Since I was 15 and worked at The State Fair with 2 dolphins in 1965. I always loved the water so it would have been great if I wasn't lacking in the math dept. Although I did go up to the 4th year in college [which was good since I only went to 5th grade in school ] on a SAT entrance exam, it wasn't math that I excelled in.. I always wanted to learn and have an education. Ater 3 kids I went back to school in Horticulture, which only lasted one semester having 3 toddlers, keeping babysitters was a problem. I had good grades considering it was mostly science. So it was back to waitress, bartending or factory for me. What did you want to be when you grew up?
A doctor or marine biologist ! A pipe dream it was. Did not do well in school. I was late bloomer in learning dept. But my mother pushed reading on me and that alone helped me survive. I was groomed for motherhood and being a wife, as they thought I was only smart enough for that I guess. However ironic, i excelled in working the back rooms of large brokerage firms, supported to 2 daughters on my own, in accounting type jobs, and had a wide variety of jobs over the years that I did enjoy.
You seem to be proud of yourself, and justifiably so, good for you Heidi. So your the lost kid on WallStreet,
Oddly enough, I can remember being interested in nature and microscopy from the earliest years. I think it had something to do with this little microscope kit my parents got me. I thought it was cool to be able to see another world others could not. So, when I went to work, it turned out that I ended up doing a LOT of light and electron microscopy. When I left the labs and went to work with private industry, it still dealt with microscopy. So, I guess from the youngest age, I always wanted to play with microscopes.
Thomas at least you got to do what you wanted, that's great. I guess looking back I did too, it just wasn't my childhood dream.