Writer’s Workshop: Early Career Plans

Writer's Workshop 1 Minute

Today’s prompt: Something you wanted to be when you grew up.

I decided when I was 4 or 5 that I wanted to be a cab driver. This was back in the Sixties when cab drivers wore bow ties and hats. I think I wanted the hat.

Speaking of hats, then I wanted to be a policeman. I think it was from watching the terrible and oh-so-politically-incorrect “Dick Tracy” cartoons after school. An example…

At some point, I thought I might want to be a cartoonist. Then I learned I can’t draw.

TV and radio were always appealing. At different times, I wanted to be a weatherman, writer of TV shows, writer of commercials, disk jockey, TV repairman (I liked the big suitcase full of TV tubes they used to carry around), news announcer, game show host, game show panelist (like on To Tell The Truth), cameraman, reporter, and the guy who turns the station on and off.

I managed to forget all of these great ideas by the time I went to high school. When I was ready to start college, Mom wanted me to be an engineer. I didn’t want to be an engineer for two reasons: first, I was bad at physics and engineering is almost entirely physics, and second, Mom wanted me to be an engineer.

I ended up being a computer programmer, then a trainer on computer-related applications. As they say, manage your career, or your career manages you. Kind of like looking into the abyss.

Now, of course, I’m a blogger, which involves being a disk jockey, a writer, a reporter, and a guy who turns the station on and off. Oh, and a weatherman. Mary always asks me when it will rain. If I still drove, I’d probably drive for Uber, although they don’t give you a hat.

Amazing how things come full circle like that…

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

20 thoughts on “Writer’s Workshop: Early Career Plans”

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  6. Wow! What an assortment. I always wanted to be a nurse. I ended up as a medical assistant/office manager and now have my dream job of working from home doing medical transcription. Can’t beat being able to work in your p.j’s I say. Blogging and crafting are becoming my new dream jobs. It’s okay to change careers after 60 right?

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    1. I changed before I was sixty…

      Mary’s cousin’s wife did medical coding (she was a nurse for many years) and loved it. I know a lady who coordinated medical bills and insurance (especially Medicare). She was invaluable after Mom died. I’d’ve made a mess of it if I did it on my own. She’d take all the bills and EOB’s and tell me how much to pay whom, and follow up with insurance companies. She made good money doing that, and was worth every penny.

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  7. It was kind of nice when cab drivers wore uniforms. There was something official about the role with the uniform dress code. But heck back then not only did we have gas station attendants, but often they were sharply dressed in uniform as well.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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  8. I wanted to be a Chinese waitress and a French News Anchor. Thing is I’m not chinese and I cannot speak french. Kids have weird minds.
    I’m glad I went with the nursing route even though I destroyed my back doing it. It opened my mind to a wealth of knowledge and well, opened the door to writing 🙂

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  10. You’d look spiffy wearing one of those cabbie hats while sitting at home writing your blog posts. Think outside the box. No need to limit your sartorial choices just because they don’t make a lot of sense.

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