I have a bumper sticker on my car with this saying. I take it to mean staying in touch with the all the enthusiasm, excitement, passion, creativity and general optimism that you had in your more youthful carefree days. When I was in high school and college, I had so many dreams and ideas! So many things I wanted to do and try! So much hope that there were solutions to things, answers to be found. I believed in grassroots efforts, strength in numbers, that the world was heading in the right direction, that the good and hopeful would eventually prevail. That I could do (almost) anything, if I really wanted to. Ha ha ha!
No, seriously, I still mostly believe in all that, but things do take on a different perspective as you get older. And busier, and responsible for pretty much everything to multiple other small human beings. I just do not have the time to think about, read or keep up with, or DO stuff relating to so many of these things that matter in the world, or even just things that I just like or care about.
But, they are still a part of me. And some days, I try hard to remember them, to remember how I felt and what I dreamed and did back then. Some of these things I am actually doing, in some small way, or have done and will probably do again. Some are still destinct possibilities for the future. Some are definitely no longer in the running (ha ha!), but I still like to remember the me that once dreamed those dreams. Anyway. Here's my list, in (very) rough chronological order. I'm sure there are tons I'm forgetting, but ah well. Old me forgets stuff, too.
- a muppet creator
- or a writer/stagehand for the Jim Henson Co & Sesame Street
- a kickass skateboarder (or snowboarder)
- a volkswagen van owner
- on tour with the Dead
- a web designer
- a biologist
- a farmer
- a drummer
- a travel writer
- a nature writer
- or a poet
- owner of a coffeeshop/bookstore/art gallery
- an artist
- a potter
- a radio DJ
- a world traveler
- a New Yorker
- owner of a studio space for kids creations & art
- an environmental educator
- a literacy/reading teacher
- an art teacher
- a children's librarian
- a houseboat owner
- a kids coffeehouse/playspace owner
- a lactation consultant
- a babywearing consultant
- a mom & baby store owner
- an etsy shop owner
- a freelance writer
Hmmm, I sense a couple of themes here. What do you think I'll end up with? At some point, my excuses for not attempting some of these things will no longer be valid (or rather, they will all be in school). Anyone gotta VW? Let's hit the road.
Posted by Judi on March 15, 2010 at 03:26 PM PDT #
Posted by Marilyn @ A Lot of Loves on March 15, 2010 at 04:55 PM PDT #
...except, you have to watch out with VW busses, especially the old ones... I have a friend who had a camper-bus, that he loved (the man made curtains for the thing)... it literally burst into flames one day while he was running in to the ATM... so, the lesson to be learned, I guess, is to be sure things like that are well-maintained.
Posted by Christine Davio Southam on March 17, 2010 at 08:23 AM PDT #