My Top 10 Best Jobs

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

As a kid, I had many occupations I wanted to be when I grew up.  Some lasted longer than others and some were just week long phases.  Sometimes, I might of had three things I wanted to be and I couldn’t make up my mind so I was going to be all of them.  Unfortunately, I never picked jobs that made a lot of money or it was very unlikely that I’d make a lot of money.  At that time, I didn’t really care; I just wanted to do something I was interested in and would be fun.  Looking back, I hope my younger self had a plan--like marrying rich--but I doubt it.  I abhorred the thought of doing something for the rest of my life that I didn’t love to do.  I’m glad I did and I still think that way.  I want to love my job.

So here are my top ten jobs.  If you’re looking for money making jobs, google it because you won’t find it here.  All of my links are “how to become” links, not definitions.

1.  Cowboy.  Not cowgirl, cowboy.  Sexuality complex, much?  No, not really.  I didn’t want people to think I was a cowgirl and label me as a rhinestone-wearing, pink-loving, spoiled brat.  That was my view on cowgirls back then.  I remember when I was five or so and I had to go to this event where we had to dress as who we wanted to be when we grew up.  I told everyone I was a cowboy. Though everyone tried to explain to me that I was a girl, not a boy, I wouldn’t back down.  I was a cowboy.  I wanted a ranch where I would train horses.  Later, I ended up calling myself a horse trainer; cowboy was a little juvenile.  Even now, I still want to own a few horses and train them, but not as a profession.

2.  Veterinarian.  I wanted to be a vet for a long time until I realized vets did more than just give shots.  I didn’t want to perform surgeries.  Actually, now that I think about it, I think I could probably handle it.  I always expected the worst in the dissections I’ve done in biology and anatomy, but I didn’t really get freaked out by frog, worm, and rabbit guts (don’t tell my pet bunny); deer organs; and cow eyeball.  Next, I’ll be dissecting a mink.  Without the fur, they’re cheaper than cats.  Then again, veterinary school takes a long time and is expensive.

3.  Actress.  I didn’t take this one seriously because I thought actresses were only famous people in movies.  I could never make it.  Now, I still want to be an actress.  On the stage.  I love acting.  I’m also really interested in the backstage aspects of theater like set building, costumes and makeup.

4.  Figure Skater.  I only wanted to be this because of watching the Olympics. I wanted to be Tara Lipinski.  Then I actually tried ice skating and sucked at it.

5.  Gymnast.  Again, only because of watching the Olympics.  The turn off was that gymnasts get hurt a lot.  I didn’t want to kill myself.  Plus, I’m not short.

6.  Tap Dancer.  Instead of letting me watch crappy Disney shows as a kid, my mom sat me down to old musicals.  After watching Singin’ In The Rain, I was positive I was called to be a tap dancer or tap dancing teacher.

7.  Skier.  I started skiing when I was around ten.  Since my mom and my sister both hated skiing, I was my dad’s last chance at a skiing buddy.  At first, my dad had to make me ski because I hated it.  Now I can ski down some mild black diamonds (slopes that are the most difficult), but I’m no where close to a pro.  I own my own skis and I’m content with that.

8.  Hair Stylist.  I loved playing with my mom’s long hair when I was little.  I’d get out all of our clips, bobby pins, hair ties, headbands, ribbons, and bows and try to fit all of them into my mom’s hair.  My mom never wanted to wear my “hair-dos” outside of the house.  After I graduate, I’m going to a cosmetology school.

9.  Singer.  I can't sing.  There went that idea.

10.  Artist.  This one really shouldn’t be here.  Never once did I want to have a job that used my artistic ability.  I wanted to do something without using something that I was good at.  That may sound stupid; why wouldn’t I want to use the gift God gave me?  Well, I wanted to push myself and have to learn something new.  I felt that using an ability I already had was too easy and, in a way, somehow cheating.  Also, everyone that saw my artwork would say, “Well I guess I know what you’re going to do when you’re older.”  Everyone assumed I would go into art, so I rebelled at that.  I didn’t want to do what was expected of me or what everyone else thought I should do.

Now, I want to be an art major at whatever college I go to.  I just need to pick the right one.  As I said, I’m going to a cosmetology school after I graduate.  That way I’ll have something to fall back on if my art thing fails.  Someone will always need their hair cut.


So, that’s my ten “what I want to be when I grow up” jobs.  I probably had others, but they didn’t last long enough for me to remember them.