# Are You Doing What You Always Wanted?



## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Just wondering, as I am having a somewhat small existential dilemma, if the job you have now is the one you always wanted to have when you were younger? Or if not, and you're doing something different, are you happier with this than with what you thought you wanted to be when you grew up?


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## Merlins mom (Jun 20, 2007)

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up! I liked my old job, but kind of fell into it. 

And I'm currently in between jobs, so I voted other.


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## Sunny Delight (Mar 10, 2007)

Augustus McCrae's Mom said:


> Just wondering, as I am having a somewhat small existential dilemma, if the job you have now is the one you always wanted to have when you were younger? Or if not, and you're doing something different, are you happier with this than with what you thought you wanted to be when you grew up?


Oh, I wouldn't even know where to begin.... since I never knew what I wanted, I guess the answer would be no. In all truth, I thought raising kids would be easier. In 6 weeks, my sons will be 10, 11, and 12 and boy was I wrong!!! I also just turned 42 and feel like I'm on the down side of life and what do I have to show for it?? I've suffered from depression since I was 15, diagnosed at about 32 (as Major Depression) so I guess I'm not one to talk about being happy. I have like a billion regrets about choices I've made, yet I imagine I'd still make the same mistakes if given those choices again. Ugh. 

This is a very interesting (and nice and mature, grown-up, non-middle schoolish) topic. I'm very interested to see what others have to say. How 'bout yourself?


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

I have never had a job that I liked.


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## Carsonsdaddy (Nov 1, 2006)

My job is a good job and enjoyable. That being said it's not what I planned....but I could never decide what to do anyways...


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

I had to put no on this on. I doubt I would have picked heart attacks and Dr visits as a career. ROFL


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> I had to put no on this on. I doubt I would have picked heart attacks and Dr visits as a career. ROFL


What about breading all the beautiful pups?


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Sunny Delight said:


> Oh, I wouldn't even know where to begin.... since I never knew what I wanted, I guess the answer would be no. In all truth, I thought raising kids would be easier. In 6 weeks, my sons will be 10, 11, and 12 and boy was I wrong!!! I also just turned 42 and feel like I'm on the down side of life and what do I have to show for it?? I've suffered from depression since I was 15, diagnosed at about 32 (as Major Depression) so I guess I'm not one to talk about being happy. I have like a billion regrets about choices I've made, yet I imagine I'd still make the same mistakes if given those choices again. Ugh.
> 
> This is a very interesting (and nice and mature, grown-up, non-middle schoolish) topic. I'm very interested to see what others have to say. How 'bout yourself?


Sounds like someone needs one of them makeover shows to come visit!!!! That seems to perk the people up I have seem them work on.


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## Charlie06 (Feb 10, 2007)

I've always dreamed of being a Domestic Goddess


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## Rosco's Mom (May 1, 2007)

No. i do not like my job right now......but i don't really know what i want to be when i grow up.......i dont like sitting behind a desk.


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Kzwicker said:


> What about breading all the beautiful pups?


That went away with the heart attacks. Though I will have an unexpected litter next month it will be the last. I am still rehoming my adult dogs.


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## Kzwicker (Aug 14, 2007)

Rosco's Mom said:


> No. i do not like my job right now......but i don't really know what i want to be when i grow up.......i dont like sitting behind a desk.


What do you do Nicole?


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## Rob's GRs (Feb 25, 2007)

I voted Yes and I pretty much enjoy it. There are more good days than bad days. I guess if I did not like doing my job I would not have been doing it for 19 years now.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

I would have to say that I'm *almost* doing what I always wanted.

I'm training animals, which I love. It's not what I went to school for, and not what I initially did out of college. I have a degree in journalism and worked professionally in public relations.

I'm at a point where there are some things about my training that I'd like to change, and I've always wanted to do *something* big to make a big difference somewhere. I've got some ideas and I hope to move forward on them this year....

So, to answer the question: Almost. At least, I think so!


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> I would have to say that I'm *almost* doing what I always wanted.
> 
> I'm training animals, which I love. It's not what I went to school for, and not what I initially did out of college. I have a degree in journalism and worked professionally in public relations.
> 
> ...


You go gal!!!!!! Make this the year you kick off just say now or never!!!!!!!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

TheHooch said:


> You go gal!!!!!! Make this the year you kick off just say now or never!!!!!!!


Thanks, man! I'm workin' on it... I'm researching and in the early stages of putting together a business plan. I'm also contemplating a possible relocation. Scary stuff for anyone. A bit scarier when you're a single income household ---- but I don't want the fear alone to hold me back!

The next couple years should be interesting and fun... that's for sure!


