Dream Job

[LJSDesigns]

I am not sure how many of you know my back story, I tend to talk a lot and share openly, a lot, so many of you may know a lot about me. LOL But just in case some don't, being a scrapbook designer is my second gig. Five days a week I report to an office where I am a Production Planning Supervisor for an international food company. I love my job, it totally suits my personality because like me, it is chaotic yet organized to the nth degree, and I control it down to every detail, which appeases the control freak in me. It's a great job, but it is not my dream job.

Being a digital scrapbook designer is something that I started dreaming about doing as soon as I started digital scrapbooking. I am pretty confident in a lot of areas, like I know I am good at my day job, but I am not at all confident when it comes to being "artistic" so I dreamed for a long while, but didn't chase that dream. Then a friend reminded me that I wasn't getting any younger and I needed to let go of the "not being good enough" fear and do something more than dream. In other words, she gave me a kick in the rear. LOL

When I decided to finally chase that dream, I also decided that I wanted to be a digital designer here at SSD, so with that goal in mind, I went for it. I took classes, started a blog, entered contests, made freebies and opened my first shop in 2013. I continued to work on my skills and applied at every opportunity to be a designer here, because if you don't try, you will never succeed. Finally in December of 2017, I got an email from Robin that started off "welcome Home." Best email ever!

So I am working my dream job, here, and every day I am thankful for it. I wish I could do it full time, but as a widow, I hold tight to security and my day job is just that, my security blanket. But still, I dream of the day I can retire from that and pursue this full time, because dreaming helps keep me motivated.

I've enjoyed all the recent posts and getting to know more about all of you, so this week, I am asking you to share your dream job with me, and not just the title, but the story behind it. I want to know if you are doing it now and how you achieved it, if you are working towards it and what steps you are taking, or if you are in the dreaming stage, what you love about it and if you are afraid, like I was for so long, to chase it or if you have to hold off for other reasons. Share as much or as little as you want about it, it can just be the title after all, and about yourself.

I'm looking forward to hearing your story!

 

[Leablahblah]

I love reading about your story Lorie. I'm so glad you are a part of SSD and so proud to be on your team.

I don't have a dream job. My dream job for a long was to raise my girls. Be a stay at home mom. Then the pandemic hit and now it's so much harder than it used to be. The girls have become noise monsters and I have lost a whole lot of patience and motivation. I don't know what I want to do anymore. My oldest is going to 1st grade and my middle is going to pre-K. Leonie will be the only one left at home and I need to go back out there and try to make some friends so she can socialize. And I'm still so uncomfortable with all of that.

When she goes to school full time I'd like to take some time for myself. Join a gym maybe.

But as far as job I don't know! I have some ideas but nothing that screams "yay! This is it!". Opening a bakery maybe, or a sandwich or soup shop. I don't know if I have the entrepreneur in me though.
I also like organizing. I could see myself putting books back on the shelves in a library or files in a business. I don't know if that's even a job in itself.
I hate talking on the phone so I want no part of it in my job. And I don't like dealing with people. lol Picky? yes.

 

[iScrap]

My dream job is to have no job at all. I can't wait to retire and spend my days how any diva should... full of snacks, living the dream on the beach.

I dream about good food, being near the water, drinking good wine, hearing my girls laughter and watching them grow into amazing people, anything but work haha. Work is something we all have to do to put roofs over our heads and food in our bellies - dream job or not - it's still a job.

 

[LJSDesigns]

I love reading about your story Lorie. I'm so glad you are a part of SSD and so proud to be on your team.

I don't have a dream job. My dream job for a long was to raise my girls. Be a stay at home mom. Then the pandemic hit and now it's so much harder than it used to be. The girls have become noise monsters and I have lost a whole lot of patience and motivation. I don't know what I want to do anymore. My oldest is going to 1st grade and my middle is going to pre-K. Leonie will be the only one left at home and I need to go back out there and try to make some friends so she can socialize. And I'm still so uncomfortable with all of that.

When she goes to school full time I'd like to take some time for myself. Join a gym maybe.

But as far as job I don't know! I have some ideas but nothing that screams "yay! This is it!". Opening a bakery maybe, or a sandwich or soup shop. I don't know if I have the entrepreneur in me though.
I also like organizing. I could see myself putting books back on the shelves in a library or files in a business. I don't know if that's even a job in itself.
I hate talking on the phone so I want no part of it in my job. And I don't like dealing with people. lol Picky? yes.

Thanks for your sweet words Leah. You are a joy to know and the best editor out there, so I am extremely thankful and happy to have you on the team. :wub:

Raising your girls is the most important job you will ever have, but I totally get taking some time for yourself once they are all in school. Being a mom is a very demanding and giving job and doesn't give you a lot of time to explore things just for you.

If you can see yourself working in a library, and money is not a big demand, after the girls go back to school, check out whether the library in your area has a volunteer program. That would get you testing the waters about the job part and get you socializing more too.

For all that I talk and share here, truth is I am better on the computer or in writing because in real life, I am socially awkward. I tend to say what I think, without thinking about what I am saying, which can be uncool, so to avoid doing that, I tend to say very little. There are no backspaces, proof reading or delete in real conversations, and I need all of those. LOL

I think it is okay not to have a dream job or even a clear idea of what you want to do. We are all changing and growing all the time and the future is wide open and full of possibilities. As I get older I am trying to live more in the moment, because I tend to rush through everything, so my advice to you is to just enjoy these moments with the girls! You have plenty of time to write the rest of your story.

 

[lovely1m]

If I was dreaming, dreaming I would be a travel photographer. On the practical side, I work active duty military, I will retire from that in 4.5 years after 27.5 years. I just started working on my Master's in Teaching with an emphasis on the Social Sciences. I think it will be a great second career in life for me.

