[讨论]If you were not a xxx, what would you be?

[Jun]

The other day I was talking to a super-over-achieving engineer who is PASSIONATE about her job. I had the impression that if she were not an engineer, she would try the darnedest to become one, and that she would probably work until the last day of her life if she could. Boy that kind of enthusiasm about one's job is alien to me. I like my job, but I always have this cynical attitude about work being just work and an unnecessary evil. She made me feel a little for a little while (but the shame didn't last ).

Recently I read a couple of things about retirement and how people in our generation are expected to work into their late 70s etc. It got me thinking. I don't think I'll have enough love for my current job to work into my 70s -- what do I want to pick up as a second job?

If you ask me 10 years ago or even 5 years ago what I want to do with my life, I'd give you this blank stare. I had stupid fantasies of course, which are safely unattainable, like writing movie reviews for LA Times. I didn't know anything about myself or this world. I am one of the six people in this world who actually like growing older, because now I'm getting to know myself and how I fit into this world better, and it doesn't seem so daunting any more.

So I thought about second or third career in life, and realized that there are many things I enjoy doing and will probably at least sustain my life if not make me a millionaire. I can be a bookstore clerk, a librarian, a bookstore owner (see a pattern here?); or I can be a travel agent who organizes and books other people's European tour; I can be a home organizing consultant (yes, there is such a profession); I can be a freelance editor; I can be a science fiction convention organizer or a film festival brochure writer; I can be a figure skating judge (they don't get paid); and then of course, I can always sit home and try to finish writing my 101st novel (and probably no pay either).

A somewhat unlikely option, for me, is to teach English somewhere in Italy...

So what do you think you would reasonably enjoy doing as work? No impossible day dreams please.

[密斯张三]

I've thought about being a librarian; "The universe (which others call the Library) is composed of an indefinite and perhaps infinite number of hexagonal galleries...."

and personal shopper is also a job! not sure my eyes and tongue are sharp enough for that...

[ooliver]

I also have read the same statment about our generation working until the 70's, which I don't think its a bad thing, if you're not depending on that income and you're just doing it for fun. My dad still works half of a day for his old company I think he enjoys it. I thought I'd teach when I retire from the corporate job, exactly what I don't know yet, but I taught undergraduate level IT course for a short wile in grad school and I enjoyed it, and I'm tutoring English right now which is not too bad either. I also thought about having a small coffee shop/book store, which I'm sure is the dream that a lot of people have.

[Knowing]

I don't want a job. I want to travel around the world 6 months a year, play poker professionally. And the other 6 months, I will live in NY, hang out in Christie's auctions and new gallery openings, and "INVEST" my gamble income in art work.

[karen]

I like what I do a lot, so not exactly aching for a second career, yet. But I were to have one, there are two options. One is to become a winemaker, second, raise pigs.

[园心]

我想在家写个专栏什么的,但黄编缉佟佟说我不够勤奋与自律.问题是如果我足够勤奋与自律,我可以作好任何事,而不用想着作跟兴趣太有关的事,您说是不是.

我觉得营养师和"婚姻咨询"(可惜咱中国没有这职业)还是挺适合我的.

我还想过学学珠宝鉴定,也跟JUN一样想过干干旅行社.最近常想去亲子班或幼儿园当老师.

[ravaged]

wouldn't these be exactly the type of jobs to avoid, for they would easily rob you of your passion for books and travel? at least that's my impression after reading orwell's recollection of his years as a bookstore clerk.

i love what i do now, so i can't think of anything drastically different. i'd just like to be better at what i do. or become a full-time socialite gracing the pages of vogue and vanity fair...

[CAVA]

Jun's question is: 'what would you be'? I've not thought about that for a long while. Librarian perhaps. When I was in my teens I wanted to retire at the age of 22

If the question was 'What could you be outside your current scope', guess I could be an English teacher in China, or a Chinese teacher in Europe. Total lack of imagination I know!

[karen]

Socialite? ravaged, you are soooooo vain.

[Knowing]

I don't want to be a socialite. But part of my imaginary art collecting career does include a lot of partying and socializing, and I am the patron that hot young pretty boy artists kissing up to.

[ravaged]

unabashedly

[karen]

knowing, just say it, you wanna be a sugar mama. That's your true calling for a second career.

[Knowing]

NO! Not sugar mama I would not actually spend a penny on those pretty boys! I will just lead them on with hope that I might buy their work....
Being socialite sounds fun, but actually might be a lot of work. You have to keep up with the trends, shop the latest collection....That is too exhausting. Oh wait! ravaged you might actually like that.

