Friday, August 14, 2009

If you could do it over?

Last night, I answered interview questions for someone who is hosting me on her blog. They were pretty standard, for the most part. What is your writing day like? Are you a plotter or a pantser? That sort of thing. She asked one question though that really had me thinking.

If you could choose any other profession or job, what would you choose? No one has asked me anything like that in awhile. I've been a full time stay at home person for a long time now. I've taken care of the house, raised the kids, planned the meals, yada yada, and, working around those chores, I write. Best of all possible worlds, I tend to think.

But if I could do something, or HAD to do something other than what I do now, I would move to the mountains, where the air is crisp and cool and open a little country bookstore. I'd have something quaint that smelled like hot chocolate and freshly brewed coffee. My ideal store would have hardwood floors with beautiful rugs on it and I'd have a fireplace with comfy, plush chairs arranged in front of it. I would talk books with the customers and friends and hopefully host writers groups. That's exactly what I would do if I had to choose. Yes, hopefully, I would write but if I COULDN'T, this would be my dream.

What about you? If you could move anywhere, do anything, live in any other place...what would it be?

In other news: ANNE'S CONTEST WINNER! DANI...you WON, girlfriend. Write Anne a note at anne@annerainey.com to collect your prize. YAY!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would be a dancer - a great dancer, ballet, jazz, tap. I would so be a dancer!

Dee Shore said...

Where would I move it's difficult because there are tons of places I would love to live; New Orleans, any Hawaiian Island, Florida Keys, Nashville...see tons of places LOL! But my dream was to become a Marine Mamal Vet. I know right? How cool would it be to be a whale or dolphin doctor? Hey I never count it out. Who knows I get random ideas all the time LOL! Of course my camera would be with me at all times and I would start a blog about it I am sure LOL

Tatiana March said...

I don't know what I'd be if I could do it all over again, but I know what I'd do. I would take a lot more risks. I wouldn't stand back and be sensible. I would do all the crazy things I didn't dare to do, kiss all those guys I didn't kiss in high school, take all the trips I didn't take because it was more prudent to save the money. I'd try to pack a lot more living into each day and week and month. Because when you get old, you no longer can.

Regina Carlysle said...

Oooh, Julia. That sounds soooo cool. Have you had training?

Regina Carlysle said...

Wonder if there's a way you could mix the marine thing with photography, Dee? Bet you could soooo study marine biology in NEW ORLEANS. Best of everything. You are so young. You could still do this, honey.

Regina Carlysle said...

I hear you, Tatianna. Why do people WAIT to travel and do all these thngs until late in life??? Like you, I would've handled things differently. I believe I would have stood up for myself more, for sure. Being a doormat was soooo not cool. I'm not like that so much anymore. Wish now I'd handled so many things differently.

Kelley Nyrae said...

You're dream sounds nice! I'd love to own a little bookstore too. I would also like to each English.

Anonymous said...

What a GREAT question. I saw 'Julie & Julia' yesterday so Paris comes to mind. I would have to fly that airlines that let's pets sit in the seats on the plane since I have three beautiful Golden Retrievers. We'd live in a beautiful apartment with lace curtains pooling against a summer sunlight. I'd write, teach the Parisians to Spin (heehee!), drink wine in the early evening and make love. I'd dance in the streets every day, happy I was living my best life! Mary Kennedy Eastham, Author, 'The Shadow of a Dog I Can't Forget' and the upcoming novel, 'Night Surfing'

Regina Carlysle said...

yeah, Kelley. Every time I think of running my own little bookstore I can just see it in my mind.

Regina Carlysle said...

Oooh. The Paris thing sounds soooo beautiful. I love Paris! Your description reminds me of the movie Under the Tuscan Sun. She just left everything and moved into this beautiful old old place and fixed it up. Sigh. OMG. Wouldn't that be cool?

Fran Lee said...

I have done many different things in my long and lusty career...and I have made the most of each opportunity. I think I would love to to cover art, or media design like Katalina and her hubby do. Of course, that requires a grubstake as the old miners used to say, so that will have to wait until the BIG bucks roll in. LOL!

Anne Rainey said...

I would be like a special ops soldier. Kill drug lords and terrorists and live all over the world! hehe!

Unknown said...

I would be an archaeologist. I love ancient cultures. I'd also like to be an artist. That way I could render my dig sites.

Regina Carlysle said...

Graphic design is so interesting, Fran and the computer programs are just amazing.

Regina Carlysle said...

Anne, I could sooooo see you in camo, boots and a badass weapon stealing into a villains lair. HA.

Regina Carlysle said...

Melissa, you would definitely get along with my daughter. I can't pry her away from Discovery, Nat. Geo and History Channels. So into this and she and I both find it fascinating. How fun to dig for treasure and artifacts in some of the most ancient places in the world.

Paris said...

If I could do it over again I would definitely take more chances, listen to my heart instead of other people who were only projecting their own fears and I would have started believing in my own abilities a lot sooner than I did. I think I would have spent years traveling with only what I could carry and keeping journals.

Regina Carlysle said...

Hey Paris! Why is it we seem to be so afraid to take chances when we are younger? When we're older, we seem to have all the confidence in the world yet the energy level isn't there as much plus we have all these other obligations that keep us from reaching out for the things we want.

Bekki Lynn said...

Many years ago, I wanted to have a Cafe Library-Bookstore. A place where people can have a bite to eat and read books no longer available for purchase, or purchase a book and be able to sit and start reading it. Have a room with comfy chairs and lounges. An escape. A place for groups, a place for writers --

But then bookstores started bringing in chairs and coffee shops.

I still think I can one-up them.