Life Goals

Today, I was eating lunch with a couple fellow residents.  As we presided over our unwholesome burgers, fries, and raviolies, one of them proclaimed that she was going to break up with her boyfriend.  We were all a little happy/confused and she went into great detail about why exactly her bf was not up to par.  Her chief reason?  His life goal was to be on American Idol.

It is not that this is a particularly unwholesome dream.  Reality TV is glamorous.  Fits him perfectly too, for he is a reported "attention craver" and a notoriously bad rapper.  Did I mention he is a very very white man with the rapper moniker "TyKwon Flow"?  Whatever, its what he loves, should he not be allowed to want to be a success? 

The main reason this is not compatible with the aforementioned friend is that she has dreams of leading this country.  Her life is completely organized, there is no time for breaks or respites.  She is currently on the ballot to become a senator for the school government, is part of the Model UN, and *did I mention?* on a fixed schedule.  American Idol?  What a sad story...

Regardless, this got me to thinking what I want to really do with my life.  If I had a real choice, a choice where all worries just disappeared and life became rather surreal, I would spend my life on the beach.  Soaking up rays, getting skin cancer at 30, enjoying the unending beauty, and, of course, picking up beautiful beach babes!  But, I do not have a choice like that.  How would I feed myself?  Where would I live?  If I ever had kids, how would my decision make their life any better?

So, since I can't really just spend all my days on the sand and surf just yet, what the hell am I doing?  Becoming a square is really the answer.  Following the man.  Finding an education so that I can wake up at an early hour so that I can work for someone else, settle down, have a family, finally having enough money down the road *after 40 or so years* to live the dream.  Is that what I want?

Too many questions, I know.  Its cause I am asking them as I type.  But, I hope I am doing the right thing.  I wanted to be a journalist so much so that in high school I only looked for schools that offered such programs and joined a newspaper program offered by the local press.  But now, that is not quite the sentiment I feel.  I wonder now about joining an ambassador program, working for the state department, or, something of that sort.  Or a spy!  That would be pretty sweet as well.

My life goals, in the end, are not that important.  I am young.  Way young.  I am a mere fifth or even sixth of the age I will be when I die.  So, having a life goal is a little lofty.  I can have an intent, such as to spend the rest of my life on the beach, but without a path to get there.  I think this method will work for now.  I don't have to choose a major just yet.  All I have to worry about for now is getting through the week.