In most ways, I’d say that I have my dream job. I mean… I make and take pictures of doughnuts and cookies for a living. I had no idea that was even a possibility for me when I was in college writing essays about the Harlem Renaissance. No idea. I feel lucky to combine my love of dough and words here on this blog. If you want me to talk about the Harlem Renaissance we can, though my essay writing abilities aren’t as polished. A topic sentence?… please don’t make me do it.
I’m living in my dream job. Some days it feels like more job than dream… but that’s just the nature of having tasks to do. Because I’m greedy and have a healthy day-dreaming imagination, I entertain several daydream dream jobs in my mind. You should see what a good drummer I am in my mind’s eye. I’m amazing, but you’ll have to take my word for it.
A Daydream Dream Job is a job that you often picture yourself doing, free of the boundaries of age, lifestyle, and actual skill or ability. It’s out there, and so what!?
Other than the current dream job, where I photograph doughnuts on my living room floor, here are a few of my most daydreamed dream jobs. They range from ridiculous, to just… head-shaking no:
• Dream Job 1: Backup dancer for a Beyonce. In my mind backup dancers strike a lot of poses, wear bright red lipstick, and have flamboyant but supportive dance moves. Essentially, I’d like to dance next to the spotlight and be Beyonce’s cheerleader. Unfortunately I don’t have long hair to whip around, my body doesn’t twerk, and I incorporate way too much thumb into my dance moves.
• Dream Job 2: Anonymous advice column author. My advice would be a cross between my mom, the cashier at the grocery with purple hair and the most epic acrylic nails, and this guy. Essentially my advice would be a string of ‘giirrrlll, don’t play’ statements and affirmations.
• Dream Job 3: A drummer. My dream job is to be the drummer for the Foo Fighters. I know, the Foo Fighters already have an excellent drummer. That’s no problem, I want to BE Taylor Hawkins. Specifically, I want to be Taylor Hawkins playing The Pretender. I basically AM Taylor Hawkins when I’m driving alone in my car blasting that song. Again, you’ll have to take my word for it. (I’m shaking my head no… I’m awful).
• Dream Job 4: An ER Doctor alongside Anthony Edwards, Noah Wiley, and youthful George Clooney. I want to be an ER doctor among the original cast of the 90’s television drama ER. Don’t worry, this is a totally realistic dream job. You’re right, pipe dream. How about I just be Juliana Margulies before she goes to med school? Good dream job compromise? I thought so. (I confident that only two of you reading this have any idea what I’m talking about. I can’t help the specificity of my daydreams.)
Tell me tell me! What’s your daydream dream job? Does it involve Beyonce? Probably a little bit.
Belladonna
Ideally, I’d be starring in my own sitcom. I’d be quirky, but real. Think Zooey Deschanel meets Megan Mullally as Karen Walker meets Kaley Cuoco as Penny.
Runner-up choices: research chemist (no, really!), or running my own ever-so-charming pastry shop.
VeryZoe
I have a stack of daydream jobs, and now I have a name for them! Thanks Joy! Here are a few of them, in no particular order.
Own and run my own B&B or small motel. I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid, as I stayed in a lot of motels with my dad on holidays. I always thought being in charge of one would be fun. You can decorate however you like and it’s your job to make people feel comfortable and relaxed.
A 9-5 office job. I know this is a weird one, but I’ve only ever worked in retail and I’ve always kind of wondered what it would be like to work on an office. In my head it’s all fun morning teas and boring meetings and sitting at your desk all day, but I still want to try it out!
A 1950s style housewife. I just think it would be so great if I could keep on top of the housework and always have nice meals ready when my partner gets home from work and bake apple pies all the time. The only thing that’s stopping me is that I hate, hate, hate housework and have become very good at actively avoiding it!
Now I’m off to unload the dishwasher and run the robot vacuum through the halls. Ah, the future is amazing!
Abby Barstow
Hahahaha I love your answers. I can totally see you doing any of those jobs!
Let’s see, my daydream jobs would be A) movie star (even though I can’t act), B) a pop-star (even though I sing worse than I act), and C) a winner on So You Think You Can Dance (I danced as a kid so now I think I still can, even though I couldn’t really then).
