What are you reaching for?

[Selfish]

My family wanted me to be either a teacher or a lawyer. (They`ve now taken up on the doctor/psychologist hope-theory - :) )

They want me to be like the rest of the family, actually. I think of all my uncles, aunts, cousins, etc., are either a lawyer or a teacher, or a doctor. :(

Going to have to pay for my own secondary education.
I didn`t really do well at school, either. (Got to get back either September or January, or ... well, whenever I get back to it. lol)

So, it looks like I`ll be either a secretary/reception or data entry clerk, retail clerk, whatever. This will be enough to pay rent, utilities, food. Maybe even get telephone and cable.

Worked as a janitor before, too, so I know that no matter where I end up I`ll find a way of making it fun.

What I`d like to do, though - what that little spark in my heart is calling for, is to continue being a writer. I don`t have to be published. Heck, I know that for ever five hundred thousand people hacking at their keyboard, there is only one published writer. This doesn`t detract from the fact that I AM a writer. My knowledge of the language is my instrument, carving out symphonies with words on blanked out documents. I weave stories from dreams and electricity.

I respect any one else out there who works in my craft, too. We may be considered hacks by others, but we are truly Wordsmiths.

I also salute the other Smiths; the electric guitar player, always looking for their major break into the bigtime, the programer who with nimble mind forges programs because they MUST (it`s an internal thing.)

It comes to mind that anyone who reaches for something, that pursues their dream EVEN IN "HARSH" REALITY, that they are fufilling their destiny.

(Not ever being recognized by the public, not being paid for their work, etc. Forum Mods and Admins come to mind. <giggles>)

Anyone who does their job and hates it, or just goes from mundane day to dreary night, really should look at how starved their soul is.
(Mind you, a starved soul could be symptomatic of a sick/injured/hungry/no music body, too.)

To the reader of this post, I direct these questions:
1) What are you reaching for - what feeds your soul?
2) How are you living your destiny now?


One last thing; I wouldn`t be comfortable giving too many details over the internet, so I don`t expect you to.

For me, if I were to answer the questions:

1) Research, Music and Magic feed my soul. I am currently enrolled in an apprenticeship program that uses my abilities. Hope to be able to finish college in four years.

2) I am a writer of fantasy fiction, often dipping into reality. I prefer writing about the typical day, messed up with some form of magic - even if its technologically based magic. My stories go up on my web log.

Ciao for now!

[Althane]

1) Knowledge! Knowledge is power, and I wish for the most power I can gain over people.

2) I'm in school. Good place to get general knowledge, if not working.

Simlpistic, aren't I? :)

To others: Is it me or does the person above like typign in really large letters?

Is it weird that that kind of annoys me?

[Melonwheels]

1) A corporate executive with the power to revolutionize the way we live.

2) I'm already accumulating the business acumenI need through university so I'm pretty satisfied.

[greed]

1.Money

2.Power

3.A long life.

And yes the large font is VERY annoying.

On living my destiny now... I'm very healthy, so I'm doing the life expectancy thing well.

[adamark]

I want to construct a new world!, make music, and loooooove. ;)

[Selfish]

Sorry, all. Point taken. No more type larger than two. It was an experiment, and it didn`t do as well as expected.
Thank you for your fairly gentle correction. :D

edit -- by the way, appreciate the sharing. Coolness abounds.

[Funka Genocide]

what an interesting thread, the large font in no way deterred my interest either, go figure eh?

We're in the same boat it appears, I really just want to write. Fiction, political commentary, comedic satire, storyboards and scripts for comics and movies, too many ideas and not enough time. If the proverbial Genie in a lamp gave me the power to twist fate in my own direction, I'd ask for six months of freedom to write something, anything.

Unfortunately I'm one of those "hate my job, gray days and chilly nights" sorts. Honestly, if I could quit this gig I'd have been out the door years ago, unfortunately the military is a bit more tenacious in it's employee retention than say, Wal Mart. They can send you to prison for quitting, heh.

and so I spend my empty hours madly hacking away at government purchased keyboards in the feeble hope that something brilliant slips out. Some day soon they'll let me go, and then I'll do what I was meant to.

entertain people who know how to read.

good luck to you sir!

[MuMu]

1) For now, Get out of my country. Fast. Pretending to go to Canada.

2) Finishing High School, going to a military one.

[Muffin Mage]

1) Learn everything worth knowing.

2) Do everything worth doing.

Not reaching high at all, am I?

[Demetrius]

1) The act of refined creation feeds the soul spot, be it electronics, sound, art or just finding something that feels right. As for what I reach for lets just say I'm the hopeless romantic type.

