When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina. All pink with a pink tutu.

I'm not sure if I always wanted to be a nurse because my older sister wanted to be one or if it was all on my own. I idolized her, followed her every footsteps. So we dreamed of being nurses. Dad gave free reign of the garage and helped us make a man sized hinged wooden man that we would bandage, splint, pick berries and give as pills. We had a great time with Herman!

We are 18 months apart so she went off to college first. You have to understand here that my Dad was a strict Southern Baptist preacher so going off to college is quite a revealing experience! So she found out that she was terrible at nursing and swiched her minor to education. Her major continued to be men!

So I just happened to come across a hospital based nursing school one day at a careeer fair. It's a diploma program. You actually start in the hospital working with patients at about the second week where my sister at the end of her 1st year still wasn't in the hospital. Anyway I loved it, got so so grades but thrived after graduation. I was an RN for 27 years until MS said it was finally time to quit. With health care like it is today I don't know if I could reccomend nursing to anyone now.

I would still be working there now if not for my MS but God had differeint plans for me. I am now chief cook and bottle washer at home and medical referal for all my family. My Mom, MIL and sister have many heath problems that I would problby have a nervous breakdown if I were trying to work and handle all the other problems.

My therapist & I were discussing things the other day, and she said something along these lines: "When we're young, we have a plan, and think if I do this and this I will get to this place in my life. But life never happens like that. Things come up, and suddenly you are in a place in your life you never imagined, no matter how much you planned..."
I believe that most of us look at where our lives have taken us and wonder, "Hmm, how did I get here?" My DS32 studied to be a kindergarten teacher; after a few years, it wasn't enough for his brain. So what did he do? Went back and got a doctorate in mechanical engineering, no less...now he researches hydrogen fuel cells. From a kindergarten teacher to a researcher...

As I said, your education doesn't stop after 4 years of college...so many go back to school to begin a new journey...or they get into a field that gives them the knowledge on the job.
It's stilling all the chatter in the mind to hear the quiet whisper inside that knows your true passion that is the most difficult...

This reminds me of the saying "Life is what happens while we're making plans". It sure is true.......

I haven't grown up yet - LOL! But let's list the things I wanted to do.

First, I wanted to be a nurse. I know a lot of first aid and stuff from the good old girl scouts. That came to a halt when I realized that someone who can't stand the sight of blood would be terrible at this.

Then I wanted to be a teacher like my dad. But public speaking makes me nervous. Which makes no sense at all since I was in drama club and performed in quite a few plays. I almost auditioned to go to a performing arts school in NYC, but chickened out.

Then I wanted to be a writer. But that didn't quite work out at the time. Then I wanted to be an archeologist because I love history, but that went by the wayside. I eventually went the business route - and since I love math - became a finance major.

Now I'm an artist - never thought I'd end up doing that.

Look at all the cool things you all have done! It's just amazing.

Life leads us on so many paths. While in college I taught preschoolers during the school year and during the summers I worked as a waitress. I loved being a waitress. It was a fun job and I really did enjoy it.

Doydie & Risby - My mom when to nursing school in a similar program. The hospital was run by nuns and I think she either stayed at the convent or at the hospital. They don't have programs like that for RN's. My cousin went to the same school but got her degree as opposed to a diploma. As my mom says, those who have their degree have less practical experience that what she got. There is a lot to be said for that.

Maybe some kind of home economics course could get her into nutrition?

What a fun thread, Tricia!

Back in the bad old days, I remember thinking my only choices were either a nurse or a teacher. (That's what all the girls in 5th grade wanted to be!) I knew I didn't want to be a nurse, so I figured I might become a teacher.

But I was lousy at college. I didn't have any self-discipline and wasted my parents' money.

I could type, so I spent my first few years as a clerk typist, put my DH thru electrical school, then started having babies. Didn't go back to work for 18 years! But I taught piano lessons in my home during that time.

So I guess I got to be a teacher after all! But I gave it up when I re-entered the work force 17 years ago (wow! how can THAT be? )

If I had it to do over, I'd go into advertising. But nobody told me that was an option waaaay back when I was a sweet young thang.

I wanted to be a lot of things.

I wanted to be a firefighter (because my favorite show when I was five years old was Emergency!) I've never outgrown my love for fire engines...or firefighters I was discouraged from doing so because I'm a girl, and apparently that was something that girls couldnt do yet when I hit my teens.

Wanted to be a teacher. Now, I think I'd have to commit myself if I had become a teacher. No. way. in. hell. would. I. do. that. now.

wanted to be an astronaut...still kind of do, but I'm pretty sure I'd flunk the training in the Vomit Comet.

Wanted to drive an 18 wheeler. (another tv related career...used to love the tv show BJ and the Bear)

One job that I actually started the training for was sign language interpreter. I dropped out of the classes when I got mononucleosis in 1996 and didnt go back. (took a year for me to recover from the mono, and then started getting the weird vertigo problems soon after that)

Other job that I started the training for and have been trying to get back to ever since the MS crap started up was medical transcription. Everytime I make plans to start finishing the classes, I get a really annoying exacerbation. (so far, two vision problems, a leg that was so numb that I was afraid to leave the house because of it) and now I'm just scared to make plans again.

Aside from doing the medical transcription if I can ever get back to finish the training for that, I would LOVE to be a librarian. I love books. (yes, I have two Kindles, but I still love books...love going to the library still)

I am so surprised to read about so many women who wanted to be truck drivers!

I worked for years in the transportation industry (not driving......just sitting behind a desk) but I was always a little scared of those big rigs. I'd see the guys trying to back into a dock space and wonder how on earth anyone could control one of those monster trucks.

We had lots of husband/wife teams, though. And every once in a while a woman driver would show up.

Tricia......you couldn't find a "Big Rig Barbie"?