When I Grow Up...

Image Credit: Express Monorail

--I know I haven't been alive that long, but in my minuscule lifespan, I have managed to want to be everything. My first career aspiration was "cowgirl ballerina." I won't include that in the official list, though, because it's really impossible to describe. 

--Princess--My family still enjoys telling the story of my princess dream. In kindergarten, we were asked to draw what we wanted to be when we grew up. I drew a ravishing portrait of a girl in a pink dress with a golden wand and matching crown. At the bottom of the page, I lovingly labeled my occupation "Pissass." Is it possible to have a mental lisp?

--Figure Skater--The "draw what you want to be when you grow up" was also the topic of a 1st grade Art Class assignment. This time, I drew a girl with a head the size of a watermelon skating around in a fluffy purple outfit. I still don't know how to ice skate.

--Fashion Designer--This aspiration lasted for a surprisingly long time; probably longer than any other idea on this list. At this point, though, I don't think this is something I could realistically ever commit to. Plus I don't want to sweat blood on Project Runway.

--Photojournalist--There was a LensCrafters commercial for Transitions Lenses featuring a particularly mysterious and exotic woman walking around the African Savanna, photographing gazelle. That is why.

--Musician--This face was filled with failed attempts to get my brother to form some sort of homage to The White Stripes. (You know...before I realized Jack and Meg White used to be married...) I have tons and tons of journals filled with angst-y lyrics and sketches of our concert posters... 

--Librarian at the Library of Congress--In my defense, this was before National Treasure: Book of Secrets. (Though that certainly didn't hurt...) 

--Composer--I especially wanted to compose scores for films. Danny Elfman obviously had much influence on this decision. I actually wrote a paper for school on becoming a composer, and I open up my copy of Finale to work on something every now and then...Sadly it usually ends up being a 4-part vocal arrangement of "What's This?" 

--Anthropologist--After a lifetime of jobs that I, in the end, was told were completely unrealistic, this was my realistic, but still slightly interesting decision. That, and a TON of Discovery Channel specials. (No, not Shark Week) Regardless, I think being an Anthropologist would be fascinating and much more fulfilling than Princess.

--Curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art--Yeah.

Et toi? What do you want to be when you grow up?