| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 11:27:36 AM | So here we are. I know that I'm certainly not in the place I thought I'd be. My big dream was to be part of a community of scholars doing fundamental research on sustainable economic development.
If you could be doing anything you wanted to with the rest of your life, what would it be? | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 12:57:50 PM | | I wanted to be a drummer in a rock n roll band :-D. I had two years of music theory at a smal Christian college and planed on finishing up at San Diego State, but ended up getting married and working on plan B as a carpenter/contractor instead. Now that the marriage is over that dream isn't as appealing as it once was because I'm not that much into the music of today. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 1:17:51 PM | | Dude, don't give up! There are still lots of nightclub gigs for "oldies" bands. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 1:42:27 PM | | I wanted to be an archeologist but somehow I ended up as a software engineer. I still wonder about that change of events. There is still plenty of time for me to go back to school but the reality of it is not until my finances are in better shape. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 5:16:20 PM | | I had a dream the other night of 50 million liberals swimming to North Korea with a Democrat under each arm. Are my dreams always to end in disappointment? | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 8:24:09 PM | If that's the most positive vision you can come up with, GC, I'm afraid that your disappointment in life will be unavoidable and complete.
But that really wasn't about you anyway. What do you want to do with your own precious life and freedom? | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 9:03:09 PM | I have had many dreams and passions over the years and a lot of them have come true to varying degrees.
I love to act. So I dress up in character and visit schools performing for hundreds of kids each year. I won't win any awards but sometimes in the grocery store little kids will point at me and tell their parents, "She is the booklady"
I love to sing and fortunately for the other cars on the road, my windows are always rolled up!
In 2006 my dream was to not go out of business and here it is almost the end of 2009 and I am still opening my doors every day and about to celebrate 12 years.
I love to travel and over the last 15 years have had the opportunity to see much of the US.
I hope to leave the store on my terms and be healthy enough and have enough money to travel more extensively. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 9:12:18 PM | Well, bluesandrock, I did follow that dream, and became professional archaeologist in mid-life as my second career. It is possible to live a dream.
GC. we used to have a similar saying in Alaska, where I lived for 16 years:
"Happiness is a Texan leaving Alaska with an Oklahoman under each arm".
Of course that referred to the chaos and anarchy that followed the Oil Boom of the mid-70s. The oil workers were all (it seemed) from Texas and Oklahoma. I wonder if they were all Conservatives too? ROFL
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/22/2009 9:28:42 PM | OldFolkie I was there in the late 60's and early 70's, the Hickel hwy, and the talk of oil booms to come, a lot of wreckage from the 64 quake made it look like it happened yesterday. You know some of the best experiences in life came from always being prepared for the opportunities. I was sitting in the YMCA with a few 100 other guys one late spring day waiting for the BLM to call me up for fire service, or to be hired on a fishing boat, or worst of all a fish prep guy, and a 30 foot black limosine pulled up and a well dressed lady got out of the back, went to the front desk, and a few minutes later the clerk announed loudly there was handyman work that paid $2 an hour plus meals. I was the only one who raised my hand. The lady turned out to ne the wife of the senior Senator from Alaska, and soon I was introduced to all the powers that ran Alaska, dated their daughters, made lifelong friendships etc. Or I coulda waited for someone to community organize me and make sure I got re-spect and a living wage like all those dopey whiney gomers probably still sitting on 4th street for a free lunch.
When I lived in NYC later on we used to have other groups we wished would swim off with a couple of friends. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 2:52:42 AM | I once had a dream I had insomnia.
I woke up and said, "oh, good... now, I can get some sleep."
' ' | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 6:33:38 PM | Of all the dreams I've harboured throughout my lifetime, the reality of my present day life was never one of them - I realize that every step I've taken in my lifetime has led me to where I am today - every bridge I've crossed and then carefully and methodically burned behind me - every decision, good or bad - has led me to where I now am.
Somehow, that isn't comforting! To know my current life is the sum of all of MY choices! I guess fate had a hand in my life as well!
I've not necessarily chosen the easiest paths - and I've turned my back on paths that most certainly would have taken me to short-term euphoric joy and happiness but long-term grief - and I've made some painful but brave choices - but no where in my wildest imagination did I ever consider I'd be here where I am today.
I'm not so much feeling sorry for myself as I am just - surprised!
I figure that, when I reach the end and am facing my demise, I'll probably have the same look of surprise on my face ... "wow! I sure didn't see that coming!" | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 6:46:17 PM | | I'm riding on Molly's coat tails with a big DITTO, DITTO, DITTO! | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 7:22:16 PM | I think Molly pretty well captured the baby boomer comes of age story. We never thought we'd become our parents lol.
But we have lived interesting lives and I take consolation in the mere survival of the Viet Nam war, the massive cultural and technological changes we've survived, divorces, broken dreams, busted finances, improbable comebacks, seeing more generations of our families alive at once than any humans ever with all the pleasure and pain that brings...all in all a heck of a ride, and we haven't even started:) | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 8:04:49 PM | I have a pathetic story. I only wanted to become a wife and a mother. I didn't dream of anything else really.
I have success now and a career.
That's it.
LOL...I know everyone is shedding tears for me now. What ever happened to Ms. Independence anyway? *wink*
:-p | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 8:05:53 PM | At the tender age of *gasp* 50, I'm actively pursuing a dream I've had for 30 years.
