Walk a Mile in my Cowboy Boots...

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I've been thinking about this question a lot lately; how I responded to it as a child, and wondering if it's a normal query of yourself when nearing 30.

Thinking back to the early years of Des...

My mum tells me my first response to this was a fire-truck. Yep. Not the fire(wo)man, but the truck itself. As I grew, I decided I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn't know why, other than it sounded fancy and important.

My mum however, tried with all her might to convince me I wanted to be an orthodontist. I think that was after she realized how much it was going to cost to keep me in braces for 2 years...

One thing I distinctly remember thinking, from the fire-truck age, was that I always knew I wanted to be the boss of me.

By about midway through high school, I knew what I wanted to do. I had dreams of a uber chic, high end getaway spa, catering to very wealthy women who needed a few days away from the chaos of life. I know, it doesn't sound like much of a dream to most, but it was mine.

At the ripe age of 18, I began hairstyling and esthetics school, thinking that this would be the best way to get into the industry. Unfortunately, lifelong back problems and severe medical concerns with my hands rendered me unable to continue in a trade I had quickly come to love.

So, from there I kind of fell into a series of different jobs, some of which I loved, some that were just bringing in a paycheque, most of which brought wonderful people into my life, and all of which taught me something about the world, and about those in it; but most of all about myself.

A few years ago, after being laid off from a much loved position in the automotive field, and somehow ended up getting into Property Management. The people that I have met in this industry have become my best friends, my mentors, my family.

And so now I ask myself: is this what I want to do when I grow up?

If you could do anything in the world and get paid for it, what would it be? Would you watch TV? Travel? Write? Play video games? Me, I'd read. If someone would pay me to read, I would be the happiest woman around. Unfortunately, I am not quite sure how to get out into that exclusive literary field.

So I think that yes, this is what I am going to do. It's a field I love, it's new every day, and it's never dull.

And then, when I retire disgustingly young, I will buy me a few hundred acres, find all my animals (2 horses, 2 cows, 2 pigs, 2 goats, 2 chickens... you get the idea), own far too many toys, open my little country bar, and grow old teaching line dancing lessons in my cute little cowboy boots. Most importantly, I will be the boss of me.

So there you go, I wanna be a redneck when I grow up.

Until we meet again...