Thursday, March 08, 2007

My secret other job (in my dreams)

I have to admit being a writer is actually my dream job. You've heard it all before. Get to work at home, in pajamas, never have to fix the hair or do makeup, and can make up stories and get paid for it.

Yeah, it rocks.

But don't we all have secret fantasy jobs? I do. I want to spend other people's money.

I would do it creatively, of course. My dream job would be a wedding planner. Just a few weeks ago I flipped on Oprah (she's my gal; I get lots of great ideas from her). The show featured Colin Cowie, the fabulous party planner to the stars. (I personally think his British accent is seventy-five percent of his charm, and he can probaby mark up his prices 200% because of it.) Anyway, the show was all about the glam soirees he'd thrown for the big spenders, and the gorgeous weddings he had put together for clients whose favorite saying is "Money is no object." and "The sky is the limit." or "We must have that dipped in gold. Oh, go ahead and dip everything in gold!"

I found myself drooling over the lavish decorations and place settings and flower arrangements. Wouldn't that be fun? Creating a wedding fantasy with someone else's money? Before the show was over I was mentally taking notes for my future career, and crossing my fingers that my daughter (22; staunchly determined to marry late in life) would have a change of heart. I so needed to design some fancy stationary for her, and hang roses in the trees and decorate chairs with chiffon and fresh flowers. I wanted to plan a wedding!

Ahem. So that's my plan for a backup job if this writing thing doesn't pan out. I can so see myself planning baby Surie Cruise's wedding to a Prince of some obscure country. Sigh...

What about you? What's your dream backup job?

Michele

ps - So readers, guess what? Less than 3 hours after watching that particular Oprah show, The Daughter called. She's engaged. Heh. Sometimes wishes really do come true. :-)

14 comments:

Cindy Gerard said...

Hey Michele
What a lovely idea. I once wrote a book about a wedding planner. Decided then and there I'd leave that job to those who can handle all the neurosis in the universe :o) It's kind of like writing. All artsy and creativity on the surface but deep down, it's a tough job. Having said that, however, there's a new show that premiered on Fox last night called Wedding Belles. It's about 3 sisters who run a wedding planner business. It was toooo cute! Very clever. Apparently each episode will feature a different bride and of course we have lots of romance and conflicts among the 3 stars of the show.
As to my dream job - I'd be on the stage somewhere singing my heart out. Of course I'd probably have to pay people to listen but I'd be one happy camper.
Speaking of happy campers - mega congrats on your daughter's upcoming wedding. I can tell you are going to have a ball planning!

Susan McBride said...

Michele, I checked back to see what bomb you'd be dropping today, and I want to add my congrats on your daughter's engagement! That's so cool. I can see all your wedding planning efforts definitely coming into play for a future book! (I'm keeping my wedding folder and all my notes, torn out pages from Brides magazine, etc., for when I get my deb dropout married off!) Best of luck and, like Cindy said, have a ball with it!

Michele Hauf said...

Oh, Susan, that's such a good idea! I should be able to figure a tax deduction out of this some how... Research purposes, right? :-)

Didn't Kathy write a wedding book after her daughter married? Kathy?

M

Christie Ridgway said...

Michele! That's so amazing about your daughter's engagement. Hey, moms are more powerful even than we thought, right?

I want to watch that Wedding Belles show! I saw it was going to be on and then completely forgot. There I was, folding laundry and watching yet another Law & Order rerun.

My dream job...(other than writing). Yikes. I really can't think of one. Beach bum isn't a "job," unfortunately.

Helen Brenna said...

Cindy, I saw parts of that new wedding series. It looks very cute. Oh, and we're going to have to find us a kareoke bar next conference. LOL! I wanna see you sing!

Thanks again for joining us yesterday, Susan, and good luck with all your wedding plans.

The only thing better than getting paid to make up stories, for me, would be getting paid to work out. I'd love to train to be a yogi. Teach classes. Be calm. Wow.

Debra Dixon said...

Michele--

Way cool! Best wishes to your daughter and congratulations to the husband-to-be.

I'm the mom of an only son, so there will most likely never be wedding planning in my future unless he marries an orphan!

There's a new series called THE WEDDING BELLS. I think it's about wedding planners. They've been advertising it like crazy.

I think if I'd had any brains as an 18 year old, I would have gone to film school. Not to be an actor or screenwriter. But to prepare me for producing. I'd have started at the bottom and I'd own the town by now! (Hey, it's my parade. Stop raining on it.)

Kathleen Eagle said...

Michele, I wrote ONCE UPON A WEDDING after my daughter's wedding, and there are pages on my web site called "For My Daughter's Wedding" with lots of pictures. We had a one-top-shop for dresses, flowers, tuxes, major "hardscape" for the decorations, but I did a lot myself and enjoyed it tremendously. You're so good at craftsy stuff, you'll probably do a lot of those chores, too. But I saw what the people at the bridal shop/service went through with fussy brides and the major glitches that seem to be par for the course and realized that job wouldn't be for me.

I want to be a wise elder. I want people to come to me for wisdom, which I would dispense in return for being sheltered, fed, clothed, religiously cared for and honored. I would not deal with money at all. I don't want to be Queen, mind you. I'm ready for the role of revered elder. Heck, people pay for "life coaches" these days. There should be a place in the world for my dream job.

Michele Hauf said...

You got it, Kathy! Wise Elder is yours. :-)

And you're right. I'm already planning table decorations that I can do myself. Or at least, we'll have to get my hubby involved with a drill that can go through stone. My daughter is very into stacked stones (cairns) and she's thinking those would be cool table decorations.
M

Anonymous said...

My other dream job would be a personnal shopper -- for high-ticket, designer goods, of course. I love to shop.

Or an organizer. I love to organize. You know, go into people's houses, garages, attics, whatever, and whip them into shape. It's a sickness, I know, but I find order very soothing.

Anonymous said...

Geez, that wasn't supposed to be anonoymous. I was suposed to be me -- Candace.

Kathleen Eagle said...

When Candace starts her business, I'll be first in line for both services!

I can actually get into organizing when I'm trying to avoid you-know-what. But when I'm back into the you-know-what, what once was arranged soon falls into disarray.

I do enjoy watching people organize, like on "Clean Sweep" and shows like that. Love HGTV. Used to enjoy TLC, but they're loading up their playlist with stuff like tattoo parlors and souping up cars. I'm more interested in 101 ways to decorate with bottle caps.

Michele Hauf said...

I love those organization shows, too! What I really enjoy is a nice container. Containers for everything! (Not that stuff actually gets put in the containers. I'm just saying...)

M

Unknown said...

I want to be a photographer for National Geographic. I'm currently having a love affair with all things elephant.

Susan Kay Law said...

I want a really great restaurant. And an excellent manager, so I don't have to be there every single night.

More practically, I've actually considered opening a cooking school for young adults. (Late teens, early twenties.) I know a lot of them that subsist on really bad food. Make it fun, like going to a party, and just teach them a rotation of a half a dozen really healthy, quick, inexpensive, simple meals. Plus one or two blow-out things when they're impressing someone.

Susie