How many of you remember the first thing you wanted to be when you grew up? I do. A Solid Gold dancer.
For those of you who don't know what it is, Solid Gold was an 80s music countdown show. The difference between the music countdown shows of today like BET's 106 and Park, or VH1's Top 20 Music Video Countdown is the fact that Solid Gold had dancers. Oh, how I wanted to be one of those dancers. I was so addicted to that show...and I was only 5 years old. Thirty years later, I still have my love for dancing, though my Solid Gold dreams ended with the show.
As I got older, I went from wanting to be a dancer to wanting to be a teacher, writer, actress, singer, lawyer, doctor, nurse, and child psychologist (not at the same time, of course). My wanting to be an actress and singer was quite laughable cos I was painfully shy. I mean, getting in front of my family or even in front of my church was fine, but in front of thousands, maybe millions of people. Nuh uh. Not me. Wanting to be a lawyer was laughable too cos...well, it just was. I could've been a doctor or a nurse, but, thanks to my sister breaking her toe (I was the first one to see it...*shudder*) and my dislike of needles, well, I decided a career in the medical field just wasn't for me. So, I became an educator...and I don't regret the decision. I LOVE working with children and teens, whether I'm in the classroom, tutoring, at church...wherever. Children and teens are AWESOME!
Now, at almost 35, I still have dreams and aspirations that I'm trying to achieve. I have 3 that I'm working on now: author, entrepreneur, and doctoral candidate. I've always wanted to become an author, but I put it to the side to concentrate on school and becoming an educator. about 6 years ago, I came up with an awesome book idea and decided to use my God-given talent to write books for youth. Though I haven't become a published author yet (my time is coming, I believe that), this journey is AMAZING. I heart writing so much...coming up with characters, figuring the plot, everything.
I'm in the process of writing up a business plan for my enrichment center. A few years ago, I knew the classroom wasn't my last stop in the educational field. When I asked God about where to go, He brought to mind the fact that, when I was 14, after watching an episode of The Cosby Show (where Theo worked at a community center), I decided I wanted to have a like of enrichment centers that offered some of the stuff the community center offered and more. So, I'm working to have the dream come to reality. And in a few years, I'll be known in academia as Dr. Raenice B. Weakly, EdD. With this degree, I plan to do more research on both reading education and aliteracy, which is when people can read, but choose not to. There is so much research on illiteracy, but not enough on aliteracy.
So, what were your dreams/aspirations as a kid? Are you living them out? Or do you have new ones?
For those of you who don't know what it is, Solid Gold was an 80s music countdown show. The difference between the music countdown shows of today like BET's 106 and Park, or VH1's Top 20 Music Video Countdown is the fact that Solid Gold had dancers. Oh, how I wanted to be one of those dancers. I was so addicted to that show...and I was only 5 years old. Thirty years later, I still have my love for dancing, though my Solid Gold dreams ended with the show.As I got older, I went from wanting to be a dancer to wanting to be a teacher, writer, actress, singer, lawyer, doctor, nurse, and child psychologist (not at the same time, of course). My wanting to be an actress and singer was quite laughable cos I was painfully shy. I mean, getting in front of my family or even in front of my church was fine, but in front of thousands, maybe millions of people. Nuh uh. Not me. Wanting to be a lawyer was laughable too cos...well, it just was. I could've been a doctor or a nurse, but, thanks to my sister breaking her toe (I was the first one to see it...*shudder*) and my dislike of needles, well, I decided a career in the medical field just wasn't for me. So, I became an educator...and I don't regret the decision. I LOVE working with children and teens, whether I'm in the classroom, tutoring, at church...wherever. Children and teens are AWESOME!
Now, at almost 35, I still have dreams and aspirations that I'm trying to achieve. I have 3 that I'm working on now: author, entrepreneur, and doctoral candidate. I've always wanted to become an author, but I put it to the side to concentrate on school and becoming an educator. about 6 years ago, I came up with an awesome book idea and decided to use my God-given talent to write books for youth. Though I haven't become a published author yet (my time is coming, I believe that), this journey is AMAZING. I heart writing so much...coming up with characters, figuring the plot, everything.
I'm in the process of writing up a business plan for my enrichment center. A few years ago, I knew the classroom wasn't my last stop in the educational field. When I asked God about where to go, He brought to mind the fact that, when I was 14, after watching an episode of The Cosby Show (where Theo worked at a community center), I decided I wanted to have a like of enrichment centers that offered some of the stuff the community center offered and more. So, I'm working to have the dream come to reality. And in a few years, I'll be known in academia as Dr. Raenice B. Weakly, EdD. With this degree, I plan to do more research on both reading education and aliteracy, which is when people can read, but choose not to. There is so much research on illiteracy, but not enough on aliteracy.
So, what were your dreams/aspirations as a kid? Are you living them out? Or do you have new ones?
11 comments:
Around third grade, I wanted to be a writer. Later, I wanted to be a singer. Now, I write (although mostly nonfiction), and I sing in church.
Good luck on your dream of starting an enrichment center!
Thanks! It's cool that you're living your dreams. I sing in church too, so I guess I'm living the singer dream, lol.
When I was a kid, I wanted to be an actor and a singer, but more a la Disney sugariness than the cool that is the Solid Gold dancers. Since then I've been through so many different career paths... but I won't bore you.
Good luck on your EdD, Dr. Weakly :) As one in academia myself, I know the path can be long, but you've got a positive attitude. That'll take you places :)
Rosie
East for Green Eyes
Hi Rae! I just discovered your blog. I loved Solid Gold! That picture really made me smile.
Great post, good luck on achieving your dreams!
Thanks Rosie and Julie!
@Rosie, I wanted to be on Kids Incorporated (like the Mickey Mouse Club), which had kids singing, dancing, and acting. Lol. The singer, Fergie, was on it.
@Julie, Wasn't Solid Gold awesome...and sparkly? I think that's what got the attention of my 5yr old brain at first...their costumes.
When I was 12 I decided that I would live in southern Europe and write. I even had an image of living in a red and white loft looking over a city on the sea.
Now at nearly 42 I live on the coast in Spain in an apartment (rather than loft) that's red and white and as well as being a language teacher (another one of my dreams), I write.
Life couldn't be better!
So cool, Alex! Thanks for sharing.
Yum! For eye candy!
Lol! Hi Joyce! I think your comment was meant for my 'E' post. But I definitely agree: Yum for eye candy!
OMG! I loved Solid Gold. I wanted to be a performer as a child but I was the oldest and there wasn't much money to put me through tap dance and voice lessons. My heart was in the theater, I got a few opportunities but eventually shyness took it's course to stage fright. My sisters and I would watch old musicals in awe. I think all of us had dreams of performing.
@ Traci, I took ballet classes when I was little, but then, we moved to Houston (I was almost 8) and I didn't join any classes here. And I was very shy all throughout my childhood.
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