2) Dead stuck in the water... broken cars and medical bills suck the life outta me. 'But my heart will go on and ooooonn' (Titanic Cheese)

[Gilgamesh in a Hat]

1) Languages, I want to know every language this world has to offer. But I don't really want to be a linguist. I want to become a NASA engineer. I want to push mankind as far as possible, even if that means to mars. But more importantly, I want to effect the world. I want to be the pebble that causes the ripple, that leads to the wave, and ends up as a tidal wave. I want this world to feel my footprint in whatever way possible.

2) So far I have english, french, and arabic. I'm hoping to learn spanish and italian (with the french this will be easy) along side russian, japanese, and mabye some germanic languages. In engineering, I'm doing some studying by myself and enrolling in the florida institute of technology (biggest school for aerospace engineering, it works with nasa). But I don't know how this world should take me yet. Am I looking for politics? Is that what I was put here for?

Good topic, btw.

[CelesJessa]

I'd like to travel the world and help others become more aware of the world around them. (too many people are concerned only with what's going on in their country). Which is why I'm majoring in Japanese, with a minor in Asian studies, and eventually a minor in business.

I'd also like to continue to draw and create things.

[Corporate Evil]

1) Godhood.

And the contingency plan:

2) Probably something history-related, like Historian or something.

[Living Bobbeh]

The top shelf!

(drum noices)

[Azisien]

Long term, immortality. Short term, finish undergrad, secure some finance, and move into own house.

[greed]

Which is why I'm majoring in Japanese

We all know this is just so you can sit outside the place that publishes the FMA manga, and ambush the trucks as they come out, to get your FMA as soon as humanly possible, without having force some person to translate it for you.:D

[The_Phat_G]

2) Probably something history-related, like Historian or something.
See, I was all about the history major thing, but the 60-something papers a semester wasn't working out for me. Now I'm going for an anthropology major, and specializing in Asian studies. I'm also going to be trying to get into archeology.

Indiana Jones ftw

[Corporate Evil]

See, I was all about the history major thing, but the 60-something papers a semester wasn't working out for me. Now I'm going for an anthropology major, and specializing in Asian studies. I'm also going to be trying to get into archeology.

Indiana Jones ftw

Archeoligist was my first choice. Although I can write a damn good paper...

[Selfish]

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/

I found this to be interesting to my fellow writers. It is mainly to do with science fiction and fantasy, and it has an excellent "writer`s manual do and don`t" section.

And to all who have posted here, especially those who are reaching high and hard - If you cannot acheive perfection, may you find excellence as sweet.

I have been so very inspired by what I am reading here, makes me stronger in the faith of my goals.

[neyo the king]

1) I want to help people who have to much time on their hands (a.k.a. people like you! :p ). I want to program games! I WILL BE A STAR!

...

Actually, my real dream, the one I decided to be a programmer for, is that I want to put an easter egg in a game. Go me!

2) Taking some Computer classes, going to (try to) major in computer programming, maybe minor in... not sure really.

So... yeah.

[Lady Cygnet]

1) Well, I'd like to be able to continue to work, in one capacity or another, with children, victims of abuse, and those who have lost children. I also want to eventually have a home and family of my own.
2) At the moment, I work at a hospital, and I'm debating either becoming a certified grief counselor or going to grad school to get a degree in hospital administration. I also help with the church's children's ministry. As for the home and family bit, I'll get there eventually...I hope. :)

[Solid Snake]

1) For me, three things really fill my soul; my writing, the Bible, and my friends, and I cherish all three together, because they more or less complete the grander picture of who I am and who I want to be. Writing is my hobby; a little bit of fantasy and sci-fi, though I do a bit of autobiographical and nonfiction writing too. The Bible is more like a discipline, but it's one that's awfully rich in its rewards. My friends are quite simply my friends, and there's really no way to adequately describe them, except that now that I'm away from them I miss them terribly.

2) Right now, I haven't been immersed in any of these three things; circumstances called me away from my friends, working humdrum jobs back here has ruined my creative zeal to write, and given the losses of both my writing hobby and the interaction with my close friends, I'm losing a bit too much of my soul to invest it back into the Bible. It's kind of sad, but here's to hoping it's all only temporary.

[pictish]

I've got a couple of things I like. I'm wondering where I'm going with it all, I guess. No need to worry yet, I'm still a young 'in, so it's not like I have to choose right now.

So, lesse, first up has to be philosophy. I took a year course in it and absolutely loved it, and took it on myself to study logic in my free time. More than that, since I'm off to uni to study it, it looks like studying philosophy and understanding things is just something I wanna do.

Then there's comedy. Believe it or not I'm funny sometimes. To this end, I like writing comedy and I've done a couple of stand up acts before, with a mostly nice reception. I've not performed or wrote much in a while which is ashame. I do intend on writing more though, and if someone was stupid enough to pay me for it I'd love to write more comedy. I'll be trying my hand at writing more while keeping up with a philosophy course.

