# What is your day job and what do you WISH your day job could be?



## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

I will start.  By day, I work as an engineer for a company that builds cell phone towers.

By might, I am an author and musician. My absolute dream is to make a living from novels and music. I'm one step closer to that dream (but still so, so far away)!

How about you all?


----------



## spotsmom (Jan 20, 2011)

I am a GIS (geographic info systems) tech and I wish I was either retired, or working for our local High Desert Museum (desert/native American stuff plus outdoor animals) or doing some kind of music.


----------



## SimonWood (Nov 13, 2009)

I write full time these days so I've landed my dream job.  However, I've always wanted to be a late night radio DJ.


----------



## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

I am college student working in fast food.

I wanna be done with school and in hospitals as a nurse. I really want to help people whether it be teaching or nursing


----------



## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

I'm a full-time student, doing my Masters in Comparative Religion and a full-time writer so I figure I'm living the dream... only other thing I'd really love to do would be an archaeologist but I think I've passed my prime on that one


----------



## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm an environmental engineering grad student with 2 weeks left of grad school and no job lined up. Right now, my day job is school / working as a receptionist. I hope I will be able to find a real job soon, either in environmental engineering/science, or doing educational outreach at schools/museums. At this point, I'm not picky.


----------



## Ben White (Feb 11, 2011)

At-home dad and indie author ... at-home dad and indie author


----------



## Angela Carlie (Mar 10, 2011)

I'm a licensed massage therapist by day. Unfortunately my arthritis and tendonitis in my hands are killing me. I'd LOVE to be able to quit my day job and write full time. I'm a dreamer.


----------



## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

I'm a SAHM as well as a writer and graphic designer. I do the design work for the money and the writing for the love. Ideally I'd like writing to be my only job but I'm not expecting that day to come any time soon. In the meantime designing book covers and author promo items pays for my car, my girls' schooling, and a bit more besides so it's been good work for me.


----------



## SebastianDark (Apr 3, 2011)

I work at a criminal consulting firm out of Chicago.  My work experience is actually what inspired me to write my book, THE TARGETS.  

I like my line of work, and enjoy the people I do it with.  Lots of smart young kids in there with me.  And, I get to travel a lot, so that's (maybe) a plus..


----------



## Mike D. aka jmiked (Oct 28, 2008)

My day job is lounging around the house reading, then going out for a geocaching spin on my bike, or a long hike in a park, or more reading. It's a lot like my night job.

I'm retired.  

Before I wised up, I was a mechanical designer and mid-level supervisor for a process control instrument company.

Mike


----------



## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

I don't do nothin'......and I don't do that until afternoon !!


----------



## Margaret (Jan 1, 2010)

I am an elementary school library teacher.  I love my job, but I have to admit that I have always wanted to perform in a Broadway musical.  However, I have no singing or dancing talent whatsoever, so it is not likely to happen.


----------



## R. M. Reed (Nov 11, 2009)

Bus driver - film director. Full time writer would be good too.


----------



## Christine Kersey (Feb 13, 2011)

I do technical support for student information systems. I would love to be a full-time writer!


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Official court reporter in circuit court.....I love my job and have wanted this position for a long time.  
deb


----------



## SW (Dec 27, 2010)

I'm a very content homemaker and homeschooler.  I love seeing things click when my kid learns something new.

My wilder side would love to be one of those people who crash cars for a living.  You know the ones... They work in a lab and crash insanely expensive cars to see how they "hold up" in a crash.


----------



## bnapier (Apr 26, 2010)

I AM: Proposal Coordinator/Specialist

WANT TO BE: Full Time Writer


----------



## BMathison (Feb 4, 2011)

Day Job: Office Manager & part-time writer

Dream Job:  I'd like to write and volunteer at a variety of places.  This falls into my "retirement goals" twenty years from now.


----------



## Holly B (Nov 15, 2010)

I am a technical writer. I edit and promote my husband's writing works now on a part-time basis, but the dream is do be able to do it fulltime.


----------



## HaemishM (Dec 9, 2009)

My day job is web site designer at an ad agency, but of course, my dream job is to be a published author who makes a comfortable living from his books. I'm working on that second one.


----------



## bobavey (Sep 14, 2010)

My day job is in accounting. I used to daydream of writing for a living.


----------



## hellotimon (Nov 16, 2010)

I work part time in banking (30+ years).

My dream job would be a court reporter or a tennis player!


----------



## amandamay83 (Apr 11, 2011)

Day Job:  Legal assistant (okay, okay...glorified secretary  )

Dream Job:  Lawyer.  I used to think I wasn't smart enough to be a lawyer.  Now that I see the kind of idiots that they give law licenses to, I know I couldn't do any worse.


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

amandamay83 said:


> Dream Job: Lawyer. I used to think I wasn't smart enough to be a lawyer. Now that I see the kind of idiots that they give law licenses to, I know I couldn't do any worse.


