Hello, everyone! Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen. This week, I thought I'd depart from cycling-related posts (for the most part) and share a little more about myself.
Wait! Come back!
What I meant to say is, most of you know me as an Internet denizen, a rather silly individual, or as a writer. I didn't become any of these things overnight, though. There were a lot of potential career paths I considered on my way to this glamorous position!
So today, I'd like to share
Thirteen Jobs I Wanted to Do1) Teacher.
This was the first job I can really recall considering. Funnily enough, it's what I'm doing now, as my day job here in Italy (while I write in ever spare minute I can find). I wanted to be a teacher because I thought it was all about reading and sharing what I'd read. In a way, I guess it kind of is like that. But not really. The paperwork is a pain in the bottom, let me tell ya.
2) Artist.
Yeah, I had my head in the clouds for much of my young life. I wanted to teach, then I wanted to be an artist. I thought it would be great to draw and paint all day long - but I never got the hang of painting, though I still enjoy drawing, even now. But I never had the chops to make it as an honest-to-goodness artist.
3) Archaeologist.
Long before "Indiana Jones" made it look exciting (and it is, in its own way), I wanted to become an archaeologist. I loved dinosaurs (what kid doesn't?) and wanted to spend my time finding them and trying to understand what they were, what they did, and what happened to them. I'm still interested in that stuff, but I can't be out in the sun and heat (skin allergies - long story), so that pretty well nixes that whole idea. :(
4) Cartoonist.
This goes hand-in-hand with the artist thing, I guess. But, like my one-time idol Charles Schultz, seen above, I thought it would be great fun to draw the same characters every day and breathe life into their stories. Ultimately, I realized I didn't have the strength to draw the same thing over and over, nor to give them compelling storylines over the length of a few panels. I still admire cartoonists for what they do, though.
5) Fact Checker.
What is this, you may ask? Basically, it's a job where you hunt down the facts and information about a million random things to be sure that the information in a writer's article/story in a newspaper or magazine is correct.
I know, that sounds strange, but I had a head full of trivia and a desire to share it. In some ways, I'd still like to do this one, but it would take me away from writing. I can't have that!
6) Photographer.
I love photography. I did well in my classes in high school, and my photography teacher thought I showed real promise. Now it's just a hobby, but my first real job, ever, was as a photographer's assistant. My job was to haul the equipment and hold the lights, stuff like that. I saw more than my fair share of overblown weddings for marriages doomed to failure, too. I still love the idea of doing this for a living, though. I know it's beyond me, but at least I can live vicariously through my photographer acquaintances. Heh.
7)Web Designer/Consultant.
I actually did this for a short while, for a company which went under because they weren't quite sure how to go about the whole "business" part of Web Design Business. Of course, this was back in ye olden days, circa 1996-98, when not a whole lot of folks really understood what the Internet was about and it was hard work to explain it to them. I didn't retain many of those skills, either. I'm fine with that.
8) Soigneur.
I've mentioned this one before, I know. Before my cousin got sidetracked, his goal was to be a pro cyclist. My dream was to accompany him and be a soigneur, supplying him with his food, water and gear as necessary. In later years, I still fancied the idea of working with cyclists, but for *ahem* slightly different reasons. I mean, come on - a job where you're paid to (occasionally) rub the legs of fit, healthy men? Sign me up!
9) Bike Messenger/Courier
I just thought it'd be cool. I wanted to live life on a bike. My bad back and lack of ability on a bike cut that idea short, quick. I still think it's kinda cool, though a lot of couriers can be jerks. (No, I don't need the horror stories, y'all...) I actually applied for jobs as a courier in various points in my early twenties - but that was by car, not bike. It could have been interesting...
10) Guitarist.
Seriously, who hasn't dreamed of this one? I even had an electric guitar which I practiced diligently on for a few years before realizing I wasn't any good at it. I had fun, though.
11) Proofreader.
I thought, since I read so much and had a pretty good grasp of the English language, this job would be just the thing for me. When I actually applied for a job doing this, I found out it was a lot more complicated than I'd ever dreamed. Oh, well. Now, someone else has to proof my stuff for me. I just hope they enjoy what they see on some level.
12) Psychologist.
When I went back to school, this is what I wanted to study. Then they told me I'd have to get through an Algebra course to do it. That seemed a tad unfair. I reckoned I'd have to settle for armchair psychology, instead. I still read articles about psychology and I am still fascinated by the workings of the human mind. I always will be. Humans are such fascinating creatures, after all...
13) Graphic Artist.
This was a career suggested to me by the following entities:
a) My high school guidance counselor.
b) That funky job aptitude test they made us take in high school.
c) Just about everyone who knew me in my time in school.
I liked the idea of it, but it just never panned out. Mostly because I needed to go to college, first. I was so sick of school - and so fed up with "the system" - by the time I finished high school, I wanted nothing more to do with education. It's just as well, I suppose, but this might have been a good career for me. I guess we'll never know...
Of course, now I have different jobs in mind.
The soigneur position still fascinates me.
Photographer's Assistant? I could return to that one, too...
Oh! I know!
Make up artist. Yeahhhhh...
Ciao for now! :)