Aside from all that though, I'd be happy with not being unhappy if that makes sense. I don't need some shockingly amazing career to be happy. A job I like and enough money to get by without having to have everything would be nice enough - if I could pursue other joys in life too.

Anyway, that's enough of that. Good topic.

[Mesden]

Getting out of this goddamn hellhole.

[Satan's Onion]

Gee, but that's a bit ambiguous, Mes. Could you explain it some more?

On-topically speaking, I'd like to be able to write comedy for a living too, maybe as a writer/performer (in my dream world, it'd be in a group of writer/performers a la Monty Python). Haven't written much in years, tho'; something's just sort of missing that needs to be there to make the comedy pour out onto the page. The only ideas I've had are fanfiction, and I have a moral objection to fanfiction (mostly on account of it's no good, with only a few exceptions).

[Mesden]

Gee, but that's a bit ambiguous, Mes. Could you explain it some more?

Oh, excuse me. I was just stating my first and foremost reach.

To get the hell out of Alabama.

Oh, and past that, Financing. I'm set for college, pretty much. (Scholarship and some financial aid) and past that, well, my aunt has her own firm, so I can pull out some experience there, or hell, just work my way into very good pay there.

Just gotta get my CPA first. Then, maybe about a year or two past that, I(By my aunt's estimation) should probably be making in the range of 40,000+ a year, then keep on moving up.

It's a 'boring' job in which I get a lot of free time, easy work, and good money. So, that's what I'm reaching for.

Oh, and a nice husband someday, but not anytime soon.

[Satan's Onion]

Ah! Okay you do know I was trying to make a little bit of a joke there, right? Sorry if it kind of, erm, failed; my fault for not being explicit enough. Nicely thought out, yours--I'm still at the "start being funny, blahblahblah, and now I'm famous!" stage with mine :p .

[Dj_StarChild]

1. It is my hope that eventually, inhibitions, and political correctness will be things of the past, and that words, and ideas rather than actions will not be considered acts of violence. Whether I help in that goal or not doesn't matter. I just want it to happen.

2. I am a jack of all trades and master of none. I am currently attempting to hone my guitar skills. I am hoping that eventually, I will develop some kind of unique sound and ability that is rarely heard, without actually being instructed at all.

3. I would also like for tradition and myth to stop being the basis for current decisions or actions...furthermore, I would prefer that the population of the planet would adopt a philosophy of existentialism, because this other stuff just pisses me off.

4. that said, I suppose that I am in pursuit of an all-encompassing world-view, which I have been piecing together over the last few years out of scientific facts and philosophical doctrines of various thinkers. So far, what I consider to be the most logical choices are not the currently accepted views.

edit: I have no ambitions of living a cookie-cutter "get a job, get a wife, have 2 and a half kids, and then die without having done anything interesting to or with myself," kind of life.

[Kerensky287]

1. I get the feeling that the world's gonna end soon. I mean... with the USA in power, with George W. as their leader, with his overly enthusiastic finger over the Big Red Button... yeah, my intention is to either live to see the day, or stop it from happening. Not sure how it's gonna happen, but it would be pretty awesome...

2. I do a pretty good job of surviving right now... I mean, I get bored once in a while, but then I get distracted by Dawn of War or Snakes on a Plane or something. In fact, it was Starcraft most recently...

I don't really want to live a boring, repetitive life, but there's a very high chance that that will happen. Still, one can hope!

[Mesden]

This is the most belated thing evar,

Ah! Okay you do know I was trying to make a little bit of a joke there, right? Sorry if it kind of, erm, failed; my fault for not being explicit enough.

Oh, I know it was a satirical joke. I just kind of hinted at getting it by throwing in Alabama.

Because, it's Alabama.

Nicely thought out, yours

Why thank you! Just trying to make life an easy ride!

--I'm still at the "start being funny, blahblahblah, and now I'm famous!" stage with mine :p .

Hey, you gotta start somewhere! It's not like this is some bitch-off of who's gonna have a better life!

...or is it?

[Satan's Onion]

Hey, you gotta start somewhere! It's not like this is some bitch-off of who's gonna have a better life!

...or is it?

I hope not, 'cos you win*. In a good way, but...you've taken on the g*ddamn fifthfiend. I concede that one before it even happens.

*okay, I'm no great shakes at teh bitchiness. So to put that remark into perspective, it's kind of like...well, imagine yourself pitted against, say, an invalid toddler at football.

[Mesden]

I hope not, 'cos you win*.

Hear that? Hear that goals of my life? Hear that topic?