 

[LJSDesigns]

My dream job is to have no job at all. I can't wait to retire and spend my days how any diva should... full of snacks, living the dream on the beach.

I dream about good food, being near the water, drinking good wine, hearing my girls laughter and watching them grow into amazing people, anything but work haha. Work is something we all have to do to put roofs over our heads and food in our bellies - dream job or not - it's still a job.

Lol, that is a great dream job. I would love to have it as well, but to have the part about eating snacks and good food, I would have to have another dream come true too: the ability to eat what I want and not gain weight.

It is true that work is something that most of us have to do, but if you like what you do, it makes it so much easier to do. I am fortunate that I like what I do, both jobs, I just don't like getting up in the morning. LOL

 

[iScrap]

I would have to have another dream come true too: the ability to eat what I want and not gain weight.

So much this!

 

[LJSDesigns]

If I was dreaming, dreaming I would be a travel photographer. On the practical side, I work active duty military, I will retire from that in 4.5 years after 27.5 years. I just started working on my Master's in Teaching with an emphasis on the Social Sciences. I think it will be a great second career in life for me.

Thank you for your service, Mari. I think having a career in the military is incredibly giving and noble. And I think it must take a good deal of fortitude as well.

You are so smart to be working toward your second career now and since we need great teachers, I think that is a big win for everyone. Having been in the military could really help you in the classroom because my son, who is a teacher, says discipline to keep all of them on course is a key component to teaching. What school level do you want to teach at?

As to travel photography, take a lot of great vacations to cool places and let that part of yourself explore and play.

 

[Sherri Tierney]

Oddly, I'm not entirely sure. Sometimes I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up!

Right out of high school, I wanted to be a teacher. I started taking classes in elementary education. I had a teacher who really discouraged me and I made an abrupt change to majoring in accounting. I continued along that path for a little bit, but I was working full time and trying to go to school full time and I wasn't finding it easy. I finally just stopped enrolling in classes. I worked a lot of factory type jobs until 2000 when I lost my job because I had to miss too much work when my grandma had cancer. Grandparents aren't covered under FMLA. She raised me, she needed me and I wasn't going to refuse. Anyway, after that I got pregnant, had babies, and stayed home until the youngest started kindergarten in 2011.

At that point, I wasn't sure what to do. I had started designing when said youngest child was a few months old. I was still designing at this point when he went into kindergarten. I went to a PTO meeting at school and a principal asked me if I wanted a job. Long story short, I started working for the school part time. I did that for 2 years, working as an aide for the in-school suspension room/detention room, when a co-worker who was transferring to a different school asked me if I wanted his job. I laughed. He said I'd be good at it and told the principal as much. The next school year I started in technology. I did that for the last 8 years. Three years ago we started a STEM lab at school and I started teaching STEM classes since our technology lab turned into the STEM lab when the students went 1 to 1 with devices and no longer needed a dedicated lab. Somewhere around the time I started STEM, I went back to school. I had the most classes finished towards the elementary education degree so I decided to go that route for my associates.

That leads me to now... I have one year left for my bachelors degree. I am changing positions next year and leaving technology. My position is actually being eliminated. I was not asked to leave (in fact, I was told I could stay in it as long as I wanted to and it would still be open to me but that after I left the position would be eliminated) and the restructure of the technology department is partially due to my future plans anyway. I told the tech director last summer that I only had a year or two left before moving into a classroom. We have 3 elementary schools and 2 elementary tech aides. One building has not had an aide for the last 8 years because they have not been able to find a person who is qualified in both the technology aspect and doing aide duties. Knowing I would be leaving and that the technology needs would be changing with our implementation of 1 to 1 devices. Last summer the tech director overheard the other elementary tech aide and I talking and I said "Wouldn't it be great if they did away with tech aides at the building level and stationed you at the tech office and then had you roam between buildings?" He loved the idea (and so did she) and the idea for change was born. I could have taught this upcoming year on a limited license but I ultimately decided I didn't want that stress. One of my friends who has worked as a reading interventionist retired at the end of the school year. When I decided not to teach, I was asked to take her place as it was suggested that this would be good experience for teaching. I was quite torn but ultimately decided to give it a whirl. So, after 8 years in tech and 3 years teaching STEM, I will be teaching reading instead.

This time next year I should be readying my first classroom. However, is that my dream job? I don't know. I think so. I want to teach. I have loved teaching technology and STEM. I love the district I work for, the students and their families. I can see myself doing this and being great at it. Somehow though I still keep tossing around ideas in my head of jobs I would like. Most of these are things I could do on the side, or during summer breaks only, if I decided. I'm still full of design ideas and keep saying I'll start dabbling in that again when I'm not in school full time. I have always thought about going into photography, and I love our little farm so the idea of making a living with our livestock and land excites me as well. I guess the dream is doing a combination of all of it.

 

[Sherri Tierney]

If I was dreaming, dreaming I would be a travel photographer. On the practical side, I work active duty military, I will retire from that in 4.5 years after 27.5 years. I just started working on my Master's in Teaching with an emphasis on the Social Sciences. I think it will be a great second career in life for me.

The experiences you will be able to share with students teaching social sciences will be amazing!! :wub:

 

[Sherri Tierney]

I love reading about your story Lorie. I'm so glad you are a part of SSD and so proud to be on your team.

I don't have a dream job. My dream job for a long was to raise my girls. Be a stay at home mom. Then the pandemic hit and now it's so much harder than it used to be. The girls have become noise monsters and I have lost a whole lot of patience and motivation. I don't know what I want to do anymore. My oldest is going to 1st grade and my middle is going to pre-K. Leonie will be the only one left at home and I need to go back out there and try to make some friends so she can socialize. And I'm still so uncomfortable with all of that.

