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PikaBlue

(367 posts)

135. An elevator operator

Thu Sep 25, 2025, 04:51 PM

Sep 25

When I was slightly shy of my fourth birthday, we visited a family member who lived in Manhattan. I was awed by the elevator operators who had fancy uniforms, sat on a small fold down chair and set our destinations via this shiny brass device that looked like something Captain Nemo would have had on his ship. Unfortunately, that job disappeared and I had to downgrade my career aspirations. It pains me to think how many future telephone switchboard operators, milkmen, and newspaper type setters were driven into postgraduate degree programs and all we got were PowerPoint presentation capabilities. 😂

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debm55 Easterncedar Rhiannon12866

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As a kid, what was your dream job going to be? Mine was to be a nurse. [View all] debm55 Sep 24 OP

Dream job vishnura Sep 24 #1

I found that being a nurse was not for me. I became a teacher and taught El Ed for 42 years. Loved it. Thank you,vishura debm55 Sep 24 #2

All I ever wanted to be was an artist because I wasn't good at anything else. Diamond_Dog Sep 24 #3

Thank you very much Diamond_Dog. It's a shame the computer industry took over the career that you were so talented in. debm55 Sep 24 #10

Ah, we *might* have had a quik convo sometime here w a few others re ?graphic design, p/u & m.... electric_blue68 Sep 24 #71

Yes! It was a job I enjoyed Diamond_Dog Sep 24 #86

Ah, yeah, your comnercial printing work sounds familiar. 👍 electric_blue68 Sep 24 #90

Oh yeah! We had an arc light camera. Diamond_Dog Sep 24 #99

Wow That arc light stuff definitely "Science Fictiony"! 😄 electric_blue68 Sep 24 #101

True! Diamond_Dog Sep 24 #102

Forester Onthefly Sep 24 #4

Thank you very much, You are an angel for the work you have done for others. Bless you.Onthefly. debm55 Sep 24 #7

Appreciated. So many great people providing assistance and legal support for people with disabilities. Onthefly Sep 24 #43

TY to you, and others! electric_blue68 Sep 24 #72

Play 2nd base for the White Sox CanonRay Sep 24 #5

Hahahaha. Thank you CanonRay. What did you do instead? debm55 Sep 24 #6

Federal law enforcement CanonRay Sep 24 #55

Thank you, CanonRay. debm55 Sep 24 #56

Was an amateur magician as a kid ..... anciano Sep 24 #8

Thank you very much, anciano. You had talent as a magician. I am happy you found marriage and the service and your debm55 Sep 24 #12

That's great! After I left the Commercial Art world, some of my office work wa sooo boring.... Luckily, I... electric_blue68 Sep 24 #73

Ballet dancer oberle Sep 24 #9

HAHAHHHAH. thank you very much, oberle. That is funny. debm55 Sep 24 #13

I was going to be one of the Supremes. Or the Beatles or the Monkees. ms liberty Sep 24 #11

HAHHAHA. Weren't we all. Thank you very much, ms liberty. debm55 Sep 24 #14

I didn't realize until a few years ago what my dream job... 3catwoman3 Sep 24 #15

Thank you very much, 3catwoman3. You did have a great dream job as a nurse. The pet toy designer sounds wonderful. but debm55 Sep 24 #16

Getting into the NP role saved the nursing profession for me. I really did not like my first nursing job, so much so... 3catwoman3 Sep 24 #20

Thank you very much, 3catwoman3. My husband had the same problem, but he couldn't get higher then a C in Genetics. He debm55 Sep 24 #26

What a fantastic dream job that would have been. So you were an ?independent nurse, loke a private visiting nurse?.... electric_blue68 Sep 24 #75

No - I worked in various outpatient pediatric settings both in the Air Force... 3catwoman3 Sep 24 #106

Got it! Interesting, way more independence. And extra conferring, if needed. electric_blue68 Sep 24 #108

One thing that I always wanted my physician colleagues to check with me... 3catwoman3 Sep 24 #110

Wow! Superpower hearing! Good on you, and for the double check. 👍 electric_blue68 Sep 24 #111

This message was self-deleted by its author electric_blue68 Sep 24 #76

Veterinarian ballet dancer BlueWaveNeverEnd Sep 24 #17

Thank you BlueWaveNeverEnd. That sounds like a really wonderful dream job. debm55 Sep 24 #18

A national forest ranger who lived in a fire lookout tower. defacto7 Sep 24 #19

Thank you very much , defacto7. What a wonderful dream job. debm55 Sep 24 #22

There's a DU member, whose name I can't recall at the moment, PoindexterOglethorpe Sep 27 #154

I remember his post but I can;t remember his name. debm55 Sep 27 #156

I wanted to be a dancer on Broadway!! Nittersing Sep 24 #21

What great two dream jobs to pick from. I loved Modern Dance, But teaching horseback riding lessons would be wonderful. debm55 Sep 24 #36

