•9:51 AM
What are your Top Five Dream Jobs? Things you would like to do to earn a living ... even if it meant getting some re-training or stepping outside your comfort zone. What would inspire you?
Here are mine ... in no particular order ...
Writer This one should be obvious for those of you who read this blog often. I love writing and expressing myself using words. And, I love research and bringing ideas together; encouraging people to look at things in a different/new way. I looked into journalism very briefly as I was exiting High School, but never followed up on it. Wish I had. Wish someone would give me an assignment now.
Coffee Barrista I would love to own a little coffee shop with high-end coffee and homemade treats. Some treats would be on the healthy side ... homemade granola bars, muffins, etc. ... and some would be not healthy at all. I am thinking of things like cheesecake, or large chocolate chip cookies with lots of "stuff" in them, or buttertarts. Indulgences. I would get to hang out all day and chat with customers; help them pick the perfect coffee to help them forget the stack on their desk for just a few moments. It would never be a franchise ... it would be unique. Warm and inviting and relaxing. Maybe host a book club ... or teen chat night ... or girls' night out. Would you come in for a coffee and a treat?
Lawyer I have commented (briefly) on my love for the law in a previous post, and I have thought about a career in the field of law for many years. When I was a teenager, there was even a time where I saw myself as a hard-nosed bitch, who worked the law to make myself very rich and very powerful. However, that is not me; must have been those ugly teenage hormones raging. But I still love the law; for me, it is a way of helping people. Being specialized is also something that appeals to me ... being an expert in a particular field. I don't feel like an expert in anything except maybe nutritious snacks for kids and the importance of sleep in the growth and development of children. Plus, if I was a lawyer, I would get to wear really fancy (dress-up) clothes and carry a really nice briefcase.
Graphic Designer I love putting colours and patterns together to make something. It can be paper that inspires me. Or fabric. Or a pattern. Or yarn. There is just something about certain colours, patterns and images that really awakens my creative juices. For instance, I had to pop down to the pharmacy to pick up some cough medicine for Addie C. ... she is driving us all crazy with "the cough." I cannot help myself ... I find myself at the magazine rack, looking at quilting magazines and knitting/crochet magazines and scrapbooking magazines; I am completely inspired and cannot wait to get home so that I can look at my fabrics. But then I talked some sense into myself ... I cannot sew and crochet while I read one hundred books. It would be impossible. Maybe that could be my project for next year. However, as a career, this would require total re-training, and perhaps a move to Toronto ... to be in the game.
Owner of a Chocolate Shop Now, you may think that I just want to be near chocolates all day long. And, you could be right. But actually, I have found that there is a real need for nut-free chocolate for those who suffer from allergies. It is nearly impossible to find high quality chocolate that is guaranteed to be free from nuts; and so, what we do as parents of children with allergies, is take chances. Chances that we do not want to take. The chocolate would be for baking, and/or for eating; maybe infused with different flavours. I want to do more than just sell it, I want to make it, too. I want to grind the cocoa beans and add the cocoa butter and create the most incredible thing you have ever tasted. It would be so exhilarating to create something and then watch, as people react to it. Mostly a pipe dream, but a true interest; however, over the next few weeks, as I am looking for a chocolatey Easter treat for my kids, I will also begin to think of ways to get the financial backing and possible locations. Check out some labels as you pick out your favourite Easter treat ... you'll see what I mean.
Architect I think I am attracted to this job for many of the same reasons I am attracted to the law. It is professional and specialized. It requires an attention to detail ... I am highly detail oriented. A perfectionist. I imagine that there would be problem-solving required all the time and I love problem solving ... dealing with things as they come and figuring out a way to make them better. Oh ... I complain about it at the time ... but I thrive on it in a work-place environment. I think that is one of things that kept me in my previous line of work for so long ... every day was different, and it was constantly solving problems ... client-oriented, staff related or managerial. There are only a few schools who offer an architecture program, and there are none in the Windsor area. But, I still like the idea of creating a building to meet the needs of the owner ... a house, an office building, a mall, whatever.
