Wwyd?

[KnottedYet]

Fisheries biologist again. Invertebrates. (not those fish. jeez, booooo-ring!)

Gawd, I miss it.

I love PT, don't get me wrong, but the patients.... some of them are soooo high maintainence. Today was awful. Mammals are a pain.

[HipGnosis6]

I wanted to do the same thing as the people who saved me from going too far astray as a teenager - I wanted to teach music. That didn't really work out, so I moved on and persued an archaeology degree. That requires more math and science and chemistry than I could really muster, so I stayed in the anthropology realm but shifted to linguistics - along with a minor in Latin, I came close to but didn't finish a Master's in Archaeolinguistics. Doesn't that make me sound smart?

Well, I was afraid of turning my hobby into my career. I'd seen what that had done to my older brother; he was a prodigy as a teenager but is now so burnt out that he's miserable. But my straight-shootin' sense-talkin' mother put my head straight when I mentioned that. "Find another hobby," she said. "You're not like your brother who can't do anything else. Make clothes for a living, go to fashion design school - and when it's time to play, go ride your bike."

I'm a year into a bachelors program in fashion design, and while it's tons of work, it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. If I could do ANYTHING, it would be to work with an existing company to develop a line of extended-size athletic gear (including bike apparel, of course!). I'm in love with technical fabrics. And if possible I'd like to help establish fair trade apparel manufacturing in Asia and/or South America - if we can do it for coffee, we can do it for other industries.

[Thistle]

I would love to be a really good psychologist, i mean really really good ... be someone who could make a difference, someone who could really help people get to the bottom of their troubles... but I dont think I ever could be

2nd choice - I would love to train guide dogs - something i've wanted to do all my life.

[run it, ride it]

I'm in my second-last semester for a BA in critical analysis in literature/media ("English"). I know what I don't want to do: teach, or have a desk job. Journalism at this point is not appealing to me, though I do have a knack for non-fiction prose.

I took the career tests... Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Survey. The Strong said I should go into law inforcement, across the board. Second choice was parks and recreation. What a cruel joke: I currently work in parks and recreation. The whole 'recreation' part? I'd rather it not factor in. Law enforcement: I call them in for backup when I'm tired of dealing with a situation. I respect what they do, but its not something I could handle on a daily basis. Too much 'general public' contact exhausts me, and the conflict... no way. I'd burn out and break down.

Well, the MBTI test agreed with me, resoundingly: "you should absolutely NOT got into law enforcement." It proceeded to suggest a slew of computer desk jobs. I was already all over that and minored in Computer Science for a while--no go. Not my thing.

Throughout my undergrad, I took a collection of anthro, psych, soc... too much research. Minored in drama--love the technical aspect, love carpentry and costumes and getting absolutely filthy. But the hours and the pay? I'm better off cleaning washrooms. Minored in music--again, hours and the pay... unless I become a famous rock star...

I want to be a cultural theorist. I love theory. I could be a professor if it weren't for the research. I just want to theorize in prose and say, 'forget language and forget research.' I would eradicate essays and theses, revamp the entire education system into problem-based learning models. I think the first part is called creative writing, and the second part is called med school. Former won't pay the bills.

Both tests suggested jobs in the medical field--I need an even balance of mind work and physical work. I'm interested in nutrition, kinetics. I certainly wouldn't mind working with athletes. My dream job might be vet tech for large animals--but literally, my current job cleaning washrooms pays more.

So I'll be headed into my fifth year for round two of the undergrad: science. It's the only thing I haven't tried. If that falls through... well, I want at least an MA in something, so I'll have to think of a research topic in English. Preferably something from THIS time period, about sex. My best writing is about sex. I always wanted to be a sexologist (ahh, but the research). A sexual theorist is the next best thing.

My parents have told me I'm a good candidate for med school--they know what they're talking about: my father is a physician and my mother is on the interview selection committee for the province's med schools. I have nothing to lose by applying, so I probably will.

I've mentioned money. Money in and of itself is not important to me, but it's required to support my sporting and equestrian habits. I want to live comfortably--more than $40 000CND. I have the resources to education to allow that. As I said--I want at least an MA, probably a PhD or at least some damned good technical training in SOMETHING. I'd be a great tradesworker. But my wrists won't hold up to farriery (see: minored in computer science--carpal tunnel). I always wanted to be a mechanic, but there aren't enough big words to sustain me.

I've got it down to a basic list of survival needs:
-Horses
-Running
-Words with more than one syllable
-Sunlight
-Lake/ocean

So if anyone has any suggestions...

(Apologies for the novel--English degree. Go figure.)

[rocknrollgirl]

I was just reading this with DH next to me pondering out loud...what career would I want if I were not a teacher...

He says.....The wife of a fly fishing guide.....

That is why we have been married for 19 years...he is cute and FUNNY!!!!


Ruth

[hsmpcycle]

I've got it down to a basic list of survival needs:
-Horses
-Running
-Words with more than one syllable
-Sunlight
-Lake/ocean

So if anyone has any suggestions...

(Apologies for the novel--English degree. Go figure.)

