My Son’s Future

My son doesn’t have academic, mechanical or technological interests. OMG!!! You see, I’m on the lookout to find out what he likes and might want to do for the rest of his life. I know that you’re probably thinking that he’s only 14, so what’s the rush? And that most kids don’t know what they want to major in, much less do for the rest of their life (as in a job), until sophomore year of college, if they’re lucky. And if it’s true that the average person changes their career 4 times over their lifetime, then why am I on the lookout for Nick already?

Well, the strangest thing happened to me through my education. I, too, didn’t know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life before college, in college, and after college--for that matter. Strange? Well actually, yes, because all the signs were there.

I had always excelled in English more than any other subject. Trust me, I was not destined to be a math major or a doctor! I loved literature and liked to write. Ask any of my English teachers from junior high, to high school. I even got selected for our high school television program that was only available to seniors and only a certain number “got in.” This program (or class) allowed us to actually run a television news program—or "show" as we called it. It was mostly about our school, the students, teaching staff and personnel. But I had the opportunity handed to me to master what I liked to do (but didn’t really know it) and I was good at it. I worked as a reporter--and got a lot of good compliments from the teachers and other school personnel. Then I had the chance to take on other roles: news anchor, special reporting, sound, camera, direction … we all had the same opportunities and had fun doing it. Great class? Yes. Did I love it? Yeah. Did I also love English and writing? Sure did. So tell me why then that I opted for a business and education degree? I certainly didn’t want to be a teacher, so what was I thinking?

I think that I needed the help of a teacher, a guidance counselor, a friend, or anyone to guide me into journalism, but it didn’t happen.

It took a few more years to straighten this mess out and then I finally did go back to school to study journalism. But my point is that the "signs" were there and I missed them for me so I’m on the lookout for him so that I will know how to help him explore his interests and strengths and help him choose the path that should be taken.

What’s very interesting is that Nick’s interests seem to revolve around the movies; an immaturity or a destiny? But it’s a start and it does sound logical to me that I help him find a high school program (technical film studies?) and follow this direction, or close to it. But the most interesting and peculiar part of this equation is that Hollywood is making its way to Plymouth (where we live) called Hollywood East. They were looking for a place to build a new film and television studio and our town had given Hollywood the green light for Plymouth Rock Studios to be built (2010) on a golf course that is located next to my son’s school and only 5 miles away from where we live. A sign?

Now it I can only get him in. Anyone know somebody??