What do you want to be when you grow up?

I am told one of my earliest responses to that question was "a bear."

Starting in about high school, I thought I might be a: soldier, civil engineer, anthropology professor, restaurateur, writer or weaver, as well as a few other oddball ideas here and there. Maybe some of those I named are themselves oddball...

I did not, until I started working at newspapers, expect that I'd become a journalist. I must like it: I've been at this for quite a while. But even though this is a great job and a valuable/meaningful/significant way to pass the time, I'm not sure I'm sold on it for the long haul.

• The hours can be long, especially if you're a striver (been there, hope not to return).
• The pay is just OK. I am not raking in the dough as a weaver, but I'm also not the only person in my profession who has more than one job.
• The industry's long-term outlook is foggy. Thinking about the future of newspapers is like pancakes, all exciting at first, but after a while you're fucking sick of it (thank you, Mitch). I'm tired of thinking about this.

But it is a lot of fun. I pretty much get to talk, write, read, edit and think for a living - not too bad a deal. I'm still not sure about the answer, though. Maybe pizza critic?