What do you want to do when you grow up?

[Sailor Jerry]

I know I'll get a lot of flack on the topic header, but now that I'm fairly set in my life/career path, I was wondering what fields of study the younger folks (mainly the college aged ones, or incoming H.S. seniors) are looking to pursue.  Being an older guy (45 last Sat.) and not being very driven in high school (grades were just good enough to play sports....barely!), I know I didn't want to look back at my 10 H.S. reunion and tell people I'm the 3rd shift asst. manager at White Castle (not that there is anything wrong with that, it just wasn't for me).  I knew if I stayed at my local Jr. College, I'd probably would have partied all the time and failed out somewhere around my 3rd semester and would have wound up working for minimum wage trying to scrap by.  So for me, I ended up enlisting in the U.S. Navy, did 20 years of active duty as an electronics technician, severed on 3 different war ships for a total of 10 out of those 20 years.  Retired from the Navy and started working at power plants as an instrument and controls technician.  It's a pretty good living.....but looking back to when I was 16 or 17, I never thought I'd be where I am today.  Do I regret any of my choices.....no.  Are there a few things I would have wanted to change or tweak along the way, sure, but the overall path.....no, I'm pretty happy with how things are turning out. 

 

Anyway, enough of my ramblings......what does our next generation of students want to study and be when they grow up and hit that big old ball of shit we call adulthood?

[Ekejen Luish]

Lol like nobody posts

[Peacity Peace]

Male prostitute. 

[Milord]

I want to be the little mermaid.

Edit:I was just joshing

I want to study renewable resources.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Milord

[Doktor Avalanche]

My original objective in life was to become an Archaeologist. I studied Assyriology as I had a huge love for the Assyrian Empire historically and read up on the ruins of Ninevah.

 

It did not happen. Now at the age of 43 it is a bizarre time to reflect on what I have done up to now. My work history consists of: an INS(now ICE) Officer, a Pastor, a Vacuum & Sewing Retail Shop Owner, a Co-Coffee Shop Owner, a Security Guard, a Gas Station attendant, A Service Writer, a Proof Reader, a Script Writer, a Ghost Writer, a Soundboard Operator, a Roadie, a Butcher, a Pizza Dough Master, a Delivery Driver and a Cabbie.    

 

I am currently working on my Doctorate of Theology(focus on World Religions) so I can be one of those jerks most people disagree with on the History Channel programs.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Lo Pan

[Sailor Jerry]

My original objective in life was to become an Archaeologist. I studied Assyriology as I had a huge love for the Assyrian Empire historically and read up on the ruins of Ninevah.

 

It did not happen. Now at the age of 43 it is a bizarre time to reflect on what I have done up to now. My work history consists of: an INS(now ICE) Officer, a Pastor, a Vacuum & Sewing Retail Shop Owner, a Co-Coffee Shop Owner, a Security Guard, a Gas Station attendant, A Service Writer, a Proof Reader, a Script Writer, a Ghost Writer, a Soundboard Operator, a Roadie, a Butcher, a Pizza Dough Master, a Delivery Driver and a Cabbie.    

 

I am currently working on my Doctorate of Theology(focus on World Religions) so I can be one of those jerks most people disagree with on the History Channel programs.

So who did you script write for and who were you a roadie with?

[Thalmor]

When I was younger, I wanted to work in the gaming industry because of my love for video games- but I grew up. I just recently learned just how cut-throat that entire industry is, and I'm happy I changed my mind.

 

As it stands now, I want to be a lawyer. However, I also love reading, and I want to publish a fictional novel sometime (if I really worked at it, I could probably make a decent living being a writer). I was also strongly considering writing a visual novel, but I need to find a good artist and composer.

 

[Ekejen Luish]

I mean, maybe you could be a writer, but I seriously doubt you could make a living purely off being an author. Unless you have a sum of money where you can get good ground to start off as a writer.

If you want to write books, you'll probably have to work another job and write in your spare time.

[Thalmor]

I mean, maybe you could be a writer, but I seriously doubt you could make a living purely off being an author. Unless you have a sum of money where you can get good ground to start off as a writer.