Wait ... that is six jobs. Well, I am glad I don't want to be a mathematician ... that would be a long road to reach perfection! I wish I had this sort of self-awareness when I was eighteen years old; I may have chosen a different path. Mid-life crisis, perhaps? But at least I am inspired ... by something other than children.
So, what brought all this on? I just finished High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Toward the end of the novel, the main character has to come up with his Top Five Dream Jobs. I thought it was a neat exercise; because you can tell a great deal about someone by learning where their interests lie. Or, what if someone couldn't come with five dream jobs ... because there was nothing that interested them. What does that tell you about the person? Would you like to have coffee with someone (in my one-of-a-kind fantasy coffee shop) who had no interest in a career? Or, what if someone could not come up with five dream jobs because they knew exactly what they wanted to do, and it was just one thing. A mechanic or a nurse or a scientist specializing in the field of genetic research. I admire those who have a clear idea of what they want to do when they grow up. I am a grown-up and I still don't know what I am going to do.
High Fidelity is the story of Rob, a thirty-six-year old music junkie, who is trying to figure out how he fits into the world. You may have seen the movie, starring John Cusack. Rob is afraid of commitment ... he wants "to keep his options open" ... wandering through his own life as though he is waiting for something good to happen. But he doesn't do anything that would inspire good things to happen. He is afraid to take a chance; he is afraid of failure. Despite the (sort of) downer theme, the book is really funny and very entertaining. I laughed out loud reading this book, and you will too, if you read it. Hornby gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of a guys' head.
Rob owns a small failing record store, specializing in unique vintage vinyl. One day he receives a phone call from a woman indicating she has a record collection to sell and assures him he will be interested in what she has to offer. When he arrives, he finds a bitter middle-aged woman who wants to sell her husband's prized $6000 record collection for $50. He has run off with a twenty-something bimbo and she is out for revenge. Now, ladies, you know that we would have paid the $50, added our own two cents worth of advice and bad names, and walked away laughing (at the cheating husband) with all our super-cool new records. And feeling oddly satisfied that we had helped that poor woman out. Not Rob. He feels sorry for the guy because he appreciates the collection so much; he cannot pay such a meager amount for such an astonishing collection. He leaves with just one record that he insists the woman take $10 for. This is how the man's brain works; and I think lots of guys would do the same thing that Rob did. That one act is what sets men and women apart, in my opinion.
In another part of the book, Rob talks about how a photo of a child evokes a feeling of happiness or sadness ... one or the other, that is it. I had never thought of it before, but it is true. If you saw a baby picture of Barak Obama, how would you feel? I would smile, realizing the wonderful things he would go on to do. Olympic Medalist, Donovan Bailey? Same feeling. But what if you saw a baby photo of John F. Kennedy? Or, Jeffery Dalmer? How would people feel if they saw a baby picture of you?
This was a fun read, which was especially what I needed after Close Range.
I think I need to clarify one thing ... after some thought. My dream job was to be a Mom. I hope that goes without saying. But there is more, right? Something I could get paid for ... go out in the world to do ... be excited about ... feel some immediate sense of gratification? I guess I have seven Dream Jobs, but I have already accomplished one. So, time to move on to the next ...
Here are mine ... in no particular order ...
Writer This one should be obvious for those of you who read this blog often. I love writing and expressing myself using words. And, I love research and bringing ideas together; encouraging people to look at things in a different/new way. I looked into journalism very briefly as I was exiting High School, but never followed up on it. Wish I had. Wish someone would give me an assignment now.
Coffee Barrista I would love to own a little coffee shop with high-end coffee and homemade treats. Some treats would be on the healthy side ... homemade granola bars, muffins, etc. ... and some would be not healthy at all. I am thinking of things like cheesecake, or large chocolate chip cookies with lots of "stuff" in them, or buttertarts. Indulgences. I would get to hang out all day and chat with customers; help them pick the perfect coffee to help them forget the stack on their desk for just a few moments. It would never be a franchise ... it would be unique. Warm and inviting and relaxing. Maybe host a book club ... or teen chat night ... or girls' night out. Would you come in for a coffee and a treat?
