Pipe Dreams: An Intro

Anyone who spends any time with me knows that I, on occasion, complain about my job.  When I say "on occasion," what that really probably means is that I constantly, perpetually, consistently, everlastingly, unceasingly and repeatedly complain about my job, much to the chagrin and probably annoyance of those who spend time with me.  Sorry guys, I probably really am a one-track record!

It's not that there's anything wrong with my job.  Truly, I really enjoy working with my boss.  He actually sortof reminds me of my dad--a slightly hyperactive, stressed-out, but still very kindly version of my dad.  And for the most part, I couldn't ask for better co-workers.  I really need to keep reminding myself how lucky I am to have this job.  It buys us a pretty good life, especially when I look at the way a lot of other law students are living.  It also keeps me from tearing my hair out from boredom and loneliness while Ryan is off studying for umpteen hours every day, something that I think is common among non-working law wives.  And it gives me a good reason not to stay in my pajamas all day, which I would probably be doing if I wasn't paid to get dressed every morning.

We are blessed.  I know that.

However, this isn't exactly what I'd call my ideal scenario, either.  Number one issue for me is that I really miss being at home with Matthew, of course, but I'm not really going to get into that today.  There's also the time and stress factor of being a working mom, which has been a lot harder than I thought it would be and affects things I never would have dreamed it would have affected, but I'm not really going to get into that either.  The thing I am thinking about today is the question, "Are you doing what you love?"

When I used to dream of what I'd be when I grew up, I don't recall ever saying, "When I grow up, I will perform administrative duties and fundraising efforts for a generally male-centered institution for which I have no emotional ties and no personal attachments.  THAT is how I hope and dream to spend 8.5 hours every day, which will feel like pretty much most of my time!"  It's not that I am of the camp that thinks you should just do what you want to do and hope the money will roll in.  Real-world scenario leads me to believe that the benefits of paying your rent probably trump the benefits of becoming a traveling musician one of those other "fun" bohemian professions.  Bills are bills.  I have had to accept that they are not going to go away just because I don't feel like sitting at a desk every day.  My income is the only one this household is going to see for the next little while until Ryan magically morphs into a rich lawyer (speaking of pipe dreams....)!

My job keeps us from moving into a one-room shack and living on food stamps, so I will to work and be happy, and I will keep trying to ignore all the side effects of being a working mom, and I will be grateful that I am not bored, lonely, or still in my pajamas at noon.

Sometimes, though, I like to sit in my office and daydream about what I would be doing if I COULD choose one of those "fun" professions, especially the ones where I could be my own boss and set my own hours.  For the next little while, scattered between regular posts, I'm going to be talking about some of my own "pipe dreams" and I would really love to hear about some of yours!  What would YOU do if money was no object?  What would you become if you had a guarantee that it would pay all of your bills?  If you could choose to become ANYTHING you wanted, no limitations or risks included, what would you be?  Or maybe, are you lucky enough to already be living your pipe dream?

I will be taking my favorite comments and posting them here, or if you want, post on your own blog and let me know it's there!

Comments

[margene]

I would love to travel by motorcycle around the country and stop anywhere I like, spend time and even live for awhile and then move on to a new place.

[Kit]

I've always wanted to be in some sort of gypsy caravan. My job would be a bit of the herbalist, gypsy witch sort of thing. I would be able to identify any plant given to me and be able to rattle off the functions of each perfectly.

I've also thought it would be fun to be an actress. To look at me, you know right off I'd never be a good actress but still it would be fun.

[Karin]

Oh, I think about this rather often, and I have decided if I could be anything, I would choose "rock star" as, well, it just looks fun, although I haven't got much of a singing voice, nor a great sense of fashion, nor a band to tour with, or "cat" which would require me to transform from being a human to another mammal, and wouldn't exactly help me pay my bills. But it would be nice to sleep all day, find any sort of object amusing, and get lots of hugs and pets from my masters.

Realistically though, I am an accountant, part time, and a full time student in a Master's program, working on my degree so I can get my CPA certification. It isn't a *blast* (I mean, it's accounting), but it's definetly interesting, and I do enjoy it. And it pays fairly well, not my position per se, but as I move up the career ladder there's a great deal of earnings potential.

[scribblesnbits]

"paid to get dressed" - love it! That feels like an apt description of me right now!

[Isela]

If money was no object and I could be doing anything I wanted with my life, I believe I would pursue a career as a graphic designer. Now, I don't have any artistic talent and very little color coordination, but I still would love to be paid to make "cute" things on the computer. Once upon a time, I visited the FIT and toured the facilities for their computer animation--I don't remember a time when I was happier inside a school.
Sigh, instead, I am putting looms together and selling them online. Although being your own boss seems to have a great perks--like spending time with your children and husband, in the end work never leaves the house :(.

[Beatriz]

I'd work on my Master's degree in something...I'd dedicate more time to my health (yoga, swimming, and exercise classes), take up photography and ceramics again, do some leisure travelling in between, do more hiking and biking, take some cooking classes in Paris, and get a pilot's license.

