When I grow up, I want to be...

Inspired once again by the Olympics, six of us decided to have our very own Olympic challenge last week. 

It all started thanks to Google and their interactive "doodles". I don't know how they come up with all this stuff! My friend noticed that there was a "hurdle" game online and encouraged us to submit our best time, which led to the following (I highly recommend you give it a go): 

1. Hurdles*
2. Basketball
3. Slalom Canoe
4. Soccer
5. Typing Test*
6. Essay (50-100 words, prompt: letter to people that spill water, don't clean it up and cause someone to fall)*
7. Physical Challenge (power walk - specific route)*

*my best least worst

The competition lasted 4 days and on the final day we had our very own closing ceremonies. Unfortunately, the Spice Girls did not perform, but there were ribbons and pizza. While I didn't take home the gold, I tied for bronze. I almost got disqualified because my essay was 106 words, but I quickly made some cuts and was able to stay in the game. Unfortunately, the person in 5th place (who I will keep anonymous to not damage her reputation) did not have the same luck and "must recite a sentence of the winners collective choice" in public next week. 

All of this talk about athletes working so hard towards a particular goal, got us talking about professional aspirations and what we all wanted to be "when we grew up". When I asked my fellow competitors (above) they wrote: 

I just wanted, rather still want, to grow up.

Actually, it's not entirely true. I did not really harbor dreams of occupations. To the extent that I ever thought about it, I used to find myself thinking more about the so-called 'mundane' jobs then anything else. I always thought driving the bus would be fun. I tried to get trained in college but you needed to take a drug test. 

I wanted to work in a tollbooth, too. I almost got a job at one on the Mass Pike by my apartment in Boston, but couldn't for the same reason.

The one thing I have always wanted to do is be the 'information booth' - either on the mall or at the airport. I have always wanted to sit under a sign with a lowercase 'i' on it. To that end, while I am not employed professionally in that regard, I do jump at any chance I can get to give tourists on the Metro directions. 

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I wanted to either be a newspaper writer so I could wear one of the hats that has the paper that says "Press" on it and also illustrate my own stories OR a mermaid because I loved the movie and I was afraid of tsunamis as a kid, so I thought being a mermaid would help me survive one. 

I did not become the first one, even though I wanted to be a journalist until the end of high school, because I found that I loved political science. I would still like to be a mermaid but with a more supportive bra than the kind you normally see. 

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I wanted to be a veterinarian "so that I could save puppies and kittens".

I'm also known in my family for telling my Mom (up until the 2nd grade) that I wanted to marry her so that I could live at home forever. 

______

I wanted to be an Egyptologist because I really loved mummies. Best day of my childhood was when my grandma took me to the British museum to see all of their Egypt artifacts!!

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I wanted to be an architect ever since I was really little; it made perfect sense since my dad was in charge of a highway construction company and my mom was a graphic designer. I drew floor plans for mansions with secret rooms and a pool on the roof when I was like 6. I even interned for an architect the summer before my senior year of high school. Then I discovered it was far less fun (and much more permits and paperwork) than I had hoped, and in addition I didn't have an art portfolio for my college applications. I was so scared to tell my dad that I wanted to change my intended major that he thought I was going to tell him I was pregnant.

______

I remember wanting to be a gymnast, but got discouraged when my dad told me that I would have no time to go to the mall or see my friends. To this day, any mention of space brings an instant smile to my friend Emily's face, given that she wanted to be an astronaut. Now, she's in law school. Others do fulfill those childhood dreams, Emily's brother wanted to be a meteorologist his whole life and that's what he became (an excellent one too)! My sister Renata says that she wants to "work with animals, but not sick ones, not exotic ones, none in cages, more like cats, dogs and birds". We are still trying to figure out what profession that is...

After such an exhilarating week of competition, my bronze medal and I headed to the sunshine state to visit my family. A girl's gotta celebrate! There, we all fell in love with "Coco" at a dinner party, a friend's Pekingese puppy (she would literally fall asleep in our arms instantly), saw the The Dark Knight (so good) with my dad, watched Princess Protection Program with my sisters (equally as good entertaining) and slept three to a bed. We also found ourselves at The Collection Bridal trying on wedding gowns and flower girl dresses; Renata showed me her innate nail painting talent and while I was not ready for full fledged cheetah nails, I did give in to a small, pink flower on one nail. It was a great couple days!

However, I'm sad to report that my dad forced my watercolor iPhone case into exile and it has been replaced with a gray/pink, clunky Otter Box. I must admit though, that a couple hours after the purchase and proclaiming "I never drop my phone nor will I ever", my new and shiny friend went boink, boink, boink on the floor of Hudson News at the airport. Father's do know best ;)

All of us trying on Gaby's wedding dress!

Rebecca with that cute Pekingese dog (it looked like a real Furby)

My babies

So excited for Mexico's win on Saturday!!

Read about this on my friend Sara's wedding website today - The Proposers, a company in the UK that help men create unique proposal ideas tailored to their relationship. New career path?!