Author Topic: What did you want to be growing up?  (Read 3605 times)

Offline Scott

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What did you want to be growing up?
« on: April 25, 2003, 11:21 AM »
I went through about three or four dream jobs before I settled down in high school of what I wanted to be and do....

#1 Paleontologist

I was a dinosaur junky when I was a kid, I loved the big lizards more than anything for a while.  My parents bought me a set of the World Books (put out by some encylcopedia company) and I would read the Dinosaur one endlessly.  I still remember when the dude who sold us the books came and showed me that volume, I never knew these things ever even existed.  Oh to be four again!  The Dinosaur fettish changed into...

#2 Astronaut/Astronomer

Porbably a product of the Space Shuttle program but what kid I guess didn't want to be an astronaut I guess.  There is a local Omni-Theater here (kind of like IMAX only round) and they would show space movies a lot of the time.  I was enthralled by the notion of going to space.  I still am actually but realize it probably won't happen for a long time.  I don't think most kids though wanted to be astronomers.  Just shows what kind of geek I was I guess :)  Again, I would read endless books and trivia on the planets and stars for days on end, I joined a local star watching group and would go out in fields and watch meteor showers and look through telescopes with them (I think I was around 10)  The joy of space never has really left me and is a large part of why I enjoyed Star Wars I guess.  That is still there inside me and why I still do like Star Wars!

#3 Archeologist

This one may have something to do with Indiana Jones but not likely because I don't think I ever saw the movies until Temple of Doom and that was after the obsession.  Again, the local science museum had a mummy/Egyptian exhibit and that quickly became my favorite place to go even before the dinosaur bones.  

#4 Chemist

Notice a trend here :)  Somewhere in 8th or 9th grade I decided I really loved Chemistry, the reactions, the mixing of acids and bases, the cool little Junior High experiments caught the geek in me and never let go.  Somewhere in High School I realized I could make 2 times as much money by being a Chemical Engineer and that is the way I went and have never really looked back

One common theme in everything here though is my love of all things science, core raw science.  It is a still one of my true passions, I love reading about astronmy and physics, the works of Carl Sagan and theoretical universe type stuff.  I still love looking at dinosaurs and watching FOX's mummy shows.  I hope my son is into this stuff too because I can't wait to share in some of those eureka moments


Offline Angry Ewok

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2003, 12:27 PM »
Tank Commander ->
You guys got no idea how gung-ho I was about being a Tank commander... Oh god, I'd still love to command a tank and plow through the enemy and all that good stuff...

Jet Fighter Pilot ->
Watched too much Top Gun as a kid. I'd love to do some aerial combat, but I'd be scared during the landing.

Cop ->
I dunno, it could happen. No real reason, just "Law Enforcer" sounds cool. SWAT could always come down the line.

Offline CloneF13Y35

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2003, 12:40 PM »
I'm 35 and still haven't grown up yet  :P
I always wanted to do something "creative and fun", I do freelance photography, work in computers now for a living, like writing sci-fi.
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Offline JediMAC

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2003, 02:55 PM »
Tank Commander ->
You guys got no idea how gung-ho I was about being a Tank commander... Oh god, I'd still love to command a tank and plow through the enemy and all that good stuff...

My father-in-law was a tank commander in the Marines back during the early Vietnam War era...

All of my "personality/job skills/whatever" tests all the way up through high school always listed accountant as the most logical, fitting choice for my future employment.  I guess the obsessive compulsive, nitpicky, detail oriented freakish nature in me has always been quite apparent...   :P  I guess that's just what I've always figured I'd be, and essentially it's pretty much what I am now (not a CPA though).

As for the more "fun" things I dreamt of becoming, I guess that would be more along the lines of a professional athlete - baseball first and foremost.  But realistically, I always thought I had the best shot at becoming a professional bowler.  Yes, I said bowler...   :-[   :-\  I was always involved in bowling leagues (among all my other sports) all growing up, and even well into college.  My average was usually around 185, so I figured with a little coaching, more practice, and some fancier equipment, I might have what it takes for the PBA!   8)  But alas, it wasn't meant to be.   :'(  (feel free to begin the flaming now...)

My Mom always thought I should be a surgeon, since I would spend every dinner picking apart my food very meticulously, making a large ring around the border of my plate filled with all the stuff I didn't like - onions, peppers, mushrooms, purple lettuce, whatever...  The list goes on.  Nitpicky freak, indeed...   ::)

Offline Darth Kenobi

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2003, 06:43 PM »
The one thing that I had always wanted to be since I was a little kid would of been a firefighter.  THe closest I would be to that though is being a fire explorer for LACFD, since I'm out of shape, have a speech impedment, and have a pin in my hand where it was broken so its limits my movement a little.  
I still don't know what I actually want to be now so who knows what I come up with.

Offline MisterPL

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #5 on: May 2, 2003, 11:23 AM »
Taller. (I'm still waiting for that one...)

When I was ten, I decided I was going to make a living as an artist. And I am. Can't complain, I suppose.

Now I want to be an astronaut. "Mission Specialist," rather. Specializing in art.  ;)
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #6 on: May 2, 2003, 12:13 PM »
The first one?  Really?!

A garbageman.  Honest!  I thought it was cool how they got to ride around standing on the back of the truck.  They also had this little three wheeled buggy that would follow the truck, and would climb all the driveways to get the garbage.  That thing was cool!

