I don't want to grow up...

“Just curious about what all of you folks want to be when you grow up...and if you think you are grown up...think again...life has endless opppertunities for exploration...and those who think they know everything are the people I feel most soory for...how boring life would be! So what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“I want to be the ranger at the Visitor's Center at the Parks to answer all the little kids questions and take them on hikes. Just to hear them say, OOOH AAAH would be the best. Maybe turn them on to this terrific appreciation for life before they get to be my age. What a great way to spend the days. AAAAAHHHHH!!!”

“I`ve got a list, but I`ve checked a bunch of `em off already.
I grew up as a cowboy, I used to rope and ride wild stock and did the rodeo thing until I got serious about a wife. I`ve turned my hand as a carpenter and a brick mason, been a truck driver and heavy equipment operator, been a welder, a millwright and the list goes on. I`ve always been a dreamer and I dream of growing up to be happy. I don`t care what face, or hat I wear as long as I get that smile, I`m dreaming of. I just want a tiny place in the sun and a shade tree to get under when it gets to hot. Hummm, I want to grow up to be a kid!”

“Converted I have thought that would be a great job too! I also would love to teach children about gardening...
Bigfoot...growing up to be a kid is a very good idea!
I also have done a lot of things in my life more than you would expect... I grew up on ranches and even auctionneered proffessionally at the age of six... I did make-up and costume design, set design and building and acted up a storm too... worked as a photographer's assistent in a studio,tried my hand at waitressing, worked for three seasons at a garden nursery, then I moved onto be a certified herbalist and avid gardener, conquered the sewing trade by far and now??? oh what opppertunities await!”

“I've aways dreamed of being a potter. Having a shed or a barn with wheel and kiln and forming with my hands beautiful and functional objects. A nice view out a window in the barn would be nice too, maybe of 200 or so rollng acres.”

“I want to be a Disney character at Disney World. I would get to hug people and be hugged all day. :o) Lots of people would want to have their picture taken with me. :o) Isn't that special?”

“This is the time. Teach them to grow their own herbs, flowers, learn to appreciate the gifts they don't have to "buy". You go girl!”

“When I gro up I wanna be a bug-eyed space alien, so I can fly home to the stars.”

“I don`t want to grow up, I want to be a kid
I want a second chance to do the things I never did
If you can do that for me, would you do it, please
I want to get a better look, like a kid on his knees
I want to see the world as new and not worry about money or gold
I want to see it all through a kids eyes, that never grow old
I want to see it all this time and have it be a surprise
I want to see the beauty in everything, through a kids eyes”

“I will never grow up. I have a good stock of toys and games right now and I don't ever intend on changing that. I suppose I will have to have a career though, I will be an elementary school teacher. Those kids will keep me young, and hopefully I can have a positive impact on their lives.”

“Oldie,
You`ll be a great teacher, it shows in the things you write and the way you think.
That`s going to be some lucky kids! There`s nothing wrong with staying young, growing up`s not that bad either. Both have their place, it`s just a shame we don`t mix `em up more. Get some sleep! Happy Trails!”

“Those are good posts Big Foot. If we could retain the innocent purity of kidhood (without the stupid cruelty of kids), but alas, our genes are defective. The aliens who spliced us together in the first place are working to fix this.”

“Hey Steve Hiker,
What are you doing up this late?
Thanks, for the kind words, but you can tell I`m still a kid.”

“No no no. I don't wanna go to bed. I might miss something.”

“Like I said, you`ll make a great teacher. It won`t be any stretch for you to stay up and grade papers. There`s nothing to see, so get some rest.
Later Oldie!”

“I want to be a kid and fly a white headed bumble bee on a string
I want to see the beauty in that and fall in love with everything
I want to ride a bike again, I`m tired of buying gas and insurance for a car
I want to play hide and seek and catch fireflies and keep `em in a mason jar
I want to smile at everyone and have them wave back at me
I want to be a kid and dream things the way I want them to be
I`d love to be a kid again, I used to love to run and play
I wish I could fold my arms and pout, until I got my way”

“Am I grown up? Yes. Am I done growing? Never. Would I give it all up to be a kid again? Hell no! I love being an adult. What I want to be when I grow up? Happy. I work as a caregiver for the disabled and it is an absolute dead-end job ambition-wise. But I?m happy and I still love it. I never was interested in higher education but the past year I have thought that maybe I wouldn?t like to be a teacher.”

“This is going to sound like I`m wishy, washy, but I wouldn`t go back and be a kid again, No way! I would like to be excited like a kid and say "what`s next!" instead of "what now?" I hate that I`m not more excited at new things, than I am. I look at something now and wonder it`s effects on me, instead of doing as I did as a kid and just being awed with it. I miss that little dance and clap of the hands kids do when they see something for the first time and the wide eyes and big smile that goes with it. I see all that and know it for what it is, so in ways, I`m still a kid too. There`s still a little kid inside of me, I just don`t let him run free like I once did. He gets me into too much trouble, but he still makes me smile and forces me to look hard at a thing, just to make sure I saw it good. The kid in me, makes me see the beauty in a thing, that most would just walk past without getting a good look at it. I`ll keep the kid, life just wouldn`t be as much fun without him around.”

