Like Father, Like...Daughter?

There are times when I lament that I’ve never had that one specific calling in life. Like my Dad. He knew probably by age 3 that he wanted to fly, so he went to college, joined the Air Force, and then became a pilot. He had a love and passion for his job that most people would envy – including me!

My interests, over my life, have been so varied that I’ve never had that one specific career in mind.

The first answer that my parents remember me voicing to the all important “what-do-you-want-to-be-when-you-grow-up” question was a cook, which I supposedly announced with pride at my pre-school graduation. The reason I gave for that profession was simple yet rational: “because I like to eat!”

Though I still liked to eat (and still do), my interests and ideas for a profession changed throughout my childhood. For a while I wanted to be a librarian, playing for hours in front of the bookcase, pretending to check out books for my “clients” (all the stuffed animals I owned). Then I wanted to be a teacher, and later, a writer.

But, I changed my mind again and decided I wanted to be a newscaster. That potential job stuck the longest, as I eventually chose a college and a major based on that goal. It lasted exactly until my first broadcasting class, which I hated. I promptly changed my major and my career goal, which was a good thing because I can’t imagine myself now as a newscaster.

Even recently, I’ve toyed with new ideas for potential jobs. I'm even considering some of the ideas from my youth. So, one day I might actually be working as a cook or a teacher - or maybe even a writer.

I would often wonder why I wasn’t more like my Dad - someone that dreamed of his future profession at such an early age and fulfilled his goal in said profession.

But after talking to my Dad this weekend, I realize that I am like him. He spoke of a few things he was working on, and none of them were pilot-related.

Though he had one main job (a pilot) throughout his life, his interests were and are just as varied as mine.

In his free time, he creates a variety of artwork. (You only need to walk through my parents’ house to see his efforts hung all over the walls.)

And he likes finances and watching the stock market. I do, too.

Oh – and did I mention the book that he’s working on? He enjoys writing in his free time. I do, too.

And there’s a variety of other interests that he likes. Photography. Music – specifically, the piano. Swimming. Comedy. Business. Reading. Tennis. Cooking. He enjoys them all. I do, too.

From my Dad, I’ve learned that you can love your job - and a variety of hobbies, too. Though I never had that one single calling at a young age, I’ve had the adventure of trying a lot of different things - jobs and otherwise.

Sure, I’ll never be able to answer the “what are you?” question with a single word, like “nurse,” “accountant,” or “baker.” It makes small talk at dinner parties a little trickier, but it sure makes life a lot more fun. And if you don't believe me - just ask my Dad!

the surprise

Good idea: buying Husband a yellow, smiley balloon for no real reason, as a surprise.

Bad idea: letting the balloon escape while attempting to tie it down to a basket in the trunk of my car.

I had no choice but to stand and laugh in the parking lot of the Dollar Store, watching $1.05 and the only surprise I purchased for Husband quickly rise above me. The large yellow smiley on the balloon, only added to the humor of the situation, as it’s glowing yellow face seemed to be smiling as it found its freedom in the sky.

So my surprise for Husband was not the balloon I intended, but rather this simple, comic story that I relayed to him on the voicemail of his cell phone as I stood in the parking lot.

Meals (and smiles) on Wheels

All I need to know I learned from being a Meals on Wheels volunteer today....never underestimate the power of a warm smile and a hot meal to make someone's day!

my addiction

They say that admitting your addiction is the first step. So, here goes... I'm addicted to eBay. There, I feel better already. It started a few weeks ago. My husband had a video game he hated, and we couldn't figure out to do with it, since it didn't fit any of the normal categories of donations for charity. (Clothes go to Disabled American Vets, appliances go to Goodwill, and CDs and DVDs go overseas to the troops.) But - what to do with a video game? A bad one, at that. And then it came to me... eBay. It seemed the perfect excuse to try a new life experience. I'd bought something once on it (a vintage Life magazine from 1943, for the low price of $3), but wanted to see what it was like to sell. Husband was skeptical ("what chump would actually buy this horrible game?"), but shrugged and let me continue on with my plan and excitement. So, on it went - the Bullet Witch video game for XBox 360 for a price of $7.99, and the first sweet taste of selling on eBay. I was hooked. The deal was overwhelming successful. We got rid of it - for a cool 20 bucks! I'm not sure what about selling on eBay is so enticing. Perhaps it's the novelty of knowing that someone actually wants to buy your junk. Not just buy, but bid on it to a near insane price. But like any addict, once the the Bullet Witch game was in the mail to its new owner (the poor sap), I needed my next fix. So on went another video game and a DVD. I'd rush to the computer to check the status at least twice a day and proudly announce any updates. ("Sweetie, your game is up to $9!") I also began look at my possessions differently. I'd see something in our house, admire it, and then think: "Hmm...I wonder what this would fetch on eBay..." Who knows if there's any 12-step program to shake off the eBay addiction. If there is, I'll skip it. I kinda like being an eBay addict. Besides, it's not really a problem. The only problem is.... what do I sell next??

A bargain and a fortune (cookie)

I love good restaurants. And tonight, Wok N' Roll qualified as a good one - a Chinese buffet with its endless supply of fresh sushi. I was in a sushi mood, and you can't beat the 20 pieces I ate for a bargain price of $11.99. Plus, besides sushi - fresh fruit, yummy steamed rice, egg rolls, and, of course, the fortune cookies that signal the end of the dinner. Which brings me to the point of this post... These are the fortunes that awaited us tonight: "Today is a disastrous day. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." Hmm... I did do some running today, which was pretty disastrous in itself, but I don't think that branded the whole day as such. And then: "We treat this world of ours as though we had a spare in the trunk." They do have a point. My trunk has some old books, boxes, a cooler, and a chair - but certainly no world. I don't think either of these qualify as a real 'fortune,' but they made me laugh. So for only $11.99, I got sushi and a laugh. Far from a disastrous day!

So here I am...

...with my own new blog. This is no small feat for me, considering I’m pretty technologically challenged.

One friend, when I generously offered to give him a ride a while ago, pointed out that my car was a time machine on wheels. He was right, since not many cars have nowadays have cassette tape players as their only source for playing music. But I’m proud to say that I invested in a CD player for my car last year, and I finally subscribed to cable internet last month. So what’s next for me – an I-Pod??

You’ll probably see some of my other quirks throughout my writings. Don’t worry – I don’t mind if you have a laugh or two at my expense. But more importantly, I hope my writings might inspire you in some small way. Thanks for reading!

All the best,

Tootie