You've got to try understanding a six-year old's mentality to appreciate this.  ;D
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Offline Scott

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #7 on: May 2, 2003, 12:16 PM »
Cool!   I forgot about the garbage man.  Every week the Garbage Man came down the street and I was outside me and my buddy would run over and ask him if we could pull the lever on the compactor...every now and then he would, we loved to run behind the truck and watch the compactor crush the weeks refuse and move on down the line...I totally apprciate that one Nicklab!

Offline DSJ™

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #8 on: May 2, 2003, 10:45 PM »
I think I'll let the picture do the talking.  ;)



Bad boys, bad boys. Whatcha gonna do?   ;D

Offline Morgbug

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #9 on: May 2, 2003, 10:55 PM »
A fire truck ;D ;)
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Offline Scott

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #10 on: May 7, 2003, 11:50 PM »
Still haven't figured out how you can be a fire truck Brent, were they invented when you were a lad?

At one point I did want to be a teacher I was just remembering today, High School History like the dude on Head of the Class (with all of the Hot Smart Chicks and Fat Nerds)  That never panned out really, except I did marry a teacher  :-*

Offline Morgbug

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #11 on: May 7, 2003, 11:55 PM »
Wondering if anyone would ask about that.  

Apparently, when I was very, very young (3-ish, roughly a millenium or so ago), an uncle asked what I wanted to be when I grew up.  I believe I had told my mother I wanted to be a fireman, but when asked by the uncle, I replied firetruck.  

Fireman would have been more accurate.  I tried out, but there is one test they have involving lifting a 60 pound ladder off the wall at shoulder height with straight arms.  You must do it without your heels coming off the ground.  It's an exercise in both strength and technique.  At the time I was short on both.  There wasn't another recruiting class for about 3 years, so I went back to school and became a bugger.  Damn close to being what I thought I wanted at 3 years old.
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Offline Darth Broem

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #12 on: May 8, 2003, 06:06 PM »
I wanted to be an astronaut.  Then I found out I don't like cramped quarters, flying and number one just not all that bright :)

Offline Jesse James

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #13 on: May 8, 2003, 10:46 PM »
2 things I really wanted to be that were "dreams"...

Stock Car/Race Car Driver...  My father raced when he was young.  He did drag racing with his old corvette (I believe it was a '58) and he also raced a 1940 Ford Coupe at a dirt oval track around the Pittsburgh area called Lernerville.  He raced a couple other small local tracks as well.

He was going to build my older brother Sean a car when he got old enough, and at that time it was still feasible to go out and build yourself a car without needing sponsorship and a vast fortune.  

My brother, in his infinite wisdom decided to rebel against my father tremendously though, and my father didn't do this for him.  

I wanted a car too...  I am partial to sprints myself, or modifieds...  But, unfortunately when "my time" came the sport of auto racing became one that only the wealthy can enjoy (Even going to a race costs you an arm and a leg, and I'm talking LOCAL racing, and World of Outlaws shows, not NASCAR or the big game!)...  My father wasn't able to just hop into racing like he was with my oldest brother, so there was no chance of me going into it.

The sad thing is, I know I would've done well...  I'm not good at MUCH in this world, but I can push any car to its limits and beyond, and bring it back in one piece.  Unfortunately that just wasn't meant to be, what with all the sponsorship needs, and dramatically increased costs.

The second thing I wanted to be...

Play in the NHL...  This was a pipe dream if there ever was one.  I started to play hockey later in life, and professional hockey players are most often groomed to be professional players from the time they're born.  I didn't start till around 10/11 years old though.  

To top that off, I am not overly skilled...  My skill came in that I was a leader and a bruiser.  I didn't take much crap from other teams, and lead mine by example (Captaincy of 2 teams, and alternate on 2 others).  I played hard-nosed hockey by standing in front of the net and taking a pounding from the other team's D.  I got crappy BS goals that were shots that went off me, or rebounds...  Never had that moment in the spotlight when I had the gamewinning breakaway goal where I faked the goalie out of his skates because of my "dazzling" moves.  :D  That just ain't me.

Still, I wanted to play in the NHL so bad, and still get a lil teary eyed every start of the NHL season, and every start of the cup finals...

Now I live vicariously through watching hockey on TV and live.  Hell I couldn't even last a pick-up game anymore the way I feel.  I still just love the game though, even if my Pens suck.  :)  I'll always support em!

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Offline Mikey D

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Re: What did you want to be growing up?
« Reply #14 on: May 9, 2003, 10:21 AM »
Around kindergarten, it was probably a paleonotoligist (sp?).  Dinosaurs were my life back then and were a huge part of my childhood until late grade school.

After that, I wanted to be an Air Force pilot.  This probably evolved from watching Top Gun and Iron Eagle over and over.  Or it could have stemed from the fact that I wanted a cool nickname like Maverick, Goose or Iceman.

After that, I wanted to be a photographer.  So much so that in the game Maniac Mansion (anyone remember?), I always used Mike, the photographer.

It wasn't until high school that I decided construction was my life (been in it ever since I was 13, working with my grandfather roofing)  First it was an architect, but after two of years of that in college, I decided it wasn't for me so I switched majors to construction management, dealing with actually building the buildings.
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