Palaeontologist, until i heard there were exactly 8 paid jobs in that field in the country where i live. The alternative was biology-teacher but teaching just doesn't appeal to me. Later i did take it up as a hobby and spent 10 years building a small natural history museum (display cases, texts, collection pieces etc.). From a gift of about 800 books i made a library, complete with my own system. I didn't really get along with those in charge though (possibly because they could have been my grandparents and had very outdated ideas) so that we constantly argued and i gave it up because that really spoilt things for me. It's a very small group in Belgium, so out of spite they went round at the next national fossil fair and ruined my good name so that i couldn't join any other club. Nothing i could do about it really, i watched them go round spreading lies about me and i watched peoples' exressions alter. Years later, when i thought about taking the hobby up again (i still had about 3,5k species lying about + overstocks per site, books, conservation mats, extraction gear etc.), i was flat out refused membership of a club but this guy wouldn't even tell me why. Eventually i moved on and gifted the entire lot anonymously to an association on the sole condition that they wouldn't sell it for profit (i helped write the deontological code for amateur-collectors that is used internationally today). The University of Ghent received part of it and the rest was divided among the members. There was an official ceremony and it made the regional news, but i decided to remain anonymous because it should be about the collection, not about me, notwithstanding that i had spent 15 odd years and a lot of cash i made from odd jobs building it up. My family were furious that i didn't sell the lot and give the money to them if i didn't want it myself. They never understood my reasoning and they never will, but that is not the issue. Ultimately it's about being the bigger person and doing what's right regardless of what it costs you. The only regret i have is that i lost my 2 best friends through that whole mess. Guess they weren't completely on my side either. In short : TIL : when life hands you rocks, choose again.