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Tuesday, May 28, 2013

TTT: Even When You've Got the Most Important Job in the World, Sometimes You Dream of Demon-Hunting ...

Happy Tuesday!  If you haven't participated in Top Ten Tuesday before, you really should join in the fun.  It's always a good time.  Promise!  Click on over to our hostesses' blog, The Broke and the Bookish, for the details about this always delightful weekly event.

Today's TTT topic is a freebie and don't we all love those?  I debated which subject to choose (Top Ten Books that Scare the Snot Out of Me?  Top Ten Books that Make Me Cry Like a Baby?  Top Ten Books You Couldn't Pay Me to Read Again?), finally settling on Top Ten Books that Make Me Want to Change My Profession.  First, a true confession:  I don't actually have a profession.  I mean, I do have the most important job in the world, but it's not like I get paid to raise my children (darn it!).  And, although motherhood definitely has its drama, suspense, action/adventure and horror, it's not the kind of sexy, book-worthy career that makes readers shout, "Now, that's what I want to be when I grow up."  Just so I'm clear, there's nothing I'd rather be right now than a stay-at-home mom, but these books definitely offer some intriguing career possibilities ...


1.  The Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer—After Captain Jack Sparrow appeared on the big screen in all his strange, but incredibly attractive glory, every female on the planet wanted to be romanced by a pirate.  L.A. Meyer's books, though, make me want to be a pirate.  I mean, the series' heroine, Jacky Faber, makes swinging through the rigging, sailing the open sea, and sword fighting with bloodthirsty savages look like the adventure of a lifetime.  Why she longs to be a proper young lady, I'll never know!


2.  The Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter—I've never had any desire to be a female OO7, but I gotta admit, these middle grade books almost change my mind about becoming a spy.  Attending a super exclusive boarding school, going on intense, secret training missions and playing with the newest, coolest tech toys—well, it looks like loads of fun.


3.  The Hannah Swensen series by Joanne Fluke—I'm not the greatest baker in the world, but I do love me some warm, gooey cookies.  So, being a cookie maker doesn't sound bad at all!  I can totally see myself bustling around a warm, bright cookie shop filling display cases with scrumptious goodies, chatting with customers, and baking up a storm in my shiny professional kitchen.  I'd give Hannah Swensen a run for her money, that's for sure!



4.  The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling—Okay, I don't know if wizard (or witch, I guess) counts as a profession, so I'm going to choose Hogwarts professor instead.  Because, aside from the constant presence of that pesky Voldemort (not to mention bratty Draco Malfoy), it looks like a pretty nice gig!



5.  The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare—I'm a huge wimp, but c'mon, doesn't Clare's crew make demon hunting look pretty darn sexy?  I could totally be a kick-butt demon hunter.  Okay, I couldn't, but it's a fun daydream.


6.  Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys—Lots of novels feature bookshop owners and that's a profession I think I'd totally rock at in the real (unlike pirate or spy or demon hunter).  One of my favorite parts of this book is the descriptions of how Josie and Patrick size up potential customers, bet on what kind of book they're looking for, then compete with each other to find the perfect tome for that person.  It reminds me of playing "Guess the Major" when I worked at the BYU Creamery!


7.  The Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters—While lots of people find archaeology endlessly fascinating, I'm really not one of them.  Discovering ancient artifacts does sound cool, I agree, but nothing about digging for days and days under a sweltering desert sun sounds all that appealing.  Enter Amelia Peabody.  She's an average Jane who does the whole Egyptologist thing in style.  She makes slipping down the Nile in a houseboat and solving mysteries sound like the perfect profession for an average Jane like me.


8.  Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper—After watching my mom slave away as a passionate, but vastly underpaid teacher, I knew that was one thing I did not want to be when I grew up.  Even when it made a lot of sense for me to earn a teaching degree along with my B.A. in English, I resisted.  And, truthfully, it's probably for the best—I don't think I would have had the patience for it, especially not to be a special education teacher, which is what my mom did before she retired from the profession.  Still, when I hear my mom's stories about touching children's lives as well as reading books like Out of My Mind, it makes me realize how important teachers are, especially those who work so diligently and patiently to help those with special needs receive the best education they can get.



