Did something you did as a kid as a hobby or for play end up being a big part of who you are now?

Did you realize when you were younger that this was going to be a passion of yours? Every actor tells stories of acting out little sketches for stuffed animal audiences, but were some of you ant farm collectors that ended up exterminators? Were you constantly playing school and ended up a teacher?

Did your play patterns as a child determine the adult you're becoming?

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Answers

Surprisingly it did,

I never thought it would, and didn't much realize it when it did. I work for a computer company doing technical support. When I was 5 I got an Osbourne 2 computer. After that it was downhill. I spent alot of time on computers because my dad always had one in the house until I got too cool in High School. Then I flittered around doing other stuff and went to college for philosophy. Big Bucks there, lemme tell ya. So when I got a job after college as a customer service person, I spent more time in my office environment helping everyone use or fix their computers. Our IT dept was nil. Finally I woke up and said, duh, someone will pay me MORE to do this. And they do. Now I have the money and the time to do all those other things that don't pay jack.

trinity

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

I guess in a way it did. Much like April, my folks got us a TI-99/4A home computer when I was about seven or eight. My sister and I would fight becuase the computer was hooked up to the TV and she wanted to watch television and I wanted to either write programs in basic or play those text adventure games like Pirates Isle or The Count.

Now I'm a web developer.

Never did get to realize my boyhood dream of working for TSR though.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

for about four years, from about ten to about fourteen, i had my entire extended family convinced that i literally could not hear them when i was reading.
this did two things - it meant that i spent an awful lot of time reading, and developing the reading comprehension necessary to tackle my dad's collection of fantasy and sci-fi. it also meant that i learned how to listen to people tell their stories, and how to be observed while people don't think i know they're observing me. (and my boyfriends wonder why i have a few exhibitionist/voyeur tendancies)
it's kind of scary that they all actually thought i couldn't hear them... but yeah.
now i'm a freaky semi-reclusive bibliophile with a passion for telling stories, most often my own. i work in a bookstore, of course.
and i always thought i was a fairy, and that has effected me, but i don't think we need to get into that one.


-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Well, only if I follow Jeremy's advice and go to vet school. (Shut up. I could, too, do the math.)

Otherwise, no. I hated working in the garden (it really was work, not fun), and my games were all science experiments and stuff with animals. I wanted to be a jockey or a barrel racer, and then a sports writer, nothing having anything to do with what I actually do for a living now.

Then again, does anyone actually play "lawyer" when they're six?

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Um, Beth... I did. I held little mock trials with stuffed animals. I also put them on "the couch" and gave them therapy.

I wanted to be a psychiatrist or a lawyer when I was a very little kid. Like five, six. That changed soon after, but for a good couple of years, that's what I thought I was going to be.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

absolutely. my mom wrote in my baby book that when i was around two years old, when we went to church and i didn't know the hymns, i would belt out christmas songs to every single hymn. to this day, christmas is my favorite holiday, and i go through periods every summer where i miss christmas music and i will play it for two weeks straight, and then put it away again.

i also drew obsessively and made up languages. now i am a double major in studio art and italian studies. :) i also used to pretend i was a horse all the time, and i think that was what made my parents finally break down and spend the money on lessons. it's a good thing, too, because i still ride.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

I found out a few years ago that when I was a kid, my neighbors didn't even realize I was one of my parents' children- they saw me so rarely that they assumed that I was a friend of my sister's who came over to play sometimes.

So, where was I? Reading, of course. Holed up in my room, working through stacks and stacks of books. After trips to the library, my mom would always forbade me from getting started on a book until after my chores were done, because she knew that as soon as I started a book, I'd be out of commission for the day. Once I had to ask the librarian what the highest number of books I could check out at once was. In elementary school, middle school, high school, I was always trying to escape to the school library at every opportunity- I even got a special pass to spend my study hall there.

So. You get the picture: I love to read. I'm not a librarian, but I'm a student with plans for a looooong education- I'm planning on a Ph.D. I may even become a professor and stick around academia forever. I'd definitely say that my childhood activities have a lot to do with who I am now.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Man, had I realised that my hobbies where going to become such a big part of my life, I would've spent less time stressing on what the hell my future was going to be, and more on colouring-in between the lines.

My childhood involved a lot of comic reading/drawing, making cards, painting and poster making. I was the girl in first grade that people went to see to make their drawings better (weird, I know). I was also the girl who was constantly held back after class for drawing in class when I supposed to be learning French or something. Had I known this was all basic training for my career in Graphic Design, I would've told a lot more teachers where to go.