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## msdogs1976 (Dec 21, 2007)

Easy answer to this poll. *YES. *I early retired last spring. :artydude


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## Carraig (Jan 4, 2008)

Sort of. What I originally wanted to do when I was younger, although I was writing even then, was to become a forensics investigator. I have an inquiring mind, and the curse of being logical or finding out why something is not.

But a year before I graduated my father had a major heart atack and was never able to work again. Back then there were no student loan plans and he'd have had to co-sign loans I did get. I tried to get into the police academy to work and save, and then go to college, but was turned down for being less than an inch short, even though I could outrun half the men (not that I had too), and had marksmanship medals.

So through a wandering career, I gradually moved towards doing fulltime, what I had the talent for, which was writing. At various times I worked as a T.V. copyrighter, reporter, and freelance writer.

I used to be embarassed when people asked me what I did, and I said "I'm a writer," because nobody ever took that as a profession. They'd ask me "but what do you do for a living?"

Today I have my own "business" (that would be me) as a writer and editor, and I also work for an Internet server, on commercial message boards.


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## gracie's mom (Aug 6, 2006)

:nchuck::nchuck::nchuck:HELL YEAH!!! Wouldn't change a thing!:artydude:artydude:artydude


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

I forgot that I never said my two cents 

The road that got me to where I am was not one I ever planned on being on. I have a degree in education (high school English to be exact), and I had always wanted to be a teacher. Due to some problems with grad school tuition, I didn't end up going like I had planned, and I had already missed out on the teaching jobs for that school year. So luckily the company my mom worked for, and the one I had been working for part time while I did my student teaching, decided they could give me 40 hours/week of work even though they couldn't hire me as a permanent employee. So I did that for a year, and then jumped out and got a job teaching 7th grade English (not my first choice, but the only job offer I got!), and I was miserable (for lots of reasons), but I still think that I actually love teaching (just not all the junk that comes along with it). Anyway, I quit that teaching job after just 3 months and went back to my old job, which is what I'm still doing now--quality assurance for a software development company. I don't like the job, although I'm fairly good at it for not having any formal education in this field, and I definitely enjoy the perks of being able to work at home. But I do miss some of the things that are draw backs of working at home--I never get to get dressed up and go see people at an office or anything.

So I have been thinking about going back to school for Interior Design because I've always found that interesting. But I'm not sure...I would still like to be a teacher, but I think it would be better for me to wait till I was older and more settled in life--it's pretty hard to manage 100 other lives if yours is up in the air! But so that just leaves the question...what do I do for now? Do I keep this cushy job that I don't really like or go back to school or go try something I know I like but also made me unhappy (if you can understand that)?

Oh well, I was just wondering if anyone had any really cool jobs that I might like!!!


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## Sunny Delight (Mar 10, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Sounds like someone needs one of them makeover shows to come visit!!!! That seems to perk the people up I have seem them work on.


I could go for that!!! Oh, just not the people from _*What Not to Wear*_!!! They would rake me over the coals!!!


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

FlyingQuizini said:


> Thanks, man! I'm workin' on it... I'm researching and in the early stages of putting together a business plan. I'm also contemplating a possible relocation. Scary stuff for anyone. A bit scarier when you're a single income household ---- but I don't want the fear alone to hold me back!
> 
> The next couple years should be interesting and fun... that's for sure!


Good luck! I've thought about my own business before too, but it's too scary to me! I like knowing my pay check is coming from somewhere else, and I can get mad at them instead of me if I don't get it!


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

when i was in high school they sent us all through a sort of career training thing where we'd have to try different things for a few weeks. one of them stuck with me and i went for the major in college and have stuck with it ever since. i love it, and i really enjoy the job i currently have.


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## Bailey & Bentley (Feb 25, 2007)

Yes, I have wanted this job for about 10 years now. I love being a real estate paralegal. My boss is the best, the pay is good and the work environment is awesome. I feel important here and I have learned so much over the past 4 years. I don't think I will ever leave....


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## Joe and Sam's Mom (Sep 2, 2007)

I detest my job. My boss is beyond description and having been in the life insurance business for a lot of years, I am very tired of it. Many moons ago I tossed around the idea of medical school. My young head decided against it and I have regretted that decision ever since. If given a choice now I would do counselling work in an AIDS hospice. I do have the undergraduate degree, but have either not had the time or at times the money to go back to school. 

However......I did just end an unhappy marraige after a lot of years of trying which has caused turning 50 next week into a non event. I dreaded it before! The job I have is fairly well paying so it does have its plusses, I have two great kids, two fantastic dogs, a summer place to spend weekend with the furkids on the beach and life could be worse. 