9.  That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard—Truth is, I find the whole circus thing a little creepy.  Still, Howard made me reconsider (for a second, at least) running off to join up as a trapeze artist or a palm reader.  I would have to pass on the pooper scooper job, even though I actually have some experience in that arena (thank you, summer job at the vet's office when I was 16).


10.  Misery by Stephen King—Okay, so a story about a fiction writer held captive by a psychotic fan should not make one want to be a novelist.  And yet, how cool would it be to know the words you wrote had that much power over someone else?  Very cool, indeed.              

How about you?  Which books make you want to pursue a whole new profession?  Or, which make you proud to be working the job you are?  I'd love to know.  

* Book images are from Barnes & Noble and Fantastic Fiction

30 comments:

  1. I love your topic choice, super unique! I work in finance (kinda boring, I know). I would love to be a bookshop owner or a demon hunter. I read Sweet Thing and it made me want to own a coffee shop. :-)
    Chelsea @ Starbucks & Books Obsession

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  2. Great list! This is a fun topic. Being a Hogwarts professor is definitely topping my list, but Ally Carter's books always make me want to be a spy and I've always dreamed of owning a bookshop or becoming a writer (although not one that gets captured and held hostage)! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
    -Natalie @Natflix&Books

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  3. This is a great topic!! Very original. I would have to say any book about girls kicking ass and slaying bad things would be my "fictional" dream job. Thanks so much for stopping by Books, Bones & Buffy!

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  4. Wow, this is such a cool list! =) I haven't read Out of the Easy yet but How to Save a Life made me want to work at a bookshop. Harry Potter had me drooling over the career of an Auror (even though in real life I am too much of a coward for that) but I wouldn't mind being a professional Quidditch player either, preferably a Chaser. Wolf Brother (Michelle Paver) made me dream of working to protect wildlife and especially wolves, though the book has nothing to do with that kind of job.
    - Eve @ Every Flavour Books

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  5. Ooh, I like this topic! How could I have missed this one? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You didn't miss anything -- I made this topic up just because I thought it sounded fun!

      Delete
  6. Such a fun topic!!! My favorites are a spy, a novelist, & a bookshop owner! :) My TTT is Fictional Places I’d Love to Vacation: http://aliceinreaderland.com/2013/05/27/vacation/

    Alice @ Alice in Readerland

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  7. Cool list! How about the Donald Duck-comics. I'm not sure what the profession of McScrooge is, but it obviously makes a lot of money. Being a rich adventurer like him sounds very tempting to me!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is such a fun topic! Great choice! There are some professions fictional characters have that I want. The possibilities...Thanks for sharing!

    Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

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  9. Wow, what a unique topic! There are many times I read a book and think "man, I want to do that!" I could definitely see myself being some of the things some of my favorite characters are! (wow that was a weird sentence!)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cool topic choice! I just graduated college, but I am thinking I majored in the wrong thing... where was the Department for Witchcraft and Wizardry Education?? Or the Spy School Division?? I would totally be down for those!!!

    Thanks for stopping by My TTT

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  11. I love your choice of topic! I would love to be a spy too...the Ally Carter books make it seem so fun! I'd love to be a Hogwarts Professor too...why do books have such cool professions in them?!

    Thanks for stopping by my top ten!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Haha, I love this list! I agree about being a spy - that would be awesome, although I'd be terrible at it. And Egyptologist, though? AWESOME!

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

    ~Merin @ Read and Reviewed~

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  13. Awesome awesome top ten topic.. I have to say thanks to buffy, I always wanted to be a kick butt vampire/demon slayer! And the whole detective thing would be fun.. I was way into nancy drew when i was little.. I worked in a book store.. and hands down my favorite job so far.. Although it was highly underpaid.. I loved loved loved it..

