Would have bought Microsoft and Dell computer stock. Would be living on a island somewhere, either alone or with a large selection of young amazon Russian ladies to "fluff me up" so to speak! :)

All in all have done much better than I ever expected. The school councilor brought my Mother in for a meeting when I was in the 10th grade. He advised her to have me go to VoTech school instead of taking any college prep courses. He thought that I would be a much better car mechanic.

The drive home was a long one and she finally said "do what you want to do, as its your future," which I did. Three degrees later and getting paid more than I deserve to do something I love to do and would do for free.

I feel that everyone needs to go in the military right out of high school. When they come out they will not be a kid anymore and will have the GI bill to help with their education. They then need to find something that they like and want to do for a living. Does not matter what, but something that when they get out of bed in the morning does not cause them to say "not going to do this again!" Life is too short to do something you do not like.

BTW, ran into the high school councilor that tried to steer me into being a car mechanic 7 years after that meeting. It was at a stoplight and I was sitting in a brand new Jaguar, while he was in a 5-7 year old Chevy sedan. He looked over and I smiled and said "hello Craig, hows things going" and he just said hello then looked straight ahead again. Hope that he knows that I still love being a car mechanic, both on my various cars, motorcycles and airplanes. Hope he enjoys himself as much.

Joe

PS I changed careers at the ripe old age of 28. Out of college I was a very successful businessman. After a few years realized that I missed doing one thing in life and changed that. After a few years of doing this on the side decided to make it my profession. At age 28 I bailed out of a nice secure job that would have been guaranteed for life and returned to college for 2 years to change directions. At the age of 55 now, I cannot imagine doing anything else.

If its something that you really want, then dammit, do it. If you do not then you will be forever asking "what if" and not happy with the outcome. That "what if" might not work but if you try it and do not like it, you can almost always go back.

Municipal jobs did turn out to be a good gig.

Paleontologist or Astrophysicist, because both fascinate me.

I wouldn't have drank my way through the first few years of college, pissing away 5 semesters. Getting a degree is much easier as a young single guy then as a 27 year old with 2 kids and a wife. Otherwise, I can't complain. I've made some really stupid decisions, but feel that I was always able to bring something positive away from it. Take that away and I might not be the stellar human being I am today.;)

Would've looked hard at being a: pharmacist, teacher, engineer of some sort, gov't employee of any sort. Also would've bought $30k lots in the massive community we lived in and spent every spare dime i earned waiting tables to pay for them.

As it is though i am glad i found public accounting. the knowledge you gain is SOOOOO useful in life and now that i'm planning for my own firm it really is getting exciting.

Talk show host. It'll more effectively help finance my car hobby. :)

Stocks: yahoo, M$ and Apple (I knew apple was going to go up at the time they were sooooo low :( )
Navy: Passed the first test with really good scores --- couldn't imagine getting up early :(
University: too much time with 1 girlfriend ... and not enough on studying :(
Travel: should have traveled more ....

List goes on but I like what I do and even with my divorce ... I probably would have married her again ... lolo ... would have done some things differently ....

oh well, hind sight is always perfect :D

Hinsight is always crystal clear...it's the future that doesn't have a crystal ball...