Whenever we have family members celebrating their birthdays, we come together to the house of our grandparents to have lunch or dinner, chat, celebrate, etc. While the list of activities changes from year to year, the last thing we do before we say goodbye and return to our respective homes is sing the “Happy Birthday” song, cut the cake and eat it.
I remember too well that when I was little, I have always have wanted to get the flowers on top or the icing in the cake for myself. I would dip in my pointing finger and surrender to happiness whilst enjoying the sweetness of the icing.
Through the years though, I find myself liking the substance of the cake more than the mere icing. This is where I’ll relate this to these representations:
Icing = Online World
Substance = Real World
It seems like only yesterday when I joined Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social networking sites…and started blogging. Fast forward to now, I have over a thousand friends and followers in FB and TW and hundreds in the rest. Yet I don’t feel quite enough. I get swept up in the icings of my life, which are composed of beautiful images and their promises of perfection then almost forget all I have learned from my real-world experiences.
For sure, it’s not only me who thinks this way. Many people tell their stories more online than they do in real life, hence barely expressing themselves in actuality.
Like a real IT geek, I seem to prefer the online world rather than the real worldβand I know this should not be the case. I feel like my life can be something more when I get to deal with real-life people do real-life events. But how can I correct this when I stay about 11 hours at work facing the computer and use my laptop again at home to work on my other projects and business-related tasks that I need to finish?
To save myself from sticking with the online community too much and give it a break, I envision to live a life having a different career.
My 5 Dream Alternative Careers
1. School Disciplinarian
Through Kindergarten to high school to the present times , I look up to Mr. Yu, Uno High School‘s disciplinarian, for being able to take a great deal of time and effort in monitoring everybody’s behavior in school. I’m proud to say that I have graduated from this prestigious high school not only learning from all the lessons taught in class but also embracing the discipline and values Mr. Yu has shared and administered. Like him, I want to be able to stay in an environment I love, be an inspiration, earn people’s respect and mingle with them sans being online. π
2. Theater Arts Dancer
Dancing and working out are two of my most favorite activities. They are much more than a sport, as they require the right amount of talent, confidence, and patience for the craft. Being accepted as a member of a professional theater arts group would be a dream come-true for me. Be it performing ballet, jazz, swing, hip hop, break-dance, pointe, or modern, I can be out of the computer doing my own sharp and graceful moves throughout the day.
3. Celebrity Hairdresser
Itβs funny that I used to be that girl who hated makeup and doing hairstyles other than the usual bun, ponytail, simple braid and curls. But when I started watching YouTube videos last year inspired by the Singaporeans who love makeup and dressing up, I became so fascinated with the things we can do beautify and improve how people look. I wanted to try all sorts of colors, textures, lashes and shapes to people’s faces and make them look amazing.
So I thought that with flexible hours, becoming a celebrity hairdresser at the center of the beauty industry is a career I think is fun and rewarding. It’s one recession-proof job that can touch the lives of endless number of people. I can meet celebrities, attend events with them for free, work with a fashion or movie set and even go traveling around the world for projects. On slow days, I can always have lots of gossip to keep myself busy! Nyahaha π
4. Pastry Chef
Being a pastry chef requires much persistence and patience in the kitchen, I know. Even if I’m not into baking, I do love eating baked goodies and pastries, and I think I can be good at making them myself when I subscribe to commitment. I thought smelling the aroma of food from starters or appetizers, snacks to desserts every day and living completely tech-free would be good. I could also make people happy, feeding them sweets to brighten up their mood anytime.
5. Dubber
I’m not gifted with a good singing voice but I can totally use different voices to dub characters on TV, radio, music videos and other shows. The good thing about being a dubber is that I don’t have to memorize scripts as I won’t be the actor facing the camera. Additionally, I don’t have to use my brain cells to create my lines as they will just be given to me. I don’t have to work hard on my looks to please audiences either, as I stay only at the back projecting for voice-overs. Yet I can be an instant star when people find out that I’m the voice behind a popular cartoon character or main cast of a non-Filipino television series.
Wrap Up
While these fantasies sound great to me, I believe or make myself believe and so people do believe as well that I’m good at what I do now. And so I cannot escape from being what I have presently become. I love my job(s) and if ever I would go for those five figures above, I can just mess up in a hundred ways and I can go broke.
But what if I succeed? π
If you have read until this far, I thank you for your time and ask you to also think about the alternative careers you dream about. And before you leave this page, contemplate on this note: “Until you live out the things that you profess to believe, they are only so many things in your head.” Hopefully, we can then break out from tasting only the “icing in the cake.”
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
You know, many people who are really “into” the online world tend to forget not just how to interact effectively in reality, but some of the things that really matter. Although I spend a lot of time in front of the computer and on the internet, I try to restrict myself when I’m out so I get to appreciate the other things around me. It helps to really have a good balance between your online self and real world self. Oh, and I’ve always wanted to be a dubber too! π Hit me up some time if you want to do a collab π
Hi Sumi, thanks for dropping by. π Maybe we can be part of some fan dubbing or join a group just for fun and not for profit and eventually get to a real casting when we have the right credentials of being a voice talent!
I also detach myself from the online world from time to time. It’s been so accessible now that we’re perpetually online already so I take sometime away from it.
Hi Franc, I know that how it’s hard to avoid using the Internet and computer, and many suffer from addiction already. Good to hear that you’re also taking time off from it and pay attention to the important things offline. π
I am so tempted with the chocolate cake! Pero yun na nga, on its face lang ata siya masarap. Justlike you, I also want to take a break and relax from all these..