Lawyer I have commented (briefly) on my love for the law in a previous post, and I have thought about a career in the field of law for many years. When I was a teenager, there was even a time where I saw myself as a hard-nosed bitch, who worked the law to make myself very rich and very powerful. However, that is not me; must have been those ugly teenage hormones raging. But I still love the law; for me, it is a way of helping people. Being specialized is also something that appeals to me ... being an expert in a particular field. I don't feel like an expert in anything except maybe nutritious snacks for kids and the importance of sleep in the growth and development of children. Plus, if I was a lawyer, I would get to wear really fancy (dress-up) clothes and carry a really nice briefcase.
Graphic Designer I love putting colours and patterns together to make something. It can be paper that inspires me. Or fabric. Or a pattern. Or yarn. There is just something about certain colours, patterns and images that really awakens my creative juices. For instance, I had to pop down to the pharmacy to pick up some cough medicine for Addie C. ... she is driving us all crazy with "the cough." I cannot help myself ... I find myself at the magazine rack, looking at quilting magazines and knitting/crochet magazines and scrapbooking magazines; I am completely inspired and cannot wait to get home so that I can look at my fabrics. But then I talked some sense into myself ... I cannot sew and crochet while I read one hundred books. It would be impossible. Maybe that could be my project for next year. However, as a career, this would require total re-training, and perhaps a move to Toronto ... to be in the game.
Owner of a Chocolate Shop Now, you may think that I just want to be near chocolates all day long. And, you could be right. But actually, I have found that there is a real need for nut-free chocolate for those who suffer from allergies. It is nearly impossible to find high quality chocolate that is guaranteed to be free from nuts; and so, what we do as parents of children with allergies, is take chances. Chances that we do not want to take. The chocolate would be for baking, and/or for eating; maybe infused with different flavours. I want to do more than just sell it, I want to make it, too. I want to grind the cocoa beans and add the cocoa butter and create the most incredible thing you have ever tasted. It would be so exhilarating to create something and then watch, as people react to it. Mostly a pipe dream, but a true interest; however, over the next few weeks, as I am looking for a chocolatey Easter treat for my kids, I will also begin to think of ways to get the financial backing and possible locations. Check out some labels as you pick out your favourite Easter treat ... you'll see what I mean.
Architect I think I am attracted to this job for many of the same reasons I am attracted to the law. It is professional and specialized. It requires an attention to detail ... I am highly detail oriented. A perfectionist. I imagine that there would be problem-solving required all the time and I love problem solving ... dealing with things as they come and figuring out a way to make them better. Oh ... I complain about it at the time ... but I thrive on it in a work-place environment. I think that is one of things that kept me in my previous line of work for so long ... every day was different, and it was constantly solving problems ... client-oriented, staff related or managerial. There are only a few schools who offer an architecture program, and there are none in the Windsor area. But, I still like the idea of creating a building to meet the needs of the owner ... a house, an office building, a mall, whatever.
Wait ... that is six jobs. Well, I am glad I don't want to be a mathematician ... that would be a long road to reach perfection! I wish I had this sort of self-awareness when I was eighteen years old; I may have chosen a different path. Mid-life crisis, perhaps? But at least I am inspired ... by something other than children.
So, what brought all this on? I just finished High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Toward the end of the novel, the main character has to come up with his Top Five Dream Jobs. I thought it was a neat exercise; because you can tell a great deal about someone by learning where their interests lie. Or, what if someone couldn't come with five dream jobs ... because there was nothing that interested them. What does that tell you about the person? Would you like to have coffee with someone (in my one-of-a-kind fantasy coffee shop) who had no interest in a career? Or, what if someone could not come up with five dream jobs because they knew exactly what they wanted to do, and it was just one thing. A mechanic or a nurse or a scientist specializing in the field of genetic research. I admire those who have a clear idea of what they want to do when they grow up. I am a grown-up and I still don't know what I am going to do.