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 8:17:26 PM | Allthings and you inspire me and I applaud and encourage you then...in knowing you have the 'know hows' and the intelligence to make that dream a reality now. :-)
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 8:33:51 PM | Molly, GolfCoast and Sari, you've written my story for me... Thanks~
When I graduated from high school (1964) women had only a few choices-- get married, or become a teacher, a secretary, a nurse, or an airline stewardess. There was not much encouragement to do anything else. I opted for 2 years of college towards the teacher thing and ended up getting married. Life just sort of "happened" while I was making other plans. Young women today have so many more choices and opportunities.
I am still trying to decide what I want to be when I grow up.
I finally decided to never grow up, then I don't have to decide.  | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 8:53:13 PM | Boomer, we STILL have choices!
Never, EVER let anyone tell you you're too old................do whatever moves you! | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/23/2009 9:04:16 PM | Ace, my dream wasn't to play to seniors in a bar or a club, it was to play in arenas. Unfortunately, not too many of the musicians I have met along the way have had the desire to put in that kind of effort. Now they are playing in bars and clubs  | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/24/2009 11:25:48 AM | California Boomer Girl ... when I graduated from high school ... I wasn't offered the choice of going to college at ALL ...
my parents' philosophy was that college was only for MEN cuz only MEN could have careers and WOMEN could only be housekeepers of one variety or another ... apparently, we were capable of keeping a man's house, being a sexual object, reproducing ... and nothing further ... no need to learn to think ...
after I'd graduated from high school and wanted to go to college ... my mother flat out told me that women COULDN'T go to college or have careers ... or compete with men ... ever ... under any circumstance ... no competing with men ...
later, when I'd gone to college on my own, had a 3.7 GPA and was making a career in banking, she complained frequently and loudly that it was a "sin" for me to be taking a job "a man could use to support his family!" CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?! remembering that still makes me angry ...
my response to that was that, if a man wanted my job and could prove himself better at it than I was, he could come along, challenge me and take it away for himself ...
I later changed my career direction because a man DID come along and take my job ... I trained him and he took over my job ... he didn't do it as well as I had ... but, you know ... he WAS a MAN ... and, back then, it was still primarily a man's world ...
thank God we've come as far toward equality as we have ... when we were faced with both men AND women trying to prevent equality ...
oh, yes ... "what is/was your dream?" ... equality for all? that sounds good ... | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/24/2009 11:39:32 AM | GG,
My Dad used to tell me that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to. However, I haven't found that to be true. Any engineering problem, yes. Those all yield to science eventually. Social organizations are a different animal. Or maybe I just haven't studied enough or the right sources.
Anyway, as far as filling an arena goes, I think it takes talent and luck as well as effort--kind of like athletics. I don't care how hard I work, I'll never be capable of beating Lance Armstrong in a bike race. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/24/2009 3:34:58 PM | | I have played the drums and percussion a lot more as an adult than most people who played an instrument in HS. While I was living in Bishop for the past 15 years, I played with the community band on most Monday nights during the summer. I occasionally played in the local symphony and also in a half local, half pro orchestra that plays in Mammoth Lakes once a year during the late summer, with a conductor that comes up from Beverly Hills with professionals primarily from San Diego, LA and the Bay Area. I also played nearly every Sunday at church for nearly 10 years. So even though I never got paid for any of it, at least I have enjoyed it when I could play and perform. You're right, there is some luck involved. mainly in meeting the right people. So far that hasn't happened. I was too focused on Plan B to put myself in a position to be able to meet the right people for Plan A. Now that Plan B has really become hard to do and I'm really too old for the real Plan A, I might be looking for Plan C or beyond pretty soon. I really like Sociology in college. That could get me into us.gov work. Hmmm...if you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/24/2009 6:40:34 PM | Molly, thanks for sharing your story. Kudos to YOU!
I think your situation at the time was pretty typical.
I wanted to go to BIOLA and be a missionary. But, when I was a senior in high school my parents got a divorce and there was no money for college. I had an opportunity to go to Mexico and work with a missionary there, but a serious kidney problem blocked that from happening. I ended up going to LACC as a last resort and hated it.
Over the past 35 years, I have probably learned more about Christianity and Christian service with my own study, research, and effort than I would have if I had gone to BIOLA. I was forced to dig it out for myself and my passion to learn motivated me to do so.
Eventually I was able to take theological classes through a satellite campus of a major Christian university, became an ordained minister, and ran a Christian women's homeless shelter/drug rehab center in Alaska. Having been away from it for 3 years, I am now volunteering at a local Christian women's shelter where I now live and feel like I am again doing something that matters.
Our dreams come out of our passion and our conviction. Passion is what causes men and women to change their world for the better. | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/24/2009 6:49:37 PM | wow ... congrats and cudos on realizing your dream and maintaining your focus ...
I believe that passion is what's lacking in a lot of areas of life ... boredom sets in and you're sunk ...
lack of sufficient passion, coupled with a lack of positive self-confidence, probably diminishes more shining goals than most other causes ...
you know ... you HAVE the dream ... but you just cannot muster enuf enthusiasm (or the guts) to follow thru with passion and self-confidence ...
a friend frequently asks, "if you KNEW you could NOT fail ... what would you do?"
of course, silly me ... I always answer, "fly!" | |
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| What is/was your dream?
Posted: 10/24/2009 8:13:17 PM | Well said, Molly.
Sometimes we have the dream and the passion. but the realities of life block the way. That is a sad thing...
"if you KNEW you could NOT fail ... what would you do?"
of course, silly me ... I always answer, "fly!"
I LOVE this! When I was a kid, I used to have dreams where I could fly. It was the most amazing feeling and seemed very real. I would just gently wave my arms to go higher and faster. I have always longed to recapture that experience of not being weighed down by gravity, just light and free. | |
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