Life's winding road

[El Presidente]

One of the discussions we were having at our boozy Friday FOH lunch was what our sons and daughters (many of us have children in their teens) are thinking of doing post school in terms of occupation.

The conversation turned to our own experiences. What we thought we would be doing and what we actually are doing. Personally I left school wanting to do something in economics and after I left banking have become a cigar pirate I can categorically say.....NO REGRETS. Others were lawyers who became Coffee Barons, Night club DJ's who became accountants, 19 year old Accounting hopefuls who ended up farmers.

There were some great stories. One of the things to come out of it is that few of us had any real idea when we were in our teens what exactly we would be doing today. How did you pan out?

[Lotus400]

I started college wanting to be a dentist and quickly realized the financial implications of that path. Switched to a Business/Marketing major my second year.

Went into sales right out school and have worked in the material handling industry designing large warehouse distribution systems ever since. Life's passion - no. Good living - yes.

[Bartolomeo]

Went to college and wanted to become a Chiropractor, graduated from UF and was accepted into Life Chiropractic College in Marietta, GA but was burned out by the time I graduated from UF.........got into sales and haven't looked back

Bart

[MrGlass]

Never had any idea what I wanted to for a living when I was in my teens.

I'm now 25, and still following my nose with no clue...

[MIKA27]

Studied graphic design, then completed an Electrical apprenticeship. Found that whilst the money was great as an electrician, I wasn't happy.

Somehow, I managed to get into Facilities management and haven't looked back.

Am I happy..? Not completely, still have 'Something' within that wants, needs change.

Believe it or not, I find that 'pencil pushing' isn't my niche and as such, have enrolled for the MFB and become a Fireman. A completely different career which I would like to see out until I retire. I feel that helping the community would be a whole lot more rewarding than putting up with tenant (Telstra) politics.

[pawnbroker]

I came out of high school wanting to be a chef,Did one year of the two and then talked my parents into helping me open a pawn shop.(always loved pawn shop) have been doing that for the last 20 years.Have made a good living out of it.

[Colt45]

As a young lad, I had aspirations of becoming a wine writer. My grade school guidance counselor told me I was overqualified, so for my first job, I became

a dishwasher at a restaurant instead.

[LeafLover]

All throughout childhood until the end of high school, I played junior tennis. Did quite well actually, ranked nationally at the junior level. I thought I would go professional. But....I got burned out.

Was lost in college and ended up getting a degree in nursing because I didn't have the brains to be a doctor like my other family members, and lacked the discipline. Found that studying nursing was no walk in the park either. I got my nursing degree, barely, and worked in the emergency room for a number of years.

Got burned out on that and started a homecare company, sending my employees to my clients' (the elderly seniors) homes to help take care of them.

Fast forward 7 years and 900 clients later, at age 36, basically a slave to my company, I can't say that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm still in limbo.

[MPS]

Funny because I think about all of the things I wanted to do for work when I was growing up and all I really recall was not wanting to do what my dad did.

I'm doing the same exact thing as him.

Life is ironic.

[Jesuscookies]

Interesting Topic.

In Highschool, I watched as friends applied to all the different colleges. They all seemed to have such spectacluar plans. My 2 biggest goals at the time were getting high, and getting laid.

I made it out of high school by the skin of my n&ts with a whopping 1.99GPA <-- Never work harder than you have to, lol. Soon after HS I got a job stocking grocery shelfs on the graveyard shift at the local supermarket. This was quite the eye opener for me. I realized after about a year of doing this, and destroying my back, that I could not live my life being the preverbial "loser".

I went back to school, and while working, took 1 class at a time, 10 years later, yes 10, I graduated Summa Cum Laude from university.

Growing up, I never had anybody to guide me, or offer help. I was the product of a broken family. It was pretty devastating, but for some unknown reason I was able to turn it around. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame my parents, and I need no sympthay. I am glad for the experiences I have had, and would not want to trade them for anything.

Today, I have what many would consider your typical middle management job. It is nothing spectacular, but it pays well. It is not what I thought I would be doing when "I growed up" but in all honesty I did not think I would live past 30, let alone have a job, a beautiful wife, and 3 adorable children.

Life throws some strange **** at you. But truly, the only thing that has been important to me is how I have dealt with "the hand" I have been given.

