There were four jobs I wanted to do.

One nature denied me, one I abandoned, one I am doing and one I can stil do.

They were Police Officer, Naval Architect, Nurse and writer.

At five foot and five inches I was too short to be a Police Officer plus bad eyesight. So when height restrictions were replaced with power ratio requirements, my eyesight let me down. The Royal Hong Kong Police told me that if I had only one of my physical disqualifiers and a degree in economics, they would have hired.

I wanted to be a Navel Architect, so that I can design warships to travel faster than the current speed limits. In order to get to University I will need a GCE in Technical Drawing. When it came to sit my GCE (General Certificate of Education) the school insisted I sat the CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education), and fund my own GCE Technical Drawing. I failed the CSE Technical Drawing (I knew I had failed in the exam room). So I did extra lessons laid on by the school in preparation for my GCE. I passed the GCE and the school refunded my examination fee. Yet it was such hard work and unenjoyable. I knew the basic skill for the job was beyond my ability. So gave up on the seven years of university courses.

When I was eighteen, to become a nurse would be like entering a monestary. The School of Nursing was based in the grounds of the hospital where I would work. The accommodation for the nurses was on the hospital grounds, along with the social club. The hospital I would have studied at was a learning disability hospital. My whole life would be lived on less than an acre site. This was too clustrophobic for someone used to travelling all over London. Then 21 years later I entered Redwood College of Health Studies to become a Mental Health Nurse. I was aiming to be a Community Psychiatric Nurse. One night by car broke down so I could not go out dept collecting. Then I saw a documentary about a Community Psychiatric Nurse. He was on a salary, had a car provided and everyone welcomed him as a good man. I was living off commission, providing my own car and everyone thought I was there to break their leg. So resurected my childhood dream. After ten years working on the wards I become a Community Psychiatric Nurse. Childhood dream achieved.

The fourth dream job was to be a writer. A paperback writer whose books are sold in motorway service stations, at airports and train stations. This job can be still be mine. Writing blogs as part of bloganuary is to establish the writing habit. I just need to write a book. I have failed NaNoWriMo twice. This year I need to outline a book ready for NaNoWriMo. I have had many ideas for books over the years. So this childhood dream can still be realised.