[Jun]

Holy crap! I had totally forgotten that I could also teach Chinese in Italy!

[karen]

切，舍不得孩子套不到狼的， 小K你总得给人家点好处。

[dropby]

我想选的第二职业是开一家小店, 卖各种绣花的东西. 我的小店应该是全城绣花东西最齐全的地方. 没客人的时候我就自己绣着玩. 然后店里要用各种我绣的漂亮东西装饰 - 全部是非卖品.

[dropby]

Wait. Being a programmer actually is already my (at least) second career. How many careers will an average person have? Maybe I will just retire early and depend on my hubby.

[森林的火焰]

我的构想和三小姐一样。事实上，我今天呼哧带喘地从图书馆捧了十二本书去check out的时候，就很羡慕坐在那儿的亚裔小帅哥，可以无边无垠地看，爱看哪本看哪本，还有收入。弄不好，咱也当回母博尔赫斯。

[笑嘻嘻]

What was the name of that lady in Paris? Hemingway wrote about her in movable feast? Stein? xiao k, I think you want to be a saloon hostess.

[密斯张三]

gertude stein。我那本八卦书里也写了她，什么时候也翻出来。

切，舍不得孩子套不到狼的， 小K你总得给人家点好处。

哦，能拜倒在聪慧美貌的小K的石榴裙边，吻着伊的鞋带，已经是大大的好处啦

[笑嘻嘻]

翻出来翻出来。看看小k的反塔西是什么样的。

[密斯张三]

饭特稀教母是蕾丝边，恐怕不能与英俊穷画家兼得也

[笑嘻嘻]

1，对，我怎么忘了。

[StarryNight]

I have worked in a travel agency before, not as a travel agent, but close enough to see what the job is really like. People sometimes can be unreasonable beyond imagination. You really need a LOT of patience to enjoy being a travel agent.

As for me, if I get tired of what I do now, I would love to own a small pet shop, or work at a pet beauty shop, maybe a dog walker.

[Knowing]

I thought about being a dog walker too. Have you seen "In Her Shoes"? She quit her lawyer job and walked dog for a living, and became a much happier person.

[Jun]

当然啦，second career的前提是有一定退休储蓄金，不必为生活发愁，赚点零花的而已。

[火星狗]

图书馆、博物馆工作，是我梦想中的second career。博物馆大概更有趣一点，特别是历史博物馆。
年轻时觉得动物行为学很有趣，后来发现这工作危险性很大，也许要研究食肉动物的行为或者在鲨鱼出没的地方研究水生动物的行为，就像那些国家地理的摄影师一样。
野地考古似乎很有意思，但是这种工作大概有很多外行人不了解的小跳蚤。如果没有家庭负担并且一直保持高昂的nerd精神，大概可以从事这种工作。
现在开始考虑dog walker的可能性。以前在学校里听过一位博士的事迹，她曾经是个工作狂，publish machine。后来呢，按照她老板的说法：“Now she takes care of dogs”。

[silkworm]

博物馆？请参考Ross Geller的光荣事迹。

野外考古？大太阳底下挖土是主要部份，还得加上没有厕所没有洗澡等等。

[karen]

这里这么多书虫！

[火星狗]

没文化的我完全没反应过来Ross Geller是谁，不过靠着Wikipedia的帮助，总算了解了《friends》这部我一直绕着道走的电视剧的相关背景知识。
谁要去prehistory museum? 整天和一堆石头打交道。 我喜欢的是历史（not pre-）博物馆，最好能做藏品的整理编目之类的工作，再和前辈们学习很多有趣的知识。
野外考古更像是impossible day dream，我早就放弃这个想法了。那个《考古中国》系列播出之后，常常看到年轻人说：考古学真浪漫。然后我就会想起太阳下挖土啊、没厕所没洗澡之类的问题。
蚕博梦想中的second career是？

[森林的火焰]

兽医？坐冷气间不用晒太阳，对着小猫小狗小蛤蟆小晰蜴。治死了不用赔命。

[silkworm]

没想过，徒增烦恼。

[Jun]

兽医学校非常难进，比医学院难多了。想也不用想。

书虫多是真的，不过我现在的工作单独干活的时间长，希望在没有压力的情况下做一点跟人民群众打交道的工作，虽然我不是那块料，小来来还是可以的。

[火星狗]