On second thoughts maybe it's a good thing I didn't realise.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

My brothers and sisters and I were mondo on legos. And lincoln logs, and matchbox cars. Once we drew a matchbox scale plan of a city that covered the entire floor of the playroom in order to have a place to drive our cars in. We're talking compass and ruler stuff, here, and the oldest of us that summer was like 12 years old. We argued over how much parking the hospital should have and where the emergency room entrance should go, how far away the residential areas should be from the freeways.

Another summer my younger sister and I spent the entire summmer putting on Morrisey's 'International Playboy' single and building the highest tower we could using all the toy building materials. Every single day there was a new tower. We'd leave it up over night for the family admiration, and then take it down the next day.

Playing house meant building it, first. Don't even get into all the snow forts, sand forts, elaborate sand castles we built. And how we tried to wire the yard for an outdoor phone system with several crystal radio sets. (didn't work, tho') And our Lionel 1:10 scale train set.

And today what are we doing? Mechanical engineering, Architecture and City Planning, Interior Design, Graphic Design and . .. Political Science. He was the one telling everyone what to do and getting the funding for the hospital, I suppose.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2000

Well, I was a big "teacher's pet" in school, one of the good smart kids that likes the classroom part of school and always does the homework, and now I'm a college professor. I learned to talk, count, and read very early (my parents still go on about that at any provocation) and I can't remember a time when I didn't expect to grow up into a person with a Ph.D.

Also, when I was 7 or so, I liked to make creative mud soup in the back yard, and now I enjoy both science and gourmet cooking. I spent most of my time reading; I still spend most of my time reading (and writing).

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2000

Angela, I did all that building city stuff with dominoes. My stepbrother had so many domino sets it was insane. We had a huge kitchen floor, and we'd run cantilever systems up the cabinet doors, around furniture, countertops, it was insane. I'd love to play with those again.

Sort of along these lines, I caught the beginning of the new Foxploitation show, "The Smartest Kid in America" last night. I have so many problems with this. But the saddest part was that these kids (all around ages 10-12) would introduce themselves like it was the worst torture ever for them to be in front of all these people, and say things like, "My name is Melissa, and I read 900 books before my sixth birthday" or "I'm Irene and I solve college-level logic problems for fun." Those accomplishments are fine and everything, but I got the impression that's ALL these kids did. No playing kickball, no beating the crap out of their siblings, etc. Almost all of them had a very noticeable stutter, tic or lisp. Is this the price kids pay for genius? We stunt their development in favor of their academic accomplishments? Oh, it made me so depressed.

I read and wrote constantly as a kid, and nothing has changed for me as an adult. But I also went to the swimming pool every day, went dirt biking and got into a healthy amount of trouble. I thought the kid who won was going to grind his teeth right out of his head during the final round, and that just ain't right!

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2000

I had an obsessive compulsive disorder as a child so my childhood games were based in weird repitition. Now, I've studied theatre in college and am an actor. I don't think the two have much to do with each other, but you can always make an argument for actors being dysfunctional.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2000

My music teacher in fifth grade would let me skip class to go and hang in the computer lab. My parents got my family a Commodore 64 when I was twelve, and an Amiga 1000 when I was 16. They also spent a lot of time telling me that I should be doing other stuff besides playing with the computers. I didn't do well in school... got kicked out of high school, flunked out of college... and jumped feet first into graphic design and web design using the computers that everyone assumed were a waste of my time.

Hmmm. All my dad's yelling about how I better get off my ass and figure out what I was going to do with my life, along with "Get off the goddamn phone line with that computer!" pretty much came to naught. Now I work for a small webdesign company, doing well, and funny... they never asked what I had a degree in.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2000

I was a reader. I became a writer because I liked to read.

I put off writing as long as I could, because I knew, from reading biographies of writers, that, the kind of writer I wanted to be, it wouldn't pay well for a long time.

I got my military obligation out of the way, finished my education, got married, and was preparing to become an anthropology professor when the money dried up, in graduate school.

The dissertation grants, the teaching jobs, all-but-dissertation, the fellowships for students teaching positions were based upon.

I saw the handwriting on the wall and stole the last year of my fellowship to teach myself to write. I have not deviated in my purpose since.

That first year, I wrote 2 1/2 books. I had my sea legs under me, as a writer. Had developed my work habits. Found my seat.

We started a family. How long could it take to sell a book?

Brenda had Owen, then Balder, and nursed them both. She was out of the workforce for five years, doing that.

I didn't sell any books.

I was overqualified for most of the jobs I applied for. I worked as a laborer and clerk until I got a job as a technical writer.

I'd say my work habits determined who I became. Application. Industry.

I wrote like a man possessed, and I followed the writing where it led.

My thinking was that what was not publishable would have to be published, sooner or later.

That hasn't happened yet.