After reading your post and looking at the above list, I thought Horse Breeding/Trainer might be an option? You are working both in and outside, never a dull moment, make decent money, you travel, and it involves some dirty work.

If that doesn't sound good ( I know you said you were not intrested in being a cop), you can do what my sister-in-law does. She has a great day job, but she also works part-time in the summer with her horse as a Mounted Patrol Officer. She is not a cop, but all she does is help move traffic and handle crowds with her horse. They both had to go through some intensive training to do this ex: crowd reading, techniques, etc. It doesn't involve violence.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

But my straight-shootin' sense-talkin' mother put my head straight when I mentioned that. "Find another hobby," she said. "You're not like your brother who can't do anything else. Make clothes for a living, go to fashion design school - and when it's time to play, go ride your bike."

I LOVE that! What great and wise mother you have!!

[pooks]

What Lisa said!

Re: the weaving. I've always wanted to learn. To start off with a small loom and give it a try. I don't have room for such a thing and probably not time, either. But in my dream future when we retire to a place with land, I'll have a couple of sheep and goats (I wish angoras were prettier to look at!) and will card my own wool and weave a few throws to pass down to my kids.

Of course, my mother is a fabulous quilter and has never sold any (she agrees with whoever it was upthread said once it became a job it wouldn't be a joy). She makes as many as 20 or 30 a year! I don't know how many quilts she has, but she intends them to all be divided between her kids and grandkids and I have no idea where we'll store them all.

So of course I'm sitting here fantisizing about adding to the dilemma!

Maybe I'll skip that idea.

[pyxichick]

Naturalist
Nature-writer
Copyeditor (I'm actually taking classes for this one)

When I was in high school I wanted to be a musician in an orchestra. I started college as a music major and decided right away that I wasn't good enough to pursue that. I switched my major to English.

I just want a job I can do while living in a cabin in the woods.

[Offthegrid]

A teacher. Then I could spend all summer riding AND make a difference.

[Haudlady]

Hey, fellow weaver. Oddly enough, I do not want to make a living at weaving--I'm afraid that would make it a high-pressure, not fun, pursuit.

Hey Salsa! I agree with you on this one, despite what I said... at our town fair in July I did weaving demonstrations. It was great fun - part of why I would want to weave for sale is to share my joy in it.

I was thinking more of occasional commissions (like the request I got recently for a shawl for a lady who has cancer)... and certainly NOT to make a living off of it! I would like, however, to make enough to pay for some of my yarn purchases!

[7rider]

Fisheries biologist again. Invertebrates. (not those fish. jeez, booooo-ring!)

Gawd, I miss it.

I love PT, don't get me wrong, but the patients.... some of them are soooo high maintainence. Today was awful. Mammals are a pain.

My goodness. This sounds familiar.
But, I'd stick with the fish. I have your fish-response towards inverts. Spent more time picking over lobsters than I can to think about. I've oftened "threatened" to go back to school for PT, but never did. So, I end up stuck in a fish agency doing management and policy. Boooooo-ring!

[Bad JuJu]

I've got it down to a basic list of survival needs:
-Horses
-Running
-Words with more than one syllable
-Sunlight
-Lake/ocean

So if anyone has any suggestions...

Hey, RIRI, there are a ton of things you can do with a degree in English. Check and see if your school have a list of them somewhere--I know we do.

As an example, my brother is ABD in English (concentration in Elizabethan studies, read "Shakespeare") and after teaching for a few years and continuing to pursue the PhD, he finally went to work for the National Marine Fisheries Service (part of NOAA) as a tech editor, working on the development of fisheries regulations. Sounds a little boring, I know, but surprise--he gets to work with a lot of fishermen, scientists, and also some attorneys, and occasionally goes on a research trip. He lives and works in Juneau, AK, but they have offices all over the U.S. He loves it and it pays big bucks.

So that's just an example--there are probably lots of other possibilities. By the way, have you ever tried teaching? When I was in my 20s, I'd have told you I'd rather have my fingernails pulled out with pliers than teach. Then I got assigned to a teaching job for a year and a half (I was in the navy then), and absolutely loved it--helped me figure out that I wanted to teach when I got out of the navy. I don't mean to say it would necessarily be the same with you--just that you might be surprised how much you like the things you think you wouldn't.

And to quote you again:
"Apologies for the novel--English degree. Go figure."

[margo49]

Boutique dairy with goats and sheep that SO would graze and milk.
Came pretty close with the kibbutz dairy - which was cows and someone else milked them.Loved it and miss it (carreer ended suddenly with a terrible accident) most days.

[GLC1968]

As a child I dreamt of being an oceanographer...then I grew up and realized that I have a strong tendency towards motion sickness. Not good.

I have one DREAM job:
action movie star
(I know...I'm weird)... it would be PERFECT for me though...physically demanding, I get to pretend (one of my favorite things to do in the world), super high intensity for a few months and then I get to do something else (like another movie or whatever)...never boring..

My realistic dream job:
Veterinarian
(I say realistic because in about 5 years I'll be bored with my current career path and I'll probably go back to school to start over...again...so I'm not ruling it out as a possibility).