Back to reality. Unfortunately, my holidays are over. I’ve been away for about ten days, and it still feels too short. I really don’t want to go back to work tomorrow.

And isn’t that telling? I mean, it’s pretty commonplace that people don’t like waking up at dawn and commuting for an hour, to be sat at a desk for eight (plus) hours everyday, Monday to Friday, and repeat over and over again. Yes, I get that, otherwise there wouldn’t be so many memes about hating Mondays, right?

But still, I can’t help but think there’s more to life than that. My job in itself isn’t that bad. I work in marketing, so I get to do some cool stuff from time to time (all we do in marketing is colouring and drawing, yeah, right, heard it before), but it feels so stiff and uninspiring at the moment. It doesn’t help that the industry is not the sexiest industry in the world, and that the product isn’t tangible. Every Monday, I wake up and I count the days until the weekend. Then I get bummed down about how far that is, and I cheer myself up counting the hours until the evening. Isn’t that sad?

My job isn’t as creative as I would like it to, and there are way too many processes in between the few and scarce creative tasks I have. I also have to answer to a few people, and others that I don’t answer to, but who think I do. It’s all too easy to get overlooked, or to get just a pat on the back. I don’t care about a pat on the back, I care about having more money, or having a defined career path (none of which are real options at the moment, it’s all very wishy-washy). Whilst I don’t hate my job, I daydream about my dream job from time to time.

“Find something you love to do and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Anonymous

What would my dream job be? Well, I’m glad you asked. Here’s a list of things for which I would love getting up at the wake of dawn everyday for the rest of my life.

Snowboard instructor

This isn’t something I would have considered a couple of years ago, but since last time I went snowboarding (almost a year ago now) and I managed to get a bit better, I thought why not? I mean, that last time I even taught a guy how to turn, since he had trouble, and he got it right after I explained him how (the trick is in the salsa hips, my friends). I went to the Ski and Snowboard Show in Battersea Park earlier in the year, and realised becoming a snowboard instructor is a real possibility (and was told not only there aren’t that many snowboard instructors, but female ones are a rarity!), if you have the sort of cash necessary to pay the course, that is. I wouldn’t mind spending a few weeks or months up in the mountains, being on the slopes all day long, even if it’s just running after my kids and stopping them before they crash into someone. I love snowboarding, so would love to do something like that. And now, I’ve just remembered I won’t be snowboarding in 2016… Damn.

Healthy food brunch cafe

I would love to be a cafe! Ha-ha! No, it would be more like working at a cafe like that. I’ve spoken to a friend about it, and it’s a very tangible dream, very attainable if you like. Of course, you also need an initial investment, but it’s still doable. We have a great idea, and I have a very visual image in my mind of how the cafe would look. It wouldn’t need to be a big company, or make us rich, but just a great, nice and friendly place where people could go and eat healthy, tasty food and feel welcome. The most difficult part would be coming up with a name! OK, and the investment. OK, and the first few months until we break even… Shut up, it’s my dream and you’re ruining it!

Snowboard shop

Another job I would love to work on is as a sales assistant in a shop at a ski resort. Of course I know it would have to be about both ski and snowboard, but I would be the snowboard expert (it’s my dream, so I get to be an expert). Go to a mountain resort, work a few months there, and hit the slopes in my free time. How awesome would that be? And an easy job during the day, just giving renters boots and boards, and helping them figure out whether they’re regular or goofy (like me), adjusting bindings… Ah, the dream!

Blogger

I know I wasn’t very active in the past couple of months, but as a excuse reason I’m going to say that it’s been because of work. And health. But you know, having a full time job and then trying to have a full time blog is difficult. I’m guessing people manage and become quite successful, but I struggle a bit. I would love to make the blog more visual, but for that I need some light in my flat (which I don’t have at the moment), and trying to cram a whole week’s worth of blog photos into the weekend, it’s difficult for me. I would love to blog more about food and post photos of my own creations, but it’s not feasible at the moment. Maybe when I move to the new place (can we all wish for it to happen soon, please? Thank you!).

Photographer

Again, it’s a matter of having the time. OK, I know that there’s the whole thing about if it’s important you’ll find a way, if not you’ll find an excuse, but for me, being tired or mentally drained from work and then trying to be creative just doesn’t work. Or it works, and I take the pictures, but then the last thing I want is to sit in front of the computer and edit them to look their best. I don’t know, maybe I don’t want it that much. Still, as a dream job, I think it’d be an awesome one.