I guess at this point, life is not too bad, I just need a new job and I have to make the huge decision as to what colour to paint my bedroom!!


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Joe and Sam's Mom said:


> I guess at this point, life is not too bad, I just need a new job and I have to make the huge decision as to what colour to paint my bedroom!!


PINK!!!!!!


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

I have never done what I wanted to do in life. I worked for 23 years for different credit unions and banks and just feel into it. With my husbands job moving every 3-4 yrs it was an easy job to get when we moved. Now I would like to do something with animals but not a vet tech. 
My dream job would be to open a hydrospa for dogs. There isnt one anywhere in north florida and it could help so many dogs with weight problems, surgery rehab and excercise. I dont know what it would curtail as far as training but that is what I would love to do.


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## Joe and Sam's Mom (Sep 2, 2007)

Augustus McCrae's Mom said:


> PINK!!!!!!


Now there's a plan!!!


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## TheHooch (May 9, 2007)

Urgh!!!!!!!!! My mother's roon in her house is pink. Carpet pink, wallpaper pink it is lie being in pepto he**. ANy one says after dinner I am stuffed we just tell them to go lay down in Mother's Room LOL>


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## MisterBailey (Jun 28, 2007)

I always wanted to be a vet but to study for that here I would have had to move up north, which I didn't want to do. I considered vet nursing instead, but I don't really think I could handle either. Seeing sick animals and not always being able to help them and seeing owners upset would have me in tears all day! A visit to the vet clinic the other day was enough when I saw an older lab in the waiting room who had cancer. So as much as I would love to work with animals, theres no way I could.

Instead, I studied tourism and work as a travel consultant. All in all the place where I work is great. Great boss, great staff in all departments and we are well looked after in terms of bonuses and perks (free travel all over NZ is pretty great!). But some days I hate going to work. You get to meet some wonderful and interesting people but some days everyone you deal with are horrible and ungrateful. It can be tough some days to keep smiling and be friendly to everyone!!


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## riddle03 (Jun 9, 2005)

I definitely consider myself lucky. I get up everyday and go to a job that I love. I am a veterinary technician at Ohio State University. The only other thing I can see myself doing is being Grissom on CSI (ha ha). Love all of the furkids.


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## Joe and Sam's Mom (Sep 2, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Urgh!!!!!!!!! My mother's roon in her house is pink. Carpet pink, wallpaper pink it is lie being in pepto he**. ANy one says after dinner I am stuffed we just tell them to go lay down in Mother's Room LOL>


Can't imagine Pepto pink.... and probably won't go pink anyway. The linens are the same color as the dogs, so I will probably go long that line! But you know maybe I should have gone pink 10 years go and saved a lot of grief


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## Goehringteaches (Oct 6, 2007)

Paint the room yellow! Yellow is such a cheery colorful! 

I have known for years that I wanted to teach the youngin's of the world, and I love my job. Now if some of my kids were better behaved, we'd be ok. Overall though, I love everything about my job. I even love the part time job that I have too.


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## bwoz (Jul 12, 2007)

I answered other because I can't say that I've dreamed of always wanting to be in medical billing growing up :. But now I really do like what I do and am grateful that I am able to work for myself.


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## bwoz (Jul 12, 2007)

TheHooch said:


> Urgh!!!!!!!!! My mother's roon in her house is pink. Carpet pink, wallpaper pink it is lie being in pepto he**. ANy one says after dinner I am stuffed we just tell them to go lay down in Mother's Room LOL>


That made me spit out my coffee!


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

I said yes and I love it bc although currently out of work, I loved my job and want another just like it.


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## GoldenJoyx'stwo (Feb 25, 2007)

My job is fine. I absolutely love the people I work for and the people I work with! That is most important to me. I appreciate the benefits my employer provides and the educational opportunities they offer, too.

Um, Faith's Mommy, I just read your reply...LOL You know why I'm laughing. Didn't love us, eh? <big grin>


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## Miss Happy (Dec 22, 2007)

We are retired and enjoying it. Many yrs. ago my dh decided to go into business for himself and we lived on my paycheck for a yr. which wasn't easy. Best thing for us and I would do it again. The only thing I miss are the people. Anyone really wanting to go into business for themselves and willing to work hard, go for it.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Augustus McCrae's Mom said:


> Good luck! I've thought about my own business before too, but it's too scary to me! I like knowing my pay check is coming from somewhere else, and I can get mad at them instead of me if I don't get it!