    ReplyDelete
  14. Awesome choice of topic! I've definitely wondered about this while reading. I completely agree with Out of the Easy. It made me want to live in a bookshop.

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  15. Great list! I have Out of the Easy on reserve from the library-- so excited >:D The Gallagher girls definitely make espionage seem like fun. And who could help being enchanted with the idea of running a bakery?

    ReplyDelete
  16. What an awesome list! Love it! I still need to read several of these.. like The Mortal Instruments books! The Harry Potter books def made me want to do ANYTHING to be able to hang out at Hogwarts.. heck I'd take Filch's job if I had to! Although, I'd love to be a Professor more! :D

    Totally putting Out of the Easy on my to-read list! It sounds fantastic! I love books about books or related to bookstores, etc.. even in any small way. :D

    Thanks for dropping by MSC!

    April @ My Shelf Confessions

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hahaha this has probably been the funnest (I'll count that as a word for this sentence) TTT this week! I was laughing every time I read your bold lettered profession because some are just silly, but so true! :) Thanks for checking out my TTT this week!

    Holly @ http://hollysreadinghollow.blogspot.com/2013/05/top-ten-tuesday-3.html

    ReplyDelete
  18. Great topic! I've never thought of this before and I can't think of any books that have made me want to change my profession off-hand... HOWEVER, I did go to the aquarium a few days ago and it made me want to change my career to that of dolphin trainer!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I own Out of the Easy, but for some reason I'm really hesitant to start it. I should read it soon!!!

    New follower :)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great idea for a list. I want to be a spy, too, because of the Mrs. Pollifax books -- they make it seem so fun and attainable!

    I did my TTT on books about people who read.

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  21. Great list idea! To be a bookstore owner is my dream job! A similar profession was depicted in Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry - the protagonist's father is a rare book dealer - so cool.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Fantastic topic choice! Creative and fun! I haven't read all of these, but even if I haven't, I've read or seen things that are similar enough to relate to all these occupational choices. Hogwarts professor? I'd love it, though I think I'll pass on the Defense against the Dark Arts position. No one seems to last more than a year in that one. Actually, I'd settle for being a witch, wizarding-world style.

    Spy is another profession I'd love to try -- well, as long as I could do it, you know, safely.

    As for the more reality-based ones, I've been both a bookstore manager and a teacher (in a private school as well as homeschooling.) Both were very rewarding. But you missed one profession I've always wanted to try: librarian. I would LOVE to be a librarian. (The Library Lovers mystery series comes to mind.)

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  23. Awesome list! I totes wish I could be a Hogwarts professor or a demon hunter, that would be badass!

    Teresa @ Readers Live A Thousand Lives

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  24. Susan, this is such a fun topic! I'll have to keep it in mind for the next time a freebie week rolls around ;-) (If you wouldn't mind, of course.)

    I can TOTALLY see wanting to be a pirate. Or a cookie maker. Or a bookshop owner! All sound awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course I don't mind. Feel free to steal the idea. It was lots of fun to think about :)

      Delete
  25. I love the list idea! And yes, I am also a huge wimp but I totally want to be a Shadowhunter! :)

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  26. I really love your topic! I feel that way when I read many books! Every time I read an FBI or Gallagher Girl book, I immediately say that I want to be a spy. How cool would that be? I felt the same way with That Time I Joined the Circus as well, although I've been to many fair/circus-y things and would never do it :) Great list!

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

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  27. I totally want to be a demon hunter too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Great list! I'd love to be a wizard or a cookie baker, but truth be told, bookshop owner is the top of my list. Years ago I worked at a large chain bookstore, and it is the only minimum wage job I look back at with fondness. I'd totally do it again just for the discounts!

    Thanks for stopping by my TTT!

    ReplyDelete

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