Nutrition/fitness instructor

Nutrition is something that has always interested me, and fitness is something I’ve fallen into in the last couple of years. I would love to learn more about both, and put it into practice, maybe creating plans for others, or tutoring people. For that, I first need to apply it to myself! 2016 is going to be the year of finally jumping over all my hurdles and get into the shape and health that I want, so maybe this dream job will happen at some point, who knows?

Craft shop

It’s no secret that I love crafts. When I move, I’ll have more space and more light (can you see the pattern yet?), so I’ll be able to set up shop again and get my sewing machine out. I’ve already made the plan in my head, where everything will go, and I’m planning on having a craft corner so I can let myself go and sew/knit to my heart’s content (yes, I’ve decorated my new flat already in my mind… Actually, maybe add that as a job too, interior decorator!). People have told me in the past they see me selling my creations on Etsy or other online shops, and I kind of see myself too. At the moment my sewing isn’t perfect, but I have big plans for myself. I’ve enrolled in an online course with tutorials so I can improve my technique, and then it’ll be a matter of practise and practise!

Craft teacher

I like teaching people how to do stuff (see snowboarding example above, or tutoring people about their nutrition and fitness). I like explaining things and, let’s be honest, I’m a bit bossy, so I enjoy telling people what to do! I’ve taught a couple of people how to make simple things with yarn and fabric, and I like tutorials in general. My biggest issue is my lack of self-confidence to actually get people to think I know what I’m talking about. Said that, I’m good at training people and explaining things so that everyone can understand them. Maybe it’s a matter of achieving part of the paragraph above, practise and get better, and then try out.

On a similar note…

Photography tutorials

Did you know that after I finished my photography studies I was offered a job as a teacher assistant to my photography teacher at my high school? I declined the offer mainly because I was terrified of teaching teenagers that were just a couple of years younger than me (I guess as a result of having been bullied in the past). It meant a lot that my favourite teacher thought about me for that role, and sometimes I still wonder if maybe I should have said yes. What am I saying, I should have probably said yes, since I really love photography, but well, I wouldn’t be where I am now if I had. Still, I tried a photography tutorial in this very same blog a while ago, which I never finished, because nobody really read it. I keep thinking about redoing it… What do you think? You can have a look at it here. Note it doesn’t have the same format as the posts you’re used to reading because it was created before the blog took its current format!

Surf shop

So… yeah… Why not? I would love to live by a beach, and work at a surf shop. Selling summer stuff to people, waxing surfboards (isn’t that what they do at surf shops? Like, all day long?), giving tips, and then hitting the waves in my spare time. I would get to surf at dawn, before the shop opens, and how amazing would that be? I’ve only been surfing twice, and yeah, I’m making a point of telling you all the truth, I sucked at it! The first time I went for a week, and I spent most of the week trying to lift myself up on the board (cue my lack of upper body strength, and my lack of core balance and strength, for that matter). By the time my sore arms and abs were used to the workout and I managed to get up, I didn’t have enough time to practise the actual standing. Still, it was one of the best weeks I’ve ever had. The second time, I took a class in Argentina, one (very early) morning. I figured out what my main problem was — my body wanted to be regular, but my brain needed to be goofy, and by the time my brain won the battle, it was too late and the wave was long gone (not sure if surfing uses the same terms as snowboarding, by the way, about which foot goes in front). The instructor gave me a grownup board, which surfed like a bullet, and it was much more stable than the learning ones, so I actually managed to stand on the board. Kudos me! So anyway, I would love to work in a surf shop.

Beach bar waitress

Failing all of the above, there’s nothing like serving mojitos at the beach, right? Listening to Caribbean or summery music all day long (I can almost hear the steelpans already), and serving people cold drinks by the sea. A chillaxed life, if you ask me.

Can I be completely honest with you? I don’t even dream about being rich and not having to work… That’d be way too boring, but any of the above? Sure! Where do I sign? I don’t even dream about being the big boss in any of those jobs, no big responsibilities, just small companies in which everyone gets along and helps each other… That has just reminded me of Dwight from The Office, when he co-manages a bed and breakfast with Satan.

Anyway, what’s your dream job? Do you have one? Let me know in the comments!