Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL

Your dream job changes with you. At least for me, that is how I’m currently pondering the answer to today’s daily prompt. I didn’t necessarily have a dream job when I was growing up. It wasn’t until late in high school that I could have answered this question. That young kid would have said “to work for NASA.”

My fascination with model rockets and everything space related is what focused me on college. I received my BS in Aerospace Engineering and then reality hit when I struggled to get a job. I stayed in college and worked toward an MS in Mechanical Engineering. My first job wasn’t with NASA but it was in the aerospace industry. I worked at a company manufacturing turbine blades for aircraft engines.

Through my experiences in manufacturing and the growth of computers, I suppose my next “dream job” would have been in application programming. I enjoyed creating applications and/or systems that benefited the manufacturing process. Put me in front of a computer, give me an idea to run with and step back. I loved creating everything needed to improve a process or make someone’s job easier/better.

I still do, although I don’t get many opportunities to create those types of systems any more.

When my love for Disney was rekindled in the early 2000’s I might have answered to be an Imagineer. That is a term coined within the Walt Disney company for their creative employees. It is created from “Imagine” + “Engineer”. Back then I didn’t think of myself as a creative person so I never attempted to pursue that path.

Recently at work I was having a discussion with my manager and our immediate manager. We were discussing how to handle the work distribution especially in light of now being able to fill a couple open positions. I was asked what I wanted to be when I grow up. The response I blurted out, without any thought, was “useful”.

I don’t believe that counts as a dream job but it really has me thinking lately. What is me current dream job?

I want to be part of the solution. I want to contribute, beyond performing day to day tasks. And thinking back to an earlier prompt about my mission, I want to help the young engineers grow.

I suppose now that I have said it out loud I need to get off my butt.

Damn. Some days I enjoy being lazy… :)

The first step to answering the daily prompt was understanding the word. Sometimes I think I know a word but when I check on its meaning I learn a thing or two. From the Merriam-Webster online dictionary –

clutter (verb) – to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness; often used with up

clutter (noun) – (a): a crowded or confused mass or collection; (b): things that clutter a place

The second one has my name written all over it. I tend to create collections, good and bad, which grow before I realize I am out of space.

I know the prompt is “Where can you..” but I reduced a ton of clutter in 2019. I moved into an apartment in order to get the house ready to sell. I used that transition to reduce the clutter I created over my twenty-five years of living there. For the most part, it worked. I say that even though there are boxes of “stuff” tucked away in my closets.

So, on to today. I need to decide what I want to do with the boxes in the closet. It is a lot of Disney knick-knack. Jim Shore, Precious Moments and other figures picked up over the years. They were displayed in numerous shelving units in the old house but for the past five years have been mostly out of view and mind.

I recently did a good job with my camera stuff. I tend to hold on to old equipment even though I rarely pick it up or use it. I “proudly” display it on a shelf and all it really accomplishes is to gather dust. I sold almost all of it to fund the latest purchases. I haven’t missed it and now I don’t have to clean it.

I am a book hoarder by nature but I don’t see that ever changing. My shelves are packed full of books. To help with that bad habit, I have been getting books on my Kindle. Not my sci-fi books or those I get about photography and Disney, but the fiction, mystery, and thriller books I find myself enjoying lately. So, maybe that counts toward reducing clutter.

The definition for the verb clutter has me thinking, especially the “impede movement” portion. What is the clutter impeding my movement forward. I planned on being in this apartment until I sold the house. That happened in early 2020. I wanted to move out of NY, away from the cold and yet, here I am waiting for the snow storm to arrive today.

My mental clutter needs to be reduced as well. I don’t see myself as a deep thinker or one that does self-reflection. When I do jump in though, I can surprise myself. We’ll tug on that thread another time.

Time to get ready for work. Crap, what about the clutter there? Good grief….

You’re right, that isn’t my mission. Although, there are times at work it is what I am asked to do. That would be a story for a different day.

My first thought upon reading the prompt might be the same for others of my generation. The Mission Impossible television show. Fellow blogger Robin over at “breezes at dawn” started off the same way (this tape will self destruct in five seconds). A good read for sure.

I let this prompt ruminate though out the day. I was hoping to write a response but I’m never positive how the day will turn out, especially during the week. So, I’m setting the video games and photography aside for now to get these thoughts down on paper(?)…

What is your mission?

I don’t think I have one. Not one clearly defined. Definitely not one I can point to and say, “this is my mission.” Maybe I have already completed a mission or two, and now I am looking for the next one. I have things I want to do or accomplish, but a mission, not really.

And then…

The light bulb clicked on at work today. Maybe I found my mission. I’m there to share my experience and help the younglings grow. I enjoy those teaching moments that crop up during the day. I have the most fun when I’m working with the young engineers. They have questions, and although I might not have the answer we can work through it together. They are way smarter than I think I am. But, I have experience. Experience has taught me how to seek my own answers. Experience gives me a breadth of knowledge to draw upon and the ability to see different solutions. Experience has allowed me to understand how to work with people.

My mission is to pass on my experience.

At the very least, if I decide to accept it, this is how I will view what I’m doing at work.

Wait? What? I’m not sure I understand the question. Is there any other time?

OK, yes, I know it isn’t all fun and games. But I do think this prompt is looking directly at me. See my first post of 2024 (Stop and Play). Literally the last words in the post.

I typically have fun. 

At work I’m the one bringing a little levity to the meeting. Understand, I can drone on during the meeting as needed. I can become quite passionate on different topics, but you do not have to leave the fun at home. You do need to know how to read the room though, it is a skill and not everyone can do it.

Playtime.

Hhhmmm? The prompt is “What says ‘playtime’ to you?”

Letting my mind have fun. Strolling with my camera is playtime. Processing the images once I get back home is playtime. Writing the blog post is playtime. Creativity or being creative is playtime.

I play video games, a lot. I have a two bedroom apartment and the second room is my video game room. I mostly enjoy the RPG genre but I occasionally branch into other types of games. Exploring the worlds with the game and solving the adventure is definitely playtime. I would say more identifiable as playtime than my statements above. The room…

I like to bake and cook. I think there is playtime involved in both of these activities. Again, it is about creativity. I love trying out a new recipe and then tweaking it to better suit what I like. I’m not always successful but who cares. I have fun trying.

I think of myself as a big kid. I like to have fun and I do enjoy my playtime. I wish to never stop playing…