If you want to write books, you'll probably have to work another job and write in your spare time.

 

I'm sure this is over-simplifying it, but assuming I publish something for $10, then have a small, reliable fanbase of about 10,000, then that's $100,000. After taxes and other expenses, I could probably make $50,000 a year. That would be more than enough for me to live comfortably while doing something I enjoy.

[WISD0MTREE]

I screwed up and now I'm a chemical engineer working 80 hour weeks and shitposting on PaW in my freetime. Oh, and I mentioned that I was Elite Platinum on American Airlines, so I'm always the one they send to projects. I was detained by Canadian customs about a week ago on business. 

[Sailor Jerry]

 I was detained by Canadian customs about a week ago on business. 

For what....saying American hockey is the best hockey?  Their beer sucks?  Or that Canada is our 51st state?

[Buorhann]

I'll be 34 in October, so I'll share my stuff.
 
Little kid me initially wanted to own a horse ranch.  I wanted to be a dudebro with some horses and make trails.  I just enjoyed riding horses when I was a kid.
 
Then I got hooked onto gaming systems and then Saturday cartoons were a thing ( Keep in mind this is late 80s/early 90s, when cartoons were awesome ).  During this stint, I'd come across nature shows, where you see just how scary and awesome nature can be.  Ranging from animals to weather storms, that is.  So I decided that I wanted to become a zoologist.
 
At this time I was also conflicted with wanting to be an electrical engineer, since both my father, my grandfather, and my great grandfather worked in that area.  I was the eldest grandson, and my father was the eldest, etc.  You know the usual pattern.  I decided that wasn't for me though.  Zoology was where it's at.
 
Until I did a research for a career discovery class.  It showed that zoology was on a downward spiral because "all of earth" was mostly categorized, and therefore zoology was not that important anymore.  I was heartbroken, as that was my goal.  ( This was before the explosion of the career at the discovery of new species on various "new islands" )
 
Got hooked onto computer gaming and decided to pursue a career path into programming.  Got into school, did well initially with learning C++ and also taking side courses into security network, then I quickly got bored and failed out ( Didn't help that I partied a lot too ).
 
So I became a bum.  Went from rancher, to zoology, to electrical engineering, back to zoology, to computer programmer/IT, to...  nothing.  Of course I worked at various jobs, helping with gardens, working as a bellhop (This was fun), working as a computer salesman, working at a computer repair joint, etc.  Lots of jobs that just didn't keep my attention for long.
 
Meet my lady.  She has a PhD.  What the hell is she doing dating me?  Now I had to step up.  Go back into school.  Ace my classes.  Get into honor societies.  Build up networking.  Enjoyed it, got into business school as it was something I never explored ( Plus my previous computer programmer advisor suggested it to me since I was good at leading groups of people on doing projects ).  Did very well into it, explored Psychology and Human Resources on side courses, as well as some Sociology/Cultural studies.
 
Got a job with a contractor electrical construction company, as a Project Manager for HR/Safety department, and doing pretty damn well now!

Fun Fact: I work with a company that has a couple of higher up individuals who recognized me due to my father. Who mentored them. So it's odd how it's all come around.

Edited August 17, 2016 by Buorhann

[Ekejen Luish]

I'm sure this is over-simplifying it, but assuming I publish something for $10, then have a small, reliable fanbase of about 10,000, then that's $100,000. After taxes and other expenses, I could probably make $50,000 a year. That would be more than enough for me to live comfortably while doing something I enjoy.

What do you think,book publishers are infinitely rich? How do you think they make money!?

 

You don't make 100% of the money. You make royalties. As this would be your first book, you'd probably get a low percentage of the profits. At a mere 10 dollars, you'd probably only make about one to three dollars a book. Not only that, but you do have to pay for the services of a publisher.

 

Not having much of a name for yourself, having never published a book before, you wouldn't get a fanbase of 10,000. It's pretty unlikely that you'd even sell that many books. Of course, there's the super slim possibility it's a sudden hit and you get rich, but it's extreeeemely more likely that you'll end up not being very successful.

