What Would You Do?

Hi everyone,

I don't have a whole lot to talk about this week. I've been really busy, but I must be stuck in some sort of enormous hamster wheel, because no matter how fast I seem to be running, I'm not getting anywhere. It's very frustrating.

Writing is awesome and I love my job, but it's times like this that I wonder what it would be like to be on the other side of the fence. So here it is, my list of dream jobs, if I weren't a writer.

#1 Zookeeper/Exhibit designer:

Okay, so I really want to let my inner Zoo Tycoon out to play. I actually worked as a zookeeper in the bird department of a wild animal park when I was in college and I loved it. It was so much fun. I love working with animals, though I half suspect I am already a zookeeper with the house I'm living in now. At various times it seems like there are either, monkeys, hyenas, or a herd of rampaging elephants running around this house. I suspect when I get old and gray, you'll probably find me as a volunteer at a local zoo or wildlife rehabilitation center.

That said, the one job at a zoo I always admired and secretly wanted to be a part of is exhibit design. It is just such a complex thing to do well. You have to take into consideration the health and safety of the animal and zookeeper, their habitat needs, their privacy needs, cleaning concerns, and balance it with the natural resources of the zoo, the budget, accessibility, and then try to maximize public viewing of the animal in a way that keeps the animal healthy and happy. Then you have to make it all cohesive and attractive as part of a larger theme of exhibits. What a cool job.

#2 Costume designer for big budget films:

This would just be awesome. I drool at the pictures of the costume designs that they put up every year for the Oscars. I got all tingly when I watched the behind the scenes footage in the Lord of the Rings DVDs and the costume designers were talking about the layers of fabrics, armor and inspirations for the various races of middle earth. It was just stinking awesome. I can't dress myself to save my life, but there's something about costume design that just gets to me.

#3 Nursery owner:

That's right, I'd let my gardening bug loose. It would be fun to hang out in a plant nursery all day and call it work. I love good ones. I could wander around greenhouses all day. And it would be fun to be one of these nursery owners who know their stuff, and can really give people good gardening advice.

#4 Curator of a butterfly encounter attraction:

Back in Florida there was a little butterfly house run by volunteers. Yeah, would have done that in a heartbeat. It would be a lot of fun to take my butterfly gardening skills to the sub-tropical level and work with a literally captive audience.

#5 Bigfoot photographer:

Okay, so this one is a little out there, but why not? I'd love to wander around the Pacific Northwest, hiking through the Cascades with radio equipment and a camera looking for Bigfoot.

Really, I just want to go camping, but that sounds like a fun excuse.

So how about you? If you weren't doing what you are doing now, what would you be doing?

Happy reading,

Jess