OMG, I LOVE your post. I totally agree!
deb


----------



## deanfromaustralia (Mar 24, 2011)

My day job is actually more of a night job as I seem to work more nights than I do days. I am an ICU Nurse working mainly with children and neonates. Have been a nurse for about 15 years and have pretty much seen it all , but my preference is for pediatrics. Nursing children and in particular babies requires a particular set of assessment and observation skills because kids can't always tell you what is wrong. The spin off benefit for me as an author is that I have been able to use those assessment and observation skills in my story craft and I think it has been really effective. 

I am happy with my occupation.


----------



## Cristian YoungMiller (Mar 3, 2011)

Currently I work as a background actor on TV shows and moives. I do this so that I can spend more time writing. You can see me in the season finale of Grey Anatomy and the season finale of Bones.


----------



## Patrick Skelton (Jan 7, 2011)

Christian,

Wow! A real Hollywood actor in our midst!  Sorry to be nosy...but do gigs like that pay well?


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

I have landed on dream job-- writing and walking. I could use a good company for walking, perhaps.


----------



## arshield (Nov 17, 2008)

Full time nanny for my 2 and 3.5 yr old nieces and part time non-profit consultant (a little grant writing, a little program review, a little data analysis.)

I like what I do, I wish I had more time in the day to do it all well.  I also do book blogging and would like to spend more time on that.  But you can only do what you can do.


----------



## VKScott (Apr 14, 2011)

Day job(s): high school English teacher, online Adjunct faculty with two for-profit colleges.

Dream job: Full-time writer, part-time rock guitarist. I was in a band in high school, and my memories of playing gigs and recording are still some of my fondest. Unfortunately, I've yet to find anyone with similar musical tastes who 1) plays and instrument and 2) lives close enough to make practice viable.


----------



## Guest (Apr 22, 2011)

Print designer.

I wish to direct flicks for adults


----------



## Thumper (Feb 26, 2009)

Day job: writer
Wish I was: a retired millionaire.


----------



## Mark Adair (Dec 4, 2010)

Design and develop software systems during the day, writing fiction at night. Transitioning over the next few years to my dream job, full-time novelist.


----------



## William Campbell (Feb 11, 2010)

Day job: computer prepress ( = I make printing plates, and all that leads up to it).

I don't wish for another job since I love the one I have. It wasn't always that way, but after as many years in the printing business (since a teenager), amassing experience has led to a situation that is delightful.

But then, when I was a kid, I did long to be an astronaut...


----------



## Cristian YoungMiller (Mar 3, 2011)

Patrick Skelton said:


> Christian,
> 
> Wow! A real Hollywood actor in our midst! Sorry to be nosy...but do gigs like that pay well?


No, I do background acting so it doesn't pay well at all. It is just a fun job that will allow me to spend more time writing.


----------



## CNDudley (May 14, 2010)

This is a fascinating thread! Love the fact that so many who have dreamed of being writers are carving out the time where they can.

I'm a SAHM and PW (Pastor's wife), writer, and blogger for my local farmers market.

I'd say I'm pretty content, but I do have impossible dreams of being an epidemiologist because I love to read non-fic about infectious diseases. Ha ha.


----------



## JETaylor (Jan 25, 2011)

Day Job:  Business Analyst in the financial & insurance industry.  

Night Job:  Writing my own stuff,  formatting for eXcessica and assistant editor for Allegory ezine - of course that's when I'm not carting the kids around to their activities.  

Dream Job:  Writing, directing & producing major motion pictures  OR writing full time in a coastal house in Maine.


----------



## AnnetteL (Jul 14, 2010)

Day job: 

Mom
Writer
Editor

What I want to be: 
A better mom
A writer who makes more so she doesn't have to edit. 

I'm pretty much what I want to be. I'd just like to be more of it!


----------



## MarieDees (Feb 14, 2011)

I use to work in corporate communications and hated the stress. Now I work for a small social media company during the day, pick up spare editing jobs from a publisher and work on my own writing. 

I've discovered that as much as I love writing, there's a certain joy in editing and seeing other stories I've work on in print. That and teaching writing.


----------



## Ian Weaver (Oct 9, 2010)

I am a full time house husband but my wish would be - to be back flying jets in the RAF

Ian


----------



## Keira Lea (Apr 15, 2011)

I'm a project manager during the day (and sometimes at night). It's good discipline for finishing novels!


----------



## ayuryogini (Jan 3, 2010)

My day job is as a Registered Nurse working with preemies and pediatrics (and in the past, L&D)
After doing this for over 30 years, what I'd like to do is be an independently wealthy retired person.


----------



## Elizabeth Black (Apr 8, 2011)

I'm a writer for a British sex toys company.


----------



## JD Rhoades (Feb 18, 2011)

SimonWood said:


> I write full time these days so I've landed my dream job. However, I've always wanted to be a late night radio DJ.


Done that. It has its good points, but getting my days and nights turned around makes me a little squirrelly after a couple of weeks. Like I needed any help.

Right now I practice law. Would really love to be able to write full time.


----------



## Erin Zarro (Apr 30, 2011)

I'm an office manager for a small marketing firm.  Been there 10 years this June.  Been writing in my spare time for many years.

I'd love to be a fulltime novelist.


Cheers,
E.


----------