I already have my own business, so the paycheck is solely my responsibility anyway! I'm just thinking of going in a slightly different direction with it. Wouldn't give up on the current business -- this would just be in addition to it... which is challenging since there are only, as best as I can tell, 24 hours in a day! :doh:


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## Jackson'sMom (Oct 13, 2007)

My current job is OK. It pays well, has great benefits, 5 weeks of paid vacation every year, and little stress. And currently, there isn't a lot of work to do. I went to this job because I was totally stressed out by the bitch I used to work for in public affairs for NASA. It was interesting and challenging, and I got to do lots of cool stuff (multiple space shuttle launches and landings, meeting John Glenn, working in Moscow, etc.) My dream job would have been as either a veterinarian or as a forensic pathologist, but I realized that too late in life to pursue either because of the education requirements. I have a masters in education but never wanted to teach. Most of my career I've worked as a writer, either for NASA or for a humane society. It's been an interesting career, but now I'm ready to retire!!


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## norabrown (Jul 20, 2007)

I thought I would be a professional when I was a kid. I wanted to write (reporter, news, books).

Then I fell in love and had 4 kids. I was a stay-at-home mom for 25 years and loved it. I also home-schooled.

My youngest is now 18 and I have sort of been lost in figuring out what to do with myself. So I got 2 new Goldens!!!! I also got a part time job that I like very much. I'm an admin asst., but I like it and like what I'm doing. So...that's how I answered.


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## historicprim (Nov 24, 2007)

When I was a kid I wanted to be a Vet or do something with animals. After raising my children I went to work for Ocean spray cranberries for 15 yrs. I decided on day enough was enough and I left. I stayed home for a year and took care of the chickens, ducks,pigs,turkeys,goats and a cow named Elsie. Anyway I realized that when I returned to work I wanted to work with dogs. Well here I am 8 yrs later doing the thing I always loved.


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## videochicke (Dec 29, 2007)

I wanted to be an astronaut. But my teachers told me that was not a good choice. And as a kid, you really believe your teachers know everything so I am not an astronaut but really, really wanted to be one.


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## winstonandmaizeesmommy (Feb 8, 2007)

I love these kind of threads. I just found out that my temp job doing boring data entry is ending this Thursday, and now I don't know what to do.

I am going back to school, and my first thought was to be a vet technician. I love animals (especially dogs), but I cry every time I watch Emergency Vets. I think I could do it (my vet said that it is a great job) but the college that does it is so far away from here and most of the classes are during the day.

So... I decided to go for a Sonography certificate.. But, that doesn't solve my problem of being out of work right now.. I have tried everything - selling cars, got my life and health insurance license, but can't really sell that (and let the license lapse - doh)..

I also did mortgage - but since that is going downhill, I don't consider that an option.. I've got to figure out something soon - I hate having to depend on hubby for the money..


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## kellange123 (Apr 13, 2007)

I am kind of too young to know yet, but I honestly question my career choices.


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## cpsimone (Jan 4, 2008)

I sort of wish there were a "Getting there...slowly but surely" poll option.

I have a lot to say on this subject actually...I was on a certain career path for a long time, a path that involved paying a lot of dues along the way in the hopes of achieving the ultimate goal. Everyone else was impressed by it, but as time went on, and I found myself in grad school working on my PhD in Clinical Psychology, more miserable than I'd EVER been (and that's saying a lot). I had no life, completely lost myself and forgot what I even really wanted for myself. Sometimes you get on a ride, and get swept up in the motion, and you just don't even know why you're really on it. Anyway, I made the choice to leave mid-way through after I got my Master's degree and COMPLETELY start over. And I mean COMPLETELY.

It's been very difficult...and I've struggled a lot, literally living off of the change in my couch while I figured it all out...but a couple of years later, I've made HUGE progress in a very short period of time. I now work as Manager of Interactive Marketing & Web Development for a professional recruitment firm in Manhattan. I had to teach myself everything and fight for someone to give me an opportunity...spent many nights up most of the night teaching myself html and web design stuff...but it was my passion, so I loved it. I'm not where I ultimately want to be (owner of my own business), but I'm working on it...and I haven't looked back a day since. No regrets whatsoever.

If you're unhappy...and you're willing face the work involved in going after what you really want, by all means go for it. Personally, I'd much rather try and fail then always wonder if I could have had something better...


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## Gwen (Aug 9, 2007)

I kind of fell into my career but it has been good to me. It pays well, great benefits, good hours with no weekends/evenings, good opportunities to advance yourself and a pleasant environment. As well, my manager is flexible when I need time off for shows and is very understanding of family situations that require my absence from the office.

I must also say that I'm very flexible with my work schedule and see clients WHEN they can see me and that is sometimes out of the regular hours, regularly exceed my goals and am an exceptionally rated employee so it works both ways. 

The funny thing is that I really don't know what I want to do when I grow up....................hmmmmmmmmm


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