Things I Wanted To Be When I Grew Up, and When And Why I Decided Not To Be Them

1. President. (first grade) Gave this up by middle school, because I was never very popular, which seemed critical for winning votes. In retrospect, it was a good decision. I’m terrible at raising money and I wouldn’t like the scrutiny.

2. Stewardess. (third grade) Lasted about a year. I loved to fly and to travel. I don’t know why this one went away. I’m sure my parents wouldn’t have encouraged it.

3. Teacher. (always, and still) I have been a teacher, and I’d like to be one again.

4. Orthodontist. (fourth grade) I remember telling people it was what I wanted to be. I think I gave it up when I found out what it actually was. Good choice.

5. Physical Therapist. (seventh grade) This is what our standardized What You Should Be test told me to be. I was never that into it. But I think I’d actually be pretty happy if I had gone with it.

6. Journalist. (high school) Somewhere at the beginning of college, I got it in my head that I wanted to DO things rather than just WRITE about them. This was stupid. I’d love to be a journalist.

7. Herpetologist. (college) Studying herps in the field would have satisfied my sciencey bent. But I decided it would be too isolating, and also that I didn’t have it in me to get a PhD in something so specific.

8. Landscape Architect. (post-college) I picked landscape architecture for my master’s because it seemed like a combination of lots of things I love: science, art, people, cities. It sort of is, but it sort of isn’t.

9. Writer. (on and off since always) The problem is, I never really write anything.