What do you want to be if/when you grow up?

[fox]

My ideal job changes allllllllllll the time. Largely because I change allllllllllll the time.

But.

For the last few years, the theme's been similar - I've just been refining things.

So. Currently, I work in student recruitment at a uni. It's a pretty rad gig. I create email campaigns for our prospective student page, I meet with prospective students (high school, mature, transfer, international, just about everyone) in person and chat about admissions and what they want to do with their lives, and I help facilitate that as much as is in my power (even when it means saying "sorry, we can't help with that. BUT! This other institution has an outstanding program for [X], let's go see what their admission requirements are!"). So. In SOME way, I am in the business of helping people be who they want to be. At least, helping them to find and open one of the doors that will take them there.

But.

I'm learning that the support I want to give people is different. Some of you know that I've taken some doula (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doula) training. Not just birth doula, though. I've also taken end-of-life (death) doula training, and am finishing up a pregnancy and infant loss/grief and bereavement doula course. I've paired this interest in grief and bereavement with a volunteer position at our local hospice house (which is truly such a beautiful place). What I'm working on now is taking a few undergrad classes (at work - obvs) to make my transcripts look better (my original undergrad degree GPA isn't stellar. It's also 12 years out. So. I feel like I can argue that I can rock things now that I've learned some life-y things and am finding actual passion), so that MAYBE, if this works out and I can actual do classes, I can apply for a Masters program. In social work. Hah! Because I can counsel with a social work degree (you need to have a Masters to be a legit counselor, here) AND there's a degree of actual advocacy and ability to effect policy change that other counseling avenues lack. So. My new "when I grow up" is a registered social worker with a specialization in counseling, aimed specifically at grief and bereavement (generally in pregnancy, infant, and child loss).

Oh. Also. When I win the lottery, I will open a birthing centre. It will be midwife and doula run, with prenatal classes, postpartum support, attention given to both men and women in their journeys, and counseling (because I'm getting tired of people saying "I'm not a counselor, but..." They need a counselor on staff. So I'll take that one for the team).

How about you guys? What are you up to? Does it make your heart sing? What do you want to do with your (professional) life?

[hirondelle]

Interesting, I love how your journey has evolved.  Social work can be extremely stressful but it sounds like you have thought out a good counselling based niche angle on it that should make it manageable for you personally.

I am pretty happy with what I do careerwise (I make language learning mobile apps for the British Council) and if that folds I can always go back to teaching which I love. I guess my dream is to make a passive income somehow... e-books, art, online courses, videos. My 'what' changes, but I would like something else. My own business. But not a physical traditional business. 

I have also started studying shamanism and also find end of life journeying interesting (it's called psychopomp), along with soul retrieval. It is basically counselling plus fantasy fiction. I would like to explore that more... but more as a therapeutic journey for myself and friends at the moment. 

 

[Phoenix]

Soul retrieval? Does that include those of us who lost our souls to perversion?

I want to go into research and/or outreach for one of two fields--economic development in depressed rural areas or civil and municipal liberties in the electronic frontier. If I had a choice, I lean more towards the former since I know I can have a focus on political science and sociology, which I know I'm good at. The latter would probably take me into law, which I've never done before.

I know I'd love working in rural communities. It's something I discovered in grad school that totally surprised me. I certainly have a passion for civil liberties, but I'm not as sure I'd feel as fulfilled.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Phoenix

[hirondelle]

18 minutes ago, Phoenix said:

Soul retrieval? Does that include those of us who lost our souls to perversion?

yes it could actually, but only if you want that part of you to heal

[Timberwolf]

Great topic @fox!

It's interesting to see how your journey has progressed, especially since I've known you.

As for me, I'm still teaching.  I've been in the same school for about 5 years now.  The school sometimes isn't so good, but I love the students, and I love teaching them.  I teach 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd graders.  I have also recently become the Admin for the Siam Hockey League here in Bangkok, and I do a lot for them, like I rebuilt their website, and I do all the emailing and during the season I will be doing all the stats and interviewing all the players of the game and also doing a news show.  That's going to be a lot.  

As for what I would like to do, like @hirondelleI would like to have a bit of a passive income either from things I've written or whatever, just to hopefully free up some more time to do different things.

