# What Did You Dream of Being When You Grew Up? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836 "2003-08-17T21:53:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/1 "2003-08-17T21:53:03Z")
I thought this might be a fun thing to kick out for a summer evening. When you were, oh, about 9 or 10 years old, what did you dream of doing? I was heavily into Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, etc., so I dreamt of being a Crusading Girl Reporter, travelling all over, solving mysteries, and righting injustices. That or a great Defense Attorney, which was much the same thing but with less worldwide travel. When I was in high school, _Remington Steele_ was on, and I would have liked to have been Laura Holt, the show’s private detective heroine. Of course I also though Pierce Brosnan was gorgeous! (Still do, for that matter.) So, what did you dream about being when you grew up, even if it wasn’t all that realistic? I realize Crusading Girl Reporters look to be a thing of the 30’s and possiby the 50’s, but it was still a fun dream. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/2 "2003-08-17T22:02:11Z")
Since I was 5 I’ve wanted to be a Paleontologist… still do except my marks are just a bit short of being able to get in. (Darn Honors courses) For a bit I wanted to be a teacher, and a lawyer. In high school I considered being a Cosmotologist or an Accountant but decided that it wasn’t what I really wanted. Right now I’m just looking for something I can live with for the next while and not go completely nuts doing. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/3 "2003-08-17T23:11:55Z")
I wanted to go into the US Navy and become an Officer, my dad was in the Navy during WW2. I would have went to College UofI, or maybe Illinois-Weslyan(Dad’s Alma-Mater)-NROTC and major in Communication-Journalism, become a Public Affairs Officer - work at Navy News or Stars and Stripes, do 20 years and retire Commander or Captain. And then work as a Reporter at a Major News - TV Affiliate, Chicago, work my way up to the Big-Time. What did I do, went into the US Navy Enlisted, became a Lithographer/Printer (hence Intaglio) - stayed in for 10 years and got out, because I could not make higher advancement. Work at a good job, in a Print Shop in DE. All-In-All good life, husband of 11 years and an almost 6 year old. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/4 "2003-08-17T23:42:20Z")
I wanted to be a veterinarian … specializing in bugs. It was a sad day when I finally figured out that nobody was interested in _paying_ a veterinarian to treat bugs. Failing that, I decided to be a sheep farmer, mother of seven, and president of my own island (it would, of course, be an island populated mainly by sheep, but even so, I don’t know where I thought I would find the time). ---
**Author:** ![SlowMindThinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@SlowMindThinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlowMindThinking)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/5 "2003-08-17T23:47:13Z")
I wanted one of two nearly synonomous careers - football star or scientist. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/6 "2003-08-17T23:48:05Z")
I remember having this discussion with a friend (I was probably around 9) in the sand-pit of the local park. I remember wanting to be a firefighter. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/7 "2003-08-17T23:49:34Z")
But now, I want to be a breast inspector. ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/8 "2003-08-17T23:50:13Z")
I always wanted to be an archaeologist. My best friend and I talked for hours on end about all the things we’d do and see, and how we’d become the most famous archaeologists in all the world. Then I realized it wasn’t the kind of job for me, and moved on to firefighting, book-writing, and conquering the world. _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/9 "2003-08-18T00:03:09Z")
Happier. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/10 "2003-08-18T00:18:51Z")
I didn’t dream so much about an occupation. In general they weren’t very glamourous for women. But I did imagine a lifestyle that is totally different from what I have or would want now. The image was of a sort of Lana Turner type in a cocktail dress, martini in hand, standing and talking with some handsome man in a Manhattan penthouse with a gorgeous view of the skyline…with the lights on, of course. Too many soap operas and movies. ---
**Author:** ![im2evil4u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b5ac83/32.png) [@im2evil4u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/im2evil4u)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/11 "2003-08-18T00:43:07Z")
> [@](#): > > I always wanted to be an archaeologist Me too. Once, I dug a hole in the backyard so deep that I unearthed a water main. When my four year old cousin fell into the hole and broke her leg, I discovered the pain of a belt on my ass. Minutes later, I figured that the life of archaeology wasn’t for me after all. Then I wanted to be a truck driver. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/12 "2003-08-18T00:48:16Z")
I’ve been fascinated with the night sky ever since I thought to look up. I wanted desparately to be an astronomer, but regretably, the physics involved is too much for my feeble brain. Second choice was archaeologist, but neither panned out. I’m a bureaucrat. ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/13 "2003-08-18T00:48:24Z")
To be a well paid man of leisure. Still do. In no particular order: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/14 "2003-08-18T00:49:38Z")
Or even “desperately”. D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![Rabid\_Squirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Rabid\_Squirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rabid_Squirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/15 "2003-08-18T00:51:13Z")
To be a well paid man of leisure. Still do. From eariest to today: - Paleontologist - Fighter pilot - Astronaut - Spy - Scientist - Bio chemist - Computer programmer/games designer - Out of Uni and employed ☹ ---
**Author:** ![LucysLogic101](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e19b73/32.png) [@LucysLogic101](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LucysLogic101)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/16 "2003-08-18T02:12:40Z")
i wanted to be an astronaut… of course…when i was 9, i had no idea what Calculus was. High school kills dreams. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/17 "2003-08-18T02:13:51Z")
I always wanted to train service dogs, specifically seeing eye dogs, but also therapy dogs, detection dogs and other service dogs. StG ---
**Author:** ![wei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90ced4/32.png) [@wei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wei)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/18 "2003-08-18T02:19:41Z")
I wanted to be a firefighter around the 5-6 age range, then a engineer/programmer, and now a world ruler. ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/19 "2003-08-18T02:23:57Z")
Me three on the archaeologist. Decided when I was nine that that was what I was going to be when I grew up. Went to college and graduated with my BA in Public Archaeology. I’ve been doing technical support for a living ever since. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2003, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836/20 "2003-08-18T02:28:56Z")
Second base for Cincinnati. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-you-dream-of-being-when-you-grew-up/195836.md?page=2)