When she goes to school full time I'd like to take some time for myself. Join a gym maybe.

But as far as job I don't know! I have some ideas but nothing that screams "yay! This is it!". Opening a bakery maybe, or a sandwich or soup shop. I don't know if I have the entrepreneur in me though.
I also like organizing. I could see myself putting books back on the shelves in a library or files in a business. I don't know if that's even a job in itself.
I hate talking on the phone so I want no part of it in my job. And I don't like dealing with people. lol Picky? yes.

I don't like to deal with people either. Somehow, I love talking to people at school though. Go figure! I think it is the generalized 'people' I don't like. Kids though, I like kids and in turn, I like their parents most of the time!

When I was little I wanted to be a mom. That's all I ever wanted. I remember we had to write a report on the career we wanted for future when I was in 6th grade. I said mom. My teacher said "that's not a career" and handed me a print out of information on child psychology. I stayed home with my kids until my oldest went into 4th grade and my youngest into kindergarten. I didn't plan to go back to work then, but stumbled into a job (explained below). I'm kind of glad I stumbled into it the way I did because I was able to ease back into the workforce and never felt stressed about it like I would have if I would have had to decide what I wanted to do.

 

[Sherri Tierney]

My dream job is to have no job at all. I can't wait to retire and spend my days how any diva should... full of snacks, living the dream on the beach.

I dream about good food, being near the water, drinking good wine, hearing my girls laughter and watching them grow into amazing people, anything but work haha. Work is something we all have to do to put roofs over our heads and food in our bellies - dream job or not - it's still a job.

I loved being a stay at home mom, but it was still very much a job. I stayed home until the youngest started kindergarten. I loved my job but I still found myself saying I would just work until we had X paid off, or just work until.... Then I realized that I will be working until I reach retirement age. I decided that working in education is the best of both worlds in a way. Summers off are great! Yes, teachers still do things work related over the summer, but they aren't tied to a classroom all summer which allows some freedom.

 

[lovely1m]

What school level do you want to teach at?

As to travel photography, take a lot of great vacations to cool places and let that part of yourself explore and play.

I am thinking about starting in middle school and just seeing where it goes. I could always do college too if I don't like it since I'll have a master's. I could begin working on my Ph.D. at some point, too.

That is what I do. It's just a hobby now. I love traveling and I take a ton of pictures while there.

 

[lovely1m]

The experiences you will be able to share with students teaching social sciences will be amazing!! :wub:

Thank you!
:wub:

 

[HavaDrPepper]

I've already worked at my dream job and am now on my 2nd dream job.

I started out thinking I wanted to be a teacher, teaching young ladies (and gents if they wanted) to be clerical workers. Now this was in the days of needing shorthand and using typewriters. Electric typewriters were not in every office yet either! To get the certificate to teach in the office setting classroom (intensive office education in those days), you needed to have at least 2 years of actual work experience in an office. So I got a job in a hospital accounting office and found that I actually liked working in an office and working with numbers. Never did get that teaching certificate.

I switched jobs in the hospital which turned out to be a not so great move so I ended up leaving there and actually returning to my hometown. I spent 6 months covering a maternity leave at a business college and also did some substitute teaching. Finally determined teaching was not for me. My next 2 jobs were in a facility that made Army tanks for the government and when contracts are up, workers get let go. Due to seniority I ended up being one of them. I then spent some time in a hospital x-ray department. Working around sick people wasn't a good fit for me.

I ended up going back to school and got an Associate's in accounting since I was having a hard time finding another job. Yep, I did it backwards since I already had a Bachelor's! Enough credits from the Bachelor's transferred that I only had 1 year of classes to take. Just 6 weeks into starting school, I got a job in a CPA firm. They let me work around my classes for the first 2.5 months (finishing out the fall quarter) then in January I went full time at work and switched to night classes. My 1 year of classes ended up being 2 because of working full time and the schedule of when the classes were offered. But I graduated with honors.

A position as a staff accountant opened up in another office in the firm and they offered the position to me so I took it. I did enjoy the work for the most part except for tax season. I found I hated taxes because the ones I was doing were very complicated. After I left that job I got a job as an accounting clerk in a company right here in my hometown. I did accounts payable, inventory work and backed up the payroll clerk. In other words my dream job! The only aspect of the job I grew to hate was dealing with people on the telephone. During my time working there I was diagnosed with a hearing issue. I don't need hearing aids and I'm fine when talking with people face to face but I just don't hear well when using the phone (or in large crowds). I had planned to work until I was 65 but my Dad passed away when I was almost 61 and I got an inheritance that enabled me to retire early. I worked another year getting things set up both personally and professionally for that. I ended up being in that position for 16 years, the longest I had ever worked anywhere!

I'm now on my dream job of retirement which was a blessing during the year 2020. I also have now dealt with the dental issues I had for the last 7 to 8 years and can actually start doing some of the things I dream about during my retirement. Traveling in 2021 is on the top of the list.

 

[SeattleSheri]

Lorie, I love that you're willing to share your story and I'm so glad you pursued your passion. I definitely admire you designers! You're are what makes our pages come to life. Sometimes I feel guilty when people compliment me on my pages, because they would be total crap if I wasn't working with your designs!

[knocks on wood] I feel pretty happy about my career. I'm a Sr. Director of Strategic Planning & Analytics for a F100 company. I can't think of a career that would be a better fit. I love photography, etc, but I could see myself getting annoyed dealing with clients.

In a perfect world, I'd only work 2-3 days per week or I'd be a socialite, ha!! I like to be busy. I'm definitely not full time SAHM/homemaker material. That's not my jam and I'm totally ok with that. I love being a parent, but not all day, lol <- how's that for candor?

 

[Kiana]

Lorie thank you for sharing your story. I love hearing how designers got into this..

