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Question of the Day | 09/02/2008 12:00 am

If you could switch careers today, what would you choose as your new field?

Shutterstock
Judith Martin

Judith Martin | 09/02/2008 12:00 am

Judith Martin Seeks Career Advice

Do you know of any other career where a woman barely more than five feet tall can intimate everyone?
Joan Ganz Cooney

Joan Ganz Cooney | 09/02/2008 12:00 am

The One Thing Joan Ganz Cooney Doesn't Regret

It’s too late for me to think about switching careers even as a fantasy. I have no regrets on that score.
Liz Smith

Liz Smith | 09/02/2008 12:00 am

Liz Smith: A Trophy Wife?

If I could switch careers today, I would like to be one of those young trophy wives with everything still ahead of me, working hard to reassure that investment banker or Google-type inventor entrepreneur that it should all be put in my name. I’ve been a fool about money all my life and in my second “career” I would put myself in a ”business” where I could change that circumstance.

Click here to read my column in the Post.

Read more about: Business, Career, Lifestyle, Money

81 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Frank Peterson
You two woman—astonish my heart. Thank you Hines for the direction, the short journey was worth the price of everything I hold close. And expanded that “everything “exponentially.” I am moved.
By Frank Peterson on 09/02/2008 11:52 am
Hines Hammond
Friend always, deal?
By Hines Hammond on 09/02/2008 12:11 pm
Frank Peterson
Oh Hines—you betcha—wouldn’t have any other way for my life to come. You amaze me, lady. :-)
By Frank Peterson on 09/02/2008 12:19 pm
Chrome Toe
I am in the midst of a career change now. Well… really more a life change than a career change. It’ll be my fourth real career/life change in my life. I started out with all the other women in my family doing service work in restaurants. Then found factory work was much better paying. Then got my college degree and worked in corrections/social work for years. Then leaped out of that overnight into commissioned ad sales for TV. Then had a little boutique ad agency for awhile (in the middle of all this helping my husband with our contracting business). Then back to social work. And now… I’m not working at all. Looking for the path. I’m in the process of getting a personal trainer certificate (MUCH harder than it sounds as I never took any biology or physiology or anything prior) while at the same time working on using my resources and network to fund and build a very very much needed group home for teens in our county. So… the career change is kind of finding me as opposed to me finding it..
By Chrome Toe on 09/02/2008 9:43 am
Chrome Toe
to answer the actual question though… if I were starting “new”.. if circumstances were different I’d go to law school. I’ve always loved court. Have done a lot of it in my corrections/social work jobs. Love law. Understand it. And would really like to do family law.
By Chrome Toe on 09/02/2008 9:47 am
Jozie Lee
You are very courageous, Kelly. Way to go!! Have you considered schooling to become a para-legal?
By Jozie Lee on 09/02/2008 7:44 pm
K O
No change here. I love what I do, and will continue advocating for women’s financial independence until someone pulls the plug to shut me up. And even then, I’ll probably have a word or two left.
By K O on 09/02/2008 10:31 am
Frank Peterson
Same way, same happenings—I wouldn’t change one minute of it—I’ve had the best there is—what more could I possible want?
By Frank Peterson on 09/02/2008 10:40 am
joan larsen
Frank, I have read your words. I have read the bits and pieces of your life — your wonderful work as a teacher who has changed the lives of children, and as a husband and father who somehow has “hit the jackpot” in your own personal life that few other chould ever believe — or equal. You carry in your heart a life filled with doing for others, caring for others above all else, and coming back to a home brimming with love. I am sure I am not the first to say it — but Frank, you have had it all!
By joan larsen on 09/02/2008 10:56 am
Frank Peterson
I came close Joan—but then life intervened and took away a big part—still wouldn’t change my life—thank you Joan kind words :-)
By Frank Peterson on 09/02/2008 11:03 am
joan larsen
To Frank and all the others on WOW, We have read many of Frank’s writings - his words written so openly - and so most of us know that his true and forever love in life met with an untimely death at what we say “too young an age”. We grieve for him. Some of us have known our own griefs and understand that with that death a piece of the heart has gone with it, never to be replaced. But it also tells us that we too should do what Frank has done. For from his words, we get the feeling that he more than made each moment of private world count, count in the small ways - the best ways - by speaking the words of love, and doing the things that bring that love in close and personal and — as he says - unbelievable, doing it every day. None of us know what tomorrow will bring. We do have today, and if we haven’t started following Frank’s example, it is not too late to begin. As Frank might say, and Sinatra sang: Regrets, I have a few, but then, too few to mention. He put a whole lifetime into moments to be remembered always with this woman who was his true love. No, I think he would not say he has regrets. And no, I don’t think he would change his life. He knows as another song lyrics related: I had it all. I am not too sure how many of us can say this. And I am not sure that I have voiced my own thinking in words you can fully take in, think about, and perhaps do something to make your own personal lives better - today. But I think that Frank would echo me in saying: TRY. WE MAY ONLY HAVE TODAY. To Frank, hold those memories dear — for your words have told us that you were a fortunate man - and you did have it all. Treasure it, and consider yourself a lucky man.
By joan larsen on 09/02/2008 11:47 am
Frank Peterson
There are times Joan when you have written here and astonished my heart as you have just done again—I will not forget this day—now I’m going to sit and bring remembrance forth of those times a few years ago when I did have it all—thank you Joan, Thank you.
By Frank Peterson on 09/02/2008 11:59 am
Susan B
There are no mistakes. We follow the path or paths we must. Having no regrets about the past means you can proceed to toward the future with confidence and joy.
By Susan B on 09/02/2008 11:18 pm
Frank Peterson
Susan— it’s taken me a long time to get that joy back and the confidence and now I write it. There may be no mistakes but god I wish that mistake hadn’t happened. They’ll never be another like her—one doesn’t come out like we did from the hell of Vietnam and found the bliss that was ours very often—once in a lifetime. I have no regrets and would do it all over again exactly the same.
By Frank Peterson on 09/02/2008 11:24 pm
G T
Ah, a fantasy about what I might have done!! Well, I think I would be a high end real estate agent..There seems to be a good living to be made doing that. And think of all the great houses and property you get to see. My real “job” would be owning a horse breeding farm. A big self sustaining farm where beautiful Arabian horses are bred and raised and trained, with pastures where hay and grain are grown, big gardens with lots of fresh veggies..chickens and turkeys, a dog or two and several cats..some house cats some barn cats…a complete composting operation where all is recycled back onto the earth as rich compost. Big spring fed ponds where wild fowl can feed and find a safe place even in hunting season..Big grass pastures with mares and their foals that I could walk through. Arabian mares are such sweet horses and they willingly share their babies with you. Nothing is sweeter than a little Arabian foal who comes up so curious and cautious. Mom is also there with her muzzle out front, hoping there is a carrot for her. Yes, I would be a country mouse..that is such a good life..lots of hard work and outdoor living..surrounded by the people and animals one loves and works with.
By G T on 09/02/2008 11:13 am