I am leading a writer's life. I write, I think about my writing, I communicate with readers, I sell books in bookstores, through the mail, online, and out of a musette bag full of rice, like General Sherman's irregulars on their march to the sea, foraging, liberating yardbirds and making a chicken purlieu in a cast iron washpot.

Grist for the mill. Grits and grunts, in Florida, or grillades and grits, in Louisiana.

I went from a spiral notepad and pencil, writing in my head, taking notes, and typing it up at the supper table after work, on an office manual machine, to a job with a desk and an electric typewriter, access to a xerox machine and money for postage, to a computer, more money, self-published books instead of pamphlets, crafts shows and street fairs, to the Internet, and my own Web site. A room of my own with a door on it. A wire coming in, connecting me to the world.

Not all that much different from burying my nose in a book, going to the movies, or reading comic books.

Learning. Sharing what I've learned. Questioning what I'm doing, and where it fits.

Is this it? Is this what it was all about?

It's enough. Enough is as good as a feast.

What more do I need? I'm getting the word right on the page, getting it out there, my family stuck by me, forgive me, for being an asshole, accept me, as I am. The basic personality of a fire ant.

But doing my best to mellow, chill out, take it easy.

Slow down.

I go at whatever I'm doing like I'm killing snakes, and have since I was a kid.

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2000

This question reminded me immediately of how I used to have an easel in the garage and paint all afternoon. My dad worked the graveyard shift, so I wasn't allowed to leave the yard until he woke up that afternoon or evening. I'm not a painter and I don't know why, because I really enjoyed it. Maybe because I wasn't that great at it. I can draw something almost lifelike every once in a while, but my inner vision is for realism, so it's frustrating when I can't get that on paper.

However, I tend to do crafts involving painting and used to paint designs on my brother's baby clothes. The best was a T-shirt with a sailboat and waves on the front, paired with bottoms with a mermaid on the back.

My parents took a lot of pictures of me, it's something many people marvel at when they see my baby books, especially the ones my mom redid for my 25th birthday, they're very well done, with themed pages. So, although I consider myself to be very shy, I am a big-time ham in front of a camera.

I also read a lot. My writing was more creative as a child. I think I've taken too many writing classes now, so I've now got it in my mind that writing has to have a certain structure. I'm trying to remember how to be more freespirited in my writing. So, while I don't seem to have enough time to read books and web sites, I'm always enthralled by one or the other. Right now, it's web sites, because I'm redesigning mine. Next month, it'll be good, old-fashioned books again.

When I first moved to New York, I mentioned to this singer I liked, who was talking about the Strand, a huge book store there, that I'd had to leave all my books behind in San Francisco and even *gasp!* get rid of some. "They're your best friends, aren't they?" he replied. I'd never thought of it that way, but I do read everything I can get my hands on. I even find myself reading silly stuff, like cereal boxes, instead of looking at the pictures. As long as I can remember, I have understood the world largely through words. I can't tell you how many relationships that spoils. I can't date a guy who doesn't speak or write well for very long.

Also, I had been telling myself I had no business sense and that's why I put off starting my own business. I remembered a few months ago that I used to make and sell things when I was a kid, so I figure I can do the same now that I have even more skills and a much easier way to get the word out than recruiting the neighbor kids.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2000

I sure hope not, because the last part I played was that of a semi- vagrant lawyer type who sold out a friend for a woman he hadn't met yet and wouldn't for another few decades.

The part I had before that was of the Reverend David Marshall Lee in Larry Shue's "The Foreigner," a character which was revealed to be a racist reactionary.

So again... I hope not. =)

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2000

well, actually I can't say for certain since I'm still considered a "kid"....I must say that writing had a BIG impact on me since I was in second grade. I read alot and learned how to read at a young age. I used to consume myself with piles and piles of books. I think the kids were amazed in first grade on how well I read outloud during reading time. most of the kids stuttered and fumbled with the words..very slooowly. actually some kids in high school did that too! so yick!

I still love to write, but not as much in the novelesque category. I mostly write short rants or journal entries. maybe poetry and I write my dreams down too. short notes. I like having evidence of past experiences. I still would like to write as a profession but my dad says they don't make any money which sorta discouraged me.

I also am into webdesign but only since 1997...I didn't have a computer until 1996 sooo that sorta disqualifies as a pattern. I do admit, that if I had a computer sooner, I would have probably got into the same design quality as now, and probably better.

when I was really little, I wanted to be a pizza maker, but that was a short ended dream. I just liked the idea of tossing dough in the air and flying them into big ovens. I used to watch, with my nose pressed against the steaming glass at restaurants. I guess I can say I still like pizza to eat, soo it's alright..haha.

soo to end this, I think I might still become a writer of somesort or a webdesigner. one or the other or both. those are my dreams.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2000