanted to balance things on a big tray and hold it above my head…
In grade school I wanted to be a space detective and briefly wanted to be a ninja.
I did cashiering for a number of years… it drained me. Feeling trapped in the little counter, having to make the same old small talk with the never-ending line of people… nothankyouverymuch…
I wanted to be a movie director, but the more I’ve learned the more it became clear to me that I don’t have the temperament or drive for it. I’m simply not that ambitious. Writing is much more suited to my personality.
Writing movies seems like a good fit 😉