[carole]

oh yeah, I am SO ON BOARD!! I feel you. Being a working mom is HARD! And yeah, I never thought, "I'm going to be the manager of an exteremly popular and lucrative coffee shop, but where ppeople still look down on you as if you worked at a greasy burger joint, when I grow up!"
I'll write my own pipe dream post-- I'm inspired!

[vegasandvenice]

Well, wow! I thought for sure I would say "artist" or "designer" or "photographer." Truly that is always what I have wanted to be. However, when you brought up this question none of those answers felt right. I think now that I would not mind being a writer or photographer perhaps for travel guides. The overall desire is to travel.

That fits well with my current pipe dream. Right now our house feels too big. We are actually living in our family room (literally moved the bed down here and everything). We are both working down here and it just seems to be the hub of the house. When we lived in San Francisco we had 4 different apts. but my favorite was the absolute smalles. It was a little hotel room type of apt. It had just the right amount of furniture and a lovely view. The city was at our doorstep.

So now we have a house in the suburbs and I dream of selling it and buying something cheap and small so that we no longer have a mortgage and using the extra money to make the house feel like a home (have not felt that way except for the one year in the studio). We could really make it a wonderful space and travel and see shows etc too.

Wow! What a super long comment. I am sorry that it all came pouring out like a faucet with a leak! I hope all of your dreams come true. I wonder though, would it be helpful to think of these things as goals that you are simply perusing? Just keeping a lookout for a better fit or a spark of inspiration, rather than a pipe dream? I completely understand, I always consider things this way myself, but pipe dream makes it seem so impossible and I think all the things that you have talked about so far seem entirely possible. They may not all come to fruition today but, thinking about them differently might help them to grow faster.

Anyway just a thought and a sincere question. A question really for both of us (or everybody). I have faith in you! Hugs!

[Karen]

I have quite a few pipe dreams. One that I think about often is running my own yarn store. That one might even be feasible if I could find a way to get start-up capital, but I'm not sure that my town has the market it would need to be successful. I've taught 8 people to knit since teach myself to knit two years ago. It's such a rewarding experience to teach someone to be able to make something with their own two hands. Several of the people I have taught to knit have fallen in love with the craft and are *almost* as crazy about it as I am. It is their relaxation, their zen. I am also obsessed with colors and texture. I love to play around with it as much as possible and try different combinations that seem a little unorthodox at the time. I only complete about one third of the projects I start, so I'd need a business partner or employee that could churn out samples for the store, but picking out the yarns and patterns would be my job.

[Erin]

Quit my job. Pick a charming town in New England or the Northwest and move there. The job I find doesn't have to be perfect (really because I don't know what that is) but I just need to work with nice people and make enough money to afford my nice but not too extravagent lifestyle. Really become a part of the community and drink in all the local customs and charm.

(and maybe the dream includes meeting some handsome local guy and going on a date to the farmer's market but I don't want to turn this into a romance novel)

[sincityspuds]

Actually, I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Since becoming a stay at home mom a few months ago I'm starting to realize that I've been a student/employee for way too long and now have now hobbies, talents, skills, or other diversions to spice up my clean-the-house-and-change-the-diapers life. Oh, and by the way, it is almost noon and I am still in my sweats and haven't showered. But I have yesterday's makeup on, so I kind of look like I got cleaned up. Does that count?

Anyway, I've been reading all sorts of books on creativity and hobbies trying to find some spark of inspiration, especially because you have so many fulfilling and rewarding hobbies that you are so good at, and I need that. I haven't come up with much yet, so I guess my current pipe dream is to find the time/motivation/interest to really get into a few fun and satisfying hobbies.

The one pipe dream I do have is just being able to live out of a suitcase and travel the world. This one will probably have to wait until the kid(s) are out of the house, but someday we'll do it. Like the Europe trip, only that will be our lives. We'll sell everything we own, but round-the-world plane tickets, chuck all toiletries larger than 3 oz, and go.

In other pipe dreams, I'd like to become a true expert at something, become a professor at a fabulous but amicable university, and publish a landmark book or two related to my subject.

Final pipe dream - lose the baby weight, get hot and look like a Playboy bunny!

[bonnie]

My pipe dream has always been to live in Williamsburg VA and live as a docent. Basically to live in the past with modern plumbing! I could spend all day gardening, sewing, knitting and spinning (if I ever learn that!).

[Erica]

Hmmm....In many ways, I'm living my own dream. All my life, I really wanted to be married and a full-time mom. I didn't get married as early as I'd expected, but Hubby, Thing One, and Thing Two (and my angel baby waiting for me in heaven) were all worth every second of the wait.

If money were no object, I would probably build a new house so that 1) I have a knitting room and office for me, 2) Thing One and Thing Two have big bedrooms with enough room for Thing One's library (she'd love a sort of reading nook) and Thing Two's collections (I envision a wall unit with a million little cubbies and drawers) and craft stuff, 3) a fabulous kitchen, 4) MORE than one bathroom!!!, 5) a really great garage/workshop for Hubby, 6) all the cool recesses lighting Hubby loves, 7) actual central heating (vs. a single, inefficient wall heater), 8) TONS of storage, 9) a gorgeous garden with a gardener to do the mowing, etc., 10) hire a cleaning lady so I could spend more time playing, knitting, etc.