Are you what you wanted to be when you grew up?

Maybe not truly fishing related. I seen this posted on a hunting site I visit and the responses were wonderful.

Myself, initially no. I can’t remember really wanting to be anything in particular when I grew up. What I did was ride motorcycles and chase high dollar construction jobs up and down the west coast until an injury ended my construction work. I am now a systems administrator for a large horticultural company. Certainly nothing I aspired to be when I was young. One thing I am told by family and friends when I grew up (finally) I am alot like my father. If this is indeed the case then I have become what I wanted to be when I grew up. My father was the hardest working, most honest, and most family oriented man I have known. Not to mention an excellent fisherman. To be compared to him is the highest honor anyone could give me.

No. I was going to be a commercial airline pilot, then a commercial artist, then a school teacher, then a professional fly tier, then a guide…notice how each profession has slowly gone down hill? Now, I’m just a Joe lighting salesman.

A school teacher asked her class one day, “How many of you are bait fishers?”
All the kids raised their hands except one. The teacher asked the one, “Are you a fly fisher?”

“Yes” was the reply.

“How come?”

“Well, my dad was a fly fisher and my mom was a fly fisher, so I guess that makes me a fly fisher.”

The teacher then asked, “If your dad was an idiot and your mom was a moron, what would that make you?”

“A bait fisher” the boy replied.

Yhat is hard to say Kerry, as I do not believe I have grown up as of yet. I will be 54 years young next week and I am closing in on a 30 year in food safety. In a year or 2, I will have to decide what I want to do when I grow up.

As far as being what I wanted to be when I grew up, I have been married to a saint of a woman for 34 years, a father of 2 well adjusted adults, and soon to be a Grandfather. I guess I am about there…
Brad

Yes, retired

Hi Kerry;

Like you, I had no particular job title in mind when younger(I’m still growing up). But, that said I know what type of tasks I’ve always enjoyed doing. These involve understanding how things work, troubleshooting systems and equipment,repairing them and coming up with better and simpler ways of doing things.

My current job allows me to do all of these tasks to one extent or another depending on what’s working,not working and/or what new challenges come up. I’ve been working in the same place for almost twenty years now and don’t envision leaving until I can retire in 6 years. If I still want to work, I can go into consulting after I retire.

So I guess this is a rather long winded YES!

Wayneb

Kerry,

A fine post!! No matter if it’s ff’ing related or not.

Basically…yes. And that’s a bit amazing really. I remember as a child in England, the late '50’s timeframe, (I was 9 or 10) I saw this huge, new building built across from where I used to fish and the sculptured figures in the vertical wall were intriguing. I found out the building was a drafting company and since I had a drafting class at the time (Orthographic Projection 101…I could hardly spell it!) I decided I wanted to be a draftsman.

I took the roundabout way after trade school for Graphic Arts, (Printing)joined the Army, back to trade school due to chemical allergies in the trade (Mech. Drafting), decided I wanted to be a Mech. Eng’r. but couldn’t keep my nose in the books and went back to what came naturally…being a mechanical tool designer!

It just came kind of easily after the runaround!

I still think I’m unbalanced. But I’m happy…:stuck_out_tongue: and will retire in just under a year.

I came from a VERY disjointed/lousy homelife and never thought I"d settle down as a family-man, even though I suppose inside it’s what I wanted. I met a fine gal and she “grounded” me…

'Nuff said. :wink: I got lucky. I needed to…

Jeremy.

No, but I did get a taste. I wanted to be an airline pilot. I made it. My late 20’s an ealy 30"s, I was flying big jets and chasing flight attendents around the world. I lost my medical certificat as I was just getting going. That was over 20 years ago. I’ve eeked out a modest living ever since.

I do find peace in familly, golf and fly fishing. Things that may have passed me by if my life hadn’t taken a detour when I had that 2 track (fast women and lots of dollars) mind.

Well, I’m not a billionaire cowboy astronaut surrounded by beautiful women with a rocket car in the garage of my mansion, so I’d say “no”.

Not to hijack this thread, but, is this question really about your job, profession, etc.? Instead, isn’t it really/also about … Are you really the person you wanted to grow up to be? … Values, ideals, contribution, etc.

Sure, for some thier vocation made them the person they are for others perhaps not so much. I think it can be both. What you are and who you are.

