What do want to be when you grow up?

I rang my mum last night and during the conversation the topic came up of what I wanted to be when I grew up. I quickly realised she was talking about when I was a small boy, and not now. Lucky really, as I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up - really old would probably be the true answer.

My first vocational ambition as a small boy was to become a farmer, but that wore off when I realised I would never acquire the land to do so. In my teens I wanted to become a Veterinary surgeon, so much so that I took a Saturday job working at the local vets. It was good fun. I didn't mind the blood and guts, it was the castrations that did me in. After the cut the vet would throw the testicles into the waste bin, and my job was to hold the lid of the bin open, and pick up the unwanted bollocks when his aim was off. I used to feel quite queasy. When I realised that I would have to get a good grade in chemistry 'A' levels I knew my veterinary ambitions were over.

Later I wanted to fly very fast jet planes over exotic places in the world and drop bombs on them. Sadly I didn't get through the RAF flight officer selection process. They said I would be suited to a ground based commission, but my heart wasn't in it. Then by pure luck I stumbled into the world of Telecommunications which has seen me working and living in UK, Hong Kong, Falkland Islands, Ascension Island, and now Germany. I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up (and it's not a telecoms engineer either), and I don't think I ever will.

The Juniorette already realises that she should keep her options open on the career front, and those options are at present - 1. An astronaut gardener (Space people need to eat you know). - 2. A professional women's soccer player. - 3. A swimming teacher.

I just hope she doesn't become a telecoms engineer