Like you ... I need my day job for security. But my dream job would be to write full time. I am a published poet and have published 4 books so far. I have been published in various literary journals, magazines, had poems commissioned for another authors books and have been included in a local art exhibit. I just recently got my books included in my hometown library for circulation and in 2 of the Grand Rapids library branches for circulation.

I write poetry for therapy it is my passion and it has helped me heal through some tough times. I love sharing my poetry with others and having people connect. If I could make enough to live on with my poetry I'd be beyond the moon with joy. Until then I keep writing, sharing, and publishing my words for others.

 

[JoCee]

what a great story Lorie my friend, and I have seen how you have grown as a designer over many years... and continue to grow, you are amazing.

my dream job... I finally am living it.. full time designer. I left my job after 16 years in December of last year... had been wanting to do that for some time and when Covid hit... that was it for me. I actually still freelance for them which is fine as I can do it from home and it's a very easy job to do, plus the money doesn't hurt, lol.

I always wanted to do something with design and landed up in publications when I first started out. I worked on one of Australia's most popular women's magazines for a few years... we worked weekends and through the night when Princess Diana passed... was an amazing experience to see how a popular magazine functioned. I love working in publications. but I love designing more, lol.

Everyone sounds amazing at what you do and what your dreams are. I am waiting, not so patiently, until this Covid mess is over and Australia becomes part of the world again and then, as I told my husband... I will make his head spin with all the travelling I want us to do... and then I will scrap them.

 

[rach3975]

Very interesting to read about all of your career paths and dreams! I started working with preschoolers (baby sitting and summer jobs at a preschool's summer camp) when I was in high school. I LOVED that age group. In college I had to make a choice--I knew that preschoolers were my favorite age group to work with, but I also knew how much lower the pay was than for elementary school. So I made the practical choice to get certified for elementary, but I never had a real love for that the way I did for preschool. I ended up leading a K-3 afterschool program for a year before moving into public health and eventually becoming a SAHM.

When my youngest started kindergarten, the preschool my kids had all attended offered me a teaching job and I jumped at it. It was the best of all worlds--I would be working with preschoolers again, get a foot back in the working world, and still be home any time my kids were home. That was in 2014, and I'm still teaching at the same school. I still LOVE it. I've long said that the only thing that I don't love about teaching preschool is the salary. (Not to sound obsessed with money, but even if I worked full time I wouldn't earn enough to support myself and the kids. Public school teachers make more than double what I would if I did this full time, and I'm relatively well paid for a childcare worker.)

My middle son has multiple disabilities. He's on the autism spectrum, has ADHD, and has speech, sleep, and motor planning disorders. He's going into 10th grade this year. So in 3 more years, I won't be able to work during the school day without paying for some form of care for him. At my current salary, I'd hand over 100% of my take home pay to a caregiver. Since I don't want to stop working, I'm making some changes.

This fall I'm starting grad school (very part time) to work toward a Masters in Early Childhood Special Education and teaching licensure. In 3 years I'll finish and be able to work as a preschool special ed teacher in the public schools. I'm going to miss my current coworkers and preschool (where I've been since 2006, if you count my years as a parent and board member), but I'm very excited to transition into special ed!

 

[Kimberly27]

So cool to read about you all...My dream job was to teach but I then decided to stay at home with my kiddos. I tried out the usual stay at home jobs like Stampin Up, Creative Memories etc. I was a digi designer for a few years then life took over with kid 2...I then sold clothes through an online company. I am still trying to get rid of inventory...LOL

My boys are now almost 17 and will be a senior then the youngest is almost 11 and will be starting middle school. I am happy being at home for them...teen/preteen years are tough. My oldest has a girlfriend now and am glad to be home to hang out with them when they are here.

Hubby and I love to travel a lot...so we are looking forward to more time to do that together. He wants to me to start a travel podcast but I am still working on my thoughts.
We joke that I love being a trophy wife and running our burning ship...but I am a terrible housekeeper for sure...cooking not so bad but housekeeping I suck...LOL

 

[LJSDesigns]

Oddly, I'm not entirely sure. Sometimes I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up!

Right out of high school, I wanted to be a teacher. I started taking classes in elementary education. I had a teacher who really discouraged me and I made an abrupt change to majoring in accounting. I continued along that path for a little bit, but I was working full time and trying to go to school full time and I wasn't finding it easy. I finally just stopped enrolling in classes. I worked a lot of factory type jobs until 2000 when I lost my job because I had to miss too much work when my grandma had cancer. Grandparents aren't covered under FMLA. She raised me, she needed me and I wasn't going to refuse. Anyway, after that I got pregnant, had babies, and stayed home until the youngest started kindergarten in 2011.

At that point, I wasn't sure what to do. I had started designing when said youngest child was a few months old. I was still designing at this point when he went into kindergarten. I went to a PTO meeting at school and a principal asked me if I wanted a job. Long story short, I started working for the school part time. I did that for 2 years, working as an aide for the in-school suspension room/detention room, when a co-worker who was transferring to a different school asked me if I wanted his job. I laughed. He said I'd be good at it and told the principal as much. The next school year I started in technology. I did that for the last 8 years. Three years ago we started a STEM lab at school and I started teaching STEM classes since our technology lab turned into the STEM lab when the students went 1 to 1 with devices and no longer needed a dedicated lab. Somewhere around the time I started STEM, I went back to school. I had the most classes finished towards the elementary education degree so I decided to go that route for my associates.

