I’m 38. Almost 39.
And for some reason, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
And for some reason, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.
I’ve gone to beauty school, the police academy, taken various classes in paralegal studies and office administration. Now I’m a Liberal Arts major, which only reinforces the fact that I still have no ideas for a career choice.
My mom says to me- “Do something you think you’ll enjoy”. Well, that’s great advice, Ma. But what do you do when you can’t even figure out what that might be??
I think back through my eclectic work and education history, and try to remember a time when I was actually enjoying what I was doing. And what I discovered is that, I’ve worked and studied so sporadically, because I didn’t really enjoy any of it.
At 19 I hated beauty school.
At 23 I decided I didn’t want to be a cop after all.
At 26 I learned to despise the sales industry
At 30 I discovered that office work was boring.
At 26 I learned to despise the sales industry
At 30 I discovered that office work was boring.
And so, I’ve been behind the bar for the last ten years or so.
And let’s face it; no one wants to be a career bartender.
The thing is, it’s the only thing I’ve done with any consistency. I don’t like the late, sleepless nights. I don’t like the pathetic drunks. I don’t like the local drama. And yet I’m still there, behind that bar. So what is it that keeps me there? The music, the pleasant customers (they do exist), and the unconventional work environment (you can wear jeans every day, and people actually laugh when you accidentally drop the f-bomb).
And let’s face it; no one wants to be a career bartender.
The thing is, it’s the only thing I’ve done with any consistency. I don’t like the late, sleepless nights. I don’t like the pathetic drunks. I don’t like the local drama. And yet I’m still there, behind that bar. So what is it that keeps me there? The music, the pleasant customers (they do exist), and the unconventional work environment (you can wear jeans every day, and people actually laugh when you accidentally drop the f-bomb).
But seriously…
I am approaching mid-life (okay, I’m already there, damn), and I STILL have not chosen a career path. Even worse, I have no idea what career path to pursue.
And so, I decided the only way to figure it out is to create a list of likes and dislikes, and then find a way to separate the two, and incorporate the entire list into some kind of career. Hopefully.
I like dogs.
I like music.
I like to read.
I like to write.
I like coffee.
Ummm…
I don’t like people.
I don’t like math.
Well, that was productive.
So, there’s my career path:
Dog-groomer/Newspaper Columnist/Music-Literature Critic/Coffee Bean Agriculturist.
Dog-groomer/Newspaper Columnist/Music-Literature Critic/Coffee Bean Agriculturist.
Huh.