I win.

In a good way,

It had better be in a good way.

but...

Oh damnit. Here it comes.

you've taken on the g*ddamn fifthfiend.

...What an anticlimax. You say that likes it's some kind of achievement.

I mean, honestly, it's like

well, imagine yourself pitted against, say, an invalid toddler at football.

You took the words right out of my mouth!

[Fifthfiend]

I'd say something snippy, but I can't stop giggling at the use of "g*ddamn".

I mean honestly, that's just precious.

But really ladies, enough about me.

[Whale Biologist]

What I`d like to do, though - what that little spark in my heart is calling for, is to continue being a writer. I don`t have to be published. Heck, I know that for ever five hundred thousand people hacking at their keyboard, there is only one published writer. This doesn`t detract from the fact that I AM a writer. My knowledge of the language is my instrument, carving out symphonies with words on blanked out documents. I weave stories from dreams and electricity.
I, too, yearn to be poor and misunderstood. :)

Seriously, though, I want to be a published and lauded writer. I know my stories, I know they're good... however, I'm not so self-deluded to think that writing them is good enough for me. I seek the approval of people I respect looking at me and, for the first time, aiming respect right back at me.

I'd also like to kill people for profit.

[POS Industries]

enough about me.

And that's what I'm reaching for.

Oh, and also to figure out how I can get enough money together in order to finish college whilst simultaneously making use of any or all of my talents (however wholly unmarketable they may be) in order to make some sort of a living in the field of writing/acting/musicing.

And if all else fails, I can use that school finishing to get a job in something vaguely interesting like law enforcement. Anything that isn't technically a business. Bottom line profit-making kinda sickens me.

[TheSpacePope]

I plan on betraying the human race to our new alien overlords.
Barring that, I absolutely love minerals and gemstones, so I am going back to school to be a geologist.

[Specterbane]

Yeah, I'm looking at doing something with Robotics since I've always been interested in that. Although I'm not planning on just any robotics, like assembly lines or what not, I'm planning on going into nano-robotics. This means that after I finish my Bach. I'm probably going to do some masters work at some place on the other side of the US, and then maybe some PhD work at MIT or something. But yeah, so I guess I should get used to being a poor college student.

[Muffin Mage]

Yeah, guys, the problem with the whole "starving artist" image is that you end up starving. I plan on playing music professionally, but I plan on doing it without living on tapwater and Ramen noodles for ten years. I figure if that doesn't work out, since I'm also picking up a major in classical languages, I'll teach at one of those snooty prep schools in the Northeast. The inspiration for that came from my Physics teacher and is too complicated to go in to much detail about.

[CHICAGO¤lollie]

Mm. I'm just aiming for something where I can entertain and live at the same time. Comic work, animation, music, anything like that. :D

[RickZarber]

My passion is movies. Not so much film-making as videography. I love editing footage and mixing soundtracks about as much (or more) than actually making movies. DVD creation, too, is really fun. Unfortunately, I haven't made a movie of my own in years; the last few I was involved with were my brother's, and it's been almost a year now since the last of those. Granted, I was working on a massive Lord of the Rings parody, but that project finally collapsed under its own weight after 3 years of pre-production (mostly due to money problems, partially due to cast unavailability.) I may try restarting the project someday--I don't know. Three years of work is a lot to throw away...

If you had asked me ten years ago, I would have told you I wanted to be a director when I grew up. Now, what I've found I'm really reaching for is a lifestyle where I have a comfortable-enough income to support a movie-making hobby. Unfortunately, I'm not really good at anything mathmatical or such and I'm terrible with computers. (I mean, other than stuff like Photoshop.) Unfortunately, all of my talent got landed in the "Creative Arts" brain file. But there again, and to copy Starky, I'm a Jack of all Trades, Master of None. I like to write (and I'm pretty good at it; I just have a lack of drive and ideas), I'm into art (but not seriously enough to really work at improving), and I like to play guitar (ditto). So really, I have no employable talents.

Which is why I'm in retail. >.< That's how I'm "living my destiny": packing groceries, no car, living with my parents, and thousands of dollars in debt to my college (which I only attended for 3 semesters before goin' broke). Honestly, though, it's a step up from where I was two months ago, which was the same as above except for unemployed. For a year. So hey, I might not be goin' anywhere for the next few years, but at least I'm getting there. ;)

[Specterbane]

Mm. I'm just aiming for something where I can entertain and live at the same time. Comic work, animation, music, anything like that. :D

You know, I'd love to do my web comic full time too actually, kinda like Brian does. Except that I only wish I was as funny as he is, and I seem to regularly get myself in over my head with work to do for it and trying to have a life. I guess that's what I get for being a slacker though.