That leads me to now... I have one year left for my bachelors degree. I am changing positions next year and leaving technology. My position is actually being eliminated. I was not asked to leave (in fact, I was told I could stay in it as long as I wanted to and it would still be open to me but that after I left the position would be eliminated) and the restructure of the technology department is partially due to my future plans anyway. I told the tech director last summer that I only had a year or two left before moving into a classroom. We have 3 elementary schools and 2 elementary tech aides. One building has not had an aide for the last 8 years because they have not been able to find a person who is qualified in both the technology aspect and doing aide duties. Knowing I would be leaving and that the technology needs would be changing with our implementation of 1 to 1 devices. Last summer the tech director overheard the other elementary tech aide and I talking and I said "Wouldn't it be great if they did away with tech aides at the building level and stationed you at the tech office and then had you roam between buildings?" He loved the idea (and so did she) and the idea for change was born. I could have taught this upcoming year on a limited license but I ultimately decided I didn't want that stress. One of my friends who has worked as a reading interventionist retired at the end of the school year. When I decided not to teach, I was asked to take her place as it was suggested that this would be good experience for teaching. I was quite torn but ultimately decided to give it a whirl. So, after 8 years in tech and 3 years teaching STEM, I will be teaching reading instead.

This time next year I should be readying my first classroom. However, is that my dream job? I don't know. I think so. I want to teach. I have loved teaching technology and STEM. I love the district I work for, the students and their families. I can see myself doing this and being great at it. Somehow though I still keep tossing around ideas in my head of jobs I would like. Most of these are things I could do on the side, or during summer breaks only, if I decided. I'm still full of design ideas and keep saying I'll start dabbling in that again when I'm not in school full time. I have always thought about going into photography, and I love our little farm so the idea of making a living with our livestock and land excites me as well. I guess the dream is doing a combination of all of it.

Like, I said, we all keep growing, so I thinking not knowing what your dream job is can be a part of that. I have dabbled a bit with the idea of being a surface designer, which I would love, but I know I don't have the time, or the talent, to be honest. I have also looked into other creative things, but again, time and talent, and also just being happy with what I am doing in the here and now.

I think having something on the side that fulfills a different part of you is also a great idea if you have the time and can balance it all. My son is a teacher, but during the summer, he puts on a different hat and writes. He loves it, but right now it is something he does on the side when he has time. Who knows what he may decide in the future. Just like you, he has time to figure it out at his own pace.

 

[LJSDesigns]

When I was little I wanted to be a mom. That's all I ever wanted. I remember we had to write a report on the career we wanted for future when I was in 6th grade. I said mom. My teacher said "that's not a career" and handed me a print out of information on child psychology. I stayed home with my kids until my oldest went into 4th grade and my youngest into kindergarten. I didn't plan to go back to work then, but stumbled into a job (explained below). I'm kind of glad I stumbled into it the way I did because I was able to ease back into the workforce and never felt stressed about it like I would have if I would have had to decide what I wanted to do.

I wanted to be a stay at home mom too. My husband and I shared a dream of having four kids and me being at home until the last one was in school and maybe even after to help him on the ranch. (I married a cowboy.) But when he passed, that dream changed from necessity and also from the realization after the first and only child I had, that I was not cut out to be a stay at home mom. Loved my boy to death, but I went about batty being at home and not feeling like I had control of things. Of course at that time, my whole world felt out of control, so maybe it would have been different with him. No way to know, but I knew that under the circumstances and on my own, one was enough. LOL

 

[LJSDesigns]

I am thinking about starting in middle school and just seeing where it goes. I could always do college too if I don't like it since I'll have a master's. I could begin working on my Ph.D. at some point, too.

That is what I do. It's just a hobby now. I love traveling and I take a ton of pictures while there.

My son teaches middle school English. He has his masters too and the thing that stinks is that in our area, his salary is not compensated for the extra education. He taught at the college level for years and really prefers it, but most colleges are not taking on full time professors to save on the benefit packages. It worked for a bit, but then his wife, who was a nurse and carried their insurance and stuff, wanted to go back to medical school, so he needed to get something with the benefits while she went to school. They are talking about him going back to being an adjunct professor once she graduates next year. If he does that, he can also be the main caregiver for my future grand babies, which he is totally down with, which she is the main breadwinner, which she is totally down with. I am down with anything that may get me a grandbaby some day. LOL

 

[LJSDesigns]

I've already worked at my dream job and am now on my 2nd dream job.

I started out thinking I wanted to be a teacher, teaching young ladies (and gents if they wanted) to be clerical workers. Now this was in the days of needing shorthand and using typewriters. Electric typewriters were not in every office yet either! To get the certificate to teach in the office setting classroom (intensive office education in those days), you needed to have at least 2 years of actual work experience in an office. So I got a job in a hospital accounting office and found that I actually liked working in an office and working with numbers. Never did get that teaching certificate.

I switched jobs in the hospital which turned out to be a not so great move so I ended up leaving there and actually returning to my hometown. I spent 6 months covering a maternity leave at a business college and also did some substitute teaching. Finally determined teaching was not for me. My next 2 jobs were in a facility that made Army tanks for the government and when contracts are up, workers get let go. Due to seniority I ended up being one of them. I then spent some time in a hospital x-ray department. Working around sick people wasn't a good fit for me.

I ended up going back to school and got an Associate's in accounting since I was having a hard time finding another job. Yep, I did it backwards since I already had a Bachelor's! Enough credits from the Bachelor's transferred that I only had 1 year of classes to take. Just 6 weeks into starting school, I got a job in a CPA firm. They let me work around my classes for the first 2.5 months (finishing out the fall quarter) then in January I went full time at work and switched to night classes. My 1 year of classes ended up being 2 because of working full time and the schedule of when the classes were offered. But I graduated with honors.