[Kethlia]

Level designer. I just can't get motivated to read through the tutorials without literally falling after reading two paragraphs yet I can turn around a read a book in a day. Currently I am just a grocery chain liscencee Starbucks barista.

[DarkAngel]

Rich so I don't have to work  lol

 

[Dulcet]

I wanna own a datacenter

[Rapture]

.....ive given it a lot of thought

I kinda wanna be @Timberwolf when I grow up

[Timberwolf]

12 hours ago, Rapture said:

.....ive given it a lot of thought

I kinda wanna be @Timberwolf when I grow up

Aww, thank you @Rapture, I'm honored.   

[hirondelle]

That's very sweet @Rapture. Also fortuitous because by the time you grow up I might be in the market for a new Wolf 

lol, just kidding @Timberwolfit's you and me together for ever 

[Timberwolf]

16 minutes ago, hirondelle said:

Also fortuitous because by the time you grow up I might be in the market for a new Wolf 

[Kenai]

I want to be functional when I grow up.

[Tika]

I really love what I do.  I discovered years ago that my most fulfilling job is helping people.  So therefore I'm a caregiver.  Right now I'm a night shift nursing assistant in a nursing home.  It's physically very hard, some days it's emotionally even harder.  I've held people's hands in their last moments, I help people who can no longer help themselves, I've listened to their stories and shared their happiness and their pain, I've been screamed at and hit and called names, I've been hugged and told they love me.  Some days I want to come home and cry, some days I hurt but I know every day I made a difference in someone's life even if only a little.  

I've been thinking about going on for nursing but combining school and full time work sucks.

[hirondelle]

34 minutes ago, Tika said:

I really love what I do.  I discovered years ago that my most fulfilling job is helping people.  So therefore I'm a caregiver.  Right now I'm a night shift nursing assistant in a nursing home.  It's physically very hard, some days it's emotionally even harder.  I've held people's hands in their last moments, I help people who can no longer help themselves, I've listened to their stories and shared their happiness and their pain, I've been screamed at and hit and called names, I've been hugged and told they love me.  Some days I want to come home and cry, some days I hurt but I know every day I made a difference in someone's life even if only a little.  

I've been thinking about going on for nursing but combining school and full time work sucks.

You are doing a properly incredible job @Tika. My dad's parents spent their final years in a home and I saw what the staff had to endure and also those special few for whom it was a calling. One story that still makes me feel sad to recall was my grandfather had a great relationship with one of the caregivers. They laughed and joked all the time she was definitely his favourite, he lit up when she entered the room. On the night he died he was delirious and hallucinating. He didn't know what was happening and she tried to get him into bed he hit her with his walking stick. He was too weak to hurt her badly but she got some of the male attendants to get him into bed. He died shortly after. She was very kind and said it wasn't really him who hit her but I feel bad for him that that was the last interaction he had with her. He died very quickly and family were called but didn't get there in time. She stood in the room with him while he passed but couldn't get near him. I feel like she was his angel. 

[Tika]

3 hours ago, hirondelle said:

You are doing a properly incredible job @Tika. My dad's parents spent their final years in a home and I saw what the staff had to endure and also those special few for whom it was a calling. One story that still makes me feel sad to recall was my grandfather had a great relationship with one of the caregivers. They laughed and joked all the time she was definitely his favourite, he lit up when she entered the room. On the night he died he was delirious and hallucinating. He didn't know what was happening and she tried to get him into bed he hit her with his walking stick. He was too weak to hurt her badly but she got some of the male attendants to get him into bed. He died shortly after. She was very kind and said it wasn't really him who hit her but I feel bad for him that that was the last interaction he had with her. He died very quickly and family were called but didn't get there in time. She stood in the room with him while he passed but couldn't get near him. I feel like she was his angel. 

If you work in this field you understand it's not always them you're interacting with.  Dementia is a horrible thing to live with and it really does turn people into someone else.  I feel honored when I can provide someone with some measure of comfort at the end of their life.

