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Wednesday, August 29, 2012

to be Abby

I was over at Mama Kat's.  For the unfamiliars, Mama Kat's is a fun site with loads of fun stuff for us  bloggers to use up otherwise productive time hone our blogging skillz.  Each week, she hosts a writer's workshop with a list of prompts to choose from and then link up.

Mama’s Losin’ It

I discovered it several weeks ago during a bored blog-surfing episode, but never linked up.  However,  this week, one of her prompts spoke to me.  Mama Kat asks:

"If you could change career paths now and be anything you wanted to be…what would you be and why?"

This kind of struck me as the perennial "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  prompt we were constantly given as elementary school kids.  Every... stinking... year.  But now, we ARE supposedly grown up, so instead of looking ahead, we are asked to look back.

Okay, so for writing prompt sake, let's ignore that I'm a mom.  Also, let's look back to my original answers.

In grades K-2, my answer was always "artist", and then I would draw the required accompanying self portrait of myself standing in front of an easel, painting some masterpiece while wearing a smock and beret.  Because that's what artists wear and do.

Somewhere around 4th grade (because I canNOT remember ANYthing about 3rd grade, remember?), I switched it over to the highly specific "scientist", and then I would draw the required accompanying self portrait of myself working in a lab with bubbling test tubes while wearing a smock.

CLEARLY, I wanted to grow up to wear a smock.

The bubbling test-tubes image stayed in my mind for the most part.  When time came for college, I realized I hadn't put much thought into just what sort of job entails smocks and bubbling test tubes, so I became an engineer.

Along my journey to becoming a manufacturing engineer, I got to wear the occassional smock.  In the occassional lab.  I don't recall many bubbling test tubes, but there was a fair amount of grimy beakers which, it turns out, were much more interesting.  

And truth is, I found that career path pretty fulfilling until I got on the mommy track.  But (finally, I shall answer the question) the path I would follow if I had it all to do again is to be an...

Abby.

No really, I mean Abby from the TV show NCIS.

Now, I don't even watch the show.  Frankly, I find TV crime dramas rather ho-hum, and Mark Harmon's haircut bothers me.  But I really love the Abby character and I want her job.  And no, I did not steal my blog name from her.  If anything, she stole from me.

I even love her goth fashion as it works for her, and I would totally also wear it in MY lab.  Under my SMOCK.  But, to be honest, I would lose the bangs...

What's your dream job??
.

12 comments:

ShadowRun300 said...

I love this prompt!
I STILL don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Sometimes I think a UPS driver would be fun. Sometimes I think landscaping would be fun. But I think I would REALLY like a concierge job in a highfalutin resort somewhere in the tropics.
And yeah - if you ever get to be Abby, lose the bangs. :/

Abby said...

I've often thought landscaping would be nice too. We could collaborate = ShadowRun 'n' Abby's landscaping and concierge service. Upgrade to the forensic package!

ShadowRun300 said...

My detective work HAS proven to be pretty spectacular. I'd say we'd have a good business - covering pretty much all areas. :)

Rock Chef said...

I was watching NCIS last night while waiting for something else to start. Abby is a great character, and I am sure you could pull off the Goth look if you put your mind to it.

Me? I have 3 alternative careers - watch my blog for more detail!

Abby said...

I think that's how I "met" her - waiting for something else. Now, I just need to find out where she shops.
I'll be watching for your alternative careers. Any smocks, I wonder?

Jerralea said...

I always wanted to be a spy but have no observation skillz. :(

I know not of this Abby you speak. I will have to tune in sometime to see this Goth lady in a lab coat.

Unknown said...

I'm over from Mama Kat's - I love Abby too! I always wanted to be in the health industry, but first job was with an accounting firm. Now I work for attorneys. I'm pretty good at what I do. But, I'd love to teach high school math! And I did substitute for one year. It was great.

Enjoyed your post.

Abby said...

Spy could be fun, but I think they have to go to high places sometimes and I'm afraid of heights.

I've never watched a full NCIS episode. Can't get into it. I just want to be a goth in a lab coat.

Abby said...

Greetings! I thought of being a HS math teacher, but they just want full-timers so I tutor high school kids part-time. It's a good fit if not "scientist".

Jamie Miles said...

Your smock...It's funny. My father-in-law is very analytic and once was an engineer but now he LOVES to paint. Wonder if he ever gets the urge to pull on a lab coat. Turn out the lights and pull out a penlight?

The Meaning of Me said...

Here from Mama Kat's. You know, I completely forgot that I had a when I grow up job fantasy - I wanted to be an FBI agent like Rebecca DeMornay in FEDS. I think that's who it was. Fun post.

terri said...

Oooh I LOVE NCIS and especially love Abby! Her character is so much more than she appears to be.

I don't often put serious thought into what else I might do if I could choose something new to do. But I often find myself thinking about IT kind of stuff.