Cayla
Daydream jobs:
1) Badass party DJ – the one that everyone wants to hire for their weddings and events because I’m that good. (This is a ridiculous ambition because if I was asked to mix music for a party, we’d be listening to the potently and patently bizarre mixture of early-2000s indie rock, 1950s do-wop, and 80s power ladies.)
2) Sardonic barista.
3) Personal assistant, a la “Miranda girl” – be the do-this, fetch-that, coordinate-these lackey for a big’n’important person. I am among the world’s most earnest people-pleasers, and this would be an amazingly exhausting application of those skills.
4) Organic produce farm help. Backbreaking labor appeals to me in a big way (especially after years of sitting at a desk and becoming a slug).
5) Cardiological rehab specialist, or, more generally,
6) Exercise instructor for geriatrics.
chris downie
this thread is great. I was going through my emails and it was your post which brought me back Cayla. great jobs still had more to read of these. also liked elsewhere marine creature trainer and Canadian JK Rowling but your DJ, Barista and PA great stuff +1
BryAnn Becker Knecht
Yes, I love list-making, Joy!
Move to England. Get my PhD in English Lit. Get awesome tenured gig.
OR
Move to Amsterdam and be a travel writer.
AND
Open a b&b writers’ retreat in the countryside (on my bucket list, and may actually happen!)
max
My dream job would be to own a really exclusive bar or restaurant where people would need a strict invite to enter. Obviously, everyone would want to enter but they just can’t without an invite.
simplyshannonk
My dream job is definitely to be a back up dancer to JT or Queen Bey. When I’m not watching myself dance. I am every bit as good as either one. I always do these hip hop routines to work out when my boyfriend isn’t home and I’m convinced I’m totally qualified.
luffkathy@gmail.com
Tree surgeon! That’s the UK term. Arboriculturalist?
Brittany
In first grade we had to draw a picture of what we wanted to be when we grew up. I drew myself in front of an ice cream truck. I would drive the truck as well as sample all the ice cream. I think it’s still a pretty good daydream dream job. My adult daydream dream job is to be a personal shopper for someone really fabulous and rich.
Amanda
I would love to be a yoga teacher living in London!
chickadeeworkshop
I’m retired and no longer concerned with a “dream job.” I do what I like to do…cooking when I feel like it, drawing, painting, sewing, crocheting, soon to be chicken-raising. But….when you mentioned the docs on E.R. my mind traveled back and stayed there for a long time. Clooney…oh my! This decade has been kind of the same because I got hooked on Gray’s Anatomy. Dr. McDreamy and Dr. McSteamy….sigh. I can’t believe McDreamy is gone!
Marie at the Lazy W
My daydream dream job would be: extremely successful and also inspirational and profound best selling novelist who travels to see friends and family regularly and run marathons in 3 hours, has a stunning home garden that is photographed and also sustains her kitchen, and whose hair is perfectly scrunched, not weird, and I speak extra languages. Don’t care which because I’m not greedy. And I can do a back handspring again.
amy
Joy,
I’m a first grade teacher, which I LOVE, but it’s so hectic and crazy that during the school year my daydream dream job is to get paid to lay on a couch, eat M&Ms and read voraciously. Know anyone who is hiring??
bhvhankes
This is the best string of comments! I actually never dream about this sort of thing (I am a little too practical, maybe), so I love seeing what comes up for others.
But, some things come to mind. Bed and breakfast owner, for the hospitality and the ability to make people comfortable and happy. Construction worker, as I’m always fascinated by the machinery and the act of making things. COO of a big art museum, since I like making things work and art is my passion. Maybe this is why I don’t say dream – I have such divergent interests!
Latey I’ve been doing some fierce day dreaming about where to live though, which I know you can relate to . . .
JB
I want be to the Canadian version of J.K. Rowling and write books that capture the imagination of kids and their parents. The best part would be an ongoing reading series where I get to travel to local libraries and read chapters of series to the patrons. Ideally on rainy afternoons where everyone gets their own comfy chair and mug of hot chocolate.