The Big 150: 18, Self – What did you want to be growing up? Why?
The Big 150: 18, Self – What did you want to be growing up? Why?
Oh, man. How far back do we want to go with this question of my childhood dreams? Preschool me wanted to be a police officer, and I’m pretty sure it’s because I wanted a dog and knew there was a K-9 Unit (literally the picture I colored for police officer was just of a female cop petting a dog outside her cop car, so I’m pretty sure it was truly more about the dog than anything else).
Post-preschool me wanted to trade in my potential badge for a life of entertainment. Funny enough, I was just talking about this question the other day (unrelated to writing my blog since I just pulled the card before writing this post) as a side tangent to answering a question about my favorite food. Yes, I understand the humor of acknowledging my tendency to side tangent given the subject matter of my previous blog.
In middle school, I had to draw (yes, draw) a foursquare of my favorite food, favorite sport, favorite hobby, and what I wanted to be when I grew up. No, this is not one of those sappy “I wrote happy and they said I didn’t understand the question and I said they didn’t understand life” posts. I wrote (sorry, I drew) actual concrete answers in the following order: a chicken Caesar salad; a basketball and a hockey stick; a group of musical notes, knitting needles, and a book; and a self-portrait of me on a stage.
My friends were blown away the other night when I mentioned that my favorite food was (and is) chicken caesar salad. Give me a perfectly-made chicken ceeze, and I will choose it over any other food. No apologies, no regrets. Sorry, pizza.
They were less surprised by the drawing of me up on a stage, performing and entertaining. That I get to get up on stages/screens as a performer and entertainer as part of my career path would have middle school me cheering in the front row. That’s right. Dare I say it, but BYE BYE BYE*NYSNC, middle school Johny has a new obsession: grown-up Johny.
Why did younger me want to be like present me? I’m not sure, but it could have something to do with why I’m still pursuing those dreams now: love of the craft, the rush of getting to do what I do, or how my mind gets into a flow state when I’m doing it. Whatever the reason my middle school self had, I thank her for it because here I am, living it day by day.
To young minds with big dreams and those ear-piercing *NSYNC screams,
Johny
ICYMI: The Big 150