Astronaut Deep State Witch Sep 24 #23

Thank you very much, Deep State Witch. You would have made an excellent astronaut. debm55 Sep 24 #37

Probably Not Deep State Witch Sep 24 #47

"Fear of heights"! Uh,oh! electric_blue68 Sep 24 #85

Ohhh, boy. Same thing happened to a friend in Texas .. electric_blue68 Sep 24 #80

School teacher. LoisB Sep 24 #24

Thank you very much, LoisB for sharing with us. debm55 Sep 24 #31

I always wanted to be being a teacher. MIButterfly Sep 24 #25

Wow, what a great post.I congratulate you on going back to school to become a paralegal. Thank you, MIButterfly. debm55 Sep 24 #28

Good on you for changing electric_blue68 Sep 24 #88

A pirate. Ocelot II Sep 24 #27

HAHHAHAHAHHAHA. Thank you very much, Ocelot II. That's funny. debm55 Sep 24 #29

I wanted to play professional basketball. I ended up an accountant for 50 years. OLDMDDEM Sep 24 #30

Thank you very much, OLDMDDEM for sharing with us. I hope you continued to play basketball in your spare time. debm55 Sep 24 #39

I did until I found out about heart issues. OLDMDDEM Sep 24 #41

A cowboy. FuzzyRabbit Sep 24 #32

Thank you very much FuzzyRabbit. One can dream, my friend. debm55 Sep 24 #40

I wanted to be a nurse, too! pandr32 Sep 24 #33

Thank you pandr32. I made it through a year at college in Nursing and realized that I couldn't do it. So I became a debm55 Sep 24 #42

Lots of body fluids... 3catwoman3 Sep 24 #107

As a girl I knew I was squeamish and so had to change my goal. pandr32 Sep 25 #125

Thank you, pandr32. I am squeamish too. Had no relatives that went to college, so I found out the hard way. debm55 Sep 25 #126

Happy. DUU Sep 24 #34

Thank you so much for your words of wisdom, DUU. debm55 Sep 24 #44

Sounds like you had enough varied interests to be able to switch up electric_blue68 Sep 24 #91

scientist DBoon Sep 24 #35

Thank you so much for sharing with us, DBoon. debm55 Sep 24 #45

Lawyer then marine biologists who did research. lark Sep 24 #38

Thank you for sharing, lark. It is best to consider your health. debm55 Sep 24 #46

Good on you for being able to switch electric_blue68 Sep 24 #87

Star Pilot ✈ justaprogressive Sep 24 #48

Thank you very much, justaprogressive. debm55 Sep 24 #51

Oceanographer like Jacques Cousteau or an astronomer. Phoenix61 Sep 24 #49

Thank you, Phoenix61, two wonderful dream jobs. debm55 Sep 24 #50

Staff photographer for a daily newspaper Walleye Sep 24 #52

GREAT!!!!!!!, Thank you very much, Walleye. debm55 Sep 24 #57

Dream job MoonlightHillFarm Sep 24 #53

Thank you , MoonlightHillFarm. But it was a wonderful dream, wasn't it? debm55 Sep 24 #58

Thinking about becoming a dictator... 3825-87867 Sep 24 #54

HAHHHAHAHAHHAHh, you are funny but truthful. Thank you 3825-87867 debm55 Sep 24 #59

I was obsessed with radios and computers as a kid so everyone just assumed I'd be an engineer... hunter Sep 24 #60

Congratulations to you hunter and to your wife. You did reach your dream job. Just not in the order you thought you debm55 Sep 24 #67

Wanted To Be A Scientist Starting In 4th Grade ProfessorGAC Sep 24 #61

Congratulations. ProfessorGAC. You reached your dream. debm55 Sep 24 #68

Wanted to do lots of different jobs. multigraincracker Sep 24 #62

Thank you very much, multigraincracker.You lived your dreams. debm55 Sep 24 #65

An illustrator.....unfortunately I only did it off & on in B&W... electric_blue68 Sep 24 #63

Thank you , electric_blue68, Yes, the best art is the art you do at home --without deadlines and free to do as you debm55 Sep 24 #64

Thanks. Ah, those deadlines! electric_blue68 Sep 24 #66

Good luck on your paintings. It's a great way to relax. I know that you will do beautiful work. debm55 Sep 24 #69

TY. Hopefully over time I'll get pretty good. Then I'll show you. Also renewing my b&w drawing. It'll be a while, tho electric_blue68 Sep 24 #70

You CAN do it. I know you can. debm55 Sep 24 #78

TY electric_blue68 Sep 24 #84

My parents were artists with day jobs. hunter Sep 24 #93

Oh, I hear that about those kind of students! How wonderful to have 2 artist parents... electric_blue68 Sep 24 #100

That wood block technique is interesting. hunter Sep 24 #104

Thank you very much, That is sound advice from your parents. debm55 Sep 26 #151

I was going to be a vet malaise Sep 24 #74

Same here, malaise. I wanted to go into a job that would help the sick, poor, animals and children. A nurse was always debm55 Sep 24 #77