 

In the end, you may make at most a few hundred dollars after paying off debts to the publisher and banks and all.

[WISD0MTREE]

For what....saying American hockey is the best hockey?  Their beer sucks?  Or that Canada is our 51st state?

I didn't put that I was the third on my customs card even though it was on my passport, I put the wrong date on it, and my photo was about 6 years old. Apparently that is "suspicious." Maybe some kind of quota or something? I did say that Canada is like our 51st state while they were detaining me, though. 

[Doktor Avalanche]

So who did you script write for and who were you a roadie with?

I wrote a ton of scripts for video game companies, college kids which some got made into film(none were outstanding) and embarrassed myself several times to Sony Films, Miramax and Universal Studios lackeys who loved the words "it's good, but work on it". I did get a thumbs up and an interest from Scorsese just before 9/11 on a script based on the life of Dracula. I worked my ass of on this but due to the Islamic associations with the sacking of Constantinople throughout the storyline, he decided to let it go.

 

I roadied for several local bands and musicians all throughout the Los Angeles area, hitting up most of the infamous bars and houses from Hollywood to Santa Monica to Anaheim and even into San Bernardino. My brothers have been and still are studio musicians who have played with many musicians in the studio and sometimes on stage. My oldest brother toured with Kid Rock and I was able to Roadie for a part of the trek. Other than that I have set up house rig for Sting, Motley Crue and Joe Satriani. Motley Crue never paid me.

Edited August 16, 2016 by Lo Pan

[Doktor Avalanche]

Of course, there's the super slim possibility it's a sudden hit and you get rich, but it's extreeeemely more likely that you'll end up not being very successful.

 

In the end, you may make at most a few hundred dollars after paying off debts to the publisher and banks and all.

Even the successful do not get paid that much nowadays. It is a ridiculous career that you really have to love to stay in it and eat ramen packets for lunch while doing it.

[Ekejen Luish]

Unless you're JK Rowling and you become worth a billion dollars

[Doktor Avalanche]

Unless you're JK Rowling and you become worth a billion dollars

She pulled a George Lucas and held onto virtually everything in the franchise. But you are right. She is a rarity.

[Ekejen Luish]

You: GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!

 

*Gets fired*

 

Manager: How about go big and go home?

[Frank Todd]

Well my original goal was to stick with the Navy for the 20 some-odd-years, buttttt when I smooshed my foot under some 2-ton piece of machinery (Steel toed boot did absolutely nadda) I had to get medically discharged. Now I'm trying for my teaching degree. It doesn't pay great, but Meh.. What "Gov" job does. AmIright?

[Landontom]

Politics, I. Love. Politics.

[WISD0MTREE]

Well my original goal was to stick with the Navy for the 20 some-odd-years, buttttt when I smooshed my foot under some 2-ton piece of machinery (Steel toed boot did absolutely nadda) I had to get medically discharged. Now I'm trying for my teaching degree. It doesn't pay great, but Meh.. What "Gov" job does. AmIright?

That sucks. Wouldn't you have had a pension after 20 years? 

 

Politics, I. Love. Politics.

We need a facepalm smiley or something. 

[Sailor Jerry]

That sucks. Wouldn't you have had a pension after 20 years? 

 

 

Yes he would have. However, with a military ending injury, he should be getting some sort of VA benefits.

[WISD0MTREE]

90% of the people who posted did not say what they wanted to do, but what they did. I enjoy reading your life stories.

I remember Sheepy had a poll once about age (among other things) and most of PaW was 20-29. 

[Frank Todd]

That sucks. Wouldn't you have had a pension after 20 years? 

 

We need a facepalm smiley or something. 

Yes, I get a check ever so often for my injury, so it isn't all bad (It gets me a fat ass pizza every so often)

Yes he would have. However, with a military ending injury, he should be getting some sort of VA benefits.

and indeed good sir, fortunately due to the surgeon I had (a great one at that) my foot went from like 100% squished to like 5% squished, so woo. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to stay in, as foot injuries end careers (as I'm sure you know)

Edited August 24, 2016 by Mr Bigsby