At this point in my life, If I do anything else, I think I would like to get involved in something that has more of a "social" context. Something that gives back to others who may not be as fortunate as I was.

[aes8]

Always wanted to be Jedi Knight.

I got the light saber down but the mind trick thing is kicking my ass

[thechenman]

In high school I had unreal aspriations of becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, my academic strengths did not lie in the sciences, but rather the humanities. Won a lot of writing comptitions/awards in high school. My mom wanted me to become a journalist, but that held no interest for me.

Applied and was accepted to several colleges, but ended up going to Canisius College in sunny downtown Buffalo, NY where the Army had decided to give me a free college education in the form of an ROTC scholarship. All they asked in return was 4 years of my life after school.

Studied accounting for two years and got bored to death, then swtiched my major to Finance. Wanted to major in history, but my parents objected to its usefulness. Finance was an improvement over Accounting, but not by much.

Developed a true love for the Army as a cadet. After graduation, became an armor officer. Infantry was my first choice, but the tanks were pretty damn cool. However, my then girlfriend (now wife and mother of my kids), who I met in college, had no aspirations of becoming the wife of an Army officer. She graduated and went back to NYC to become a trader. As it turns out, I loved her more than the Army. When I got out, instead of heading back to Huntington Beach, CA, I went to NYC to reconnect with her.

Got a job on Wall Street at Credit Suisse in institutional equity sales. Basically a stockbroker for hedge funds, mutual funds and pension funds. Came aboard just before the dot.com bubble and rode it through. Nearly got divorced working 16 to 18 hour days during the tecnology bubble and bust. Needed a change of pace. Joined a start up indpendent equity research firm specializing in Financial Services companies in 2004. Good move, but I'm not sure that this is really what I was meant to do with my life. Still, its a good living and there are bills to pay.

Maybe one day I'll sit down and write the Great American Novel, but I'm not counting on it. Would love to be able to translate my hobbies: cigars, wine, vintage sportscards and comics into a business, but it isn't feasible now. I guess I am as lost now as I was when graduating high school. Now that's sad.

My old college roomate and faternity brother left Accenture when he came up for partner, moved to California, bought a 42 foot boat (which he lives on), bought a bar and bought a night club. Now he works about 12 hours a week. That's something - he had been talking about doing that since college. He's a guy who really knew what he wanted in life and did it.

For now I'm just glad that my 7 year old son tells me he wants to be a dentist or a professional ice hockey player rather than a trader like his mother, or a broker like me. We'll see what my daughter says when she is old enough to understand.

[MIKA27]

Always wanted to be Jedi Knight.

I got the light saber down but the mind trick thing is kicking my ass

When you work out the mind trick, let me know!

[khomeinist]

I have arrived home after chain-smoking Trinidad Reyes and drinking large measures of Remy Martin to stumble across a thread that truly rocks my core.

I decided when I was quite young that I was essentially unemployable in the standard business context. Too iconoclastic or opinionated or difficult or whatever. I decided that I either needed to be self-employed or an academic. I ended up choosing the latter route. I began with an interest in existentialism and nihilism. I decided that I needed to engage social concerns, so I became a trained entomologist, first in agriculture, later in the medical field. I have worked in international projects from Iran to Kenya. I saw many things.

I ultimately decided that many medical problems have more to do with economics and politics than 'knowledge.' I decided to focus on education. It is and was a personal decision. I now focus on epistemology and philosophy of science. I teach. I write. I spend as much time with my daughter as I can.

I now see power for what it is. Or so I think.

Cheers to all.

[mazolaman]

As above,too opinionated to be employed!

Did civil engineering at uni,dull as ditchwater.

Decided to go back to the trade I learned after leaving school,Carpentry and joinery.Specialising in kitchens.Quite rewarding.

Since doing the relevant electrical qualifications,I have decided to design and install solar photovoltaics,as I feel this is a role that is in the environmental field I would like to be in,one less nuclear power station..........hopefully a good wage with a bit of soul!

However,I still havent got over the fact that I didn't die in a debauched manner,after a 6 year romp in the world of rock n roll,perhaps with a bevvy of beauties at my side......I sit on the porch and strum,making a noise that may be thought of as singing.....sounding a bit like whitney...

