Do you have a job that you have always wanted that people were skeptical that you would ever get?
I’ll give you example. I want to be a writer. I am real serious about it. I write about three to four hours everyday by myself, practicing for my future career. I’m going to start sending in my short stories this summer. My parents have asked me what I want to be, and I’ve said, “Writer.” My dad nods, but says, “You know, that’s a real hard career to get into,” and basically makes it a downer for me (he also did that when I had my short phase when I wanted to be an actor in Hollywood–although, he’s probably right about that). My mom says, “Well, you need something to fall back on.” I know this. Other people nod politely and treat it as if I just have a hobby, and not a potential career. I know I have to have a career to fall back on, etc. So, if I do become a writer (and I will), that will be my job that I always wanted that skeptical people never thought I’d do.
if I were to get any job that I really enjoyed and didn’t complain about all the time, people in my life (including myself) would be shocked and amazed.
Do I have that job I always wanted. Hell, no. I listened to my father when he told me my dreams were impractical. So now I make a lot of money at a job that bores the socks off me, and I sneak visits to the SDMB to relieve the tedium, and I can’t wait to get home and do some of the things I love.
So I say go for it, Neptune. Write like your life depends on it. Make me jealous. Get me pissed. And when you get your first article published, come back and tell us about it. Make all of us who took our dad’s advice think about what we might have done.
Good luck.
I have wanted to work on props for Braodway since I was a freshman in high school. I fully intend to do so, But my parents also give me the " You need something to fall back on" speech. I totally sympothise with you neptune. I get the "That’s a hard business to break into speech too. But I know that I will make it, and so will you.
I have a job which I truly love, and which, if you had mentioned it as a possible job to me while I was in high school I would have offered you several crucial body parts in exchange for the chance to get this job.
My parents gave me the you-need-something-to-fall-back on speech when I decided I wanted to become a writer. Whenever I said I wanted to be a writer, they always suggested I go into journalism rather than strictly writing fiction. When I decided to be a journalist, my mom would constantly tell me that I ought to go to law school, and then I could write books like John Grisham.
I did journalism in high school, started journalism classes in college, and interned at the local paper. Then I fell in love with an intro to psychology class and decided to do that instead. Thus everyone’s problems were solved.*
neptune, my parents gave me the same damn speech and I let them talk me into doing what they wanted. Not only did I screw up my life, but I screwed up the lives of some very good people as well (nothing permanent, thankfully, but still not the kinds of things one wants to put on their resume). My advice is to follow your heart, and don’t do anything that forces you to actually be servile to some unholy master, and thus prevents you from doing those things that you really want to do. Go to college if you choose, but don’t do it with student loans! That way if you hate it (as I did), you’re only out whatever it was you spent on school, not stuck paying back the damn loans for the next 10 years (like I am).
And if your parents get cranky and toss you out of the house, drip me a line and you can sleep on my couch. I’d like having another writer to talk to (though I’m more of a scribbler than a writer, but that’s another story).
Well, this is funny. My parents always though that I should be a writer. Hah! I wanted to be an actress, which they considered impossible, if not downright distasteful. They gave me the “Plan B” Speech that so many of the others posting to this thread seem to have gotten. Man, did they push that writing thing. I did actually act for awhile (got a couple of national commercials), but after realizing that I’d never be the next “It” Girl, made my peace and became a writer. I do enjoy it, and make a living at it; and I think there’s plenty of work out there if you’re good. It doesn’t happen overnight (at least it didn’t for me), but that doesn’t mean it can’t. Keep at it and good luck!
From the time I was 9 years old, I wanted to be an archaeologist. My parents never tried to dissuade me, other than the obligatory “Can you make a living at that?” In fact, my dad lived vicariously through me when I was in school; as a history teacher of 30 years, he enjoyed hearing about what I was learning.
Am I doing archaeology? Nope. I got my BA, and took a job in technical support, because you can’t get a decent archaeology job without a masters. Will I ever be an archaeologist? Dunno. But, I have that piece of paper and the training that says I can, if I so wish. It was well worth it for me.
Dictator of the world? I would be really great at that! I would love a job that involves ‘minions’. Maybe I’ve found my new career goal! Thanks, Feynn.
No, but I have a job that many people (including my mom) wanted me to pursue but that I am skeptical that I could ever get - Standup Comedian.
I instead chose to pursue a “Real Job” so that I could afford the finer things in life - electricity, food, clothing, transportation, and illicit drugs.
So I chose a nice bong and a steady supply of greenbud over a career in something I might actually be good at. Oh well.
It always annoyed me when people asked me what I wanted to do. How the hell would I know–I can’t read the future. I just build useful skills and stumble into interesting-looking work. Working good so far.
I’d like to suggest to you and your parents that you either are a writer or you are not. If you are, you may get lucky and be able to live off it. If not, then you probably wouldn’t say you “wanted to be one”.
If you write, you’re a writer. Have pride
I’ve been getting (non-fiction) published for years and I’m only 20, so it’s definitely possible. I hope to get some fictional stuff published later on in life, maybe some day I’ll make a living off it.
Just up and deciding you’re going to live off this thing doesn’t strike me as a good idea, because you don’t need to prove you are a writer to anyone except yourself. Write for yourself, and you will write your very best.
There is an old story of a playwright who would sit down at his typewriter and hear the applause of the crowd on opening night, for he knew he was a good writer and had endless ideas. But the image of the crowd distracted him so from his own thoughts and desires that the text never took any form and he never finished any play.
There’s a mesage in this post somewhere, but keep on writing from the heart and you will find one much better than this crap I have to say
I a film major- I don’t even know that a future in film is plausible.
Strangely enough, my parents seem to think I have a bright future as a proffesional photographer. When they arn’t telling me to pursue photography, they tell me I should be a writer. I don’t understand! None of those jobs are exactly stable well paying easy to get jobs! You’d think they would be pushing me to go into insurance or something!
Definetly do something you love people. Life is short, happiness is forever.
(And my parents are wise enough to tell me to do what I love. I love people who just want the best for me regardless of thier own ideas of what I should be doing.)