兽医？坐冷气间不用晒太阳，对着小猫小狗小蛤蟆小晰蜴。治死了不用赔命。

这个也需要一定的心理素质的。当小狗奄奄一息，主人眼泪汪汪的看着你，而你黔驴技穷的时候……
以前读过某姑娘上兽医学校的见闻，他们不仅学习医治猫猫狗狗，还要学习医治牛牛马马。

没想过，徒增烦恼。

敬爱的蚕博，我好景仰好景仰你那脚踏实地的人生态度啊啊啊！

[silkworm]

嘿嘿，火焰你可知美国的兽医系比人医系还难进。

按说我不算怕看血呀尸体呀的，不过有一次在兽医系办事，碰巧需要从解剖室穿行，可把我给弄愣了―― 屋子正中的手术台上，赫然搁着一匹马的前半身儿，一群学生对着马头马脖子又切又拨楞的。马的后半身儿，从前腿儿之后被齐刷刷地锯断，矫健的马后腿儿和丰满的马屁股平放在地上淌血。同行的人轻巧地从马屁股上跨过去，回头等我也跨。我咬了咬牙，迈过去了。

[森林的火焰]

嘿嘿，火焰你可知美国的兽医系比人医系还难进。

按说我不算怕看血呀尸体呀的，不过有一次在兽医系办事，碰巧需要从解剖室穿行，可把我给弄愣了―― 屋子正中的手术台上，赫然搁着一匹马的前半身儿，一群学生对着马头马脖子又切又拨楞的。马的后半身儿，从前腿儿之后被齐刷刷地锯断，矫健的马后腿儿和丰满的马屁股平放在地上淌血。同行的人轻巧地从马屁股上跨过去，回头等我也跨。我咬了咬牙，迈过去了。

吹牛大王历险记里的那匹马不就是这样的么，嘿嘿。
天，我猜如果是我，可能要咬了咬牙，尖叫起来，或者晕过去了。
兽医有没有小兽大兽之分？咱能不能只做小兽不做大兽。
我昨天把这篇文章给小爱看，问他想做什么。他沉思了一下，说，想做他转物理以前学的专业――软件。编程序很有趣。完了又说，我真是nerd啊，人生第一选择是物理，第二选择是软件。

[helenClaire]

One day my piano-playing will reach that mediocre level, then it's time to quit day job to launch my next career!
I see myself doing gigs at churchs, weddings and jazz clubs, hanging out with saxophone players, making up promotion packages, selling CDs at local music festivals, depreciating musical instruments on tax return...Strangers call me up wanting to know if I'm open for their office Christmas parties, I have to turn them down:" Sorry, I'm booked that night, I'll perform at my friend Knowing's party."
A lifetime is just not enough for all these fun.

[Jun]

Piano bars... Helen the Piano woman.

[火星狗]

这种情况很容易给目击者留下深刻的心理创伤。
其实每个职业都有pros/cons。有时候我怀疑librarian的职业是否真像想象中那么美好，如果做接待动作，就需要不停的和人说话，很难不受打搅的看书。而且并不是每本书都那么有趣，一个人的阅读兴趣如果能够概括10%的市面上的书就已经很了不起，所以大部分时候仍旧是和boring的书打交道。
我以前呆的大学里有个中文图书馆，非常萧条，门可罗雀。藏书间很矮，而且光线不好，大部分灯都黑着，要走到哪条胡同里，就把灯打开。那里的图书馆员是个中国姑娘，很清闲，总是在埋头读书。我非常喜欢那个图书馆的气氛，如果打一份暑期工，大概会非常愉快，可是全天候的干上好几年的话……

[Knowing]

Strangers call me up wanting to know if I'm open for their office Christmas parties, I have to turn them down:" Sorry, I'm booked that night, I'll perform at my friend Knowing's party."
A lifetime is just not enough for all these fun.

And I pay you with a couple of ugly paintings I've bought from young artists, and they are auctioned off at 3.4 million 10 years later. That also makes you the highest paid pianist ever in the history!

[Jun]

其实每个职业都有pros/cons。

Of course. I'm not talking about a perfect dream life or even your dream job, but a job that is part time and you probably enjoy doing to the extent that you are willing to spend some of your life on it. Doing absolutely no work also has its pros and cons.

有时候我怀疑librarian的职业是否真像想象中那么美好，如果做接待动作，就需要不停的和人说话，很难不受打搅的看书。

I have worked as a cashier albeit not for a long time. Dealing with library patrons and doing other book-related work are much less stressful than dealing with other types of customers. And I kind of like some people interactions.

而且并不是每本书都那么有趣，一个人的阅读兴趣如果能够概括10%的市面上的书就已经很了不起，所以大部分时候仍旧是和boring的书打交道。

Librarians file them and retrieve them, but don't have to read them all.

