Let us say that, as a result of the result of an unfortunate computer error, your legal status in your country of residence is changed from “citizen in good standing” or what have you, to some combination of “wanted felon”, “enemy combatant”, “communist”, “alien invader”, “infernal spawn of evil”, “Hitler”, and “litterbug”. As a result, you are stripped of your job, lose all of your possessions and are incarcerated and subjected to interrogation and some rather uncomfortable probing. The whole incident is quickly cleared up when some friends sign sworn affidavits stating that you are no litterbug.
Quite naturally, the government is embarrassed over this situation and makes a deal with you not to raise a stink. In exchange, they will arrange for you, your dream job. You may live wherever you want, do whatever you want and work for whomever you want. What job would you like?
I would personally like to work with a team of scientists and engineers getting together a manned mission to mars. I’m fascinated by the challenges of the logistics of such a mission, from the design of the craft(s) involved to the timing of the mission and every minute detail in between.
Disclaimer: I realize that a dream job type thread has probably been done several times in the history of the Dope, but, as I was unable to locate one, I decided to start one. I’m sorry if this was done last week and I missed it.
I actually very much enjoy my current job. I’m a web designer and the supervisor of the graphics department of an insurance company. I’ve wanted to do web design since I was 16, so I can’t imagine doing anything else, really.
My dream job would just give me more free time, a more flexible schedule (like being able to sleep in however late I wanted), more flexible dress code (I can’t even grow a beard!), and design that requires a little more creativity and fun, rather than all insurance, all the time. And perhaps a little more hard-drawn illustration work.
My dream job is actually OPEN right now (I already work for the dream employer). I’m going to apply but don’t hold out much hope. I have the perfect academic background for it (straight As in every single property-related class in school) but I spent my first year working in secured transactions and I don’t know if they’ll buy the argument that I can transition easily to another field, even with federal work experience + all the right classes in school.
So it would still be federal lawyer, just a different agency. I’m pretty happy where I am, though.
I think that what I would enjoy more than anything in the world is a chance to make science (more particularly, biology and medical stuff) accessible to everyone. I want to be like Bill Nye the Science Guy, but leggier and without the bowtie.
Give me a TV show. A miniseries on the Discovery Channel. Let me travel around the country - no, the world! - and visit schools to get kids interested in science.
I really enjoy my job, too. But, under your scenario, if they wanted to put me in the position of Curator of the Library of Congress, Sound Recordings division, I wouldn’t complain a bit. The time I didn’t spend learning the database and digitally restoring cylinders and gramophone records, would be spent procuring recordings for the Library. That is, assuming that they don’t have a physical specimen of every record made in the US since day one. I could totally handle getting paid to search out and buy fabulously rare and expensive records for a living!
His job is already done, but it must have been a fascinating life to have been Alan Lomax. He drove all over the countrysides of America, recording authentic folk and blues legends before they were anybody, to preserve those musics as uniquely American artforms. Now that’s an interesting job that no one can ever do again.
Travel writer, or food/wine writer. In fact, when I saw the first episode of Alton Brown’s new show on the Food Network (Feasting on Asphalt), I said that if someone gave me ten million dollars today, I’d take off tomorrow to do just what Alton is doing–travelling around, meeting interesting people and eating interesting food, and writing about it. (Yeah, I’d write instead of make a TV show, and probably take a classic convertible instead of a motorcycle, but the idea would be the same.)
I would be the female equivalent of Rick Steves, travelling around Europe and the rest of the world and telling other people which places I liked while I was there. If I could convince them to get me two jobs, I would travel for 6 months of the year and the other six months I would be the person who tastes all the different ice creams for Ben & Jerry’s or Blue Bell or some other fantastic ice cream company.
I want to be able to work my way up in half a dozen completely independent areas. From music, to art, to engineering, to architecture, to design, to mathematics, to about a million other things.
Sadly the gubberment can’t grant me fantastic artistic skill, so I’ll never get to be a tattoo artist. Other than that, make me a stunt driver in car commericals. Yeah, I’ll take that Grand Am sideways at 75mph across the salt flats. No worries, just get the cameras rolling.
I want to get paid to learn and try new things. From flying a helicopter to rewiring a lamp. From feeding the homeless to riding a bull. I’d like a job that allows me to experience everything, try new and different things, have stories to tell and skills to show off.
The closest job I can think of that would allow that is an actor. Think of what many of the better ones have had to learn for a role: martial arts, scuba diving, singing and dancing, how to spin a kife, fire a gun, etc…
If only I could act!
That’s ok…we’re all like 6-year-old kids. Our dream jobs change from day to day!
Hmmm…there are certainly lots of things I’d rather be doing than the soul-sucking gig I currently have. I’ve always wanted to open an Artist’s Haven, if you will. It would be a place where people of varying degrees of talent could come and create art. Materials would be supplied to those who couldn’t afford them. There would be a gallery where everyone’s work would be displayed and sold. Guest artists would come to lecture and instruct. There would be mentor programs, children’s art classes, art history lectures…but all on a small scale.
Hm. Something high stress. I’m good with stress. It’s got to pay well and there’s got to be some sort of problem-solving ability in there.
Hey, what if our dream job is “President of the United States”? Does that mean the current prez grumbles as he steps down so you can have 4 years of presidential fury?
Ooh. Dream job: Dictator of a Central/South American country. There ya go.
A Broadway actress, starring in a big dance show. A really great one- the kind where people who’ve never seen it will fall in love with the music and then will go to see the show and say, “the dancing was amazing!”
um… This is assuming the government can also lend me a bit of talent so that I don’t cause the show to flop.
But that’s what I’d love to do. Sing and dance and act and be onstage seven days a week. What could be more wonderful?
No. Guardsmen are not eligible without prior active duty, and since I am a Guard baby (meaning that all of my time has been in the Guard, albeit most of it being some form of active duty) I am categorically ineligible.
Sucks, doesn’t it? The one job I’d give my left arm for is the one I cannot ever have.