A position as a staff accountant opened up in another office in the firm and they offered the position to me so I took it. I did enjoy the work for the most part except for tax season. I found I hated taxes because the ones I was doing were very complicated. After I left that job I got a job as an accounting clerk in a company right here in my hometown. I did accounts payable, inventory work and backed up the payroll clerk. In other words my dream job! The only aspect of the job I grew to hate was dealing with people on the telephone. During my time working there I was diagnosed with a hearing issue. I don't need hearing aids and I'm fine when talking with people face to face but I just don't hear well when using the phone (or in large crowds). I had planned to work until I was 65 but my Dad passed away when I was almost 61 and I got an inheritance that enabled me to retire early. I worked another year getting things set up both personally and professionally for that. I ended up being in that position for 16 years, the longest I had ever worked anywhere!

I'm now on my dream job of retirement which was a blessing during the year 2020. I also have now dealt with the dental issues I had for the last 7 to 8 years and can actually start doing some of the things I dream about during my retirement. Traveling in 2021 is on the top of the list.

I started out wanting to be a teacher too, but then I got in the class room and discovered that I was not suited to shape little minds. A mass of kids freaks me out! LOL

Numbers freak me out too. LOL So not a math person, so I really admire anyone who is. I was once told I am not a logical thinker, which is why math is hard for me. I was insulted at the time, but now I can acknowledge that I am more of an emotional and creative thinker than a logical one. LOL

I am not exactly dreaming about retirement, but I have to admit I am preparing for it. I want to be able to live comfortably in retirement so I am doing the things I need to do now to make that happen. I figure I will retire in about 12 years, and then think more about what I want to do while I am retired. To be honest, I am not good without something to do every day. I need structure or I get lost in the weeds, so I am going to have to plan that time of my life out in a way that I still have a purpose and something to drive me. Which is one reason I plan to keep designing.

What about you, how do you handle your daily retirement life? Do you have a plan for each day or do you just go with the flow. I know you are suppsed to relax and just enjoy the moments in retirement, but again that is not me. I don't really know how to just relax and let things happen. Like I said, I need structure. That is probably really weird, but I tend to be weird. LOL

 

[LJSDesigns]

Lorie, I love that you're willing to share your story and I'm so glad you pursued your passion. I definitely admire you designers! You're are what makes our pages come to life. Sometimes I feel guilty when people compliment me on my pages, because they would be total crap if I wasn't working with your designs!

[knocks on wood] I feel pretty happy about my career. I'm a Sr. Director of Strategic Planning & Analytics for a F100 company. I can't think of a career that would be a better fit. I love photography, etc, but I could see myself getting annoyed dealing with clients.

In a perfect world, I'd only work 2-3 days per week or I'd be a socialite, ha!! I like to be busy. I'm definitely not full time SAHM/homemaker material. That's not my jam and I'm totally ok with that. I love being a parent, but not all day, lol <- how's that for candor?

LOL, I love your candor, cause I totally get it. I love my son, but being at home everyday is not for me. Even though I am a total homebody.

I would love to do 4 ten hour days each week at my office job, but so far, I have not been able to convince anyone to let me. I think a four day week would be awesome, but your idea of 2 or 3 is even better.

As to being a socialite... I would totally fail at that. But I wouldn't mind being the head of a charity and working to improve the lives of people or animals and mingling with socialites to get their donations. LOL

 

[jaye]

Love reading everyone’s stories, and thank you Lorie for opening it up.

Dream job would be to travel, take photos of our adventures, blog and publish those. I say ours as my chocolate Lab would be beside me in a motor home, flying I would go solo. Another dream is to have a little village cottage with some land for my Lab to run (I would probably add a couple), a few chickens and have a little coffee/sandwich shop in either Yorkshire England or Ireland.

I am in my 32nd year working as a Child Youth Worker. I spent the first two decades of my career in elementary school and have been in a high school for the last 12. For the longest time I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and I still love my job. That being said, I am losing faith in our education system and if I could find something else I would retire as soon as I’m eligible which is next year. Even with my pension I would have to work if I went at 55.

 

[AmieN1]

Oh I just love you Lorie! :wub:

I am a dental hygienist and knew I wanted to do that around my junior or senior year of high school by an off chance assignment! I had to do a job shadow/interview sort of thing and just happened to be going to a dental appointment. Sadly I can't remember the hygienist's name I saw- but she basically sold me on the career! I work part time- 2 days a week, make a great income, and get to do what I love- talking to & helping people!

Also- I'm totally a bit OCD and a type-A Planny Plannerson, so dental hygiene fits right in. We're working in millimeters and all of us in the dental field tend to swing to the perfectionist type of personality! I too am kind of a control freak, so getting people's mouths spick & span feeds my soul! lmao!

I also always knew I wanted to be a mother & with working part-time, I feel like I get the best of both worlds and feel like I'm home with the kids as much as I'm away. I rarely have to miss a school function or sporting events and typical dental office hours are pretty awesome. In my particular office, we work from 7-5 (Monday- Thursday, but I only work Tues/Thurs) and have a ton of time off- we never work most holidays and have a week off about every few months. Our doctors are super family oriented and that's sorta our office motto too- "treat everyone like they're our family." It's pretty much a perfect fit for me.

HOWEVER- I do plan to 'retire' from clinical dental hygiene in the next 5 years or so. It's a tough job on your body & I'm definitely feeling some of the negative- back always sore, tendonitis in my elbow & thumb and have started to have some issues with my wrist. I have been a hygienist for 17 years so I'm hoping to make it another 5 lol! It's funny because when I first came out of hygiene school- I was making big bucks & working full time & made more $$ than my husband. While I still make great $ considering my 2 days a week, he has FAR surpassed me and now I'm hoping to mooch off of him for the last 15 years until he retires too!

 

[LJSDesigns]

Lorie thank you for sharing your story. I love hearing how designers got into this..