To me being the pleasant side of being a librarian or bookstore clerk isn't about reading books for free. God knows I have plenty of books to read, free ones included, already. It's the close proximity with books and the smell and feel of books that somehow calms me.

The more I think about my own question, the more I realize that the key to enjoying work is removing the need to MAKE A LIVING on it. The pressure of making money often turns a reasonably likable job into something odious. We all pass time one way or another, either in working or in idling.

[tiffany]

没想过，徒增烦恼。

me 2

[火星狗]

以前在别的地方看过类似的讨论。
压倒性的第二职业是libraian。不过我猜这个职业在大家的饭特西中如此热门的原因是，这是一个公认的tiny/zero pressure的职业。很多人选择这个职业只是想转换成recessive style的生活而已。如果有梦想成真的机会，他们大概很容易被bored。
真正for fun的second career大概是楼上的那些“全城第一的绣品店”，“Piano woman”和"science fiction convention organizer " 。
如果把生存压力的顾虑放一边，从个人兴趣出发来考虑，我还是选博物馆。 博物馆里最好收藏的是近代字画和古玉。

[tiffany]

好吧，如果有机会，我就去写电影剧本。

[Jun]

真正for fun的second career大概是楼上的那些“全城第一的绣品店”，“Piano woman”和"science fiction convention organizer " 。

Don't forget figure skating judge!

I'm a bona fide nerd, so smelling books is FUN to me...

[火星狗]

到了这把年纪，大概也知道哪些东西是自己真正喜欢的了。
可惜还是有个可行性问题。好在离没有经济压力的开始第二职业还有一段时间，尽可以慢慢考虑。
我以前认识一个研究生同学，研究方向是心肌细胞模型，第二职业是瑜伽课教练，他还一直开着自己的瑜伽班！

[洛洛]

…
以前读过某姑娘上兽医学校的见闻，他们不仅学习医治猫猫狗狗，还要学习医治牛牛马马。

如果开车经过农村，牧场旁边常常会有animal hospital的招牌，猜也猜得到不是城里的pet clinic。

我想做律师。我不介意一天到晚穿黑衣服，板着脸说话，加班。（只要能hourlybilled的话，就比我现在强）。我看我跟森林家的小爱有得挥。

[lindamm]

…
以前读过某姑娘上兽医学校的见闻，他们不仅学习医治猫猫狗狗，还要学习医治牛牛马马。

如果开车经过农村，牧场旁边常常会有animal hospital的招牌，猜也猜得到不是城里的pet clinic。

我想做律师。我不介意一天到晚穿黑衣服，板着脸说话，加班。（只要能hourlybilled的话，就比我现在强）。我看我跟森林家的小爱有得挥。

我和洛同学一样，也想做律师――就是不知道我的口舌是否足够凌厉（伶俐？）

[silkworm]

（抱歉我又来刹风景了。）

我们一个拐弯儿朋友是律师。我从她那儿知道，原来，咱们在电影电视小说里看到的口若悬河的上庭律师(litigation lawyers)只占很小一个比例。

大流儿的律师做corporate law，连直接跟客户打交道的机会都不多，除非自己的team lead带着。大部分时间是关在自己的办公室里狂写memo。以至于她们不见客户的时候，在事务所上班穿着之随便，吓了我们一跳。她说她刚进事务所时，上司给她找了一个背景类似（大陆本科，美国法学院毕业）的同事做她的mentor，那女士有时上班穿黑色弹力运动裤。

[lindamm]

（抱歉我又来刹风景了。）

我们一个拐弯儿朋友是律师。我从她那儿知道，原来，咱们在电影电视小说里看到的口若悬河的上庭律师(litigation lawyers)只占很小一个比例。

大流儿的律师做corporate law，连直接跟客户打交道的机会都不多，除非自己的team lead带着。大部分时间是关在自己的办公室里狂写memo。以至于她们不见客户的时候，在事务所上班穿着之随便，吓了我们一跳。她说她刚进事务所时，上司给她找了一个背景类似（大陆本科，美国法学院毕业）的同事做她的mentor，那女士有时上班穿黑色弹力运动裤。

我这肯定是受电视电影小说影响拉――那个我很久以前看的《法网柔情〉，法外情法内情，还有一直特别喜欢的ALLY MCBEAL――不过如果不能那末风光，那我就算啦――要不，作新闻主播――Maria Bartiromo from CNBC is my idol

我一定是搞混了，这是说第二职业，不是dream job