In my last post I stated that I did not know what I wanted to do, or be, in the future times. I should, however, clarify that when I said that I did not mean that I had no idea what I wanted to do in those future times. I do have several options, various ideas spawned at different ages about how my life was going to play out. Some of them are more realistic than others. The first occupation I desired, back when I was a young lad of 4 or 5, was to be Thomas the Tank Engine. I'm not sure how I would have achieved this, that part wasn't important. I was too preoccupied with not pissing of the Fat Controller. One wrong move and he'd turn you into an oven on wheels. Nobody wants to live like that.
By the age of 6 I had moved on to more serious prospects, deciding my future would be built around becoming a tiger. An executive position in Siberia, that was my ultimate goal I think, something in PR. Improving relation with the lions mostly. It's their fault, the lazy fucks, with their big hair and movie franchises. Bastards. Anyway, that dream was quickly forgotten, to be replaced by the hope that I would one day get a job as a robot. Possibly with a sideline in dragons or unicorns or something. At that age you like to keep your options open.
Eventually I decided, as many people do, that childhood dreams must be quashed to make way for more socially acceptable career choices. Which brings me (by way of the metaphorical ferry) to the subject of this post. Among the many files in my brain is one that reads 'Possible Careers You Could Actually Do and Maybe Be Good At'. In that file, surrounded by more glamourous idea's involving fame, fortune and fiscal freedom, is one marked 'Book Shop'. Yup, you read that right. In a world where the desirable careers involve making lots of money or making a meaningful contribution to the world (or, once in a blue moon, both), a part of me just wants to sell books.
I don't mean just getting a job in the local Waterstones, either. I want to be that quaint little book shop that you find just wandering around town, the one with the old fashioned simple painted sign, Victorian decor and that unique book smell. That last one sounds a bit weird, but if you're a literature lover then you know what I'm talking about. Part of this desire I'm sure comes from my love of early 2000's sitcom Black Books, written by and starring comedian Dylan Moran, although I hope I'd run the shop a little more competently than Bernard Black did.
Would I survive in the modern economy? Probably not for very long, especially with the growing popularity of e-books, Kindle's and the like, but in the fantasy of my mind that doesn't matter. I've always found that little, independent bookshops have a certain romance and mysticism about them. The kind of old books, of original editions that Waterstones, WH Smiths or any other store chain probably wouldn't dream of stocking live in these Alladin's Cave's of Literature, and you probably won't have to deal with some gaudy, new-edition cover.
I also like the idea of the freedom that come with being self-employed and owning your own shop. While I highly doubt I have the market nous or savvy to run a huge business, I'm pretty sure I could handle one shop. Making decisions on which books or authors to stock, buying and selling books with local customers, becoming part of a community that appreciates your services and supports you. It may also have something to do with the issues with certain types of authority that I seemed to have inherited from my father, but that is neither here nor there.
Finally, (and this is a rather selfish reason) I would be surrounded by every book I could ever want. Say maybe business slows a little. It's a small hypothetical town, and the hypothetical town's people don't buy books all day, there's bound to be some down-time. If only I had something to read to pass the time, right? Seriously, fellow book-lovers, imagine walking into Waterstones and being able to pick any book of the shelf and read it basically for free. Hey, it's a perk of the job. Of course, the more time I spend reading would mean less time selling books and less money made, so it's a double-edged sword. Regardless, that's a world I want to live in.
So there you have it. That's one of my dreams for the future. It's not much, but I'd be having a good time. Leave a comment with any careers you wanted to pursue at one point, however ridiculous. I'm not really in a position to judge. Also, recommend any other subjects you'd like me to cover in a future post. I've got an opinion on most things, however ignorant and arrogant an opinion it may be.
Thanks for reading, and a very good and highly pleasurable day to you, Sir's and Madam's.
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