Like you ... I need my day job for security. But my dream job would be to write full time. I am a published poet and have published 4 books so far. I have been published in various literary journals, magazines, had poems commissioned for another authors books and have been included in a local art exhibit. I just recently got my books included in my hometown library for circulation and in 2 of the Grand Rapids library branches for circulation.

I write poetry for therapy it is my passion and it has helped me heal through some tough times. I love sharing my poetry with others and having people connect. If I could make enough to live on with my poetry I'd be beyond the moon with joy. Until then I keep writing, sharing, and publishing my words for others.

I'm pretty sure we've talked about the fact that you and my son have poetry in common. I think it is amazing that you are a published poet! I love poetry and used to write it myself, which is how my son got started, but he blows me out of the water.

Poetry is a thing of beauty, but it's really hard to make a living at, so I totally understand where you are coming from with the day job. I wish more people appreciated the majesty of a well written poem, but I think less and less people are actually reading anything but social media these days.

If you don't mind, link us up to some of your work on line. I would love to read it and share it with my son.

 

[LJSDesigns]

what a great story Lorie my friend, and I have seen how you have grown as a designer over many years... and continue to grow, you are amazing.

my dream job... I finally am living it.. full time designer. I left my job after 16 years in December of last year... had been wanting to do that for some time and when Covid hit... that was it for me. I actually still freelance for them which is fine as I can do it from home and it's a very easy job to do, plus the money doesn't hurt, lol.

I always wanted to do something with design and landed up in publications when I first started out. I worked on one of Australia's most popular women's magazines for a few years... we worked weekends and through the night when Princess Diana passed... was an amazing experience to see how a popular magazine functioned. I love working in publications. but I love designing more, lol.

Everyone sounds amazing at what you do and what your dreams are. I am waiting, not so patiently, until this Covid mess is over and Australia becomes part of the world again and then, as I told my husband... I will make his head spin with all the travelling I want us to do... and then I will scrap them.

Jo, you are always way too sweet to me.

When I was younger, I wanted to be an editor, so your former job fascinates me. I bet it was amazing. I was up all night the night Princess Di died too, but mostly like so many others waiting and praying she's be okay. I can't say I was a huge Di fan, nothing against her, just not into non-Disney princesses I guess. It was knowing she had those two little boys at home who needed their mom that had me praying.

I miss all the magazines you used to be able to get. There is nothing better than a good magazine. I remember thinking how naughty I was when I would sneak one of my mom's True Story magazines to read! LOL

I am so happy you are working your dream job now, Jo, and so glad we get to do it here together. :wub:

 

[LJSDesigns]

Very interesting to read about all of your career paths and dreams! I started working with preschoolers (baby sitting and summer jobs at a preschool's summer camp) when I was in high school. I LOVED that age group. In college I had to make a choice--I knew that preschoolers were my favorite age group to work with, but I also knew how much lower the pay was than for elementary school. So I made the practical choice to get certified for elementary, but I never had a real love for that the way I did for preschool. I ended up leading a K-3 afterschool program for a year before moving into public health and eventually becoming a SAHM.

When my youngest started kindergarten, the preschool my kids had all attended offered me a teaching job and I jumped at it. It was the best of all worlds--I would be working with preschoolers again, get a foot back in the working world, and still be home any time my kids were home. That was in 2014, and I'm still teaching at the same school. I still LOVE it. I've long said that the only thing that I don't love about teaching preschool is the salary. (Not to sound obsessed with money, but even if I worked full time I wouldn't earn enough to support myself and the kids. Public school teachers make more than double what I would if I did this full time, and I'm relatively well paid for a childcare worker.)

My middle son has multiple disabilities. He's on the autism spectrum, has ADHD, and has speech, sleep, and motor planning disorders. He's going into 10th grade this year. So in 3 more years, I won't be able to work during the school day without paying for some form of care for him. At my current salary, I'd hand over 100% of my take home pay to a caregiver. Since I don't want to stop working, I'm making some changes.

This fall I'm starting grad school (very part time) to work toward a Masters in Early Childhood Special Education and teaching licensure. In 3 years I'll finish and be able to work as a preschool special ed teacher in the public schools. I'm going to miss my current coworkers and preschool (where I've been since 2006, if you count my years as a parent and board member), but I'm very excited to transition into special ed!

It takes a special person, who has the patience of a saint, to be able to work with young children. I am always amazed by people like you who can do it, because I know I couldn't.

It sucks how underpaid all teachers are, but I believe it when you say pre-school teachers are the lowest paid. To be honest, even though we all know how early teaching helps kids develop and thrive, I think a lot of people look at pre-school as babysitting, which is also underpaid in most cases. But don't get me started about the low pay for most of the people in this country because my soapbox on that one is pretty high.

Will your son always require specialized care? I can only imagine the cost. My father needed special care round the clock, he was a quadriplegic by the end of his battle with MD, and the cost devastated my parent emotionally and financially, even though we provided all but 8 hours a day of it so we could work, which is why my mom ended up living with me. Healthcare of that kind is another soapbox item for me as well, since I know first hand what it can do to a family.

 

[LJSDesigns]

So cool to read about you all...My dream job was to teach but I then decided to stay at home with my kiddos. I tried out the usual stay at home jobs like Stampin Up, Creative Memories etc. I was a digi designer for a few years then life took over with kid 2...I then sold clothes through an online company. I am still trying to get rid of inventory...LOL

My boys are now almost 17 and will be a senior then the youngest is almost 11 and will be starting middle school. I am happy being at home for them...teen/preteen years are tough. My oldest has a girlfriend now and am glad to be home to hang out with them when they are here.

