When I Grow Up

I don't want to be an astronaut, or a ballerina, a gymnast or NFL star. I don't want to be a mathematician or accountant. I don't even like math. Or people who like math. I still kind of want to be Olivia Newton-John, but I
think I might be setting my sights on something a little more... me.

You know how when you have your whole life ahead of you the possibilities seem endless? You want to be several things, and they are nowhere near related. A friend's 16 year old recently mentioned she wanted to be a dancer. Or
an architect. Or a marine biologist. Endless possibilities. Once you hit, say, 40(ish), you have moved to the shallow end of the possibility pool. 

Time passed has pushed you out of any field that requires years of physical training or a youthful endurance(Olympic skier) any field that has an age limit (a military career) and anything you have figured out you don't have an interest in. That would be anything math related for me. You also have to consider your location and life circumstances. If you live in Kansas, you probably aren't going to pursue oceanography. If you are a busy mom, you might not choose a career
that demands a 60-70 hour work week. I said might not, I know some do. 

So what is left? Looking at things you've always had some interest in is a good place to start. I, for instance, have always been interested in writing. And in planning. I likely (Lord willing) have a minimum of 25 years left in the workplace. That doesn't just seem like a long time. It is a long time. I just did the math. I didn't enjoy it. The sum, or difference, or product, or quotient...I don't even have the math terminology. The answer (but, I'm good with the words) is that I am halfway through my working life. This means I have just as long to work as I have already worked. 

From age 16-41 I earned a living in fast food, childcare, retail, banking, and clerical fields, with increasing time spent in each as the years progressed. Age 41-65 remains to be seen, but I'm thinking about my options, and there are still quite a few possibilities, even in the shallow end.