“Having small kids around works wonders if you listen and learn from them. They see lots of things you won't, and think about things from different perspectives. No preconceptions, bias, cynicism, etc. That's why I liked hiking with my kids so much. We both learned volumes from each other.”

“I am glad I grew up. Having children was my purpose in life. I have been blessed. Grandchildren will be a bonus.”

“great posts all! Thanks for responding!
Joy- that is a great idea too... but if you want some gorgouse gardens on those 200acres... let me know! That could take a while to design and implement...what fun I would have!
I think the most crippeling thing about being an adult is that it is far to easy to just go with the flow, not let yourself stand out...and just act loke everyone else...I do my darndest to keep this from happening...because I don't care much for the general flow of this society... I can not stand the way people walk past each other on a sidewalk and purposely move their eyes away...I catch myself doing this once and a while and I just want to smack me! So I force myself to be outgoing and to smile and actually say hello to people as I pass them...(since I don't live in gigantic city this is possible without losing my voice!) It is really astounding how people will look shocked... some look at you like they think you're an alien or some creep...I don't physically look like either so I'll assume that is the hello that is getting to them...some people actually stutter.. like they don't know how to respond...and some smile and say hello back those are the good ones... then you both walk off smiling. Kids when they are still pretty young have no problem with this kind of thing... but depending on the actions of their parents and others around them...well it does not always last...which is sad...those of you have kids or grandkids should set an example and those of us that don't have kids can still set an example for the fellow adults around us.. you are never to old to learn! Just think if everyone smiled and said hi to everyone else and meant it it would be a far less scary world!
And that is my tidbit for the day!”

“what do I want to do, what do I want to be...hmmm
well, I am sort of figuring that out as I go. I am doing what I want to be doing for the moment...it may be something different next year.

I agree with the mentions here of listening to children...I am spending the weekend with 6 neices and nephews, ages 12 months to 12 years - what a hoot! It never ceases to amaze me, the things kids come up with. It is such a neat experience to listen to the "ramblings" of a little girl's(or boy's) imagination rn wild and remember when that was you(you know, before you were "corrected" and told how to think and act). The nice thing about adulthood though, is that you have entire control over your life and you can again reach that point - just go back and get to know that little girl(or boy) again! :o)

PS>Oldie, you will be a great teacher - you already are.”

“I'm there.
I am.
Live in the mountains.
Never have a "real" job.
Spend all summer in the backcountry.
Ski for nothing when I want to.
Fish winter and summer in mountain streams.
Own a house (SMALL house).
MAKE THOSE DAMN LLAMAS CARRY MY BEER!”

“I want to be Mel, when I grow up!
Sweet!”

“You know, I don't think that kids have any corner on innocence or happiness. I used to work at a preschool and enjoyed the conversations I had with 2-5 year-olds immensely. They have worries and joys just like everyone else. Some are happy. Some are sad.

And isn't it better to be fully aware of the world and still find wonder in a sunset.

And teaching isn't bad. Hard, passionate work with a little time off during the warmer months. You won't get rich. But who cares about money anyway.”

“Why is it you teachers make so many good points, now that I`m not in class? You`re good at your job, I`ve learned some things from you.
Thanks!”

“1. Your potted plants are alive. And you can't smoke any of them.

2. Having sex in a twin-sized bed is absurd.

3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.

4. 6:00 AM is when you get up, not when you go to sleep.

5. You hear your favorite song on an elevator.

6. You actually watch the Weather Channel.

7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of hook up and breakup.

8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14.

9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as 'dressed up.'

10. You're the one calling the police because those damn kids next door won't turn down the stereo.

11. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.

12. Your car insurance goes down but your car payments go up.

13. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's.

14. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.

15. You no longer take naps from noon to 6 p.m.

16. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.

17. Your drugs of choice are now Advil and antacids.

18. A $4.00 bottle of wine is no longer 'pretty good stuff.'

19. "I just can't drink the way I used to," replaces, "I'm never going to drink that much again."”

“I am not even close to being grown up.....:)

And very proud......:0”

“And I swore I'd never grow up!





Oh well, you're only young once but you can be immature forever!

¦ P


.”

“I became a high school teacher so that I'll never graduate and have to go into the 'real' world (the REAL real world is the outdoors). I hang around with kids all day and have slipped gracefully into my second childhood straight from the first. Happy trails (I wish I knew how to make those little happy faces).”

“I wanted to be an architect when I was a kid. I still have the dream of being an architect when I grow up. But for right now, I guess just being an architect will have to do.”

“"Youth is a wonderful thing. Too bad it's wasted on the young."

George Bernard Shaw.”

“I couldn't wait to get out of school so I could go bike, run, swim, hike, etc...

I can't wait to get out of work so I can bike, run, swim, hike, etc... then drink a beer!”

“I'd be the tanning lotion applicator for the Sweedish Bikini Team.”