I'm thinking these two keep being flip sides of each other in some way. As a kid, I was always a writer -- I was writing little books when I was able, and we still have the LIFE Encyclopedia somewhere at my parents' house where I scratched out the name of the author and wrote mine in. :) As a kid, I was also obsessed with science, and reading those encylodpedias, etc.

I wrote stories all through school that I would bring in and everyone wanted to read. But I never wanted to be a writer. I wanted to be a scientist (yes, also going through a strong marine biologist phase -- you're on to something with Flipper -- that I revisited in my adulthood when I studied coastal geography for my Geography degree).

I wanted to be in physics, primarily (blame Star Trek) but I suck at math -- my high school physics class proved this was not going to happen. I also planned to be an interpreter in high school -- I took three languages, ultimately finishing 5 years of French, four of Spanish, and three of German. I speak none of them, though I can still read basic French (I can read, for instance, most Twitter and FB posts in French, though I can't speak it anymore).

But I ended up getting married too young and working crappy retail and temp jobs for several years instead. When I divorced and went back to school, it was in English, since at that point in my life, with a 7 year old in tow, I needed to do something I was good at. Ultimately, as you know, ended up teaching. :)

I was good at teaching, but I didn't necessarily like it. So I went back for the Geography degree, hoping to focus on physical geography (the more hard science end of things) but it would have meant nearly redoing an undergrad degree as well, so I went for the softer science end of it. I learned a lot, love Geography, but if there's one regret, it's that I didn't do that hard science work. I did retake a bunch of upper math courses, on my own, just to see if I could. I got As in all, but like the languages, if you don't use it, you lose it.

Then, as I finished my Geography degree, I met Cara Summers and decided to write a book. And there you have it. :)

But what the winding history has taught me is that I am a writer, and I have been a writer since I was born, just about. Writing is something I do, almost naturally, and I think I will always do it. Still, that doesn't mean I'm not called to other things, and I always keep an open mind about what I could become. ;)

Sam

I guess I didn't know I wanted to be a writer until my teens when I wrote lots of poetry. However in the third grade we had to pick a picture off the wall and write about it. My pic was a bear in stream trying to catch a salmon. I remember the joy of writing about it. I didn't know then that's what I wanted to be, didn't recognize the excitement of making something up. I remember playing with my Fisher Price house and loving making up the names of the family and how they spent their day.
I wanted to be a gymnast - flipping upside down terrified me.
I wanted to be an actress. But face it - cellulite doesn't cut it in Hollywood.
A model - nope not tall enough.
I am still working on the dream - so many many years later, but I am closer. I just mailed a proposal today! My first!!

I never really had a career choice in mind, just graduate high school. When I was 15 I had a job in the kitchen as a dietary aide at a retirement home(fancy name for waitress except same customers and they were old). I had that job on and off for almost 10 years(near end mostly cooking). For a while I wanted to be a dietition or my boss's job which consisted of ordering, scheduling, invetory, menu planning etc..) Then moved on to cook in high school cafeteria. Because I had the summers off I could spend my days outside in the garden. A neighbour said this was something I could do for a living. I enjoyed it so I went to college for Horticultural Technician. I worked in a greenhouse for a year and a half(half year part time, after I graduated fulltime)Unfornaturely I became disabled and don't work anymore, but I still get to play in the dirt and create gardens for friends and family.
Now my sister is the total opposite story. She always wanted to be a nurse. So right after high school she went to college and she has had the same job for 20 years since graduating college.

I had grandparents who were teachers and the last thing I wanted to do was become a teacher --- yep just like you I became a teacher (I spent 35 years teaching teenagers) and I realized that was what I was suppose to do with my life. But what I really wanted to do was to become a physical therapist (this didn't happen due to lack of money) and I'm guessing I wasn't supposed to be one. But I did learn a lot of science while in school. But I rarely had a science class because I found out I enjoyed world geography best of all and American History second best. Then I also taught English which I didn't like at all. A lot of my years of teaching included the special ed kids (or whatever they are called now)and I did seem to connect with most of them for some reason. In fact the last two years I taught I had two classes that were integrated classes with the special ed and regular ed kids mixed in a classroom. Now that was a challenge that if I had been a little (ok a lot) younger I would have like to have continued to do.

Clearly I had no idea what I was thinking when I was growing up! I think my list of things I wanted to be included (in no particular order): doctor, nurse, president, scientist, teacher, ballerina, Navy pilot, engineer, mother, and a bunch of other things that I've forgotten by now.

