Be careful about the advice you might get from 'school guidance counselors'. Most of them have no credentials or any real 'feel' for their students. Their job, especially at the high school level, is to take a quick assessment of your high school career and push you toward either college, trade school, or the job market.

Since I had good grades in high school I was told that I should go to college and pursue science or math. While I did find math somewhat interesting, it didn't fill my need for creativity, nor where there any real career paths in that field that interested me. Did my counselor try find out what I was interested in, or passionate about? No, just looked at my grades and my classes and moved me along. After all, he had a lot of other students he had to screw up.

So, I went to college with the plan to follow the Math/Science path until such time as I could make it as a writer. Of course, I ran into problems there.

I found out two very important things I didn't realize about writing. First, writing is actually work. It isn't just sitting around thinking up cool stories that will then spring full blown onto a printed page. No, you actually have to sit down and write the darn thing.

Secondly, I also had to come to the sad realization that I wasn't that good. I may be able to put together something that is slightly above average, but in the company of other writers (and I do know alot of writers; not only through this fandom, but in the comic business as well) I'm nothing special. You have to produce something remarkable just to make that initial break through; if you are lucky enough to get noticed at all.

So my ideal job needs to be able to fulfill my need to be creative, yet cater to my inate laziness.

I know a guy through the comic book conventions that has a really neat job. He builds props for movies and television. Mostly of a sci-fi nature. Stuff like ray guns and the like. That sounds like a fun job.

Tank (who still has his music, but like his writing, its something that he could never make a living at)