If most people don't know who they are until they're in their 20's, why do we choose our careers at 18 when we go to college?

I remember the eager, aspiring, hopeful fool I used to be when I was 18 (not to say I'm much different than that fool today). I had many career aspirations. I wanted to be a doctor, saving lives and making much money . . . I wanted to be a teacher, saving lives and making little money . . . pro-basketball player, affecting lives with little recognition for my impact, and making gobs of money. All these were options. . . at that time.

The doctor thing went out the window. I'm a smart dude (or so I'm told, when I'm talking to my Mom). But despite how much I enjoyed school and recognize it's value, I really couldn't see doing it for longer than the 7 years it took me to get my Masters.

And so did the teacher thing. One semester of student teaching, two days a week, proved to me that was not my arena. Teachers are abused, taken advantage of, underpaid and unappreciated and expected to do very much with very little.

Pro-basketball . . .well, that dream actually passed away in about 10th grade, but I was holding on to it a bit longer than I should have.

But when I look back on it, I realize that I knew very little about myself to know actually what I was good at or wanted to do. I mean, very little. The person that I was at 18 was far different than the person that I was at 21, which was different from the person that I was at 23, which was different than the person I was when I was 25. . .which was. . .well, y0u get the point.

So why do we choose what we're going to do for the rest of our lives, so early in our lives? It's always said, do what you love cause you're going to do it for the rest of your life. But do you know what you love to do when you're 18? And if you feel like you do, is that truly what you love to do or just a reflection of what you've been exposed to. . . and who's been exposed to enough at 18?

I'm sure that, just as who you are changes all the time, what you may love to do may follow the same path. But is making that decision at 18 the best course of action to ensure that you're going to be doing what you love to do forever.

????

I told you Chico was gangsta. . .

An excerpt from a conversation between me and my dog Chico. Chico has constant run-in's between two characters : this cat named Sock and this dude named Toilet paper.

Rob: Man Chico, what happened!

Chico: It went down! Punk ass toilet paper tried to run up on me so I
had to show him what's up!

Rob: Damn! You good?

Chico: What you mean am I okay? You see what's left. Gave that fool the business!

Rob: Damn Chico . . . You gangster! Wait till Sock see that.

Chico: I am what I am. I'm looking for that fool too.