“I thought growing up was something that happened automatically as you got older. But it turns out it’s something you have to choose to do.” ~From the television show Scrubs
La Madre and I just sat next to each other in a meeting and had what must have been the longest and in depth conversation we’ve had in months. We go through these moments of seeing each other everyday for weeks and then not seeing each other at all. But you work on the same floor! Others say. Yes, but like any working relationship you don’t see everyone everyday. It’s just different when the person you haven’t seen in a month happens to be the person who gave birth to you. Quickly and without an epidural. But at least the nurse said that I was a pretty baby so there’s that.
Between laughing and swearing and admiring the gorgeousness of this bag in Cognac and the prettiness of my new stationary; I took two phone calls. One from my hairdresser because she was having a panic attack over coloring my hair and the other with a friend to whom I posed the question What do you want to do with your life?
I’m fortunate. I forget that sometimes. I love my job and what I do and I have the job that I always wanted and yet I find myself wanting more. I want more responsibility and noteriety and to fly on Air Force I because everyone else I know has flown on Air Force I and it’s really unfair that I can’t do that. But I think about what might be next and whether or not one can get an ice cream sundae with chocolate sprinkles while 10,000 feet in the air. That’s what I want though and I implored my friend to tell me what she wanted to do when she grows up. So what that she’s already an adult? I know or at least think I know that there is more out there and that while I am an adult and I am doing what I want to do, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.
I told her that her homework was to tell me what she wanted to be when she grows up. Why is it that when you’re five it’s the easiest question to answer but over 25 it’s on par with being asked the circumference of the moon divided by the radius of the sun?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
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When I was younger, I wanted to be a sportscaster. And then I went to college and had to start interviewing people and scratched that off the list. Then I wanted to be the first female PR director in the NFL and then I got burnt out and hated working in sports.
Now? It may be sad or dumb, but I want to be a wife and a stay at home mom.
Unfortunately, I’m not even close to reaching that goal right now, so right now, I’d just like to be independently wealthy.
I would’ve denied it for a month of Sundays when I was younger, but I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Now I get to do that and I love it. But a ride on Air Force I (do you use the Roman numeral or the word? I’ve never known) would be awesome and, unfortunately, not a perk of my current position.
I want to be happy.
This shouldn’t imply that I’m not currently happy (I am).
I just want a lifetime of happy.
I’ve (almost) hit my career goal of being a practicing pediatrician – just need to sign a contract. I’m married, I have a house and my debt is diminishing.
But to be happy when I grow up? That will hopefully take a lifetime to achieve. I look forward to the process.
I’m 40 and I still don’t know what the hell I want to do when I grow up. I had my dream job in publishing for 16 years, and I moved on to what I though my next dream job was going to be. Turns out, not so much. It’s put a lot in perspective for me though. I realize now that I let my work define who I am. What I did determined my self-worth, and no matter how cool your job is, that’s not good. So now I’m on my quest to find what I love to do and hopefully make some money doing it.
Tough question , it is.
I thought I knew what I wanted to be until a dose of reality knocked the “passion” for it out of me. Honestly, I don’t know. I was sort of programmed for life as a doctor; it was all I ever intended to do. But life has a funny way of working out. Currently I’ve put my application on hold and taking things one day at a time.
Generally though, I tend to avoid this sort of question.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be White House Chief of Staff.
Not any more.
Now I want to write for Vogue. Because recently I realized that you can write for Vogue from your living room without ever changing out of those yoga pants you bought nine years ago or taking off the ball cap that is covering up your birds nest of hair.
Why! Why? WHY?
Do we have to choose….
I just realized, at age 35, that I DON’T KNOW WHAT THE HELL I WANT TO BE WHEN I GROW UP! Yes, it is that upsetting. I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, but I got to law school and realized that WAS NOT what I wanted. So I stayed home with the kids for a while knowing I didn’t want that to be permanent. I’m a better Mom when I leave the kiddies for a while. I’m at a biotech company now trying to figure out plan B. I know I want to be available for my three children as much as possible. I’m trying to move into a position that allows me to work from home. So I guess I want to be a work-from-home Mom when I grow up.
Well, I’m really bad at math so you lost me at that moon thing.
When I grow up, I just want to be happy. I don’t want to worry about money anymore.
I am pretty settled career wise at near 40 but there is always wiggle room for a bit of creative stretch.