If money were out of the equation, I know exactly where I’d spend my time. It all circles back to writing, because that’s who I really am.
One dream I’ve carried for years is to be a movie reviewer. Not just tossing out stars or thumbs, but really sitting with films—old classics and new releases alike—and teasing out what makes them work. Film has always struck me as one of our greatest art forms. To spend my days watching stories unfold on the screen and then shaping my reactions into words? That would be pure joy.
Then there’s the novelist in me who’s always waiting for his turn. I finished a manuscript more than a year ago, but it’s still sitting there, untouched, because time is the one resource I never seem to have enough of. If the pressure of bills and paychecks disappeared, I’d pour myself into those pages and finally bring that story—and others I’ve been carrying around—to life.
The third dream is a little harder to pin down. Part of me would love to finally build that sports-and-bourbon site my best friend Scott and I once dreamed up. Two passions under one roof, served neat. But if I’m being honest, another part of me wants something much simpler. I’d choose to be a full-time grandfather. My grandson, Sully, is growing up fast, and while pictures and video calls help, they don’t replace being there. I envy my ex, who gets to see him almost every day. If money weren’t in the way, I’d live closer and show up for those small, everyday moments.
Dream jobs don’t always look like jobs at all. Sometimes they’re just the things that remind us who we really are, or the people we most want to be near.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.