[Timberwolf]

6 hours ago, Tika said:

I really love what I do.  I discovered years ago that my most fulfilling job is helping people.  So therefore I'm a caregiver.  Right now I'm a night shift nursing assistant in a nursing home.  It's physically very hard, some days it's emotionally even harder.  I've held people's hands in their last moments, I help people who can no longer help themselves, I've listened to their stories and shared their happiness and their pain, I've been screamed at and hit and called names, I've been hugged and told they love me.  Some days I want to come home and cry, some days I hurt but I know every day I made a difference in someone's life even if only a little.  

I've been thinking about going on for nursing but combining school and full time work sucks.

This is an incredible job for those who do it well. When my great grandparents were in a nursing facility, the people there really took care of them. I can still remember how happy they would get when their favorite person would walk in. Though, at times, it had to be hard with my great grandfather because he had ahlsimers, and would sometimes think the woman he was talking to was his girlfriend back in the day and he would get fresh with them. Kind of funny to see sometimes. 

6 hours ago, hirondelle said:

You are doing a properly incredible job @Tika. My dad's parents spent their final years in a home and I saw what the staff had to endure and also those special few for whom it was a calling. One story that still makes me feel sad to recall was my grandfather had a great relationship with one of the caregivers. They laughed and joked all the time she was definitely his favourite, he lit up when she entered the room. On the night he died he was delirious and hallucinating. He didn't know what was happening and she tried to get him into bed he hit her with his walking stick. He was too weak to hurt her badly but she got some of the male attendants to get him into bed. He died shortly after. She was very kind and said it wasn't really him who hit her but I feel bad for him that that was the last interaction he had with her. He died very quickly and family were called but didn't get there in time. She stood in the room with him while he passed but couldn't get near him. I feel like she was his angel. 

Yeah, that had to be hard for her @hirondelle, but she still stayed there. I think she really cared for him and did understand that it wasn't him that hit her. 

[fox]

On 9/26/2017 at 6:04 PM, hirondelle said:

Interesting, I love how your journey has evolved.  Social work can be extremely stressful but it sounds like you have thought out a good counselling based niche angle on it that should make it manageable for you personally.

I am pretty happy with what I do careerwise (I make language learning mobile apps for the British Council) and if that folds I can always go back to teaching which I love. I guess my dream is to make a passive income somehow... e-books, art, online courses, videos. My 'what' changes, but I would like something else. My own business. But not a physical traditional business. 

I have also started studying shamanism and also find end of life journeying interesting (it's called psychopomp), along with soul retrieval. It is basically counselling plus fantasy fiction. I would like to explore that more... but more as a therapeutic journey for myself and friends at the moment. 

 

Thank you.  I'm pretty fond of it, too. It's been really interesting to live and, when I reflect on current passions, I'm surprised. And pleased. And just super motivated. (Well. When I'm not busy being distracted and/or depressed. )

And I love that you're pleased with your career. AND that it sort of interacts, in a way, with what you'd love to do. Like. Not 100%, but that you're making things, so when you have the time and money isn't an issue, you can take all of this knowledge and these skills and pour them into the rest of it. I love building blocks. AND Shamanism. SUPER baller. I fucking dig that, lady.

On 9/26/2017 at 7:05 PM, Phoenix said:

Soul retrieval? Does that include those of us who lost our souls to perversion?

I want to go into research and/or outreach for one of two fields--economic development in depressed rural areas or civil and municipal liberties in the electronic frontier. If I had a choice, I lean more towards the former since I know I can have a focus on political science and sociology, which I know I'm good at. The latter would probably take me into law, which I've never done before.

I know I'd love working in rural communities. It's something I discovered in grad school that totally surprised me. I certainly have a passion for civil liberties, but I'm not as sure I'd feel as fulfilled.

Also love rural communities, I totally feel you. There's something about them. I grew up in a small, rural city (well. Formative-ly. We moved around a bit) and live in a not-huge city nestled among many small, rural communities. Ima stay here and work with these people, if I have my way. I totally understand this. And that you're interested in helping folks. You're speaking my language @Phoenix.  

On 9/26/2017 at 7:44 PM, Timberwolf said:

Great topic @fox!

It's interesting to see how your journey has progressed, especially since I've known you.