High Fidelity is the story of Rob, a thirty-six-year old music junkie, who is trying to figure out how he fits into the world. You may have seen the movie, starring John Cusack. Rob is afraid of commitment ... he wants "to keep his options open" ... wandering through his own life as though he is waiting for something good to happen. But he doesn't do anything that would inspire good things to happen. He is afraid to take a chance; he is afraid of failure. Despite the (sort of) downer theme, the book is really funny and very entertaining. I laughed out loud reading this book, and you will too, if you read it. Hornby gives us a glimpse into the inner workings of a guys' head.
Rob owns a small failing record store, specializing in unique vintage vinyl. One day he receives a phone call from a woman indicating she has a record collection to sell and assures him he will be interested in what she has to offer. When he arrives, he finds a bitter middle-aged woman who wants to sell her husband's prized $6000 record collection for $50. He has run off with a twenty-something bimbo and she is out for revenge. Now, ladies, you know that we would have paid the $50, added our own two cents worth of advice and bad names, and walked away laughing (at the cheating husband) with all our super-cool new records. And feeling oddly satisfied that we had helped that poor woman out. Not Rob. He feels sorry for the guy because he appreciates the collection so much; he cannot pay such a meager amount for such an astonishing collection. He leaves with just one record that he insists the woman take $10 for. This is how the man's brain works; and I think lots of guys would do the same thing that Rob did. That one act is what sets men and women apart, in my opinion.
In another part of the book, Rob talks about how a photo of a child evokes a feeling of happiness or sadness ... one or the other, that is it. I had never thought of it before, but it is true. If you saw a baby picture of Barak Obama, how would you feel? I would smile, realizing the wonderful things he would go on to do. Olympic Medalist, Donovan Bailey? Same feeling. But what if you saw a baby photo of John F. Kennedy? Or, Jeffery Dalmer? How would people feel if they saw a baby picture of you?
This was a fun read, which was especially what I needed after Close Range.
I think I need to clarify one thing ... after some thought. My dream job was to be a Mom. I hope that goes without saying. But there is more, right? Something I could get paid for ... go out in the world to do ... be excited about ... feel some immediate sense of gratification? I guess I have seven Dream Jobs, but I have already accomplished one. So, time to move on to the next ...
2 comments:
Jill, I love your dream jobs. Of course, motherhood is a dream job (most times) and it's the most difficult too!! I think my ultimate, realistic dream job would be a librarian but I would only want to put away the books and see all the new books coming in and not have to talk to people and help them. That comes from talking to patients , some of whom are Stupid! for 15 years. I don't want to talk to them anymore!! What does that say about me? Boring? And bitter? HeHe. No, I'm really not. Bitter, that is.
I always wanted to own my own clothing shop . Don't know why really, I'm not really a fashionista or anything. Maybe just to be my own boss.
I would also love to be a chef. No baking though, I hate to bake. But I really love cooking and trying new recipes (much to my kids dismay, usually) My favourite show is Top Chef.
My two other top jobs would be a test driver for new cars. And to own a winery. LOL!!
It's not hard to think of more, but I actually do like my real life job. I mean, there are days when I hate it but I have no regrets about where my path has led me. If only I got paid more!!
Annette, You make me laugh! I was at Indigo a few weeks ago, and overheard a woman asking for help to find a good book for a little boy. The salesperson was a guy, about 20 years old; he had no clue. So, I just butted in and started asking questions. Then I suggested some great books that my kids liked and she was so thankful (so was the salesguy ... I thought I should get the commission!!). I felt great 'cause I got to help her with something that I really liked. You would like to help people find books at the library because they would be looking for different things ... nothing repetitive. Or, you could work at the University Library where you could make the reasonable assumption that most people are fairly intelligent!!