Relax — that’s it! We should get involved with teams, clubs, sports, church, music, dancing, singing, etc. We can also be like our friend, Franc, who joins fun runs all the time. Haha. How about running with a friend or get exercise some other way at least once a month? π After a long day’s work, we need to go to bed on time and get a good night’s rest.
if I’m going to choose a different career that what I have now then I’d probably go with the teaching route… it’s very difficult but it’s also lots of fun…
Teaching is fun especially when you know that your students grow up to be the best in their own field someday and say a simple ‘thank you’ for all you’ve taught. π
I have my ‘true self box’ that I treasure and only genuine friends have access to open it and see what’s inside. Others, including my online friends, are privy only to my funny side. How I wish to be a school guidance counselor… kailan kaya.
Is being a guidance counselor too far from your current career? It’s never too late to try if you’re really passionate on pursuing that path. Find happiness. π
life is what happens outside the cyberspace
Correct! Thanks, Mimi, for that sum-up!
i am also been working infront of the internet for the whole day though i am not doing them or not even facing my fone whenever i am out of the house or whenever i go to the gym and swim to unwind! xx
There are many things we can do to unwind but probably my most favorite of all is to sleep. π zZzzzZ…
Love the “cake” metaphor. Personally, I don’t share much of my real world. The social networks are too noisy , already. =) . I think mine’s would be a rockstar! hehe
Hi Jerome! Thanks for the appreciation. I have thought of that metaphor about an hour while I was in public transit. I guess I was just bored… π
Ohh, rockstar ah! Go go go!
Through your thoughts and your post, I guess I need to detach myself from cyberspace and go out there embrace the real world. And we have the same dreams on #4 as I wanted to be a baker myself.
Best part of being a baker is you can eat the Cake yeast then test eat your cheese danish and bang! If you become one someday, don’t forget me! I can taste-test your sweet works and blog about it. Haha. π
Girl you have a great blog so I think you continue the passion. However, I just wanted to tell you that you seem to have a lot of things that you wanted to have as a career – not bad but this might slow you down. It is better that this early decide which one of those you enumerated you really wanted to do as a career. I wish you luck.
Thanks, Orly! π
Yup, I shall continue my passion and find what I really want to do in life. It has been four years since I graduated from college and there are still some slow times when I look back and think “what if I did not pursue my IT career now”? I don’t know the answer to that question. I guess time will tell and the “supernatural” forces together with my family and friends would support me when I’m ready to go on another path. I just hope that I will still be courageous to go on a new one and make a difference in others’ lives.
As always, you never fail to impress me with your brilliant thoughts. You know, I consider myself to be one of the guilty ones here. I’ve worked online for almost three years now. And since it’s my bread and butter, I tend to work long hours just sitting and working in-front of my computer. There have been nights when friends and family would ask me out. But I would mostly decline since I’m always wrapped up with what I do. But that’s changed since a close friend recently told me that being online (regardless if it’s work-related or blogging) shouldn’t restrict me of a social life.
Sure, I love interacting with people online. Heck, I’ve met some of the coolest people here. But the best way still, is to go and deal with the actual interaction. It’s always the best balance in life. π
Hello Mai, thank you very much for your appreciation.
Yup, being online can bring you no boundaries in interacting and meeting new people. Because of the Internet, we can get across the globe regardless of location and nationality. We have the power to reach out and connect, network, share, and communicate efficiently, and very few barriers exist. And I agree with you saying that we should manage to have that equilibrium and spend time offline as well. π
I have lots of different side of my self.. I wanted to be a model.. then I wanted to be a novelist.. then I wanted to be a composer.. a music critic then a blogger.. I guess it’s all up to us to pursue our dreams.. it’s never too late..
I believe so too – because we are never too old to dream; age means nothing when we know what we want! π
Most of the time I prefer online than the real world. Online makes my world at peace for a moment.
Good for you. π
I would have loved to be a theater actor or a broadcast journalist. i guess the journalist part i’m sort living out through blogging, so i have no complains about being on the internet all the time hehe
Yeah, we’re the same in that angle. I, too, wanted to become a broadcast journalist and even had a hard time choosing between Communication Arts / Journalism or IT back in pre-college days. I chose IT and have no regrets about it; I can still work as a writer through blogging and make money online anyhow. π
am sure you have a good back fall if ever.. I wonder which character you are going to dub if ever you became a dubber…interesting career
Haha thanks. I’d tell it to everyone about it, if I had the chance.
Hey you know what, sometimes you just have to really dive in and go after what you want, you know. It is a scary and challenging thing, but our personal happiness must come first π
Personal happiness coming first is ideal but not practical in this day of financial breakdown and economic turmoil. Everybody has to do something to earn money.
1 more month and its once again graduation month. And it is well known to be the month with the most # of unemployed Filipinos. Tsk! Career mismatch is the culprit. However, people tend to just go with the flow wherein at the end of the day, they end up not being hired in their desired job post because they lack neither experience or knowledge to it.
There are some courses that people take when they are unsure of what they want to do in life. Examples are psychology, pharmacy and marketing. These three, I bet, can put their paths to the right perspective and support them financially through jobs no matter what.
haha! me too! I once dream to become a dubber.. actually until now I love mimicking a lot of anime characters voices..
We control our dolls at home and pretend that they are talking with different voices. Haha.
Real World is where the real thing happens and I make it sure to detach myself from cyberspace.
Hi Claire, amen to that!