Hubby and I love to travel a lot...so we are looking forward to more time to do that together. He wants to me to start a travel podcast but I am still working on my thoughts.
We joke that I love being a trophy wife and running our burning ship...but I am a terrible housekeeper for sure...cooking not so bad but housekeeping I suck...LOL

Those teen years are tough, so your kids are lucky to have you home with them. Had I stayed home with mine everyday during his teen years, he would have not made it out of them. Gosh, he was a jerk during his teens. LOL

I love the burning ship comment. LOL I am not a bad housekeeper, I just don't believe a little dust is a bad thing and I hate sweeping with a passion. I will do it, but I hate it. Frankly I would rather pay someone else to do it, but now that it is just me, it isn't worth paying anyone because I am not that messy. My mom was messy and a terrible housekeeper, so I have been doing housework since I was old enough to sweep. Maybe that is why I hate sweeping so much! LOL

What was your designer name? What made you stop designing?

 

[~Cindy~]

My dream job before kids was to be an architect or doctor. My mom thought nursing first would be good. She was so wrong! lol! I loved all of it but the teacher. If I didn't have kids and wasn't the one that's home with them. I would go back to be a doctor pediatrician more than likely.

I then went on to get my Associates Degree in Liberal Arts. I finished that when Cole was two. Once I had him I knew that I couldn't be in a class with him or several kids like him. I love that child but man he's 200% all day long. He has ADHD and is super smart but can't slow down long enough to get anything on paper. It would probably be totally different with kids that are not mine but, I wouldn't want to risk it. I always loved the little kids because they are so full of wonder and keep you on your toes.

Now my dream job would be something I could do from home. That didn't require me talking to people. I love Math and could definitely do something with numbers. I still have one child left at home until August of next year when she starts school. I am going to take that year and clean my house and enjoy the clean until they get home from school. Then after that figure out what it is I want to do. As my husband works for a school district in another state. I would be needed to do the majority of the holiday care etc. He does have some off but not all of the same ones that our kids do. So we will see.

 

[Kimberly27]

What was your designer name? What made you stop designing?

I designed under Leaving a Legacy Designs. I stopped when my youngest was about 6...got kind of burnt out after 4 yrs and needed a change. It was very time consuming...late hours. I miss it somedays but some not...I enjoy just scrapping now.

This was my very first kit...I was doing a lot of paper pieced stuff..I cringe now looking at it. LOL :w00t:

I got a little better after a while but never felt my stuff was great...LOL

Here are some of my paper pieced elements...my ad girl piled them all up for my going out of business ad

 

[LJSDesigns]

Love reading everyone’s stories, and thank you Lorie for opening it up.

Dream job would be to travel, take photos of our adventures, blog and publish those. I say ours as my chocolate Lab would be beside me in a motor home, flying I would go solo. Another dream is to have a little village cottage with some land for my Lab to run (I would probably add a couple), a few chickens and have a little coffee/sandwich shop in either Yorkshire England or Ireland.

I am in my 32nd year working as a Child Youth Worker. I spent the first two decades of my career in elementary school and have been in a high school for the last 12. For the longest time I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and I still love my job. That being said, I am losing faith in our education system and if I could find something else I would retire as soon as I’m eligible which is next year. Even with my pension I would have to work if I went at 55.

I think it is a shame when someone loves what they do, but wants out because of a failure in the system. I am sorry you are feeling that.

Your travel dream sounds wonderful, except for the motor home part. LOL I am not a big fan of motor homes and that may be because I live in the motor home capital of the world. They are just every where and they all look alike! LOL

I used to want to open a quilt shop, but I was a waitress all through college so any kind of food service is totally not in any dream I have. I hated waitressing. But I loved bartending. I guess I think drunk people are more fun than hungry ones.

 

[LJSDesigns]

Oh I just love you Lorie! :wub:

I am a dental hygienist and knew I wanted to do that around my junior or senior year of high school by an off chance assignment! I had to do a job shadow/interview sort of thing and just happened to be going to a dental appointment. Sadly I can't remember the hygienist's name I saw- but she basically sold me on the career! I work part time- 2 days a week, make a great income, and get to do what I love- talking to & helping people!

Also- I'm totally a bit OCD and a type-A Planny Plannerson, so dental hygiene fits right in. We're working in millimeters and all of us in the dental field tend to swing to the perfectionist type of personality! I too am kind of a control freak, so getting people's mouths spick & span feeds my soul! lmao!

I also always knew I wanted to be a mother & with working part-time, I feel like I get the best of both worlds and feel like I'm home with the kids as much as I'm away. I rarely have to miss a school function or sporting events and typical dental office hours are pretty awesome. In my particular office, we work from 7-5 (Monday- Thursday, but I only work Tues/Thurs) and have a ton of time off- we never work most holidays and have a week off about every few months. Our doctors are super family oriented and that's sorta our office motto too- "treat everyone like they're our family." It's pretty much a perfect fit for me.

HOWEVER- I do plan to 'retire' from clinical dental hygiene in the next 5 years or so. It's a tough job on your body & I'm definitely feeling some of the negative- back always sore, tendonitis in my elbow & thumb and have started to have some issues with my wrist. I have been a hygienist for 17 years so I'm hoping to make it another 5 lol! It's funny because when I first came out of hygiene school- I was making big bucks & working full time & made more $$ than my husband. While I still make great $ considering my 2 days a week, he has FAR surpassed me and now I'm hoping to mooch off of him for the last 15 years until he retires too!

Love you too Amie! :wub:

And I love that you are doing something you love, but I have to say I think you are crazy. Just the thought of putting my fingers in someone's mouth gives me the willies. I've seen some bad teeth in the world and I can't even imagine cleaning them. Bless you for not only doing it, but doing it well and happily. I'd never eant your job, but I would dearly love your schedule. No lie!

As far as mooching off your husband, I've seen the pictures and how he looks at you, so I am pretty sure he isn't going to mind it one little bit. LOL