So what was my dream job as a kid? Well funny you should ask. Let’s take a look at a journal entry from my childhood, shall we? We shall.
First things first you guys, let’s look at the date here. November 8th, 1999. I’m in middle school. As in I’m probably a little too old to still believe I have a shot at the Olympics- in three sports no less. I could barely make a lay-up at this time or do a back-walkover. But damn it that’s not going to stop my little heart from dreaming the biggest dreams it can.
1. Movie Star.
Obviously. If ever there was a kid who dreamed of having a turbulent childhood thanks to early stardom it was me. I so badly wanted to be child movie star. I would beg my mom to take me to the big city (Omaha) to audition for various roles. Sadly I was a little hard on the eyes and a little low on the talent so I never landed a single audition in Omaha (or Sioux City where I auditioned for Home Alone 3, although I think we all know I dodged a bullet with that one.) However, I was kind of the star of the Norfolk Theater world, at least from the years 1991-1994. Or whenever Klancy Nixon didn’t audition for my same part.
2. Olympic Anything.
I can remember watching the 1996 Olympics like it was yesterday. It was the dream team of gymnast girls. My idols. I’m not even going to name their names because you should know. YOU SHOULD KNOW. So in 1996 I decided I would go to the 2000 Olympics; I would be 13 and that was the perfect age to peak I figured.
I enrolled in gymnastics at the YMCA the next day and couldn’t wait to start competing. Sadly the mean instructors at the YMCA didn’t pass me on to the competitive level simply because I couldn’t land a cartwheel on the beam. So like all great athletes do when faced with a little adversity, I quit on the spot. I figured I could get in with track or basketball. Tons of little girls from rural Nebraska do.
3. Work at a magazine.
Spending my days drawing little cartoons of fashion girls with tiny waists, big hair and huge lips. Anyone remember those little drawings in old Seventeen mags? I lived for them. I used to spend my Sunday afternoons trying my hardest to replicate them exactly. If you’d like to know how they turned out please refer to the paper above and look at my drawing in the top right corner of a stick figure wearing a triangle hat… It’s right next to a cat face.
4. Design clothes for Limited Too!!
Just to ensure that everything in my wardrobe could be covered in glitter and fun phrases like “sassy and I like it” FOREVER.
5. Food Tester.
Which was originally model. You know those ugly kids who don’t realize they’re ugly but think they’re beautiful because they’re parents tell them they are? That was me. My inflated self esteem was through the roof as a kid. I thought my braces made my teeth sparkle and my fivehead gave me a unique sophisticated look… Once I wore my hair in pigtails and a boy called me a cocker spaniel and I took it as compliment. Because dogs are cute!
And yet I still decided to cross out model (quite aggressively I might add) and decide to be a food tester instead. Please note the taco and pizza drawings next to it. I went through a big taco and pizza drawing stage. I don’t think I need to point out that the taco is even 3D, pretty cool.
6. Write ghost stories.
Because ghost stories are awesome. I spent my early years as an elementary novelist focusing solely on the afterlife.
7. TV star.
I guess if all else fails I could star in a TGIF show or something.
8. Write super kewl movies that I get to star in.
Only because now I’m starting to be a little more realistic, but still clearly feeling good about my future because I threw in the fancy “S.”
9. SNL.
I don’t care what anyone says, SNL has my heart. Always and forever.
And what’s my dream job today you might ask? All of the above.
Catch your dreams before they slip away... -Rolling Stones. If there’s anyone to take inspirational quotes from it’s rockstars.
What is your dream job? Link up below.
‘);
I LOVE MOVIE STAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I always wanted to be an astronaut growing up! Then I wanted to be a flight attendant!
OH MY GOD, i'm dying right now. I can't believe you actually have this IN WRITING! you should totally frame it and keep it at your desk.
Design clothes for Limited Too!!! The best!
You wrote that entry on my 10th birthday! I definitely wouldn't mind writing a movie and maybe playing a smaller role in it.. but I don't think I was made for the big screen. This post is great! I love that you have those written down 😀
OH MY GOD. this journal entry is the best thing ever. i feel like this is exactly what mine looked like. this is the best thing ever.
I really still see you as a fashion designer for limited too (or I guess we are calling it Justice now) so maybe you should pursue that. Haha I'm kidding, but I do love peeks at baby Taylor's diary entries, in someways it seems you are still following all of these dreams!
Your journal entries are pretty much the best things ever. I think every one of these would have been on my list, except design clothes for Limited Too. My parents kept my mall shopping to the department stores only.
I used to draw the fancy "S" all the time!!
OMG I had forgotten my dreams of being an Olympic gymnast!!!
I love the page out of your journal! All great job ideas…I too wanted to be in the Olympics! lol!
SNL is the best! I grew up on that show!
Oh! I have absolutely taken an insult as a compliment. In 8th grade I had no inkling that pants were supposed to cover ankles or that highwaters were uncool. So when a boy said, "I like your shorts" I thought, "That's nice of him. And how unusual that he refers to pants as shorts! We should date." Ah, innocence.
I'm so glad you shared this list! I used to have all my childhood writings, but finally purged them and have regretted it ever since.
I'd like to formally request a post featuring a ghost story.
This is seriously awesome.
And I really hope that SNL thing works out because that would be awesome!
I love that you went from model to food tester in the same line – that is awesome 🙂
Alyssa
http://www.feathersandstripes.com
"I thought my braces made my teeth sparkle"… Gold. Died laughing.
I love that you've wanted SNL from the start. I think that says a lot. Oh and I was totally going to be an olympic gymnast too after the '96 olympics, still can't do a proper cartwheel. Oh well.
Limited Too! You need to start this place up again so we can have all the glittery tops. Also, remember how bath and body works had that glitter roll on? I remember having to buy a new tube of that for homecoming one year in some sort of berry scent and putting it ALL over my shoulders and arms. You had to glisten, right?:)
Your writing style just may be my favorite of all blogs. Honestly :).
P.S- those Olympics really suck you in don't they? Even this 6 foot body once envisioned being an Olympic gymnast after watching those games lol.
That list rocks! And I completely understand why you took being called cocker spaniel as a complement – I still have an old picture of me dressing up as a dog for Hallowe'en. Not good. I'm posing with a cheerleader and a hula dancer. I had no clue.
Ahhhhahaha. I love your diary entries. Completely awesome that SNL is on the list.
I love that you wrote a journal about this! and you kept it.
Amazing! Loved the diary!
My nr 1 would be: Write ghost stories. I mean you can still do it now, right?! Being a writer in general sounds pretty amazing to me 🙂
Thanks for sharing such great teen memories with us. 🙂
xo,
Luchessa @ http://luchessa.org/
That's amazing that you still have a list like this all these years later! I'd say there's still a fair amount of hope for at least half of those!
V
Life+1
I wish I could find my journal from years ago. It was fun looking at what you wrote. My favorite is movie star because I wanted to be one too when I was in middle school!
My dream job as a kid was to work as a princess at Disneyland. Now my dream job is one that's only three days a week…
That is so cool that you still have that!
I sadly didn't bring any of my old stuff so I don't have it at hand..
Diana – Life in German.
These are wonderful – I love the model that was replaced with food tester. I completely agree with that one – I would be a food tester over a model any day!
Emma | frillsanddoodads.com