Yes and no.

I always wanted to be in an outdoors job and while in Jr. High and High School, wented to go into forestry or wildlife law enforcement.

Now, I work in a cube in an office in a city. I look out my window which is as close to the outdoors as I get 5 days a week.

OK, so what’s the “Yes” part then. Well, I have a wonderful wife, a great son (who likes to fly fish with me), and my job provides enough income to be able to get out and fish a couple evenings each week and most weekends between March and October. My wife, son and I are active in our church and are happy.

So, yes, in a way I ended up with a good family and have been able to provide my wife and son with a home full of love and joy.

I just earn my keep doing something far different than what I had planned.

Jeff

I guess I am. Didn’t really think much about it growing up but I did spend some time in my Father’s office after school ‘playing’ with the equipment in his office. He was an ohthalmologist and I am an Optometrist. I like what I do to an extent. I really dislike the attitudes of the public. I mean here I am making them be able to SEE with optical devices and most of them think it’s a pain in the *** to them!
I guess I really wanted to be a baseball player. Tried it and it didn’t work out, so this ‘gig’ is a second choice.

Window? You have a …WINDOW???:shock::shock:

Jeremy (8x10 cube…err rectangle!)

i dont remember what i wanted to be when i grew up but ive been designing submarines for the past 35 years and still enjoy what i do

Nope…wanted to play pro football. Played MLB at Syracuse and blew both ACL’s and patella’s. Back in those days there was no arthroscopic surgery, just a knife. Ended up becoming a Mechanical Engineer working in the defense industry. Normand, Electric Boat, right? :slight_smile:

When I was a kid playing with friends, cowboys and indians, I was not only a cowboy but I was the Sheriff, cops and robbers? oh yes I was the cop. Retired Yakima County Sheriff’s Dept. I worked over ten years assigned to the Detective Division as well. I can truly say there is not much I have not dealt with or seen. Growing up to realize a life long ambition or dream I can honestly say that it was worth every minute of it and I can say that I would have done it all over again. Besides that clinging to that dream kept me out of trouble I’m sure, I grew up in the 60’s.

Very interesting and thought provoking topic…
It appears that there are really two answers, as has beeen mentioned …

When I was a pup, I learned the joy of building things. I decided at an early age that I wanted to be a builder, a maker of things. That I am. I wanted to have my own fabrication business. I did for twenty plus years. I have managed to become a journeyman welder, machinist, and metal fabricator, even a licensed electrician. I have held the position of master metalsmith for some time. I have made a career of building and making things from small to huge, designing and planning and the whole deal. That I have achieved.

The second answer is to the harder question, I think. No is the answer for me. I have not yet become the man I wish to be, or wished to be as a youngster. I am on my way there, and it’s a kind of one step forward, two steps back journey. Each day I find myself staring at one shortcoming or other, it seems. I do though, truly believe, that with the Lord’s help, I will one day reach my goal with that. I have a fabulous and lovely wife, who is much smarter than me (thankfully) , three great kids either grown up or growing up, and all together a great and loving family. I care about them, and them about me. They graciously tolerate my shortcomings, and I theirs. Truth be told, that is something I wanted to have when I grew up, and I didn’t even know it.

Achieving the first goal I mentioned was easy-peasy! The second is coming along, but I’m only a young pup just a skosh past fifty-two, so I am happy to have some growing up yet to do before I’m there…Dan

Short answer is NOPE! I wanted to ride motorcycles and FTW…

But I met my wife and joined the army, had kids, saved lives as a E911 operator and Ambulance attendant.

Then the reality of over 40 in a fast paced high stress life hit, had to retire/slow way down due to pain, injuries.

Guess what it was the right thing to do, would I change any thing almost no to a minute…

I guess this is were I am supposed to be today right now…

Short answer is NO!

Dub

That’s a good one! Actually not far off from my childhood dream. I wanted to be a fighter pilot in the Air Force first. However, a blown out knee changed all that just as high school started.

So instead, now I help design, test, and build those machines! Our most recent achievement can be found here:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/orion/las_nov08.html
Check out the videos!!!

Not a bad swap actually. And my life turned out richer and fuller too because of it, so no complaints here!!!
So I guess my answer would be “sort of”.