Childhood goals - did you accomplish them?

[bearmom]

The subject came up today of what we thought we would be doing when we grew up. Not one of us was doing what we thought we would be, or being what we thought we would be.

My goals were quite stupid, depending on how young. They were to never grow up so I could always play with toys, then to be native american. Obviously my parents hadn't explained some things to me.

The only thing I've come remotely close to was I wanted my own island to let unwanted animals live out their lives and my SO would be a veterinarian so we'd hardly ever have to leave the island. I don't have the island and my SO is a programmer, and the strays are one animal or litter at a time, not hundreds, but I've definitely re-homed hundreds of animals.

Oh yah, I also wanted to be Samantha on Bewitched, both look like her, and wiggle my nose to make things happen. I have clearly failed in every conceivable way.

So what were your grand ideas, and did you make any of them happen?

 

[Terri]

I used to watch the Sonny and Cher show. They would bring Chasity out some evenings at the end. Truth be known I think this was the only reason I watched. I would just think how cute she was and how great things were for her and I wanted to be her. Dodged a bullet there. I think she must have been so unhappy for so long.

 

[k9ophile]

I thought I'd be a teacher. I thought I'd be a mother. Neither happened.

I never thought I'd be a sergeant in the military. I never thought I'd ever live south of the Mason-Dixon line. Howdy from Tennessee and a veteran of the Air Force.

I never thought I'd be as a s happy and content with my life as I am. But then I never thought I'd see a psychologist for as many years as I did. Do you suppose the two are related? LOL

 

[brooklyngirl]

In kindergarten, I wanted to be a teacher. My dad told me that teachers don't make enough money. I started out college trying to be a physical therapist. It WAS NOT for me, I fell back into education and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. My dad was right about the $$$, but happiness and fulfillment is better than a little more money in my pocket

 

[hilary1617]

Thanks, because you've caught me smack dab in the epicenter of a mid-life crisis and this has made me think about the things that really matter. (I am seriously contemplating a wholesale change in career, having recently attained a position I had aspired to for many years only to experience buyer's remorse.)

I wanted to be a mom and to marry my best friend. I scored on both those points.

I wanted to be a horse trainer, professional singer, veterinarian, and princess. I have come up short in these areas....

 

[JackieOnLine]

great idea for a thread, D - love the posts.

as a kid, I remember wanting to be a leopard and my theory was by the time I was grown up someone would have invented a machine where you go in as yourself and turned into the animal of your choice. I used to lay on branches and practice waiting patiently for prey to go by underneath me.

who was it who said "I always wanted to be someone but I should have been more specific"? Lily Tomlin?

it's funny, but it's true! I've been thinking lately I have been living my childhood dream which was simply to live with a bunch of animals. so far, that's about what I've accomplished - in Nebraska I owned my first (and only) house and I filled it with dogs and birds, more than I could take good care of, frankly.

now I wish that I had maybe asked more of myself in my dreams. I don't know why I didn't think I'd want a human family, that was just poor planning.

ETA: I shouldn't be so hard on myself, I learned some stuff as an OTA and I took good care of my Mom when she was sick.

 

[JackieOnLine]

folks, IMGO, we need more off topic threads for many reasons. two big ones: we learn more about each other and that builds community and long term maintenance after weight loss is MUCH more about the rest of your life than it is how many grams of protein you are getting.

love to have a bunch of new threads about people's lives. be great to see more about:

Bearmom and caring for animals, love to hear more about what you do and have done- extremely interesting topic. I have been following a FB friend who does not want another cat but is able to foster kittens, she specializes in what she calls Dragon Kittens - all the little things do is hiss and spit and she socializes them to no longer fear people so that someone else can give them a forever home.

Terri - as a kid I wanted to have hair like Cher, it was my ideal - I'd swing it back behind me like she always was doing. Did you use to fantasize that you lived in a show biz family? or that you would grow up to be a performer?

K9, did you retire? what does a Sargent in the Air Force DO anyway? I have no idea.

Hilary, I've love to hear what career you are thinking of leaving and what you might want to take up. I love this stuff, I've only had one career so far and I need a new one. I really do.

 

[Terri]

@JackieOnLine I would have loved to be a performer. I was too self conscious about my weight to ever get up in front of anyone though. Also did you ever notice most school plays are musical? Well I can't carry a tune in a bucket!

I think the Chasity Bono fascination was because I lived in the country, and although I am thankful about that now, it was so boring and her life seemed like it would be so exciting.

 

[k9ophile]

I wanted to be a horse trainer, professional singer, veterinarian, and princess. I have come up short in these areas....
I have declared my self the Queen of a small (very small) area. It's one and a half acres with two residents ad two dogs. You, too, can be royalty. Just issue an edict.

 

[hilary1617]

@JackieOnLine I'm thinking of leaving banking for the unknown. I need to figure out how and where my skills and experience could be put to use outside of the financial sector (math - operations research / statistical modeling, risk management and policy, bureaucrat, bad cop, herder of cats).

I've always wanted to open a performance space and coffee shop along the lines of the now shuttered Café Voltaire which for a time was a piece of heaven in Ventura, CA. Realistically, though, I must embark upon a pursuit which allows me to provide for a family of four.

I love that you wanted to be leopard! My kitty, Isaac, aspires /pretends to be a panther.

 

[hilary1617]

@k9ophile A fantastic idea, your majesty!!! My realm extends about one half(?) of an acre.

 

[k9ophile]

K9, did you retire? what does a Sargent in the Air Force DO anyway? I have no idea.
I served in the Air Force for 5 years. A sergeant bosses lower ranking people around and gets bossed by people of higher rank. (That's about all I know about being a SGT. LOL) Yet I did get the GI Bill and used it to get a Bachelor's Degree in Medical Record Science. I retired this year, yet work two days a week at my last place of employment. They never replaced me. I'd be flattered thinking about how irreplaceable I am, but the truth is the place is too damned cheap and/or have no choice due to corporate dictates.
Anyhow @JackieOnLine , your life of quite solitude with animals sounds grand. That's what I do the rest of the week.

 

[k9ophile]

@k9ophile A fantastic idea, your majesty!!! My realm extends about one half(?) of an acre.

See? Our two areas have already established an alliance. Warmest regards to you, Your Highness

 

[Spiky Bugger]

I wanted to grow up and be Japanese. (Our next-door neighbors, after Mrs. Einstein, were Japanese and my dad's army bff returned to Japan after WWII, lived and worked there the rest of his life.)

Surprisingly, I failed. But after dropping out of my Japanese class...I can still say, "This is a book. This is a pencil," in Japanese. And I did okay in Spanish and, for a short time, in Russian.

I guess it's okay...I can't eat tempura now anyway.

 

[DianaCox]

I wanted to be Supergirl. That didn't work out. Then I wanted to be an astronaut, and also a scientist. I DID make it to scientist - and I TRIED to be an astronaut too - I got an application to the Space Shuttle program in 1986, right after I got my PhD and the Challenger blew up. (I was also a couple of months post-partum after my second son was born - I figured I would "lose the weight" if I was motivated enough so I didn't even worry about that.) I got to page 4 of the application, and - boom, I was done. My uncorrected vision was unacceptably bad. Absolute stopper - my dream was ended.

But in addition to being 70 lbs overweight at the time, I am also terrified of flying and a little claustrophobic, so I was just a little bit relieved.