Happy Friday, dear friends, and welcome to the Open Mic! If you’re new here or have forgotten how this works, when we don’t have a guest post, I pose a question and we all discuss in the comments. Ready? Here we go!
Today’s question: What are the jobs you might have had, in an alternate universe? Who are your alternate selves?
I made a ridiculous drawing, just for you!
It’s an odd question and you are free to interpret it how you like, but in my mind it refers to the things I wish I could do but just can’t in this life. For instance, gymnastics: by the time I learned it existed, I was too old to start. But I love to imagine an alternate world in which backflips and upper-body strength are mine for the enjoying. Also: I don’t have the voice to be an opera singer, though that’s another alternate self I like to think about. Or DJing: it’s something I don’t have time for now, but intend to take up should I ever (god forbid) lose my sight. How about you?
The mic stays open all weekend. See you in the comments!
satsumabug.com | Lisa Hsia 
I’ve known I wanted to be a pilot since I saw “The Right Stuff” in a movie theater. I was drawn to planes way before that, but never seriously considered it (no way was I going to join the Air Force.) When the pilot of the first shuttle flight got out after landing it and went around it, looking at the seams and checking the wheels with that smile on his face, I smiled too. I jumped off the sofa and cried because I understood how he felt.
I was meant to fly airplanes. It’s the only extremely technical thing that doesn’t scare me, despite the math. In my mind, I feel an affinity for airplanes as if they were living things that I could nurture and communicate with. I love them so much that I’m a cheap date– take me to a parking spot near an airport (just beneath one of the busy lanes), with sandwiches and something to drink, and I can watch the take-offs and approaches for hours as if each one was the first I ever saw. I know this doesn’t go with my ecological leanings, but the part me that’s awesruck by the fact that we can do it, isn’t daunted by the fact that we shouldn’t unless we figure out a much better way to fuel them.
I don’t think I’ll find a patient instructor, discretionary money for lessons, and the leisure time to indulge myself in this lifetime, but maybe someday I’ll find a gentle tutor to teach me me math– almost from scratch. It’s amazing how much I like the idea of using math to figure out what gases make up Titan’s atmosphere– for someone who’s always hated math at school. I’ve been told that an intense fear of math comes from having the wrong teachers.
Math expert in this lifetime– maybe.
Pilot in this lifetime– not likely.
I remember you telling me about your fascination with planes when we hung out in Chicago! Have you read Katie’s Making This Home blog? I’ve done a couple of guest posts there, and Katie has written about her adventures in learning to fly: http://www.makingthishome.com/category/learning-to-fly/
Erik is a lifelong math nerd who totally believes fear of math (and non-understanding of math) comes from having the wrong teachers.
Oooh! So I’m not crazy! Another eco-savvy person who loves airplanes! Thanks for the link, Lisa. (I’ll be going back again to search for your guest posts, too!)
I’m sure Erik’s right, and that’s so sad. Most of the time, they’ve only got that one first chance to grab a student’s attention. It’s a shame to squander it.
I always have fun reading Katie’s blog! 🙂 And now she and her husband are setting up house in an airplane hangar. So cool. 🙂
Teachers have so much power, for good and bad!
1. I’m a man. I’m a man in a woman’s body. Maybe a gay man, since I really like my husband.
2. In another plane, I continued teaching high school English. I often wish I could check in on that other me to see if she’s okay.
3. I’m a successful writer. (Emphasis on the third word.)
Love these, Anna. I don’t think I would make a good man but I’d love to try it for a day. Wouldn’t everyone love to switch places in that Freaky Fridayish way!
I always wanted to be a musician and make my living from that. Not pop or rock or such, just a guitarist who played well and others wanted in their band/quintet etc. Another dream is writing. I wrote poetry and short stories for years dreaming of the windfall. I had the lifestyle – ie. a room and keyboard – just not all the other trappings. 🙂
Enigmatic and mysterious: I’ll have to settle for that.
Ooh, I always wanted to be enigmatic and mysterious, but I’m such a naturally open person it just doesn’t work. 🙂
I’m fairly certain there is another me out there running around Africa in an old Land Cruiser studying wildlife biology. When I was much younger I wanted to be a paleontologist until I realized I’d be spending most of my time indoors (not being chased by dinosaurs like in Jurassic Park, bummer), but I was still interested in animals and their habits… especially efforts to preserve their habitats and population. An interesting tidbit… my parents were marine biologists and had the opportunity to work in the Bahamas before I was born. I’ve always wondered what I’d be like had I been born there! Perhaps I’d be a professional beach bum!
– Margaret
Margaret, I love this and the way you’ve written it. How cool to have marine biologist parents!
It’s a surprise to me that none of my alternate selves is ever working with animals, since I love them and was exposed to all kinds of biology stuff when I was younger (workshops in finding animal tracks, etc). I wonder which brain-pieces just aren’t connecting there.