So, I realized that I get faint at the sight of blood (that rules out the medical professions), and am a lazy, terrible student (which actually rules out quite a bit more--scientist, engineer...!). I get terrible stage fright and dislike being in front of people (definitely not very presidential!). I have terrible vision (no Navy piloting for me). Which leaves me with ballerina and mother--I'm definitely no ballerina, but I do still take ballet classes. And I'm currently gunning for the "Meanest Mommy Ever" title. My kids believe I've got it all wrapped up, but I think I've got some stiff competition out there ;)

What a fun topic, Jeannie! And hooray for you for teaching! I'm super thankful for you and other teachers who help prepare the next generation for their dreams!

When I was a kid, my dream was to become an aeronautical engineer. I had no idea what that meant. I was just parroting my favorite uncle, who used to walk around repeating it over and over. He became a teacher and so did I. But our daughter's dream and the mechanism that changed her mind still make me laugh. She wanted to be a doctor of veterinary medicine, and growing up, she worked in the local vet's office. For college, we enrolled her in the vet med program at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. One day, in the dead of winter, we received a phone call. "Dad," she said, "I think I'll come home and change my major to English Lit." When I asked her why, she explained that the weather was so cold one day when she was working on the college farm that the hairs in her nose froze. Upshot: she eventually receive a degree in English Lit, but never worked in the field. Instead, she became a book editor, working primarily on technical publications. I've often thought that dreams are essential to human development. Dreams may never come true, but through them, we learn many things, how to set goals and strive to reach them, how to cope with disappointment, and how to move on to other dreams. Without dreams, the world would be a drab place indeed.

I thought I wanted to be a vet. I thought this because I was constantly reading and writing stories about animals. It has since crossed my mind that I was focusing on the wrong component of my interest. ;-)

At any rate, my beloved dog was killed by a car at the beginning of my senior year of high school. The accident made me realize I wanted as little to do with dead pets as possible. Veterinarian seemed like an unwise choice at that point so I turned to my second choice, writing. My grief set in motion a chain of events that led to my acceptance into the creative writing program at CMU, so I always think my dog gave me one final gift. ;-)

I've been working as a technical writer since I graduated in 1989, but it took me a long time to dig up the courage to submit fiction for publication. When I speak to people about "how I became a writer" I always mention that one of my only regrets is that I let fear dictate my choices for too long.

I wanted to be an airline stewardess. In those days they had height restrictions and I was too short.
So I got married and had 4 kids.

ah dreams, some of them are great and keep you going through adolesence and some just need to fall to the side dont they.
I had a couple good dreams growing up, one of course was becoming a writer, i've always had that one, but it got pushed aside as i tried others too.
I wanted to be an artist, i love to draw but am no way near good enough to make any living at it.
I wanted to be a photographer, and had enrolled and was ready to go to the art institute for photography, but it meant living out of state alone. Not good for a quiet introvert huh. so i chickened out there.
I wanted to be a professional chef, but could stand the thought of someone else telling me how to cook, i hate it when the hubby does it. Didnt happen.
But i came back to writing, as i always do.
I remember in high school i had my own soap opera i'd write for me and my friends, it as modeled after days and called "As the stomach churns" quite appropriate for what i wrote.
Now i'm still pluggin along and hope to be published someday soon.
I just finished the first draft of a book for the blaze line, and after revisions and edits hope to send it out by the 1st of august.
Keep your fingers crossed.
jody - Still dreamin!

...tougher. Isn't that odd? Should I admit this? I grew up around gentle people and was friends with kind, caring people and I wanted to go into a career where the people were mean and hard so that I could get some of that. I even considered the army--but I'm not so into guns (see, gentle, etc.)

So I went into advertising in New York City.

I learned to be a bad-ass with the best of them. Learned to fight for what I knew was good. Learned to play the game. Then, when I turned 25, I was on a beach in France with my boss. We were about to get a huge-o prize for a Pepsi ad. And he said to me, "Can you imagine anything better than this on your 25th birthday?"

I looked at this jerk and thought, "I'm half-way around the world from everyone who is kind and gentle and good sitting on a beach with a jerk. Yes, I can imagine lots of better things." So I quit the next year and got married and had kids and never looked back.

I love what I do and what I love most about it is the other writers. What a great bunch of people. And believe me, I know.