Top five career paths
Remember that scene from High Fidelity, where Laura keeps on about Rob’s top five list of jobs and his inability to appreciate where he’s at?
Laura: Wouldn’t you rather own your own record store than be an architect?
Rob: Yeah, I guess…
Laura: …and you wouldn’t want to be a 16th century explorer or the King of France?
Rob: God no.
Laura: Well there you go then — change number five. Record… store… owner….
I was thinking of this today in the shower, and thought I’d better clear the air by letting you, the faithful reader, know exactly what I want to do in life.
In the movie, John Cusack’s character creates his list without any realistic time span in mind – he’s considering some dream jobs from the 70’s, from the 40’s, etc. I, however, present mine as goals more than dreams – these are the five careers I’d love to do and would be the most happy doing, etc., but I’m not going to consider “journalist for the Washington Post during Watergate” to be a viable selection.
Anyway, if I could go back in time I sure as hell wouldn’t be working when I got there.
So, in honor of one of my favorite movies and in anticipation for these five things to be come reality someday, I present:
Top Five Dream Jobs (in no particular order)
1. Sports journalist, Washington Post
I’d get to mentor with Tony Kornheiser and be part of the most important newspaper in the United States. Journalism is where I’ve wanted to go since deciding I wasn’t cut out to be a teacher, and what better goal than writing for the WaPo.
2. Travel writer – focus Great Britain
Get paid to travel around the world and write about it? This is the dream that started the “writing ball” rolling. Since I consider myself a young untested anglophile, England is where I’d want to spend most of my time.
3. Bookstore owner
I grew up in a used bookstore, and I can’t think of anything I’d rather sell than books to people who want to read them. I have a lot of ideas on this, and Sioux Falls is a growing community with no independent bookstore (and only one major bookstore).
4. Professional Basketball General Manager
I don’t have any experience doing this outside of thirteen seasons of Fast Break Basketball simulation leagues, but I think it would be a lot of fun to create and tear apart a professional basketball team. This would be a lot of work and, with little to no real knowledge of sports front-office tactics, there’d be a lot of learning to do.
5. Cartographer
This might sound weird, but I love working with, looking at, and studying maps. I’m a frequent visitor to Google Maps (as well as googlesightseeing.com) and I was actually excited to receive a South Dakota Gazetteer for my birthday. I spent hours pouring over atlases when I was young, and I guess my love of travel has fueled a love for maps. Naturally, I think I’d like creating them.