PROLOGUE
What am I talking about? I'm talking about exciting careers most of us (if not all) wanted to take up at some young point in our lives, only to either a) end up in an altogether different profession, or b) find out the hype was unnecessary, as in, discover that marine exploring was not so much diving for treasure as observing rare varieties of rock.
Here I'll try to encapsulate a few lofty plans I've had in mind.
PART ONE: Astronaut
Astronaut dreams usually have a short shelf life, but it could be extended substantially in the event of feigned ignorance.
Expectations
When five-year-olds think of being spacemen, they imagine this:
Fifteen-year-olds are slightly different in that respect:
Realistic Expectations
Well, what is one supposed to do aboard the spacecraft?
float... check
eat... check
wear marvellous spacesuit... check
Motivation
The idea of outer space is both fascinating and frightening. Lots of progress has been made in the field, although it's still something jaw-dropping and exotic. There are always risks involved, and often, thoughts like these sometimes seep through:
'I frequently become sea sick; how can I handle the space sick?'
'Will I be able to do whatever it is that astronauts do in spaceships while floating around like a fat balloon?'
However, these questions fire a sense of determination which is shortly followed by the 'Oh, I'll be so rich' line.
What does it
By this time, our subject has realised that if he wants to really harbour these dreams, there's no point working anywhere other than NASA... which needs US citizenship. So if he doesn't really fancy living in the States...
Oops.
... and 20/20 vision.
Oops.
... and a minimum height of 5 feet 4 inches.
&*^#!@*!!
Dream crash-landed in...
Usually the dream's duration is between 3-12 years.
Last Resort
Become rich and go for one of those 'civil astronaut' trips.
Verdict: Fun and enjoyable while it lasts.
(Read Part Two: Artist
Read Part Three: Archaeologist)
Verdict: Fun and enjoyable while it lasts.
(Read Part Two: Artist
Read Part Three: Archaeologist)
How could you even think of such a thing? :D
ReplyDeletePS: Even I wanted to be an astronaut, and archaeologist, a cricketer, a tennis player, a Beethoven, a 'scientist', an ornithologist, a detective, a 007, a Batman.
Beat THAT, lassie. ;)
- Sirius Canis.
That can be beaten ea-si-ly.
ReplyDeleteMy list includes an astronaut, an archaeologist , an F1 racer, a (good) tennis player, a scientist (of course), a genetic engineer, a zoologist, a palaeontologist, a detective WAY classier than the wayward 007, an artist/painter, a Freemason, a sports commentator, a writer (still on, by the way), and a World Wonder (maybe not, but who cares).
;)
But darling, I had about hundred more in mind.
ReplyDeleteJust thought it would clutter your blog.
Sirius.
Well...
ReplyDeleteIf I had to illustrate each and every one of mine, in similar format of the above post, I would probably reach Part Four Hundred and Sixty Two.
Just saying. ;)