When I Grow Up, I Want to Be...

I used to have all of these ambitions when I was a kid, of jobs I wanted to have when I grew up. My ambitions ranged from being a street-sweeper, to becoming a magician, to being the Neil Armstrong of the Philippine Islands. Fast forward to a few years later, reality has finally sunken it. Here I am, in a profession people label as "safe", brought about by a working, middle class syndrome that we should have secure jobs. Why can't a job be fun for a change? A friend asked me to enumerate the professions that I would want to have, that probably won't make me feel that what i'm doing is work. Here it is, Pam. Some of them may be insane and you might ask me afterwards what kind of an acid trip i'm on. However, there are professions in this list that I'm actually interested in pursuing, given the right time.

1. Food Critic - Wouldn't it be a blast to eat for a living? I dream of days when I won't have to pay for dinner at an upscale restaurant, where restaurant owners and chefs would be shaking at the knees when you step into their establishments, where waiters would be literally throwing themselves at your feet, all for the name of service and a good recommendation.

2. Archaeologist - I remember reading a lot of dinosaur books growing up. I used to remember the names of the different dinosaurs, and one of my favorite things to do to pass the time was to dig holes in our garden and look for "bones". When I was applying for a college, I was even tempted to enroll in Anthropology to get my archaeology career started.

3. Personal Assistant to a Hollywood Celebrity - I've read stories of the exclusivity and luxury this profession offers. The private planes, the 5-star hotels, the island getaways, the swag bags of free stuff! All of this just to manage the pill-popping, cosmetic-surgery driven lives of Hollywood celebs. Heck, i'll take being Jessica Alba's personal slave any time of the day!

4. Chef - I always planned on taking courses on becoming a chef. I even took an introductory cooking class a few years back. Somehow, whenever I think of professions that I know I could do, being a chef always comes up at the top of my list. I guess its time for me to take the initiative and actually give the culinary arts a shot? I think I can give Anthony Bourdain and Gordon Ramsay a run for their money!

5. Musician / Actor - I always believed that I had the potential to become a better actor / musician than half of the people we call "artistas" on TV today. If only some talent scout would spot me while walking around and offered me a job. But then again, don't we all think like this? I personallly think that these actors have it easy. Money is easy and big, and you can't complain that the work is stressful. Now its the musicians who have to at least possess a miniscule amount of talent. They have it a bit harder.

6. Travel Journalist - Having a job that entails having to travel to the ends of the Earth, immersing oneself in new cultures, and soaking oneself in the sights is the ultimate profession for me! If writing is going to help me become a travel journalist, then i'm going to keep churning out these articles til someone takes notice!

7. Sommelier - You know that you're in a different level when your profession requires you to taste an array of wines everyday, from the Napa Valley to the Bordeaux variety. Armed with your trusty spit bucket, you waft and swirl intoxicating spirits away until you drop. If my customers can stand the sight of seeing a sommelier that turns beet red at the sight of alchohol and develops an armpit itch when he's had too much to drink, then I'm all for being a sommelier.

8. Futurist / Trend Watcher - I've seen a program on Discovery Channel where the sole job of this particular department at Samsung was to predict how people will live their lives 10-15 years from now, hence the term "futurist". Wouldn't it be great to daydream and think fantastic thoughts from 9 to 5?

9. Zoologist - I enjoy being in the company of animals, I live and work with them everyday. But seriously, I dreamed of being a zoologist during my formative years, brought about by watching too much National Geographic. And I did get good grades when I took up introductory Zoology and Botany classes in college. I think I would make a good Crocodile Hunter! Crikey!

10. Athlete - Why didn't I take up tennis when I was a kid? Or any sport for that matter. I envy people, athletes specifically, who earn huge amounts from winning competitions and having endorsement deals, and some of them haven't even broken into their 20's yet! If only I knew back then that there was money in sports, I would have asked my parents to enroll me in all of these summer sports classes that were the craze years back.

11. Private Banker - Do you know that there is a shortage of private bankers in the world, given that millionaires are steadily increasing! Hell, lets all take private banking lessons! This might actually work for me, with this set-up, instead of stressing over my own money (which I have very little of, by the way), I get to play with the millions these snotty people we call the affluents have.

12. Eventologist - 10 years ago, nobody would have ever believed you if you said that you planned parties for a living. Today, everyone seems to be an eventologist. Heck, the word eventologist doesn't even exist, its just some person's attempt at being Don King. Whatever term we come up with for people who did this for a living, it would still be damn cool to earn while you partied hard.

13. Pro-Wrestler - I've been watching wrestling since I was a wee lad, and I can't help but be amazed at the athleticism and charisma of these "athletes". And yes, I did dream of becoming the next Hulk Hogan or Undertaker at some point in my life. Now that i'm an adult, its clear to me that wrestling is "fake" to a certain extent and that pure-bred Filipinos are not genetically born to be wrestlers.