What Would You Do: If You Had A Bonus Life

I’m jealous of video game characters. Sure, they’re a little two dimensional, even when rendered 3D-ish. They often are trying to save someone or trying not to be killed by any manner of strange and nefarious creatures and weapons and enemies. Other aspects of video game characters pretty much sum up the life of a typical adult:  you go around and around doing the same things in the same environment, trying time and again to accomplish the same large and small goals, attempting to attain a new level of accomplishment (to “level up”) with either the support or hindrance of outside forces that seem to control much of what you do.

Vanellope von Schweetz from "Wreck It Ralph" (please don't come after me, Disney...)

But there’s one thing video game characters often can obtain that we in the real world cannot – a bonus life. Now, don’t get all Born Again or reincarnation or CPR on me just to make a point. You know what I’m talking about: a full, complete, additional life to continue the task at hand.

Over the years, I’ve often wondered what I’d do with a bonus life. I’m not talking about a do-over of this life or what I would do if I could live consecutive lives so that I could exist for longer than a typical life ala the Cullen Family. I’m talking about being split into two individuals – two of myself (my husband just cringed reading that) or even more than two of me! (my husband is now hyperventilating) – living completely separate but concurrent lives.

Assuming income needs and family obligations weren’t factors and that I actually had the physical and intellectual ability, here are some of the professions I might choose – in no particular order – if I were given the privilege of actually enjoying a bonus life:

1. Travel Editor – True story, the very first job I was offered  after college was a research assistant gig for a famous travel editor who approached me after I watched the taping of a morning show on which he discussed something travel-esque.  He said he kept 3 assistants on staff at all times and that with the connections I’d make working for him, if I wasn’t employed elsewhere within 18 months, he’d fire me. I turned it down because the pay was low enough that I would need to find a roommate (oh the humanity!). Stupid, stupid, stupid…
2. Marine Biologist (researcher) – I almost applied to colleges to study marine biology but decided not to because of all of the documentation that goes into research work. Because what I do now for a living doesn’t require documentation.  SMH
3. Public / Motivational Speaker
4. Barista
5. FBI Forensic Pathologist
6. Writer of Newspaper or Blog Articles (like Dave Barry or Dan Pearce) – I’m talking about consistently and for a living.
7. Administrator of a Children’s Hospice
8. Clinical Psychologist
9. The Lead on a Show akin to the Daily Show
10. Lawyer – I came very close to applying to law school several times. When I was young and had no qualms about going for the jugular, I was pretty stellar at arguing. And I was mean.
11. Running Coach / Personal Trainer
12. Sommelier – Just for the knowledge of what is awesome and the access to it. Oh yeah, I said it.
13. Mediator
14. Dolphin Trainer – Yep. Influenced by Flipper.
15. Singer and/or Stage Actress – And my husband thinks I sing show tunes and movie songs a lot now. If I did this for a living, good luck tolerating my presence. At all. Ever.
16. Detective
17. Cruise Ship Crew Member
18. Organizational / Industrial Psychologist

There are so many additional things I could do with a bonus life. The mind reels. (Oh, a reel… I could be a Film Projectionist…) What would YOU do if YOU had a bonus life to live right this moment?