[Kangaroo495]

My goal was to work in the Air Force. Maybe not as a pilot, but some kind of intelligence role. Even went to interviews with the RAAF.

Now I'm doing Real estate in Russia...(???).

Would love to own my own restaurant in Moscow.

[cigarros]

Always wanted to be a doctor, finished High School but now I'm Habanosommelier)) No flying from fate =)

[maximus]

i always wanted to go to sea and travel around the world..i have been lucky enuf to do both..started in the royal australian navy and then became a merchant seamen...am currently working in the offshore industry on rig boats(by boats i mean 83m)have had a few brief stints away from the ocean doing my trades but have always felt the calling to go back.. i truly feel it is something i was born to do...its something you just feel inside..i get this feeling of peace when im out on the water and in mother natures hands...i wouldnt change one bit...

[samb]

Got into college looking forward to info systems degree; ex-girlfriend played role in convincing me otherwise, so I went to work for the prison system with hopes of becoming a peace officer. Those plans of course fell through with the leaving of aforementioned ex-girlfriend and subsequently led to my current position at a crappy security job; however after meeting my wife, Im back to school working toward a degree in mortuary science (i want to embalm) and biding my time until I leave my current crappy job.

[acidmase]

Just finished college this semester and heading in the "law" field!

[Stalebread]

Winding road, indeed!

Let me tell you about it

Went through college the first time following the path of least resistance.

Was eventually certified to be a high school English teacher in West Virginia.

(Yes, I know there are incomplete sentences, and other grammatical heresies herein.)

The draft caught up with me in 1971 before I got to teach. Being in the army changed a lot of my perceptions.

Got out of the army and went back to school for second undergrad degree. Then on to grad school for an MFA. Next, to New York City in 1984 seeking fame, fortune and romance. (Fame and fortune elude me to this day but I've done OK on the romance part.) Worked and taught at Parsons School of Design and Pratt Institute and spent a lot of time in my studio making knives, tableware, jewelry and other objects.

Somehow transitioned into the field of adult education and ended up as an administrator at NYU. Next it was the field of management and organizational development. For about five years I was something called a Senior Organizational Effectiveness Specialist at one of the big NYC hospitals.

In 2004 my wife had this very attractive career offer/move and here we are in Paris. I like the term flâneur to describe my current situation or, in a pinch, "househusband" but the less sympathetic among us might use n'er-do-well, layabout, goof-off, or such.

Regrets? Of course. I've done some incredibly dumb and some incredibly shitty things along the way. But at the same time, I would not trade who and what and where I am today for anything.

[marcrichman]

Came out of high school and wanted to be a police officer. Did that for a few years. Went back to school and became a surgeon. Wish I could do something else now.

[Habanos2000]

Looking back at my life so far it's been more patchwork than a well thought out design. Went to college a couple years before realizing I had zero interest in learning and zero dollars in my bank account.

I landed my current sales job, selling BBQ ribs to restaurants across the country, because the father of my then girlfriend thought we'd get married and wanted to make sure he wouldn't end up supporting the both of us. Funny how things work out, she turned out to be a ***** and I still work for the same business, some 25 years later. In the meantime went back to college and got my BA 25 years after graduating high school. The first in my family tree to do so. Damn proud of that.

Did some STUPID things in my youth that if not for the grace of God would have significantly changed my life from what it is now. As the rest of you guys mention, those learning experiences made me what I am today and think they happened, both good and bad, maybe moreso the bad, so that I could instruct my 2 sons on the best way to live life.

At this point in the road, celebrating 20 years of marriage, 2 healthy young sons and boutiful blessings I have to say, I'm a happy man.

[El Presidente]

Some great stories

What an amazing ride life is.

[Wicky]

Left home at 19 to pursue my lifelong love of music. Landed in L.A. and eventually was signed to EMI records along with my band. Recorded 2 albums and subsequently traveled and toured with a lot of brilliant musicians. A hoard of memorys and life experience. After 5 years though I became burnt out on the whole Hollywood rockstar scene and went back home and became a constuction contractor. I loved the hell out of my youth but am equally as happy now with my own business and a great family. I have no regrets. ' Lifes been good to me so far!' "Joe Walsh"