As for me, I'm still teaching.  I've been in the same school for about 5 years now.  The school sometimes isn't so good, but I love the students, and I love teaching them.  I teach 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd graders.  I have also recently become the Admin for the Siam Hockey League here in Bangkok, and I do a lot for them, like I rebuilt their website, and I do all the emailing and during the season I will be doing all the stats and interviewing all the players of the game and also doing a news show.  That's going to be a lot.  

As for what I would like to do, like @hirondelleI would like to have a bit of a passive income either from things I've written or whatever, just to hopefully free up some more time to do different things.

Thanks Wolf! Again, it's a strange journey. But it's mine and I'm proud of it.

I love that you're so into teaching. I suspect you are amazing at it, also. We've never ACTUALLY met, but you're just so kind and thoughtful and compassionate and motivated to help and care for people, you would be just so naturally gifted at, and comfortable with teaching. It just seems to fit. And the web and sports work. I love that, also. Super cool to fit passions and interests in wherever possible.  

On 9/27/2017 at 11:44 PM, Kethlia said:

Level designer. I just can't get motivated to read through the tutorials without literally falling after reading two paragraphs yet I can turn around a read a book in a day. Currently I am just a grocery chain liscencee Starbucks barista.

No such creature as "just." Also, SB baristas help make my life a far, far better place. The ones I see, well beyond making a beautiful cuppa, are kind and genuine and happy to chat. They're good people doing a good job and while they're not necessarily in their forever place, like you, they're doing what they do to get there.  

On 9/30/2017 at 10:37 AM, Kenai said:

I want to be functional when I grow up.

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!

On 9/30/2017 at 7:25 PM, Tika said:

I really love what I do.  I discovered years ago that my most fulfilling job is helping people.  So therefore I'm a caregiver.  Right now I'm a night shift nursing assistant in a nursing home.  It's physically very hard, some days it's emotionally even harder.  I've held people's hands in their last moments, I help people who can no longer help themselves, I've listened to their stories and shared their happiness and their pain, I've been screamed at and hit and called names, I've been hugged and told they love me.  Some days I want to come home and cry, some days I hurt but I know every day I made a difference in someone's life even if only a little.  

I've been thinking about going on for nursing but combining school and full time work sucks.

I LOVE that. Love. I love that you love what you do and that what you do is caring for people. It fucking tickles me. And to be there for people, to just give them space and also hold it for them. And to be involved in hospice care to a degree. (I volunteer for our local hospice house and it's incredible. Our caregivers are amazing, and the guests. Wow. To be able to be involved in someone's life in that way is a rare honour and privilege.) 

On 9/30/2017 at 8:10 PM, hirondelle said:

You are doing a properly incredible job @Tika. My dad's parents spent their final years in a home and I saw what the staff had to endure and also those special few for whom it was a calling. One story that still makes me feel sad to recall was my grandfather had a great relationship with one of the caregivers. They laughed and joked all the time she was definitely his favourite, he lit up when she entered the room. On the night he died he was delirious and hallucinating. He didn't know what was happening and she tried to get him into bed he hit her with his walking stick. He was too weak to hurt her badly but she got some of the male attendants to get him into bed. He died shortly after. She was very kind and said it wasn't really him who hit her but I feel bad for him that that was the last interaction he had with her. He died very quickly and family were called but didn't get there in time. She stood in the room with him while he passed but couldn't get near him. I feel like she was his angel. 

Well that's beautiful. And sad. But I'm so glad she was able to be there with him. That he had a person he truly cared about there with him.  

[Phoenix]

10 hours ago, fox said:

Also love rural communities, I totally feel you. There's something about them. I grew up in a small, rural city (well. Formative-ly. We moved around a bit) and live in a not-huge city nestled among many small, rural communities. Ima stay here and work with these people, if I have my way. I totally understand this. And that you're interested in helping folks. You're speaking my language @Phoenix.

Yeah, I didn't spend any significant period of time in rural areas until I was 23. People in Japan a couple years earlier would tell Hirakata was rural, but it barely felt on the suburban side of urban to me! I knew I hated urban life, but I didn't know how much I'd like rural communities.

Decentralized economy was such a big part of rural communities in the early 20th century, and I'm convinced that all the efforts to strip that away since World War II are a big part of why wages have stagnated there. It would also help to assuage all the nativist anger out there right now. I just have to get some experience and then find a town to sponsor the research to prove it.