Being a graphic designer for video games was my first idea. Found out I could barely write legibly let alone draw. I wanted to be on the Enterprise…so I guess an astronaut mixed with some sort of scientific venture. Third choice was a teacher because I liked school, wanted to keep playing music, and enjoy all the free time…I was wrong about the free time!
I’m kinda reliving my childhood science dreams right now by working on my Calculus, and computer courses. I’m getting some good marks. Feels reassuring. Even if this venture doesn’t work out due to whatever life throws at me, I now know I have the mental capacity, and it’s within my potential.
After going to the top of the World Trade Centre as an eight year old I swore that I’d return one day and throw a paper plane off the viewing balcony. I was a bit like Douglas MacArthur, perhaps.
I can only remember wanting to be some rich software designer. And maybe be some sort of psychologist who finally figured out all human behavior in scientific terms. Then it devolved to just being a programmer and be able to write a book. Now my dream is just to have a normal life and check off a checklist of things I think that entails.
An Actor in The Theatre, of course. Old home videos are endless strings of me bossing everyone around, telling them where to stand, what to say, what to wear, how I wanted it. They never got it right, so I had to do it all for them. Pff.
It was such a relief when I got to drama school: others actually wanted to participate!
I followed the dream for some time. Drama school to train as an actor, then reading drama at university. Sometimes I even Have Work, oh holy grail of holy grails. In fact, someone just offered to pay me for voice recordings again. Surprises me every time: huh, give me money
So it turns out that, despite the occasional oddball who wants to give me money, Actors and Other Theatrical Types are not much appreciated in society at large. What with wars and the economy, it transpires we are not really necessary. :smack:
So now I’m trying to be a responsible adult. Going for a real MA.
And it’s all very interesting, and responsible, and grown up. But one of my best friends is right now working with Judith Malina. And another is up for a BAFTA.
I never had any childhood dream. Thinking back, I can’t even recall what I would answer when someone asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. I didn’t have any jobs in mind, no schools I wanted to attend or countries I wanted to visit. It’s kinda sad now that I think about it, but not surprising. Even now I don’t have any goals or aspirations. I kinda just ride through life one day at a time. I guess I’ve never really been a dreamer. The only thing I clearly remember wanting as a kid is to ‘never get married’. And well, I already fucked that up XD
I remember saying when I was four or five that I wanted to be the first man on Mars. Kind of glad now that I didn’t hold out for that opportunity and followed my true calling: goofing off a lot.
I wanted to be a farmer and raise horses.
I did it for 2 years till I realised that unless you inherited the farm it is a mug’s game- no money in it for a worker.
I wanted to be an artist, or even an animator. Which is sort of what I am.
I loved to write stories as a kid, but never thought of it as an actual career choice. I’d love to find some kind of regular writing gig, but I have so little self-motivation for that (I need guidance and deadlines to keep me at it), so I doubt it will happen.
LIke some of you here I never had a childhood dream or idea of what I wanted to be.
An experience in grade 3 that soured me on school to the point that I joined the Navy at 17 just to get out of school. I don’t know how or why but somehow I have always landed on my feet and things turned out great.
I retire in two years with a decent pension and great health and hope to do some of the things I missed as a youth…cheap backpacking and motorcycle trips amongst them.
I always wanted to be a writer, from some of my earliest memories. I was in my 30’s before I managed it professionally, but now it’s what I do: writing’s my full-time job. Still have to pinch myself sometimes.