Hey, that's understandable! electric_blue68 Sep 24 #92

Loved animals all my life malaise Sep 24 #95

Loved animals all my life malaise Sep 24 #96

Loved animals all my life malaise Sep 24 #97

My mother told me that at 3 I wanted to be a cow. Not a cowboy, a cow. rsdsharp Sep 24 #79

LOL! 3catwoman3 Sep 24 #109

HAHAHHA. Thank you rsdsharp. debm55 Sep 25 #122

I loved working on the fish farm. bullimiami Sep 24 #81

Thank you very much, bullimiami. You made a huge leap from fish farm to recording studio. debm55 Sep 25 #121

Foreign correspondent - intrigue, excitement, men. 😇 Polly Hennessey Sep 24 #82

HAHAHAHAHHAHA. That's funny. Thank you very much, Polly Hennessey. debm55 Sep 25 #120

Entomologist markie Sep 24 #83

Great dream job, Thank you very much for sharing, markie. debm55 Sep 25 #119

Hermit Easterncedar Sep 24 #89

HAHAHAHHAHAH. Thank you very much, Easterncedar. debm55 Sep 25 #118

I am getting closer to realizing my dream all the time Easterncedar Sep 25 #123

I know what you mean. debm55 Sep 25 #124

I wanted to be an airline stewardess. MiKenMi33 Sep 24 #94

Wow. Thank you very much, MiKenMi33. You had many dream jobs. debm55 Sep 25 #117

Lighthouse keeper, or the guy in the caboose. Harker Sep 24 #98

Thank you very much, Harker, My grandfather was the guy in the caboose. You and your wife enjoy yourselves today, debm55 Sep 25 #116

WHen I as about 5 or 6, I wanted to be LogDog75 Sep 24 #103

What an interesting dream job, Thank you LogDog75. debm55 Sep 25 #115

Large animal veterinarian. sinkingfeeling Sep 24 #105

Thank you very much, sinkingfeeling. What an interesting dream job. debm55 Sep 25 #114

Astronaut LudwigPastorius Sep 24 #112

Thank you very much, LudwigPastorius. That would have been a terrific dream job. debm55 Sep 25 #113

I wanted to care for animals in some way. TommieMommy Sep 25 #127

Me too, TommieMommie. I wanted to be a vet. But did't think I had the courage for it. I did volunteer work at an no kill debm55 Sep 25 #128

A teacher because of summers off, but then I realized I didn't like kids all that much. catbyte Sep 25 #129

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAH. That's funny. Thank you cabyte. PS, Did you write you salary in also? debm55 Sep 25 #131

To win a big lottery jackpot and not have to work WestMichRad Sep 25 #130

Thank you so much, WestMichRad. I am so glad everything worked out for you. debm55 Sep 25 #132

Newspaper reporter like Lois Lane in Superman Wicked Blue Sep 25 #133

Great!!!!!, Thank you very much for sharing with us. Should we call you Lois Lane?????? debm55 Sep 25 #134

An elevator operator PikaBlue Sep 25 #135

I remember the elevator operators. I too was in awe of their job as a child. Thank you PikaBlue. debm55 Sep 25 #136

Author and artist. Rizen Sep 25 #137

Congratulations, Rizen, I wish you all good vibes debm55 Sep 25 #139

Thanks, you too! Rizen Sep 26 #149

A teacher MustLoveBeagles Sep 25 #138

Thank you very much MustLoveBeagles, Did you reach your dream job? debm55 Sep 25 #140

No MustLoveBeagles Sep 26 #145

For a while I wanted to be a meteorologist. Then I think I wanted to be a pilot. FireUpChips10 Sep 25 #141

Thank you very much, FireUpChips10 debm55 Sep 26 #143

Dream Job?? retread Sep 26 #142

Yes,, work, career , job debm55 Sep 26 #144

Movie star. CTyankee Sep 26 #146

Beautiful and talented actresses. Thank you CTyankee. debm55 Sep 26 #147

As a small child, I wanted to be a policeman. OldBaldy1701E Sep 26 #148

Great, I am happy for you, OldBaldy1701E, Thank you. debm55 Sep 26 #150

Either astronaut or the next Mel Blanc Pinback Sep 26 #152

Great choices, Pinback, but your back choice was the choices you made on your journey in life. debm55 Sep 27 #161

Professional Hobo The Madcap Sep 26 #153

HAHAHAHAHHAHA, Thank you very much, The Madcap. debm55 Sep 27 #160

Airline stewardess. Which is a clue as to my age, PoindexterOglethorpe Sep 27 #155

HAHAHAHAHa, Thank you very much, PoindexterOglethorpe. I know what your mean. debm55 Sep 27 #159

I had 2: a book editor or a prosecutor. Luciferous Sep 27 #157

Thank you very much, Luciferous, Both great choices. debm55 Sep 27 #158