Tom’s Meandering Mind

Poignant articles on webdev & start-ups, pointless bytes, and pure lunacy. 
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Dreamers

You're going to wear out the snooze button again. Shower, shave, put the coffee on. Don the standard attire; suit jacket, a pair of slacks. Hair's getting a bit long; you should probably take care of that. 

"Yes sir, no sir, thank you sir," from inside three white walls. Remember! Don't fall asleep in the meeting. Grab a smoke. Is it lunch time yet?

Click. Logout. Mash the pedal, never escaping fast enough. Bumper to bumper the whole way. Finally home; too exhausted to care. 

Click. Lets see what's on.

---

Age nine. You're going to be an Astronaut. President. Explorer. You're going to be a fire engine.

You grew up. Manufactured some responsibilities. You went to college; got a proper job, at a proper company, in a proper suit — a proper cog. A modest home in a modest neighborhood. Dreams traded for security; hopes for rationalizations.


All because nobody ever told you...

You could have been a fire engine all along.


(There's still time)

Comments (10)

May 31, 2009
dhw said...
I find the stereotype of children wanting to be an astronaut or a president untrue. As people grow they seem to idealize and exaggerate the innocence of youth.
May 31, 2009
jbroadway said...
Beautiful and absolutely true. Each of us is a perpetual work of art that we get to make up as we go along. And there's always still time! Thanks for the inspiring words.
May 31, 2009
Lordboogar said...
I think the point is that people stop choosing at some point and let life happen to them in the standard way. Its easier than fighting for what you want, or believe in, or desire to achieve.

Whatever you dreamed of as a youth, Astronaut, Fireman, or otherwise - loose your passion somewhere in the standard and you're pretty much Effed.

May 31, 2009
 said...
I totally wanted to be either an astronaut, an acrobat or an architect (yes, they all start with A...) when I was 7. But that was just because there wasn't such a thing as a "web developer" yet, which when it goes well is kind of like being all three...

Some people *get* their dream job.

May 31, 2009
Josh said...
what is being president or a firefighter other than just another job anyway?
May 31, 2009
Daniel Larsson said...
Reminds me of:
Jun 01, 2009
Eric said...
And yet not everyone will be exactly what they dreamed to be at 7, and that should be OK too. The world needs people who don't have glamorous dream jobs, and they have the right to be just as happy as the presidents and the firefighters. Living in a modest house in a modest neighborhood can be dignified and fulfilling. I say, lets give the people with modest jobs a better shot by paying them a little more, respecting them a little more.
Jun 01, 2009
Tom Davis said...
dhw: Perhaps, but at some point in our lives we were all innocent; we all had dreams; we all failed to even comprehend the concept of not being able to do and be whatever we wanted. The point, I think, is to not lose that.

Josh: I think you're taking my chosen example a bit too literally. Presumably, if you wish your entire life to be President, then become President, it would not just be "another job" to you.

Daniel: Never seen that; awesome!

Jun 01, 2009
Cameron Rout said...
I don't know what you're talking about. I AM a fire engine. WooOOOoOOOooOOOooOOoo
Jun 01, 2009
Shanti said...
oOOOOOooo I'm a Space Cowboy oooOOOOOo

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