Haven’t posted an entry for a while now, apologies to those who enjoy them, and further apologies to those who don’t; I’m back. However this isn’t going to be a negative post as such, and for a change it’s not a rant.
This post has been inspired by a song I was listening to earlier today entitled “Photosynthesis” by Frank Turner. For those who haven’t heard it the idea behind it is staying young while the world passes by and others get old. This had me thinking about how much I’ve changed since I was younger and just how much my aspirations have been altered. It is with this that I present to you Eleven things I wanted to be when I was younger.
1. A Tree – I was five years old, and had no understanding of the biological barriers that would have to be conquered to achieve this goal. My mind was focusing more on the idea of being really tall and having birds for friends.
2. A Space Ranger – Toy Story had a huge influence on me as a child and is responsible for many of my different career aspirations, but this one is understandable. You get a Lazer, you get a cool outfit, you get to fly (or fall with style depending on your perspective) and you get to go into space. If only this position was real.
3. Cowboy – Woody was basically a hero for me in my younger years and his position was more realistic than Buzz Lightyear’s. However it soon dawned on me how silly I would look prancing around Thatcham on a horse with a stetson on. Next.
4. A Soldier – yet again this was Toy Story’s fault, the little army men made it look a lot easier than it actually is. Although they clearly had a hard time, I imagine being stood on my Andy’s mum was very traumatic.
5. Footballer – It was basically what every boy wanted to be from my primary school and to most of them it was a reasonable choice, but not me. I changed the game completely for my classmates; frequently catching the ball by mistake, falling over the ball with my two left feet, and touching the ball with my face more than my feet. It didn’t quite work out.
6. Fireman – The bravery, the excitement, the sense of adventure, what could go wrong? I had a fear of heights making ladders a challenge and anything hotter than a British summer annoys me.
7. Rock Star – Perfect job for a young lad like me. Except I couldn’t play an instrument and my voice was more suited to a rural Church than Reading Festival. I was more Aled Jones than AC DC. So it was more “back to the drawing board” than “Back in Black” for little Lester,
8. Geography Teacher – What can I say? I was talented with colouring pencils and a prit stick.
9. Archaeologist – Indiana Jones was the ideal scenario. Tony Robinson was the actual scenario.
10. Book Writer – My ideas were very imaginative and I was even willing to do the illustrations for them, but I had an even bigger talent for getting half way through a story and realising I didn’t have a clue where it was going.
11. The Doctor (Doctor Who) – again, I didn’t really understand the biological factors that made this near enough impossible. Also my Tardis was a red push bike. Doesn’t quite have the same affect to it, other than the dodgy brakes sounded roughly like the Tardis if timed correctly.
Upon reflection all of those ideas seem daft and somewhat entertaining but at the time they seemed plausible. This leads me to think that perhaps the aspirations I have at the moment follow the same principle. Will I look back in ten years time and chuckle like I am now? I hope not.
Bob Dylan was right in saying the times are changing, and it’s only when I really think about it I actually consider how much I have changed as person. I would like to consider myself as still quite young, but with my long winded thinking sessions and the opinions of a grumpy old man it doesn’t feel like I’ll stay young for very long. I am still just a big kid on the inside and I would like to keep it that way.
It was with that thought I leave you with the chorus lines from the song that inspired this entry.
“I won’t sit down, and I won’t shut up, and most of all I will not grow up!”
Adam Lester. 